Handcuffs and Ball Gags

Handcuffs and Ball Gags A Rawlings Men Story

By Kim Dare

Resplendence Publishing, LLC http://www.resplendencepublishing.com

Resplendence Publishing, LLC 2665 S Atlantic Avenue, #349 Daytona Beach, FL 32176 Handcuffs and Ball Gags Copyright © 2011, Kim Dare Edited by Christine Allen-Riley and Jason Huffman Cover art by Les Byerley, www.les3photo8.com

Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-280-8

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Electronic release: April 2011

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

To finally finding the courage to speak up and be heard.

Chapter One

“Save our woodland! Stop the road!” The chant went on and on, around and around. It was enough to give the whole world and its lover one hell of a headache, but Constable Andrew Rawlings stood stubbornly firm at his post—smack bang between the protesters and the workmen about to start clearing the old oaks away for the new motorway. It should have been impossible to pick out one single voice from the chaos, but Andrew’s hand tightened into a fist at his side as a well educated tone cut through all the others as if they were merely whispers. “What’s wrong, Andy? Nothing to say now?” Andrew pointedly kept his back to the protesters and pretended not to have heard. “Come on, constable! Give me another order!” Harris, the cop immediately to Andrew’s right, leaned slightly toward him. “You want me to go give him a clip around the ear when we take him in, tell him to shut the hell up?” “No,” Andrew bit out. “It’s not like he hasn’t got it coming,” the other man pointed out. “He’s been a right cheeky sod ever since we got here.” “He’s also my bloody flatmate,” Andrew snapped. Rocking forward onto the toes of his shoes, Andrew could just about make out Ben’s reflection in one of the riot van windows. He looked big and tough, broad shouldered enough to take on the whole world. Appearances were deceptive. If the little fool managed to get through this without getting literally bloody it would be a miracle. “Show us your truncheon, constable!”

Andrew held back a sigh as he rolled his eyes heavenward. Turning around, he let his eyes travel all the way along the rows of hard-core protesters, serious environmental activists and troublemakers looking for a fight. Ben really didn’t have any idea what sort of trouble he’d landed himself in this time. His nice, sensible parka coat made him stand out like a sore thumb among the scruffy rabble. His neatly styled brown hair did nothing to help him blend in with all the dreadlocks. “I told him not to come to the protest,” Andrew muttered to Constable Harris. “Doesn’t look like he listened.” “He never does,” Andrew admitted. “Bloody teachers. He always thinks he knows best— thinks he can get away with treating me like one of the kids in the class.” Harris cleared his throat. “So, when you say he’s your flatmate…” Andrew glanced toward him, joined the dots and shook his head. “We share a flat, not a bed.” The other cop seemed to relax. “Not that I’d have a problem with it if were…I mean…I’m not…” Andrew half smiled. “Harris, when you’re in a hole, the appropriate thing to do is to stop digging.” He met the suddenly nervous looking man’s eyes and chuckled in spite of it all. “Ben’s the one who’s into the whole gay pride thing. I don’t really care what anyone thinks about my sex life…” He trailed off, all his attention homing in on the protesters. All hell was about to break loose. Andrew could feel it in the air. It was all about to hit the fan, and Ben was going to get stuck in the middle of it with nothing but that bloody stupid banner he was waving for protection. “Silly little fool,” Andrew whispered to himself. He’d obviously thought it was going to be one of those peaceful little demos he was so fond of attending. “Doesn’t have a bloody clue…” Barely a second had passed before the first bottle was thrown at the workmen. Andrew mumbled a curse under his breath. Ben wouldn’t like that. He didn’t approve of littering. Unfortunately, he was just about naive enough to give the thrower a right dressing down as if he was no different to the nine year olds in his class. More glass bottles rained down from the nice blue spring sky. Stones joined them. So did other random items. Anything that could be picked up and tossed through the air was a suitable

weapon now. Whatever travelled far enough to land at the workmen’s feet in one piece was quickly snatched up and pitched back. Most of them had better arms than the protesters. Suddenly the sky was full of makeshift ammo, the air jam-packed with angry shouts. Trying to keep his eye on Ben and the apparent ringleaders at the same time, hoping like hell that neither ran headlong into the other, Andrew didn’t have much attention to spare for any instructions that might come down the chain of command. The first he knew of the order to advance on the protesters and clear the way for the workmen before things got any worse, was all the other cops stepping forward around him. The protesters retreated. Andrew noticed a flash of heavy metal chains. He saw the padlocks snap into place. That was all the encouragement his cock needed to harden behind his fly. Ben in bondage. Well, wasn’t that just bloody brilliant? As if he didn’t have enough trouble keeping that image out of his head at the best of times. Andrew stormed forward, hoping to get there in time to arrest Ben before his friend got his own padlocks fastened. Of course, he was too late. As Andrew came to an abrupt halt in front of the other man, Ben was already wrapped in chains, restrained to one of the old oak trees he was so keen to protect. He glared up at Andrew from his seat at the base of the old gnarled trunk, his eyes militant and sparkling with pleasure. Grabbing hold of the other man’s coat, Andrew pulled him as far up and forward as the chains would allow and brought his lips to Ben’s ear. “This isn’t a game. You’re going to get hurt.” He relaxed his hold just enough to look the other man in the eye. “Save our woodland! Stop the road!” Andrew took several steps back. It was that or do something both of them would end up regretting, like throttling the little fool, or worse, kissing him. Bolt cutters were brought out. The men wielding them were soon making their way down the lines of thugs and idiots, freeing both at the same time. Other cops left, dragging protesters away to the waiting vans but Andrew stayed put, never going more than six strides away from Ben’s side. The moment his friend was released, Andrew caught hold of his arm and dragged him out of the worst of the confusion. “You’re lucky I was here,” he began.

“Have you read him his rights, constable?” Sergeant Jefferies called out. He’d found an overturned crate to stand on and his eyes were darting through the crowd, checking on a dozen different constables every minute. Damn! Andrew ground his teeth together hard enough to make his jaw ache, but there was no avoiding it. “You have the right to remain silent, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court,” he muttered. The sergeant’s attention moved elsewhere. Ben parted his lips. “You have a right to remain silent,” Andrew repeated. “Use it.” “There’s no need to get snippy,” Ben chided. Tightening his hold on his friend’s arm, Andrew hauled him across to one of the police vans waiting to transport all the protesters to the station. Glancing into the first one, he stopped short. There was no way in hell Ben could go in there. Knowing him, he’d start pointing out the spelling mistakes on all the sociopath’s tattoos. Pulling Ben back before he could clamber in, Andrew found a quieter van full of less psychotic looking guys. He’d barely shoved Ben inside it, when all hell broke loose behind him. “Stay there.” Ben raised an eyebrow at him. “I mean it,” Andrew warned, already turning back to the panic. It seemed to take several lifetimes before everything was under control, six extra men were in handcuffs, and Andrew was able to turn his attention back to the van. Except it wasn’t there. None of the vans were. Ben was apparently already on his way back to the station. Andrew turned his eyes up to the sky, but no one seemed to be willing to look down on a hard put-upon flatmate and help him out right then. Ben was all alone and the only one who could get him out of this mess was Andrew. As soon as he could get back to the station, Andrew headed straight to the custody cells, only to be redirected to interview room three. A peek through the glazed panel in the door informed him that Ben was alone in there. Finally, something had gone his way! Yanking the door open, Andrew stormed in and slammed it behind him. “Have you lost your mind?” Ben looked up from the battered interview table, apparently not the least impressed.

“Well?” Andrew demanded. “No. Not last time I checked,” Ben said, folding his hands neatly on the table in front of him. The gesture might have looked prim and feminine if it hadn’t been for the fact he was built like an ox. “Have you?” Andrew stormed forward and leaned over the table. “What’s your school going to say when they find out you’ve been arrested?” he demanded. The door swung opened behind him. Apparently, Inspector Blake was just in time to catch that last question. “Wait a minute,” he ordered, in the voice of a man who’d worked far too many double shifts to leave anything to doubt. “You’re still in school? How old are you?” Ben’s eyes met Andrew’s. The cheeky little bugger smiled. “I like him.” “Shut up,” Andrew snapped, before turning his attention to Blake. “He’s a teacher, not a pupil. He’s thirty years old and more than old enough to be interviewed on his own.” He glared at his friend over his shoulder. “And the headmaster is going to have him strung up if he has an arrest on his record.” “Mr. Thomas knows I was there,” Ben cut in, his tone still perfectly polite. “The children helped me make the banners. We’re doing a project on environmental issues this term. He thinks it’s a great way to get them more interested.” Andrew glared down at him. The guy knew how it set his teeth on edge when he went all teacher-y on him. He was half sure that’s why he did it so often. “Will he think you’re setting a good example for the children when you’re on the news tonight throwing glass bottles at the police?” the inspector asked, looking down at the notes in his file. “He won’t see that, because it didn’t happen. Our part of the protest didn’t throw anything,” Ben corrected, in that same teacher-y tone. Andrew sighed, knowing that Ben was already starting to weave his spell over his superior. Within a few minutes, Inspector Blake would no doubt be calling Ben ‘sir’ and apologizing for not handing in his homework on time when he was seven. “You may also wish to note that ours was also the only section of the protest whose banners were all both spelled and punctuated correctly,” Ben went on, now well into his stride. “Why don’t you take a seat, and we’ll see if we can’t get this misunderstanding all straightened out.”

Inspector Blake, a man who Andrew had personally seen take down a knife wielding junkie twice his size without even blinking, obediently sat down opposite Ben. Ben glanced across at the piece of paper where he was writing his notes. “No wonder you can’t tell who did what from those. Your handwriting is appalling!” Andrew ran his hand down over his face and retreated to the corner of the interview room. Slouching against the wall he glared at his friend. It didn’t take Ben long to have the whole world singing from his school hymn sheet. Inspector Blake was soon agreeing that Ben should obviously be released without charge. Unless Andrew was very much mistaken, when the inspector left the room, he was simply glad he hadn’t been ordered to write out I will not be silly and try to arrest my teacher five hundred times. Ben leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at Andrew as they were once more left alone together. Lifting his hands, Andrew clapped very slowly, several times. “Very impressive.” His friend said nothing. “Now,” Andrew went on. “If you can convince me that trick would have worked on a whole protest full of idiots scrambling for a fight then perhaps I wouldn’t think you’re such a bloody pillock.” “I’ve been to lots of protests,” Ben began. “And I’ve never tried to stop you from going to any of them before,” Andrew cut in. “Doesn’t that tell you something? I ordered you not to go to this one for a reason!” “Good for you,” Ben muttered, folding his arms across his chest. “Why didn’t you do as you were told?” Andrew demanded, returning to his previous position of leaning over the table. His hands were curled so tightly into fists, his knuckles were white before they even met the cheap laminate. Ben looked from Andrew’s fists to his face and back again. “I would have thought the reason was obvious.” “Not to me.” Suddenly, Ben was on his feet and leaning over the table, too. Their noses were barely more than a few inches apart. Their eyes locked, and Andrew saw all the anger he felt reflected back at him with interest.

“I didn’t do as you command, Andy,” Ben bit out, each word enunciated very carefully, “because you’re not my master!”

Chapter Two

Benjamin Clarkson held his breath as he watched his flatmate’s mouth open and close, waiting patiently for a word to finally emerge from between the most kissable pair of lips he’d ever set eyes on. “What?” Andrew finally managed to ask. “I think you’ll find the expression is pardon, not what,” Ben corrected as he straightened up and stepped back from the table. “And I said, since you’re not my master, I have no intention of obeying any orders you may or may not feel inclined to give me.” His hands were shaking. Ben folded them neatly behind his back in the hope that the other man wouldn’t see how truly petrified he was. “Master…” Andrew echoed, studying him through narrowed eyes. “I believe you are familiar with both the word and what it means between men who live a certain kind of lifestyle?” Ben asked, with what he considered to be an impressive degree of outward calm, considering the circumstances. “I’ve never hidden the kind of relationships I enjoy from you,” Andrew said, stepping around the table. Ben looked down for a moment. He had to grant it to Andrew; that much was true. He remembered that conversation well. It was the first time he’d ever had to try to hide a hard on while inspecting a potential flat share. Very slowly, he forced his gaze back up to the other man’s face. “True,” he allowed. “And I’ve never had a problem with that.” Andrew didn’t move. The guy didn’t even blink. He just stared across the room, with so much intensity it was hard for Ben to believe the deep blue eyes weren’t inspecting his soul.

Ben took a deep breath. “However, I have no interest in obeying a self-declared dominant who only chooses to partake in the convenient parts of a power exchange.” Andrew did blink then. Stepping forward, he closed the gap between them until their bodies were almost touching. Andrew was no taller than him and much more slightly built, but standing his ground still took all the self-control Ben knew he had and more. His fingers knotted around each other behind his back. “Are you trying to tell me that there’s something that you’re interested in?” Andrew asked. A shiver ran down Ben’s spine as the words caressed his ear. He had to clear his throat before he could reply. “I have no objection to belonging to you or in submitting to your orders. But I won’t be ordered around by a man who only issues commands when it’s convenient for him to do so.” “You’ve no objection?” Andrew smiled. Stepping back, he put several feet of faded gray carpet between them before folding his arms across his chest and looking Ben up and down, amusement dancing in his eyes. Ben tilted up his chin, not about to apologize for his choice of words. He was pretty sure he deserved a very large gold star for even getting his syllables out in the right order. Finally, Andrew spoke again, his tone turning very serious. “Is that what you think I do? Just boss you around when it suits me.” Ben shifted his feet, unable to stand still under the other man’s glare. “You’re a natural dominant. If my research is correct, then it seems that I may well be a natural submissive. I suppose it was unavoidable that we fall into a certain dynamic once we started sharing a flat, however—” “You want more,” Andrew cut in. Ben met the dominant’s eyes and held them. “I can’t hang around in no man’s land forever. Either I’m submitting to you, or I’m not.” His heart raced faster and faster as he said the words. It seemed, in that moment, that his body wasn’t under anyone’s control. He’d effectively given up possession of himself. He couldn’t take it back until Andrew refused to accept it. Limbo was making him dizzy. “Your safe word is tornado.”

Ben’s eyes dropped closed. His heartbeat was still frantic, but that didn’t seem like so much of a problem anymore. Everything would be fine now. “Yes…” he managed to whisper. “…sir.” “Open your eyes.” Ben did as he was told. “Your behavior today has been completely unacceptable.” There was no humor in Andrew’s eyes. He wasn’t teasing. Ben said nothing. He wasn’t even sure he was capable of speech right then. “I won’t hold anything you did before today against you, but this morning’s events will be dealt with when we get home.” “Yes, sir,” Ben repeated. “You’re going to be released without charge. When that happens, you’re to go straight home,” Andrew informed him. “You’re permitted to catch up on your marking or whatever else you need to do until five o’clock. At that time, you’re to take off every stitch of clothing, make your way into the living room and kneel in front of the sofa ready for your punishment. I’ll expect to find you in that position when I get home—no excuses. Understand?” “Yes, sir.” The words were barely a whisper. Andrew turned away from him and strode out of the room without another word. He closed the door behind him, leaving Ben sealed in the interview room all by himself. Time passed, but Ben had no idea how much, before he was able to make his way across to the table and retake his seat. His cock throbbed inside his jeans. It belonged to Andrew now—Ben’s research had been very clear on that. Every part of him belonged to the more dominant man once he agreed to submit to him. The thought almost brought a whimper to his lips. Closing his eyes, Ben took several deep breaths, trying to pull himself together. It wasn’t an easy task. His thoughts didn’t seem to want to be untangled. They were having too much fun writhing together into complicated knots and Kama Sutra-like positions, imagining all the wonderful things that might happen between Andrew and himself now that they had both admitted that they each wanted to be more than mere flatmates. Ben frowned slightly as he realized that he had completely failed to mention all the very important topics that he had intended to discuss with his friend before they actually came to any

agreement regarding the way their relationship might be heading. There were things he wasn’t prepared to do, commands he had no intention of agreeing to follow, no matter how much he wanted to submit to his friend. There were limits that needed to be stated and understandings that had to be reached. Tapping his fingers lightly upon the table, Ben made a mental note to create a proper list of all those things and have it ready in hand when Andrew arrived home that night. It shouldn’t be difficult. He already had detailed notes obtained from a whole variety of websites. By the time a constable finally retrieved him from the interview room and he was released without charge, that list of limits was the only thing on Ben’s mind. Back in their flat, it was the only thing he could think about. Marking would simply have to wait until another day. Would he really submit to…? Would he draw the line at…? Could he accept it if…? Questions circled through Ben’s mind, overlapping each other and merging together before tearing off in all different directions once more. His pen hovered over the paper. He practiced writing out his thoughts just a quarter of an inch above the surface of it until the nib gradually dropped down and committed him to a certain course of action. And suddenly, there was no time for anything. At precisely five o’clock the alarm clock Ben had set went off. Retreating into his bedroom, Ben took off his clothes and put each item in its proper place until there was nothing left for him to remove. The air in the living room caressed his naked skin as he walked across the bright, open space. His erection bobbed slightly with each step. Every item in the room seemed to have eyes, seemed to be staring at him as he lowered himself carefully to the carpet in front of the big leather sofa. A shiver ran down his spine, but Ben was far too wrapped up in his thoughts to be able to work out if it really was cold in there or if he was just imagining it. If the air was cool, then his cock didn’t show any sign of noticing that. The hard length curved back toward his stomach in eager anticipation of what was to come. Ben folded his hands neatly behind his back as he fought against the urge to stroke his cock. There wasn’t a clock visible from where he knelt. He’d left his wrist watch in his room. But as the minutes passed, it was obvious that Andrew was running late. It wasn’t exactly the first time he’d kept Ben waiting, but the other man’s current tardiness niggled at him more than it ever had before. Shifting his weight, Ben tried to relieve the

discomfort in his knees as he looked over his shoulder just in case a clock might have materialized somewhere. He had no choice but to wait upon the dominant’s pleasure. Ben knew that. He’d visited all the websites, jacked off to the websites, too. Yet, now that he was kneeling in the living room rather than sitting in front of his computer, he couldn’t help but wonder how long he was required to stay there before it was considered obvious that Andrew had changed his mind and didn’t want to have anything to do with him after all. Ben dropped his gaze. He frowned at the empty seat in front of him. When the sound of a key turning in the front door finally floated through to him, it made Ben jump. He jerked his attention up. Even more frightening, it made him hope. Swallowing rapidly, Ben licked at lips made dry by nerves and turned his face toward the door. Andrew strolled in, apparently in no rush, but Ben didn’t miss the way the dominant’s eyes quickly moved over the scene before him, taking in every detail in the room—and taking in every detail of his would-be submissive, too. Still with the same unhurried gait, the constable walked over to the coffee table behind Ben and picked up the carefully written out list of limits before taking a seat on the sofa. Stretching out and making himself perfectly comfortable with his long legs sprawling on either side of Ben’s kneeling form, Andrew slowly scanned the page. His expression was unreadable. Even anger would have been easier to take than that. At least then Ben would know. He’d have something to react to, something to respond to. With no information forthcoming, Ben’s anxiety levels ratcheted up until it seemed likely his mind would give way under the strain. His muscles became so taut with panic, he thought his bones might fracture under it. Andrew reached past him and placed the piece of paper back on the table without a word. Then, leaning back in his seat, he finally settled his attention on Ben. Their eyes met. Ben quickly dropped his gaze. “I told you that you’d be punished for disobeying me and attending the protest even after I ordered you not to, didn’t I?” “Yes, sir,” Ben managed to say. His throat was so dry, the words sounded hoarse and vulnerable. “Do you think that’s unfair?” Andrew’s voice was all calm confidence.

Ben lifted his gaze and met the other man’s eyes once more, trying to work out what sort of response was expected of him. Andrew smiled slightly. “Your answer won’t change whether or not you’re punished. But lie to me, and you’ll be punished for that, too.” Ben thought about it for a moment. Did it feel unfair? “No, sir.” Andrew raised one dark eyebrow at him. “No, sir,” Ben expanded. “I don’t think it’s unfair. I knew you’d disapprove of my actions. I went anyway.” The expression in Andrew’s eyes changed. He leaned forward and dipped his head. The next words he whispered caressed Ben’s ear. “The purpose of a punishment like this is to make sure a submissive never wants to disobey his master again.” “Yes, sir.” “Do you want to disobey your master, Ben?” Ben swallowed rapidly. He took a shaky breath. “No, sir.” Suddenly the answer was right there in the front of his mind. He didn’t want to disobey Andrew. If the other man was willing to be his master then… Ben turned his attention to the other man’s knees. Andrew’s fingers stroked along his jaw and encouraged him to tilt his head back to look up at him again. “That’s good. That’s very good. Now, all the punishment will need to do is to reinforce that.” His fingers stroked back and forth beneath his chin. Ben’s skin tingled at his touch but there was something in his friend’s eyes that sent an uncomfortable feeling trembling through him. “I don’t like giving out punishments,” Andrew informed him. “They aren’t games. They aren’t fun—for anyone.” “Yes, sir,” Ben whispered, trying not to move his jaw too much in case he should accidently dislodge the other man’s hand. “Do you remember what your safe word is? Ben nodded slightly. “If you say it, everything will stop.” “Yes, sir.”

Andrew’s hand left him. “Stand up.” The order came suddenly, and in a completely different tone of voice to the intimate little whispers. Ben jerked himself to his feet, his muscles rushing to obey the other man before his mind had a chance to even process the words. His cock was still hard and enthusiastic. There was nothing Ben could do about that, even while it seemed like a calculated insult to be turned on while his master was so annoyed with him. The dominant leaned back in his seat, running his eyes slowly over Ben’s body. Ben’s hands were still behind his back. He wrapped the fingers of his right hand more firmly around his left wrist as he fought against a ridiculous urge to cover himself. A sudden absence of privacy was the least of his worries. “Turn yourself over my lap.” Ben was sure he should have guessed that order was coming, but all he could do was blink down at the dominant as if he didn’t even understand what the term over-the-kneespanking meant.

Chapter Three

Every muscle in Ben’s body tensed. He was a teacher, for heaven’s sake, not a naughty school boy. He was a grown man who could take a proper whipping when he screwed up. He was… Ben swallowed. He was Andy Rawlings’ new submissive, and that meant he had little choice but to accept whatever punishment the other man chose to bestow on him. Feeling the heat race to his cheeks, Ben clumsily tried to turn himself over his friend’s knee. It wasn’t easy. His limbs were far too long. All the layers of muscle built through early morning visits to the gym, made him far too bulky to slide into position the way the pretty little twinks on the internet had. Ben received no help from his new master. With his embarrassment increasing by the moment, Ben wriggled over the other man’s lap for what felt like several consecutive lifetimes. Finally, Andrew’s forearm came to rest on the small of his back, apparently letting him know that he had found the right position, and held him in place. Andrew’s other hand came to rest on his bare arse. Ben jerked at the intimacy of the touch. “You’re not going anywhere,” Andrew informed him. “Not until I decide your punishment is over.” “Yes, sir.” Ben took a deep breath and did his best to relax, desperate to make it clear that he was trying to obey the other man, trying to submit to Andrew’s will, even if he wasn’t yet able to do a good job of it. So what if it was a little bit embarrassing? So what if all the blood seemed to be rushing to his head as he was held half upside down? And so what if his cock was pressed hard against

his friend’s leg, making it more impossible than ever to hide his arousal? At least it should be easy to— A yelp cut through every thought in Ben’s head. It took him a second to realize it had been issued from his own lips. Heat flared in his left buttock as the sound of the smack and his reaction both echoed in his ears. He automatically reached back to try to soothe the struck skin, maybe even to defend his upturned arse from another blow. That hadn’t been the mild little tap on the rump he’d been expecting. “Hands on the sofa.” Ben glanced over his shoulder. He met his friend’s eyes. He’d never heard that tone of voice from Andrew. He’d never seen that look in his eyes, either. It wasn’t anger. It looked much more like disappointment. Somehow that was worse. While Ben’s mind tried to process a swirling mass of emotions that bubbled up inside him, his hands took control of the situation and returned to the sofa. His palms had barely met the cushion when another spank fell on his other buttock. Ben grabbed hold of the sofa and clung to it. Andrew wasn’t messing about or holding back. The dominant’s hand came down again, and again. Each individual contact between arse and cupped palm was easily survivable, but they didn’t remain distinct and separate blows. Within seconds, they were added to and layered over each other. Each new spank pushed its predecessors deeper into the abused muscle, each blow clawed its way even further into Ben’s soul. His master was disappointed in him. Ben squirmed over the other man’s lap, but there was no way to avoid that knowledge—not while the dominant’s hand continued to fall. Tears sprung to Ben’s eyes. As soon as he realized that horrible fact, more rushed to join them as if determined to make the whole situation as embarrassing as possible. Ben was not going to cry. He was not going to make any more of a fool of himself than absolutely necessary. Lifting one hand from the sofa cushion, Ben tried to brush away the evidence that he’d even come close. His fingers weren’t even half way to his cheek when Andrew’s restraining arm left the small of Ben’s back and his fist wrapped tight around Ben’s wrist. “Your hands stay on the sofa. If you can’t keep them there by yourself, handcuffs can be arranged. I won’t tell you again, Ben.”

His vision slightly blurred, Ben craned his neck up and stared at the harsh grip his friend had on his wrist. While he watched, Andrew released him. Ben’s hand hung in the air above the sofa for several long seconds, while he tried to work out what to do next. Finally, his desire to submit won out over pride. His hand fell back to the cushion. Ben closed his eyes very tight, as if that would help keep the tears at bay, but it only made them fall faster. Squeezed out from behind his eyelids they rolled down his cheeks, cooling lines of skin as they left damp evidence over his cheeks. Andrew’s arm returned to the small of Ben’s back, freeing his right hand to go back to its previous occupation. It came down upon Ben’s arse again and again. Each blow made him rock over the other man’s lap. His cock thrust helplessly across Andrew’s trouser leg. He didn’t want to enjoy being punished. The idea of Andrew believing he wasn’t taking it seriously turned his stomach, but there was nothing he could do to make himself soften while friction caressed his cock over and over again. More tears slowly made their way down Ben’s cheeks, more pain flowed through his body—some came from his burning buttocks, a little emerged from limbs unused to their uncomfortable position, but the vast majority of it seemed to spring from some unexplored part of his brain. He’d failed his master, and there wasn’t enough pain in the world to balance out that fact. Then, without any warning, there was nothing. Silence filled the room, thick and cloying after the sound of the spanks and, Ben realized too late, his own increasingly noisy whimpers. Before Ben knew what was happening, Andrew’s hands were on his arms, dragging him up to sit next to him. Keeping his face turned away, Ben gasped as his backside landed on the sofa cushion. He’d once thought they were soft and comfortable. He’d been wrong. Every spank echoed through him all over again. Every muscle, right down to his toes, clenched. “I’ll just,” Ben whispered, waving a hand toward the bathroom. He was halfway to his feet when Andrew caught hold of his elbow and pulled him back. Shock made Ben forget why he didn’t want to look his friend in the eye. He froze as their gazes met, unable to look away. Andrew studied him very carefully for what felt like an incredibly long time, seeming to take in every detail, every tear.

“Because I hurt you, or because I’m displeased with you?” Andrew asked, reaching out with both hands to cup Ben’s face and stroke away the tears with his thumbs. Ben tried to look away. Andrew’s grip was gentle, but no less unyielding for that, as he made him keep his head turned toward his master. “I don’t mind that it hurt, sir,” he finally managed to whisper. “But you don’t like your master being displeased with you, do you?” Andrew pushed. Ben shook his head as far as the other man’s hands would allow. “Good boy.” The gently spoken words made Ben meet his friend’s eyes once more. Andrew smiled slightly. “You’d hardly make a good sub if you didn’t care if your master approved of your behavior, would you?” Ben looked down, a slight frown creasing between his brows. “You said I couldn’t just have the convenient bits of dominance,” Andrew reminded him. “The same goes for you. If you want the orders, you don’t get to pick and chose which ones you follow. If you disobey me, you’ll be punished, and you’ll know that your master is displeased with you.” The clear, confident statements of fact calmed something inside Ben. “Yes, sir.” “And when the punishment is over, you’ll know that the matter won’t be referred to again,” Andrew went on. “It’s over now. You didn’t actually get yourself killed today. There’s no permanent harm done.” The dominant’s hands left his face. One of Andrew’s arms slid around Ben’s shoulders and pulled him forward until he was leaning into the other man’s body, so that his head rested on his master’s shoulder. Ben thought he was ready for anything then, unable to be shocked by anything else that day. The one thing he didn’t expect his bossy best friend to do was press a chaste little kiss to his temple, as if he thought Ben was some weepy little school boy who needed a grown man’s reassurance. Instinctively trying to pull back, Ben felt Andrew’s gentle embrace turn into a steel trap around him. He wasn’t getting away from the snuggling any more than he’d have been able to get out of the spanking. “Hush. Just rest for a minute and listen to me,” Andrew ordered.

Ben fell still, but he didn’t manage to feel any less silly. “From now on, you’re to ask for permission before you attend any sort of protest. No exceptions. No excuses. And no calling it something else or trying to create loopholes—there are no loopholes. Understand?” “Yes, sir,” Ben whispered, completely failing to hide his reluctance. “I know how important all your causes are to you,” Andrew said. “I wouldn’t forbid you from attending anything unless I had a good reason.” “Yes, sir,” Ben murmured into the other man’s shirt. The heat from Andrew’s body was soaking through the cloth and warming Ben’s bare skin. The longer he was trapped against him, the less inclined he felt to fret or try to pull away. “Of course, while you can’t have only the fun bits of submission, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them when they’re offered,” Andrew went on. It was hard to believe that it was just a coincidence when his hand stroked down Ben’s back and palmed his freshly spanked arse just as he said those words. “Yes, sir.” It seemed like a suitable answer to damn near every question and statement in the world right then. Even the gentlest caress across his over-sensitive buttocks sent a million different sensations ricocheting through each inch of skin on his body. “After a punishment, it’s very important that a master lets his submissive know that he’s forgiven,” Andrew whispered to him, his voice softening as he lowered his tone. Ben squirmed slightly. He desperately wanted to lift his head and look at the other man’s face, but while one of Andrew’s hands toyed with his backside, the other was still on the back of his head, and he had no doubt it would pin him in place if he was stupid enough to go against his master’s wishes and try to move. “How do you think I should do that, Ben?” Andrew asked. “However you want to, sir?” Ben hazarded. Andrew chuckled. His chest vibrated under Ben’s head. “A real answer,” he ordered. “You could screw me, sir,” Ben offered. “Yes, I can,” Andrew mused. “Whenever and however I want.” Ben swallowed and tried like hell not to come from nothing more than the promise in Andrew’s voice.

“I’ve been thinking about screwing you since you first came to check out the flat,” the dominant went on, in that same idle tone of voice. “The first thing you did was bend over to look in one of the cupboards beneath the stairs. Tight jeans, fantastic arse. I thought about reducing your rent right there and then, just so I could keep enjoying that view.” As he spoke, Andrew’s fingers slid between Ben’s buttocks and stroked very gently against his hole. By dint of much wriggling against Andrew’s body, Ben managed to spread his legs a little. His friend’s hand was still warm from the spanking. His fingers were hot as they stroked against him, teasing but not actually trying to enter him. The only reply Ben could come up with was a whimper. “And now, I can have that arse any time I want it, can’t I, sweetheart?” Andrew reminded him again. Ben nodded against his shoulder, arching his back and pushing it out in offering. “From tonight on, I want you to come to the side of my bed every night and offer yourself to me.” The air caught in Ben’s throat as the image of it sprung up inside his head, fully formed and hot as any hell could be. “What we do, when and how we do it, every detail will be up to me. Understand?” “Yes, sir,” Ben said, the words more like half moans rather than real syllables. Andrew chuckled. The hand that had been on the back of Ben’s head disappeared from his world, only to rematerialize wrapped around his cock. “It’s always good to see a new sub enthusiastic to serve his master.” Ben whimpered. He lifted his head and looked into the dominant’s eyes. It was far harder to hold his gaze than he ever remembered it being before. He soon had to look down. In that moment, he fully realized what he’d had been half aware of for a long time. There was no going back from this point. He’d never see the other man as anything other than a dominant. Andrew would never see him as anything other than a submissive. Any equality that had existed between them was gone and in its place was… Ben frowned slightly.

All his reading on websites, all his fantasies aside, he suddenly realized that he had no idea what reality was going to bring, or if he was going to like it at all. Andrew had read his limits, but he hadn’t said anything about them. He hadn’t actually agreed to respect them. Ben’s mind raced forward, wondering where events were going to take him, not sure if they were places he wanted to go. Hot on the web was all very well, but there was no way in hell he’d be able to explain whip marks bleeding through his shirt at school. In his mind’s eye, he was already in the headmaster’s office trying to explain that he wasn’t actually a deranged pervert, and yes, it was still perfectly safe to trust thirty children to his care. “There’s an old leather gym bag in the bottom of my wardrobe. Go in there and bring back the first toy you see when you open the zip.” “What happened to please and thank you?” Ben said, his mouth moving completely on automatic pilot. His mind still far, far away from the safe little living room, running through fates he wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready to face, but the words still spilled out, following well worn paths in his vocabulary. “Manners don’t cost anything, you know.” It wasn’t until the last word fell from his lips that Ben realized how big a mistake they were. Even internet research had clued him in on a few things. A submissive didn’t speak to a dominant like that. It simply didn’t happen. In slow motion, Ben lifted his eyes and met his new master’s gaze.

Chapter Four

“I told you that you won’t get to pick and chose which bits of submission you practice,” Andrew reminded Ben, very seriously. He made a point of letting his tone turn deeper and harsher with every syllable. “I’m sorry,” Ben said quickly, genuine repentance flashing in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, sir.” Andrew’s lips twitched into a smile. When he saw how wary Ben looked, he was helpless to stop it from growing into a grin. “My ego’s not that fragile, sweetheart. I’m quite capable of remembering exactly who we are to each other no matter what you say.” Ben nodded. “Yes, sir.” It was half said, half sighed, as he seemed to realize he hadn’t dropped himself right in it, and his master was merely winding him up. “But it is time that you learned that there’s no need for you to be a teacher all the time,” Andrew went on. “Whenever we’re playing a scene, you’re the student.” Reaching out, he ran his fingertip very lightly over Ben’s lips. “It’s about time you realized that there are some occasions where you don’t need to say a single word.” The submissive’s mouth moved against his finger as Ben swallowed. Apparently, he was as nervous as he was turned on. Andrew glanced down and let his eyes linger on the submissive’s erection for a moment, but no, there would be time for that later. His attention moved back to Ben’s mouth. There would be time to do all the many and varied things he wanted to do with those lips later too. First things first. “I told you to fetch a toy from my bag” he said. Ben immediately tried to rise.

Andrew stopped him short, his hand once more wrapping tightly around the other man’s elbow. “You no longer get to pick.” Bringing them both to their feet at the same time, Andrew allowed his grip to slide down to Ben’s wrist as he led the other man into his bedroom. Striding across the room, he kept Ben at his side as he pulled the well used leather bag out of the wardrobe. The item he was looking for hadn’t been played with for a while. It wouldn’t have been on the top. It wouldn’t have been the first toy Ben laid eyes on, and Andrew knew his friend well enough to know it wasn’t one he’d have hunted out from his own less experienced preferences. A little rummaging around in the mass of leather and metal chains, while well aware that Ben was looking over his shoulder and probably making pages and pages of mental notes, and Andrew eventually unearthed exactly what he was looking for. He turned to his friend, ball gag in hand. Ben looked at it. He opened his mouth as if to say something. Then, without uttering a word, he closed his mouth very tight. Andrew smiled as he took a step forward. When Ben tried to take a step back, Andrew allowed it. He let him reverse all the way across the room, until his back hit the wardrobe on the adjacent wall. Ben’s body jerked, pressing his cock against Andrew’s fly as he stopped directly in front of him. The submissive’s eyes widened in shock. He looked over his shoulder. The one thing he didn’t do, Andrew noticed, was open his mouth—not to curse, not to complain, not even to look shocked. Andrew ran a finger over the other man’s lips once more. Ben watched him warily. “Don’t you like the idea of not having to remember to say the right thing?” Andrew whispered to him. “Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to come up with some smart reply to every comment, not to need to correct someone who doesn’t remember their manners? Wouldn’t it be great not to have to watch over the whole world as if it was your own personal classroom for a little while?” Ben’s eyes fell closed as he listened to the softly spoken words. It was impossible for Andrew to guess at what might be going on in the other man’s mind, but it didn’t really matter. The important thing was the way Ben’s mouth slowly opened beneath his fingers. Lifting the ball gag, Andrew let it brush against Ben’s lips.

Ben pulled away sharply, until the back of his head met the wardrobe door. His eyes opened. His mouth snapped closed. Andrew didn’t say anything. He let the bright red rubber ball brush against the other man’s lips again and again, tempting him rather than pushing him. Very slowly, Ben’s lips parted a little. Andrew was almost sure he even saw a tiny flash of pink as the submissive stole a taste of the toy. “Open up for your master, sweetheart,” Andrew whispered. With glacial haste, Ben did as he was told. Finally, Andrew was able to slide the gag past his teeth and settle it into place. Carefully, holding the submissive’s gaze, Andrew stroked his fingertips over the other man’s cheeks, ignoring the way the restraining straps attached to the ball currently hung down either side of his mouth, useless. “Ever been gagged before?” An unintelligible sound emerged from behind the obstacle and rushed straight to Andrew’s cock. Ben frowned slightly. His Adam’s apple bobbed. Quickly giving up on that method of communication, he shook his head. Leaning forward, Andrew let the other man feel how hard he was behind his jeans. “I’m going to teach you to love it,” he promised. “In a few months, you’re going to beg me to gag you.” Ben looked as skeptical as any man could while his features were distorted by a big rubber ball in his mouth. Smiling, Andrew reached for the buckles at the end of the thick black straps. Ben didn’t try to stop him fastening them behind his head. He just stood there and let his master do as he pleased. That was a good starting point, but if Andrew had his way, that sort of self control was going to be short lived. He didn’t want Ben still, silent and obedient. He wanted him screaming behind his gag and pulling at his restraints, thrashing and writhing against the whole world as his master took him to the edge of insanity and still didn’t let him come. When his smile widened, Ben’s expression turned more guarded than ever—it was a good look on him. Leaning forward, Andrew let the other man think he was offering a kiss, just to see the look in his eye when the gag got in the way. A frustrated little moan crept out from behind the red rubber.

Andrew dipped his head further and whispered into his best friend’s ear. “That gag’s going to stay exactly where it is until I decide to remove it. Understand?” Ben nodded. “Good.” Turning around, Andrew strode out of the room without a backward glance. Listening very carefully, he was just about able to make out the sound of Ben trailing along behind him, back into the living room. Grabbing a soft drink from the fridge, Andrew made his way back to the sofa and comfortably stretched out at one end of it. Popping the can he tossed half back in one go, before looking across at where Ben was waiting just inside the room, observing him very carefully and obviously trying to work out what was expected of him right then. It wasn’t in Andrew to make him wonder for too long. He’d been so desperate to give the other man real orders and offer him the complete security of knowing exactly what to do for so long, his patience was already at breaking point. “Come here.” Ben stepped forward, but when he seemed about to lower himself to his knees at the side of the sofa, Andrew shook his head. “No, up here.” Spreading his legs wider, Andrew pulled the right one up to occupy the inner most section of sofa cushion and tapped the space between his thighs. Ben hesitated for a moment, as if trying to work out how to move long muscular limbs into the appropriate positions without accidentally elbowing his master in the head in the process. A soft, beautiful whimper reached Andrew’s ears as the submissive’s spanked arse finally came to rest on the fabric. Curling his arm around the other man’s torso, Andrew pulled Ben back to rest against him. A full minute passed. Gradually Ben started to relax. Andrew smiled to himself as he casually lowered his arm and wrapped his hand around Ben’s cock. That inspired something closer to a muffled yell. Ben’s hands both came to rest on his forearm and attempted to…Andrew wasn’t exactly sure what the other man was trying to do. He was pretty sure that Ben didn’t really know, either. Whatever it was, Andrew easily shook off the other man’s touch. There was only one man who was allowed to control the other guy’s actions, right then.

“From now on, I’m allowed to jack you off whenever I want to.” Ben tried to look over his shoulder at him. Setting his can on the floor by the side of the sofa, Andrew pointedly turned the submissive’s head back to face front. “Every moment we’re alone together, you’re mine to do whatever I want with. And I’ve wanted to get my hands on your cock for so long, it’ll probably be an entire lifetime before I get bored playing with it,” he said, whispering the words softly into his ear. Ben whimpered. Andrew grinned. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you come all the time. You’ll only be getting off as and when I think you’ve earned it. Orgasm without permission and that spanking you’ve just had will feel like nothing more than a tender little tap on the rump.” Even as Ben’s hips thrust forward and he tried to push his erection against Andrew’s palm, the submissive turned his head toward the back of the sofa, as if to hide his face from the memory. Andrew pressed a gentle kiss on his temple, quickly reminding him that the punishment was over, and his master wasn’t angry at him anymore. “But, when you’re good,” he promised. “I’ll make you come harder than you ever thought possible.” A muffled affirmative was quickly accompanied by a very definite nod. Andrew’s hand moved over the submissive’s cock again and again, in strong, unyielding strokes. Every whimper Ben offered up was like the most beautiful music Andrew had ever heard, and he was a bloody fine instrument to play upon. The more muscular man’s squirming pressed him back against Andrew’s cock every time he wriggled. The only thing Andrew could think of that appealed more than screwing Ben’s arse, after admiring it for months and resolutely forcing himself to stay away from it, was the idea of screwing it while it was freshly spanked and hotter than ever. Now that it was far too late to worry about the fact that he knew he’d never be able to feel casual about dominating his best friend, there was nothing holding him back from doing exactly that, was there? A moment’s consideration was all Andrew needed in order to be sure of the answer. Without any warning Andrew let go of the other man’s cock. He pushed Ben away from him and made no attempt to steady the submissive when he tumbled forward.

Chapter Five

What the hell do you think you’re doing? That was what Ben intended to say, but the gag swallowed any attempt to communicate before it could even leave his mouth. All he actually managed to utter was a short string of unintelligible gibberish. His arms swung forward just in time to brace himself on the far arm of the sofa and stop himself from falling face first—falling gag first into the fabric. He’d already started to look over his shoulder when he realized he wasn’t sure if he wanted to see what expression graced his master’s face. He had no idea what he could have done that would have pissed the other guy off so badly he’d push him away like that, just when things were actually getting started between them. But he knew he didn’t want Andrew angry with him. The notion of another spanking so soon was uncomfortable, but the possibility that he might not actually be able to gain forgiveness by accepting that sort of punishment this time around sent a chill racing down Ben’s spine. His hands clenched frantically around the arm of the sofa. Unable to stop himself, Ben met Andrew’s eyes, but he didn’t even give himself time to register the dominant’s expression before he dropped his gaze. His attention fell on a fly that was already half unfastened, a zip that was being drawn down even further by the moment. Suddenly, it seemed far from likely that Andrew was pissed off with him. The dominant had pulled his legs up onto the sofa now and was kneeling behind him. Even as Ben watched, Andrew pushed his jeans and his boxers down and bared his cock completely.

The hard length curved up from the thatch of neatly trimmed dark curls. Ben could only stare as the dominant stroked it again and again, slicking it with more pre-cum with each movement. Moaning his frustration, Ben’s tongue pressed against the ball gag, but there was no way he could even lick his lips let alone turn around and take the other man’s cock into his mouth the way he’d wanted to ever since he first set eyes on him. Digging into his back pocket, Andrew took out his wallet. Money and cards tumbled onto the floor alongside the sofa, but the dominant finally managed to extract both a condom and lube from it one handed. The dominant’s other hand was still busy playing with his cock, offering himself the same kind of firm, purposeful strokes he’d provided to Ben. Unable to watch without risking an orgasm he didn’t have permission to indulge in, there didn’t seem anything Ben could do but wait, his arse up in the air in offering. Dipping his head, he rested his temple against the arm of the sofa. He was expecting slicked fingers to head straight for his hole as soon as his master was ready to turn his attention to him. When a cupped palm caressed his sore buttocks instead, he damn near shot over the end of the sofa. Jerking around, he glared over his shoulder. “Your arse looks fantastic like this.” Ben murmured against the gag. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to get real words out, he didn’t even try. It was just a sound, instinctive and animalistic, but somehow Andrew still seemed to understand what he was trying to say with it. The dominant smiled. Reaching out, his hand settled on the small of Ben’s back and pushed him forward. “Good and hot for me,” Andrew murmured, apparently talking more to himself than to Ben. His hand came down in a hard spank against the reddened skin. Just as Andrew promised, the contact sent heat racing through Ben, and every bit of it rushed straight to his cock. This time there was no guilt to get in the way of the pleasure the blow pushed into his arse and sent spinning through his veins. His master wasn’t spanking him because he was displeased with him. He was tanning his hide for no other reason than he wanted it nice and red when he screwed him, and that made all the difference.

By the time the other man’s hand came down again, Ben was pushing his arse out, more than ready to welcome it, to love it. The only thing that was able to appease his sense of loss when he failed to receive another smack, was the arrival of those slicked digits he’d been waiting for his whole life. Within seconds, Andrew’s fingers were buried deep inside him. With any other man, Ben would have simply said when he was ready. With the gag buried in his mouth, with Andrew, there were no words. All he could do was whimper and moan and push his arse back around the dominant’s fingers. His friend seemed completely unable to take a hint. Ben moaned louder. He was damn near wriggling his backside in invitation before the dominant seemed to realize his lover was happy to take him. The fingers disappeared, Ben looked over his shoulder just in time to see Andrew neatly roll the condom down his shaft and slick it with extra lube. Suddenly, Andrew looked up from his task. Their eyes met. Ben couldn’t look away. He didn’t seem to be able to do anything except watch as Andrew moved forward and touched the tip of his cock to his hole. Another whimper made its way past the gag. It was the closest Ben had ever come to begging another man to screw him, but he didn’t have it in him to feel embarrassed about that, right then. Andrew thrust forward, burying his cock deep inside Ben’s arse with one harsh movement. Ben dropped his head to rest his forehead on the arm of the sofa once more, as he tried to force his body to adjust to the intrusion more quickly than it was capable of. Andrew’s hand returned to the small of Ben’s back. He stroked the skin there, as if trying to reassure him he wasn’t going to move until Ben was ready, that he could wait for as long as his lover needed. But a moment later, Andrew’s hand made its way down to fondle his reddened buttocks instead. Ben squirmed under his touch. Within seconds, his movements had turned into some sort of attempt to ride his friend’s cock. Unable to stop himself from trying to get whatever he could, Ben only stilled when Andrew’s hands came to rest on his flanks and forcibly held him in place. The only one allowed to move from that moment on was Andrew. Rocking his hips back he thrust deep into Andrew’s arse. Rhythm quickly established, he was unrelenting as he pounded into Ben.

Each movement played against Ben’s prostate like a maestro. Pleasure danced and spun through his brain. His body wasn’t his in that moment. Everything he had, and everything he was, belonged to Andrew. Unable to make any suggestions, Ben could only grunt out his pleasure as the other man pushed him closer and closer to an orgasm he wasn’t allowed to have. He needed permission to come. Andrew had been very clear about that. His master would be angry with him if he disobeyed. And Ben didn’t want Andrew to be angry with him. That one thought overrode everything else. Panic spiked inside Ben. Unable to voice his concerns, he bucked and squirmed, trying to throw the other man off and push him away before it was too late. Strong hands took hold of him, trying to still him. As Ben collapsed forward, Andrew landed on top of him, pinning him down against the sofa cushions. Ben was trapped then, the other man’s cock still buried inside him to the hilt. With his own cock pressed against the fabric beneath him, the additional friction made it all the more likely he was going to disappoint his master. Closing his eyes, Ben whimpered his distress. Very slowly he realized there was another sound trying to get his attention. Words—Andrew’s words. “It’s okay, you’re fine. Just relax for me. I’ve got you, everything’s going to be fine.” Ben shook his head. It wasn’t going to be fine, and he needed it to be a bloody sight better than merely fine if he was going to be able to keep his master happy with him. “Hush,” Andrew whispered. The way they lay together, his lips were right next to Ben’s ear, his whole body pressed against his back. Ben could feel every breath his lover took, sense every beat of the other man’s heart. One of Andrew’s hands came to rest in Ben’s hair. The fingers stroked clumsily through the strands. The other man’s hips rocked, but Ben got the impression that was only because there was no way in hell Andrew could stay buried inside him to the hilt and not thrust at least a little. “Everything’s okay,” Andrew told him, his voice calmer and more confident than it had any right to be. Ben closed his eyes. He managed a muffled response. Andrew pressed a kiss against his neck. “Do you need me to stop, love?”

Ben whimpered. He automatically shook his head. Andrew couldn’t stop—he couldn’t! “Do you want me to take the gag out?” Ben shook his head again. Andrew was silent for a few seconds. Ben’s hips rocked as he squirmed helplessly between the sofa and his lover. “Were you afraid you were going to come without permission, sweetheart?” Andrew finally asked. Ben didn’t shake his head. He had the horrible suspicion he blushed instead. Andrew chuckled. He pressed another kiss against his neck. When Andrew pulled back only to thrust his cock deep into his arse again, Ben had the distinct impression that the other man was no longer really worried about trying to stay still. “It’ll take time for me to work out exactly what you can take without getting off. If I make you come, even when you try your best not to, I’m not going to throw a temper tantrum at you.” The words were murmured in time to the movements of Andrew’s hips. Ben whimpered around his gag. Andrew’s hand came to rest on the top of his on the sofa’s arm. Their fingers twined together. The dominant held him perfectly still. Laying damn near flat on his stomach on the sofa, Ben could barely even push back against his friend’s thrusts. All he could do was accept them and— “Come.” The guy had good timing. Ben had to grant him that. A hard thrust, delivered at exactly the same moment as he said the words, sent shockwaves ricocheting through Ben’s body. He bucked and pushed his erection hard against the leather beneath him. Tossing his head back he tried to move and found it was completely impossible. But it was hard to care about such minor failures while pleasure radiated out from his very core and traveled to every extremity he possessed as he came. Ben felt Andrew’s thrusts lose their rhythm as he clenched his muscles around him and brought the dominant over the edge just a moment after him. Success flowed through Ben’s mind. He’d made Andrew come. He’d made his master come. The other man had to be pleased with him now. A deep sense of contentment flooded Ben’s psyche, mingling with his own

pleasure and washing away everything other than a calm sense of happiness unlike any kind of afterglow he’d ever known. Andrew collapsed on top of him, his cock still lodged deep inside Ben’s body. With any other guy, at any other time, Ben would have tried to push him off as soon as it could be considered polite, so he’d be able to lie more comfortably. Right then, all he wanted was to be allowed to stay exactly where he was for an entire eternity. It didn’t matter that he was in an awkward position, and he knew he was going to cramp up any minute. The fact that he was struggling to breathe was beside the point. He’d never been happier, never felt so right in his skin, and all Ben wanted was for that to last forever. When Andrew moved, Ben made a mewing little protest in the back of his throat. The gag turned it into something even weaker than it might have otherwise been, but either way, Andrew paid no heed to it. Ben was left naked and cold without the other man’s body to cover him and to keep him warm and uncomfortable. He didn’t move a muscle until Andrew tugged at his shoulders and made him force his body into action. Even then, he didn’t rush to look the other man in the eye. Sitting on the sofa, naked and smeared with his own come, he could only look up as far as the other man’s neck before he had to drop his gaze. Andrew had already straightened out his clothes. He looked perfectly respectable, completely in control. That was probably a good thing. Someone had to be in control, and Ben was sure that he wasn’t capable of it right then. A hand appeared in the edge of his field of view. Ben tracked its progress as it came closer and reached for the straps holding his gag in place. It was only then, as the pleasure that had been racing through him started to subside that he realized his jaw had really started to ache. As Andrew undid the fastenings that held it in place, Ben reached up to remove the big rubber ball. “No.” Ben stopped, his hand half way to his mouth. He looked up. Their gazes met for the first time since they came. His friend appeared to be completely serious. ”If I put any sort of bondage on you, then you wait until I decide to remove it, you don’t do it yourself. While I believe I can trust you, I won’t have to bother locking everything in place. But I do have a whole supply of little tiny padlocks that I can use if you let me down.”

Ben couldn’t look away. He continued to stare into the other man’s eyes as seconds passed. Very slowly, he nodded his acceptance of everything Andrew had said. While the other man was pleased with him, nothing else mattered. What was a little bit of discomfort compared to that kind of pleasure? A few seconds later, as Andrew took the rubber ball out of his mouth, Ben realized that he’d been wrong in his comparisons. A little bit of discomfort didn’t come close to describing the pain that swept through his entire jaw as he finally brought his teeth together.

Chapter Six

Settling his hands gently on either side of Ben’s face, Andrew held the submissive still and let the heat from his palms sink into his jaw and soothe the sore joints a little. Ben opened his eyes. He didn’t look impressed. Leaning forward, Andrew brought their lips together. He wasn’t sure if he was kissing his lover better, or distracting him, but within seconds, the kiss had stopped being a means to any sort of end. The pleasure of finally having the other man under his protection, of being able to kiss him whenever he wanted to, was too good to waste. Ben whimpered into his mouth, a soft submissive little noise that Andrew had only heard a few times but was already rapidly falling in love with. Falling in love… Andrew let his eyes drop closed as he deepened the kiss. There would be time enough to worry about that later, much better to enjoy the kiss now. Ben’s hands came to rest on his shoulders as Andrew gathered the larger man into his arms and held the naked submissive close and comfortable against his body. The need for oxygen was the only thing that convinced him to finally end the kiss. Pulling back, just a fraction of an inch, Andrew leaned his forehead against Ben’s temple as he drew deep lungfuls of air into his body. All too soon, Ben tried to pull away. Andrew let him retreat a few inches, but no more than that. His hands wrapped around the other man’s biceps, stopping him from going any further from his master’s side. “I’m not as naive as you think I am,” the submissive suddenly announced.

Andrew raised an eyebrow, completely confident Ben was exactly as naive as Andrew thought he was. “I know you were of two minds about this from the start, Andy,” Ben said. “I don’t expect this to go anywhere past a good time and—” “You obviously really liked the gag,” Andrew cut in. Ben blinked at him. His hand left Andrew’s shoulder and went to his jaw. It was evidently still sore—it would probably stay that way for some time yet. “Not really,” Ben said. “Then I suggest you don’t ask for it to be replaced too soon.” Ben glanced at him. His hair was messed up from the way Andrew had run his fingers through it. His lips were well kissed and reddened. He’d never looked more stunning. But that didn’t mean he could say whatever the hell he wanted to and expect to get away with it. “And while we’re in a scene, it’s sir, not Andy,” he reminded his friend. “Yes, sir,” Ben murmured, but he clearly didn’t have a clue what he’d said that was so wrong. “I didn’t avoid taking you properly under my protection all this time because I didn’t think I’d want to keep you around once I’d zipped up,” Andrew explained, with all the patience he could muster. Unfortunately, right then, that wasn’t very much. “I held back because I knew once I had you, I’d have no bloody intention of letting you go,” he snapped. Ben blinked at him. His fingers absentmindedly rubbed at the side of his face. Andrew pushed the digits out of the way and took over massaging his friend’s aching jaw himself. “If I’d known you knew you were a sub, I’d have had you handcuffed to my bed months ago,” he informed him. Ben nibbled slightly at his bottom lip. It was a child-like little gesture, one that his very straight laced and serious friend would never usually allow past his self-control. Andrew smiled slightly. His voice turned gentler. “If you weren’t serious about this, you’re in a hell of a lot of trouble, sweetheart, because I have no intention of letting you go unless you say your safe word—and that isn’t something to be messed around with.” Ben tilted his head slightly to the side as if considering the whole new variety of possibilities that had suddenly opened up before him. He seemed to be wondering what he should decide to do next, what kind of plan would be the best to make. “No,” Andrew said, letting his expression grow very serious once more.

Ben frowned. He obviously didn’t like seeing that look on his face. “This isn’t something you’re allowed to play games with. If you want to be a brat about one or two things, I can live with that. I can even put up with you correcting my damn grammar most of the time. But the big things—the fact that you belong to me, that’s not something you can mess around with. Understand?” Ben nodded. “Speak up.” “Yes, sir.” There was something that seemed very young, very vulnerable about Ben right then. His usual best defense—the deep seated “teacher-iness” that he always seemed to cling to, was completely absent. Leaning forward, Andrew pressed a kiss to his temple. “You’re going to be a good boy for me, aren’t you?” he whispered into his ear. Ben glanced up at him for a brief moment. A touch of color rose to his cheeks, as if he was well aware that, for once, he was the one being spoken to as if he were the child. And maybe as if he quite liked being tossed unceremoniously out of his usual role with his day to day life being turned on its head for a little while. Andrew stroked his fingertips over the other man’s cheekbones. “As far as everyone else is concerned, you’re going to be my boyfriend, simple as that. We’ll be the only ones who know there’s more to it than that, who know what a good boy you are for your master when we’re alone together.” “Sir…” As protests went, it was incredibly half-hearted. “Come on,” Andrew said, rising and taking his lover by the hand. “I should clean up here and—” “You can do that in the morning.” Ben cast one more look over his shoulder at the cum stains on the sofa, but he didn’t complain as Andrew led him into his bedroom and gave him a gentle push in the direction of the en-suite bathroom. “You can start moving your things into this room tomorrow,” Andrew called out as he heard the submissive pottering about in there. “And what happens to my room, sir?” Ben asked, popping his head back around the door.

Andrew tossed back the blankets on the bed and absentmindedly turned over one of the pillows. “We’ll get you a proper desk—somewhere you can do your marking that isn’t the kitchen table. In that room you’ll be allowed to be a teacher. In the rest of the house, you’re my student.” Ben stepped back into the bedroom, closing the bathroom door neatly behind him. “Yes, sir.” He was all cleaned up, but he still didn’t look his usual self. “In you get,” Andrew ordered, with a nod to the bed. Ben hesitated for a moment before slowly doing as he was told. He gasped as his backside met the sheets. Looking up, he met Andrew’s eyes. He didn’t need to actually ask the question, Andrew could see it clearly in his expression. “It’ll fade away gradually. How long it lasts varies between people, but by Monday you should be able to sit comfortably at school.” Ben nodded. He lay down on his back and rested his head on the pillow, making no attempt to roll over onto his stomach and make his backside more comfortable. Apparently, he had a lot to think about, because he didn’t say anything as Andrew tossed the blankets up over him and headed off to the bathroom himself. Being allowed to play the part of the student for a while suited Ben. As Andrew met his own gaze in the mirror over the bathroom sink, he couldn’t help but think that being allowed to play teacher suited him, too. Rolling his shoulders, Andrew felt his muscles relax for the first time since he’d set eyes on Ben all those months ago. Ben was his. Andrew smiled at his reflection with the knowledge. He was still smiling as he walked back into the bedroom a few minutes later. Dropping his clothes on the floor as he went, he made his way across to his side of the big double bed. The submissive’s eyes fluttered open as Andrew’s belt buckle hit the floor. He lifted his head off the pillow as a frown spread across his forehead. Apparently, working entirely on automatic, he pushed back the blankets and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He was almost on his feet when Andrew reached out and pushed him back onto the bed. Ben frowned at the trail of clothes as he landed heavily on the edge of the mattress. The garments obviously offended his sense of good order and overly strict housekeeping standards. “I was just going to—” “No, you’re not.”

Ben looked up at him, his eyes more full of confusion than ever. “I’m not?” “Sir,” Andrew corrected. “You said that only applied during a scene,” Ben pointed out, quite mildly. “Have I told you the scene is over?” Andrew asked, standing square in front of the submissive and folding his arms across his chest as he stared down at him. “Not as such, but—” Andrew quickly covered the other man’s mouth with his hand. “There are no buts, Ben. There are orders—nice simple commands that don’t need to be interpreted or expanded upon. There are no guessing games. I’ll tell you when a scene starts and when it ends. You can trust me to do that. I’m not going to forget to let you know what’s going on.” Ben nodded, making no attempt to free his mouth from behind Andrew’s hand. He sat there, apparently perfectly content to accept the enforced silence as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “And I don’t need a housemaid,” Andrew went on. “If I drop something, I’m quite capable of picking it up. If for some reason, I want you to wait upon me, I’ll let you know, but until then, no fussing. Understand?” He took his hand away from the other man’s mouth. “Yes, sir.” “Now, back into bed like a good boy.” Ben hesitated once again before pulling his feet back up onto the bed and lying down. Throwing the covers over him once more, Andrew made his way around the bed, shedding the last of his clothes en route. He wondered how long it had been since anyone had the sense to treat the big ox of a man as if he was small and in need of another man’s protection. Well, that was his job now. Sliding into the bed next to Ben, he quickly pulled the other man close and arranged the submissive to spoon in front of him, his spanked backside pressed tight against his master’s crotch. The room was technically silent. It would have been so easy to fall asleep, but Andrew could damn near hear the cogs whirling around in his lover’s brain. With another man, he might not have cared too much. But with Ben… “Three questions,” he said. The words sounded very loud in the silence. Ben jumped as they hit the air. Andrew instinctively held him closer and safer in response.

“Sir?” “You can ask me three questions then you’re to go to sleep.” Ben nodded his understanding. Andrew waited patiently for the first one. “If I wasn’t used to being called sir in the classroom, would you still want me to call you sir in a scene?” Andrew smiled into the darkness. No one could accuse Ben of being stupid, or of not having a good understanding of his master’s character. “Probably not,” Andrew admitted. “As far as I’m concerned, most men sound like idiots when they call their master sir all the time. But it’s time you realized that there is life outside the classroom, that you’re more than just a teacher. You don’t have to be ‘sir’ all the time. You can hand that responsibility over to me at times.” Andrew thought about it for a moment. “And, it doesn’t hurt that there is something about the way you say it that goes straight to my cock, either.” As he gave his answer, Andrew’s hand slid down Ben’s stomach and wrapped around the submissive’s shaft, for no reason other than he could. Ben made no comment. He seemed so focused on his questions, Andrew wasn’t even sure he noticed he was being causally fondled. “Did you mean it when you said I’m not allowed to attend any protests without your permission, sir?” “Yes.” Andrew didn’t see the need to add anything else to the answer. Ben slowly nodded his understanding. It was a long time before the next question arrived. Andrew already had Ben’s cock half hard again from his teasing by the time he spoke up. “Are you in love with me, sir?” Andrew froze. Even the hand stroking his lover’s cock stilled. His brain stalled. Ben didn’t move either. The submissive didn’t even seem to be breathing as he waited for his master’s answer. “Yes,” Andrew finally managed to say. It wasn’t as if he really had an option. Lying to a man who had just offered himself up on a platter and agreed to trust him completely was out of the question and, yes, as much as he’d been trying to avoid acknowledging that fact for the last few months, yes, he was already well and truly head over heels for his flatmate. The other man nodded again. The little motion seemed to snap the world back into focus. Breathing and stroking both resumed, silence surrounded them for a long time.

Andrew half suspected his lover had fallen asleep in spite of his teasing, when he heard quiet words being whispered into their shared pillow. “Me too, sir.” Andrew grinned in the darkness. He’d known there was a bloody good reason why he’d decided to take Ben’s ball gag out.

About the Author

Kim Dare is a twenty-seven year old, fulltime writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over thirty BDSM erotic romances. While the stories range from male/male, male/female to all kinds of ménage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale retellings, they all have three things in common—kink, love and a happy ending. Published since 2008, Kim also writes BDSM erotic romances for Total-e-bound. Kim loves to talk to her readers and can be found at www.kimdare.com.

Kim Dare’s Rawlings Men Series, Now Available at Resplendence Publishing

Handcuffs and Leather All Constable Hadley wants to do is put the last few weeks behind him. As if being taken hostage wasn’t bad enough, he’s had to deal with all the stupid publicity that’s surrounded him ever since. And the fact that he hasn’t slept since that night isn’t helping him feel any better about the world, either. The last thing Hadley needs is a shrink wandering around inside his head trying to dig up all his dirty little secrets. When he finds out he’s being sent to Dr. Rawlings—the man he’s had a crush on for months—Hadley knows his life has finally hit rock bottom. The only thing that could make things worse for Hadley would be Dr. Rawlings finding out how he feels about him. But fate wouldn’t be that cruel to him—would it?

Handcuffs and Glory Holes Police Sergeant Conrad Rawlings likes glory holes. As a dominant who’s never learned how to feel casual about even the most fleeting hook up, he’s learned to cherish the complete anonymity they provide. Still, when he hears a cubicle door open as he leaves the back room of a club, he can’t quite help looking over his shoulder. Submissive Willis Evans doesn’t know why his master ordered him to make sure the stranger from the glory hole sees his face before he leaves the club, but he knows the price for disobedience. Willis does as he’s told. The moment their eyes meet, he can’t help but hope he’ll be allowed to see the other man again. They are going to meet again, but it won’t be under conditions either of them could predict. Willis’ master has a plan—one which could easily break them both.

Handcuffs and Headlocks Undercover police officer Ed Rawlings isn’t just good at his job—he’s bloody fantastic at it. But there is such a thing as being too good at playing pretend. When reality refuses to come back, even when he’s off duty, something has to change for the hyperactive submissive. Could a no nonsense master be exactly who he needs to help him make those changes?

Derby FitzGerald doesn’t do pretend. Losing track of reality when you’re teaching martial arts would be bound to get very painful, very quickly. But maybe there’s such a thing as taking life too seriously too. Could a confused cop be precisely the right person to remind him of that?

Handcuffs and Trouble As the newest constable in the station, Trent Rawlings isn’t entirely surprised to find himself being hazed by the other cops. Determined not to make any more of a fool of himself than is absolutely necessary, he’s merely biding his time and going through the motions until he gets to the punch line. It has to be a hazing. If it’s not, he’s in real trouble. Kieran Osmond doesn’t know what the hell the little fool thinks he’s doing, stumbling into the middle of an undercover operation. All Kieran knows is that he has to rescue the younger man before he gets them both killed. Luckily for them both, Trent seems to be good at obeying orders and following a more dominant man’s lead. He may even be too good at it for Kieran’s peace of mind. Maybe Trent isn’t the only man who’s in trouble...

Handcuffs and Spreader Bars Harland Rawlings might have chosen to be a scene of crime officer rather than a “proper” policeman like so many of the men in his family, but that doesn’t mean he can’t hold his own with any cop who comes his way. Any evidence belongs to him until he says otherwise, and if a sergeant manages to roll around in evidence while tackling a suspect, then that man belongs to him until Harland has finished with him. Detective Sergeant Alasdair Grant doesn’t have good luck with men. He resigned himself to that fact after his ex turned out to be the worst kind of sadist, so he’s not best pleased when being processed by Harland gets him hot and hard and he has no way to hide it. When Harland offers to fetch a spreader bar if he doesn’t stop wriggling, he knows the other man is merely laughing at his expense. There’s no way the scene of crime officer could know how much Alasdair liked the idea. Harland can’t work out why Alasdair keeps blowing hot and cold, flirting one minute and running away the next. All he knows is that for some reason, even after the other man stopped being evidence, Harland can’t stop thinking of Alasdair as belonging to him…

Also Available from

Resplendence Publishing

Duck! by Kim Dare Raised among humans, Ori Jones only discovered he was an avian shifter six months ago. Unable to complete a full shift until he reaches his avian maturity, he still can’t be sure of his exact species. But with species comes rank, and rank is everything to the avians. When a partial shift allows the elders to announce that they believe Ori to be a rather ugly little duckling, he drops straight to the bottom rung of their hierarchy. Life isn’t easy for Ori until he comes to the attention of a high ranking hawk shifter. Then the only question is, is Ori really a duck—and what will his new master think when the truth eventually comes out?

Backing Brian by Cheryl Dragon Once a Texan, always a Texan and Brian Beaumont has come back home to open his high-end western wear shop. Not everyone is thrilled with the gay son of a Texas millionaire opening a clothing store. Lucky for Brian, his new brother-in-law sends protection from Raider’s Bodyguard Service. If only Brian could resist the hunky muscled Texas native assigned to guard his body day and night. Jones never wanted to go back to Texas. He left at eighteen for many reasons, but his career is more important than the demons of his past. Always a professional, he meets his match in the tempting Brian. The line between business and pleasure vanishes when their mutual love of sex, rope and power play takes over.

The Mark of Cain by Cash Cole After a night of hot sex with an elusive Native American, Gage is left with a bullet wound and a scarred shoulder from where a panther slashed him. The New Orleans police tell Gage that his lover morphing from man to beast is highly improbable and that whoever broke into his hotel room left no trace evidence, but Gage knows he hasn’t imagined any of this. He starts with the only clue he has, the name of a town in Oklahoma where his lover said he was born. But can he track down sexy Cain, who is in witness protection, before the assassins find and kill them both?

Moon Princess by Suzanne Graham As Celina Maddock left the office on a Friday evening, her coworker jumped into her car and demanded she get on the highway and drive fast after their sizzling kiss in the parking lot. She never imagined she’d get the gorgeous Barrett Osborn ordering her around; however, when he starts talking about Shadows, werewolves, and werebears, she becomes a little worried about his mental health. When Barrett’s lover, Stan Varka, offers his assistance in escaping the Shadows, Celina goes along with their strange story about shapeshifters, because finding herself the center of their attention becomes extremely erotic. Once they’ve finished their night of playacting, Celina doesn’t think she could possibly have a future with these two amazing lovers¼until they convince her that she really is the Moon Princess and the only hope for establishing peace between the wolves and the bears.

Ryland’s Sacrifice by Kim Dare Principles don’t pay tuition fees. When Ryland’s math scholarship disappears overnight, he has two choices. He can borrow money from fellow student Jason Burrows, who has very interesting ways of collecting debts. Or, he can volunteer to be thrown to the werelions. One night spent playing the part of a willing human sacrifice will give him enough money to finish his PhD. It seems like a good deal-right up until the moment he finds himself naked, blindfolded, bound and surrounded by lions.

Bedtime Story for a Stolen Child by Ana Mayle Stolen away from his cradle as a child, Leinad has been a plaything of the Faerie for thirty years. He has been broken and put back together so many times that he cannot even remember what he used to be. He has given up all hope of escape, until a soft breeze through his cell leads him home, only to find out that home has gone on without him. A man with Leinad’s face is there in his place, with his siblings, acting out his life. A changeling. The creature who enabled his imprisonment and torture for all those years. Daniel Tessel is a thirty year old folklorist. He is meeting his brother and sister at their family cabin, to spend the anniversary of their parent’s deaths together. His biggest worry is the séance his little sister is insisting on, and trying to stave off her inevitable disappointment. That is, until he looks up during the ritual to see his own face watching him from the window. He is pulled into the consequences of a plot he cannot even remember, accused of stealing his own life. Confused, angry, and frightened beyond reason, Daniel tries to escape from Leinad, but there is something pulling them together.

Revenge and passion are two very similar things. Blood sings, lust and tempers rise, and before they know it, neither is quite sure who the real monster is anymore. Or if it will even matter in the end.

Tropical Hedonism by Dakota Rebel After a boating accident, Sean Harris wakes up staring into the eyes of a handsome doctor. Even when he discovers that he is on an island within the Bermuda Triangle, and there is no way for him to get back to his old life, he can’t be too disappointed if it means being stuck with the doctor. Dr. Wesley Carpenter cannot believe that the younger Sean Harris would want anything to do with him. After half-heartedly turning down the advances of his patient, he realizes that resistance is futile. The men find themselves falling for each other quickly, but ghosts from their pasts and outside influences try to get in the way of their happiness. Sean and Wesley may be on the island forever, but neither is sure if that guarantees they’ll be able to continue their Tropical Hedonism.

Mind F*cked by Mia Watts Sage has the ability to read minds, but only in high passion moments when thoughts transmit at a higher frequency. But the gift is double-edged. Sage is inordinately handsome. Some might even say he’s a walking orgasm. So what’s a half-breed to do when every person he meets seems intent on seducing him, and how will he know if the man he chooses will love him for more than his looks? Joe has never been the object of anyone’s lust before. Now Sage, the hottest guy he’s ever laid eyes on, has Joe starring in his sexual fantasies. It would be perfect if only Sage could shut up for one minute, and quit talking about his own hotness—or about how he can read minds. Meanwhile, Joe and Sage must secure the last three Zodiac Stones and prevent their theft while they wait for exhibition. Can they put their sexual tension aside long enough to stop a clever thief? And even if they do, will Joe’s heart be a casualty of their inevitable fling, or could Sage really be looking for more than a one-night stand?

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