“Hope.”
“Excuse me, Sir?”
“Hope is your code word to make the transition from non-play activities to play.”
Matthew’s eyes went wide. Hugh continued, making sure to give him enough time to process everything.
“Whenever I say it, you will go to your knees, hands behind your back. You will not talk when the scene starts unless I tell you otherwise. If you don’t use your safe word, the scene ends when I say hope again.”
“I understand.”
“What is your safe word?”
“Apple.”
“Apple it is. Now, run through all my instructions again to make sure you understood everything correctly.”
As Matthew repeated the instructions, Hugh took the time to observe him. Having something to do, even something as small as relaying instructions, helped put him at ease, his personality peeking through. And Hugh wanted to see more of it. He wanted to get to know the man without the barriers, the layers of protection he’d built around himself.
“Very good, Matthew. Do you have any questions?”
“No, Sir.”
“Good. Now, I’d love to get know you better.”
At once, Matthew’s eyes hooded and he threw Hugh a careful look. So, he didn’t like to talk about himself. “What do you want to know?”
“Anything you’re comfortable telling me.”
“Oh.” Tension visibly drained from Matthew, though he retained the careful expression.
“Tell me what you like to do, for instance. Do you have a hobby?”
“Well…”
“It’s all right if you don’t. A lot of people don’t.”
“No, I do. It’s just…embarrassing.” A lovely blush colored Matthew’s cheeks.
“Now I have to know.” Hugh teased him.
“Nooo.”
“Come on. Spill.” Hugh wiggled his eyebrows, trying to put Matthew at ease.
“I volunteer at the animal shelter downtown.”
“You do? That’s awesome.”
The blush deepened, but he looked less embarrassed. “It’s not much—I’m mostly on clean-up duty—but they need all the help they can get.”
Hugh’s lips split into a grin. “Don’t put yourself down. It’s pretty awesome. Do you get to chose the animals you work with or are they assigned to you?”
“Sometimes I do, but usually only when they have more volunteers, or if I have the day off and get to put in more hours. I like the older cats.” Matthew’s face lit up as he talked, tugging at Hugh’s heart. So Hugh probed further, just to hear him speak more.
“So, today, if you weren’t here, you’d be there.”
“I don’t go in every day off, but probably.”
“Maybe one day you will take me with you to the shelter.”
“You’d like that?”
“Absolutely. Tell me about the cats.”
“Most of them are going to be there until they die. Some are sick, some have trust issues, but once you gain their trust, they are so loving.”
“Do you have a cat of your own?”
“No. My landlord doesn’t allow pets.” Matthew shrugged sadly. “What about you? Do you have any pets?”
“I had a dog when I was growing up. An old German Shepherd named Debbie.”
“Debbie? Really?”
“I didn’t name her. She was there before me. She was my mother’s dog and adopted me after I was born. We were inseparable.”
“What happened to her?”
“She died when I was about ten. We never replaced her. My mom couldn’t bare it.” Hugh couldn’t help a pang of regret when he thought about that silly old dog who had been such an important part of his childhood and how much he’d wished his mother would reconsider and get them a new one. But it never happened and he’d slowly gotten used to the idea he might never get a pet.
“I’m sorry about her.”
“Thank you. Tell me more about this shelter you volunteer at.”
“It hosts about two hundred animals on a regular basis, sometimes more.”
Hugh sipped his coffee as he listened to Matthew talk about the animals. It was obvious the little place meant everything to him. A shame Matthew couldn’t have a pet of his own.
The conversation slowly changed from animals to work and friends.
“May I… Uhmm. May I ask you something?”
The change in pace put Hugh on alert. His eyes narrowed slightly as he searched Matthew’s face. “Sure. You can ask me anything, and unless we’re in a middle of a scene, you don’t have to ask permission to do so. What do you want to know?”
“May I kiss you?” Matthew mumbled, his eyes to the ground. Hugh had to strain to hear him.
Hugh bit back the peel of laughter rumbling through his chest. “You can kiss me anytime you want, no need to ask.”
As if afraid Hugh would change his mind, Matthew jumped from his chair. Hugh barely had time to react and push his chair back before Matthew was in his face.
Matthew placed a shaky hand on Hugh’s cheek and leaned in. He brought their mouths together, hot lips brushing against even hotter lips. Invisible energy sparked between them, Hugh’s heart doing a double-take.
Slowly, without breaking the contact, Hugh rose to his feet. Matthew moaned softly into Hugh’s mouth. Placing his hands on Matthew’s waist, Hugh brought him closer. Their bodies touched. Energy flowed between them, around them.
Matthew placed a tentative hand against Hugh’s chest, closing the distance between them. That small gesture, no matter how tentative, spoke volumes of Matthew’s attraction to Hugh. Hugh allowed him to set the pace. Slowly, as if asking for permission, Matthew brought his arms around Hugh, one going behind his neck and the other around his waist.
Lips parted beneath Hugh’s, and Matthew probed at the seam of Hugh’s mouth. Hugh opened up for him. The first touch of their tongues, soft, sweet, made Hugh break out in goosebumps. Matthew tasted of the latte he’d been drinking and something that was his alone. As the kiss deepened, Hugh tasted him again and again, until he was certain it was branded in his brain forever.
Matthew moaned and ground into him, bringing their hips together. At the feel of the hard-on rubbing against his, Hugh’s fingers tightened behind Matthew, but he fought to relax and let Matthew retain control. Blood running hotter as Matthew continued to grind against him, Hugh nipped his lower lip in warning. Matthew gave a little jerk, a groan rumbling through his chest. His hips snapped forward.
Hugh caught his hip. He fisted the fabric of Matthew’s pants, keeping him in place. Matthew groaned into Hugh’s mouth. Hugh reciprocated with a moan of his own, his heart beating wildly in his ears. Matthew arched into him, his arms tightening behind Hugh’s neck, pulling him forward. Blood drained from his head, rushing to his groin. Hugh’s cock throbbed.
God. What were they doing? They were moving too fast. And yet, he couldn’t break the contact. Almost without thought, he pulled Matthew closer, smashing their bodies together. His dick ground into Matthew. He gasped, his hold tightening. Not that it helped with Matthew, who rotated his hips, erasing almost every coherent thought from Hugh’s mind.
No, he couldn’t have that. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, allow himself to lose control. Pulling back, he broke contact. Through clenched teeth, he breathed deeply.
“Slow down.”
But Matthew ground into him still. He didn’t seem to be hearing him. With each gyration Matthew made, he ate away at Hugh’s resolve. Hugh briefly considered using the code word. Hope. A single word, a four-letter one, and he would be back in control. But this was, or was heading out to be, their first time together and he didn’t want to put any sort of stops or boundaries on it. And calling a scene would do just that.
Releasing his hold on Matthew’s pants, which wasn’t helping much in the way of keeping him steady, he jerked at the hem of Matthew’s shirt. There was a tear, but neither of them paused to investigate. Once he had it in his hand, Hugh thre
w the fabric away, allowing himself to feast on the expanse of skin on display.
Hugh flexed his tingling fingers to stop himself from running them over Matthew’s chest. For now, he just wanted to watch. Sure, he’d seen Matthew semi-naked back at the club, but there Matthew was off limits. Here, they weren’t Master and client, but…lovers. He shuddered at the term, but decided to ignore that for now.
Apparently, he’d taken too long to react, because Matthew reached for him and pulled him back closer. Hugh stumbled, taken by surprise. Matthew steadied him, then froze.
“Fuck. I’m sorry.”
“No, no. I’m okay.”
“I didn’t mean…” Matthew’s eyes hooded, his gaze lowering.
Hugh took his hand and drew him into his arms.
“No. Stop thinking. Nothing to apologize for. There’s just the two of us here. I’m all yours. You can do anything you want with me.”
Matthew gaped at him.
“I mean it.”
When Matthew still hesitated, Hugh lifted his hand and put it behind his own shoulders.
“Yeah?”
“Yep. Now, where were we?”
“I believe you were about to fuck me into the wall.” Matthew’s eyes widened, as if shocked by his own courage.
Hugh winked at him, silently letting him know he appreciated his boldness. “I believe you’re right.”
Hugh trailed his hand across Matthew’s chest. Matthew shivered, his nipples hardening to pebbles.
“But not here.”
Matthew tilted his head slightly, his wide eyes making him look like a puppy. “Huh?”
Taking pity on him, Hugh continued. “Let’s move this to the bedroom. I don’t want our first time to be over the kitchen table.”
Hugh could see Matthew’s throat working as he swallowed, just as a faint blush colored his cheeks. Eyes hooding, Matthew nodded.
Hugh took his hand and led him to the bedroom. The respite allowed him to get himself under control. Not that his cock shared the sentiment, but he refused to let his dick do the thinking.
“Take off your clothes.” Hugh kept his tone light, making sure there was not even a hint of command, giving Matthew the option to refuse if so he wished.
Staring Hugh in the eye, Matthew started to undress. As more and more skin was exposed, it was Hugh’s turn to dry swallow. With the pants unzipped, Matthew pushed the fabric away and hooked his thumbs under the waist band.
“Wait. I want to do that.”
Closing the distance between them, breaths mingling in proximity, Hugh slid his fingers beneath Matthew’s. While brushing their lips together, Hugh tugged at the fabric. Not to remove them, but to lower them enough to expose the elastic band of Matthews briefs and the soft skin above it.
Hugh ran his knuckles over the patch, savoring the way Matthew shivered in response.
“You are so beautiful,” Hugh whispered.
Matthew gasped.
Sliding his fingers deeper under the denim, Hugh bumped against Matthew’s cock.
“Oh, God.” Matthew swayed slightly before steadying himself, bracing his arms around Hugh’s shoulders.
And because he could, Hugh did it again. This time, Matthew rose onto the balls of his feet, his cock giving a visible jerk.
Hooking his thumbs beneath the waistband, Hugh gave one long tug, pushing the pants all the way down to Matthew’s knees. Eyes going wide at the sudden movement, Matthew shimmied them all the way down. Now in only his socks and underwear, he straightened his back, catching Hugh’s gaze.
Adrenaline surged at the hint of challenge in Matthew’s eyes, but Hugh decided against calling him out on it. Besides, Hugh liked a little spark in his subs.
“Take those off.” He pointed at Matthew’s briefs.
Before the words were out of his mouth, Matthew had already removed his underwear. Shaking his head, a wide grin splitting his lips, Hugh removed his own clothes. Matthew reached for him. With a wink, Hugh leaned to the side, avoiding him, and sneaked his foot behind Mathew’s shin, while giving him a gentle push. Taken by surprise, Matthew fell back, arms flailing. Hugh caught his hand before his back touched the mattress and deposited him securely on the bed.
“You!” Whatever would have followed was drowned in the laughter bubbling out of Matthew.
Hugh joined him on the bed, bracing his hands on either side of his head and claiming Matthew’s mouth in a deep kiss. The laughter turned to a moan, and Matthew arched into him. Their erections rubbed against each other, rock hard and hot. Hugh fisted his hands in the sheets, eyes squeezed shut as he fought for control.
Breaking the kiss, Hugh stared Matthew in the eye.
“I want you to stay still.”
Matthew’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, his eyes widening.
“Can you do that for me?”
“Yes.” There was a hint of hesitation behind the word that Hugh savored. He loved to keep his partner on their toes.
Without notice, Hugh slid down Matthew’s body, trailing his tongue over the middle of his chest and lower, over his stomach and belly, to stop at the patch of hair surrounding Matthew’s cock. Matthew jerked when Hugh took him into his mouth. His hands shot to Hugh’s hair and he tried to scramble back.
“What did I tell you? Stay still.” It wasn’t an order, his tone was too light for that, but it had a similar effect on Matthew. He froze, his eyes widening further.
“Good.”
Rising to a half-seated position, Hugh took Matthew’s hands and placed them against the mattress.
“Keep them here. Or around the headboard if you prefer, but I don’t want them near me until I say so.”
Matthew nodded and settled against the headboard as instructed. Lowering back again, Hugh concentrated on Matthew’s cock. Wrapping his fingers around the base, he started working it. He took it into his mouth, going as deep as he could before coming back up, only to start the process all over again.
Mathew gasped, his thighs rising from the bed. His body shook with the effort to remain still. His cock throbbed, growing even harder against Hugh’s tongue. In response, Hugh increased the rhythm, using his hand as well as his mouth. Matthew thrashed, incoherent sounds pouring out of him.
Precome dribbled, its sweetness exploding on Hugh’s tongue. The dick gave another throb. Matthew froze, hips pushed forward. And then Hugh stopped. He let go of the cock and pushed himself upward.
“What the…” Matthew blinked furiously in confusion. Hugh lifted a brow in challenge, so Matthew toned it down. “What? Why?”
“You didn’t think it was going to be that easy, did you?”
Understanding dawned. Matthew’s eyes hooded as a lovely blush reddened his cheeks. “No, Sir.”
“Don’t worry, you will get to come. But much, much later. I’m going to fuck you now.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Open that drawer.” Once Matthew complied, Hugh continued. “Take out the lube and the condom and hand them over.”
“Now, how should I do this?” Hugh paused, weighing his options while he trailed the tip of his finger over Matthew’s chest. “Face to face? Get you on all fours?” His voice trailed off, not expecting an answer. “No, those won’t do.”
Disappointment darkened Matthew’s features. Hugh caressed Matthew’s cheek with his knuckles, lingering at the corners of his mouth.
“I want you to ride me.”
Matthew gasped in surprise.
“Would you like that?”
Matthew wetted his lips, nodding.
“Say it.”
“Yes, I’d like that.” Matthew sounded breathless, his pupils wide.
“Stretch yourself.”
Matthew rose to his knees, legs spread for balance. With shaky hands, Matthew took the cap off the lube and poured some into his palm. To Hugh’s surprise, he didn’t discard the bottle as he would have expected but popped the cap back on and placed it gently on the far side of the bed. Holding Hugh’s gaze, Matth
ew dipped his fingers into the lube and reached behind him. He shuddered when the cold lube touched his ass. His shaft bounced, and a droplet of precede dripped from the tip.
Hugh wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking it lazily. Tension built up, slowly, maddening.
“How many fingers?”
“Two.” Matthew breathed out. Hugh groaned inside.
“Add a third when you’re ready.” And, God, be ready soon. He squeezed the base, trying to take off some of the pressure.
It seemed like forever before Matthew announced he was ready. Hugh grabbed the condom from where it had landed and tore it open with his teeth. Without taking his eyes from Matthew’s, he rolled it over his shaft. With a final squeeze, Hugh slid back on the bed, legs spread.
“Climb over.”
Bracing on his arms, Matthew straddled him. Hugh ran his hands up Matthew’s thighs, harshly. Once he reached his butt cheeks, he gave them a hard squeeze. Matthew moaned, his muscles going weak. Hugh wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him forward. They met halfway, hot lips caught in even hotter lips. Their cocks brushed against each other, Matthew’s leaving a wet trail in its wake.
Matthew swayed.
“Steady there.”
Wiggling, Matthew balanced in a more secure position above Hugh.
Hugh snaked a hand between them to his dick. “Lower yourself on me.”
A fresh trail of wetness covered his stomach as Matthew swayed back. Hugh held himself steady, his rock-hard, condom-sheathed dick in hand. Matthew pushed back, wiggled to position his hole right over Hugh’s dick, and pressed down. Unbearable heat engulfed Hugh’s cock, the pressure around it making it even worse. Or better, though he could no longer think properly.
“Oh, hell, just like that.”
Matthew grunted and pushed himself lower. Hugh’s cock slid inside. He squeezed Matthew’s thighs, holding him in place, trying to compose himself.
“Give me a second.” A fresh wave of arousal washed through him and he had to lock his jaw to stave off his impending orgasm.
Matthew grunted and pushed again, trying to take Hugh deeper.
“Easy.” But when Matthew bounced on top of him, taking him to the root, Hugh couldn’t bring himself to stop him.
A Master for Matthew (The Dungeon Book 6) Page 6