please Liam showing. How could Skye be nervous when the man he loved--even if Liam didn't know it-was doing everything he could to please him? The very least Skye could do was return the favor and do everything he could to please Liam, too. Which meant not digging his heels in stubbornly. Skye nodded to himself and determined he wasn't going to be a stubborn brat today--even ifLiamhad said a number of times that he did like a brattysub.
He was so busy thinking to himself he stumbled a bit when Liam stopped. Skye braced his hands on his lover's back, savoring the warmth of him through the thincotton.
Liam gestured above them and Skye noticed the sign for a restaurant called The Boat House. "Oh, are we eatingfirst?"
Liam shook his head. "Nope. I called ahead for some food to take on the boat with us. I hope you like seafood."
Skye nodded. "I do. I love it." Maybe this wasn't goingto be so bad after all. Food, a boat, Liamand him all alone on the water...Skye was pretty sure he could handle it. How hard could it be?
He followed Liam into the restaurant, his mouth watering as the smell of fresh seafood and spices hit him. "Oh, wow, it smells good in here," he murmured, stillholding onto Liam's hand. Liamhadn't tried to pullit away, and Skye was goingto enjoythe intimacyas long as he could.
"Best crab legs in the entire state. You're not allergic?"
Skye shook his head. "Nope."
Liamgave himanother of those prideful smiles, and again Skye was glad he'd unknowingly done something to make Liam feel that way. Even though he had no controlover whether or not he was allergic, just the fact it suited Liam's plans made himfeel good. Just pleasing Liam, period, made him feel good, in whatever small
big bag with the restaurant's logo on it and a short walk down the marina later, they stood in front of a modest little houseboat moored in a slip at the very end of the dock. Pretty gold lettering edged in blue on the side proclaimed RikkiTikkiTavi.
Skye laughed. "Like the book. I loved that story as a kid."
Liamsmiled. "Myniece named it."
Liamhad a niece. Who he was close enough to that she'd named his boat. Skye soaked up the little bit of knowledge, thinking it suited the sort of man he was learning Liamwas--a man who was far more than a bythe-hour escort. A man Skye was falling in love with more and more everyminute.
"What do you think?" Liam asked, and there was just enough inflection in his tone to tell Skye that this might be important to him. After all, this wasn't just any date to an impersonal restaurant at a casino or something. This was Liam's private world being opened up to Skye. He didn't ignore the importance.
His smile was genuine when he turned to Liam. "I think it's great. Thank you for bringing me. Dragging me, really."He laughed.
Liamlaughed, too, relief around his eyes, and Skye realized he'd beenworried. Like he'd thought maybe his boat or his date idea or whatever wasn't going to be good enough. The fact Liam could have those kind of worries and doubts was astounding to Skye. He was flawless; why would he worry what Skye thought? Unless he cared. Oh, Skye hoped so. Maybe he did.
He forgot about being anxious and let Liam help himonto the boat, suddenlylookingforward to the night on the water, not dreading it. It was strange how Liam being a little nervous made Skye's own nerves ease. Was it the old "misery loves company" thing or more? Skye liked to think it was more about them balancing eachother out thananythingso self-serving.
He set the bag of food on one of the built-in couches in the seating area behind the open entrance to the cockpit--was it called a cockpit on boats or only planes? "Is there anythingI cando to help?"
Liamshook his head, touching his back lightly as he squeezed past himinto the cockpit. "Not yet. When I'm all set, you could untie us, but let me run through my checklist first."
Skye moved over to the open entry to the wheel room/cockpit/whatever it was called and watched Liam. He moved around efficiently in the small space, flipping this switch, testing that knob. After a minute or two, Liam turned to head back out onto the deck and Skye smiled, turning to press back against the wall so Liamcould pass.
Except he didn't. Skye's breath caught as he found himself staring into Liam's eyes. So close, even in the dim light, Skye was amazed by how beautiful they were. Mostlya warm, goldenbrownwitha ringofpaler green around the inside and scattered with bright gold flecks. Skye had never seen eyes like his before. Then again, Skye had never known anyone like Liambefore, period.
"Hi." He was at a loss for what to say when Liam had him blocked back against the wall, looking at him allintense and delightfullyhot.
His lover smiled, just a hint ofdanger inthe curve of his lips. "Hi."
Then Liam kissed him, and Skye moaned into it, sliding his arms around Liam's shoulders, arching away fromthe wall and toward him. God, he craved the man like he never had anything else. It was this constant, gnawing hunger deep inside that nothing satisfied. An emptiness onlyLiamfilled.
When the kiss broke, Skye whimpered in loss and tried to follow his lover's mouth, leaning in when Liam leaned back. Liam chuckled and caught his shoulders, pushinghimagainst the wall.
"The food's going to get cold," he reminded with a smile. "Go and untie the moorings; we're just about ready."
Just about ready?
Skye bit back a frustrated groan. He was
more
than ready, personally, but it had nothingto do withthe damnboat.
But he made himself do as he was told and forced down the desire to pounce on Liam and have his way with him.
Not going to be a brat today, Skye, remember?
Right.
He tried not to sulk as he yanked loose the knot in the rope and unwound it fromthe mooring post. He turned back to Liam. "Allset."
Liamgave hima knowing smile, as if he knew how worked up Skye was inside. "Thank you, my own. Come, sit down. I don't want youfallingoverboard."
Skye plopped down next to the bag of food. "I can swim."
He must not be doing a very good job at not being sullen because Liam laughed again. "Good. You know, Skye, the not kissing you isn't meant to be a punishment. This is about a date. Not sex." He glanced back over his shoulder as he started up the boat.
"Sex happens on dates, you know. Even I know that much."
Liamdidn't look back this time, apparentlytoo busy maneuvering them out of the slip and toward the open water of the lake. A few minutes later, cleared of the close quarters ofthe marina, Liamspared hima glance.
"Don't you go fucking every man lucky enough to get you out on a date, Skye. Understand me? Be sparingwithyour body. It's precious."
Says the man who sells his to the highest bidder every night.
Skye didn't dare say it out loud. Most of himwasn't bothered by what Liamdid, but the part that was bothered mostly just wondered if maybe Liam didn't think he was worth more than only money. And that thought made him sad because he wanted to tell Liam he would give him more than money. He just didn't know if Liam even wanted it. Maybe he was perfectly happy--and he seemed to be--to take the cashand not the emotion.
Then Liam smiled at him, and it was so warm and sincere, and Skye didn't believe for a second that this man didn't want somebody to love, to love him in return.
Skye was goingto be that for him.
Liam smiled as Skye walked into the hotel room. His dark eyes widened at the sight ofthe rope in Liam's hands, and Liamcould see himswallow hard.
Skye licked his lips and obeyed, though his steps might have been a little hesitant. "What's going on?" He nodded at the rope. "What's that for?"
"So many questions, as usual. Today, Skye, I'm only going to answer the ones I think are necessary." He loved Skye's natural inquisitiveness, but the young manneeded to learnto trust his Dom, too.
Skye bit his lower lip. "And mine wasn't?" Liamsmiled. "Not really, no."He took Skye's hand. "Come here."He led Skye into the bedroomand tossed the vivid blue rope--one he'd thought would look beautiful against Skye's skin--onto the bed. He took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, gaze rakingover Skye. "Undress."
It was a simple command, one Skye had been obeying for a couple weeks now, but still his lover's neck flushed, and Liamcould see the faint tremble in his fingers as they reached for the hem of his ever-present T-shirt.
It was always intriguing to watch Skye strip. Liam wondered if he was as conscientious when he was alone as he was with an audience. Skye neatly folded his shirt over the back of a chair, followed by his belt if he wore one--today he didn't; another pair of cute, skinny suspenders instead--and his jeans. Socks got tucked into shoes, underwear hidden away under the rest ofhis clothes like he was embarrassed.
It said a lot about Skye in general, who he was. Neat, organized, methodical, as well as shy and still a good bit self-conscious. Not as much as the night Liam had met him, though, most certainly.
Liam had at first wanted to shake up Skye's neatly organized way of living, rumple his hair and toss his clothes to the floor and pull himout of his little box. But Liam was learning Skye wasn't in a box--this was simply who he was. Liamliked who he was, more than he'd expected to.
The liking, though, was causing a lot of his problems. He liked Skye way too much. And after their date--whichLiamhad knownwould be botha bad idea and a brilliant one--the blurring of the line between client and...
more
was more pronounced than ever for Liam. And if it was becoming a problem for Liam, he knew it was probablytentimes worse for Skye.
He needed to re-draw that line. He was a tutor. Skye was a client.
Nothing more, damn it.
"Good. Now, today's lessonis inlettinggo."
"Ofwhat?"
Liam smiled. "Everything. You spend a lot of time clinging to things, to situations, to habits. To people, even. We all do. Sometimes it's good to learn to let go. To learn that you can; that it's safe to. Do you remember our first night?"
Skye's eyes went dark and slightly hooded, as he nodded. "Ofcourse."
Liam's lips twitched. He liked knowing Skye was, right this moment, reliving bits of that night in his mind. He wondered which parts stood out to his lover. "And when I told you to hold onto the headboard and not let
"Yes,"he murmured.
"Tonight, we're going to do the opposite. I'm not
going to ask you to hold on. I'm going to bind you and
I'mgoingto ask youto let go."
Skye frowned, brows furrowing. "I don't...I don't
understand."
Liamshook his head. "You don't need to. You just
have to trust me." Which he knew Skye did, at least to
a certain point. Ifhe was going to keep Skye, he'd push
him farther, demand more, but as their arrangement
stood, allhe could do was give himthe basics and hope
whoever got him next-
lucky fucking bastard-
was
good enoughto teachhimthe rest, how to reallylet go. He worried about it. Skye was analytical and so
firmly set in his way of doing things, would he let
another Dom in, let them finish the lessons Liam had
started?
He pushed the worries aside. That wasn't his
problem. He was a tutor was all. Skye wasn't his. Not
for real. He focused on the task at hand, trying to
detach himself as much as possible from the conflicting
emotions tumbling inside him--jealousy and
possessiveness at the forefront. Not now; he had to
focus and he had not to show allthat to Skye. "So...canyou?"
Skye nodded. "I trust you, Liam. You know I do."
He frowned a bit. "Is everythingallright?"
Liam gave him a reassuring smile. "Everything's
fine." Except it wasn't, not really, but he had a job to
do. Besides, even if he wanted to, he had no idea how
to explain to Skye how he was all knotted up, jealous
of some nameless, faceless future boyfriend of Skye's,
worried about whether Skye could manage without him.
It was ridiculous. As if Skye hadn't been managing just
fine up untilnow.
He couldn't say all that, so instead Liamdrew Skye
closer and kissed him. He was good at his job for a
reasonand ifhe couldn't sayeverythinghe was thinking,
then at least he could kiss Skye into enough distraction
he didn't notice allthe words Liamwas chokingdown. When the kiss broke, Skye was panting, those
pretty, dark eyes hazy, and Liam smiled. Skye was
bornfor this; he reallywas. He'd never knowna manso
ready to give himself to someone. Liam shuddered to
imagine what kind of trouble Skye might have gotten
himself into if he hadn't decided to come to Liam first. Everyone had shitty first dates and first times, but Liam was glad Skye had better than that. Had something to show him later it wasn't always that way, when maybe
some asshole broke his heart.
"Now what?"
Liam pushed aside those thoughts, which lately
inevitably led to wondering what might happen if
perhaps Skye never had to go through it at all because
what if Liam kept him? Absurd thoughts that had no
business in...well, his business.
"Now we play, my own, and you show me how far
you're willingto go."
Skye gave him a look, half-stubborn, half-aroused,
that said he was up for the challenge. Liam just bet he
Skye shivered, but obeyed, climbing up onto the bed, sitting back on his heels with hands behind his back, watching Liam run the rope through his hands. Skye was incredibly focused on the rope, but that was going to change. By the time Liam was done, Skye would be focused one hundred percent on him, nothing
briefs and then climbed onto the bed with his lover. Skye's gaze was locked on him, his head turning to follow Liam with his eyes as Liam moved around behind him. Liam tapped his cheek lightly with the coiled rope.
Sir. Veryclose attention, I promise."
Liamlaughed and gave his bare ass a light swat with
the looped-over rope. "To the lesson, not mycock." Skye's cheeks went ruddy and flushed, the way
they did when he was embarrassed or flustered.
"Sorry."
"Don't worry, professor. I'll want your focus right
back there before we're through. Right now, though,
payattentionto me."
Skye nodded, lickinghis lips. "Yes, Sir."He gasped
when Liam's hands circled his wrists and urged them
higher behind him, until Skye was cupping his own
elbows. It was slightly uncomfortable, the position forcing him to thrust his shoulders back and Skye wasn't sure he liked it. Except a few seconds later, Liamrana soothinghand over his shoulders and biceps, his touch almost reverent, and Skye decided he liked
anythingto get himtouches like that.
When Liam began looping the rope around his
wrist, Skye's heart kicked up. There'd been some
teasing with bondage, but immediately Skye could tell
this wasn't going to be that. This was the real thing. He
could hardlystand the anticipationand he forced himself
to focus, to pay attention to everything about the
moment.
Skye catalogued as much detail as he could. The
way the rope felt--surprisingly soft and almost slippery
as Liamwound it deftly around his wrists and forearms,
binding them together. The sound of Liam's breath-
slow and steady, an even rhythm Skye could focus on
and that centered him. The smells--the certain
earthiness and hint of chemicals of the new rope, the
tang of Liam's sweat and citrus-y shampoo. Keeping
this detailed focus on what was happening was
comforting in its familiarity; a needed thing when what
Liam was doing was the furthest thing from familiar for