Once they were inside, the buzz slowly settled. They wandered through the exhibits at a leisurely pace, giddy anticipation giving way to peaceful calm. Most animals were sleeping in the shade, but Aaron didn’t mind. Jay pointed out little things—the way the leopard’s whiskers twitched in his sleep, the subtle asymmetry of the antelope’s antlers—details most people would’ve missed as they passed by without a second glance.
Jay became more animated as he talked. With his eyes crinkled behind his sunglasses and his skin glowing in the sunlight, he was exquisitely beautiful. Inside and out. Aaron’s heart skipped a beat every time their arms brushed together, and he kept inching closer, unable to resist the magnetic pull.
It was official. He was head over heels in love with the man walking next to him. The only question left was whether Jay reciprocated his feelings. If he didn’t, Aaron would have to be content with these memories of their shared smiles and fleeting, tender touches.
They skipped lunch in favor of ice cream. Sitting side by side on a bench with their cones, they watched a long line of people patiently waiting for their turn to feed a leaf of lettuce to a bored-looking giraffe. Aaron turned to Jay, about to ask where he wanted to go next, but the words caught in his throat.
Jay was looking at him with such intensity glittering in his eyes that Aaron felt himself flush.
“What?” he asked and dabbed at the corners of his mouth self-consciously.
A shy smile crossed Jay’s face. “Nothing,” he whispered, glancing away. “You look very pretty today.”
Yep. Aaron was in love.
Hours later, as they were getting ready to leave, Jay suggested an early dinner. Aaron agreed, not wanting the day to be over. Soon they were sitting in a cozy booth at a tapas place in Aaron’s neighborhood.
After ordering half of the menu, much to Jay’s amusement, Aaron leaned back in the booth and pursed his lips in thought. He wanted to broach the topic of dating, but it was a scary thought. What if Jay wasn’t interested? Things would be far too awkward to continue their arrangement, and Aaron wasn’t ready for it to be over.
But he was ready for something else.
Inhaling deeply, he steadied himself. “Can we talk about our next scene?”
“Of course.” Jay’s eyes locked onto Aaron. “What do you have in mind?”
“You don’t mind, right? Taking requests? I’m sure you had something planned for last night.” Aaron held his breath as he waited for Jay’s reaction. His inexperience made the discussion feel like a dark maze. Some Doms probably preferred complete control over the scenes, but he hoped Jay would be more accommodating.
“I don’t mind at all. Our dynamic is a two-way street—I may be in control of what happens in the moment, but you’re ultimately in control of what happens at all. If there’s something specific you want, tell me. I’ll do my best to make it happen.”
Jay’s sincerity shone through his voice, firm and steady, but it didn’t entirely get rid of the nervous knot in Aaron’s stomach. He braced himself, acutely aware that his next words might cross some lines. He’d never voiced this particular fantasy before—not to Mark, not even to hisKink Talkbuddies.
“It’s…a little out-there. A little violent?” Aaron swept his gaze around the room to make sure no one could overhear. He noticed his fingers nervously drumming on the table and forced himself to stop. “I’d understand if you weren’t into it.”
“We’ve done violent before.” Jay chuckled and put his hand over Aaron’s, its warm weight calming and familiar. He had a disarmingly sweet habit of touching Aaron in moments of discomfort, always somewhere innocuous—on his shoulder, forearm, or wrist—and always soothing. Whether they were conscious gestures or part of Jay’s innate charm, Aaron couldn’t say.
All he knew was that he never wanted Jay to stop.
“True, but this is beyond what we’ve done.” Aaron paused, letting Jay’s touch seep under his skin. In theory, what he was asking for was relatively common and perfectly normal, but sharing his deepest desires—desires that might disgust Jay or freak him out—was still nerve-racking.
“I can guess if it helps.” Jay’s low voice broke through his mental gymnastics. “Is it a consensual non-consent sort of thing? Forcing, restraining, struggling?”
Aaron studied him for traces of judgment or repulsion but didn’t find anything. Jay’s dark eyes danced with hunger and desire, threatening to draw him in and never let go. Slowly, his smile turned dangerous, almost predatory. Lust coursed through Aaron as Jay licked his lower lip without breaking eye contact.
Loud laughter from the other side of the restaurant jolted them out of their trance. A group of friends singing an off-keyrendition of “Happy Birthday”. Everyone clapped as the song ended, and by the time Aaron turned back to Jay, the moment had passed.
“Do you want to tell me more? Any specifics?” Jay prompted.
“I feel so ridiculous right now,” Aaron admitted. “After everything we’ve done, I still can’t bring myself to say it out loud.”
“You’re always safe with me, Aaron,” Jay said emphatically. “And if you’re uncomfortable, we can talk about it later.”
“No, I just need to get over myself.” Aaron shook his head in frustration. There was no reason to be hesitant. He was safe with Jay. And if he couldn’t bring himself to describe what he wanted, did he even deserve to have it?
Jay waited patiently.
“It’s nothing intricate. No talking, no role-play. Duct tape on my mouth and around my wrists, maybe a knife, and then a hard fuck.”
Jay tilted his head, his brow creasing. “By a hard fuck, do you mean…”
