by K. C. Wells
“PROBLEM sorted?” Alex asked anxiously on Leo’s return. He was very fond of Thomas, and the man had plainly been in some distress.
Leo gave him a reassuring smile. “Not sure what’s going on there, but he’ll talk about it when he’s ready.” Glacial blue eyes appraised him, and Alex felt a shiver run down his spine. Fuck, the way Leo could make him feel just by looking at him…. “Now, you asked me a question.”
Alex nodded, suddenly nervous.
Leo took a deep breath, taking Alex’s hand in his. “I like the idea of a contract,” he said at last, and Alex heaved an internal sigh of relief. Not that he’d ever doubted Leo’s commitment to him, but it was good to have confirmation Leo wanted the same thing. “But there’s something I feel I should say at this point.”
Alex caught his breath.
“You were my lover before you became my submissive,” Leo said quietly. “But I think we both agree the D/s element of our relationship is very important, even essential.”
Alex nodded eagerly. He couldn’t even begin to contemplate a relationship with Leo that didn’t involve them being Master and sub. It was as natural to him as breathing.
Leo looked down at their joined hands before raising his head to lock eyes with Alex.
Alex found the hairs on his arms suddenly standing upright. Uh-oh, there was that feeling again….
“So yes, while I agree that collaring you would be a sign of all we mean to each other, something I can definitely see happening in our future”—Alex’s chest constricted— “I had an altogether smaller symbol of our commitment in mind.” Leo raised Alex’s left hand to his lips and kissed the third finger softly before meeting Alex’s gaze once more. “I’m not about to put you on the spot, but I felt you should know where I was going with this.” He gazed steadily at Alex, who suddenly forgot about everyone and everything around them as Leo’s words sank in.
Oh. My. God. He wasn’t talking about…. Was he? Alex stared at Leo openmouthed. “You… you want to marry me?” Alex whispered. As Leo started to grin at him, warmth suffused Alex’s whole body and a feeling of sheer joy began to build inside him, bubbling up through every corner and crevice, filling him entirely.
The peal of the bells from the nearby cathedral shattered the moment, as did the sound of fireworks being let off in the city center. Shouts of “Happy New Year!” rang out in the club, and Alex and Leo were immediately surrounded by men hugging them warmly as glasses clinked and best wishes were exchanged.
When the tumult died down, Leo took him into his arms, putting his lips close to Alex’s ear. “Happy New Year, boy. A new year, and a new beginning, for both of us.” Leo kissed him on the cheek before taking his mouth in a soft, tender kiss, so sublimely sweet, it took Alex’s breath away. “I love you, Alex Daniels.”
Alex stared into Leo’s beautiful blue eyes and smiled. “I love you, Leo Hart. And since you haven’t asked me yet, I’m not going to give you an answer.” He paused, his eyes gleaming mischievously. “But just so you know, when you do finally get around to asking? The answer will be yes.”
Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way.
K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….
K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career.
The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.
And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer…and longer….
K.C. loves to hear from readers.
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: http://www.kcwellsworld.com
By K.C. WELLS
A Bond of Three
Love Lessons Learned
Waiting For You
Collars & Cuffs
An Unlocked Heart
Trusting Thomas
With Parker Williams: Someone to Keep Me
A Dance with Domination
With Parker Williams: Damian’s Discipline
Learning to Love
Michael & Sean
Evan & Daniel
Josh & Chris
Final Exam
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
For Bob, my love.
IT WAS early October. The clawing heat of a DC summer had finally given way to a glorious cool crisp autumn evening. I had been out with a big group of friends, which had dwindled to four as the night wore on. My friend Curt was one of the four, and he made a call for the remaining partiers to head over to Club Indigo in Dupont Circle. Curt was gay and was probably horny and ready to play. The rest of us were just tipsy enough to go along with him and have another drink or two before climbing into taxis to take us back across the river to Georgetown and our humble apartment near the university.
I’d been with Curt to clubs and gay bars on occasion. I just figured he was always willing to hang with us at sports bars and local straight haunts, so why not return the favor and keep him company? Besides, he was schnockered that night, and we agreed he needed adult supervision until we could persuade him to go home.
There was a small line at the club entrance. It felt invigorating to stand out in the cool autumn night and drink in the fresh air for a minute. I remember thinking it was a good thing the line was short or we would have set aside our kind intentions to keep Curt company. The atmosphere was definitely different in that part of town. It had a vibe all its own. And at one in the morning, the streets on and near the Circle belonged to the gays. Curt happily pointed out the leather daddies, twinks, and just plain hunky guys as we waited. I was amused, but I could tell Dave and Jason were uncomfortable and beginning to regret our impetuousness.
We paid the cover, and three of us headed toward the bar while Curt made a beeline for the main dance floor. The sound inside the club was deafening. The music had a jungle-like beat I could feel vibrate through my entire body. And the lights were a flashing display of color, making it difficult to focus unless you were inches away from whomever you were trying to get close to. A drink would help. I ordered a vodka soda and then made my way through the crowd to a short set of stairs leading to the dance floor below. I figured the height would allow me to scope out Curt while I waited for Dave and Jason to pick up our drinks.
Someone brushed past me in his effort to move from the bar area down to the main dance floor. He danced around me near the floor’s edge as though he was trying to make his way toward center stage. There was something in the way he moved that caught my eye. He was liquid and sure in his movements, and I could see from the hot stares of the crowd around me that I wasn’t the only one mesmerized. His hair was black in the dark club, but I couldn’t clearly see what he looked like unless I moved down toward the main level. I looked back toward the bar and saw Dave hand signal that he was still waiting for the drinks. I gave him a brief nod and then found myself moving down the steps. I didn’t intend to follow this guy, but I wanted to see his small, lithe body move up close.
I had lost him in the crowd of sweaty, scantily clad, sexy men gyrating to a Lady Gaga song, and was about to turn back to the bar when I caught sight of him a second time. The light was better where I stood, and as I got my first good look at him, my breath literally caught in my chest. I had never seen anyone, male or female, so beautiful in my life. His hair was so dark it may as well have been black. He swung hi
s hands above his head, and his long, straight bangs fell into his right eye as his head fell forward. His hips never stopped moving. He was wearing clothes meant to show his body to perfection: tight dark jeans and a tight fire-engine red V-neck T-shirt. He was much shorter than my own six one. I guessed him to be about five eight, tops. He seemed a bit on the thin side, but toned, as though he spent some time in the gym.
I watched as he opened his eyes and leaned in closer to hear something a boy dancing near him said. He smiled at the boy and then turned to look directly at me.
I swear the noise and vibrations of the club went suddenly silent. Men may have been dancing, talking, laughing above the din of the music, but in my head it was quiet. Crazy, right? He was still staring in my direction, but my feet wouldn’t move. Should I be moving toward him, away from him? I was paralyzed. He made the decision for me. In an instant he was inches away from me, and I could see I had been completely correct. This guy was stunning.
I guess some backstory about me might be helpful. I was twenty-four and finishing law school at Georgetown while interning at a prestigious law firm downtown. I was hoping to be hired when I graduated in the spring next year. I had a great group of friends who were largely struggling students like me. All of us, for the most part, had great educations and were hopeful to find real jobs in a crappy economy.
Oh… and I had a girlfriend. I was straight. Didn’t I mention that?
I couldn’t remember ever feeling so drawn to anyone, though, and the partial truth was that I was more than half-drunk. So I decided to not question what it meant to be a straight guy dancing with a gay man. I decided go with the flow. This was something I could blame on Curt if it ever got thrown in my face. You’re supposed to dance at dance clubs, and really, that was all I was doing. So what if the guy I was dancing with was smoking hot?
I didn’t have any recriminating thoughts going through my head while we were dancing. I was truly mesmerized. I had never seen anyone who could move like this guy. He was seriously sexy. His hips never stopped, and his hands were in constant motion. I wondered, strangely, if he was a hand talker. I wondered what his voice sounded like. Now that I was so close to him, I could see he was of Latin decent, which made me wonder where he was from and if he spoke with an accent. I wondered how old he was and if he was attached. Geez, maybe his boyfriend was an old geezer who liked watching his hot young thing dance with other men, or maybe he was outside for a smoke and I was going to get my ass kicked when he returned and found me drooling over his guy. Sure, I would explain that I was straight, and he’d get a huge laugh at the straight guy who couldn’t take his eyes off his lover.
I admit a lot of stupid thoughts crashed and collided in my head as we moved closely on the overcrowded dance floor. It was as though I could tell this first meeting was something out of the ordinary. I’d had those moments before, but never with a person. For instance, I remember receiving acceptance letters from Columbia and Georgetown Law Schools and knowing instinctively that Georgetown was where I would go. I was not a “go by the seat of your pants, let fate take you where it will” kind of a guy. I was a planner. A methodical planner at times. However, I’d learned to trust my gut.
As I did my best to not embarrass myself on the floor with my superior dance partner, I also tried to remind myself to stay in my buzz-addled happy place and to not overthink. This was just a lark. A bit of fun before finally heading home for the night and dealing with the inevitable hangover in the morning.
Our difference in height should have been awkward. I was easily five inches taller than him. Where he was slender and fine-boned, I was broad shouldered and built like the former college quarterback I was. However, I got the impression he could have danced with anyone and no one would notice his partner, no matter how good-looking they were. And although I knew I was considered better than average looking, he was extraordinary.
The lights dimmed and the beat slowed dramatically, but I caught my partner’s incredible smile as he signaled me to follow him and made a get-a-drink motion. I kept close to him as we exited the floor without actually touching him, although I was very aware that my fingers itched to curl into his belt loops and draw my hand along the olive skin exposed just above his low-waisted jeans.
We made it to the main bar, and I watched him wiggle his way with a breathtaking smile or a gentle touch as he pushed through the three-person-deep line to make his way to the front and placed himself right in front of a bartender who was seemingly just delivering his last order. He looked back at me and smiled again. I gave him a little wave, but was suddenly feeling a bit silly. What was I doing? I took a minute to glance around the club, trying to spot my buddies in the mass of bodies. I guessed Curt was dancing, but I would have bet Dave and Jason were somewhere near the bar. I thought I spotted them but was distracted by a hand on my forearm.
“Hey. I didn’t know what you drank, so I just got two kamikazes. Cheers!”
He leaned in to speak in my ear as he handed the glass over. No foreign accent, I mused. A nice voice, though, and a fucking heart-stopping smile. His eyes positively seemed to light up when he gave that beautiful smile, and although I couldn’t ever remember noticing such a thing before, I wanted to tell him so. I wanted to say, “Wow, you have the nicest smile, you have the most gorgeous eyes, you must be the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.” Thankfully, I didn’t embarrass myself quite that badly. Instead, I took the offered glass and returned his smile.
“Thanks. That was really nice of you.”
Okay. That was lame. But I was practically tongue-tied. I didn’t know what to say or how to act suddenly. It was like I was a freshman in high school trying to make time with a varsity cheerleader. Only the same-sex version. Luckily, he saved me.
“I haven’t seen you here before. First time?”
“Yeah. You come here often?”
I did not just say that.
Oh boy. I needed to make an exit or be saved by one of my friends fast. I was a drowning man. I wanted to blame it on the alcohol, but I think I realized it was just me. I was really nervous. Ugh!
He didn’t laugh at me, though. He just gave me a small grin and sipped his drink. I noticed the way his straight black hair fell into his eyes, and I felt a very real impulse to brush it away for him. I watched him swing his head back and use only his thumb to tame his bangs. Strangely, I found the movement graceful.
“Often enough, I guess. What’s your name?”
“Matt. You?”
“Aaron.”
“Nice to meet you, Aaron. Thank you for the drink.”
“You’re welcome. Don’t be offended, but I have to ask. You seem a little out of your comfort zone…. Are you here on a bet?”
I think I almost spit up half my kamikaze, but I managed to swallow it at the last second. Nice save.
“Ha! Actually I’m here with some friends. Total free-willing participants. It’s great here,” I added, “just loud.”
I know I am a former jock and probably look the type. I stay fit and eat right, for the most part. However, I’m not and never have been a stereotypical beer-guzzling, good-time party jock who probably got hit one too many times playing ball in college. I have a brain and can usually hold my end of a decent conversation. Why not tonight?
“Whoa! We have been looking for you, man!” Well, here was my escape. I could see Jason and Dave making their way from the other end of the packed bar toward Aaron and me.
Aaron noticed my buddies too. He looked over my right shoulder as they approached and then leaned up to say something in my left ear, gesturing at the same time for me to come down to his height.
“Nice to meet you, Matt.”
And then he kissed my cheek and turned back toward the dance floor. I was shocked, which was a little silly, but I hadn’t expected the kiss. I felt like I’d been cheated a bit. I wanted him to come back and do it again. Maybe this time I’d move my head and he’d catch my lips instead.
He quickly
disappeared into the sea of gyrating bodies, thumping music, and flashing lights. I nodded to my friends, who I was sure hadn’t seen the kiss, and followed them outside.
We gave a collective sigh as we breathed in the first bit of cool early morning DC air. It felt great to be outside after fighting the press of people inside the busy club.
“Hey, Matt, who’s your boyfriend?” Dave teased. Jason was flagging down a taxi, but he heard Dave and had to add his own jab.
“Kinda hot, Matt. Should we warn Kristin she’s got some competition?” Jason jeered.
“Ha-ha,” I replied in my best deadpan voice. “Where’s Curt? Are we leaving him here?”
“Said he found a hot date. Let’s go. My buzz is fading, and I’d like to be back in hetero land before it’s gone and I’m sober, wondering what the fuck I’m doing at a gay club on a Saturday night,” Dave groused.
I barely remember the cab ride home, but the hangover I’d expected the following day did not disappoint. I’m fairly certain I woke up at noon, downed some aspirin, and chased it with a sports drink before I parked myself on my sofa in front of the big screen television to watch a day’s worth of football. Dave and Curt were my roommates. They were in the same state as me, and we were likeminded in our quest for football, greasy food, and a little hair of the dog that afternoon. Jason lived nearby with his girlfriend, Chelsea. They were a serious couple. We all joked that Jase’s night out with us had cost him the next day with both a hangover and a girl to nag at him about how much football a guy could possibly watch. Poor bastard.
I know there is an elephant in the room. I said I had a girlfriend. What was the deal?
Her name was Kristin. She was finishing her undergrad at Georgetown. We’d met about a year ago at a party somewhere near campus. Sweet, pretty, and not terribly demanding of my time, she was the perfect girlfriend for me. We called each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but I think it was almost more of an acknowledgement that we had barely any time for our classes, internships, and friends, let alone screwing around, even with each other. The sheer convenience of a date and sex when we were able to get together was probably the biggest reason we were together at all.
