Discipline (29 page)

Noah shifted and sighed, pressing his forehead to the side of Tobias' neck. He was heavy and limp and, by the sound of his breathing, quite possibly dozing.

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"You come to Paris often? What are your plans for the rest of the week, eh?" Jean-Pierre asked curiously. He opened a bottle of water and handed it to Tobias.

"This is the first time in ten years," Tobias said, taking the water. "Thankyou."

"He abandoned us," Gregory said with a dramatic sigh.

"It was a vacation!" It was also an old argument.

"So you say."

Tobias rolled his eyes, smiling. He took a mouthful of water and swallowed happily, not sure when he'd become so parched. "We're here as a gift to the boy, and to talk over our new contract," he said to Jean-Pierre. "The rest of the week will be taken up with seeing more of Paris, talking a lot, and, I expect, handing out a few spankings."

Michel giggled softly at the mention of spankings, and Jean-Pierre swatted him affectionately on the head. "The boys get tired later at night, yes? Noah, he talk a lot in a club where he is not to be heard, but no one will frown on him after such a performance. Boys who know better, though..." Jean-Pierre frowned playfully down at Michel who looked contrite but couldn't contain his grin.

Tobias grinned. "They're good boys, and Noah did very well." He pet Noah carefully to avoid his welts.

"However, he was... not silent." His smile grew. "I think he'll be pleased about that, actually -- he seems fond of my hand warming his ass."

"And your crop, too. You have changed my mind about Americans, Tobias, they are often more bravado than skill, but you are not so. I am impressed." Jean-Pierre looked over at Gregory. "I am going to send Michel to clean up; you want Martin to go also?"

"Goodness, yes. Not that I think your lad's come is nasty, Tobias, but it's all over my boy." He made a face and shooed Martin off with Michel before leaning over. "Is he asleep?"

"He seems to be," Tobias said, "but I can't swear to it. Why?"

"You fucked him bare, man. Is that normal for you?"

Tobias resisted the urge to laugh. "With Noah, yes."

"Gregory." Jean-Pierre slapped at the man's arm. "Be polite. His boy, his way, yeah? Surely they have an agreement." He looked at Tobias for confirmation.

"Of course." Tobias looked down at Noah, uncaring of the club, their opinions, of anything other than the fact that he loved Noah so much it made him ache. "We're... serious, though that's not really the word for it. Aside from contracts or agreements -- we go beyond that."

"It shows." Jean-Pierre nodded, giving Tobias a smile. "How long have you been together?"

"Six months." It sounded like such a short time. The only other time he'd felt this sure of anything had been with Phan, which was a sobering thought.

"So that was a provisional contract then? And you'll be renegotiating for long-term?"

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Tobias nodded. "And live-in, as well as defining some new rules about play and boundaries."

"Uh?" Noah mumbled, still half-sleeping against Tobias.

"Good luck with it," Jean-Pierre said with a wink.

"Thanks," Tobias said dryly. "Shh, sweetheart. I've got you."

Noah sat up a bit and reached up to rub between his eyes with the heel of his hand. "I..." he shut his mouth quickly, suddenly remembering where he was. He turned to Tobias and his brow furrowed. He looked like he was trying to ask for something and was obviously frustrated with his inability to speak.

He made a sort of hose gesture near his dick and sighed dramatically.

"Bathroom?" Jean-Pierre asked, and Noah turned in his direction and tapped a finger on his nose.

Jean-Pierre just laughed.

Tobias laughed with him. "Off you go, then. The other two are cleaning up as well; see if you can't hurry them a bit, pet." As Noah climbed off him, Tobias made a show of putting himself back in his trousers.

"And find me a damp cloth, please."

Noah nodded at him and wandered off stiffly, his path a little roundabout and his steps sleep addled.

Tobias assumed his ass was working against him, too, and the way Noah had to clutch at his laces to keep his chaps up was adorable.

Grinning, he looked back at Jean-Pierre and Gregory. "Well?"

"You've got a fine lad," Gregory said with a smile. He lifted a water bottle and inclined it toward Tobias as a toast. "Here's to a new contract, a long time with him, and may you return to show off for us again."

Tobias lifted his own bottle, his grin growing wider. "I'll drink to that."

Tobias was more than hopeful that he'd get exactly what Gregory had wished for them; his confidence had grown to the point that he had every intention of moving them into negotiations as soon as they'd had some sleep. With that thought, he went to find his suit jacket; it was time to take Noah back to their bed for the night.

Noah returned just after Tobias did, laced up and looking more awake and lessdisheveled . The chaps didn't have quite the same effect in the front with his prick soft, but it looked pretty good anyway. He was flanked by Michel and Martin, who were both looking refreshed themselves.

Carefully, Noah knelt by Tobias' chair with the cloth that Tobias had requested.

"He looks stiff," Jean-Pierre told Gregory with a grin.

"He does, doesn't he?" Gregory replied, winking. "He'll be moving slow tomorrow."

Tobias nodded, dabbing at the assorted bits of mess on his trousers with the cloth. "And on that note, I think I'll take him home and put him to bed. Ridden hard and put away wet doesn't make for a healthy boy, does it, pet?" He tossed the cloth on the table and picked up Noah's lead. "Thankyou for the entertainment," he said to Jean-Pierre.

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Jean-Pierre stood, and so did his boy. "A pleasure meeting you, Tobias," he said with a smile and shook Tobias' hand. "We will meet again, I hope."

Michel gave Tobias a respectful bow.

Noah got to his feet slowly and followed Michel's lead with a shallow bow to both Jean-Pierre and Gregory, and then stood slightly behind Tobias' shoulder. He was looking sleepy again.

Tobias laughed and shook his head at Noah before exchanging a quick embrace and a kiss on each cheek with Gregory. It was one of the few ways Gregory had embraced European life, and Tobias had long suspected it was simply to gather more kisses from everyone. "Thankyou, Gregory. I'll be in touch, and I suspect I'll have another order for you soon."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," Gregory said with a smile. "Take care of yourself, old man."

"I will. Goodnight."

The three men exchanged another fast round of well wishes, and Tobias led Noah to the doors, taking only a few moments to gather their overcoats. "Let's get you back to the hotel, sleepy boy," Tobias said fondly as they stepped out. There was a car waiting for them, which pleased him to no end; the club was very efficient.

Noah was asleep almost before the car pulled away, taking them back to the hotel.

They'd slept hard, and Tobias was unsurprised to find Noah still dead to the world when he woke the next morning. He got up and ordered breakfast, taking a quick shower before it was delivered. He signed for the meal still dressed in his bathrobe, and after pouring himself a cup of strong coffee he took the flowers from the cart and slipped back into bed.

"Noah," he said softly. "Time to wake up, sweetheart." He teased at his lover's cheek with a carnation, urging him to wake.

"Thought I smelled coffee..." Noah mumbled, his eyes still closed. He turned his nose right into the flower and inhaled deeply. "Mmm. That's not coffee." He smiled and opened his eyes, blinking the sleep away. "Good morning, sir."

Tobias clicked his tongue and waved the flower a moment to make his point, and then kissed Noah on the tip of his nose. "Good morning. How do you feel? Need a hot bath?"

"Oh, right, flowers." Noah smiled but then his brow furrowed as he rolled over. "Oh, my, quite sore," he said with an embarrassed grin. "Mostly in the good way."

"But not entirely, I'll bet. All right, then, let me take a look at you." Tobias urged Noah to lie on his stomach and took a hard look at all the welts and red marks, finally deciding that he was fine, if achy.

"Spread your legs, Noah," he said softly. "I want to make sure you didn't tear when I fucked you. Which, by the way, was a major highlight of the night. You were tighter than hell that way."

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"I suppose you'll be upset if I tell you that most anything after the bullwhip was a blur? I mean I remember thinking that I was going to pass out if that ring didn't come off, and I remember you feeling incredibly huge, and the rest is kind of... ah." Noah hissed softly. "Ow. That's pretty damn sore. Feels bruised."

Tobias nodded to himself. "Yeah, you're out of commission for a bit. Sorry, love. No tears, but you're pretty red." He stretched out next to Noah, mostly on top of him, and hugged Noah to his chest. "Sorry.

And seeing as how you don't remember, you tore off the ring yourself and came all over poor Martin. He was just trying to help, and you made a mess of him." He tried very hard not to laugh.

"What? Oh, my God. Martin was helping? All I remember is you. What kind of a slut am I?" Noah laughed softly. "I should send the poor guy flowers." Noah tangled his fingers with the hand that was curled around his chest.

"It was beautiful," Tobias said softly. "You were beyond anything." He took a deep breath and snuggled Noah a little tighter to him. "So, up until you left your brain behind, you had a good time? It worked?"

"Well, I got over being nervous quickly enough, and then I rather liked the place. The music was good, and I felt very in my space, you know? And those chaps turned heads and everyone thought you were such a stud, and I was so... yours." Noah grinned. "It was good, except for the fact that I couldn't speak to you. I get not being allowed to talk to anyone else, or other subs or whatever, but I really didn't like not being able to answer you, or react to you in a way we both enjoy, you know? With words. It was frustrating, not being able to communicate the way we're used to."

Tobias nodded. "I agree with you, really. It's an old, old rule, though, and when in Paris... Oh, and you got over that after your brain landed in your cock, by the way. There will be a spanking at some point, when it occurs to me. I'm insanely proud of you, sweetheart." He rubbed a circle on Noah's belly and purred a little, utterly content.

"Oops." Noah grinned, but he didn't seem at all contrite. "Well, if anyone asks, you can just tell them you have that effect on me. Did you have a good time? Your friends seemed like good guys."

"I had a wonderful time, thanks to you. And, yes, they're good people. They were very curious about us, you know. Gregory just about had a fit when he watched me take you bare, and Jean-Pierre seemed curious about our contract."

"Damn, I really did miss a lot, didn't I? Well, I have two things to say to that. I'm incredibly smug that we trust each other enough to fuck bare, and I am also curious about our contract." Noah turned his head and looked Tobias in the eyes, Tobias' flowers relieving him of his submissive duties for now. "Tell me more about this moving in together idea of yours."

"I want you to live with me," Tobias said simply. He tried very hard to sound calm and relaxed about it, but a frisson of hopeful tension settled at the base of his spine. "I want you there each night. If I could figure a way to work it, I'd move us to the farm, but we can't do that. What do you think? Generally, I mean."

Noah looked thoughtful, and maybe a little worried. Something was eating at him about it, but Tobias thought he knew what it was. He was just hoping he was right.

"Generally? Generally speaking, I really wish we could do it. I think we could live well together... but,"

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Noah reached up and slid a finger over Tobias' jaw. "I'm concerned about what you're actually asking me. I can't be a 24/7 sub, Tobias. I have a career that's important to me. I have friends, and other commitments that I don't want to give up."

"I don't want you to," Tobias assured him. "And I don't think 24/7 would work for us, anyway. We'd have to discuss downtime, and what we do expect -- which is where I can see the negotiations getting complicated. For example, I want your weekends. Even if you agree to move in, I want them; I need that kind of dedicated time, the length and breadth of it."

"Weekends aren't the complicated part, Tobias," Noah reassured him. "That's our time regardless, unless I ask you for one here and there for a family thing or if I just need a rest. I wouldn't want that to change, I really need that time too. It's the rest of the week, with working and all, that might be the hard part to work out." Tobias noted that Noah was still speaking noncommittally. He was being very careful not to agree to anything yet. "What about Phan owning half of the condo? I mean, if I moved in... well, it's kind of uptown for me, but if I did, I don't think I'd want that."

Tobias nodded. "I've been thinking about that. I want him to have a safe place, someplace to go, you know? I can sign it over to him. I'm sure I can find something downtown... maybe a building." He tried very hard not to hold his breath at that as he let it sit there, between them.

Noah looked at him a little confused. "Downtown?"

"Well, yes. Downtown. Where you work," Tobias said slowly, not sure why he was explaining.

Noah smiled and Tobias felt his posture change as he relaxed a little. "You'd really move downtown?

Wait, a building? Are you serious?"

Tobias blinked and let himself smile. "Yes. And yes."

"Oh. Well, that," Noah plucked the carnation out of Tobias' fingers and stuck it behind Tobias' ear.