STORY EXCERPT

"Jaimie, I'm home. I got you a present, come and see."

"Zack, you know I love presents what is it? It looks big and expensive. Thank you." Jaimie started to unwrap the gift. He was excited and rather relieved. Things had been very tense lately between them and he hoped that this was a peace-offering. He wanted nothing so much as to turn back the clock and put the last six weeks behind them. He finished unwrapping the gift. It was a pink vanity-case decorated with butterflies.

"Go on open it. What are you waiting for?" Zack asked. Jaimie's heart sank. This was to be no reconciliation. He opened the case to find an up-market range of skin care products. Wordlessly he looked at Zack.

"These are so expensive," he murmured diplomatically.

"That doesn't matter at all. I want you to have the best. Your skin needs care. Using these will make you look so much better."

"I take care of my skin, you know I do. What's wrong with my own range?"

"They are too harsh. When you take off your make-up with these, they will leave your skin so much softer and cleaner," Zack explained.

"I told you I won't wear make-up, and I meant it," Jaimie said firmly.

"Won't you try one more time, just to please me?" Zack wheedled.

"I hate it. I look like a clown. Can't you leave it, just to please me?"

"No I can't and I won't."

Zack advanced and Jaimie retreated. He was smaller and slighter than his partner, and so he never won when things became physical, as they had, all too often, lately. Zack's handsome face took on an ugly sneer, as he backed Jaimie into a corner.

"You behave like a girl, why won't you wear the make-up. You need all the help you can get. I've no idea why I've put up with you for so long."

"Zack. Why are you doing this? I don't want to wear that stuff. What's wrong all of a sudden? You always said you liked the way I looked before. What's changed?"

"Maybe my eyes have been opened. I can do a lot better than you. You aren't much to look at, and you don't pull your weight. When I try to get you to improve your look you refuse," Zack snarled. Jaimie couldn't believe his ears.

"You always said I looked very smart before you started this business of the make-up. You were the one who didn't want me to take on more clients. You said you earned enough and we didn't need the extra," he said.

"Well I have a position to keep up. I don't want it known that my partner is a skivvy for all and sundry."

"How will it help your position if I wear make-up and garish clothes? I don't work for just anyone. I choose my clients carefully. They are all well-off and very kind."

"Yes and there are precious few of them. They exploit you and laugh at you behind your back. You're still nothing but a glorified char-lady and that's not good enough for me. I won't have people poking fun at me because of you."

"I don't understand. Has someone said something? They don't matter, but they'd really go to town if I went out with you dressed in sequins, with a painted face," Jaimie said.

"You always have an answer for everything," Zack shouted and then he raised his hand and hit Jaimie. After the first one he seemed to lose all control of himself and the blows rained down. Jaimie had learned, from bitter experience, that to resist just increased the severity and duration of the beating. When Zack grew tired he threw the vanity case on top of Jaimie and stormed out, slamming the door.

Jaimie remained on the floor, curled in a ball. After a long while he got up. He didn’t know how long he'd stayed there. The dinner will be ruined. What a stupid thing to think about. I must get in the bath. He managed to get to the bathroom, where he ran himself a hot bath adding salt to the hot water. Then he undressed and sank gratefully into the blessed warmth. He was too tired and upset to think but he knew that things couldn’t go on like this. I have to do something, but what can I do? Where can I go? The rapidly cooling water told him it was time to get out of the bath. He was less stiff and sore than before, but he knew that it was only a temporary reprieve. He managed to eat a little of the dinner he'd made and put the rest in the bin. If Zack wants food he can get it for himself. It will serve him right and it may make him realise just how much I've been doing for him. Jaimie grimaced. He won't even notice. He got into bed and fell asleep almost at once.

He was awakened by the light's being switched on. Zack was there and cramming his belongings into a suitcase. Jaimie tried to sit up but he was too sore. Usually Zack would slam out of the flat, but when he came back hours later, he would beg Jaimie’s pardon and promise not to do it again. This time as he packed a bag he gave Jaimie an ultimatum.

"I'm tired of you. I want you gone. You have a week to get out of my flat. Anything of yours that's left here after that will be put into the dustbin.” The door slammed and Zack was gone. Jaimie was numb with shock. He lay back on the pillows, as his mind struggled to understand what had just happened. He went over the past six weeks and realized he'd been a fool to think it would all be all right. Something would have to be done, but what?

ADULT EXCERPT

Time to get things moving. I had to give him time to think about what we discussed in the club, but I just can’t hold off any longer.

Jaimie’s trim figure was encased in a tight dove-grey T-shirt and slate-blue tweed trousers, which were moulded to his firm buttocks, leaving nothing to the imagination as he moved from sink to chopping-board. Niall put down the small tray and walked over to Jaimie. He pressed himself to his man’s back, and his arms encircled Jamie’s waist. The knife clattered as it fell onto the board. Niall growled and bent to nip his man’s neck, and then he ran his tongue over the same place, soothing the sting. He was delighted to see Jaimie’s head drop forward, his whole attitude one of surrender.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I’ve tried to be patient, for your sake especially since we spoke about it in the club, but I can’t wait. If you don’t want it, say so now before it’s too late,” he said in a voice that was gruff to his own ears.

“I’ve been wanting it, too. I couldn’t make up my mind if you fancied me or not. I thought I’d made my position plain when we talked in the club, and I didn’t want to push because I love living here and would hate to make our situation awkward.”

“What a pair of silly buggers. Llewellyn would give us the length of his tongue for not talking about this,” Niall said with a chuckle, and then he pulled Jaimie round and took his mouth.

He tried to be gentle as their lips met, but his tongue slipped into Jaimie’s mouth and was so joyfully received that he forgot all caution and plundered the man’s mouth. Their teeth clashed, and he ground his hard length against a similar swollen cock and groaned. He moved them away from the vegetable preparation and bent Jaimie back over the kitchen counter and then he pushed the dove-gray T-shirt out of the way and bent his mouth to the beautiful, smooth skin he’d revealed. He licked and nipped his way over the pert nipples, hearing the groans of pleasure he elicited from the man under his hands. He looked up, and their gazes locked.

“I’m going to clamp these very soon,” he said and heard, with satisfaction, the swift intake of breath and then Jaimie’s small pants of desire and arousal.

He began to lick and nip his way over the smooth, firm belly. Jaimie’s eyes reflected his desire and his growing need. Niall slowed and teased his way down over the firm stomach with the triangle of crisp hair that disappeared under the waistband of the tweed trousers as Jaimie squirmed. Slowly, Niall unfastened the waistband, and Jaimie lifted his hips, allowing Niall to push trousers and tight white trunks down over his thighs. The delicious cock that he revealed made his mouth water. It bobbed and beckoned for his attention. He’d been in a hurry to start with, but now he slowed, determined to take his time and make it memorable for them both. As he bent to remove Jaimie’s trousers and underpants, he breathed in deeply, enjoying the fresh-soap smell combined with the scent of his partner’s arousal. He stood up again and cupped the heavy balls. They fit perfectly in his hand, and he rolled and squeezed them lightly and then with increasing pressure as he watched Jaimie, who was enjoying the bite of pain. He bent and licked off the drop of pearly liquid that oozed from the slit in the swollen, purple head of his cock. He smacked his lips in enjoyment and watched the blush as it stained his man’s cheeks a deep-pink.

“Adorable, you look like my Christmas dinner, lying there all ready to be devoured,” he said and proceeded to do just that.

Bending, he licked his way up and down one side of the rigid cock and then up the other. He sucked and nipped the ropey, pulsating veins. Once again, the sounds he wrung from Jaimie were music to his ears. Evidently Jaimie was very vocal here, too. Niall smiled as he thought of all the ways he could wring more sounds from him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a condom and tore the foil wrapper, then, with infinite care and oh so slowly, he rolled it over his man’s swollen dick. Then he lowered his mouth and began to suck in earnest.

* * * *

Jaimie hadn’t heard Niall come into the kitchen. He whistled as he worked. He hadn’t felt so happy for weeks and weeks. He felt safe and appreciated for what he was, not what someone wanted to make of him. Dinner was almost ready, but he had a little spare time, so he decided to prepare the vegetables for the next couple of days. Stored in boxes in the salad crisper in the 'fridge, they would save him some time on his busiest days. When Niall seized him from behind and nipped his neck, he allowed the knife to fall from his nerveless fingers.

At last. After that talk in the club, I assumed he’d take things further at once, but he’s made me wait for a day and a half. How I’ve longed for him to do this. I hoped I wasn’t mistaken and he was attracted to me, but I needed him to make the first move. It feels so good to have his mouth on me and his arms round me. Oh, that cock feels like a monster, and he’s so hard.

“Do you want this, now, Jaimie?” Niall asked him.

“Yes, oh yes I do. I thought you’d never ask.”

Then all power of thought was taken from him as Niall turned him round and kissed him. The strength in the kiss made his legs turn to jelly, and his dick felt as if it had a mind of its own. Niall moved him away from the vegetable preparation, bent him over on his back, and began to play with him. He heard someone moaning and realised it was himself. He panted and writhed as Niall’s tongue and teeth nipped, laved, and sucked his chest, nipples, and belly. He squirmed and arched his back, wanting more as the Dom slowed and began to tease. Their gazes locked, and Jaimie knew that Niall could read all he needed to know. He realised that it would be futile to try and hurry him, so he surrendered and gave himself up to the pleasure.