Chapter 11

“I didn’t exactly take that one well,” he admitted. “And then there was all the usual crap about you and everything, and I just—urgh, I had to get away.”

Rob shifted on the sofa until Eli was bracketed by his legs on either side. Sighing, Eli allowed himself to be pulled back into Rob’s chest, the heavy weight of his arms comforting and the enclosure formed by his raised thighs either side of Eli’s hips like a shield.

“I’m sorry I snapped,” Eli mumbled.

Rob just hummed and butted his chin lightly against Eli’s ear in an oddly nuzzling sort of motion.

“I didn’t mean to use a safeword.”

Rob huffed. “We’ve talked about this,” he said, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. “Rules are only rules as long as you don’t safeword. No safeword, no option.”

“Yeah, but—”

“No,” Rob interrupted firmly. “If you hadn’t used it, I would have forced you to strip. You know I can.”