"Be that as it may, sexual submission is something I hold sacred. I don't ever want to share this with someone who isn't as fully committed to it as I am."
She put her finger to his lips. Her eyes sparkled with pleasure. "I can't believe it. It's so you though. The one thing you're insecure about – the one thing that shows any iota of vulnerability in the great powerhouse who's Lucas Eaglestone – is that you're too dominant. That's just so funny."
"I suppose it is rather ironic."
She looped her arms around his neck. "It certainly is." Again she chuckled. "I love that about you."
As soon as she said it, her breath hitched and her eyes rounded. The show of affection had snuck out, and she was clearly regretting it. Lucas resisted the urge to tease her about it. Instead he kissed her.
As she drifted to sleep, Lucas held her, treasuring her. His mind wouldn't let up though, listing ways to make it work, long term. Would she move to London? Would that be too much to ask? Too soon, he told himself. But the thought lingered.
Dawn was on the horizon and he was in a light doze when his phone bleeped, waking him fully. It was too early for it to be the office. He checked the screen, hoping it was someone he could ignore. It was Clara. At this time?
He snuck out from under Naomi's arm and began to extricate himself from the bed. "Hello."
"We have a problem."
Only one? "What?"
"It's Toby."
Lucas was on his feet inside a heartbeat. "Is he hurt?"
"Oh no, he's not hurt." Her voice was terse.
He heard a noise and realized that Naomi had woken and was leaving the room, giving him privacy.
"What then?"
"Your son has been separated from the group because of an altercation."
"Has the school been in touch, or did Toby tell you this?"
"The school, about an 'incident.' They said he became difficult to manage, off the rails." She uttered a frustrated sound. It was obvious she hadn't wanted to make this call.
"Difficult to manage. What does that mean?"
"Jesus, Lucas, I'm quoting here. They said he hit one of the other boys."
He wanted to deny it immediately, but he was in no position to do so. He forced himself not to knee jerk.
"I don't know what the fuck is going on," Clara continued.
"Clearly," he replied, "but the teachers should have sussed it out."
"Well, they want us to speak directly to the teacher who's sitting with him, or at least one of us."
"And you don't want to deal with it?" Lucas was already reaching for his clothes, ready to take action, but he couldn't resist the barb. His ex-wife kept him out of Toby's life as much as she could – even sending him away on this holiday which he wouldn't have given approval if he'd been asked – and now there was trouble she wanted to hand it over.
"It's a matter of discipline...you're his father, you should dealing with stuff like this."
"That's rich," he commented. Everything she said riled him. And her comment indicated this might not be the first time. If that was the case why hadn't he been told? "It's hard to guide him two days out of fourteen."
He knew he was reacting badly, he knew he shouldn't be saying these things. But it was such a turnaround from the last time they'd spoken when she wanted nothing to do with him and wanted to keep his son to herself. He'd wanted every weekend with Toby, and shared vacation time, but she hadn't agreed.
"Okay," she said, and her voice was barely above a whisper. "I get it. I'm upset too."
He twitched. "Don't worry. Tell them I'll fly out there immediately. I want to hear it first hand. Text me the name of the teacher in charge and be sure you give me all the contact details."