Love Lessons (Love Language Book 2)

by Reese Morrison

  God, did he want that. He wanted to own and control every bit of Landon when he was kneeling like that.

  He just wasn’t sure what to actually do.

  He watched Landon, observing the rise and fall of breath in his chest while his mind spun.

  After a long wait, Landon broke the pose and looked up. I don’t mind waiting, if you want me to. But if you want to start somewhere, you can touch me or inspect me or tell me how to move. Then, he went back into that perfect display.

  God, this whole situation was weird.

  Dustin finally stood. Landon said that he could touch him, and he’d been craving nothing else since they met.

  He put a hand on Landon’s head, hoping that the sub couldn’t detect his trembling. His hair was fine and soft. Up close he could see the darker roots. He wasn’t sure why he liked that, but it made Landon more accessible. Imperfect and perhaps a little bit attainable.

  He stroked his hair then trailed his fingers along his shoulder. Landon gave a visible shiver, and wow, did it feel good to see that.

  He continued stroking Landon’s head and shoulders, tracing those perfect collar bones and combing through that delicate hair. He wanted to get to know Landon’s body. To find out everything that made him shudder and gasp and then memorize it all to do it again.

  He bent to one knee himself to trace Landon’s perfect features. His strong brow, his gentle eyelids, his pert nose, and his soft, thin lips. His cheeks were almost smooth, with just a touch of dark scruff when he ran his fingers across them in the wrong direction.

  He was such a treasure. So perfect, kneeling there, waiting for Dustin to touch him, and maybe use him and hurt him and then hold him afterward.

  Dustin wanted to kiss him, but he wasn’t sure if that was allowed. It hadn’t been listed on the sheets, at least as far as he remembered. He lifted one strand of his hair and then kissed that instead. Landon was just so unspeakably precious.

  Landon broke the pose again. You’re doing a good job so far.

  It completely ruined the mood, or at least as far as Dustin was concerned. But maybe it was good that Landon was reminding him that this was a lesson.

  On the other hand, he didn’t want Landon to think that he was so incompetent and nervous that he needed reassurance like this. He wanted Landon to see him as a Dom. He wanted to feel Landon’s approval through his whimpers and moans, not a composed compliment.

  He just needed to dig in and do this.

  Following his instincts, he stood and grabbed Landon’s hair, tugging hard. He wanted him off balance, physically and emotionally, and he kept pulling until Landon’s back was arched and he was struggling to maintain his position.

  The desperation and desire in Landon’s eyes lit a fire inside of him. Landon wanted this. He was eager, his cock jutting forward in those barely-there briefs and his muscles straining to retain his posture as Dustin pulled him even further off-center.

  God, he was gorgeous like this. Submissive and wanting and completely dependent on Dustin to give him everything he needed. Dustin had thought that tying someone up was the key to submission, but watching Landon like this--bound by nothing but his own fingers clasping his hands behind his back in this uncomfortable position where he risked falling to the ground all because Dustin desired it--this was what he’d been looking for.

  It was intoxicating. He hadn’t let himself feel until this moment how much he wanted to own and keep and hold this man. It had been there from the beginning, but now the feeling blazed.

  Dustin knew that he had always been like this, attaching quickly and falling hard, and he needed to reel it back in. This was just one night, or maybe a few. A lesson.

  He put a smirk on his face and signed one-handed, how am I doing now?

  Landon blinked a few times before answering, and Dustin reveled in how lost he already looked. “Good,” he finally voiced breathily.

  Sign when you talk to me, Dustin reminded sternly. Don’t worry about the pose.

  Landon released one arm, still off-balance, still watching him with those needy eyes. OK.

  Dustin still wasn’t quite sure what to do next, but he was feeling more comfortable following his instincts. He stepped into the V of Landon’s knees and then pulled Landon up close, pressing his face into his jeans.

  He could hear Landon’s breathing now, heavy and rapid, though it sounded like he was trying to slow it down. He stroked his head gently a few times, soothing the area that must be burning from where he’d pulled for so long.

  Then, he tucked two fingers under his chin and tilted his head up. Take off my jeans.

  “Yes, Sir,” Landon voiced, and he started to obey.

  Dustin slapped him across the cheek. Not hard. Certainly not hard enough to leave a mark. But he froze up as soon as he did it. He’d seen it on Landon’s list. On the left-hand side with a little star by it. But they hadn’t agreed to it. It wasn’t supposed to be part of the scene. He was already fucking this up majorly.

  Landon was looking down, but in contrition or misery? Sorry, he signed.

  Dustin immediately dropped to his knees in front of him, putting both of them on the same level. He cupped Landon’s cheek. Are you alright?

  Landon shook his head slightly, making Dustin’s heart skip a beat. And then he gave a smile of chagrin. I’m fine, he signed. That was hot, actually. It wasn’t painful, and I would qualify it under “being rough,” which we discussed.

  If you’d want to really slap me, he continued, we can discuss it and I’ll go over safety rules. What you just did, though, felt like a reminder. I’m not used to having a Deaf Dom, and there are a lot of things that I guess I do automatically when I’m in a scene. In the future, though, you should stick to what we agree on and I’ll use ASL.

  Dustin searched Landon’s face. He seemed to be honest about the slap being hot, and everything that he was saying as a teacher made sense.

  But there was something still nagging at Dustin, something that felt off.

  He watched Landon, studying him, wanting to know everything that made him who he was. He knew that he was staring at him for too long, but he also knew that it was a choice that he was allowed to make. And he wanted to know everything. After a long beat, Landon bent his head again, unable to meet his eyes.

  And then he realized what it was. Dustin might not know much about the kink world, but he was pretty sure that you weren’t supposed to say “yes, sir” by rote. When Landon said something like that to him, he wanted it to mean something. It couldn’t be automatic or unthinking.

  He gripped Landon’s chin harder, forcing his eyes up. He felt like he was teetering on a cliff, just short of diving into freefall. He already knew what he wanted to say, and he felt like once he did there would be no going back.

  Not for him. Not for who he was. And hopefully not for who he was to Landon.

  Alright. Even if you thought it was just being rough, I should have checked first. That was my mistake. Should we stop or do you want to start again? This whole experience was teetering between sexy and extremely uncomfortable, but he mostly wanted to do right by Landon.

  I’m comfortable with starting again. He figured he’d start with a kind of do-over, and when he explained it, Landon agreed that it was a good idea.

  Landon moved back into his original position, moving visibly from teacher to sub, though of course he was still being both.

  Dustin took a deep breath, trying to put himself back into the scene. Landon was kneeling, waiting for the reprimand.

  This was your warning, he explained sternly, his heart racing and his cock painfully pressing against his jeans. You are always to sign with me. You will not voice because you forget, which means that you will need to try harder. If you forget, I will be disappointed, and I will punish you. It was an empty threat, of course, but he’d wanted to try out the idea even if he felt a bit silly doing it out of context like this.

  Yes, Sir, Landon replied. His fingers fumbled a little, and Dustin
wondered if he thought this was just as awkward, or if he wasn’t used to the sign. He’d saluted with two fingers, like he was in the military, and while it was recognizable, it wasn’t really ASL. Come to think of it, Dustin wasn’t sure he’d ever seen a sign that meant something like “Sir,” even outside of a kinky context.

  Good boy, he signed in return. He also felt a bit funny signing “boy” like that. He’d heard it in porn, and definitely read blogs by people who identified as boys, but saying it in ASL was somehow weirder. People didn’t often refer to themselves as others by names or nicknames, even though he could understand the psychological impact of inserting it into conversations.

  This evening was turning out to be a lesson in all sorts of things that he hadn’t expected.

  Landon’s lips twitched. He was probably noticing how odd it all was, too.

  Dustin let himself smile, breaking the tension between them. This is a little weird, isn’t it?

  Landon shrugged and smiled. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to just start where we left off, but it’s OK to figure things out. You’re actually not doing any worse than a lot of first-time Doms.

  Thank you, Dustin said honestly. It’s funny seeing you go from sub to teacher. I like seeing both sides of you, though.

  For some reason, that elicited a blush and a shy smile. Did no one ever compliment Landon like this? For things that he was actually good at instead of just how he looked or what he could do with his body?

  Dustin vowed to find more ways to compliment him, for as long as this continued. No, not just more ways to compliment him. More ways to see him. More ways to let him know that he was being seen.

  You’re helping me feel a lot more comfortable with this. I’m sorry that I keep checking in. Hopefully I’ll have more confidence soon. He wasn’t going to mention why he felt so worried, beyond the stress of being in this weird situation. There was no need to burden Landon with it, or possibly even scare him. As long as he signed it should be fine.

  You’re beautiful in your submission, he added. It was true. And he meant it fervently.

  But he wasn’t surprised when Landon gave his practiced sultry smile in acknowledgement. That was the fake smile. Well, maybe not the fake smile, but the one that he gave automatically. Dustin wanted the other one more.

  He ran his hands down Landon’s arms, starting from his shoulders and then pulling his hands up until he held them gently in front of his chest. Landon deserved to be treasured, even if he was looking at him with a hint of confusion.

  Reluctantly, Dustin dropped his hands so they could converse. He’d thought he could get things started again, but he was struggling. Asking Landon for a blowjob now felt like it would be weird. I… Do you really want to continue?

  Landon nodded eagerly. Yes. Definitely. As long as you’re comfortable. How are you feeling?

  Dustin thought about bluffing, but he knew he needed to be honest with Landon as both his teacher and his sub. I’m feeling… pretty terrible at this. I know what I want, but I keep questioning myself. And I think I’m kind of in awe of you. Like, I can’t believe that I actually get to touch you and I’m afraid of messing it up.

  Landon touched his cheek gently. It felt like the first time that Landon was really seeing him and not just a Dom he was supposed to seduce or train.

  Dustin was dying to kiss him, but he still wasn’t sure if Landon would appreciate it.

  I also… he might as well admit it. I know that the Dom’s supposed to make the decisions, but I feel like it’s weird for me to decide what we do. I mostly want to know what you want so that I can give that to you. Does that make sense? Like, I want to be in control, but I want to give you something that you need instead of what I want.

  Landon pressed his fingers to his lips, an almost kiss. That was sweet. And I understand you perfectly. I don’t act as a Dom often, and when I do it’s almost entirely about giving the other person what they want.

  Dustin couldn’t believe how relieved he was to hear that. He knew that there were a lot of types of dominance, and it felt good to untangle a little thread of what he might be looking for. He felt more confident, too. So, could you maybe tell me what you’d like tonight?

  Landon raised his hands, an answer already on his fingertips.

  No, wait, don’t tell me yet. If he already knew what he wanted, that meant he hadn’t really thought about it. Even if it was his favorite, Dustin didn’t want him asking for it without thinking. He wanted this to be good for Landon. To reward him for being his teacher and give him something to remember.

  He paused, waiting for Landon’s full attention. Imagine that I’m not here yet. And imagine that this isn’t a lesson. You know that I’m about to arrive, and you’re visualizing what we might do tonight. What’s your fantasy? You can add things we won’t actually do, just tell me what you’d want. Like, if I knew what I was doing. Then we can go from there.

  He quickly held up one finger, interrupting before Landon could answer. Close your eyes, think about it, and then let me know.

  Landon obediently closed his eyes. It was weird and also intimate, kneeling on the floor together like this. He hadn’t even come close to the blowjob he’d intended, and he was still wearing all his clothes. But instead of feeling like a failure, he was starting to feel more confident.

  It was strange slipping in and out of negotiations and advice, but after that gentle press of Landon’s fingers to his lips, it felt like things were sliding into place.

  Dustin took a moment to watch Landon as he thought, enjoying the small smile that formed on his face. He was realizing that there were a lot of ways that he liked seeing Landon. He was so strong and bold, even when he submitted, which made it somehow more beautiful.

  Landon opened his eyes, lifting his hands eagerly.

  Dustin interrupted again. Don’t just say it. Tell me the story. Make me feel it.

  Landon’s eyes widened, and then he smiled. Like he knew that he was sexy and desired, but acting a little impish now. Everything in my fantasy? he asked.

  Everything, Dustin confirmed, though it hadn’t really been a question. Landon was just building it up.

  It would start when I opened the door. You’d notice what I was wearing, and you’d be so turned on that you couldn’t hold back. You’d throw me against the wall and start kissing me and groping me. And you’d still have all of your clothes on and I’d be nearly naked.

  Dustin groaned. That’s what I wanted to do, he confirmed. Thank fuck Landon had mentioned kissing, because he’d been watching those lips since they first met.

  And once Landon mentioned him staying dressed it put things in a completely different perspective. He’d felt like he was slow in getting undressed, like Landon was ahead of him. But keeping his clothes on purposefully, so that Landon felt more naked and exposed, was a powerful image.

  He motioned for Landon to go on, letting his desire show on his face.

  Then, you would drag me to the bedroom and cuff me to the bed frame. I’d be at your mercy.

  That’s right, Dustin agreed. He placed his hands on Landon’s naked thighs, evoking a gasp as Landon continued.

  And then, in my fantasy, you’d spank me until I was on the edge and then use the crop.

  Oh, fuck. That sounded amazing. He knew he had to practice before he used a crop, but he was fairly certain that he could spank Landon safely as long as he could see his face. He scratched his fingernails along Landon’s thighs, drawing out another gasp from him.

  But you wouldn’t let me come, Landon continued. You’d turn me over and stroke me, but you wouldn’t let me come. Landon’s eyes were merely slits now, and he leaned forward, imagining the situation.

  No, I wouldn’t, Dustin confirmed. Not until I say.

  Landon shivered and looked up at him beseechingly.

  What next? he prompted.

  Landon just turned his gorgeous gray eyes upward, the longing evident on his face.

  What? Dustin asked again, mor
e gently this time.

  You would… decide when I came, Landon finally answered.

  That sounded hot as fuck, but it was also confusing. Was that the end of the fantasy? He was so absorbed in the moment that it took him a minute to think it through. Landon didn’t sound like he was just talking about edging, which Dustin already knew that he personally loved doing to partners.

  It sounded like he was talking about orgasm denial.

  And if I said no?

  Landon shuddered, a full-body shudder. He wanted it badly.

  Then he gave Dustin that signature seductive grin, the one that Dustin was starting to realize he used when he was dodging. You’d have to give in eventually, right? I mean, it’s just tonight. So you’d let me come.

  No, that wasn’t what Landon wanted at all. Did he even know what he wanted? His words and his body said such different things.

  But Dustin was going to figure it out.

  Chapter 5

  Landon

  Landon put on a flirty smile, hoping that Dustin wouldn’t notice how he’d gotten caught up in the fantasy. In his mind, Dustin would spank him tonight, but not let him come. And then the next day, or maybe the day after…

  He’d never been in any sort of relationship where it could happen, so right now it was truly a daydream. There was just something so… intimate about the idea of giving someone that level of control. Hopefully Dustin wouldn’t pay too much attention to that, since he definitely wanted to come tonight.

  He hadn’t meant to mention that at all. He’d meant to keep the fantasy he’d described pretty typical while giving the evening some direction. This was a lesson.

  But then he’d gotten invested, somehow, said things he didn’t mean. There was just something about Dustin that kept throwing him off. It wasn’t that he was inexperienced with D/s--that part he’d expected. It was more that he kept trying to peek inside Landon’s mind.

  First with the conversation about the comic books. Landon could have gone on about the X-Men all day, and it seemed like Dustin would have listened. Landon would have been comfortable chatting about something else, like his niece and nephew, but that felt unexpectedly private.