Worst of all, a shower means washing off the scent of his Dominant. He didn’t have much of Liam’s scent on him before. Now there’s nothing, no indication a Dominant ever touched him and wanted him. He tells himself he doesn’t need to get too worried about losing it. Liam will come back and touch him more. Won’t he?

He gets dressed and is almost done packing his bag when Liam returns. Liam takes his bag, holds out his hand and leads him out of the building.

10

Liam keeps hold of Daniel’s hand until he’s in the car, gets them both settled in the car, then pulls onto the road. Liam puts his hand on Daniel’s leg. Daniel relaxes, legs spreading wider without making a conscious decision.

“Very good, Daniel.”

The comment is a surprise. “I’m not doing anything,” he says uncertainly.

Liam squeezes his leg. “You are, sweetheart. Opening your legs when your Dominant touches you, that’s a good instinctive response. My jacket is in the bag on the back seat. Grab it and use it for a pillow.”

“I can stay awake.”

“You don’t need to. It’s a bit of a drive still and you’re exhausted.”

“Where are we going?”

“I have a cabin. If I’m not on base then I’m there.”

Daniel takes Liam’s jacket, touches it carefully, then lifts it to his nose and breathes it in, biting back the moan he was about to make. Fear slams through him, as if he did screw up and is about to be punished. That’s what he’s used to, after all. It’d be nice if he could just enjoy the freedom of being with a Dominant. Experience it with enthusiasm and be uninhibited.

What will happen once they get there?

“I think we should talk about what’s going to happen,” Liam says, as if he can read Daniel’s mind, which is a strangely erotic thought. What if Liam could read his mind? How would that work? The fantasy is there instantly.

Liam would be aroused, wanting to fuck him, and Daniel would say no, hell, he could even mean no, but that wouldn’t stop his Dominant. He’d know Daniel could take it. If he tried to leave, just ran, Liam would come after him, press him down to the bed, force him⁠—

“It’s your first time, your first mounting, and it can be overwhelming. Especially with your background. I’m concerned about how much you’ve been denied in the past. You have some strongly learned behaviors. A resistance to submission.”

He waits, wanting Daniel to respond. What is Daniel supposed to say? “That’s true.”

Liam keeps waiting.