Page 12 of His New Toy

Clark pulled out a chair for him. “Sit,” he said.

Seth sat automatically, and received a hand carding through his hair in reward. “Good boy,” Clark murmured, just for him, before moving to his own seat.

“Now,” Clark continued, as if nothing had happened at all. “I hope you don’t mind, but since I don’t know your coffee preferences, I just had Lydia make a plain black cup to start. But I have plenty of cream and sugar, should you need to doctor it up.”

“Thank you,” Seth said meekly, pulling the mug toward him.

Breakfast felt… difficult. Mostly Seth tried to eat while not looking too much at Clark and remembering what had happened last night in the kitchen. The thought of someone else, like Lydia, suspecting what had gone on also made embarrassment bloom hot on Seth’s neck. He’d been so shameless, needy and-andbeggingand doing exactly what Clark wanted and–

He nearly dropped the last bite of his bagel when Clark’s fingers curled around his shoulder. Seth had been so stuck in his own head he hadn’t even noticed the man get up.

Seth licked his lips nervously as he looked up at Clark. Sitting down like this, with Clark standing, made Clark’s size feel even more imposing. Especially in his suit.

“Don’t stop on my account,” Clark said with a chuckle. “But I have a phone call I need to take in my office. I just wanted to ask you when I should have my driver ready to take you home.”

“Driver?” Seth asked.

Another chuckle. “Of course. You don’t expect me to send you back out into the cold to walk to the bus stop now, do you?”

“O-oh,” Seth said. “Um, now would be fine. If that’s okay.” He was pretty much done eating as it was, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get an earlier start out, especially with all the snow.

“Sounds good,” Clark said. “I’ll just fetch your coat and let him know to bring the car around, then.”

“Thank you,” Seth said quickly. “Really, um. Thank you.”

“No trouble at all,” Clark said. “Just a moment.”

Seth watched him leave the dining room, feeling very much at a loss. That feeling didn’t dissipate by the time Clark returned moments later, but it had given Seth time to finish the last bit of his bagel and stand up from the table, nervously shifting from foot to foot.

“Come here,” Clark said, holding out Seth’s coat.

Seth hesitated for a brief moment, just long enough for Clark to raise an eyebrow at him, as if to say,Well? I’m waiting.

He hurried forward, sliding his arms into the sleeves as Clark directed him.

“Thank you,” Seth said again, not able to come up with anything better.

“Oh no,” Clark said, leaning fully into his space, lips brushing the shell of Seth’s ear. “Thankyou.”

Seth sucked in a shuddering breath as Clark took a step back, throwing him a smile before pulling his phone out of his pocket. “Ah well,” he said. “Work calls. But my driver is right outside waiting for you.”

“Okay,” Seth said, around a dry throat.

“Oh, and Seth?”

“Yessir?” It slipped out before Seth could pull it back in.

Clark’s eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. “I would appreciate you letting me know you made it to work safely. The road conditions, you know.”

“Yeah,” Seth said. “Okay. Sure, yeah.”

“Good boy,” Clark said warmly. And then he was gone.

Seth fumbled through zipping up his coat and went to grab up his backpack, before leaving the dining room to head to the front door.

It was only after he’d given Clark’s driver Daniel his address, and was on his way home that he nervously shoved his hands into his coat pockets and realized that they weren’t empty.

He pulled out the paper he had felt, staring down in disbelief at the five hundred-dollar bills in his palm.

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