![Rough [01] - A Bit of Rough](https://fs.collectorofbookboyfriends.com/466083/thumbs/152x264/rough-01-a-bit-of-rough.jpg)
dress pants suddenly too tight and too warm for comfort.
Bram winked at him and sat back as the waiter returned with the wine. Bram tasted it and nodded his approval before handing James a glass.
James took a sip and let the mellow tang of the grapes ease the dryness in his sore throat.
Some of his unease melted away it. "It's nice here. Comfortable."
"Yeah, I think so." Bram leaned back, but kept hold of James' hand, bringing it with him as he settled more comfortably into the curve of the booth. He sipped at his wine and winked at another waitress as she greeted him.
He knew it was next to impossible for a man of Bram's size to go unnoticed, but James was amazed at how many people went out of their way to say hello. Bram was very well-known and liked here. James' comfort level with the physically intimidating and powerful man went up a few more notches.
James glanced down at their intertwined fingers and noticed a couple of Bram's knuckles had fresh abrasions on them. James brought their hands up from beneath the table and run his thumb just under one of the raw knuckles. "I've been so whacked out over the whole thing in the hall, I didn't even notice you were hurt. Christ!"
Guilt and shame over the incident with Williams came rushing down on him and bile rose to the back of his throat. "I'm sorry you had to get involved in that."
"I'm not." Bram frowned and took a deep breath before admitting, "I'm glad."
"What?" James' voice cracked on the word.
"I'm glad I was there. Glad I got the chance to stop that asshole from hurting you. Glad I was the one there for you afterwards." Bram smiled his lopsided grin and looked sheepish. "And yeah, I'll admit it. I wasn't lying when I told that creep I was possessive and protective of you." Bram's tanned face darkened a shade. "Maybe it's kind of early to say this, but I like how you make me feel when I'm with you."
A Bit of Rough - 37
Swallowing past the residual burn in his throat from earlier, James decided to plunge ahead and go through the emotional door Bram had left open. "How do you feel when you're with me?"
Leaning an elbow on the table, the big man hunched forward slightly and studied the wine in his glass. He swirled the liquid around and then took a sip, setting the glass back down on the table before answering.
James began to think he had misread the situation then Bram raised his head and smiled.
"Needed. You make me feel needed. Appreciated. You let me have control, but you aren't dependent on me." Bram took another sip of wine then stared James in the eye, his voice suddenly very serious. "I don't want to be consumed by someone who wants me to orchestrate his entire life for him."
James let out the breath he had been holding and released his bottom lip from the tight hold his teeth had on it. "I don't like being told what to do outside of the bedroom. I can run my own life just fine."
"Then we're good, because I don't want to be your 'daddy'." The big man gripped James'
hand tighter. "But honestly, it does give me a rush to see you all flustered and unsettled.
Like in the alley last night, when you weren't sure what was happening. And earlier tonight, at your apartment, when you needed someone to anchor you down. I'm glad I was there."
"I'm glad, too, Bram. I don't want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't shown up." James stared off into the distance. He felt a cold knot of anxiety ball up in his stomach at the idea of Williams being allowed to finish what he had implied he wanted to do.
"The apartment building is up for sale. I might have to move soon, anyway." James was suddenly very glad he had meet Bram. Pushing the incident aside, he smiled at Bram. "I don't think I thanked you for earlier."
The lopsided grin on Bram's lips turned into a gentle leer. "Oh, I don't know. You felt pretty grateful to me on the couch. My leg thought you were grateful, too."
A strangled snort of laughter escaped James and Bram joined him. James
Bram winked at him and sat back as the waiter returned with the wine. Bram tasted it and nodded his approval before handing James a glass.
James took a sip and let the mellow tang of the grapes ease the dryness in his sore throat.
Some of his unease melted away it. "It's nice here. Comfortable."
"Yeah, I think so." Bram leaned back, but kept hold of James' hand, bringing it with him as he settled more comfortably into the curve of the booth. He sipped at his wine and winked at another waitress as she greeted him.
He knew it was next to impossible for a man of Bram's size to go unnoticed, but James was amazed at how many people went out of their way to say hello. Bram was very well-known and liked here. James' comfort level with the physically intimidating and powerful man went up a few more notches.
James glanced down at their intertwined fingers and noticed a couple of Bram's knuckles had fresh abrasions on them. James brought their hands up from beneath the table and run his thumb just under one of the raw knuckles. "I've been so whacked out over the whole thing in the hall, I didn't even notice you were hurt. Christ!"
Guilt and shame over the incident with Williams came rushing down on him and bile rose to the back of his throat. "I'm sorry you had to get involved in that."
"I'm not." Bram frowned and took a deep breath before admitting, "I'm glad."
"What?" James' voice cracked on the word.
"I'm glad I was there. Glad I got the chance to stop that asshole from hurting you. Glad I was the one there for you afterwards." Bram smiled his lopsided grin and looked sheepish. "And yeah, I'll admit it. I wasn't lying when I told that creep I was possessive and protective of you." Bram's tanned face darkened a shade. "Maybe it's kind of early to say this, but I like how you make me feel when I'm with you."
A Bit of Rough - 37
Swallowing past the residual burn in his throat from earlier, James decided to plunge ahead and go through the emotional door Bram had left open. "How do you feel when you're with me?"
Leaning an elbow on the table, the big man hunched forward slightly and studied the wine in his glass. He swirled the liquid around and then took a sip, setting the glass back down on the table before answering.
James began to think he had misread the situation then Bram raised his head and smiled.
"Needed. You make me feel needed. Appreciated. You let me have control, but you aren't dependent on me." Bram took another sip of wine then stared James in the eye, his voice suddenly very serious. "I don't want to be consumed by someone who wants me to orchestrate his entire life for him."
James let out the breath he had been holding and released his bottom lip from the tight hold his teeth had on it. "I don't like being told what to do outside of the bedroom. I can run my own life just fine."
"Then we're good, because I don't want to be your 'daddy'." The big man gripped James'
hand tighter. "But honestly, it does give me a rush to see you all flustered and unsettled.
Like in the alley last night, when you weren't sure what was happening. And earlier tonight, at your apartment, when you needed someone to anchor you down. I'm glad I was there."
"I'm glad, too, Bram. I don't want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't shown up." James stared off into the distance. He felt a cold knot of anxiety ball up in his stomach at the idea of Williams being allowed to finish what he had implied he wanted to do.
"The apartment building is up for sale. I might have to move soon, anyway." James was suddenly very glad he had meet Bram. Pushing the incident aside, he smiled at Bram. "I don't think I thanked you for earlier."
The lopsided grin on Bram's lips turned into a gentle leer. "Oh, I don't know. You felt pretty grateful to me on the couch. My leg thought you were grateful, too."
A strangled snort of laughter escaped James and Bram joined him. James
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