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“My only limits are permanent marks.”

“Good to know, but it wasn’t what I asked.”

The dark eyes were confused for a moment. “My preferences depend upon the man I am working with.”

“I don’t understand.”

The long fingers touched him. “I’m hired to fulfill your fantasy, your pleasure, to discover your needs. Mine are inconsequential.”

That touch sent a lovely shiver through him. “My needs and yours are intertwined.” He couldn’t imagine not taking his sub’s needs and wants into consideration, not even someone he’d only be with for an evening.

“What are your needs? What do you seek in a submissive?” The touch continued over his wrists.

“A partner.”

“That will make someone so happy. Are you interested in sex? Control? Pain?”

“Sex, control. Pain is a part of that but not the main draw.”

“Tell me about your ultimate scene?” Those touches were almost magical.

He swallowed, a soft moan leaving him. “Ultimate?” He closed his eyes, let that touch take him away.

“You’re laid out on a St. Andrew’s cross. You’re not tied there, though. You’re kept in place by will alone. My will and your own. I lay stripes down -- on your back, ass, and thighs first, then on your chest, your hips. You’re erect and needy cries come from you. God, you’re beautiful like this. You come on my command. You beg for me to take you.”

He let his eyes open, meet Adam’s.

Those dark eyes were warm, deep, and he could fall into them. “You have a lovely imagination, Sir.”

“Thank you. You’re very inspiring.”

“Tell me about your experiences before. Did you have a sub you worked with on the east coast?”

“No, I mostly played with single men, experimented. I was -- am -- looking for someone special.” He didn’t just want someone to play with -- he wanted that partner.

“Do you want a lifestyle sub?”

“I do. But I don’t want a slave. I want a partner who is submissive. You know?”

“What’s the difference?” Those touches were maddening.

He captured Adam’s hands in his, curling their fingers together. “I want a man who knows his own mind, who will have an opinion on what movie we’re going to watch, who will make important life decisions with me.”

“You’ll make someone so happy.” Adam submitted immediately, fingers relaxing in his.

“That’s the hope, anyway. So tell me what your favorite type of scene is?”

“When I’m working, I enjoy the scenes that end with pleasure, with contact.”

“And when you’re not working?” Was Adam a for-hire sub only?

“I.” Adam chuckled, then smiled at him. “That is something for my true master to discover, should he ever find me.”

“You’re single, too, then.” Of course the man was. Matt couldn’t imagine allowing his sub to work with other masters like Adam did. He knew it needed to be done, but he knew that when he found his partner for life, he would not be willing to share.

“I am. I have never found a man who truly understood how what I do is an integral part of me.”

So formal. Matt couldn’t help but be curious about what Adam was like when the man was laughing, relaxed.

“I assume there are tools here for me to use? That you’ll be judging my ability with them as well as my control over you?”

“Yes, Sir. Would you like to see?”

“I would.” Because if he spent too much more time talking with Adam, he was going to want more than just an audition for the club with the man. Perhaps he already did. There was just something about...

Adam stood and opened a hidden cabinet. Whips. Cuffs. Gags. Dildos. The choices were spectacular. The highest quality as well, he imagined. He went to the cabinet and looked through what was there, deciding on a plug and a small paddle.

Adam didn’t push him, didn’t question, but he could feel the man’s presence. He wanted to know what excited Adam, what made Adam beg, burn, need. Not some random stranger, but Adam.

Matt took a breath and nodded. “This is all I need.” Anything else had the potential to become too personal. Hell, the plug and paddle probably did, too.

“Yes, Sir. Where would you like me?”

“Right where you are.” He put aside the toys and reached for Adam’s buttons.

“Yes, Sir.” Adam was lean, tanned, and unmarked. No piercings, no ink, no scars, just lovely skin.

He undressed the man slowly, examining every inch. “You’re lovely.”

Adam seemed to be designed to be pleasing, close to any Dom’s fantasy. There was a tiny, trimmed line of public hair -- enough to ignore, should you want your sub shaved, but present enough to let you know it was there. Adam’ wasn’t tiny like a twink, but very lean, willowy. It was, honestly, almost disconcerting.

Matt found himself leaning in, then stopped. This wasn’t a date; this was only an audition for the club. He cleared his throat and let himself touch the tanned skin. The tight muscles rippled. Adam’s skin was so warm.

“You’re lovely.” It bore repeating.

“Thank you, Sir. I try to be.”

“You are.” He nodded toward the couch. “Lean over that, please. Legs spread.”

Adam bent gracefully, the long spine, the tight ass exposed to him. He groaned and reached out to touch the lovely skin. Smooth, warm, like silk. He wanted to mark it. He was going to mark it. Not the real way he wanted to, not on this paid-for trial. He’d only bruise it a little tonight.

He smacked Adam’s ass experimentally. Adam’s flesh was resilient, colored a sweet pink.

“Very nice.” He smacked the other ass cheek this time, enjoying the feeling of Adam’s flesh under his fingers.

“Thank you, Sir.”

He continued to warm Adam’s ass with his hand instead of the paddle; he was enjoying the contact, the feeling of Adam’s flesh against his palm, his fingers. Adam never moved, but never tensed, either. He wondered what it would be like to be this man’s Master, to be able to truly push. He wrapped one ass cheek with his hand, massaged it. The flesh was heating with his blows, just beginning to truly redden.

“You color so beautifully.”

“Thank you, Sir.” So polite, so controlled.

“I’m going to fill you and then work you over with the paddle.” What would it be like to pull emotion from the man? Stunning, he’d bet. Amazing.

“Yes, Sir. As you will.”

There were discreetly placed tubes of lube all over the place and he grabbed one, slicking up his fingers. The tiny, tight hole was right there, waiting for him. He used the fingers of his non-lubed hand to hold open the sweet cheeks, and teased Adam’s hole with his slick fingers, rubbing up and down along it. The skin was soft, giving, shaved clean.

His prick jerked in his trousers and he ignored it. It was a good thing he hadn’t undressed; he wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist if he had. Groaning, he pushed the tip of one finger in. Tight and already slick, readied. Fuck.

“Did you... is this usual?” He sank his finger all the way in, glorying at the tight heat.

“Clean and readied, inside and out.”

“Sweet.” He pushed another finger in, enjoying opening Adam up.

He wondered how much Adam could take, whether the man was a size queen. It made him push in another finger. God, he’d love to take Adam with his hand. He’d never done it; he’d never wanted to share that kind of intensity with anyone. And here he was, thinking about it with a man he’d only just met.

He wasn’t sure if it was the mystery or the immediate connection, but whatever it was, it was amazing.

“This is a nice plug, but not as nice as some of the ones in my personal collection.” He slid his fingers out of Adam and slicked up the silicone cock.

“No? Do you have a nice collection?” Was Adam’s voice a touch breathless?

“I do. I have some stunning ones. This one is... serviceable. It’s not a complaint,” he added quickly. “It’s not personal, though.”

“No. No, it is... anonymous.”

“Maybe next time.” Because he wanted there to be a next time. He wanted to get together with this man without it being about the club, about auditioning and someone paying for Adam’s time.

“I am yours until you don’t need my services, Sir.”

“I don’t want you bought and paid for, Adam.”

For the first time, Adam tensed. “Am I not pleasing?”

“You are. Very. That’s the thing. I want to follow this to its natural conclusion. I want to get to know you and kiss you. I want you to be here with me because you want to get to know me, too.”

Adam took a soft breath. “I. Thank you, Sir.”

“Would it count against me if we ended the scene here? I’d like to talk to you off the clock, so to speak.”

Adam stood, looked at him, eyes worried. “Sir? Have I displeased you? Should I ask Master Oliver to find you another submissive?”

“No, no. Not at all.” He reached out and touched Adam’s arm. “You’ve pleased me very much. I just want to get to know you, to... to date you. And I don’t think you’ll do that as long as Oliver is paying you to test me.”

“No. No, I wouldn’t. I.” Adam chuckled. “I have this carefully learned script that I use to turn men down, and I’ve forgotten it.”

“Do so many men want to take you out?” He found himself bristling a bit at the idea. He didn’t want to be just another Dom.

Adam pinked, head ducking. “I’m sorry, Sir. I didn’t mean to suggest that.”

“And I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I was just feeling... like just another cog in the wheel, and I don’t want to be just another anything in your eyes.”

“Do you mind if I dress, Sir? If the scene is over.”

“Of course not. I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”

There was no indication from Adam whether Matt had a chance with the man or not. A part of him worried that he’d just blown his chance to join the Hammer Club, but he knew he couldn’t continue the scene lying about the direction he wanted to go in with Adam.

Adam dressed quickly, tied his hair back, then picked up a phone. “Would you like a cup of coffee, Sir? A glass of wine?”

“A glass of water would be good. And maybe a dessert we can share?”

“Yes, Sir. Can I please have two waters and a dessert sampler sent in? Thank you.” Adam went to the sink and warmed a towel under the hot water, offering it to him for his slick fingers. “Shall we sit on the sofa?”

“I’d like that very much.” He cleaned his fingers, eyes on Adam.

Adam took him to the sofa, eased him down. He held his hand out for Adam, wanting the man to sit close. Adam sat, eyes down, breath slow and steady.

“Is this all right? That we get to know each other like this?”

“Yes, Sir. I... I’m afraid that I’ve misstepped with you, and I want to assure you that it wasn’t my intention.”

“Misstepped how?”

“I offended you, made you feel you were not my sole focus. In this moment, you are.”

“No, no, not at all.” He took Adam’s hands in his. “I want to kiss you.”

“Why?” The look was curious, but not affronted.

“Because I’m very attracted to you.” He leaned in closer, wondering if Adam was interested in kissing him as well.

“I... This is not very professional of me.”

“I don’t want you to be professional with me. I want you to be personal. I want you off the clock and here with me now because it’s your choice. If it isn’t, I guess I’ll just go.” He didn’t want to, but he didn’t want to make Adam uncomfortable; if there was any question that Adam felt like he had to stay because his time had been paid for...

“I never misread people so badly...”

“I’m sorry?” He wasn’t sure what Adam meant.

“This is the third time you’ve asked to go. I’m doing this terribly.”

“No, I don’t want to go. I want this to be personal between you and me. I want to have the freedom to kiss you and touch you and truly top you if that’s where this goes.” He chuckled. “I’m usually not this unclear or hesitant, but I won’t make this real if you feel an obligation. Only if it’s your choice.”

“I. This has never happened to me.”

“No one has ever wanted
you
before?” Much as Matt liked that he was the only one, he could hardly believe it.

“No one has asked who made me consider saying yes.”

“Does that mean you’re considering saying yes to me?”

“Possibly.”

“But it does mean that I can try without fear of you feeling beholden?”

Adam nodded. “I’ll return my fee to Master Oliver and have another submissive service you.”

“I don’t want another submissive. Just you.” He reached out and slid his fingers along Adam’s cheek.

Adam pinked, looking suddenly vulnerable, shy.

It was delightful, and Matt felt all his protective instincts come out. “I do want to kiss you, Adam. Very badly.” He let his finger slide along Adam’s lower lip.

Adam’s lips parted, and he saw the man shiver.

“So sensual.” He slipped his finger into Adam’s mouth. The soft suction made his eyes cross, made him shiver. “Oh, God, you’re something special.”

A discreet knock came on the door.

Matt jerked, his fingers sliding away from Adam’s mouth. “I guess that’s our dessert.”

“Yes. I’m sorry. Let me get it.” Adam hurried to the door, adjusting himself. There was a quick, whispered conversation at the door, then Adam wheeled the cart in. “Ta da!”

He chuckled. “You can serve us.” He found himself watching every move Adam made, utterly fascinated.

“Yes, Sir.” Adam smiled at him, tentatively. “Shall I call you Sir?”

A delighted shiver went through him. “Yes, that works nicely.”

“Yes, Sir. How do you take your coffee?”

“Three milks, no sugar.”

“Very white.” Adam nodded and carefully prepared his drink. “You have chocolate tarts, a strawberry shortcake, and some pecan cookies, Sir.”

“One of each, please. And help yourself as well.”

“Maybe one, yes. Thank you.”

The desserts were carefully plated, offered. He took the plate from Adam, still more interested in the man than the food. Adam took one of the strawberry desserts, cutting one of the berries in small pieces.

“May I have a piece?”

“Of course, Sir.” One piece was carefully speared up, offered to him.

He held Adam’s eyes as he slowly chewed. Sweet and tart, bright. Lovely. Like the man in front of him.