An Unlocked Mind

by K. C. Wells

“Thank you,” Rob whispered. “This is the best gift I’ve ever been given. And it’s my birthday next week, so that makes this even more special.”

  Vic’s eyes went wide. “Your birthday? Do you have any plans?”

  Besides hanging out with his mother, which he really didn’t want to do? Rob shook his head.

  “You’ve got to do something. Celebrate your life with friends. Reminisce about old times. Just… be grateful for your life.”

  Rob couldn’t control himself. “S-sorry,” he stammered out as he pushed back the chair, jostling the table. He lurched to his feet and bolted up the stairs for the guest room. Once inside, he closed the door and threw himself on the bed.

  Why the hell does Vic have to be so nice? Because one thing Rob was rock solid sure of was that he didn’t deserve it.

  Sometimes those who feel they don’t deserve something are the ones who need it the most.

  He’d held on to those words since Vic had uttered them. As hard as it was for Rob to accept, Vic had really meant them. He saw Rob as worth something.

  That didn’t mean Vic was right.

  He doesn’t know me. Celebrate my life? Why would I want to do that? He’d never done anything remotely important or decent, so what was there for him to take pride in?

  No, Vic was the only one who saw something in Rob. The only person Rob had ever met who thought there was more to him than what appeared on the surface.

  The same person who was tapping gently on the door.

  Shit. What must he think of me? Still, it was Vic’s house. Rob couldn’t refuse him entry. “Come in.”

  Vic pushed open the door but didn’t cross the threshold. He stood there, hands by his sides, his gaze fixed on Rob, his brow furrowed. “I’m not sure what I said or did that upset you, but it was obviously something big. If you want to leave, I’ll understand.”

  Rob didn’t want that. “No,” he replied quickly. “I’m sorry for leaving the room like I did. I—”

  “No, you don’t have to tell me,” Vic interjected. “But if you’re serious about not leaving, why don’t you come downstairs, finish your coffee, and then we can decide where we’re going to have lunch?”

  Rob struggled to regain his composure, taking a moment to slow his breathing to something more like its normal rate. “That sounds good,” he said at last. He got up from the bed and inhaled deeply. “My coffee will be getting cold.”

  Vic smiled. “That’s what microwaves are for.” He stepped aside to allow Rob to exit the guest room. As he followed him down the stairs, Vic chuckled behind him. “Although, I was serious about showing you what I do. You might regret saying yes before the day is out, unless you love plants, flowers, and fairy-bridges.”

  Rob couldn’t resist the urge to lighten the mood. “As long as one doesn’t fall down while we’re on it,” he joked.

  Vic laughed. “Oh, I see now what my afternoon is going to be like.”

  The amusement in Vic’s voice went a long way to improving Rob’s mood, and he suddenly found himself looking forward to their day together.

  Chapter Ten

  VIC LED Rob through the stone building to a wide glass door, beyond which he could see a garden. “I’ve brought you here to show you something I’m very proud of,” Vic told him. “When you see the facade of the building, on a busy London street, you have no clue as to what lies in the space behind it.”

  Rob stared at the lush space, a pond at its center. “I see what you mean.”

  “The company who owns the building provided the garden for its workforce. There’s a crèche too, which might explain why there are so many kids here.” Vic pointed to the bridge that spanned the small pond. It was exactly as he described it. A small wooden trestle over a tiny body of water, filled with water lilies. “That’s my favorite project.”

  “That one?” The children ran around, playing tag, and Rob could understand Vic’s love of the space.

  “The best thing for me is that I went to my boss with some suggestions about the place. He liked them and asked me to help design it. It was my first try, and I think I did okay. Afterward, he told me he liked my work and offered to pay for me to take classes while I worked. Of course, I said yes. Never regretted it for a day.”

  Rob could hear the pride in Vic’s voice, and though he wasn’t sure why, he was proud of what Vic had accomplished.

  “This whole thing got written up in a small magazine. It was mostly about the company stepping in and saving the gardens, but my name was mentioned. After that, things just kind of fell into place. Two years and several classes later, I had an office, an assistant, and a new direction in my life.”

  A pang of jealousy made Rob ache. He wished he’d taken a different route with his life. Maybe he could have ended up producing something as impressive.

  “It’s beautiful,” Rob said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it.”

  “Thank you. It’s nice of you to say so.”

  They’d spent three or four hours walking around London, Vic pointing out places to visit, things to see, and unique culinary experiences. Rob soaked it all up. Vic made him feel special, like he was the center of attention, doing his level best to ensure Rob had a good time. They’d come into London by train, and Vic had bustled Rob into a taxi to get around the sites.

  The sun was beginning to set, and a quick glance at his phone surprised Rob. “It’s seven o’clock already.”

  Vic chuckled. “Time flies when you’re having fun. Are you ready for dinner?”

  Rob nodded eagerly. “Yeah, I’m starved. A lot of walking always makes me hungry.”

  “How about steak? Would that be okay?”

  Steak? Damn. “Sure.” One look at the price of meat was enough to put Rob off buying something so expensive.

  “Great. I know a place where we can have a nice dinner before we head back. And this time you get to watch one of my favorite films.”

  Rob shivered exaggeratedly. “Please tell me it’s not a chick flick.”

  Vic shrugged, a cheeky grin plastered on his face. “Maybe. You’ll have to wait and see.” He scanned the street. “I’ll hail us a taxi.”

  When the black cab pulled up in front of the Goodman restaurant at Canary Wharf, Rob took one look at the smartly dressed diners who were walking into it, and panicked. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” he said hesitantly, glancing down at his jeans, T-shirt, and jacket, not to mention his scuffed trainers. He felt decidedly grubby after all their walking in the city.

  “It’ll be fine, I promise.” After paying, Vic climbed out of the taxi, and Rob followed, hoping Vic’s larger frame would prevent people from seeing him. When they got to the door, a young man in a dark gray jacket smiled at Vic. “Welcome back, Mr. Prentiss. It’s been a while since your last visit.”

  Vic returned the smile. “Thank you, Lyle. I brought a friend to eat with me. It’s his first time here.”

  “I’m sure he’ll love it.” Lyle held the door open for them, and Vic ushered Rob inside.

  The place was incredible. Brass and glass chandeliers gleamed under the soft fluorescent bulbs, casting a warm glow on the linen-covered tables.

  “I don’t know about this,” Rob muttered. “This place looks pretty full. They might not have a table for us.” He knew it was an excuse. He’d never felt so out of place in his life.

  “Trust me, it’s going to be fine.” Vic’s hand was at his lower back, and for some reason, the reassuring touch comforted him. Vic leaned closer. “And don’t worry about a table. I went online and reserved one.”

  That did not do anything to quell Rob’s nerves.

  A maître d’ directed them to their table, Vic’s hand not moving from Rob’s back the whole time. It was nice to know Vic wasn’t going to toss him to the wolves. But once they’d sat down and Rob opened his menu, the nervous fluttering in his belly started up all over again. He couldn’t afford to eat there in a million years. A glance at the steaks made him swallow hard. Shit,
the cheapest one cost thirty-two pounds. Even the burgers were astronomical.

  “You’ve gone green. What’s wrong?”

  Rob looked up and found Vic smiling at him. “This is… I can’t…. You shouldn’t….”

  Vic chuckled. “Are you going to finish any of those sentences?”

  Rob wished he could be that relaxed. “Can we just go get something from McDonald’s? I saw one down the street.”

  Vic eyed him steadily. “McDonald’s,” he repeated, staring at him over the menu.

  “There’s nothing wrong with McDonald’s,” Rob protested.

  “I agree, but how’s this for an idea? Your birthday is next week. I want to do something nice for it, and you’re going to let me. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

  My birthday? Rob didn’t know what to say.

  “If you refuse to order something for yourself, then I’ll do it for you.”

  Vic’s tone showed he wasn’t used to being told no. Rob glanced at the menu again. He was about to ask if he could have a simple starter when Vic snatched the leather-bound folder from his hands.

  “You’re taking too long,” he said, a mock scowl on his face. “I’ll do the ordering for us.”

  The waiter approached the table with a basket of different breads. “Good evening, gentlemen. Are you ready to place your orders, or would you prefer to start with a cocktail?”

  Cocktails? Before Rob could say a word, Vic dove in.

  “We’re ready. For our starters we’ll have an order of the boneless beef ribs, the carpaccio, and the lobster salad. We’ll need plates to share. For the main course, we’ll have two fillets, cooked medium, with sautéed potatoes, and honey and ginger glazed carrots.” Vic folded his menu, picked up the one he’d taken from Rob, and then handed them to the server.

  Rob had to admit, it all sounded delicious, and he admired Vic’s confidence.

  “Very good, sir. Anything to drink?”

  “Rob? Do you like wine?”

  Rob nodded, too overwhelmed to speak.

  “Then bring us a bottle of 2010 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino.”

  “Excellent choice, sir. I’ll bring your starters and the wine out shortly.”

  Through the whole exchange, Rob was certain he’d stepped into someone else’s life. He could only stare as Vic grinned at him.

  VIC LOVED the expression on Rob’s face. He was like a deer in the headlights. Vic wasn’t sure why he brought Rob here. The only time he’d ever brought anyone to the restaurant was when he was meeting with clients. It was an extravagance the company was only too happy to pick up. When he was trying to decide where they should eat, he’d realized how much he wanted to dazzle Rob.

  Their appetizers arrived, along with the wine. Rob’s eyes went wide.

  “You said you were starved,” Vic reminded him. “Just make sure you save room for dinner. And then there’s the matter of dessert.” He paused. “They don’t have them here, but before we catch the train home, we’ll stop and grab a couple of shakes.”

  When Rob answered, his voice was soft. “Okay.” He didn’t say anything else as they ate their starters. He nibbled at the ribs, but seemed too nervous to dig in.

  “Something wrong?”

  Rob shook his head, but Vic noted his flushed cheeks.

  “Don’t you like the food? Would you rather have something else?”

  Again, he shook his head.

  Vic’s stomach churned. This was his fault. “Hey, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. We can go if you’d prefer.” He’d obviously pushed Rob out of his comfort zone.

  “No, it’s not that,” Rob said quietly. “It’s just… I can’t get over you doing this for me. I mean, you don’t really know me all that well.”

  He had a point. And at least that was something Vic could rectify easily.

  “You’re right. So, tell me about yourself.”

  Rob shrugged. “Not much to tell.” He took a forkful of salad.

  “You’ve mentioned Alex before. Is he your brother?”

  Rob blinked. “I…. Yes.” Another hurried forkful of salad.

  “I take it the two of you aren’t close?”

  Rob shook his head, his mouth full.

  Vic got the message loud and clear. Rob did not want to talk about his brother.

  “Okay. What about hobbies? Do you have anything you like to do for fun?”

  The question was met with another head shake. Vic was beginning to despair.

  “Look at me, Rob.”

  Slowly Rob raised his eyes.

  “Hi,” Vic said quietly.

  The corners of Rob’s mouth quivered.

  “Was that almost a smile?”

  Rob picked up his glass of wine and took a sip. The light caught off the glass and reflected in his eyes.

  Vic couldn’t stop looking at him. What a beautiful young man. Vic wanted to reach out and brush his fingers against Rob’s cheek. Despite Rob’s protests that he wasn’t gay, Vic remained unconvinced. There was the little matter of him being in a gay BDSM club, for one thing. For another, there was the feeling Vic couldn’t shake that Rob was in the closet. Add to that the way he kept turning up at Vic’s house, and he was left with one confused young man, at war with himself.

  Not that Vic was about to make a move on him. If Rob wanted anything more from him, then it would be up to Rob to initiate it. But in that moment, Vic was sorely tempted. He could picture Rob in his bed, his lovely blue eyes wide as Vic took him, his mouth open, Vic’s name on his lips as he came. Except what he wanted above all else was to hold Rob, to keep all those things that scared him at arm’s length. He had pain in his past that was eating him up inside, of this Vic was certain. Everything about Rob called to Vic—both as a Dom and as a man—to make things right for him once more.

  “Vic?”

  Vic snapped his gaze back to Rob. “Hmm?”

  “Are you okay? You had this weird expression.”

  “I’m fine.” Vic smiled to try to soothe Rob. “We were talking about you and hobbies.”

  Rob mumbled something too soft for Vic to hear.

  “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”

  Rob sighed, and his shoulders slumped. “I like to read, okay?”

  Vic chuckled. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. What do you like?”

  Rob’s eyes widened. “Mostly mystery stories. I like trying to figure out who did it before the end of the book. Plus, a good book takes you places when you can’t go yourself.”

  Vic gazed at him thoughtfully. While Rob’s insightful remark could be taken at face value, it also revealed much about him. “Is that what you want? To go places?”

  Rob shrugged. “Sometimes.”

  “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”

  Rob sat up straight. He was about to answer when the waiter came to clear away the dishes.

  “Your steaks will be out in a few minutes,” he said, loading their dirty dishes onto a tray. “Can I get you anything else?”

  “Rob? Would you like anything?”

  “No, but thank you. It was really good.”

  The waiter gave him a smile before withdrawing.

  Vic took a sip of wine before continuing. “Back to my question. Where would you like to visit?”

  “I’d like to see the US, I guess. There are a lot of places I’ve wondered about, but since most of the books I read take place in the US, I figured I’d start there.” Rob appeared more relaxed.

  “Who are some of your favorite authors?”

  Rob shrugged. “I don’t really have a favorite. I usually pick up secondhand books at charity shops, so I’m stuck with whatever they have on their shelves.”

  “What about a tablet? You don’t have one of those?”

  Rob shook his head. “Can’t afford one. Besides, there’s something about the feel of a paperback in my hand.” He smiled. “Sometimes I go for a wander around Waterstones. That new-book smell? It’s… comforting.”
>
  Vic smiled to himself. He’d been correct in his assumptions. There was so much more to Rob than what appeared on the surface, and Vic wanted to know everything. He wanted to buy things for Rob, give him what he couldn’t afford to purchase for himself. Vic wasn’t about to buy his affection, though. I want you to come to me, because that’s what you want. He wanted Rob to know the decision was his to make, not something he could later blame on Vic.

  He was about to press Rob for more details about his life, desperate to know what made him tick, when their waiter brought out the dinners. Two huge steaks, which appeared to have been broiled to perfection. Alongside them were golden orange disks of carrots in a redolent ginger sauce.

  Rob’s eyes were wider than the plates. “I can’t eat all this,” he whispered.

  “Eat what you can, then you can take the rest home with you tomorrow.” Vic had never had to ask for a takeout box, and he could imagine their waiter’s eyes growing large at the request, but it might be amusing.

  They ate in silence. Rob tucked into his food, and bit by bit, the entire steak disappeared. His chest warmed at the thought of taking care of Rob, even if Rob wasn’t his. I want to help him find his path in life, to let him know it’s okay to smile.

  God, Vic was a sap. Just yesterday he’d been thinking about going to the club to indulge in some much-needed sex. Instead he found himself sitting in a nice restaurant with someone who needed him, not for mindless rutting, but to build himself back up. Why was this suddenly more important to him than getting laid?

  Vic looked up, and Rob smiled at him before he took the last bite of his steak. Warmth bloomed through Vic’s entire body.

  Oh. That’s why.

  ROB SAT on Vic’s couch, relaxed and content. Dinner had been… wow. He’d never had a meal like that, and he would remember it for a long time. Not just the food, but the company. He’d been uncomfortable talking about himself, but Vic had been a dog with a bone, doing his best to ferret out every nugget of information.

  Why would he want to know about me? It’s not like I’m anyone special. He’d never designed a bridge or been in a magazine or…. The thoughts depressed Rob. All his life he’d been a disappointment to pretty much everyone. Most of all, himself.