If It Fornicates (Market Garden, #4)(8)

Nick amused himself with placing the next one on the exact same spot before the burn had had any chance to bleed away into the tissue. Spencer squirmed, and for that, he received a third one so close to the others that the pain must’ve bled together into one spot.

And just as Spencer was clearly expecting a fourth, all Nick did was slide the tip down between Spencer’s shoulders to the small of his back. His fingertips itched to touch Spencer’s back, but there would be touching later, at leisure, and hitting him was just about as good.

Spencer was breathing heavily, panting a little, as the tension built again. Anticipation. Nick stepped to the side and hit him low on the chest, just under the ribs. Spencer sucked in a breath and tensed, adjusted his position by opening his legs a bit. Broadening for more stability. That was why Nick didn’t want to tie him up—it would dilute the little messages he got from Spencer’s responses.

He trailed the crop up Spencer’s side to his armpit, smooth and caressing, then up along the curve of muscle along the shoulder, to the neck, which caused Spencer to pull his shoulders up as if to protect his face. Nick merely adjusted the angle on the handle and traced the edge of the leather tip along Spencer’s temple.

“I can touch you anywhere I want,” he said softly. “I could even hit you on the balls. CBT is one of those things I’m definitely into.”

Spencer swallowed audibly. “Yes,” he said, a verbal blank check. And he’d felt nothing yet. Some ball-squeezing and dick-slapping had only prepared him mentally, but in practice, there was so much more they could do.

“What else, Spencer? Want to add anything to the list?”

“Yeah.” Spencer drew in a slow breath. “Since we’re . . . since we’re in a relationship. I only want you, Nick.”

“What? Barebacking?”

“That. Eventually. But also . . .”

Nick leaned closer. “I’m not going to beat this out of you. This is too important.”

“Like . . . lock me in. I mean, I’d still have to go to work, I just don’t want to be able to get off.”

Chastity play. Nick reached out to touch Spencer’s head. “I’ll absolutely lock your cock away. No problem.”

Spencer leaned into the touch. “Not weird?”

“Not at all.” Nick leaned in and breathed in his ear. “Actually, it’s extremely hot.”

Spencer shivered. From his words, breath, or touch? Hard to say. “Is it?”

“Mm-hmm.” Nick put a hand on Spencer’s side and slowly reached around, exhaling as Spencer’s abs contracted beneath his touch. “It’s incredibly hot, Spencer. Knowing no one, not even you, can get you off except me.” He trailed his fingertips further down. If Spencer’s erection had flagged while Nick had been using the crop, he had regained it, and he groaned as Nick closed his hand around his hard cock. “You’re giving me complete control.” He kissed the side of Spencer’s neck. “You know that turns me on.” Another kiss, and he growled, “You know it pleases me.”

Spencer whimpered, and a shudder pushed his cock into Nick’s grasp.

“I could beat you some more tonight,” Nick went on. “Add some more welts.” He eased his hand into motion, stroking Spencer and gripping him a little tighter. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I would.” Spencer shivered, then quickly added, “If it’s what you want.”

“Very good.” Nick gently bit the base of Spencer’s neck, right where it connected to his shoulder. “God, I could go all night with you.” A dull ache in his forearm and elbow reminded him that no, he really couldn’t, but that didn’t stop him from imagining it. “Tonight, though, I want to f*ck you.” His hand stopped abruptly as he finished the sentence, and Spencer shuddered again, biting back what was probably a string of curses.

Nick straightened. “Condom. Lube.”

Spencer rose more slowly than Nick had. Nick didn’t rush him; he’d been on his knees long enough, and he’d dipped into the advanced stages of subspace, so Nick gave him a moment to safely get himself upright.

While Spencer steadied himself, Nick unbuckled his belt. Spencer looked at him, lips parting as he watched Nick remove his boots and leather trousers. He made a subtle gesture of moistening his lips. All Nick would have to do was say the word, and Spencer would drop to his knees again and suck him off with a degree of enthusiasm Nick himself would have paid for. When Spencer met his eyes, Nick winked. He was probably waiting for that command. Perhaps telepathically pleading for it.

Please, let me please you.

Nick tilted his head towards the nightstand. Spencer didn’t argue. He went to the drawer and quickly produced a condom and bottle of lube.

One of the greatest challenges Nick always encountered as a Dom was masking his own hunger. The arousal, the white hot need, that would make him look as if he wasn’t in control, and he couldn’t let that show. No matter how much it turned him on to watch Spencer do what he was told.

He gestured to the floor at his feet. “Put it on.”

Spencer went to his knees so quickly his legs might as well have buckled. He tore the condom wrapper, and somehow his hands were steady—sheer willpower, no doubt—as he removed the condom from its wrapper and reached for Nick. Nick held his breath, determined to stay calm and focused even as Spencer’s hands touched his very erect cock and stroked the tight condom down. Then Spencer put the lube on, and he kept stroking, smoothing it onto the condom as he looked up at Nick, eyebrows raised in an unspoken Tell me what to do next.