STORY EXCERPT

“Hey, sexy,” Sinclair said and pushed away from the center island he had been carelessly leaning against. “Have a good day?” He ambled to meet Tanner who walked into his arms.

“Yeah.” He sighed as strong arms came around his waist and pulled him firmly against the warmth of his lover’s body. His arms immediately went around Sinclair’s neck. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

“You’re fine.” He brushed his lips over Tanner’s.

“Are you sure?” He frowned. He wanted this man in his life so bad he didn’t want anything to ruin it including their jobs.

Sinclair kissed the tip of Tanner’s nose. “You know what?”

“What?” Sin was going back to work. Disappointment fluttered through him.

Sinclair bent his head to whisper in Tanner’s ear, “You look gorgeous with your hair like that, and you look so tempting in my shirt I could eat you alive.” He leaned back, and Tanner was staring at him in shock.

“I—uh—”

Sinclair traced a finger along Tanner’s jaw then kissed him. “Mmmm.” He broke the kiss. “I love it when you get pretty for me. Now let’s have dinner.” Sinclair stepped back and grabbed the flowers and held them out to Tanner.

Tanner smiled and took the flowers and inhaled their delicate scent. He did love rose. “Thank you, baby.” He kissed his cheek. The man didn’t do the job of wooing him by half measures did he? “I’ll put these in water and then we can have dinner.”

“Course,” Sinclair agreed and Tanner found a vase for them and arranged them. “I really do love roses.” He felt special every time Sin got them for him.

“I was hoping you weren’t just tolerating them to keep from hurting my feelings.”

Tanner grinned then showing teeth. “You’re crazy.” He put a hand on Sinclair’s stomach and kissed him. “You make me happy.” He looked up at his man with allowing that happiness to shine in his eyes He didn’t want Sinclair to doubt how he felt.

Sinclair cupped Tanner’s face. “We’re two of the happiest men in the world then.”

Tanner grinned wider and Sinclair took his hand and led him out to the porch. Tanner’s eyes flared when he saw the lamps casting soft light around the patio and the blanket spread out on the beautiful wood floor. The faint strains of music reached his ears, and his lips tilted in a smile. Four months ago Sin had told him he’d try to be romantic for him. He’d say he’d hit the nail right on the head tonight.

 “Did I do okay?”

Tanner laughed. “You know you did,” he cried and hugged Sinclair. “You know it’s perfect.” He kissed Sinclair’s jaw and then made his way to the blanket to sit down to find it was an extra-thick pile of blankets. He loved a picnic, but he hated the hard ground. He supposed he was a bit of a wuss about that but the extra-thick pile of blankets solved that problem well enough. Smart man Sin was.

Sinclair sat down across from him and reached for the wine bottle, which he’d already uncorked, and the two glasses. “Can you go ahead and open the basket and grab the cloth for the table?”

“Umm-hmm.” Tanner opened the wicker basket, and right on top was a jeweler’s box. His head jerked up, and he studied Sinclair with suspicious eyes for a minute as Sinclair poured wine.

“What is it?” Sinclair asked innocently as he held a glass out to Tanner.

“What did you do?” Tanner demanded, a thread of delight woven through his words. “What is it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweet baby,” he responded in that same innocent tone.

“This.” Tanner reached inside and removed the box and held it up. “What is it?”

“How did that get there?” Sinclair gave him a mock puzzled look.

“Sin!”

Sinclair laughed. “Open it,” he instructed as he set the wine down next to Tanner on the blanket and reached inside for the cloth to spread over the low table. He set the basket aside as Tanner opened the box.

“Oh my God,” Tanner exclaimed. He stroked the black letters with his fingertip before touching it to the small diamonds in the hearts. “It’s so perfect, Sin. He lifted his gaze to Sinclair. “I love the diamonds. They’re subtle just like they should be.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d like it,” Sinclair murmured.

“No, I love it,” Tanner said softly and reached across the table to cup his lover’s  face. “You’re going to spoil me.”

“I want to,” Sinclair admitted, putting his hand on Tanner’s. He stroked the back of Tanner’s hand then removed it from his face and kissed the palm. “Let’s see how it looks on you, and then we’ll have dinner.” Sinclair released him and took the box. “Hold out your arm.”

Tanner allowed him to put the bracelet on him with a smile. He admired the gold against his skin and the twinkle of the diamonds wondering how he’d gotten so lucky to find such a man his first time back out in the dating game. He swallowed tightly, his throat thick with tears. Sinclair’s.

That one word was a bold statement that he hadn’t been sure Sin had been willing to make, let alone own, but this made it official. It made it real and undeniable.

“It was too presumptuous?” Sinclair asked, setting a small bowl of tossed salad greens and tomatoes in front of Tanner.

He jerked his gaze from the bracelet to meet his lover’s concerned stare. “No, I was thinking that this makes a statement.”

“It was meant to,” Sinclair answered, holding out a cloth napkin wrapped around silverware.

“Are you sure?” Tanner asked. “This says you really want me in your life, and you really want to build a future with me, not just play house.”

Sinclair frowned. “I told you once I didn’t play games, and I meant that,” he said. “I didn’t think we were just shacking up until something better came along.”

“Neither did I,” he replied softly. “I just—it’s like you’re officially claiming me.”

“I did that when I said I love you,” Sinclair retorted with humor flashing in his eyes.

ADULT EXCERPT

Tanner’s breath caught out of anticipation and surprise when he heard the sound of the fabric rend and felt it part. He was a little apprehensive, not knowing what to expect beyond deliciousness. How would Sinclair take him there tonight?

“I love your pretty little underwear.” Sinclair’s voice jerked him from his thoughts and the hand smoothing over his ass made him shiver. “This is just part of what it does to me.” He gripped Tanner’s hips and ground his erection against his small, firm ass. “I can’t wait to get my dick in your ass. You’re so good you leave me speechless.”

Tanner shivered again, getting hotter. When Sin talked dirty, he got more aroused and even more eager to fuck. What was he doing? The material of the tank hissed softly and then was pulled from beneath the shirt. “Sin, why are you cutting my tank?” He jumped when the heavy tap landed on his butt cheek. He liked to be spanked, it set him on fire, and that tap got his engine revving up.

“Don’t make me tell you who’s in control again, sweet thing,” Sinclair said with a growl in his voice and then pushed the tiny red briefs down. Sinclair brought his hand down in a light tap, stroked the soft flesh and then landed a harder tap before lightly striking the back of Tanner’s thigh. “If it hurts or you want to stop, what are you going to say?”

“Sour cream.”

“Don’t hesitate,” Sinclair warned and then Sinclair retrieved the blindfold. He put it in place and secured it around Tanner’s head. “Relax for me, sweetheart.” He kissed the back of Tanner’s neck.

* * * *

Tanner caught his breath when Sinclair’s hand came down on his ass. It was firm sending a lick of fire over his nerve endings. Yeah, he loved it. His fingers clenched and his lips parted as the pleasure sliced through him.  The next blow was a little harder, sending more warmth into his cheeks and making his dick thicker and heavier as it stood out from his body.

A few more taps and Tanner heard the flick of a lighter. He didn’t have time to focus on what it meant because the slap of a paddle on his ass distracted him. 

“Oh baby,” he said softly. He loved the feel of the leather stinging over his skin, but the second blow was heavier, harder, and the sting more intense. “Oh, yeah.” He squeezed his butt cheeks and rubbed against the wall and bar and wall. He was going to go out of his mind.

Sinclair brought the paddle down again on his left cheek then his right. Left. Right. Left. He smoothed his hand over the red flesh.

“Sin, please don’t stop,” he pleaded. He’d never been blind-folded, but the silky fabric added an exciting dimension that made the spanking more erotic. It made him burn hotter. “I’ll be a good boy next time.”

“I doubt that,” Sinclair said sternly. “You have a penchant for disobedience.” He delivered a light slap, and Tanner growled. Sinclair pushed his fingers through Tanner’s hair and pulled his head back. “I thought you were going to be good.”

“I am,” he promised. “Hit me harder, please, Master.”

Sinclair did just that and released his hair to play a tattoo on Tanner’s ass that had Tanner mewling in pleasure.  Sinclair hit the back of his thighs lightly and then the sweet torture stopped. He wanted to scream.

 Instead, Tanner gasped when the first drop of warm wax met his skin. He arched at the burn. The second drop came on his ass, and he cried out as the heated wax ignited a wave of pleasure in him that had him balling his hands into fists and gasping breathlessly. “Oh, God.” He hissed. The wax was a wild and wicked burn that had him ready to combust. 

“Tanner?” Sinclair stroked his hand over Tanner’s ass and then gave it a tap.

“I’m going out of my mind,” Tanner rasped.

“Then you’ll be a good boy next time, won’t you?” Sinclair murmured. “If I say unzip me, you’ll unzip me.” He dropped a bit of wax onto Tanner’s back and Tanner shivered.

“Oh, fuck,” he cried. If disobedience got him this, he’d be bad again and again.

Sinclair struck him again with his hand. Then again.

Tanner cried out. His body was a conflagration ready to erupt into a thousand megatons of energy. The heated wax combined with the spanking had him by the balls of pleasure. The blindfold made it more seductive, he was more acutely aware of each tap, each drip of the wax, and it had him ready to explode. Another drip of wax had him arching his back and groaning. His dick pulsed and leaked, and he was sure he’d come on the next tap. “Oh, yeah, you like that don’t you, sweet baby?” Sinclair crooned. “I knew you’d enjoy it.” He tapped his ass again before stepping back from him.

Tanner heard the rattle of foil paper and then felt the cool liquid crawling down the crease of his ass. Firm long fingers  massaged it into the tightly puckered rosette before an oily tip penetrated him. 

Tanner made a soft sound. “God I’m ready for you,” he said roughly. “I’m on fire, Sin. Please don’t make me wait too long.”

“It’d serve you right if I made you wait all night,” Sinclair commented, pushing his finger deeper. With his other hand he reached around to stroke the thick and full length of Tanner’s cock. “If you’d been a good boy, I’d finish you now.”