What He Needs

by E. M. Denning

  Craig cocked his head to the side and Tim shrugged.

  “I talked to Everett a lot the past couple of days. He helped me sort of put things in perspective. Or start to at least.” Tim wiped an errant tear. “I pushed you. I always pushed you for more and I shouldn’t have, not the way I did. I wish I could say that Everett taught me that, but it was Paul.” Tim shrugged, and Craig thought he saw him shudder. “Some things you learn first hand.” Tim’s phone chimed. He looked at the screen and stood. “Greg is in the driveway. He wants to get going.” Tim shoved his phone back in his pocket.

  “I’ll walk you out.” Alan offered.

  Tim looked down at Craig. Craig had no desire to stand up and make a grand declaration of wanting to be friends one day, or exchanging pleasantries about keeping in touch. He wouldn’t mean any of it anyway, so he stuck with the truth.

  “Bye, Tim. Take care of yourself. Okay?”

  Tim nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Okay.”

  He watched Tim and Alan leave the room, then collapsed into the chair as if he’d deflated. He closed his eyes and listened as the front door opened, then closed. Gravel crunched, and Tim was gone. Probably forever this time.

  Alan returned to Craig a moment later. He sat on the coffee table and leaned forward so he could grab Craig’s hands. “You okay? Do you need anything?”

  Craig cracked an eye open and smiled at Alan. “The only thing I need is you.”

  Alan smiled then tugged Craig to his feet and took him upstairs.

  Epilogue

  Craig

  Four Months Later

  After two months of living out in a hotel, it was strange to wake up back in Alan’s bedroom. Alan had taken the job Craig’s Uncle Hank offered him. Alan was now in charge of turning around some of the newly acquired hotels. Hank, knowing that Alan would turn down any job that took him away from Craig, offered Craig a new job. Craig received a fancy raise and was now in charge of retraining all the staff in the hotel. This was the first weekend they’d been home in two months.

  Craig slid into a shiny black shirt and a pair of black pants. It was the same outfit he’d worn that first night he met Alan and it seemed fitting to wear it tonight to the grand re-opening of the club. The sale had gone off without a hitch and the renovations completed. Steve was ready to launch his brand new kink club.

  Craig turned to Alan, who sat on the bed to put his socks on. “How’s Steve doing anyway?”

  “He’s still pissed that Matt put his notice in. I guess he promised him everything short of the moon to try and convince him to stay, but Matt insisted that it was time to move on.”

  Craig frowned. “Seems like a shit thing to do, you know. Matt was an experienced waiter and he quits just when Steve expands his business.”

  Alan shrugged. “I’m sure Matt had his reasons.” He stood and swept Craig into his arms. Craig wriggled a little in a half-hearted attempt to escape. “We can’t be late. Steve will kill us.”

  Alan’s lips kissed their way up the side of Craig’s neck. “It would be worth it.” Alan whispered in Craig’s ear.

  Craig laughed and pushed Alan away. “You only say that because Steve doesn’t scare you.”

  Alan barked out a laugh. “And he scares you?”

  Craig’s eyes widened. “Yes. Have you not seen him? He’s huge. His arms are the size of my thighs and his switch is always flipped to super-dom or something. He’s frightening.”

  Alan laughed about Craig’s super-dom comment all the way to the club and only promised not to tell Steve when Craig threatened to withhold sex. Alan and Craig walked into the club which had already amassed a decent sized crowd. “Are you nervous? I know you don’t really like these places.”

  Craig shrugged. “I’m fine. It’s not like you’re going to ask me to kneel naked at your feet all night or suck your dick in front of everyone.”

  Alan leaned over and kissed Craig’s temple. They’d spent a lot of time working through Craig’s hang-ups, but some of them still lingered. He’d probably never be comfortable doing a scene in a club, but they weren’t here for that. They were here for Steve, who stormed over. He had a smile plastered on his face, but Craig could tell that something was off.

  When Steve reached them, he nodded his head toward an empty table that had a big ‘reserved’ sign on it. Steve dropped into a chair. Alan and Craig sat across from him.

  “What’s wrong?” Alan glanced around. Everyone was mingling, smiling, eating, and generally having a great time.

  Steve scrubbed his face with his hands. “Matt was here. Do you know why he quit?”

  Alan shrugged. “Should I?”

  Steve shook his head. “He showed up here wearing these tiny little shorts and a whole lot of fucking glitter and he fucking threw himself at me. He quit the restaurant because he knows I have more sense than to fuck my employees.”

  Craig whistled. “Shit. I take it his advances didn’t go over too well?”

  “He threw himself at me in front of a room full of people. He walked right up to me and made a blatant pass at me.”

  Craig looked at Alan. Alan had a strange look on his face. “You make it sound like that’s a bad thing. I’ve told you that he’s had a thing for you since you hired him.”

  “I don’t fuck my employees.”

  “But he’s not your employee.”

  Craig’s gaze alternated between Steve and Alan and he watched them do that annoying thing where they stared at each other and had an entire conversation that he wasn’t privy to because he didn’t speak their secret, silent, BFF-mind-meld-lingo or whatever it was that enabled them to do that.

  Steve shrugged, and Craig knew that part of the conversation was over. “I have to check on things in the kitchen. Mingle. Have fun. Eat whatever you want, it’s all on the house.” When Steve left the table he seemed slightly calmer, but maybe a little sadder, too.

  “Is he okay?” Craig asked Alan.

  Alan shrugged. “I don’t know. I think he knows he fucked up. Whether he’ll admit it or not-which he won't, he’s had a soft spot for Matt since the day he hired him. I think he’s sad Matt won’t be working for him, but I think it’s more than that.”

  Craig knew better than to try and pry too deep into what Alan knew about Steve. The two friends went back a long way and while he’d share stories from their glory days, this was different. This was too personal.

  Craig shoved his chair a little closer to Alan’s. He rested his head on Alan’s arm and entwined their fingers. “I may not like coming to clubs, but I’m glad I walked into yours.”

  “It’s a shame you couldn’t convince your friend Everett to come. He’d be popular.”

  Craig laughed and rolled his eyes. “I tried, but getting that guy to leave his apartment is like trying to scrape old gum off the bottom of a theatre seat.” Craig cringed at the visual he gave himself. “Okay, that was a gross example, but you get my point.”

  “Do you think he’s agoraphobic or something? Anxiety maybe?” Alan asked.

  “Nah.” Craig said. “He leaves when he has a good reason to leave and he never seems bothered by it. But he’s more comfortable at home.” Craig sighed. “Speaking of home…”

  “Yes, Little One?”

  Craig nestled up against Alan. “I bought a new can of shaving cream and a straight razor.”

  Alan arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.

  “You did mention shaving me once, did you not?”

  Alan’s eyes sparkled with interest. “Get your coat, Little One. We’re leaving.”

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  ***

  “I think you should sit down for this, Little One,” Alan said as he placed a chair near the counter in the spacious bathroom. “You’re practically vibrating, and you haven’t even undressed yet.”

  Craig offered him a sly smile. “I am a little excited,” he admitted. When Alan scoffed Craig rolled his eyes. “Okay. I’m like a little kid on Christmas morning.”


  Alan filled a basin with hot water and got a few towels ready.

  “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time.” Alan said as he approached Craig and put his hands on Craig’s hips. He slid his hands up Craig’s body, taking the shiny black shirt up his torso. Craig raised his arms and Alan stripped the shirt off him then tossed it aside. Alan’s hands stroked Craig’s naked chest. Even after months of being together, Alan never seemed to get enough of Craig. Then Alan undid Craig’s pants and slowly removed them.

  “I’ve wanted this for a long time, too, Daddy. I’ve pictured it a million times since you mentioned it.” He really had. Ever since Alan tied him to a chair and teased him with filthy words the image of Alan shaving him wouldn’t leave his mind. Craig couldn’t even think about shaving without getting hard now.

  Alan guided Craig over to the chair. “Sit down, Little One.”

  Craig sat. His cock was so hard it strained upward and brushed against his stomach. Alan knelt in front of Craig. His gentle hands slid up Craig’s calves and came to rest on the inside of his thighs. Slowly, he pushed Craig’s legs apart.

  “Hands behind your back, Little One.”

  Craig tucked his hands behind his back, then leaned back. He almost wished Alan had tied him up for this. Maybe next time, because there would be a next time.

  Alan stood. Normally Craig barely noticed the difference in their height, but with Craig sitting and Alan looming over him, he looked so tall and imposing. Then he leaned down and pressed his lips against Craig’s.

  “Thank you, Sweetheart. This means a lot to me.”

  “You’re welcome, Daddy. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Alan’s smile transformed from sweet, to sly. Craig’s cock twitched in anticipation.

  Craig watched Alan reach for the shaving cream. He squirted some into his hands and lathered it up a little.

  “You can’t wait, can you, Little One? You know this is going to feel amazing, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Daddy.” Craig’s voice was losing strength. All his focus was on Alan’s hands.

  “You can make as much noise as you want, Sweetheart, but you can’t move. Especially once I get going with the razor. Daddy doesn’t want to hurt you, so you need to stay really, really still. Can you do that for me?”

  “Yes, Daddy.” Craig’s breathing was shallow.

  “Good boy.” Alan said as he reached down and lathered the base of Craig’s cock with shaving cream. Craig’s breathing hitched. The cream was cool on his skin and the way Alan touched him with such gentle adoration made Craig’s insides melt.

  “Look at you. So beautiful.” Alan cooed as he gathered more shaving cream. Craig decided that Alan could shave Craig’s entire body if he wanted to and Craig wouldn’t care. The feel of Alan applying the shaving cream alone was worth it.

  Then Alan grabbed the razor. Light glinted off the blade as Alan stroked his thumb across the blade to test for sharpness.

  “Remember, Little One,” Alan made eye contact with Craig. “You can’t move at all. Not even a twitch.”

  “Yes, Daddy. I’ll be still. I promise.”

  Alan knelt and got close. He wrapped the fingers of one hand around Craig’s cock and held it out of the way while he made the first slow stroke of the razor. The sharp metal scraped Craig’s skin smooth in one single stroke. Craig exhaled when Alan released his cock and reached over to rinse and dry the razor to prepare for the second pass.

  “I told you that you’d look amazing like this. With your pretty pink cock all hard for me.” Alan made another pass with the razor and removed even more of Craig’s dark hair. Craig couldn’t find words to speak, he could barely remember to breathe.

  “You’re doing so good, being so still. If you keep it up, I’ll definitely have to reward you.” Alan kept talking, kept praising Craig as he dragged the razor down Craig’s skin.

  Craig watched the razor scrape another patch of flesh clean. Now all the hair that surrounded his cock was gone. Craig itched to reach down and feel the freshly shaven skin.

  “Is it soft?” He asked.

  Alan ran the tip of his finger along the naked skin. He hummed his approval. “Yes, Sweetheart. It’s so soft. Imagine how soft the rest of you is going to be when I’m done.”

  “The rest of me?” Craig’s breath caught in his throat.

  Alan’s smile was sweetly devious. “You didn’t think I’d leave your nuts all fuzzy, did you? It’s all got to come off.”

  Craig shifted a little. He wasn’t exactly nervous. Alan did a great job so far, but the idea of someone having something that sharp that close to his nuts made him swallow.

  “I think you’re going to need to close your eyes for this, Little One.” Alan said as he cleaned the razor off. “You’re fidgeting.”

  “Sorry, Daddy.” Craig took a breath and shut his eyes. It did help a little. He didn’t have to watch the razor get closer to his skin. Craig forced himself to relax. Alan had never not looked after him.

  Alan lifted his sack and shaved the back side first. Craig had never shaved himself there before. Once, he shaved the hair around his cock and it itched like a bitch when it grew back, so he didn’t do it again. Shit. The itching. He’d forgotten about that.

  A warm, wet cloth gently mopped the naked, and super sensitive skin. Alan’s hands rested on the tops of Craig’s thighs. Hot breath washed over the newly naked skin. Craig gasped at the foreign sensation. When warm, wet lips brushed against him, Craig’s eyes popped open.

  “God. Daddy. What’re you doing?” Craig arched his back as Alan’s tongue slicked around the base of Craig’s naked cock. It was a sight to behold, though. Alan had been right about that. All the hair around his cock had been stripped away. He felt new and naked and really, really, dirty. “Fuck, that looks so good.” Craig exhaled as Alan’s tongue slid up the underside of Craig’s shaft.

  “I told you that you’d look amazing like this. All bare for me. You have such a pretty cock, Little One.” Alan swirled his tongue around the head of Craig’s cock. Then he dipped his head and went lower. Warm, wet heat enveloped Craig’s nuts and he twitched. Everything was way more sensitive now.

  “Fuck, that’s good.”

  “I thought you’d like that.” Alan grinned at him, then took Craig’s cock in his mouth.

  “Oh shit.”

  Alan sucked him all the way down, then pulled off. Craig’s brain was fried. He let his head fall back and he stared at the ceiling.

  “I’m going to be so itchy when it grows back.”

  Alan’s fingers caressed the sensitive skin. Every muscle in Craig’s body screamed as he fought to stay still.

  “If I let it grow back.”

  Craig’s head snapped up and he shot Alan a quizzical look.

  “I think I like you like this, Sweetheart. Look at you. So pretty for Daddy.”

  “If you keep saying shit like that you can shave my whole body.”

  Alan stood up and held his hand out to Craig. “Come on, Little One. Daddy wants to do dirty things to that pretty cock of yours, but I’m getting too fucking old to kneel down for much longer.”

  Craig grinned and grabbed Alan’s hand. “I think you should keep me like this.” Craig said.

  Alan cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah? You like it, do you?”

  Craig ran a hand over the smooth skin. “I like it, but mostly I like that you like it.” Craig wrapped his arms around Alan and pulled him into a kiss. “Now, about those dirty things you had planned for me.”

  The End

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Here comes my favorite part of writing the book. The sappy ‘I love you’ portion where I get to tell the world what an awesome circle of friends I have. When I write I start with a scene and a book sort of unfolds from there. This book was no different. It started off with Craig walking into a kink club and being confronted with the fact that his former Dom is now a sub. Surprise. Of course…I’d never written a BDSM-ish book before (despite reading t
hem by the truckload) and I’d written only a little MM romance. So color me nervous/terrified. I turned to Shaw Montgomery, who’s a kink loving friend of mine, (go read her books, she’s awesomesauce) and her encouragement and enthusiasm for Craig and Alan and their slightly unorthodox relationship really helped me get those first eight chapters out. I owe her one. Or two. Or ten.

  Marie Namer swooped in one dark day and lit me up. She was kind and sweet and said things I needed to hear with absolute conviction and she made me believe that maybe I wasn’t a total hack.

  Parker Williams. Because Parker tried to distract me. But I’m undistracta—squirrel!

  Courtney Bassett from LesCourt Author Services. I love you. You ‘got’ my book. You loved my boys as much as I did. You helped make them shine.

  Kate Hawthorne. AKA MammaKink, thank you for letting me pick your brain.

  The bestie gets absolutely no recognition whatsoever because he’s been too busy to pay attention to me. So there.

  ***

  About The Author

  E. M. Denning is a married mom of three and a writer from British Columbia. She loves her family and her animals and anything cute and fuzzy. She writes romance for the 18+ crowd because she is both a hopeless romantic and a dirty old woman.

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  Other books by E. M. Denning

  Bright Lights

  Boomerang

  Revenge

  Little Love on the Prairie

  Measure For Measure

  Alpha Tango

  At The Barre

  Jazz Hands

  Break

  The Forbidden Dance