Page 5 of His Plaything

“Sure,” Seth said, pushing those thoughts aside.Stupid,he told himself. He was projecting hard and needed to stop.

“Then please,” Clark said, motioning to the chair with a flourish.

“Right.” Seth offered a hesitant smile. “Okay. Shouldn’t take long.”

He sat down in the chair, and Clark settled the suit in his lap. Seth peered down at the button and then set about opening up his sewing kit, sorting through his threads until he found a gray that matched. “Perfect,” he said to himself, taking out a slim needle.

“Oh, yes,” Clark murmured from behind him.

Pleased that Clark liked the shade choice, Seth set about threading the needle and cutting a length of thread free. When that was done, he bent over the suit jacket to get a good look at it. He was very aware that this jacket was probablyexpensive,so he took extra, extra care to be clean and precise as he pierced the fabric with the needle and began to sew the button back on.

Altogether, it didn’t take long. Even as slow as Seth was going, it was only a few minutes before he was tying it off and pulling out a small set of shears to snip the thread. The button, he was pleased to see, looked as good as new.

“There,” he said after he’d packed away the needle, thread, and shears. “Button should be on there nice and tight now.”

A hand dropped onto his shoulder “Excellent work Seth, thank you.” The hand moved to the back of his neck, and blunt nails scratched up through his hair.

Seth shivered. “Y-your welcome.”

“Will you stay for dinner? Lydia made an excellent turkey yesterday, and I’d love for you to join me.”

The fingers were carving lines of pleasure across Seth’s scalp, making it difficult to concentrate. He’d eaten already technically, but didn’t want to say so. Besides, his freezer meals weren’t exactly the most filling things.

And he remembered all too well how it had gone last time: a favor, a dinner, then–

If he agreed to dinner, would Clark take it further? Would he touch Seth again?

“Okay.” he said, soft and dazed under Clark’s petting. “I’ll stay.”

Clark bent down to the chair, his warm breath tickling Seth’s neck. “Good boy,” he said.

Chapter Three

Seth sucked in a breath of air, dousing himself in that spice and smoke scent of the man’s cologne. The hand slid back down his neck and then lifted away. Cold air rushed in as Clark stood back up, and Seth had to bite his lip not to let a sound of wanting slip from his mouth.

When he stood, shakier than he had been before, Clark was there. He took the suit from Seth, and in a few quick steps had returned it to the wardrobe. Then was back at Seth’s side.

“Come along,” Clark said, again guiding Seth out with a hand on his lower back.

The kitchen was just as big and pristine as Seth remembered. Clark stepped to the refrigerator and pulled out another prepared dish, tapping buttons on the stove before sliding the dish into the oven.

“Water?”

“Flat, please.” Seth said.

Clark got out two bottles, setting one down on the kitchen island and offering the second to Seth. He had to step closer to take it, sidling right up to the kitchen island. Clark’s hand was resting there on the marble, and he couldn’t help how his eyes went to it. They were standing almost exactly where they’d been before. Seth had had the bottle of water in his hand then too, cold against the burning of his skin.

He swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Clark said. “Dinner will take just a few minutes to heat up. What shall we do to occupy the time, hm?”

Seth had to discard the first thought that flew into his mind. He still didn’t know what Clark truly wanted from him, and Seth wanted to give the right answer, whatever the question. But though a lot of this felt like flirting, felt like Clark was making advances, Seth didn’t want to sound stupid or silly or young, like he was trying to get something he didn’t deserve from someone who was so powerful. What did Seth even have to offer a man like this?

Besides being convenient, Seth supposed glumly. There was certainly that.

“Seth?”

Seth glanced up at Clark, who was suddenly closer than before, looking at him with an expression that was almost concern. “Sorry!” He reflexively took a gulp of water, and the cooling drink helped, a little. “I could set the table?” He offered. He’d done that last time. It wouldn’t take very long, but it was something to do.

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