Hunter went still, surprise freezing him in place. Was it possible Payne might be considering their relationship continuing past the time of Hunter’s “therapy?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up too much, but he liked the idea. A lot.
“I’d enjoy that,” he said, trying to keep his tone casual.
Payne’s face lit up, and when he returned to Hunter, he bent to brush a light but lingering kiss against Hunter’s lips. “So would I.”
“Good.” Hunter grinned. “Do I get a blindfold too?”
“Oh yes,” Payne said. “I want you to wait and wonder when the next touch is coming, and I want you to feel the full intensity when it does.” He pointed to the cushion. “Go kneel and put your hands behind your back.”
Hunter moved to the cushion, settling himself comfortably on it. It was definitely easier on his knees than the floor had been, and he obediently put his hands behind himself. “I’m ready, sir.”
Payne knelt behind Hunter and fastened the cuffs around his wrists. “How does that feel?”
Hunter tested the cuffs, which bound him securely, but didn’t chafe because of the fleece lining. “Feels fine, sir.”
“Good,” Payne said, his voice soft as he smoothed his hands down Hunter’s arms from shoulder to wrist, conforming his palms to the curve of hard muscle along the way. He brushed a kiss against Hunter’s neck and then stood up and returned to the cart. “Now for your blindfold.”
Hunter watched Payne, letting his gaze linger on the curve of Payne’s ass. “I lied, you know,” he admitted. “I did growl.”
Payne raised one eyebrow, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he knelt in front of Hunter, holding the blindfold in both hands.
“You scared the shit out of Kevin,” he said.
Hunter bared his teeth. “Good. If he’s scared, I won’t have to gouge his eyes out and hand them back to him.”
“What did he do?”
“He was staring at your ass,” Hunter said. “Hungrily.”
Payne dropped the blindfold and slid his arms around Hunter’s shoulders, giving him a coy look from beneath his lashes. “Feeling possessive, are you?”
“Yes,” Hunter admitted, hoping he hadn’t overstepped Payne’s boundaries. He leaned forward and grazed Payne’s cheek with his lips. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“No.” Payne gave Hunter a speculative look. “Would it help if I promised I won’t have sex or play with anyone but you while we’re together? I don’t need novelty. I want stability.”
Hunter was glad Payne didn’t mind him feeling territorial, but he hadn’t expected Payne to be willing to be exclusive. Not that he minded at all. While he’d had friends-with-benefits arrangements with some of his fellow mercs over the years, Payne was different. What Hunter felt for him was different, even if Hunter wasn’t sure where they were going to end up.
“Are you really good with it?” he asked quietly. “I admit, I’d prefer it that way, but I can’t be sure I can fulfill all your needs.” He smiled crookedly. “When it comes to stability, I’m sure Herc and Matthew still feel like I’m a loose cannon, ready to blow at any moment.”
“You aren’t a loose cannon anymore,” Payne said, framing Hunter’s face between his hands and meeting his gaze steadily. “You were, but I think starting the grieving process has helped you move past it. And yes, I’m good with being exclusive. Given the choice between you and any sub at Twist, I’d pick you.”
Hunter drew in a startled breath, and his heart seemed to pound in his chest almost painfully. “I’m still fucked up, I know it, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be the man I was before.”
“Don’t care.” Payne placed a gentle kiss at the corner of Hunter’s mouth. “I’m not the man I was before Camp Victory. It doesn’t mean I have to cut myself off. Neither do you.”
Hunter wished his hands were free, because he wanted to wrap his arms around Payne and hold on to him. “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”
Payne nuzzled Hunter’s cheek, and then he drew back with an arch look. “Of course, exclusivity goes both ways. Don’t make me have to take down some big, badass merc for going after you. You know I can do it.”
Chuckling, Hunter shook his head. “You don’t have to worry, I promise. I’m all yours.” Hunter meant it on more levels than Payne suspected, but he didn’t elaborate.
“Damned right you’re mine.” Payne picked up the blindfold and settled it in place. Then Hunter felt Payne’s warm breath brushing across his ear as Payne whispered, “And I’m yours.”
Hunter shivered, but Payne’s words filled him with warmth. Even if Payne only meant it for now, Hunter wanted it to be true. “Yes, sir,” he murmured.
The loss of Payne’s body heat plus the movement of air when Payne moved away made Hunter’s skin prickle, and he strained to hear footsteps to give him a clue about where Payne was and what he was doing, but he didn’t hear anything. He wasn’t sure how long he knelt there in utter silence; seconds felt like minutes as his anticipation built — and then he felt the wet chill of an ice cube on the back of his neck.
Hunter gasped, instinctively flinching, but then he relaxed and moaned as he bowed his head, offering Payne better access to his neck. The ice made his skin feel hot by comparison, while being blindfolded allowed him to concentrate on the sensation without distraction. It felt far more intense than he would have imagined, and Hunter gave himself over to the experience, focusing on the small area where the ice touched his skin.
