he Dog Clause Chapter 1

I, in a fit of belated lust, started sponsoring a broke college kid.

He’d swear, tongue in my mouth, that he was a pro who’d never fall for his sugar daddy.

I’d push his face away: "Fine. You catch feelings, you’re a dog."

Later, he found out he looked just like my first love. He buried his face in my chest, eyes red, and whimpered, "Can’t a dog... can't a dog bite here?"

"Just love me, okay? Stop thinking about him. I can't take it."

* * *

The first time I saw Leo, I knew he’d be the death of me.

He was just… electric.

He was a server at the gay bar I owned. White shirt, black vest, slim waist, long legs. He was so beautiful it hurt to look at.

He knew exactly how devastating he was, and his rejections were a performance art.

A younger guy, blushing bright red, asked for his number. Leo replied with a perfectly straight face: "Dude, I'm all show, no go. Don't waste your time."

I leaned against the bar, laughing. My laugh must have been too loud, because he glanced over at me. His eyes were cold and bright.

Tsk. Even better.

Ricky, my bartender, hooked a finger in the silver chain around my neck, pulling my attention back. "See something you like, Julian?" he purred. "Too bad. Leo doesn't like men."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting.

Ricky leaned in, his breath warm on my ear. "I already asked around. He’s only working here because he’s desperate for cash. We pay double what any other campus job does. Plus, he's got a sweet mouth and a hard heart. He clears a fortune in tips."

"Is that so?" I swirled the bourbon in my glass, an idea taking root. "A sweet mouth, huh?"