Dangerous Games

by Claire Thompson

  He was into Reese, so what was the issue here? Why was he keeping his mouth pressed shut like a Catholic schoolgirl? If his desire was to make Reese want it more, he was succeeding. It was no longer just about the bet. He wanted to kiss Luca, and he wanted to do it properly.

  Reese pressed closer, gliding his fingers over the stiff erection in Luca’s shorts. He was rock hard. Reese’s cock responded in kind, swelling even more in his jeans. As he started to slip his hand into the waistband of Luca’s shorts, Luca reared back. Reese’s eyes flew open in surprise. Luca’s eyes were wide, his face flushed, his chest rising and falling. Jesus, was he having a heart attack or something?

  “What?” Reese demanded, confused. “What is it? Are you okay?”

  “No,” Luca replied breathlessly. He wrapped his arms protectively around his torso. “No,” he repeated, angling his body away from Reese. “I’m sorry. I c-c-can’t do this.”

  “Huh? You can’t do what? Kiss me? Why not?”

  For the first time, it occurred to him Luca might have a lover. It seemed unlikely—the guy was clearly a social misfit. But so were half the programmers at Strata, so maybe they hooked up with each other during breaks from their strategic war games on their PCs. Whatever was happening, Luca was definitely skittish, a deer in the headlights look on his handsome face.

  Reese blew out a breath as he fought to regain control and maintain his composure. His lips actually ached with the need to touch Luca’s mouth again. Damn it, who was seducing whom here? Forcing himself to speak calmly, he asked gently, “Is there someone else?”

  Luca looked momentarily startled, but then he shook his head. “No. No one. No one else. I’m sorry. It’s j-j-just… It’s-it’s-it’s…” He pressed his lips together, frustration moving over his face. He grimaced. That stutter thing had to be really annoying, though, in a way, Reese was finding it kind of cute. The stutter definitely became worse when Luca was nervous or agitated.

  Luca swallowed and tried again. “Whatever is g-g-going on here, it’s m-m-moving too fast.”

  God, he was so fucking sweet. Was it possible this twenty-something guy was still a virgin? Reese couldn’t remember the last time someone had hesitated when he’d made a move on them. But then, the other guys he hooked up with were usually strangers with the same agenda, guys who hung out at bars and clubs not to find love, but conquest.

  “Too fast?” Reese repeated. “Too fast for what?” He reached out to touch Luca’s folded arms, but Luca pulled away. Dropping his hand back to his lap, Reese continued gently, “Luca, I’m really attracted to you. I think you’re attracted to me.” He glanced at the erection still visible in Luca’s shorts. “Are you a…is this your first—”

  Luca jumped to his feet, his color rising. “No,” he snapped. He compressed his lips into a flat line, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “I’m sorry, Reese. This j-j-just doesn’t feel right. I’ve been b-b-burned before. I j-j-just need to t-take a little more time.”

  Reese was taken aback, Luca’s words hitting him like a slap in the face. What the hell was he doing? Luca was a real person, not some toy to be tossed around by him and Hank. Why had he agreed to this stupid bet?

  Because he really, really needed the damned money. He couldn’t bear the possibility of failure, of crawling back to Hank’s father and begging for his old job back. He couldn’t stand the thought of Hank’s smug I told you so’s, not when he was so close to his initial goal.

  It would be the last time, he silently swore, no matter how much cash Hank dangled in front of him. And maybe there was a way to win the bet without hurting Luca. After all, he never had to know.

  But you’ll know, a tiny voice whispered in Reese’s head. He tried to ignore it. There was too much at stake.

  He got to his feet as he met Luca’s anguished gaze. There was time. He didn’t need to rush Luca. He didn’t want to hurt him. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to move so fast. I only came here to apologize for my behavior at lunch. I guess I just got…carried away.”

  Luca’s too-long hair had flopped back over his eyes, and he pushed it back with both hands. “I really l-l-like you, Reese. I’m j-j-just not one of those guys who j-j-jumps into bed. It m-m-matters too much to me, I guess.” He met Reese’s gaze. “I hope you unders-s-stand.”

  “Of course,” Reese said, surprised not so much at Luca’s reluctance as at his own capitulation. Normally, when he was working a seduction to win a bet, he gave it all he had. If a guy hesitated for whatever reason, Reese would do everything he could to ease him back into his comfort zone. Then he would slowly amp up the seduction, not stopping until he had his prey right where he wanted him. This time, with this particular man, Reese found himself unwilling to apply his usual tactics. As much as he needed the cash, maybe no amount of money was worth that kind of deception. He smiled at Luca and held out his hand for a shake. “Still friends?”

  Luca nodded and took his hand, finally managing a smile. “Yes. Absolutely.”

  “Maybe we could get together tomorrow. Go on a hike or something? Do you like to hike?”

  Luca’s hunched shoulders relaxed, an actual smile appearing on his face, though whether it was anticipation of their next meeting or relief that Reese had stepped back wasn’t clear. “I’d l-l-love to, but I have a m-m-meeting in the afternoon Robert wants me to sit in on. A conference call with a client in C-C-Canada.”

  “On a Saturday?”

  Luca shrugged. “They’re having s-s-some s-s-significant issues with the program we designed for them. Apparently, their IT guy thought he could improve on it and now the thing’s malfunctioned. As head developer, Robert wants me in on the c-c-call.”

  “What time’s the call?”

  “Three o’clock.”

  “That’s no problem. There are lots of great hikes less than thirty minutes from here. I could pick you up at eight. That would give us plenty of time. We could head over to Lookout Mountain. You ever been there?”

  Luca shook his head. “I haven’t done m-m-much hiking since I came to town.”

  “It’ll be fun. I’ll have you back in plenty of time for the meeting. I promise.” Reese held his breath, startled at how much he wanted Luca to say yes, not because of the stupid bet, but because he wanted to see him again.

  “Okay.” Luca nodded and smiled, and Reese blew out his breath in relief.

  “Great. We’ll keep it short. We can ride up all the way to the Windy Saddle trailhead. From there it’s only like a mile to the summit. It’s kind of a steep climb, but nothing too strenuous. And the views at the top are worth it. We could pick up some breakfast on the way to take with us.”

  “That s-s-sounds g-g-great,” Luca said. “Thank you.”

  Reese wasn’t sure exactly what he was being thanked for—inviting Luca on a hike or respecting his need to take things slower. He decided not to ask.

  At the front door of Luca’s apartment, Reese turned back and placed his hand on Luca’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. He didn’t want to leave, and not just because of the bet. He caught Luca in his gaze, willing him to come closer, to reach for Reese and beg him to stay.

  Instead, Luca took a step back, and Reese’s hand fell away. “Night,” he said.

  Reese forced himself to smile. “See you tomorrow.” Then he strode toward his bike, not allowing himself to look back.

  Reese had planned to drive straight back to his apartment, but his brain had shifted to autopilot, and he found himself pulling up to the guard’s house at the gate of Hank’s fancy community.

  “Is Mr. Seeley expecting you, sir?” the guard asked politely. He no longer asked for any identification, since Reese came by often enough that he knew him by sight.

  “No. I’m just stopping by.” It was quite possible Hank wasn’t even home, since it was a Friday night, and he knew Reese was trying to win the bet.

  “I’ll just give him a quick call, sir, to let him know you’re here.”

  Reese sat patiently on his mo
torcycle, idly thrumming the engine while the guard disappeared into the small guardhouse to place his call. A moment later, he stuck his head out the door. “He says to come on through.”

  “Thanks.”

  The visitor gate swung slowly inward. Reese rode along the wide, tree-lined streets until he got to Hank’s house, a two-story glass and stone affair with a three-car garage. Julio, Hank’s latest houseboy or butler or twink on the side or whatever the hell he was, opened the door with a smile. He was Latino, with incongruously dyed white-blond hair, dark eyes and olive skin, his frame slight but well-muscled. As usual, he was shirtless and barefoot, wearing only white linen pants with a drawstring waist. “Mr. Reese, que pasa? Mr. Hank says to go on back. He’s in the game room.”

  “Thanks, Julio.”

  Reese walked through the tastefully decorated, high-ceilinged front room filled with white furniture, original modern art and a huge glass window that looked out on a breathtaking mountain view. When he entered the game room, Hank was bent over his pool table, executing a complex shot. He was wearing a black T-shirt over distressed slim-fit black jeans with artfully placed rips. It was Hank’s idea of casual loungewear, though Reese knew for a fact those jeans had set Hank back seven hundred fifty ridiculous dollars at Saks Fifth Avenue on a recent trip to New York City. A lock of dark hair fell rakishly over one eye and the tip of his tongue was just visible between his lips as he concentrated on his shot.

  The cue ball clicked against its target, sending the second ball careening across the pool table and into the desired hole. Hank straightened with a satisfied expression on his face. He looked up at Reese, standing in the doorway.

  “Reese, darling,” he drawled. From his tone, Reese could tell he’d been drinking. “Don’t tell me that you already have the video? My, my. That was fast work.”

  Reese shook his head. “Not yet. These things take a little finesse, you know. It’s not like hooking up in the back room at Roy’s.” Roy’s was a notorious pickup joint on Colfax Avenue downtown.

  Hank bared his teeth in what passed for a smile as he tapped his Rolex. “Times a-wastin’. If you miss the deadline…”

  “Don’t worry,” Reese snapped. “The play is in motion.”

  “Glad to hear it. I’m looking forward to the recorded blow by blow.” He waggled his eyebrows comically to emphasize the pun.

  “Haha,” Reese replied sourly. Why had he come there tonight?

  Hank set his custom-made pool cue into the rack on the wall and walked toward Reese. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got a lovely new toy I want to try out, and as adorable as he is, Julio just doesn’t get the whole BDSM thing.”

  Reese opened his mouth to say he wasn’t in the mood, but the truth was, a rough scene with Hank might be just what he needed to take the edge off. That kiss with Luca had done something to him. Which was crazy, because all they’d basically done was press their lips together.

  Maybe it wasn’t the kiss itself, but Luca’s reaction to it, and, more to the point, his own reaction. He’d initially gone into this thing with the sole intent of seducing the dude, getting the video footage he needed and then wiping his hands of the whole affair. True, he’d still have to work in the same office with Luca, but he was a sales rep and Luca hid in his cubicle all day, head bent over his keyboard, so it would have been fairly easy to avoid him.

  But first at lunch and again at Luca’s place, he’d been thrown for a loop. That kiss still burned on his lips, as ridiculous as that sounded. And his cock still tingled with the memory of the feel of Luca’s warm skin, the muscles rippling on his thigh as Reese had run his hand along it. Luca had been hard and ready, and so had he. His mouth actually watered at the memory of Luca’s hard shaft beneath his fingers for the few seconds Luca had allowed it. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining what it would be like to suck that cock, to take it deep into his throat and milk it until Luca was gasping with pleasure, begging for release…

  “Is that look for me?” Hank said, a lazy smile moving over his handsome face. “It’s been too long since I had you on your knees, boy.”

  He took Reese’s face in his hands and kissed him roughly on the mouth, biting at Reese’s lower lip and then thrusting his tongue proprietarily into Reese’s mouth. Reese tolerated it for a few moments and then pulled away. He didn’t want kisses. He didn’t want Hank. But he did want distraction.

  “What’s this new toy you got?” he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “Ah. Got you intrigued, eh? Follow me, boy. All will soon be revealed.”

  They left the game room and went up the back stairway to the second floor. Hank’s bedroom was as large as Reese’s entire studio apartment. It was L-shaped, with a huge bed set in a black lacquered frame low to the ground, covered in black silk. But Hank didn’t stop at the bedroom, striding instead down the hallway to the guest bedroom, which also served as a BDSM playroom.

  There was a bed there, along with a portable bondage suspension frame and a spanking bench. Hank kept his cache of BDSM toys in an Art Deco wardrobe that contained shelves on one side and a bar on the other with hooks for hanging his various whips and floggers. He moved to the wardrobe and took out a heavy flogger, which suited Reese. He could use some erotic pain to whip the feverish thoughts from his mind.

  Hank dropped the flogger to the spanking bench, pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. Picking up the flogger, he faced Reese with a sadistic gleam in his dark eyes. “Strip for me, boy.”

  Reese unbuttoned his shirt and laid it on the end of the bed. He pulled off his boots and socks and shucked his jeans and underwear. His cock, not yet fully erect, was showing some signs of life. He stroked it as he asked again, “So…this new toy? Where is it?”

  “Patience, dear boy. Patience.” Hank flashed him a grin. Reese bit back a sigh of irritation. He didn’t want games just now. He wanted mind-numbing obliterating sex.

  “First, you have to be properly restrained.” Hank moved toward the suspension frame. “Raise your arms so I can lock you into the cuffs.”

  Reese stood under the frame and lifted his arms to the straps dangling at its apex. Using the stepstool he kept nearby for the purpose, Hank climbed up and reached for Reese’s wrists.

  Reese blew out a breath of relief as the Velcro restraints closed around him. This was what he needed right now—for someone else to run the show.

  Hank went to the wardrobe again, this time removing a large, curved black phallus along with a tube of lubricant. “You’re going to love this, babe,” he asserted. He came closer, holding the item up for Reese’s inspection. “It’s called The Bad Boy.” He pointed to the small donut of rubber at one end. “This is the cock ring to hold it in place, and this”—he flicked the curved black silicone shaft—“goes up that tight little ass of yours. It’s a prostate stimulator, and the reviews are glowing.”

  Reese’s sphincter clenched involuntarily at the thought of the imminent invasion. His prostate was especially sensitive and the right stimulation could make him come without his even having to touch his shaft.

  Hank squeezed a quantity of lube over the head of the phallus. “Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to slide the cock ring over your shaft and then shove this beauty up your ass. Then I’m going to turn it on. While it’s vibrating inside you, I’m going to flog you senseless. I won’t stop until you shoot your load. Then you’re going to thank me by sucking me off. Think you can handle it?”

  “Bring it on,” Reese said gruffly, his eyes fixed on the vibrator.

  Hank applied lubricant to the inside of the cock ring. Gripping Reese’s rapidly rising shaft in the other, he slid the ring over it until it fit snugly at the base. Hank’s rough handling, along with the pressure from the ring, caused Reese’s cock to reach full erection. The ring tightened pleasurably against his engorged shaft.

  Moving behind him, Hank pressed the bulbous head of the phallus between Reese’s ass cheeks. Despite his
earlier threat, he eased it gently inside, gliding it deeper until it made contact with Reese’s prostate.

  Reese groaned. “Yeah. That’s it,” he breathed.

  With an evil chuckle, Hank turned on the toy, instantly sending intense vibrations radiating through Reese’s groin. He closed his eyes, reveling in the sensations.

  He was jerked back to the moment by the first snapping bite of the flogger’s many leather tresses against his back. Hank had never gone in for slow buildups when it came to erotic pain, and while this had sometimes been an issue between them, now Reese was glad of it.

  Bring on the pain. Bring on the pleasure. Whip and fuck me until my mind shuts down.

  The flogger crashed against his ass, the welcome sting blending with the melting, shivery feeling of the vibrator deep inside him. Sweat broke out in his armpits and down his back. The flogger whipped over his skin, waking every nerve ending while the phallus drew him closer and closer to a shuddering climax.

  It wasn’t long before he was panting with the effort of staving off the orgasm, trying to make it last just a little longer. His skin was on fire from shoulders to thighs and his erect shaft bobbed with each stroke of the whip, its tip gooey with pre-come.

  Hank did something to the base of the vibrator and the sudden increased pulsing made Reese yelp as the sensations nearly overwhelmed him. He trembled uncontrollably, his balls tightening with anticipation.

  “Ah, god,” he cried out. “Fuck, yeah…”

  Ribbons of ejaculate shot out from his shaft as he shuddered and moaned, gripping hard at the chains above his wrist restraints. Hank continued to flog him as the vibrator milked the last drops from him. Finally spent, he sagged against the cuffs, letting them bear his weight as he tried to catch his breath. He blew out a ragged sigh of relief as the vibrations stopped and the phallus was pulled away.