Mastering Love

by Morticia Knight

  The hint of a crease appeared on Evan’s brow, but he quickly smoothed it. “I really want to please you, Sir. Before… I think I tried to guess what you wanted, even though I don’t yet know what your requirements are. So I waited for you to instruct me this time.”

  “Very good, boy.” Ned ignored his hardening length. “Is there anything you’d like to share with me regarding that?”

  There was a pause as if Evan was conflicted on whether he wanted to do such a thing. Ned was intrigued. It made him ache to discover more of Evan’s secrets. At last, he spoke.

  “It has to do with what I told you I was thinking about earlier.”

  Evan swallowed hard, and Ned could tell that whatever he was about to hear from the young man would be significant as well as the truth.

  “I’ve made some mistakes, like I said when we spoke in the library. But when you and I…when we…”

  Ned tilted up Evan’s chin with one finger.

  “Now, now. Look at me.” He waited until he was sure he had Evan’s full attention. “Mistakes are a part of life. Go on.”

  Evan took a deep breath. “I think I try to make things go the way I want, that I don’t really submit.” His lower lip trembled. “I want to, badly. Submit, I mean. But I don’t think I know how.”

  A tear trailed slowly down Evan’s cheek. Ned had the mad sensation to scoop him up onto his lap then lick it up. He would kiss Evan’s eyelids, his face then his mouth. He would share the tears with him so that Evan would know he wasn’t alone.

  Ned inhaled a shuddering breath. “That’s why you need to be mastered by the proper man. If it’s what you truly desire, it will happen in time.”

  “Would you teach me, Sir?”

  Ned’s gut clenched. The words had tumbled from Evan’s lips so abruptly, Ned was sure they were genuine, that Evan spoke from his heart. But it didn’t matter. Not when Ned knew that Evan wasn’t the boy he was searching for.

  “Evan…”

  Ned didn’t want to give Evan the impression that he wasn’t good enough for him. He winced. Wasn’t that what he’d essentially been thinking when he’d eliminated Evan as a long-term possibility?

  After clearing his throat first, Ned continued. “I’ve only just arrived at Hampton Road and in Pasadena for good. I need time to…decide who I can fully dedicate myself to.”

  Ned watched in dismay as another tear followed the path of the previous one.

  Dammit.

  Ned couldn’t help himself. He reached out to brush back Evan’s unruly bangs, stroking his forehead a few times before taking his hand away. “We have the rest of the evening to enjoy together, however. Is that still acceptable to you?”

  “Yes, Sir. I apologize for blurting that out.”

  His heart ached at Evan’s words. “Don’t apologize for your feelings, Evan. You’re a wonderfully expressive and honest submissive with a delightful instinct to please. Don’t ever fear that you have no value. The perfect Master is out there for you. I’m afraid though, that as of right now, I can’t make any promises.”

  There was a pause, then Evan’s soft voice. “Yes. Thank you, Sir.”

  Ned shoved aside the heaviness that threatened to descend on him. The night had been meant for fun, to ease some tension, to take pleasure in each other. Yet somehow, Ned had found himself twisted up in a young man’s dilemmas at what appeared to be a turning point in his life.

  Time to get back on track.

  “Are there any foods you can’t eat or you don’t like?”

  “I can eat pretty much anything, but I don’t care for mushrooms or green vegetables.”

  “Oh? No green vegetables at all?”

  “They’re horrible, Sir.”

  Ned suppressed a chuckle. “I see. Well, if you were my…”

  Shit.

  “Anyway, don’t fret. No mushrooms or green vegetables for you tonight.”

  He adamantly refused to give in to the temptation to also ask Evan what his favorite things were. There was absolutely no reason for him to need that information.

  “Open your mouth.”

  Evan complied immediately. Ned picked up a chunk of orange cheese, tried a bite and decided it was quite good. It was a very sharp cheddar and he hoped Evan would like it as much as he did. Ned placed it against Evan’s lips. He seemed confused, but took a small nibble, chewing tentatively.

  “You don’t care for it?”

  “It’s really good, Sir. I’m sorry. I just wasn’t sure what you wanted from me.”

  “Neither of your Masters ever fed you?”

  “No, Sir.”

  Ned frowned, pondering Evan’s revelation. In some ways, it seemed as though he hadn’t experienced complete mastery.

  Perhaps he hasn’t.

  “When you were with your other Masters, Evan, did you give over all your care to them, have daily discipline?’

  “Uh…Sir?”

  “What don’t you understand, boy?”

  “You mean, did I ever get punished?”

  “Well, yes, that too. But what I actually wish to know is what your daily life was like with your Masters. You strike me as a boy who needs a tremendous amount of structure and attention. How were your Masters handling that with you?”

  Evan wobbled a bit on his knees. “Sorry, Sir. I… Is it bad that I need all that attention?

  Evan’s voice had been so plaintive, the boy had tugged at his heartstrings again.

  “There’s nothing bad about you or that you need a lot of attention. That’s the beauty of there being all types of men. Plenty of Dominants would revel in having a beautiful boy whom they could lavish all their care and attention on in exchange for that boy’s adoration and submission. Don’t be anything but yourself, Evan.” Ned let his words sink in before continuing. “Do you understand what discipline is when it comes from your Master?”

  “It’s not punishment?”

  “Not at all. It’s a part of your daily routine, a way to reinforce or teach good behavior. It can also be a way of centering, getting refocused. It could be something as simple as a half hour of exercise every morning or perhaps a spanking if tension needs to be relieved.”

  Evan seemed stunned to the point where Ned wasn’t sure he’d respond, but then he spoke up. “I see. I’ve never heard of such a thing, Sir, but it sounds like a wonderful idea.”

  “Oh? Why is that, boy?”

  “Because my Master would really see me. I would be his to completely own, direct and care for. That would be heaven. How come I never knew about this?”

  Evan had babbled on so excitedly, he obviously hadn’t realized that he’d forgotten to add the ‘Sir’. Ned didn’t mind. He was more concerned with the revelation that Evan had just had about himself.

  “Then it’s very important that you never settle for anything less than that, Evan. If that’s what you truly believe you need, then you be sure to find a Master who can give it to you.”

  Ned tried to ignore all the nagging voices in his head. They wanted him to give in, wanted him to change all his well-laid out plans for his future.

  I’ve only just met him. He’s not the one for me.

  “Promise me, Evan. Promise me you’ll wait for the right man to master you the way you need.”

  He had no right to demand such a thing from the young man, but he couldn’t help it. Evan was special.

  It appeared as if Evan was fighting with his emotions again. He swallowed a few times and Ned noticed his jaw working under the skin as if Evan struggled to keep wrong words from escaping. Ned was about to prod him, but Evan responded before he could.

  “I promise, Sir.” He took a breath. “Thank you for caring enough to tell me about it.”

  Ned had the bizarre sensation that he might tear up just like Evan. He couldn’t begin to imagine what had come over him. The whole evening had been the most unsettling one he’d ever spent with a submissive. It was a good thing he had no interest in pursuing anything with Evan. It would likely wear him ou
t.

  And give me tremendous satisfaction.

  He shook his head, determined to move the topic away from a wished-for pairing that could never be. “Do you want to know what one of the things would be that I would do to discipline you?”

  Evan’s eyebrows shot up. “What, Sir?”

  “I would make you eat green vegetables every day until you loved them.”

  A small snort escaped Evan, and Ned let out a loud laugh.

  “But let’s forget that for now and have some more of the nice cheese instead. This is the care you should have, that you deserve. Open your mouth for me, boy.”

  Evan exhaled, the tension in his body appearing to ease. “Yes, Sir.”

  This time when Ned presented the cheddar to him, Evan took a larger bite. Ned watched him chew as he ate some as well. Ned tore off a piece of the wheat loaf Javier had brought them. He held his hand under the soft, fresh bread as he presented it to Evan. After Evan parted his lips to accept what Ned offered him, he closed his eyes, sighing.

  The sight and sound of Evan’s enjoyment went right to the end of Ned’s dick. It gave him an idea. Javier had also included a small bowl of sugar on the tray that was likely there to add sweetness to the lemonade if necessary. Ned had better plans for it. After he’d shared some more food with Evan, he wiped his fingers on one of the cloth napkins.

  “Have you had enough bread and cheese?”

  “Yes, Sir. Thank you. The white one reminded me of Fynbo. I haven’t had that since I lived at home and I’ve missed it.”

  Ned couldn’t have stopped himself if he’d tried. But he didn’t try. “Is that a favorite of yours?”

  “Yes, we had a large variety of cheeses. My mom’s Danish, and her whole side of the family settled in Solvang—a small town north of Santa Barbara. When she married my dad, she moved to Buellton, where he’s from. It’s not that far away from there. They opened up their own diner where I worked almost my whole life. But my uncle has a Danish cheese shop in Solvang, so we got our fill of the best ones.”

  Ned knew he should stop before he got too wrapped up in Evan’s story, but he really wanted to know. “Do you ever see them?”

  Evan’s face fell, which was what Ned had worried about.

  “No. Not for a few years. Thomas took me one time, but they acted funny around me. Thomas tried to tell me it was because they were so busy with the restaurant and because my family is so big—I have four brothers and six sisters—but I think he was only trying to make me feel better.”

  “What about your mother? I’m sure she was happy to see her beautiful son.”

  Evan gave a small shrug with one shoulder. Ned had noticed him do it a couple times before. He saw it as a signal from Evan’s body that he was attempting to lessen the impact of something painful.

  “She wanted to know where my lady friend was and said that when I had grandbabies for her, I could come back and build a house nearby so that she could enjoy them. She even offered me my old job back.”

  Ned winced. He’d been down that road. It was why his parents only saw him once every couple of years. Other than that, Ned dropped them birthday and Christmas cards to keep them informed of his fabulous real estate success. He’d always used the excuse that he was constantly traveling as the reason why he rarely heard from them.

  “I don’t imagine your father had anything much different to say.”

  “He didn’t have a damn thing to say at all.”

  Evan’s mouth rounded in an ‘o’. Ned held in a laugh.

  “S-sorry, Sir. I didn’t mean to curse.”

  “I know you didn’t, boy. If ever there was a thing to curse about, I would say that was it.”

  Things had taken a more serious turn than Ned had intended. He sighed.

  Much like the rest of the night.

  “Let’s enjoy each other then, shall we?”

  Evan’s posture straightened. “I’d like that very much, Sir.”

  “Good. I want to know something else about you. Something fun.”

  “Oh, okay, Sir.”

  Evan was more relaxed with him and Ned was thrilled. He wasn’t trying to put on a big show for Ned anymore. There was no doubt that he remained submissive to Ned and was definitely intent upon pleasing him, but he was no longer doing it for effect. It was from his heart.

  “How much do you like sweet things?”

  Ned found he got a lot of enjoyment out of detecting the slightest of reactions from Evan. The faintest of twitches, crease of his brow or sudden inhalation were all treasure maps that guided Ned to the true essence of the young man.

  “I like them quite a lot, Sir.”

  “I do too. I like candies and cakes. They’re decadent things. There’s so much pleasure in their richness. But I also love the taste of a delectable man’s skin, the tender flesh of his lips as I explore them with my tongue.”

  Ned lowered his gaze. Evan had hardened nicely, the head of his cock deepening into a glorious shade of red. He lifted his eyes then continued.

  “What about strawberries, Evan? Would you like it if I bit off the end of one then dipped it in the sugar? The juice would collect a hearty amount of the crystals—there would be plenty for me to paint your lips with. Perhaps the light scrape of the hard crystals would make your mouth very sensitive to touch. Then I would have no choice but to lick you clean before I painted them again.”

  Evan’s steeled erection leaked and Ned knew the answer. However, he still waited for the boy’s response.

  “I would like that quite a bit, Sir.” His voice had been just above a whisper.

  Ned picked up a plump berry then bit into it. He did as he’d said he would, rubbing it slowly across Evan’s mouth. To his credit, he didn’t attempt to swipe away the sugar with his tongue. He remained absolutely still. Ned leaned forward then tasted Evan’s lips. He remained passive, made no attempt to kiss or aid Ned in his exploration. Ned moved over and over Evan’s soft lips until every granule had been lapped up.

  “Divine.” Ned raised the strawberry to Evan’s mouth. “Take a big bite. Enjoy the tartness of the fruit combined with the sweetness of the sugar.”

  Evan complied, red juice dribbling down his chin when he did. Ned descended on him, sucking up the fluid then licking his way back to Evan’s lips. He couldn’t stand it. Ned pushed a sweetened kiss into Evan’s mouth, tasting his boy combined with the tart fruit. He sought out every part of him—his tongue, teeth, palate. Ned explored him thoroughly.

  Pulling away, breathless, Ned didn’t stop to ponder what he was doing, what it might mean. He simply didn’t care. All that existed for him was Evan.

  He plucked another berry from the bowl, presented it for Evan to bite, then gathered more sugar on the piece of fruit. Ned pressed the cold confection against one of Evan’s nipples and the boy hissed. He swirled it around the tightened nub, the rasp of the sugar undoubtedly sparking his nerves. Evan moaned loudly, and Ned was incredibly pleased.

  “I… Sorry, Sir.”

  Ned kept up the movements on Evan’s skin then switched to the other nipple.

  “What are you sorry for?”

  “I didn’t mean to be so loud, Sir.”

  “I thought it was a magnificent sound. Make as much noise as you want with me, Evan. Let me hear what I do to you.”

  Ned leaned down to swipe away the sugar on Evan’s first nipple with his tongue. Evan whimpered. Smiling, Ned, licked a trail to the next one. He lapped at it, flicking it to hardness, then nipped it with his teeth. Evan arched and cried out, his eyes screwing shut. As it turned out, Evan did have tasty skin—very tasty skin. He could lick him all night.

  Ned’s back ached from bending over so far and his balls ached with the need to ravish Evan’s ass. He concluded that they’d had enough to eat. Straightening, he took a swallow of the lemonade, the ice cubes having almost completely melted. He offered it to Evan.

  “Drink up. I’m going to work you very hard and I don’t want you becoming dehydrated.”


  Evan did as he was told and took three small mouthfuls of the liquid.

  “Enough?”

  “Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

  Ned set the glass down on the tray, his hand shaking. He knew that lust for Evan coursed through him, but there was also the thrill of taking care of such a needy boy. That was what he’d always hoped for more than anything—a boy who yearned to be cherished as much as Ned yearned to cherish him.

  Before his thoughts could unsettle him any further, he stood then carefully moved the table that held the tray to the side. Ned wanted plenty of room to spread Evan across his lap so he could rain down several stinging blows to his ass cheeks before he fucked him hard.

  Ned sat in the middle of the chaise longue so that Evan would comfortably have space for his torso and legs.

  “Across my lap like a good boy.” Ned patted his thigh.

  The way Evan scrambled to do his bidding almost caused him to let out another laugh, but he held it in. Evan positioned himself perfectly as Ned opened his knees enough to allow space for Evan’s cock.

  “I want you to grip the edge of the chair. Don’t let go no matter what, but call mercy if you have to.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  There was a quaver to Evan’s voice, but Ned interpreted it as need rather than fear. Ned placed one hand at the small of Evan’s back then raised his other for the first strike.

  “Get ready, boy.”

  Evan yelped as Ned’s hand landed right on top of his crack. Then Ned alternated between each cheek, the force of his hand strong, but not anywhere near as far as he could’ve gone. He didn’t know Evan yet, not enough to gauge what he could truly handle. It had been clear from Evan’s earlier behavior and his own admissions that he needed a firm Master, so Ned didn’t want to hold back too much. If there was a way, any way they could ever be together again without giving Evan false hope, Ned wanted to see how far he could push him.

  Soon, Evan’s skin heated, reddening with each stinging slap. As he’d showered him with the blows, Evan’s intermittent cries had gradually built to a steady moan. He’d also begun to squirm quite a bit, and Ned knew that Evan was seeking friction for his hardened dick. If things had been different, if Ned believed they would have many nights ahead of them, he might’ve allowed Evan to go too far, not reminded him that he would be punished for coming. But he didn’t wish to punish Evan. He wanted to pleasure him.