Settling Down (4 page)

Fuck Tim running backward in an apple cart. On fire.

“But of course,” Tim replied, and turned his attention with all of his might to Cheri. “What do you think of the place? Have any questions?”

Cheri side-eyed Max as he moved from the door. “Yeah, what’s the protocol for creeps?”

If it were anyone else, Tim would have hugged her. “Unless they’re being creepy to us or other customers….”

“…or trying to have a wank in the bathrooms…,” Gloria added, watching Max like a hawk.

“We tend to leave them be until after eleven. Then they have to buy something or leave. We take the safety of customers and staff here very seriously.” Keep talking. “So I like you, Gloria seems to like you, and if I have to look at one more résumé, my eyes might fall out. Let’s get a background check all sorted, and we can welcome you into the Little Earthquakes family. Sounds good?”

Cheri rubbed the back of her close-shaved head. “Well, you might find a misdemeanor in that check, just a heads-up.”

“For what?” How Gloria managed to keep up with the conversation while staring in the other direction was a wonder indeed.

“Me and some friends glitter bombed a preacher who was calling everyone whores on campus. He pressed charges, and we pleaded to some months of community service. Dude tried to force us to serve at his church, but the judge turned that down.”

“Girl, that’s nothing. Come back when you have a few down for soliciting.” Gloria snorted. “Now scram. Your new bosses need to chat.”

“Gloria,” Tim sighed, and reached for Cheri’s hand. “Either way we’ll give you a call.”

“I could use some help here,” Max said, his head hard to miss among the black leather in the back.

Gloria started in that direction, but Tim stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Allow me. How about getting Cheri’s info to the PI, yeah?”

Gloria glared at him and hissed under her breath. “I know who that is. ‘Mr. Fielding.’ That’s the Maxhole!”

“Yes, and shut up,” Tim growled just as quietly.

“Excuse me,” Max said, now looking directly at them. Fuck.

“Right away.” Tim walked around the counter and Gloria, remembering to keep his chin up because that helped the oogy sensation a little bit.

Too bad it grew the closer he got. “How may I help you?”

Max smirked. “Got anything here for a hardcore player? I’m looking for a cock cage.” And then he whispered, “No collar, I see. Can’t find anyone else to put up with your bullshit?”

Tim rolled his shoulders. Stay frosty, he told himself, don’t take the bait. “You’re in luck. We have a limited selection of chastity toys over here. If you’ll follow me.”

He turned on a heel and started in the correct direction.

“You don’t think I notice your friend there looking at me? Does she know who I am? Who else around here knows?” Max kept talking at Tim’s back. “My lawyer’s been keeping a lookout for you online, you know.”

“I kept my end of our agreement,” Tim replied, stopping at the restraints and pointing at two boxes on the shelf. “Here you are. Are you looking for long-term or short-term use?”

“But that doesn’t stop you from running your mouth, just like you did in Atlanta.” Max leaned on the shelf, blocking Tim’s view of the counter. “Do you know how many play partners I had drop me after that stunt you pulled? I’ve had to go out of town for decent scenes. I was dropped out of the running for Mr. Southern Leather last year due to ‘questions about my character’….”

“…and that is all very sad, but are you interested in either cage, Mr. Fielding?” No pity, no mercy. Max lost some people to torture. Tim nearly died. He won the pity race hands-down.

“And you don’t even give a fuck, do you?” Max turned his head just in time for Gloria to appear at his shoulder.

“Hey, Timmy, the PI needs our customer number, and I forgot it.”

It was such a blatant lie, and they all knew it. But Tim was gonna bite. Hard. “Of course. Mr. Fielding, if we don’t have what you’re looking for, then I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

His store. His turf. His.

“Technically if you’ve been bandying my name around, that counts as breaking our agreement.” Max turned and started for the door. “And you know what? I never thought I’d own a sex shop before. We’ll see.”

Thank fuck Tim made it to the bathroom before emptying his guts once Max was out of the building. He hadn’t closed the door securely, so Gloria followed him in, rubbing his back.

“That’s bullshit,” she said once the gagging stopped. “He can’t keep you from never speaking his name again. Can he?”

“I don’t know,” Tim said weakly, clinging to the toilet as waves of panic stole his sense. “I need to double-check. Oh God, Gloria, what if I fucked up? The shop’s all I’ve got. I live here!”

“First things first, get your ass upstairs and take a break. Let me hold down the fort. Then we can wonder what to do.”

“This is….”

“If you say anything that sounds like you’re planning on handling this shit yourself, I’m shoving your head in that gunk and flushing. Because you’re not. You don’t have to.”

“Did you just threaten to give me a swirly with my own puke?”

Gloria stroked his hair. “I just did. Because I love you.”

“Your definition of love is fucked.”

“SAY IT
again.”

Jae sighed and squeezed Tim’s hands in his from over the dinner table. “You don’t have to do this, pet.”

“But I’m choosing to. Now say it again.”

Tim’s brow was furrowed, making a little crease Jae wanted to smooth away with his thumb. He shouldn’t look that troubled unless they were playing. And only in certain circumstances.

Damn, but he could be determined when he wanted to be.

“Fine,
anyoung hashimnikka
.”

The furrow deepened. Tim’s brain hamsters, as Jae privately referred to his thought process, were running overtime. “An-yo-ha-shi-neek-a”

The heavy Southern accent just killed the attempt, and Jae bit his lips too late to suppress the snort.

“Are you seriously laughing at me?” Tim yanked his hands free. “I’m trying my best here.”

“And I’m telling you it’s not necessary. My folks speak English. They learned it in school and have been speaking it since they moved here. Before they had me. You don’t need to know how to say hello.”

Not to mention the most complicated, respectful way. But this was Tim, and if he had a Thing in his head, it was going to be the best Thing he could do. Jae couldn’t be surprised even if he tried.

“But these are your parents. I want them to feel comfortable with me around. I want to make a good impression.”

So much so that for the past couple of days, Tim had spent his time after work coming over to clean and neaten up and do laundry and grill Jae for details from his mother’s favorite color to the sort of aftershave his dad used. He was relentless as Jae’s pet, balancing prep with making sure Jae was taken care off.

Jae promised not to tell either parent about the spectacular blow job Tim gave him in the middle of the sparklingly clean guest bathroom.

He reached for one of Tim’s hands again, and Tim allowed him to take it. He kissed the knuckles. “You want to impress them? Make that vegetarian lasagna I like so much. I promise you you’ll impress the pants off them.”

“And don’t suggest a good Korean barbecue place.” His voice was flat, not even hinting at what Jae hoped was a joke.

“Not unless you want to annoy my mother.” He even tried a soft smile, encouraging Tim to do the same.

Tim sighed, and the signs of stress were so clear. The furrow never really left, his shoulders were tensed, and there was the start of little bags under Tim’s eyes.

According to Gloria’s texts, he’d been the same at the store since Max’s visit. And it was driving her up a tree.

Put that man over your knee and beat his ass until he calms the fuck down before I do it myself.

He was not taking any part of this well. And with both sets of parents arriving soon, Jae needed to create some space between their relationship and their kink, treat Tim like his boyfriend and not as his pet. He was sure Tim’s dad wouldn’t be too happy with Tim behaving like a houseboy, no matter how much it turned his son on.

“One more time, or I swear I’m looking it up on Google.”

The thought of Tim making good on that threat, bowing to his mom and dad and saying something like “my hovercraft is full of eels” was enough to put the fear of some God into Jae’s very soul. They’d never live that embarrassment down. Fine. If it would give him one less thing to worry about. “Anyoung hashimnikka
.
An-yoh hashim-nee-kah.”

“An-yo hashim-ne-ka.”

Jae smiled as he managed to make the words sound more correct. “Lengthen the ‘nee’ and the ‘ka,’ and you’ve got it. Practice it.”

Tim’s smile was tired but pleased. “I will, Sir. I will get it right.”

“Good, I’m gonna grab a shower. Let’s see what’s on Netflix.”

“But Sir….” Tim looked around the dining room. “I didn’t put out the good dishes on the table yet.”

Jae held up a hand. “Leave it for now. You need to think about something else, and I need you next to me.”

That was it. Make it something Jae required. It would work for now.

MAX HADN’T
shown his face back at Little Earthquakes since that first day, and Tim was still on pins and needles about it.

He and Jae were waiting at the airport for his parents, and he couldn’t get the fear out of the back of his mind.

Gloria was doing an awesome job of running things so he could take Saturday off, even if she threatened all sorts of mayhem if he texted her one more time. The background check on Cheri came back clear, so she was due to start right after the Leather Ball. His Mad Hatter costume was all put together, leather top hat and all. The goodie bags were halfway finished, each one hand tied with leather cord. Jae and Gloria’s ideas of silicone bracelets and cheeky stickers were not only wonderful, but didn’t eat into the budget as much as Tim thought it would. Things were going as smoothly as they could. Hell, he caught a glimpse of Jae looking at websites for collars, which filled him with a lovely warmth. Soon the world would know he was claimed.

So why was he drumming his fingers against his thigh? And why couldn’t he just relax?

Right. Max. That threat hung over his head like another box waiting to fall on his face and ruin everything. His teaching, his demo bottoming, his shop. Everything.

Jae took one of his hands in his and squeezed. He looked up at the man and gave him a tight smile. This was one thing Max couldn’t take from him. A boyfriend, a master, and Head of the Household in training.

And Tim melted a little at the thought. He was about to meet Jae’s parents. That was a big step.

“Are you all right?” Jae asked.

Tim nodded. It was mostly true. “You know, I could just pick up Poppa tomorrow myself since it will be very early. I know you’ve got that project you need to work on.”

“With my folks around? I’m going to have to pull some all-nighters anyway.”

“Aww.”

Jae darted his eyes to the opening sliding doors, and Tim saw his entire body light up. Tim followed his gaze as his folks started rushing over toward them. Jae slid his hand out of Tim’s and strode over to meet them halfway. Tim followed at a slower pace, wanting to give the family a moment to say their hellos.

Jonghyun Seong stood nearly as tall as his son, with a dusting of gray in jet-black hair pulled into a short ponytail. He squeezed Jae’s shoulder as Jae hugged his mother close.

Sun Seong noticed Tim first as she stepped back from the hug. Dark eyes shone from behind silver wire-rimmed glasses. Her hair was stacked in a loose bun. Both his parents seemed far too young to have a thirty-five-year-old son.

“You must be Timothy.” Sun nodded her head toward him, voice polite. “It’s good to meet you.”

Jonghyun waved him closer. “Jae-joon didn’t tell you we bite, did he?”

“Only on a full moon,” Jae quipped, looking over his shoulder at Tim with an encouraging smile.

Tim stepped forward as Jae moved out of the way, but before he could do the bow-and-greet thing, Jonghyun already had him in a hug. Surprised, he stammered, “Anyoung hashimnikka.”

“Why so formal? We’re happy to meet you. It’s about time Jae settled down. We should be thanking you.”

“Dad,” Jae groaned. “Not this again.”

“We aren’t going to live forever, you know.” Sun wrapped an arm around Jae’s. “I want grandchildren.”

“Mom.” Was that a hint of a whine in his Sir’s voice? Tim had to bite his lips to keep back a laugh.

“I still have information on those orphanages back home, and some from China. You’ll make sure that he doesn’t throw them away this time, won’t you, Tim?” Sun offered her hand to Tim once her husband finally let him go. Tim took it and did an awkward bow thing Sun returned.

“It will be some time before we even talk about kids. Now do you want to pick up your luggage or not?”

Yes, a great deal of time. Tim and Jae hadn’t even discussed that since they were still getting their feet wet as Sir and pet. Adding kids to the mix, while they knew of others with Leather Aid who managed it just fine, would have to wait. For a while. Probably a long while. Maybe never.

As they pointed out which all-black rolling luggage in the corral was theirs, Tim gathered them. Thankfully Jae didn’t make a move, automatically leaving it for him. Tim needed to serve to focus himself.

It didn’t miss his parents’ notice, though.

“Lazy boy, you’re not going to leave toting those bags to your tiny man, are you?” Sun poked Jae in the side.

“Ow. It’s alright. Tim volunteered to pull them both on the way here.”

Tim lowered his head for a moment, eyebrow cocked.
Nice save, Sir
, he thought.

Sun shoved her carry-on, a matching all-black duffel, at her son. “You can carry this, then.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“SO I
ask Timmy, I say, ‘Boy, what the hell were you thinking, kissing that boy?’ And Timmy, just as calm as you please, puts his hand on his hip and goes, ‘’Cause he called me a faggot, and he’s right. But now he’s one too!’ His momma nearly bust a gut laughing. He got suspended, but it was so worth it.”