Dreamspinner Press Year Nine Greatest Hits

by Michael Murphy

  “You’re good at this just by being you. And of course everyone is nervous at the beginning.”

  “Are you? Were you? How did you start?”

  “Oh God, my first scene I was terrified I was going to make a huge fool out of myself. My sub had to reassure me, calm me down.”

  Lance reached out, the urge to comfort immediate, and he cupped Tide’s face. “Yeah? But they were nice?”

  “Oh yeah, he was a doll baby, helping out the newbie Top. His master had taken me under his wing.”

  “How does that work? I mean, did you know what you wanted?”

  “You know Tyrone and I have been friends for a long time, right? We discovered BDSM together. It was an accident, really. We went to a club we’d heard was gay friendly and hot. Turned out to be a leather bar and we were both fascinated.”

  “Those are real? I mean, really?” He thought that sounded more than a touch terrifying. He didn’t mind a bar, at all, but something like a bathhouse, where men had sex in skeezy little rooms? Yeah, no.

  “They are indeed. And I can see what you’re thinking. This place was clean, well-lit, and full of people who knew each other. It was quite enlightening.” Tide smiled, hand stroking his belly idly. “Tyrone and I opened the gym together as an alternative to the bar scene, actually.”

  “Yeah?” Like that wasn’t intimidating. Beautiful, muscly bodies everywhere the eye could see.

  “Yeah. It’s a four-story building. There’s a regular gym on the ground floor, a lounge on the second floor. Offices and playrooms on the third floor, and the top floor is exclusive to Doms.”

  “It sounds neat.” Please don’t ask me to go see it. He was the least gym-rat-type guy ever. Like ever.

  “It is. You’ll have to come see it soon.”

  “Yeah.” Except no way. He was good at avoiding stuff. Honest.

  Tide rubbed Lance’s shoulders and moved his arms around, then brought them down from over his head. “How’s your blood flow? Everything good?”

  “I’m cool.” He was, right? Totally chill.

  “Good. Let me take you to breakfast?” Tide asked.

  “Sure. Sure, or I could take you, either way.”

  “There’s a lovely little spot on the corner. Simple but really good. No fancy brunch items, but God, they can cook eggs.”

  “I don’t require fancy. Just takeout and diners.” He kissed Tide at the corner of his lips.

  Tide turned his face, bringing their lips back together full-on. Groaning, Tide backed off, breaking the kiss. “Okay. I need to feed you. You need to keep your strength up.”

  “Uh-huh. What for?”

  Tide’s eyes twinkled down at him. “What do you think for, darling?”

  “There’s only so much sex you can have, you know.”

  “Not if you keep yourself well-fed,” Tide countered.

  “Well-fed and needy, huh?” Lance asked.

  “Works for me.” Tide bent and gave him a quick kiss before getting up and stretching.

  The long lines of cut muscles rippled and shifted for him, making his mouth water. Wow. His fingers itched for his camera, and he rolled out of bed, heading for it.

  “Where are you going?” Tide asked.

  “Getting my camera.”

  “More pictures?” Tide began to move through a series of stretches.

  “Yeah. It’s sort of who I am.”

  “What are you photographing today?” Tide asked.

  “You.” Duh.

  Tide chuckled. “You’re going to get tired of photographing me.”

  “Oh, I can’t see that happening.”

  “No?” Tide kept doing stretches, looking fucking amazing.

  “Who on earth could?” Lance was fascinated by the curves and planes of Tide’s skin.

  “Thank you.” Tide smiled at him. “You want me to pose?”

  “Nope.” He pulled the camera body out, chose a lens. Midrange, he thought. Something to catch the light on that bare skin. “Just be you.”

  “That’s easy. I do stretches most mornings, a few sit-ups, push-ups. Some days I go over to the gym and work out.” Tide bent and touched his toes.

  “That’s cool. You’re built.” Lance walked places and he didn’t eat when he felt puffy, that was about it.

  “I try.” Tide gave him a cheesy bodybuilder pose.

  “Butthead.” He took shot after shot, clicking wildly.

  Grinning, Tide went back to his stretching, bending at the middle and grabbing his ankles. God, so lovely. Lance got the curve of Tide’s ass, the heavy biceps. Tide straightened, spread his legs, and bent again, this time letting his arms hang down and swing. Lance crouched down, shooting up, the morning light pouring in. Tide looked right at him through his lens. His heart stopped for a second, his world hiccupping. Tide smiled. Right at him. Oh wow. So beautiful.

  “Lance.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Are you still with me?” Tide asked.

  “Yeah. Yeah, sorry.” He shook himself, started shooting again.

  “Where did you go?” Tide asked, beginning to move through his morning routine again.

  “Go? I was here.” I was looking at you and being stupid in love.

  “Your body was, the rest of you seemed a little lost there for a moment.”

  “I was just looking at you.”

  “That’s a fantastic answer.” Tide beamed at him.

  “It’s the truth. You distract me.”

  Tide snagged his arm and tugged him near, bending to bring their mouths together. The kiss was slow and easy. Lance let the camera dangle as he breathed, sharing breath with Tide.

  When the kiss was over, Tide smiled and rubbed their noses together. “Come shower with me?”

  “Yes, please.” Lance loved that—the whole package. The smell of the soap, the touching and bubbles and steam.

  Tide held out a hand, and after Lance had snapped off a couple more shots and put down his camera, he took it. “I’m going to enjoy getting you all soapy.”

  “You’re not the only one.”

  “Good.”

  They went into Tide’s big bathroom, the place filling quickly with steam once Tide ran the hot water in the shower. Every inch of Lance’s body tingled, felt alive. Tide moved him around, fingers sliding on his skin. Tide picked up the soap, lathering his hands, and then reached out. Lance stepped up, stepped close. Those strong fingers slid over him, rubbing in the suds.

  His world tightened to that touch, and he stretched up, wrapped his arms around Tide’s neck. Humming, Tide nibbled on his shoulder, lips gliding over his wet skin. Tide’s soapy hands slid down his back and over his ass, fingertips digging in.

  “Love touching you,” Tide told him. “Just love it.”

  “I can feel you all over. Like everywhere in my soul.”

  Groaning, Tide pressed their lips together, opening his mouth in an all-consuming kiss. Lance wasn’t sure what he’d said that was good, but he’d take it. Tide’s kiss went on and on, stealing his breath and making him dizzy. He stroked Tide’s nape, his fingertips dancing on the soft skin.

  “Love the way you kiss me, too.” Tide started pressing kisses all over his face.

  “You’re kissing me, Tide.”

  “I know.”

  A happy smile spread across Lance’s face and didn’t stop.

  Tide kept kissing, occasionally hitting his lips, but just as often not. Lance chuckled, just about as whole as he’d ever felt. Tide pushed him up against the tile, body rubbing his. Tide’s waxed chest was so smooth, slick, and he could feel every muscle. Tide was so strong, so capable. So sexy.

  “Does it hurt?” Lance asked.

  “Does what hurt, darling?”

  “This. Waxing.” He stroked Tide’s smooth skin.

  “Oh!” Tide chuckled. “It’s not bad. I’ll have to teach you how to do it.”

  “You should have a professional do it.”

  “It’s not that hard. We can even have Bran wal
k you through it if you want. He does Tyrone.”

  “Still, I’d hate to hurt you.”

  “You’d rather someone else did? Someone else who will see my cock, my ass?” Tide asked.

  “You’re a model. Lots of people will see you. If I get jealous now, that’s going to lead to heartache.”

  Tide pondered that for a moment, then asked, “So you’re not feeling possessive of me at all?”

  “That’s a catch-22 question.” No matter what he answered, it would be wrong.

  Tide tilted his head. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t be upset if you said you were.”

  “You’re a model. You expose yourself, not in a sexual way, necessarily, but in an artistic way. And what have I got to be possessive with? I don’t have much to offer you.”

  “You have you to offer me.”

  “That’s what I said.” He was just… Lance.

  “But you said that wasn’t much. I think it’s everything.”

  He checked, but Tide looked serious. “You deserve better.”

  “One day, I am going to be successful in convincing you that you are worthy,” Tide told him.

  “I just know the truth. I’m not bad, I’m just… me.”

  “Just you is not ‘just’ anything,” Tide insisted.

  “Shh.” He brushed his fingers over Tide’s lips.

  Tide bit at his fingertips.

  “No biting!” Lance had to laugh. Had to.

  “You would be more convincing if you weren’t giggling, darling.”

  “I know!” But he couldn’t stop. He was so fucking happy.

  Tide’s chuckles joined his, and Tide bit at his fingertips again.

  Lance pushed close, a giddiness filling him. “You make me high.”

  “And I’m not illegal.”

  “No? Me either, although I have smoked weed before. I’m not a clueless virgin or anything.”

  “But you’re a BDSM virgin and that makes me happy.” Tide did look happy.

  “I’m worse than a virgin, I think. You guys are… whoa.”

  “There’s nothing bad about being a virgin. And I hope ‘whoa’ is a good thing!”

  “Of course.” Lance knew that Tide and Tyrone and Bran were…. Shit, they were magical.

  “I think you’re pretty whoa yourself, Lance.”

  “I’m glad.” Because even if it wasn’t true, he wanted Tide to believe it.

  “Me too.” Tide sucked and bit at his fingertips, teeth working his skin.

  “Be… be good.” He kept saying that. He wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by it, to be honest.

  “I think we might have different definitions of that word.”

  Lance had to chuckle, and the nod followed right behind. “I know we do.”

  “I like mine better.” Tide winked and nibbled at the pad of his thumb.

  Lance thought he did too, really.

  Tide’s nibbles, bites, and licks followed the curves of his hand, then moved across the inside of his wrist, making his whole body tingle. Lance’s lips parted, electricity moving through his body.

  “I want to eat you up,” Tide told him.

  “I…. You make it hard to breathe.”

  “That’s not a bad thing.” Tide cupped his cock. “I also make you hard.”

  “Yeah. More than I thought I could be.”

  “I love it. Love that just seeing me gives you a hard-on, that my touching you makes you leak. Even if you’ve only just come.”

  Tide said the craziest things, and each one turned Lance on. He was going to have to start jacking off again, just to not be walking around with a huge erection all the time.

  “I want you too, you know? This isn’t one-sided.” Tide met his gaze, looking dead serious.

  “Good.” How fucked up would it be if it was. One-sided, that was.

  “Yeah. I just need to be sure you know that.” Then Tide kissed him again, devouring his mouth—how could he doubt when Tide kissed him like that?

  He wrapped around his lover, shook his head. Amazing. Tide grabbed his ass and lifted him against the strong body. His cock rubbed over Tide’s ridged belly as Tide walked them from the bathroom back to the bedroom.

  “Our cocks are going to fall off,” Lance teased before diving into another kiss.

  Tide’s laughter filled his mouth, filled his lungs. God, Tide made him dizzy.

  “Fucking want you. Again. Still. Always.” Each of Tide’s words came with another kiss.

  “Again.” Lance couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.

  Tide nodded. “I want to tie you up in the playroom, leave you hanging for my will.”

  “Playroom?” They’d gone from front door to bedroom this time.

  “Uh-huh. A room with setups and toys. A place for us to explore in a thousand different ways. You want to see it?” Tide asked, stopping next to the bed.

  “Uh-huh. Can I bring the camera?”

  Tide tilted his head, then nodded. “Just for you, though.”

  “Just for me?” He didn’t follow what Tide was saying. It was his camera. Of course it was for him.

  “Not for resale or display,” Tide clarified.

  “I wouldn’t…. I would never. That’s your job and mine. I’m not… that’s totally unethical.” He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t sell Tide’s images without everything being upfront, without a release.

  He wanted his pants.

  “Hey. I didn’t think you would, but this isn’t a job, this is you and me, and I want you to know it too, to feel it deep inside.”

  “I know.” Had he been acting like it was a job? He felt totally out of his league, like he’d been doing something backward. “I think I need a drink, man. Just a glass of juice or water, cup of coffee. Something.” Jeans. Where were his jeans? He struggled to get down, but Tide held him close, squeezed his ass.

  “I’m sorry I ruined the mood, darling. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “It’s okay. We needed a break anyway.” And he wanted his jeans.

  “I don’t think we do, but if we need to have a conversation, that’s entirely doable.”

  “Cool.” If by conversation, Tide meant chilling out.

  Tide changed course and sat down on the bed, still holding him. “Okay. Let’s just breathe together for a minute here.”

  “I still don’t have my pants on.” Still, it was nice to be here, together, snuggled in close.

  “The best discussions don’t involve pants.”

  He chuckled and hid his face in the curve of Tide’s shoulder. “That should be on a T-shirt.”

  “That’s a great idea. Done.”

  “Are we fighting?” Lance asked.

  “Do you feel like we’re fighting?”

  “I feel….” Lance stopped and thought about it, really thought, because he wasn’t mad. Not really. “Hurt. I would never take advantage of you like that.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that, darling,” Tide insisted.

  “But you were worried about it or you wouldn’t have said it.”

  “I guess.”

  Lance nodded, sighed softly. “I’m sorry, Tide.”

  “Why? I’m the one who said something stupid.”

  “And I did something so you wouldn’t trust me. I should… I should have said no, not until all the work was done.” He should have been a professional.

  Tide shook his head. “No, darling. I disagree.”

  Lance leaned hard, and when Tide rested back against the headboard, and wrapped the blankets around them, it felt so right, so comfortable.

  “Not everything that goes wrong is your fault, Lance. Just like not everything that goes right is in spite of you. You are a great guy. Sexy, hot, intriguing. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  “I’m not. I mean, compared to you, I’m short….” Lance just wanted to lighten the mood.

  Tide chuckled for him and rubbed their noses together.

  “I want this thing we have to be good, you know?” It was important to
him.

  Tide nodded for him. “If it isn’t, then we shouldn’t be doing it. Or we should be doing it differently. So yeah, I totally agree. Not good doesn’t work.”

  “Yeah.” His fingers were fascinated by Tide’s belly, by the rippling abs.

  “Love your touch—that is a good thing.” Tide tightened and relaxed his muscles, moving them beneath his fingertips.

  “Uh-huh. Touching is good. Touching you.”

  Tide raised his arms and spread his legs beneath Lance. “Go for it. I’m all yours.”

  Oh. Oh okay. Yum. Lance reached out, watching the way his fingers looked on Tide’s skin. His was pale compared to Tide’s, and the contrast was lovely. Tide’s muscles moved with every breath, warm and alive. He hummed and leaned forward, kissed one of Tide’s nipples. Salty.

  Tide moaned for him, body arching slightly, pushing into his lips. He closed his eyes and began to suck, gently, rhythmically.

  “Feels good, Lance.” There was a husky note in Tide’s voice. One that he’d put there.

  He kept stroking Tide’s belly, kept his suction light, soft, careful.

  “So sweet, darling.” Tide’s fingers slid through his hair.

  It was. It felt like he was floating, like there wasn’t anything to worry about. Tide didn’t try to hurry him or distract him, simply moaned and hummed, fingers touching erratically. Lance kissed his way to the other nipple, flicking it with the tip of his tongue. Tide arched and whispered his name.

  “I won’t hurt you.” He didn’t want to hurt. He wanted to love on Tide.

  “I know.” Tide’s finger ran across his lips.

  He kissed the pad, licked the tip.

  Tide shivered beneath him. “Sexy.”

  “Feels good. Feels so warm.”

  “You’re making me need.” The proof of that was in the heat of Tide’s cock against him.

  “Cool.” Lance was into that.

  Tide laughed softly. “It is. It’s wonderful.”

  Wonderful worked for him. It made him feel like there was a chance that he could hold his own.

  “Don’t stop,” Tide ordered.

  “Shh.” He was doing this, right?

  “Oh, bossy.” Tide gave him a wink.

  “Uh-huh.” Lance rolled his eyes and started sucking.

  Tide’s groan made him feel ten feet tall. He flicked his tongue over the very tip of Tide’s nipple.