The Contract

by D. C. Hall

  “Should I open either of these first?” Williams asked. Nathan nodded towards one and picked the other up.

  “I want to see your reaction to that one, first.” He answered. Williams picked the other box up and lifted off the top. His mouth opened in shock at the contents. There was a black leather collar with a silver ring and a leash. He lifted the collar out and examined it. There were several questions running through his mind. The first one was which of them did Nathan intend on wearing this. The question was answered what Nathan took it and placed it on his own neck. It made Williams’s mouth go dry.

  “What do you think?” Nathan asked shifting from one foot to other. If Williams had to guess, he’d say that Nathan was much less comfortable with the situation than he was showing. “You said before that you’d like to put a collar on me.” Nathan added. He wasn’t wrong. Williams’s first thought was to stick his finger through the silver ring and pull him down to kiss him. However, he knew that Nathan wouldn’t appreciate that.

  “I um… I think we should discuss exactly what you want to do.” Williams stated.

  “… I think you should open the other one first.” He responded and handed the other box over. Williams was almost afraid to look. For all he knew, there could be something like whips of handcuffs inside. This time, his eyes widened.

  “Is that a vibrator?” He questioned, looking to the taller man who was blushing and smiling sheepishly.

  “It’s Bluetooth. I already have it connected to my phone.” Nathan answered. The closest they had come to this was when Nathan had tied his hands behind his back. So, this was throwing Williams for a loop.

  “You really wanted this to be a good Christmas.” Williams stated. “Now, what’s the plan? And can you explain why you said this was a test, earlier?” He wanted to be excited, but he just wasn’t sure what was going on.

  “Test may have been an exaggeration. But it’s about control. The collar is for me, and the vibrator is for you.” He saw Williams blink in confusion. He tapped his fingers on his thigh as he thought of a better way to explain. Instead what came out of his mouth was, “I want you to fuck me, okay?” Williams wasn’t any better off than he had been a moment ago. Nathan sat on the foot of the bed. “What I’m saying is that you get to have your way with me, have me on a leash, and I have the control to your vibrator and can turn it on whenever I want.”

  “You’re sure about this?” Williams replied. His mind was already wandering to what he would love to do to this man, but he wouldn’t show his excitement yet.

  “… I am. I’ve thought a lot about this. I trust you, Eugene.” Nathan said before handing the leash to Williams.

  “Just promise me that you’ll stop me if you get uncomfortable or change your mind.” Nathan didn’t say anything. “Promise me.”

  “Come on, I’ll be fine.”

  “If you don’t promise me, I’m not going to do this, Nathan.” He said sternly.

  “Okay, I promise.”

  “Thank you.” He moved forward and hooked the leash to to the collar before giving a gentle tug. He bit his lower lip. He was going to enjoy this. “Maybe, we should get undressed before we get started.” Nathan nodded in agreement before standing up. Williams let go of the leash, letting it hang at the other man’s neck.

  Nathan stepped forward, placing his hands on Williams’s hips before letting his fingers trail upwards. Williams ran his hands up Nathan’s arms as the hands roamed under his sweater. The fabric was starting to rise up as Nathan reached further up.

  “Did I tell you how much I like you in a sweater?” Nathan asked. Williams shook his head and felt Nathan pulling him closer. “It makes you look warm and comfortable.” Nathan pulled the sweater off of him completely before returning his hands against his skin. Williams could feel his heart thumping in his chest.

  He reached his hands upward and placed them on the sides of Nathan’s face. A thumb traced over his lower lip. Nathan's eyes watched him, his gaze soft. When Williams tugged him gently, he followed down to meet his lips. Williams let his arms rest on the other man's shoulders as their eyes drifted shut.

  Nathan held one hand to the small of his back, while the other trailed up to his shoulders. His nails gently dragged over his shoulder blade, and Williams groaned at the feeling. Nathan pulled him as close as he could, feeling as much of his body as possible. He twitched a little when he felt Williams nip at his lower lip. He shifted to an open mouthed kiss and felt his tongue press inside.

  Nathan moaned softly, still letting his hands wander. He cupped his ass and squeezed before bringing them around to rest on his hips. Williams pulled from the kiss and Nathan couldn't help the move he made to try to reconnect it. But Williams had already started sucking at his throat. Nathan leaned into it while his fingers trailed upwards.

  He wanted to feel every inch of Williams. His fingers splayed over the softness of his stomach. Williams made a noise in the back of his throat and Nathan felt him tense under his fingers. He knew the man was sensitive about his weight which made him uncomfortable with anything drawing attention to the small belly he had. Nathan let his fingers move up to his chest which earned a sigh of relief.

  If he hadn’t said that Williams could have control tonight, he would have considered tossing him on the bed and kissing every inch of skin he could. He loved Williams’s body. He saw no reason that he should feel like there was anything wrong with it.

  Nathan didn't have time to worry about it. He felt Williams tugging at the bottom of his shirt. He stepped back to take it off. A look at Williams showed that his eyes were dilated and his cheeks were flushed. Nathan stopped him when he tried to move to him again. He looked disappointed but still stood back. Nathan silently marked that as one test passed. He knew Williams wouldn't try to keep going if he said stop.

  Nathan reached down to undo Williams’s belt. Williams helped him along before his pants were pushed down. He wanted to pull Nathan close to him again, but he knew to wait until Nathan told him to. His boxers followed his pants before he stepped out of them and kicked them away. He was aware that he was completely naked while Nathan was only missing his shirt. A few months ago, it would have made him feel overexposed. Now, he just liked having Nathan with him.

  “I've got my leash. You need to get your part of the deal.” Williams looked over at the vibrator before picking it up. It wasn't very big and had a string attached to pull it out when they were done. Nathan passed him a bottle of lube. He watched as the shorter man covered the toy before tossing the lube on the bed. He reached back to press it into himself. He shifted slightly before standing up. Nathan pulled his phone from his pocket and found the app he had downloaded.

  He pressed a button and heard it turn on. Williams gave a yelp followed by a moan. Nathan turned it back off with a smile. He could see that Williams’s member had started to stiffen.

  “You could have warned me.” Williams stated. He sounded upset, but it was more that he was getting flustered. Nathan tossed the phone on the bed next to the pillow. That would come in handy later.

  “Sorry. Now, where were we?” Nathan asked. Williams reached forward to tug him closer by the leash. A gentle pull made him lower his head to meet his lips. Nathan hummed into the contact and at the feeling of fingers in his hair. It didn't linger long. Williams lowered his arms to rest under Nathan's ass before lifting him off his feet. Nathan held to him tightly as Williams looked to his face.

  “You still sure about this?”

  “Yeah, I am.” Nathan responded with a grin. He kissed him again as Williams laid him down on the bed. Williams kept one hand wound into the leash like he was afraid Nathan was going to run. The other hand ran down his chest before resting on the bed next to him. Williams’s mouth worked against his, a moan escaping him every so often. Every time, it made Nathan’s lips tingle.

  Nathan held him close, savoring the feeling. He could feel himself getting harder. Williams was shifting over him back and forth slowly, rubbing them tog
ether. Nathan was starting to let out a few soft sounds himself. Williams backed away and reached for Nathan’s belt. He pulled it loose before ridding him of the rest of his clothes. Nathan was left laying on his back with his knees bent and spread.

  Williams chewed his lower lip, taking in the view. He wanted Nathan so bad. He wanted him physically and emotionally. However, he couldn’t say the last part right now. So, he’d have to make up for it another way.

  “What do you want to do?” Nathan questioned. Williams had seemed to have gotten lost in thought for a moment.

  “If it's alright with you, I’d rather show you what I want.” He responded. Nathan nodded. He peppered kisses from Nathan's knee down to his inner thigh. Stopping there, he sucked at the skin enough to leave a hickey. Nathan ran his fingers through Williams’s hair. It seemed to rouse him to move his mouth to his stomach. The line trailed from his bottom of his belly up to the side of his neck.

  Nathan moaned at the feeling of the hot mouth on his throat. Williams was fully hard now. His mind swam with what he should do. He felt desperate to show Nathan how he felt, wanted him to feel cared for. He could feel Nathan's fingers in his hair, slowly carding through it and playing with the curls. Another moan escaped the taller man. Williams reached down and palmed Nathan before stroking him slowly. That made him squirm underneath Williams while his breathing started to quicken. Williams could feel Nathan's heart beat harder and faster under his lips.

  He kept going until Nathan was breathing hard in his ear and fully erect. After, he backed away again to grab the lube. Nathan watched as he fumbled with the bottle, hands shaking. The man's cheeks were a burning red and made Nathan wonder what was going through his mind. Williams finally got some of the lube on his fingers. He started to reach between Nathan's legs before stopping.

  “Is this okay?” He asked, voice gruff. Nathan nodded. Williams swallowed hard before continuing. He pressed a finger against Nathan's hole and watched his head fall back. He pressed inside with a finger slowly. Nathan closed his eyes and focused on how it felt. It had been a while since he'd had anything inside him. Williams pushed a second finger in and started to work him open. Nathan moaned at the pressure against his prostate. Williams lingered there for a while just slowly pressing in and out of him.

  He watched the rise and fall of Nathan's chest and savored the wanting sounds coming from him. He felt his stomach turning. He was partly stalling. He couldn't mess this up. Nathan deserved the best he could give him. He deserved for someone to love him and to make love to him. Instead, he'd had a year of casual fucking.

  “Mmhh, Eugene, please.” Nathan mewled, his hips bucking. Williams felt his mouth go dry and a tingle up the back of his neck. He pulled his fingers out and went back to the lube. His hands were trembling now. Still, he managed to slather it onto himself. Nathan watched as he lowered himself over him. The man looked like a nervous wreck. Still, he wasn't stopping. He angled his hips and Nathan felt a pressure at his entrance. Williams paused one more time, looking up with eyes blown wide.

  “Can I?” He asked, voice sounding strained. Nathan nodded one more time. He shifted his hips as he felt Williams push inside of him. He moaned low and gripped the sheets. It felt like he filled him up. Williams started to pump slowly, taking his time.

  “Oh, Eugene.” Nathan groaned, eyes closed and head laid back. He shifted his hips in time with Williams thrusting. Nathan kept moaning his name, back arching when Williams would brush against his prostate. It felt good. He was mildly surprised he’d managed to get this far and not panic. He trusted Williams more than he knew. He loved the feeling of his hands running over his body, even if they were shaking like a leaf right now. Nathan wondered why Williams seemed so much more flustered this time.

  Williams’s mind was going a mile a minute which was a feat considering the lack of blood going to his brain right now. He kept his pace steady, focused on pleasing Nathan. The collar and leash were all but forgotten now. If it had been at the beginning, he would have been holding onto it and tugging him closer whenever he wanted a kiss. Now, he was only worried about Nathan himself.

  He was disappointed in himself. Williams wanted this to be like one of the books he had read. It felt like he should have been waxing poetically right now. Like he should be able to tell Nathan that he lit his chest on fire every time he saw him, that he made his brain short circuit with nothing more than meeting his lips. He wanted to tell him that he wanted to melt into his body and be his. But, he knew if he opened his mouth, the only thing he could muster were a few incomprehensible words. So, he stayed quiet other than a few moans.

  Nathan bit his lower lip. He could feel himself getting close. He partly wanted to tell Williams to slow down, make it last longer. But he also knew he was too close. He arched his back with the next few thrusts and felt his release. He came onto his stomach and felt Williams start to pull away from him like he had to stop because Nathan had finished. The taller man didn’t want that. He wrapped his legs around Williams’s waist and pulled him back in. Williams almost screamed at the feeling of pushing back inside of him. He fell forward against Nathan, nearly spent himself. He knew what was coming when Nathan picked up the phone.

  “Can I?” Nathan asked. Williams nodded, breathing heavy. Nathan clicked on the screen and watched as Williams’s eyes rolled back. His hips bucked sporadically. If Nathan hadn't already finished, it would have sent him over the edge.

  “Oh, God.” Williams groaned, grabbing the sheets and burying his face in the crook of Nathan's neck. Nathan petted the back of his head before wrapping his arms around him.

  “I've got you.” Nathan muttered. Williams thought he didn't know just how true that was. His toes curled when he finally came with a long groan. Nathan turned the vibrator off. “You okay?” He asked. Williams was pulling himself out before falling back down. He was definitely shaky.

  “Never better.” Williams responded, voice still raspy. Nathan could feel Williams’s heart still pounding against his chest. Maybe he should give him a minute. While he waited for Williams to get his breathing under control, Nathan unhooked the collar. He wasn't sure why he did it, but he hooked it around Williams’s neck.

  “The way you pull at my tie sometimes, I thought you would have tugged on this thing more.” Nathan stated. He pulled gently, admiring the way it looked on him. Williams moved forward to kiss him. It was dawning on Williams why he hadn’t paid much attention to the leash. It didn't matter if Nathan gave him control. He would always offer himself to make him happy. He didn't want the control anymore.

  ***

  Music from the record player filled the bathroom while they soaked in the water. This time Nathan leaned back against Williams. He felt pampered at the moment. His hair was wet from where Williams had helped him wash it. Now, he leaned back against his chest while Williams’s hands roamed over body and lips pressed against his shoulder.

  Nathan closed his eyes to relax and sighed. It had been a long time since he trusted someone enough to get this close and comfortable. He knew he still had a lot of barriers up, but Williams had slipped through most of them. The hands stilled before arms wrapped around his waist. Nathan felt a chin prop on shoulder before Williams made a content noise. Nathan let his fingers trace over the other man's forearms.

  The music felt appropriate for the moment. It was a soft song about finding love. It made Nathan feel warm. He shifted slightly, tilting his head to lean to the side. Williams seemed to take it as an opportunity to kiss his neck. His lips pressed against a hickey that Nathan was sure he'd have to explain to brother tomorrow. Williams stopped after a moment and nuzzled his cheek. Nathan smiled and leaned into the affection. He turned his head to lean their foreheads together. He opened his eyes to meet green eyes.

  The song played, “As I look in your eyes, I know that I’m not on my own. No, I am not alone.” Nathan felt his cheeks warm. It was a little too on the nose right now. A part of him hoped that Williams had picked this record for
a reason, but he knew that was wishful thinking.

  Williams lifted a hand and placed it on Nathan's cheek. Nathan covered it with his own, letting his thumb run over the knuckles. Williams leaned in and met his lips in the middle. He did it as softly as he could like he was trying to savor the feeling of his lips. He felt light and hopeful. Holding Nathan like this made him feel like he could wish for more. Until anything changed, he was perfectly content with what they had. They were both happy with the way things were. Although, they didn't know that tomorrow was going to make them question things between them.

  ***

  Brad was over rather early the next day. Nathan understood wanting to get the day started, but couldn't he have at least waited a little longer. He and Williams had been up late. So, he had hoped to sleep late. There was paper all over the kitchen table with plans that Brad had no doubt stayed up thinking about.

  “Just let me bounce some ideas off of you. Then, you can go back to bed.” Brad said. Nathan ran a hand through his hair as he waited for his coffee to be done brewing.

  “It’s fine. I’ll probably stay up.” Nathan responded. He looked exhausted. The large bruise on the side of his neck told Brad exactly why he was so tired.

  “Okay, so, idea number one is a print to order business.”

  “Out of curiosity, how many ideas are there?” Nathan asked, pouring a cup of coffee from the pot. He sat at the table while Brad glanced around at the papers.

  “Twenty two.”

  “Did you sleep any last night?”

  “I could ask you the same thing, Mr. Hickey.” Brad replied.

  “I did sleep, thank you. But, I can say that I had a very merry Christmas.”

  “You’re gross. Now, tell me what you think about the print on demand thing.” Brad said.

  “It could work. You'd probably need a big work crew though.” He watched as Brad crinkled his nose in thought. He took the paper and sat it to the side. He’d have to think about that one a little longer.