Page 36 of Curious

He held out his hand. “It’s tomorrow, Jeremy. Are you ready for this?”

“I think so.” He took Owen’s hand and let him lead him into the living room. “I like your decorating style.”

Owen laughed. “I had to work with what we had on hand, but we needed the space.” His thumb caressed Jeremy’s palm. “I’m going to start out simple. Some teasing and touching while you’re cuffed to the bench. We’ll go from there.”

He was so busy staring at the bench and the black suede-and-leather cuffs lying on either end that it took him a moment to notice the television was on. An aroused, naked man was standing in his living room beside a workout bench and his lover.

His eyes narrowed in on the camera attached to his large screen. “Owen? What the hell is that?”

“I want you to be able to see everything I’m doing to you. You’re an artist and a man. I thought you’d appreciate the visual.”

Jeremy swallowed. He wasn’t wrong. “Is it recording?”

The hand holding his tightened. “Let’s leave that a mystery for the moment. I like the idea of you wondering whether or not your screams of pleasure will be saved for posterity, or if they’re being sent out on a live feed for anyone with an Internet connection to see.”

Jeremy shook his head. He knew from their discussions that Owen would never expose him that way without negotiating it in advance, but the suggestion definitely fucked with his head. If he didn’t trust him so much… “That’s evil.”

“Welcome to my world. Now I want you to kneel in front of the bench and spread your arms out on either side.”

He did as Owen asked, stretching his arms out on the bench so his wrists and part of his forearms were hanging off both ends. Owen knelt down beside him and reached for the first cuff. It had a chain attached to it that went underneath the bench to attach to the cuff on the other side.

Oh God.

It felt soft, he thought as Owen fastened it to his wrist. Still firm, but softer than he’d imagined it would. “Have you used these before?”

“You’re wrists are thicker than my usual partners’,” Owen offered with a slight smile, moving to the other side of the bench. “A few days ago I stopped to get some things on the chance you might be willing. The cute little salesclerk was very helpful with one purchase in particular.”

“What purchase?” Jeremy flexed his cuffed hand, watching Owen’s every move.

When he was done with the other cuff, Owen got up and walked over to the coffee table that he’d slid against the wall. He picked up a large white towel that was bundled there, carrying it over and setting it down on the floor for Jeremy’s inspection. Spreading out the towel, he started arranging the objects that had been hidden inside. There was a new bottle of lubricant, a sixteen-inch paddle made of black leather and—

Jeremy’s eyes widened when Owen picked up a bright red anal wand. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

Owen smiled, pleased with himself. “You like it? She said this was a good one. You’re lucky she was around, too, because my first instinct was…well, she seemed to think you would run screaming in the other direction.”

The plug was the only toy Jeremy had ever used, and before Owen he’d done that alone. He’d never had anything like that inside him. It was long with eight round beads, each one thicker than the last. “Owen…”

Light blue eyes narrowed on him. “Jeremy? Backing down already?”

No. No, he could do this. He wanted to do this. “Do I get a safe word?” he joked weakly.

“Yellow,” Owen answered immediately, his expression letting Jeremy know exactly why he’d chosen it.

He glared at the cocky blond. He wasn’t scared. He looked at the wand again, then the paddle. Maybe he was cautious. It would be strange if he weren’t. But there was excitement mixed in with the wariness. Impatience. “What happens now?”

The set of Owen’s shoulders relaxed, and Jeremy realized he hadn’t been sure of his response. Not so cocky, after all, he thought, biting his cheek to keep from smiling. It was nice to know.

“This.” Owen kissed him, tangling his fingers into Jeremy’s hair and tugging in a way that made his cock jerk. Jeremy tried to reach for him but the chain went taut, limiting his movement.

Owen pulled back with a smile. “Not this time, Tarzan. I’m in control now.”

His hand skimmed down Jeremy’s spine, making him shiver. “I can touch you wherever I want, however I want, and all you can do is accept. Put yourself in my hands.”

Owen touched him. Tickled his sides, pinched his nipples until he flinched. He traced his ribcage with short nails and rubbed the tension out of his shoulders. Whenever Jeremy lost focus, he would reach up and pull his hair again. Hard.

It was incredible.

His palm was hot on Jeremy’s hip and he squeezed before reaching for the lube and the wand. “You’re doing so well, Jeremy. Now you have to trust me more than you ever have before. The way I trust you.”

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