a mask. You’re not.”
“I want to stop worrying about everyone.” Noah squeezed his hand and leaned close. “Even if it’s just for a few hours a week, I want the freedom to do things that make me happy.”
“I can help you with that.”
“So how do we start?”
“We already have.” Ronan grinned. “Now, tell me what you want me to do to you.”
Noah dropped his gaze.
“You have to tell me. This isn’t going to be pleasurable for you if I guess, because I will undoubtedly guess wrong.” Ronan squeezed his hand. “If it makes it easier, you can tell me how you want to feel. For example, when I put your bag in the bike, I’m pretty sure I felt spreader bars.”
Noah blushed.
“Would you like to be bound where you can’t move at all, or would you like to have a little freedom?”
“I’d like to be able to move a bit. If it was too tight, it might be scary.”
“Okay. Are you standing up, sitting down, or bent over something?”
Noah closed his eyes. “I’m bent over a table.”
“Spreader bars on your ankles?”
Noah nodded.
“Do you want to be penetrated?”
Noah’s face scrunched up as if he were in pain. “I do, but I don’t want it to hurt.”
“I’m not ever going to hurt you.” Slowly, by sitting still, holding his hand, and asking detailed questions, Ronan got down the parameters of Noah’s first scene. They settled on a safe word—Constantinople—and details on what each of them would wear and say.
Ronan wasn’t surprised that he became aroused. He usually did during the negotiation phase, especially when his submissive wanted something that blended very well with his own desires. What was different with Noah was the level of Ronan’s arousal. Watching Noah talk with his eyes closed allowed Ronan to examine his face in detail. His blush bloomed and faded, but he kept going. His desire finally overrode his fear and would eventually crush his shame. Each time they hit on an aspect that Noah wasn’t clear about, he would bite his lower lip, showing off straight white teeth and a luscious pink tongue.
“What about you?” Noah slowly opened his eyes, his concerned gaze searching Ronan’s face.
“What about me?”
“Don’t you need something from this?”
“I’m going to thoroughly enjoy watching you struggle not only against the bonds but your own desire to climax.”
Noah shivered. “You won’t give in easily, will you?”
“I’ll push you, but not too hard. Not your first time. But that’s part of what I enjoy. I like testing limits.” Leaning close, Ronan whispered, “You’ll want to come so badly, but I won’t let you.”
“No?”
“Not until you beg me.”
Another shiver made Noah clutch at Ronan’s hand almost as if he were falling. “When do we start?”
Chapter Six
“Now.” Ronan stood, and since Noah was holding his hand, he rose, too.
“Now?” Adrenaline slammed into his body, making him shake.
“If you need more time, don’t be afraid to ask. We can sit right back down and talk more. Or we can go out to eat or anything you’d like.”
“I…no. I don’t want to wait. I’m afraid if I don’t do this now, I never will.”
“Just remember we can stop at any time.”
“Constantinople.”
“Why that word?” Ronan released Noah’s hand, making him feel momentarily lost. “You came up with it right away.”
“When I was reading about scenes, all the information said that it was important to have a good safe word, one that wouldn’t come up by accident. I figured that word hardly ever gets used.”
“It’s perfect.” Ronan laughed and then turned away. “Grab your bag and follow me.”
Swallowing hard, Noah did as instructed. He was shaking so hard he was afraid he would shatter if he fell. He took a deep breath and applied all the techniques he’d read about online to lower his anxiety level. As he was following Ronan toward the back of the house, the one thing he wasn’t nervous about was Ronan.
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