Joe studied Scott’s naked form once more. Scott had an amazing arse. His buttocks were rounded and well developed, with just a little bit of extra padding. His skin was pale—as if he’d hidden it away from the sun for years.
It was hard to believe anything had ever landed against the lean lines of muscle that decorated Scott’s body. He was so perfect, so untouched—virgin territory. And, for a little while at least, he was Joe’s to do with as he pleased. Damn, but the world was a bloody brilliant place on occasion.
Joe set aside the paddle and picked up a small leather flogger. The strands were soft. The impact would be light. In the hands of someone who knew what he was doing, it would be perfect.
Joe turned toward the bed.
Scott’s forehead was furrowed with concentration, as if he was struggling to work out where Joe was, and what Joe was doing, without opening his eyes.
Joe flicked the leather lightly against the back of Scott’s calf, right above the patch of skin he’d caressed with hisfingertips. Scott lurched against his restraints. He opened his eyes.
“I was starting to think you’d fallen asleep on me,” Joe teased.
So much worry flickered in Scott’s eyes, Joe forgot about all the fun he’d planned to have with the flogger. He sat down on the bed next to Scott and pushed a lock of blond hair back from Scott’s face.
“Second thoughts?” Joe asked, careful not to let any annoyance seep into the question.
Scott shook his head, rubbing his face against his pillow in the process. He closed his eyes once more.
Joe tightened his grip on Scott’s hair and tugged until Scott opened his eyes.
“You’ve never struck me as a guy who makes a habit of tying himself up and offering his arse to a stranger.”
Scott jerked his shoulders, as if he was so new to bondage he’d yet to work out that a man couldn’t shrug properly while bound that way.
“Cat got your tongue?” Joe prompted.
A blush spread across Scott’s cheeks. “That’s—that’s, kind of…I m-mean, that’s the whole p-point.”
Joe stared down at him, trying to work out what the hell that jumble of words was supposed to mean.
“You’re not the easiest guy to talk to.” Scott pronounced each syllable very slowly, very carefully, as if he had to focus really hard to get them out properly.
Joe didn’t often find himself speechless, but for several seconds he couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. Finally, he asked, “I’m not?”
Scott turned mute again. He shook his head, tugging at Joe’s hold on his hair.
“I don’t remember you ever…” Joe smiled. He couldn’t remember Scott uttering a single word to him in all the time they’d been regulars at the same club and shared the same group of friends.
He did, however, recall Scott blushing a lot. Now that he thought about it, he recalled catching Scott staring at him more than a few times too. All the pieces clicked together inside Joe’s head. “This is one hell of a way to get a man’s attention, darling!”
Scott stared down at the bed sheet, uncertainty shining brightly in big blue eyes.
“Bloody effective way too,” Joe admitted.
Scott glanced up for a moment. Their gazes met.
“It’s safe to say I’m completely fascinated,” Joe said.
Scott offered him a tentative smile.
Standing up, Joe adjusted his grip on the flogger. The toy stopped being something that just rested idly in the palm of his hand and once more became something to be used.
So, Scott had a crush on him and was too shy to just hit on him in the usual way. Joe wasn’t about to complain. “Your safe word is unicorn. Understand?”
“Y-yes.”
“Good.” Joe managed to catch Scott’s eye just before he brought the flogger down lightly against Scott’s leg, an inch above where it had last landed.
