Those words did the trick. He was perfect. He was exactly what Irwin wanted. He was doing this right. He'd waited for so long to hear him say that, for Irwin to acknowledge him, for his approbation, that now that he had it he'd do nearly anything to keep it.

Dakin kept that slower pace, determined to keep him satisfied even if he would have rather kept going as he was before. He wanted to hear him praise him again.