A Dom's Decision
By
Raven
McAllan
Series: Dommissimma, #2
Genre:
Erotica, GLBT, Romance
Word count: 40,720
Blurb
When is a Dom
not a Dom? When it stops him from being with the man he loves…
Athol
Donaldson lost many people in his life, his lover, his family, his twin. The
latter loss seems hardly worth morning over. Affric caused nothing but trouble
when alive, and now, he seems intent on causing trouble from beyond the grave.
It
forces Athol to seek out the one man he's never forgotten.
Eden
Murdoch has no intention of letting Athol slip through his fingers again. He's
lost him once, and as they're forced to pull together to unravel the mystery
surrounding the parentage of a teenage girl, their love for each other
blossoms.
Surely,
being Doms doesn't mean they can't compromise? Will they be able to work out
their differences, and find lasting happiness, or will this blast from the past
prove to be their final undoing?
Edan Murdoch
moved back from the keyboard and stretched his arms high above his head to
untangle the kinks in his shoulders.
He pulled
the thin strip of leather from his ponytail and wondered for the umpteenth time
if he should grow up and cut his hair. Left loose, it fell over his shoulders
in a waterfall of black curls, and got him more than enough sly comments and
references to dark-haired cherubs and dodgy rock stars. But then if he kept it
short, it became a tight mass of twists and knots. It was the thought of how
long it took to detangle that made his mind up––he'd leave it as it was, with
the odd trim by his friendly neighborhood barber. At last kept longer, he could
get a brush through it. Edan rolled his shoulders and put the thong in his desk
drawer for the following morning.
It had been
a long day, a long week even, and all he wanted was to go home, pour a glass of
Merlot and chill. Well, not all, he amended silently, he'd prefer a hot bod--one
specific hot bod, even—beside him, but that was likely as a midge-free summer
on the West Coast.
One more
report and he'd leave. As it was, Absinthe the cat would give him the cold
shoulder. Edan chuckled to himself. How stereotypical was he? Gay, on his own,
and with a cat for a companion. And anyone who said cats were self-contained
and no trouble had never met Absinthe. That cat could make her thoughts and needs
known with one meow and a glare.
The knock on
the door interrupted his thoughts. He jumped and pressed
keys, making
an 'sssssssss' row across the report, and swore. Who on earth would be around
at—he glanced at his watch—shit, nearly nine o'clock at night. Where had the
time gone?
"Yeah?"
He pushed up his glasses, and rubbed his face. God, he was tired. "Come
in."
The door
opened and Athol walked in. Edan’s tiredness dropped away like an old washcloth.
"Fuck me."
The newcomer
nodded. "Yes please, here or do you have somewhere else in mind?"
Edan
laughed. "Well, that's the rub, isn't it? You ready for a little subbing
yet?"
"In
your dreams, mate. I'm the Dom."
Edan nodded. That was the sticking point and always had been.
"Yeah, and so am I. So there we have it. Or don't, as the case may be. Why
are you here? I'm sure it's not just to tell me you're not prepared to
negotiate."
Athol
shrugged. "You know it's not. But we have a problem. Or rather, I think I
do. You're just a not so innocent bystander."
His words
made Edan grin. "Innocent never was comparable with you or me, mate. Ah,
Athol. Bloody hell, I've missed you."
He walked
around the desk and grabbed Athol and pulled him into a big hug. It was
returned with fervor, and he was damned sure he got a swift kiss on the neck as
well. "Not just in bed." He stopped talking, scared he'd said too
much
Athol didn't answer. He looked unhappy, and
Edan wished he could retract his words
"Dammit, in other things as well. Someone
to laugh with, to share the ups and downs, and someone to high-five when
everything works out."
Athol
grimaced. Edan realized more than ever this wasn't just a social call. Here was
one of the two people in the world he truly loved, one whom he hadn't seen for
over five years, and his feelings were as strong as ever. And, typical, it
seemed nothing had changed. For years they'd met up, chatted, argued, and gone
their separate ways. The last few years they hadn't even done that. He had
never told Athol where he lived, what he was doing, or how miserable he'd been.
Just sat and agonized through those few hours they'd spared for each other. Why
the hell couldn't he give in, just a little bit? If Athol were prepared to
switch, Edan would do so gladly. But he wasn't going to be the only one, not
any more.
"Maybe
one day," Athol said slowly. "Once we've sorted this crap out. Life
as a lonely Dom ain't all it's cracked up to be. Not when everyone around you
is loved up and pairing up. Well, nearly everyone," he said. "I can
think of a few who need help. I had a blast from the past at the club last
night."
"Club?
I thought you were a psychologist."
"God
almighty, have you forgotten all our late-night sessions, not the sex ones but
the angst ones? Psychiatrist, Edan, watch my lips." He repeated the word.
Edan
couldn't help it. He punched his friend's shoulder and grinned. "Works
every time, sucker. Okay, chill. What club and why?"
"Dommissima,
because I want to."
Edan whistled. He'd heard about that. One of the premier and exclusive
BDSM clubs in the country. "Playing with the big boys, eh?"
"Oh,
hon, you better believe it." Athol dropped his wrist, rolled his eyes and
snorted. "And get it right, I am one of the big boys, almost. Ah, Edan,
I've fucking missed you. Why did we cock it up?"
Raven lives in
Scotland, along with her husband and their two cats—their children having flown
the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings
in her books.
She is used to
sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to
say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the midge.
Her very
understanding, and long-suffering DH, is used to his questions unanswered, the
dust bunnies greeting him as he walks through the door, and rescuing burned
offerings from the Aga. (And passing her a glass of wine as she types
furiously.)
2 comments:
Great to be here, thsnk you :)
Great to have you~
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