Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
As he captured Ash’s face in his palms, cradling him as if he were the most precious thing in the world, as if nothing—no hardship, no pain, no loss—could shatter Ash so long as he was safe in Brand’s hands.
“Young Master,” Brand said, as he drew him up and into the touch of claiming lips, “Ask, and I shall give you everything you desire.”
EPILOGUE
ASH WAS GOING TO THROW that fucking alarm clock across the room.
Why was it even going off? He groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow, fumbling for the nightstand to hit the snooze.
Only for a firm hand to catch his wrist, stopping him—then silencing the alarm.
“If you are alert enough to stop the alarm,” Brand said sternly, “you are alert enough to get up.”
Ash swore under his breath, lifting his face from the pillow and giving Brand a foul look. Of course he was already up. Already up, perfectly dressed, and looking down at Ash like he hadn’t just fucked him raw up against the headboard less than six hours ago and left him boneless and too tired to even move.
Six months. Six months of this, and he still didn’t know where Brand even got the energy.
He flopped his face back into the pillow. “…it’s Saturday. You can fuck right off.”
“And you still have months of work to catch up on. Stocks are finally holding stable at five percent daily growth, but one day of inattention could undo that.” Brand sighed, deep and long-suffering—and then whipped the covers off Ash, ripping them away in a single smooth motion. “We can eat breakfast at the office. Get up.”
Ash yelped, grabbing for the covers. When he failed, he flopped on his back, groaning and looking up into Brand’s implacably calm face. “No.”
“Yes,” Brand insisted, and Ash pouted.
“…I don’t wanna.”
Eyes glinting, Brand pushed his glasses up his nose. “If you are going to be a child about it—”
“I’m probably going to end up on my back with my legs spread, because you’re a dirty goddamned pervert.”
Brand lifted his chin with a haughty, prideful sniff. “I am no such thing.”
Ash pushed himself up enough to sit up, then leaned back on his hands, watching Brand from beneath his lashes. He knew exactly what he looked like right now—considering he was wearing nothing but one of Brand’s pajama tops, a good five sizes too big for him, falling loosely off his shoulder and clinging to his body and just barely falling to skim his thighs to keep him decent. Not only did he know exactly what he looked like right now…
But he knew exactly how it got under Brand’s territorial, possessive, domineering skin to see Ash bundled up small and half-naked in Brand’s clothing.
He toyed at his lower lip with his teeth. “How bad do you want to fuck me right now?”
“You say that as if the desire ever ebbs.” A touch of heat sparked in Brand’s eyes. “At the moment, however, I am not above bloody well spanking you.”
“That’s just foreplay. And proof that you are a dirty goddamned pervert.” Sighing, Ash flopped back again, letting himself sprawl. “No. I’m the boss, and I say we’re taking the day off.”
“I am your valet, and I say we most certainly are not.”
“You’re fired, then.”
Brand made an amused sound. “As your valet, or as your lover?”
“Both.”
“Neither.”
“Braaaaaaaand.” Ash kicked his bare feet against the sheets, then rolled over and propped his chin on his folded forearms. “No. One day. Come on. I want to go do something fun. With you.”
“We do fun things,” Brand pointed out. “You enjoy your father’s physical therapy sessions in the park. We are going to tend to your horses tomorrow.”
“A different kind of fun thing. A date.”
“A date?” Brand repeated incredulously, as if he’d never heard of such a thing.
“You have been fucking me for six goddamned months, and we’ve never even been on one date.”
Brand sighed, sinking down to settle on the edge of the bed, leaning over Ash on one hand. “You make it sound like our relationship is nothing but sex.”
“…it’s more than sex.” Ash scooted over until he could pillow his head on Brand’s thigh. He just…liked to be touching him, feeling that warmth and breathing in that earthy scent. “Maybe that’s why I want to spend time with you outside either the office or the bedroom.”
Brand exhaled a slow, patient sigh. “As my young Master wishes.”
“Really?” Ash perked—then scowled. “You don’t have to sound like it’s going to be a chore.”
“I fear whatever ordeal you are about to drag me through,” Brand retorted flatly.
“An amusement park is not an ordeal.”
“An amusement park for a man in his forties is the ninth circle of hell, and you are too old for such things.”
“I am never too old, and neither are you.” Ash pushed himself up onto his knees—then slid across Brand’s lap, straddling him and draping his arms around his neck. “Come on. I’ve never gotten the chance to do stuff like this. Coney Island, that kind of thing. You own a pair of jeans, right?”