For the Attention Of

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PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, BOOK I: FOR THE ATTENTION OF

…The door swung open without so much as a creak. He stared silently into the room for several long seconds. The central ceiling light had already been switched on, highlighting every detail of the man who lay on the bed directly opposite the door. The guy was completely naked but for the leather cuffs wrapped around his wrists and ankles, and he was stunning. Lean lines of pale muscle called to Joe, just begging him to paint pretty lines across a pristine canvas. At the same time, a spark of possessiveness crackled through Joe. Stepping forward, he closed the door behind him and locked it for good measure. The canvas was his. No other doms were going to be allowed to play with it until he was done. A combination of floppy blond hair and an awkward angle obscured the man’s face. Joe still didn’t have a clue who he was about to screw. He stepped forward. He was only three paces from the edge of the mattress when the lightning bolt finally hit him. Bloody hell—Scott! The name circled around and around in Joe’s head as his eyes ran over the other man’s body. Gradually, more words were added to the exclamation. Scott. Scott—naked. Scott—naked and tied up. Scott— naked, tied up and apparently waiting for him. Joe’s mind came to a stop then. He wasn’t sure how that scenario could get any better. There was nothing left to add to his perfect fantasy…

ALSO BY KIM DARE Pushing The Envelope, Book II: RSVP

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, BOOK I:

FOR THE ATTENTION OF BY KIM DARE

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

PUSHING T HE ENVELOPE, BOOK I: FOR THE ATTENTION OF AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2011 by Kim Dare ISBN 978-1-61124-164-8 Cover Art © 2011 Trace Edward Zaber

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To the written word, in all its forms— and especially to handwritten notes inviting the kinky to come out and play.

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CHAPTER 1 Joe Stuart pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket and stared down at the somewhat crumpled surface. It was definitely his name written neatly across it in block capitals. Joe glanced up at the dilapidated house before him once more. The building was set several yards back from the pavement. Those bits of it that hadn’t been completely consumed by ivy hinted that it had once been a magnificent old place. A grand sign proudly attached to the rusting wrought iron gates labelled the house 21, Tudor Terrace. A lopsided addition had been nailed up just beneath it. Student accommodation, very reasonable rates. Taking the letter out of the envelope, Joe ran his gaze quickly over the contents again, just in case it might have changed since 1

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the previous night. He was certainly at the right address, but the spark of recognition he’d expected to strike him at any moment was conspicuously absent. With a slight shrug, he strode up the path anyway. The front door was already open. Joe barely noticed the messy jumble of belongings that littered the hallway. The instructions in the letter had been very specific. Room nine. Upstairs, last door on the left. Running lightly up the stairs, Joe made his way straight to the designated room. The door marked as number nine was closed. Joe rapped his knuckles firmly against the faded woodwork, idly wondering if he’d recognise the man who lived there. No one immediately answered his summons. Joe frowned, more and more certain by the moment that someone had to be winding him up. He looked over his shoulder and down the long line of doors that flanked the corridor, trying to work out what the punch line was going to be. Whoever had dragged him out of his nice warm bed to investigate the mysterious note pinned to his locker the previous day, had better bloody well hope it turned out to be funny. Nothing. No answer to his knock on the door, no one jumping out and shouting surprise. Not a single bloody thing. Joe sighed. That was what he got for letting his curiosity get the better of his common sense. Shaking his head at himself, he stepped away from the door, wondering if it was worth going back home to bed or if he should try to find some other way to amuse himself until he started his shift at the club. Halfway along the corridor, Joe paused. For some reason, he found himself retracing his steps to the door and trying the handle, 2

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just on the off chance. It turned easily within his grasp. The door swung open without so much as a creak. He stared silently into the room for several long seconds. The central ceiling light had already been switched on, highlighting every detail of the man who lay on the bed directly opposite the door. The guy was completely naked but for the leather cuffs wrapped around his wrists and ankles, and he was stunning. Lean lines of pale muscle called to Joe, just begging him to paint pretty lines across a pristine canvas. At the same time, a spark of possessiveness crackled through Joe. Stepping forward, he closed the door behind him and locked it for good measure. The canvas was his. No other doms were going to be allowed to play with it until he was done. A combination of floppy blond hair and an awkward angle obscured the man’s face. Joe still didn’t have a clue who he was about to screw. He stepped forward. He was only three paces from the edge of the mattress when the lightning bolt finally hit him. Bloody hell—Scott! The name circled around and around in Joe’s head as his eyes ran over the other man’s body. Gradually, more words were added to the exclamation. Scott. Scott—naked. Scott—naked and tied up. Scott—naked, tied up and apparently waiting for him. Joe’s mind came to a stop then. He wasn’t sure how that scenario could get any better. There was nothing left to add to his perfect fantasy. Frowning slightly, he tore his gaze away from Scott and looked around the room, now completely sure there had to be a hidden camera somewhere. Things like this didn’t happen in real life. They happened in wet dreams and solo jack-off sessions. They happened when he failed to hook up with anyone at the club and 3

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went home alone, his mind almost inevitably crammed full of pictures of the quiet little guy who lurked on the edge of his group of friends. To hell with it. If someone was filming them, that was fine with Joe. If nothing else, it could prove to be a hell of a good souvenir of the occasion. Reaching out, Joe placed his fingertips against the inside of Scott’s ankle, just above the leather cuff. Scott jerked against his restraints, setting the chains connecting them to the bed frame rattling. Joe stilled, his fingers still resting lightly on the other man’s skin. No actual protest was uttered. Joe gave Scott a few extra moments, just in case he wanted to speak up and tell him what the hell was going on. Nothing. Joe smiled to himself. It seemed that he had free rein. Shrugging off his leather jacket, he tossed it onto a chair in the far corner of the room. That was when he saw them. He’d been so wrong when he’d decided there was nothing anyone could add to the scenario to make it even more perfect. Joe strode across to the dresser and stared down at the row of toys some thoughtful person had laid out for him to use upon Scott. A glance over his shoulder proved that Scott’s eyes were still closed. Apparently, whatever private fantasy he was playing out, it didn’t include seeing his dominant just yet. Joe hummed cheerfully to himself as he considered his options. Floggers and whips and butt plugs, oh my! He picked up a thick wooden paddle and tested the weight of it in his hand. It was heavy—far too hefty to be used on a guy who wasn’t used to getting his arse spanked really hard on a regular basis. He ran his eyes over Scott once more. It was difficult to believe 4

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anything had ever landed against the lean lines of muscle that decorated his body. He was so perfect, so untouched—virgin territory. And, for a little while at least, he was Joe’s to do with as he wished. Damn but the world was a bloody brilliant place on occasions. Joe put down the paddle and picked up a small leather flogger. The strands were soft. The impact would be light. In the hands of someone who knew what he was doing, it would be perfect. A few steps took Joe back to the edge of the bed. Scott’s forehead was furrowed with concentration, as if he was struggling to work out where Joe was without opening his eyes. Joe flicked the leather lightly against the back of Scott’s calf, just above the patch of skin he’d caressed with his fingertips a few moments before. Scott lurched against his restraints. He also opened his eyes. “I was starting to think you’d fallen asleep on me,” Joe teased. So much worry flickered in Scott’s eyes, Joe found himself forgetting all about the fun he’d planned to have with the flogger. He sat on the bed next to the bound man. With his free hand, he reached out and pushed a lock of blond hair back from Scott’s face. “Second thoughts?” Joe was careful not to let any annoyance seep into the question. Scott shook his head, turning his face into the pillow in the process. His eyes fell closed once more. Joe tightened his grip on the thick strands of hair and tugged until Scott turned back to face him. “You’ve never struck me as the kind of guy who makes a habit of tying himself up and offering his arse to a stranger on a platter.” Scott’s shoulders moved slightly, as if he was so new to 5

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bondage he hadn’t even worked out that a man couldn’t shrug properly when he was bound that way. “Cat got your tongue?” Joe prompted. A blush stole its way to Scott’s cheeks. “That’s—that’s, kind of…I m-mean, that’s the whole p-point.” Joe stared silently down at him, trying to work out what the hell the jumble of words was supposed to mean. “You’re not the easiest guy to talk to.” Scott pronounced each syllable very slowly, very carefully, as if he needed to apply his complete focus to the task if he wanted to get them out in the right order. Joe didn’t often find himself speechless, but in that moment he couldn’t think of a single damn word to say. Finally he managed to ask, “I’m not?” Scott shook his head again, tugging at Joe’s hold on his hair in the process. “I don’t remember you ever…” Joe smiled as his trawl through his memories failed to find one single sentence Scott had said to him in all the time they’d been regulars at the same club and shared the same group of friends. He did, however, remember Scott blushing a lot. Now that he thought about it, he recalled catching the younger man staring at him, more than a few times, too. Suddenly all the pieces clicked together inside Joe’s head. “This is one hell of a way to get a man’s attention, darling!” Scott looked down at the bedspread, uncertainty shining in big blue eyes. “Bloody effective, too,” Joe admitted. Scott glanced up for a moment. Their gazes met. “I think it’s safe to say I’m completely fascinated,” Joe said. 6

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Scott offered him a tentative smile. Standing up, he adjusted his grip on the flogger. The toy stopped being something that just rested idly in the palm of his hand and became something to be used. So, Scott had a crush on him and was too shy to just hit on him in the usual way. Joe wasn’t going to complain. “Your safe word is unicorn. Understand?” “Y-yes.” “Good.” Joe managed to catch Scott’s eye just before he brought the flogger down lightly against the other man’s skin, an inch or to above where he’d last touched him. Scott gasped, but no fear appeared in his eyes, no mythical creatures rushed to his lips. Joe brought the flogger down on Scott’s other ankle, ready to make his way up each of his legs at the same time now. He kept the touch of the leather light as he worked, more a tease than anything else. It was barely more than a hint toward what Scott might receive if he made a real commitment to playing these games in earnest. Damn, but he really was gorgeous, and his arse clenched each time the leather fell against his skin. It was so easy for Joe to imagine being buried to the hilt inside him. He could practically feel Scott’s muscles working around his shaft, trying to milk the orgasm from his cock. A pale pink hue spread across Scott’s skin as Joe drove the scene forward, as if the novice submissive was embarrassed at being flogged. Or, more likely, as if he was embarrassed at how much he liked it. A steady stream of gasps and groans filled the air between the gentle little slaps of leather against skin. Moving up the bed, Joe turned the flogger’s attention to Scott’s 7

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arms. Keeping the strokes extra-light in deference to the thinness of the muscles covering his limbs, Joe continued to spread that pretty pale blush over every inch of Scott’s body that was visible to him. An especially loud moan of pleasure left Scott’s lips as Joe turned his attention to his back and began to bring the flogger down just a little more heavily. Scott arched off the mattress in completely instinctive offering, begging for more, even if he wasn’t aware that was what he was doing. Joe tilted his head to one side and studied Scott’s face. There was no worry to be seen there now. He was lost in pleasure and obviously loving every moment of it. Little by little he coated Scott’s back with the flogger, letting the leather dance against him again and again. The rhythm was addictive, so was the sight of Scott moving to meet each fall of the lash. Joe’s pulse fell into time with his strokes. Every heartbeat seemed to send a little more blood rushing to his cock. His shaft ached behind the fly of his jeans, desperate to be freed and brought in on all the fun. Joe rubbed the heel of his left hand against his crotch as he finally set the flogger aside. As he watched, Scott’s expression slowly morphed into one of complete and utter disapproval. More than ready for what would come next, Joe merely folded his arms across his chest and waited. Several seconds passed before Scott finally blinked open his eyes. “You—you stopped!” No accusation of murder could have been laced with more condemnation. “Don’t I have that right?” Joe asked. Scott opened his mouth, only to hesitate and say nothing before closing it again. 8

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“Don’t I have the right to do anything I want with you?” Joe pressed. Lips now pressed tightly together, Scott merely nodded, rubbing his cheek against his pillow in the process. “Good,” Joe murmured. As he ran his gaze over Scott’s body, Joe’s right hand absentmindedly went to his fly. He couldn’t remember when such a mild little scene had him so close to wanting to come in his jeans. He didn’t even realise he was stroking his cock through the denim until he saw the way Scott stared at his groin. Joe stepped forward, not making the least attempt to drag his fingers away from his erection. It felt too good to stop. It made far more sense to make the muted sensations better instead. Scott’s eyes followed Joe’s every movement as he undid his fly and pushed the denim aside. There was no other fabric to get in the way, no need to get rid of boxers he hadn’t bothered to put on. From the look on his face, Scott couldn’t have been more surprised if he’d discovered his date was wearing a lacy little thong rather than simply going commando. “How long have you been imagining how it would feel when I screwed you?” Joe asked, keeping his tone of voice light and almost conversational. Scott whimpered. No real words happened. “That’s not good enough.” The other man looked up and met Joe’s eyes. “I want an answer.” Scott’s Adam’s apple bobbed rapidly as he seemed to struggle for words. Joe barely held back a groan as he imagined how it would feel if Scott were deep-throating him while he did that. “For—forever,” Scott finally managed to stutter out. 9

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Joe’s grip around his cock tightened as pre-cum leaked from the tip and was smeared along the length. “You ever done this before?” Scott suddenly jerked his gaze up to Joe’s face. “I’m not a— I mean, of course, I’ve—” Joe grinned. Scott was cute when he blushed. “So you have been screwed before, have you?” he translated helpfully. “You’re not a virgin?” Scott gave up on words and simply shook his head, sending his fringe falling into his eyes again. “But have you ever subbed to another man, ever been tied up?” Joe asked. Another shake of his head. “Never been owned by a dominant, never promised to do as someone else said or accept the consequences?” Scott’s gaze moved back to Joe’s cock. He made no attempt to answer, not even with a gesture. Not good enough. Joe turned his back on him. Rattling chains informed Joe that Scott was pulling hard at his bonds. It was so easy to imagine him trying to peer around his body so he could continue to watch the show. Joe didn’t look over his shoulder to check, no matter how tempted he was. “N—never,” Scott said. Joe didn’t even try to hide his pleasure with that admission as he turned back to face Scott once more. “Perfect.” Hope shone in the other man’s gaze as their eyes met. Yes, Joe repeated silently to himself, completely perfect. “You know what that means, don’t you?” he asked aloud, as he stepped closer to the bed to stare directly down at the bound man. 10

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CHAPTER 2 Scott Evans opened his mouth to answer, but he was so nervous, all he managed to do was croak out something completely unintelligible. In the end, he simply shook his head. The longer he spent tied up in Joe’s presence the more certain he was that he didn’t know a damn thing about anything in the universe. Joe was still jacking his cock, his movements slow and lazy, as if he had all the time in the world, and was quite content to spend it all doing a million and one erotic things. Scott traced the movements of the other man’s hand, up and down, again and again. There was nothing half-hearted about Joe’s movements. His grip was tight. Each stroke he offered himself covered his cock all the way from root to tip. His jeans slid down a little as he worked 11

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his shaft, revealing large, low hanging balls covered with a dense coating of short dark hairs. Scott whimpered as he licked his lips, desperate to taste the other man properly, to be allowed to wrap his mouth around Joe’s cock and show him what he could do for him if he were only given the chance. Joe stepped closer. “That means”—he leaned down until his lips almost caressed Scott’s ear—“that there is a part of you that will always belong to me. I’ll always be the first man you submitted to—I’ll own that.” Scott whimpered. He turned his head, straining his neck in an effort to face Joe properly. The other man remained exactly where he was. His lips were just an inch away from Scott’s mouth. Maybe if he somehow found a way to twist his neck around just a little farther then— Joe pulled away a moment too soon. A protesting little moan hit the air, and Scott knew the noise had to have come from him. Joe’s grin grew wider when he heard it. He didn’t relent in the slightest. There would be no kiss. Scott slumped back against the mattress, letting himself fall face first into the pillow. Every inch of skin on his back still tingled from the other man’s touch. It was hard to believe the flogger wasn’t still dancing over his back as he closed his eyes and made a concerted effort to accept Joe’s refusal to kiss him with something like good grace. Tugging at the leather around his wrists and ankles, Scott rocked his hips, pressing his crotch down against the mattress. Not being kissed was the least of his troubles, really. His cock was so hard. He needed to come so badly. The sheet covering the mattress rubbed against his shaft as he squirmed, but 12

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it wasn’t enough. Scott needed more. He needed Joe’s cock buried deep inside him. He needed the other man’s hand wrapped around his hard-on. He needed… Scott closed his eyes tightly. More than anything else, he suddenly realised that what he really needed was for Joe to tell him he had permission to come. “That’s enough of that.” A sudden flash of lightning earthed itself in Scott’s right buttock. He gasped. Twisting against the mattress, he desperately tried to look over his shoulder. The cuffs tugged at his wrists, stopping him short. Scott imagined that a palm print was already blossoming in the wake of Joe’s hand, creating a darker patch of pink against the lighter blush the flogger had already painted him with, but it was impossible for him to be sure. A moment passed. Scott slowly lifted his gaze until he looked up at the other man’s face. Joe didn’t look angry. He seemed more amused than anything else as he knelt on the bed between Scott’s spread legs. Craning his neck, ignoring the way the muscles cramped across his shoulders and the cuffs pulled at his wrists, Scott watched in silence while Joe spread a generous coating of lube over three fingers. Soon, those digits disappeared out of his sight. Scott lowered his head onto the pillow again. The first slick touch against his arse made him tense. Joe made no complaint about that as he gently circled his hole with one fingertip. The single digit caressed the tight ring of muscle again and again, around and around. Scott bit down on his bottom lip as spirals of pleasure grew inside him in response. Each twirling rope of sensation only bound his muscles up tighter. 13

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“Relax for me.” It had to be the worst thing Joe could possibly have said. Scott’s muscles instantly knotted up so securely every one of them ached from the inside out. Hell, Scott doubted he’d been that tight when he’d actually been the damn virgin Joe had accused him of being. Scott closed his eyes, knowing he was screwing up his one chance with the other man, but not able to do a damn thing about it. “That was an order, Scott. Not a suggestion.” The pressure behind Joe’s fingers remained light. There was no anger in his words. They sounded like just a simple statement of fact—and they slipped straight past all of Scott’s defences. Bypassing his brain completely, each syllable rushed to his cock. If it was possible, he got even harder. From there, letter by letter, the words danced up and down his spine. Slowly, his body began to obey the other man’s command. Scott felt himself relax, one set of muscles at a time, until the tense ring of muscle around his hole finally eased, welcoming one of Joe’s fingers inside him. The digit went straight to Scott’s prostate, rubbing against that sensitive little spot inside him, as if in praise for following the order so well. It was impossible to remain still and silent while the other man toyed with him that way. Scott turned his face into the pillow in an effort to disguise his moans of pleasure as another digit was added. He bit down on the white cotton pillowcase when any control he might have had over his body deserted him. His hips bucked. Sucking in gasps of air around the pillowcase, Scott frantically tried to ride two, then three of Joe’s fingers. Suddenly, the pillow disappeared from beneath Scott’s head. 14

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Cotton jerked against his teeth and pulled at his lips as it rushed away from him. Scott gawped in confusion, as he watched the pillow sail across the room to land in the far corner, next to his wardrobe. “I’m the only one who’s allowed to gag you,” Joe growled. “And if I don’t gag you, it’s because I want to hear you.” The other man’s hands came to rest either side of Scott’s body as he leaned over him. Denim rubbed against the inside of Scott’s thighs. Joe’s T-shirt teased the flogged skin on his back. The mattress moved beneath them, causing the cuffs to tighten around Scott’s limbs. But those all became irrelevant little details when slicked latex brushed against his hole. “Please.” Scott arched his back, blatantly offering his arse to the other man. Joe’s whole body pressed down against him as the dominant bent his arms. Teeth nipped at Scott’s neck. It wasn’t a kiss. Joe’s lips didn’t even touch Scott’s skin. It was nothing more nor less than a display of feral dominance, and Scott quickly tilted his head to one side in eager acceptance of it. Solid muscle pinned Scott to the bed, holding him in place just as effectively as any leather ever could. Joe’s cock rubbed against his arse again and again, but Scott seemed to be the only one who was in a rush to have it inside him. “Tell me how much you want this,” Joe ordered. Panic raced through Scott’s veins at admitting any such thing, but there was no way he could have disobeyed any command Joe gave him right then, especially while there was a chance that compliance might lead to permission to come. “Need it,” he blurted out. “Need your cock in me. Now!” Joe rocked his hips, pressing the tip of his erection more firmly 15

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against Scott’s hole, teasing him, but never actually entering. “Is that all you want from me?” Scott shook his head. Another nip to his neck stopped the gesture short. They were well past the stage where gestures would be enough. Scott needed words. “Orders. Sex. Suck your cock. Leather. Control. Cum. Lick. Chains. Paddles. Hurt. Pleased with me. Need. Please!” He babbled it all out, everything he could think of and, when he ran out of those, all the things he hadn’t even realised he’d been thinking about over the last few months, too. For once, words flew from Scott’s tongue without a single stutter to get in their way. He only paused when he ran out of air, and even then, he only intended to stop for long enough to gasp. No words followed the swift intake of air. Joe thrust into him, lodging his cock deep inside Scott with one rough movement. A scream tore through the air, full of pure pleasure and relief. There were no attempts at syllables to mar the raw truth audible in it. It was only the soreness in Scott’s throat that convinced him that he’d really been the one to make the wild noise. “Is that what you need, sweetheart?” Joe snarled into his ear. Scott whimpered. He barely had enough free brain cells left to understand the question, let alone to nod. Every other part of his mind was completely absorbed with processing the waves of ecstasy rushing through his body. It wasn’t just a hard cock and a tight hole—not all the bliss racing around his veins was coming from his cock, or even his prostate. Far more than Scott would have ever believed possible poured out from that same part of his mind that had first prompted him to surf onto the kind of websites that sold those toys Joe had a reputation for playing with. 16

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As Joe pulled back and thrust into him again, every movement as rough and unyielding as the last, it was so easy for Scott to fall into the belief that Joe wasn’t just screwing him, he was taking possession of him. This part of you will always belong to me… Scott closed his eyes tightly. His hands formed into fists above his cuffs. His more intimate muscles clenched around Joe’s cock. Sudden fear swirled through Scott, mixing in with his pleasure, making his head spin. In spite of all logic, it made his cock jerk, too. The possibility of Joe simply walking away the moment he zipped up his fly, of the other man’s ownership of him ending before it had even started, scared the hell out of Scott. But he still couldn’t deny the fact that Joe having all the power over him was as hot as any underworld could ever be. Scott’s fingertips scraped against the headboard as he scrambled for any sort of hold on the world and failed. He gasped for breath as another hard thrust pushed him down into the mattress. His shaft rubbed against the sheet each time Joe pounded into him. It was almost enough. Joe lifted himself a little higher on his hands. His angle changed. Suddenly, it was enough. Whimpering his distress, Scott stopped trying to find a way to reach his orgasm and desperately tried not to come without permission instead. Joe’s thrusts sped up. His hips smacked into Scott’s freshly flogged arse with each deep thrust. The cuffs around Scott’s ankles bit into his skin as he was forcibly pushed farther up the bed by each pounding movement. “Need.” It was the only word in Scott’s head. “Come!” That was a much better word. 17

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Scott wasn’t the only one who obeyed Joe’s order. As the other man yelled out his pleasure, Scott’s own breath lodged in his throat, rendering him completely mute. Pumping against the mattress as much as his restraints would allow, Scott made the most of every strand of cotton beneath him, tapped into each tiny bit of friction he could get, and came at the exact same moment as Joe. Wave after wave of scorching hot perfection raced through Scott’s body as his cum spilled between him and the sheet. His mind shut down. There was nothing but the sensation of pure bliss. But instead of floating through his pleasure the way he so often had in the past, Scott found himself trapped in a web of it. This time, his orgasm didn’t take him gently by the hand—it grabbed him by the balls and twisted. Scott whimpered into the mattress as he slowly made his way back through a maze of sensations toward the real world and reality reasserted itself around him. Joe’s body still covered his, pressing him down into the mattress, making it difficult for Scott to take a deep breath, impossible for him to move, and more perfect than he’d ever thought any reality could possibly be. Every breath Joe took reverberated through Scott’s torso. Every movement the other man made shifted his softening cock inside his arse. Scott couldn’t help but murmur his pleasure. He was in bed with Joe Stuart. He’d just been screwed by Joe. Part of him belonged to the hottest man he’d ever set eyes on. Life was good. Scott had no idea how many lifetimes passed before Joe began to pull away. All he knew was that when their bodies were separated, he’d never felt so alone, so empty in his life. He kept his eyes closed as he heard Joe moving about the room, no doubt 18

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dispensing with his condom and straightening up clothes he had never got around to removing. The sound of the door leading into the tiny bathroom opening and closing floated across the bedroom to Scott. A moment later, something warm and wet brushed across his arse. “What the—?” Scott jerked away from it, as far as he was able—which wasn’t very far. Joe smiled as their eyes met over Scott’s shoulder. He moved the wet cloth over Scott’s skin once more, deftly cleaning him up and washing away the excess lube that had been drying against his buttocks. “You don’t have to…” Scott mumbled. “I can—” “I thought we had a deal,” Joe cut in. Scott could only blink at him in confusion. He automatically tried to turn around, only for his wrists to remind him that there were still cuffs keeping him in place. “One which says I can do whatever I want with you and you can’t do a damn thing about it.” Joe sounded so bloody calm about it all. Swallowing rapidly, Scott tried to think of a response and failed. He remained silent as Joe finished his self-assigned task and tossed the washcloth back into the en suite. There was no reason for Joe to stay any longer. Scott knew that. He wasn’t going to make a fool of himself by asking for things to be any different than they were. Scott closed his eyes for a moment. They’d hooked up. He’d had fun. If Joe had enjoyed it half as much as him, then maybe he’d want to screw again sometime. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you’re single.” The mattress shifted beneath Scott’s body as Joe sat next 19

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to him. The other man’s hand came to rest on his backside. A frown spread across Scott’s forehead. “I…” The way Joe palmed his arse made it so damn difficult to think. Scott swallowed and tried to make words happen, any words at all. “Do you have a boyfriend? A master? A friend with benefits? Anyone who comes into contact with your arse, your cock or your mouth on a regular basis?” Joe prompted. Scott shook his head. Joe’s fingers slid down between Scott’s arse cheeks and stroked across his hole. Even the slightest touch was enough to send a jolt of pleasure through him, after the pounding he’d just taken. “You’re sure?” Joe pushed. “I won’t be pleased with you if I find out that you’ve lied to me about this.” “Yeah, I’m s-sure,” Scott managed to say. “Good.” Scott tried to lift his head and look over his shoulder, but he just didn’t have the energy anymore. It was far easier to just lay there limply and let the other man play with his body in whatever way he liked. “Good?” he echoed. Without any warning, Joe’s hand disappeared from Scott’s backside. His frown came back. Did that mean that he wasn’t good anymore? “Joe?” The other man didn’t answer him, but that didn’t matter because his hand had already returned to the world. It brushed against Scott’s left wrist as Joe undid the cuff that tied it to the headboard. Joe hadn’t actually disappeared and left him behind. Scott looked up to watch Joe’s fingers undo the buckles and free him. It was all he could do to keep a protest back. He didn’t want to be free! 20

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A moment later, the cuff attached to Scott’s right ankle was undone as well. His left ankle was released from the rail at the bottom of his bed next. “Roll over.” When Scott didn’t immediately do as he was told, Joe nudged him in the ribs. Very slowly, Scott managed to make his limbs work, after a fashion at least. He twisted around until he finally lay on his back, his left wrist still fastened to the headboard. Not sure if he wanted to look Joe in the eye, Scott let his eyes fall on his own body instead. His cum had dried on his stomach and his cock. Scott automatically moved his free hand to cover himself but suddenly that was impossible. Joe’s hand wrapped around Scott’s wrist, pinning it to the bed. There was no way Scott could keep his gaze lowered then.

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CHAPTER 3 Joe had never seen a more beautiful sight in his entire life. Slowly dragging his gaze up Scott’s body, he finally brought it to rest on the other man’s face. It wasn’t just that Scott’s body was hot as hell, or even that he looked so much more debauched than Joe would ever have believed possible while the other man had sat quietly in the corner of the club, looking all sweet and innocent. He’d never seen a guy look so submissive, or so bloody happy to be that way either. The complete satisfaction on Scott’s face raced straight to Joe’s cock, trying to make him harden long before it was physically possible. Scott tugged at Joe’s hold on his wrist. He tightened his grip. His fingertip met his thumb as he completely encircled the other man’s skin. Apparently, that was all Scott had wanted him to do. 22

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He stopped struggling and lay back on the bed, relaxed and perfect, and single. As his lips twisted into a smile, Joe ran his free hand down Scott’s chest, tracing the centre line of his rib cage. He extended the path down until he reached the little happy trail of light blond hairs that led to Scott’s cock. The other man was neatly trimmed around his cock and balls, but in that moment, Joe couldn’t help but wonder how shocked Scott would be if he was ordered to shave himself completely free from a single strand of hair. Or if he was tied down, legs spread wide apart by stirrups, and he suddenly saw a dominant approaching him with a razor. There were so many firsts left in Scott, and in that moment Joe knew he wanted to be the one to introduce the other man to each and every thing he had yet to try. Joe was going to own every one of those memories. “Did you buy all those toys especially for this occasion?” he asked, glancing toward those still laid out on the dresser. Scott nodded. Colour rushed to his cheek at the admission, making Joe grin. He was pretty damn sure that going shopping for something like that with a dominant would be another first for him. “Did you get them all online?” “Yeah.” Joe hummed to himself, already planning the other man’s first trip to a real sex shop. Standing up, he made his way to the cabinet of drawers in order to inspect the selection of toys once more. He’d already noticed that everything that usually rested on the chest had been pushed aside in order to make way for them. For a moment, Joe glanced over those things, too. Suddenly, every muscle in his body tensed. Two packets of 23

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envelopes rested amid the jumble of loose coins and half used tubes of hair gel. A pad of paper peeked out from the bottom of the mess, too. Joe picked up the envelopes and quickly counted them. He let out a breath he hadn’t even realised he’d been holding as he discovered that only one envelope had been taken from either pack. No one else had been invited to Scott’s room—yet. “How many letters are you intending to write?” he demanded, as he spun around to face the other man. Scott peered across the room at him, as if he didn’t have a clue what Joe was talking about. Joe held up the packets of envelopes with all the flair of a legal prodigy displaying the ultimate piece of damning evidence. There was no dramatic intake of breath, no scrambling to prove himself innocent. Scott merely stared at the envelopes for several long seconds. He shook his head then, as if to clear his senses. Finally, he spoke. “They were buy one get one free.” Joe closed his eyes and stayed very still, one hand still raised. It was the only way he could stop himself bursting into laughter. When he opened his eyes, Scott was watching him in obvious confusion, but that didn’t matter. Relief still sang through Joe’s mind. He grinned as he turned and tossed the envelopes back onto the cabinet. There would be no other invitations going out, no mysterious little notes left for any other men. About to turn back to Scott, Joe stopped himself short. If the other man was ready to start to explore his kinky side in earnest then, even if he hadn’t bought them to send out to other men, leaving the envelopes there for him would still be tempting fate. 24

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A little bit of searching through the debris on the cabinet top and Joe unearthed a pen. With his back still to Scott, he stared down at the top piece of paper on the pad. Several seconds slipped by before he finally decided what to write, but once he knew what needed to be said, it hardly took him a few seconds to scrawl the orders across the sheet. Sealing the piece of paper into one of the envelopes, Joe wrote a few letters on the front of it and propped the message against the paddle on the dresser. “What’s going on?” Scott asked, as Joe turned back to face him. “Seems a pity to waste all these, doesn’t it?” Joe said, waving one of the packets of envelopes at him. Scott nodded, apparently entirely on automatic. Joe would have bet anything he owned that the other man had no idea what he was talking about. It was just his newfound submissiveness talking. He’d have agreed with anything Joe said right then. “You went first. Now it’s my turn to invite you somewhere,” Joe said. Scott’s eyes went to the envelope and stayed there. “What does it say?” Joe raised an eyebrow. “You’ll just have to read it if you want to find out, won’t you?” Scott tore his gaze from the envelope for a moment. He turned his attention to the cuff Joe had left around his wrist. “When I leave, you’re free to take off the cuff, not before.” Joe folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the edge of the cabinet, waiting to see what he’d do. Scott was sitting up. His shoulder resting against the headboard, his legs folded beneath him, his softened shaft 25

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completely exposed and still smeared with cum. He was bloody gorgeous and apparently not about to argue. Joe reluctantly looked down at his watch. He didn’t have time to linger much longer. “I’m working the late shift at the club tonight.” Scott said nothing. The boss would kill him if he was late on their busiest night of the week. Joe shifted his weight to his other foot and tried to convince himself that was important. It didn’t feel even vaguely relevant right then. There was no need for him to stay. The scene, such as it had been, was over. Joe knew all of that. Yet he still wasn’t moving. Running a hand through his hair, Joe finally pushed himself away from the cabinet. “Here are the rules. If you want to play with me, you only play with me. I don’t share.” “Okay,” Scott said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “And I expect you to follow the orders I’ve left you to the letter. If you’re not where I told you to be, when I told you to be there, I’m going to assume that you’ve changed your mind about all of this. No second chances. If you want to walk away, now is the time to do it, but if you don’t want to walk away, then don’t mess me about.” “I won’t—” Joe held up a hand and silenced him. “Do you understand the rules?” “Yes.” Joe stepped forward until he stood directly in front of the other man, his legs pressed against the edge of the bed. Scott tilted his head back to look up at him. Sliding his fingers into the other man’s hair, Joe made Scott 26

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crane his neck and lean his head back even further. No protest, no attempt to get out of the uncomfortable position. That deserved a reward. Joe bent down and brought their lips together for the first time. Scott gasped against his mouth as Joe pressed his tongue against the other man’s lips, demanding access. Scott didn’t try to refuse him admittance. He welcomed Joe into his mouth as if it never occurred to him to do anything else. Pulling him closer, Joe jerked Scott up onto his knees. A muffled yelp let him know that the cuff around Scott’s wrist was dragging him back and stopping him short. Not in the mood to make allowances for that, Joe didn’t relent in the slightest. He kept Scott exactly where he was while he thoroughly explored his mouth. Scott was his, and the need to mark his territory rolled through Joe’s body like a seismic wave. Buildings toppled in his mind. Structures that had seen him through more casual relationships than he could count started to crumble. Joe nipped at Scott’s bottom lip, pulling a moan from him. Then he did the same thing again, only harder. Breaking the kiss, Joe stepped away. Off balance and no longer able to support himself, Scott tumbled back onto the bed. His hair was more disordered than ever and his eyes more effectively glazed with submission, too. Scott’s hand went to his mouth. A drop of blood seeped from the nip Joe had given him. Scott looked at his blood smeared fingertips, then back to Joe. His eyes opened very wide with shock. Joe took another step back. Half because he was already cutting it very fine if he had any intention of getting to work on time, but also because he wasn’t actually sure what he’d end up doing to 27

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Scott if he stayed any longer. Turning toward the door, Joe only stopped to pick up his jacket and the envelopes, then he was gone, slamming the door behind him. In the corridor outside the other man’s bedroom, Joe paused, straining his hearing to pick up any sound of movement on the other side of the door. Chains rattled. Several seconds of silence followed. Two light footsteps sounded, right before paper tore within Scott’s bedroom. Joe’s letter was being opened. Joe took a step away from the door, then another. A smile twisted his lips as he turned and walked down the stairs, then out through the front door of the dilapidated old building. The first thing Scott had done once he had permission to free himself was open the letter. Joe’s smile grew into a grin as he imagined the naked submissive sitting on the edge of his bed, reading his message. As he reached his car, Joe glanced at his watch. Forget working out the travel time to the club. Calculating just how long it would be until he received Scott’s answer to his invitation was much more fun. *

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The piece of paper in Scott’s hand shook so badly he had to rest it on the bedspread to have any chance at reading it. Finally the letters steadied themselves. Joe’s scrawl was still messy, but now it was just about legible. Arrive at the club at two am. Take the empty stool at the end of the bar. 28

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No alcohol. No talking. No fidgeting. No underwear. Expect to obey every order I give you. Disobedience will be punished. Your safe word is still “unicorn.” Scott took a slow breath. The lingering scent of sex filled his senses. Rolling onto his back, he stared up at the ceiling above his bed as if he had never seen it before. He’d done it. Bloody hell, he really had. Joe was interested. Holding the paper above him, Scott read it again. Months of sitting in the corner, watching Joe flirt with anything that moved, trying to build up the courage to speak to him and failing time and time again—it all seemed like a lifetime ago. Scott rolled back onto his stomach and inhaled deeply. His bed still held something of Joe’s scent. Closing his eyes, Scott wrapped himself in Joe’s lingering presence while he still had the chance. He’d got exactly what he wanted. All he had to do now was hope like hell that he had the balls to follow through with it—to take the game out of his nice safe bedroom and into the wider world. Shutting his eyes even more tightly, Scott pulled the blankets up over his head. Warmth and comfort surrounded him. It almost felt as good as it had when Joe had lain on top of him, pinning him to the sheet. He’d just give himself a few minutes to rest, Scott told himself, then he’d get up, hit the shower and be at the club in plenty of time. The letters on the front of the envelope were etched into his mind. 29

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R.S.V.P Joe expected a reply to the orders he’d issued, and he was going to get one.

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KIM DARE

Kim Dare is a twenty-eight-year-old, full-time writer from Wales (UK). First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over fifty BDSM erotic romances. That means that well over one hundred characters have chattered away inside her head during that time—and that’s not even taking into account the fact that there are over three times that number of people clamouring in the wings for a chance to tell their stories. It’s no wonder she loses track of what’s happening in the “real” world at times… While Kim’s stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of ménage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shapeshifters and fairytale retellings, they all have three things in common—kink, love and a happy ending. For more information about Kim, please visit her website: http://www.kimdare.com

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Don’t miss Pushing The Envelope, Book II: RSVP, available October 2011 at AmberAllure.com! The letter demands a response. The man who wrote it demands both Scott’s attendance and his obedience. If Scott is as interested in offering another man his submission as he is in bondage, he’s going to have to turn up let Joe know that. Does Scott have it in him to RSVP?

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