Certain that he’d fully recovered from his post-orgasmic daze, Evan prepared himself to brand the man he loved. He pulled on the pair of slacks Ned had laid aside for him earlier. He’d explained that it would be unwise for delicate body parts to be exposed with hot irons in use. Ned and Saul had already taken him through what the whole procedure would entail, and he’d seen both Sam’s and Francesco’s brands before.
I can do this.
Ned approached him with the most naked and raw look of love in his eyes. Evan’s confidence was renewed as Ned grabbed him by his nape then brought their mouths crashing together. It was a quick but demanding kiss. Ned pressed his forehead to Evan’s.
“I love you, my precious boy.”
“I love you too, Sir.”
Ned kissed him softly on the lips then tilted his chin up. “Now’s the time, boy.”
Evan furrowed his brow. “Time, Sir?”
“To call me Master.”
Evan’s eyes filled with tears, and he panicked.
“I see you, boy. What is it?”
“There are tears in my eyes and I’m afraid I’ll ruin your brand because I can’t see well enough.”
Ned held on to his chin. “Look at me, boy.”
Evan complied with his Master’s order.
“I’ll proudly and happily wear your mark, no matter how it turns out. Understand?”
He believed Ned. Believed in him, their love, their future. He trusted him with his life and his heart. Ned had given of himself completely to Evan, and Evan only wanted to do the same for Ned for the rest of their lives. He wanted to do that for his Master.
“Answer me, boy.”
Evan smiled at the man he loved. “Yes, Master. I understand.”
Coming soon from Totally Bound Publishing:
Safe Shores
Morticia Knight
Released 29th May 2015
Excerpt
Chapter One
Quit checking your cell, old man.
Shane would be docking soon—Kirk had received his text the night before. There was a tightening low in his belly in anticipation of seeing his Coast Guard lover for the first time in three months. They would have two months together before Shane took off on his next tour, plus holiday time. It was the longest stretch of time they’d had together in a while.
Kirk was done fishing for the year until he started up again in May. As was typical, he would work more hours as a cook at the Lighthouse Grill—he took over for the kids who usually went back to school in the fall. But the comfort of routine had been absent as of late. Restlessness scratched under his skin, a dissatisfaction he hadn’t felt since he’d ended his marriage ten years before. He’d grown up in the Columbia River community of Astoria, Oregon then married his childhood sweetheart. They’d had a magnificent son, he’d taken over his dad’s fishing business and had settled into what should have been a peaceful, ideal life.
Except for the part where admitting he was gay had created a major upheaval in his world.
He’d always known that divorcing Cindy would be painful—they’d been best friends since they were twelve—but there’d been the added challenge of being outed in such a small town. It had been a mixed bag of those who didn’t give a shit and those who’d behaved as if he’d contracted leprosy. Since he’d never been social—quiet by nature—it hadn’t been that big of an issue. Thankfully, he and Cindy had finally reached the point where the friendship had returned.
Kirk absent-mindedly checked his cell again after taking a final swallow of the bottle of beer he’d been nursing at the bar of Neptune’s Galley. It was his local dive of choice and he’d patronized it most of his adult life. Grunting at his borderline obsessive behavior, he replaced the phone on the surface of the bar and tried to will himself to calm down. It was nice to wait for his lover Shane in the place where they’d met three years prior. He still marveled at how lucky they’d been to connect at all in the small town. It wasn’t exactly known for its gay hook-ups and Shane’s sporadic shore leaves hadn’t upped the possibility for them to meet. It was like a textbook fated moment—even though he didn’t believe in such things.
“Another?”
Kirk shook his head. “I won’t annoy you with my presence much longer.”
Davey, the ancient bartender, grinned a partially toothless grin at him as he tossed Kirk’s empty container in the trash under the counter.
“Coasties are docking soon.”
Kirk nodded. “Uh huh.”
Anyone who listened to the ship report on the local public radio station every morning knew which freighters, cruise ships or other vessels would be crossing the Columbia Bar and either docking, returning to the open sea bound for distant ports or passing through to Portland or Vancouver. Davey’s words had been a statement, not a question. Kirk fought off the unease he always felt when a local referenced his relationship with Shane. But Davey had known him since Kirk had downed his first beer at Neptune’s and had never treated him any differently when his orientation had become public knowledge. It was likely the only reason he’d continued hanging out at the joint.
I might never have met him.
He grunted to himself again. Ever since he’d realized he was in love with Shane, he’d become a lot more sentimental.
“You two have been together for what? Going on three years now?”
Kirk arched his eyebrows. “You been keeping track?”
Davey chuckled, a deep, raspy sound. Despite the menacing quality to the noise, it was familiar. Safe. It was part of the comforting routine to his life, but it wasn’t enough anymore. He wanted the safety of home.
“What else I got to do all day here? I gotta look out for my customers.”
Kirk glanced around the room. It was early afternoon and there was only one local in evidence. Charlie was slumped in a chair over by the small wall-mounted television—perpetually tuned to a sports channel. He idly drank what Kirk knew was his trademark rum and Coke. Like Davey, he was wrinkled, the same as leather that had been left out in the seemingly continuous rain of the northern Oregon coast. Charlie had once been a logger before the local mill had shut down, so sipping well drinks all day had become his go-to activity.
Kirk knew how he felt in some ways. At least with his fishing, he’d been able to get a few consistent restaurant accounts to keep him going. Once the canneries had dwindled, along with the fresh fish markets, he’d been lucky to still make a decent living. Sadly, he’d had to let go the few guys he’d employed off and on over the years. With only the occasional help of his teenage son, Joel, he’d had to go it on his own.
Davey shouted in response to something on the TV screen. Kirk angled his body to see what the fuss was about. Charlie appeared to be as frozen as a statue. Whatever had occurred on the screen had made zero impact on him. Another whoop went up from Davey, and Kirk registered that it was due to something that had happened on a football field. Kirk wasn’t much of a television watcher as he’d spent the better part of his life on the water, so he’d never followed sports that much.
“Fuck the Ducks!” Davey clapped Kirk on the shoulder. “Beavers annihilate them every time.”
Kirk smiled at his long-time friend. Yeah, he considered Davey a friend.
“Not every time, old man.”
Davey snorted. “What the fuck you know about football anyway? You’re practically a goddamned fish.”
“I know enough to realize you’re full of shit.”
The next noise Davey made was akin to a growl. “Don’t you have a boyfriend waiting for you?”
More like I’m waiting for him.
Kirk frowned. He wasn’t sure why he was overcome with a sudden dose of insecurity.
“Yeah. Sure.”
Davey elbowed him. “Aw, don’t get all funny. You get too antsy every time he’s due to arrive.”
Davey leaned down closer to Kirk’s ear. A vague thought of suggesting to Davey that deodorant was not a bad investment passed through h
is mind.
“That boy loves the shit outta you. I can see it.” Davey gestured to his eyes with two fingers.
Kirk tensed at the word ‘love’. Neither of them had ever declared those types of emotions to one another. Never even spoke of it. With the uncertainty over where Shane might receive his next orders and Kirk’s ties to the only home he’d ever had for forty-two years—it had seemed irresponsible to even entertain such an idea.
Doesn’t change my feelings though.
He sighed before he could stop himself.
“Uh-oh. You don’t love him back? You think he’s too young a pup?”
“Davey… Do you mind?”
Kirk didn’t love sharing all his innermost sentiments with pretty much anyone, but Davey had always treated those who were regulars like his kids—or therapy patients.
“You’re being an ass.” Davey had growled it out. “The kid can’t be more than fifteen years younger than you—”
“Ten!”
Kirk’s voice had been a tad too loud. It had even generated some interest from the partially comatose Charlie. He’d slowly turned his head in their direction, his lips still clamped on to the cocktail straw.
Kirk got a hold of himself. “He’s barely ten years younger than me and that’s got nothing to do with it.”
“Then you don’t love him?”
“Jesus Christ,” Kirk muttered. He suddenly wished he still had the bottle Davey had thrown away. He didn’t know what to do with his hands. “No offense, Davey, but I got a lot on my mind right now.”
Davey patted his arm. “Okay, chief. You know Uncle Davey is always here if you need a sounding board.”
Kirk chuckled in spite of himself. Davey really meant well.
“Thanks. Really.”
Kirk’s cell phone vibrated and he vainly controlled his trembling hands as he reached for it.
It was Shane.
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About the Author
M/M Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys hot stories of men loving men forever after. They can be men in uniform, Doms and subs, rock stars or bikers—but they’re all searching for the one (or two!) who was meant only for them.
When not indulging in her passion for books, she loves the outdoors, film and music. Once upon a time she was the singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She is currently working on more instalments of Sin City Uniforms, The Hampton Road Club, as well as the follow-up to Bryan and Aubrey's story from Rockin' the Alternative and Dylan and Zero from Biking Bad.
Email: [email protected]
Morticia loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.totallybound.com.
Also by Morticia Knight
A Spirit of Love
Uniform Encounters: Set Ablaze
Uniform Encounters: Arresting Behavior
Uniform Encounters: Lust Emergency
Uniform Encounters: Guarded Desires
Uniform Encounters: Secret Fire
Uniform Encounters: Dangerous Wish
Gin and Jazz: Hollywood Bound
Gin and Jazz: Razzle Dazzle
Gin and Jazz: Tarnished Glitter
Gin and Jazz: Starring Role
Gin and Jazz: Studio Orders
Gin and Jazz: Casting Call
Gin and Jazz: Play Acting
Sin City Uniform: All Fired Up
Sin City Uniform: Copping an Attitude
Sin City Uniform: Justice Prevails
The Hampton Road Club: Hesitant Heart
The Hampton Road Club: The Rules of Love
The Hampton Road Club: The Fear of Surrender
Clandestine Classics: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Clandestine Classics: The Fall of the House of Usher
All Together Now: The Perfect Third
Hard Riders: Biking Bad
Semper Fidelis: Safe Shores
What’s his Passion? Rockin’ the Alternative
Totally Bound Publishing
Mastering Love Page 20