Suited

Thirty Seven

Lawrence Whitacre's Point of View

"How many times has he let you miss your meds?"

"Never," I insisted. While I hadn't noticed earlier, Jessie was pissed. "And he's never let me be late either. I left them in the car."

"But he should have—"

"You know I'm an adult, right? I don't need him or anyone to micromanage everything. I know my schedule, I just forgot."

"What about your alarm?"

Ugh. I hated repeating myself. Especially when I'd done something wrong. "I turned it off the other night—He didn't ask me to. It was my fault—I just didn't turn it back on and I was distracted so I didn't watch the time. I'm fine. I'm not gonna keel over."

"I'm gonna take your attitude as proof you're feeling alright."

"Good."

"Why were you out there so long?"

"Well, dad," I sassed, "We were discussing the importance of marriage and how I'm scared of his mother. Is the interrogation over yet?"

He sighed. "Yes. I suppose. You sure you're okay?"

"Promise."

"I'll ignore that you've obviously been crying." I wiped my eyes while he opened the freezer. He turned back around with two fresh bowls of ice cream. "When I realized how long you were out there, I decided to prepare replacements. Here."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The rest of Thanksgiving went without a hitch and the drive back to the Ivy with Signore's parents was quiet. His father, whose name I learned was Alvaro when he was talking to my father, said it was lovely getting to meet everyone and that he and his wife were grateful for the invitation. They'd be in town until Sunday afternoon, so he hoped they'd get to see me and Lucas again before they left. I let Signore answer that. His response was that he'd see, which I realized he said when he didn't want to do the thing he'd see about. Based on the look on Alvaro's face, he knew that but he held out hope anyway.

That turned into Sunday breakfast and a discussion of Christmas plans. My mother always threw a brunch party on the eve but I didn't mention it. Whatever Signore decided would be what we did and I'd be happy either way. Diana asked if he'd be coming home, to which he also said he'd see so I decided to start mentally preparing for more of her now. Regardless, we both wished them well when we got them to the airport.

Signore made a decision within that week. We were not going to visit his parents and they would not be brought back here for the holiday. I'd be starting school around that time with only Christmas Eve and Day off as well as for New Year's. In short, I was too busy to entertain them. Hearing his mother say they could spend time without me hurt, to say the least, but was expected on my end and Signore immediately shut it down. In his mind, either both of us would go, or neither, because he didn't want to spend the holiday apart from me.

By the time ice started falling from the sky because this area rarely had proper snow, Signore and I were spending a lot of time in bed where it was warm. We went to the monthly social and he went to work, but otherwise, we were wrapped up in blankets and each other like huddling penguins. Then school started and he went to work when I went into our office with a space heater and hot chocolate. I always made him a mug to take with him too but he liked coffee in his. I started making mine the same way when I realized how exhausted I was using my brain so early.

Christmas was bigger than Thanksgiving. Mother rented a venue and brunch was more of a banquet. A lot of business partners were there. I hadn't actually attended the Christmas party since I was in high school given the circumstances. Like most occasions, I stayed home with Jessie but both of us were out and about, as was Signore, who usually attended. I was with the two of them for the majority of the affair but Father swept me away to introduce me to a handful of hotel moguls who congratulated me on beginning university again. Also on my sobriety, which had made its rounds in these types of circles by no fault or effort of my own. It was probably my father but I took it as a matter of pride rather than his usual shaming. I guess I couldn't call it usual. He didn't really do it much anymore.

Signore and I had a small gift exchange at home the following morning. He asked to go first so I let him. It worked out since his present for me was physical. I tore off the wrapping paper with as much restraint as I could muster before I opened the box. It was a choker made of white gold with six pieces of opal dangling from the front—two on each side of the two central ones, the top one was smaller than the surrounding ones, and the bottom one was shaped like a water droplet—It matched with my hair clips, which had been his intent. I'd wondered why one went missing for a day and figured I'd lost it. I'd almost ordered a new one too but he convinced me not to and it was back the next day. He'd taken it to one of the artists at Frenzy so they'd have a clear look at the reference to make the necklace.

"It's actually a collar," he corrected, sipping his coffee like those were casual words to say. "I thought about what you said in regard to marriage and I agree that I'd like that level of security with you from a legal perspective but I need to figure out all of the paperwork and such for getting it recognized—though I doubt we'd move—I'm rambling." I chuckled. He was cute when he was nervous. He set down his mug. "We're supposed to table marriage talk anyway. That is a permanent collar and I'm giving it to you because of how important this relationship is to me. I have never given a boy this kind in the years I've been doing this. I'd like for you to wear it at all times unless I put another of your collars in its place."

"So, always?"

"Yes. It's made with solid opal so it can withstand you being in the shower. It's the D/s version of a ring. I'll get you one of those once we discuss it but I don't see us taking any sort of break in that time or beyond that, so—"

"Can I kiss you?" I realized I cut him off but I was too excited. "Please? I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." He smiled and leaned in to do it himself. "As I was saying," he teased, "the collar is a symbol of my permanent commitment to you. I meant what I said about us operating like we're married. Nothing would change then and nothing changes now but now you have a marker of it. Do you like it?"

"I love it, Sir." I let him help me put it on before I took out my phone and forwarded him an email. "Now I might have overstepped, but I did it in good faith. Check your inbox."

He looked at me skeptically but did it anyway to see an email from Dom Bailey's work email address for Frenzy confirming the stage I booked in the exhibition hall for New Year's Eve. "Ragazzo," he mumbled.

"I know I should have asked first—trust me, he talked my ear off for an hour about how doms are supposed to be the ones to reserve them—but you said you missed doing stages and I really, really enjoyed the room on my birthday, so I figured it'd be a good—" He kissed me again. "—a good gift."

"It's a wonderful gift, Lawrence. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Can I make a request?"

He chuckled. "Sure."

"I'd like to be on your kinky shibari page."

Now he was actually laughing. "That is a given, amore mio."

I smiled. "Can I have one of the leather hoods too?"

He sipped his coffee. "For your privacy? Sure."

"Oh no. I don't care about my privacy. I just think it's hot."

He set the mug down again. "Lawrence, you're a public figure. You should care about your privacy."

I pouted. "Just for the pictures then. It'd probably mess up my hair anyway."

He shook his head at me. "I keep forgetting you like to be seen when you're so modest." He looked me over. I was wearing nothing but my cuffs, my new collar, and Christmas briefs. "Outside of the house, anyway. I will take your hair and your privacy and your kinks into account. Now come here and pick a movie while I start the puzzle."

"Sì Signore." A bit later once I settled on a film and was relegated to the edge pieces, "Signore?"

"Sì ragazzo?"

"Ti amo."

He kissed me on the forehead. "Anch'io ti amo."