Kage tightened his grip on the walking stick until the engraved hand bit into his palm. “I don’t need it often.” Lies.It hurts. It fucking hurts but I don’t want to take any more painkillers.He couldn’t say it. He never did.
“Maybe I could help?”
Kage raised an eyebrow. “How?”
“I used to work in rehabilitation—”
“I know muscles and what they do—I tie people up for a living.” Kage took a step back, ready to leave. Approaching Finley before the scene had been a mistake.
“But this is different. Wait. It’s your hip, isn’t it?” Finley followed him that single step. “A scar is sometimes visible above the waistband of your jeans.”
Retreat, retreat!“I have to go. See you at the club, Finley.”
“Let me help.”
“I appreciate the offer, but no thank you.”
“But—” Finley grabbed Kage’s wrist.
A zing ran through the connection and Kage froze. No one dared to touch him at the club. And that was why he should keep his interactions to that place. It was safe. He turned to face Finley. Nose to nose. Despite being half his weight, Kagemarched forward, forcing Finley back until he stopped at a bookshelf.
He smelled even nicer up close. Like promises of a cosy night by the fire, snuggled under blankets.
“But what?” Kage released the words out slowly, his gaze boring into Finley’s.
“If you let me see it, maybe I could—”
Fucking hell, he was stubborn. “I don’t need help.”
Finley pursed his lips. “Do it for me?” His eyes went wide as if he regretted the words but he didn’t take them back.
Kage didn’t have patience for emotional games. Even if the sheer proximity to Finley raised his temperature in the best way.
“Why would I? I don’t know you.” He said in a dry tone. Regret filled him and doubled in intensity when Finley’s face fell like he’d been sucker punched.
“You’re right. I’m just the new guy at work. But I’m here if you—”
Kage leaned closer, his nose nearly touching Finley’s. It would be so easy to kiss him. To pin him to the shelf and devour his mouth. Wipe the sad expression off his face and replace it with a smile. Or better yet, with an O of pleasure.
After all, on his application, Finley marked kissing as a major turn-on.
Finley’s breath caught, and he parted his lips. He was ready to follow the lead. Perfect.
But Kage didn’t need a complication in his life. Not even in the form of a gorgeous redhead. No. Those belonged on the club’s stage.
He’d book Finley soon. Very very soon. “I’ll see you on Tuesday. Look out for my email,” he said, before pivoting on his good leg and marching out of the bookstore.
Chapter Seven
Finley
I’m ready.
Finley pushed open the door to the main area of the Golden Handcuffs, and, despite having the day off, he headed for the bar. Upon seeing him, Lucy excused herself, leaving the customers to Bobby. The man had worked at the club for years, so he’d be fine managing the early clientele without Lucy. And Finley desperately needed a pep talk.
The evening after the bookstore meeting, he’d received an email from Kage with a date and instructions. Finley’s sex had always been spontaneous, so following a set of steps, starting with a pharmacy trip for a douching kit, had given him the jitters. The actual process of cleaning on the day was new to him, but made perfect sense considering he’d be bare-assed in publicand had no script of what Kage had in store for him. STI testing had been a requirement before he started work at the club, so he’d had that done and over with at least.
Finley had followed the other instructions to a T, including the optional points like shaving his balls. The next step was waiting for Master Kage in the preparation room where they would talk.
