hatter, so I—”
“No, Ruben. Absolutely not.” Duncan made sure his voice was confident and adamant as he interjected. “EP—and I to a greater extent—still wish to work with you. If that is something you’re willing to do. You have such amazing talent. I know we… um, I would be at a loss without your wonderful imagination. Every picture from you just warms my heart. Every time.”
Finally, Ruben looked up. In fact, he was staring at Duncan, wide-eyed and astonished. “R-really…?”
Duncan smiled in relief. “Yes. Absolutely.”
The tension in Ruben’s body eased visibly as he smiled, letting out long breaths as if he’d been holding air in. “I’ll go get it.” He jumped up and ran out of the room. The scent of bamboo and orange blossoms wafted Duncan’s way, and he wondered if that was from Ruben’s shampoo or soap or aftershave. In any case, he sure liked it.
When Ruben came back, he had a mock-up in his hands. He handed it over to Duncan.
The image was that of a man, bent over in a twisted fashion so his muscles bulged, his back arched, and his body appeared taut, as if in pain. You couldn’t see his face. He had a black collar with protruding spikes around his neck. Every nuance of skin tone, every shape of light and shadow, every emotion and sensation had been captured by the artist, giving it the feel of a zoomed-in scene where in the dark around the male subject, unknown, thrilling, even dangerous actions were taking place.
Duncan stared at the picture, enraptured. Ruben had managed to fit the whole BDSM theme of the book in the cover. The distorted figure could have been in agonizing pain or caught in the heights of pleasure. That dualism of possibilities was what gave the picture its potency.
He knew at that moment he was head over heels in love with the creator.
“Jesus, Ruben….” Duncan was at a loss for words, unable to look away.
“Is something wrong with it?” Ruben asked shyly, concerned.
Duncan snorted and shook his head. “It’s perfect.” He looked up at the beautiful boy in front of him, and the urge to yank him into his lap grew exponentially. His self-control was waning fast. “So, this is ready? I can take it with me?”
Ruben nodded, biting his bottom lip and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Yes. I’ll e-mail the rest of the mock-ups. I’ve already scanned the picture onto the laptop, so I can send over several sizes.”
Duncan couldn’t stop staring. Ruben was utterly captivating. He seemed so small, lost in clothes too big for him, fragile and in need of sheltering. Yet there must have been more to him. After all, his wild imaginings spoke of eyes that saw the wonders of the world, and more. Duncan longed to set that part of Ruben free.
Ruben stared back, then started blinking, as if unsure. Squirming, he finally sat back down on the couch. Something seemed to be on his mind. “D-did you go see my brother?”
Duncan didn’t wish to be dishonest, so he nodded. “Yes, I did.” He put the drawing on the couch beside him, leaned his elbows on his knees, and locked gazes with Ruben. “Please, I hope you can forgive my intrusion. I guess I only sought some confirmation I hadn’t hurt you—”
“Hurt me?” Ruben cocked his head, confused.
“By prying. By, um, forcing us to meet in person.” As intrigued as Duncan was about Ruben, he felt bad for pushing the boy past his limits. “I mean, I don’t even know your orientation, but I still spoke out of line.”
Ruben bit his bottom lip. “Y-you mean when you said you were attracted to me?” As Duncan nodded, Ruben’s eyes clouded, and he looked like a whipped dog. “So… you didn’t mean it?”
Duncan sighed and rubbed his forehead. He’d been in relationships before, but for the first time he felt lost as to what to do. “I… I am gay, Ruben, and I am attracted to you. But I would never do anything inappropriate or go against your will.” He wasn’t so sure that
“No, Ruben. Absolutely not.” Duncan made sure his voice was confident and adamant as he interjected. “EP—and I to a greater extent—still wish to work with you. If that is something you’re willing to do. You have such amazing talent. I know we… um, I would be at a loss without your wonderful imagination. Every picture from you just warms my heart. Every time.”
Finally, Ruben looked up. In fact, he was staring at Duncan, wide-eyed and astonished. “R-really…?”
Duncan smiled in relief. “Yes. Absolutely.”
The tension in Ruben’s body eased visibly as he smiled, letting out long breaths as if he’d been holding air in. “I’ll go get it.” He jumped up and ran out of the room. The scent of bamboo and orange blossoms wafted Duncan’s way, and he wondered if that was from Ruben’s shampoo or soap or aftershave. In any case, he sure liked it.
When Ruben came back, he had a mock-up in his hands. He handed it over to Duncan.
The image was that of a man, bent over in a twisted fashion so his muscles bulged, his back arched, and his body appeared taut, as if in pain. You couldn’t see his face. He had a black collar with protruding spikes around his neck. Every nuance of skin tone, every shape of light and shadow, every emotion and sensation had been captured by the artist, giving it the feel of a zoomed-in scene where in the dark around the male subject, unknown, thrilling, even dangerous actions were taking place.
Duncan stared at the picture, enraptured. Ruben had managed to fit the whole BDSM theme of the book in the cover. The distorted figure could have been in agonizing pain or caught in the heights of pleasure. That dualism of possibilities was what gave the picture its potency.
He knew at that moment he was head over heels in love with the creator.
“Jesus, Ruben….” Duncan was at a loss for words, unable to look away.
“Is something wrong with it?” Ruben asked shyly, concerned.
Duncan snorted and shook his head. “It’s perfect.” He looked up at the beautiful boy in front of him, and the urge to yank him into his lap grew exponentially. His self-control was waning fast. “So, this is ready? I can take it with me?”
Ruben nodded, biting his bottom lip and shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Yes. I’ll e-mail the rest of the mock-ups. I’ve already scanned the picture onto the laptop, so I can send over several sizes.”
Duncan couldn’t stop staring. Ruben was utterly captivating. He seemed so small, lost in clothes too big for him, fragile and in need of sheltering. Yet there must have been more to him. After all, his wild imaginings spoke of eyes that saw the wonders of the world, and more. Duncan longed to set that part of Ruben free.
Ruben stared back, then started blinking, as if unsure. Squirming, he finally sat back down on the couch. Something seemed to be on his mind. “D-did you go see my brother?”
Duncan didn’t wish to be dishonest, so he nodded. “Yes, I did.” He put the drawing on the couch beside him, leaned his elbows on his knees, and locked gazes with Ruben. “Please, I hope you can forgive my intrusion. I guess I only sought some confirmation I hadn’t hurt you—”
“Hurt me?” Ruben cocked his head, confused.
“By prying. By, um, forcing us to meet in person.” As intrigued as Duncan was about Ruben, he felt bad for pushing the boy past his limits. “I mean, I don’t even know your orientation, but I still spoke out of line.”
Ruben bit his bottom lip. “Y-you mean when you said you were attracted to me?” As Duncan nodded, Ruben’s eyes clouded, and he looked like a whipped dog. “So… you didn’t mean it?”
Duncan sighed and rubbed his forehead. He’d been in relationships before, but for the first time he felt lost as to what to do. “I… I am gay, Ruben, and I am attracted to you. But I would never do anything inappropriate or go against your will.” He wasn’t so sure that
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