Page 75 of Steam

Daniel let his mind drift as Will cared for him. Will left and returned again, this time with a fluffy towel to dry him and a small bottle of lotion. Daniel watched as he warmed the lotion between his tattooed hands.

* * *

There wassomething so natural about caring for Daniel—and there was something about this part that Will realized he enjoyed just as much as the sex, the raw power and want between them.

Daniel didn't seem to be in discomfort from the spanking that had happened mid-session, but his ass was still bright pink when Will rolled him over. He smoothed lotion over the angry-looking skin, rubbing it in gently until it disappeared and then rubbing the leftover lotion up Daniel's back.

He wondered how long Daniel might want to stay and what might be next for the student. Did he have roommates back home who would be expecting him? Did he have tests to study for?

Will didn’t have a goddamn thing to look forward to for the rest of the night other than the stack of Intro to Lit papers that were waiting for him. The apartment felt so pleasantly lived-in when there was someone else around.

And Daniel,he thought, might be a good someone to have around more.

He stroked a hand down Daniel’s spine and then stood again to put the lotion back where it belonged.

Maybe he’ll want to stay the night,Will thought with a throb of hopefulness.

The sex—and everything else—had been perfect and now Will wanted nothing more than to hold Daniel close to his chest and not have to think about anything but the two of them.

* * *

Daniel was drifting mindlesslywhen Will returned to the empty side of the bed, untucking it and getting under the sheet.

"Come on," he said softly, and Daniel did, slipping between the top and bottom sheet.

He hadn't even gotten comfortable when Will was scooting to the center of the bed, pulling Daniel towards him. Will tucked him into his chest and Daniel relaxed against his body. He hadn't expected any of this—that Will would want to keep taking care of him, would want to hold him. The comfort he felt in Will's arms almost made his tears start flowing again. Instead, Daniel fell into a light sleep.

* * *

Will waitedfor Daniel to sleep before he let himself drift.

When he woke, it was because Daniel was moving in his arms. The apartment was dark. Will reached to flick on the lamp. On the other side of the bed, Daniel pressed the knuckles of one hand into his eye.

What happens now?Will wondered for what felt like the fiftieth time.

"How long were we out?" he asked after a dramatic yawn.

"I don't know," Will admitted. He hadn't even noticed what time Daniel arrived. "Could've just been a few minutes."

It was odd to sit there with his student now that the scene was over and there was no artifice between the two of them.

It was odder still to realize that fucking Daniel hadn’t lessened Will’s desire for him. If anything, he wanted Daniel more than he had before.

That was a frightening thought. Will was much more used to hooking up with someone he’d been attracted to only to realize when they woke up that all of the fun had been in the chase and none of it in a future together.

Daniel leaned over the side of the bed, retrieving his jeans and finding his phone. He clicked it on and scrolled through notifications. Will waited for Daniel to turn back with an excuse on his lips, a reason why he needed to get dressed and leave right away.

"It's been an hour and a half," Daniel said. Will worried at first that he was upset he'd stayed so long, but when he turned to Will, Daniel wore a grin on his face.

"That's the best I've slept in fucking years," Daniel said. "I don't think I've ever been so relaxed."

Will snorted a laugh and smiled. "Does that mean you liked it?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and fixed Will with a dubious look.

"Let's see... I got spanked for the first time in my adult life, called you 'daddy' about a thousand times, and came harder than I thought possible," he said, ticking off points on his fingers. "Nope. Hated it. Had an awful time."

Will laughed and after a minute, Daniel did too.

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