Callum stood in the doorway of his bedroom, his face expressionless. My mouth went sandpaper dry, and swallowing hurt. Dressed in a pair of sweatpants that rode his hips low and a tank top that showed off his incredible physique, Callum wasn’t exactly what I wanted to see in my current disheveled state.
Why did life have to be so freaking cruel? Finally, I was in this man’s bed, and I looked like a hooker who’d bitten off more than he could chew…or swallow.
“Fine,” I lied, then chuckled dryly as he raised his eyebrows in a challenge. “Yeah, you’re right. I feel like shit.” His mouth tightened, and I groaned. What the hell did he want from me? “I’ve felt better.”
That earned me a nod. “No doubt, you have. Go have a shower, and then I’ll feed you.”
“Uh—” So he wasn’t going to mention what had happened last night? “If you could just point me in the direction of my clothes and give me a phone so I can call my driver to pick me up, it’ll almost be like I was never here.”
“I don’t think that’s possible. You made quite the impression last night.”
He lounged against the arch, arms crossed over his chest, completely relaxed while I squirmed, itching to grab the sheet and cover my nakedness, but I’d never been ashamed of my body before.
“I did?” I laughed uneasily. “Of course I did. I always make an impression wherever I am.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
The small talk wore on my already fragile nerves. I rose to my feet, finally satisfied when he stared at my body. The heat in his eyes gave him away. He wasn’t nearly as unaffected by me as he’d like me to believe.
“Where are my clothes, Callum? I’d like to go home.”
He straightened up and released his arms. “Daddy Callum.”
I inhaled sharply, eyes widening. Had he just said what I thought he had? Or was my mind playing tricks on me?
“You want it so badly, Ashton, I’m giving it to you.”
His offer was so tempting I almost snapped it up, but… “I’ll take a pass. I can do without your pity.”
He frowned at me. “Pity? What are you talking about?”
I shrugged, glancing away from him while my cheeks grew hot. “I’ve been throwing myself at you all along, begging you to be my Daddy. I don’t know what happened last night, but you walked away from me, and I don’t need you to change your mind because you feel sorry for me.”
Callum left his perch and walked toward me. He didn’t stop until he was right before me. He gripped my chin and tilted my head. I couldn’t avoid his eyes, and with his boring into mine, he had to see everything inside me I was afraid to show him.
“I’ve felt a lot of things for you, Ash,” he said in a quiet voice. “I’ve felt frustration. I’ve felt the need to spank you. And last night, I felt passion. Not once have I felt pity for you.”
My breathing picked up, my chest heaving at the sincerity of his tone. “But last night—”
“We both made mistakes. You let me in too soon, and I shouldn’t have left you alone. For that, I’m sorry.”
“It-it doesn’t matter now,” I replied, in awe of his words. “But why—”
“We’ll talk about it later. I’m not saying this will work, Ashton. I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve had boys before you. Some pleasant and some very unpleasant. I have strict rules you must adhere to if we proceed with this.”
“What happens if I break them?” I had to know.
He frowned at me. “Already thinking about breaking them?”
“No, no, no, that’s not it,” I rushed to answer. “I won’t deliberately set out to break them, but sometimes—sometimes things can get a little bit complicated.”
“I’ll give you a list of my rules after you shower. You can decide if you can abide by them or not.”
“Are they negotiable?”
“Some are. Others are hard limits for me, but as I said, shower first, and we’ll discuss them while we have breakfast.”
I nodded, pleased that at least we were getting somewhere. “Where’s the bathroom?”
“I’ll show you.”
He didn’t give me my clothes back, and I didn’t ask as he led me from the bedroom. Every now and again, he glanced over at my naked frame, which pleased me. He evidently liked what he was seeing, and since I worked on keeping my body toned and fit from the gym at home or on campus, I took pride in the way I looked.
Once we were out of his bedroom, he slid a large wooden screen I hadn’t noticed before over the entrance, which freed up the kitchen space that was separated from the bedroom by a wall. His apartment was small, but he seemed completely at ease there, and I wasn’t one to judge. It had a homely lived-in feel to it that I could get used to.
The bathroom was across the short hall. The light dimmed, making me a bit nervous as he stopped and pushed the door open. His bathroom was just big enough to hold both of us. Barely. It was darker than I’d expected. The black tiles with red accents against the wall made the room appear decadent.
It was the sort of bathroom that encouraged sex in the shower. He didn’t switch on the ceiling lamp, but the light built into the mirror affixed to the wall cast a soft glow.
“Will you be okay on your own?” Callum asked. “Here’s the toothbrush you used last night. I always keep a spare. I have bar soap or the liquid kind, depending on which you prefer.”
“You won’t stay?” I blurted out, not wanting him to go.
“Why? You need help?”
Fuck. I’d never felt so embarrassed before, explaining to someone what I needed. Usually, it was so obvious.
“Umm, I could use some help.”
I brushed at my short hair self-consciously. We hadn’t discussed his rules yet or anything, but in case the rules didn’t work out, this would be my only chance to experience this level of intimacy with him.
“I see.”
Silence stretched between us until I turned away from him. “I should get started.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be in shortly.”
He left the bathroom, giving me the space I needed to take a piss and brush my teeth. I stepped into the glass-enclosed shower, worried that the space might not be big enough for both of us.
I turned on the water, grabbed the shower gel, and scrubbed myself. With my eyes closed, I let the spray pound my head and shoulders. He slid back the glass and stepped in, naked. I’d been worried about absolutely nothing.
I wished the bathroom wasn’t so dark, though. It was hard to get a good look at his magnificent body, the tattoos that covered not only his arms but also his chest, his back, and one thigh. He was a mural of such beauty that I couldn’t do much but stand back and stare at him.
“What did you need help with, boy?” he rasped at me.
Without a word, I pointed at my semi between my thighs. Whereas I was of average size and slender, his cock was fat, and he wasn’t even hard yet.
“Hmm, how about you get Daddy all hard? That will take some of the edge off.”
I moved on unsteady legs so I was standing flush against him, the warmth of his body hot on my skin, and I moaned at the first brush of his cock against my belly.