Lark (First & Forever 5)

“I think it’s perfect. Did you notice that extra strap in the back, the one between my shoulder blades? That’s the part you hold onto while you’re fucking me.”

I ran a hand around his ribs and up his back before wrapping my fist around the strap. When I pulled, just enough to tighten it against his chest, a purr slipped from him. I tipped his chin up with my other hand and searched his eyes as I said, “Tell me what you like about this.”

“It makes me feel sexy, and when I wear it while we’re fucking and you hold it like that, it’ll show me you’re in charge. That’s a huge turn-on.” Every part of that was undeniably appealing.

“It’s settled. We’re getting this one.” When I let go of the harness, he pulled me into a kiss. I picked him up, and he deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms and legs around me. I nuzzled his hair and asked, “Is there anything else you’d like while we’re here?”

He shook his head. “This is already too much.”

“There’s nothing wrong with letting me spoil you a little.”

He tucked his face into the curve of my neck and shoulder and whispered, “Thank you, Dylan.”

“You’re welcome, baby boy.”

I plucked the price tag off the harness and picked up his sweater. Then, because neither of us seemed inclined to let go, I carried him through the store to the register.

If Seth thought there was anything odd about the fact that I was carrying his friend, it didn’t show. He just smiled at me and said, “Looks like you found something you like.”

I handed over the price tag and nodded. “Yes, I did.”

“The harness is nice, too,” he joked, which made me smile.

There was a display box beside the register with cherry lollipops, and I put one on the counter while Seth rang up the harness. On second thought, I grabbed as many as I could with one hand and piled them with the first one. Then I asked, “Do you have anything else in here that’s edible?”

I’d meant candy or other treats Lark might enjoy, but Seth said, “We do carry a few things that are technically edible, including underwear, lube, and body paint, but I don’t really recommend, like, chowing down on them if you’re hungry. I took some samples home for my fiancé and me to try, and the best I can say about them is that they won’t kill you.”

“I’ll stick with the lollipops, thanks.” After a moment, I asked, “They’re just plain old candy, right?”

“Yes, but anything can be kinky with a little imagination.” Seth flashed me a smile as he said that. Okay, so he was actually a nice guy with a fiancé. That just made my earlier jealousy seem even more off-base.

After I signed the receipt and returned my wallet to my pocket, I rubbed Lark’s back and said, “It’s cold out, so you might want to put on your sweater.”

He uncoiled his arms and legs from me, and once he was standing, he pulled on the sweater over the harness. As Seth handed me a bag with the lollipops, he told Lark, “It’s good that you’re wearing something underneath the harness. I wore mine over a T-shirt for a week before I tried it against bare skin, to break it in and soften up the leather. Chafing’s not really my jam.”

Lark exclaimed, “Now I have an excuse to wear this every day for a week!”

“Not that you needed an excuse,” I said.

Seth nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Good to meet you, Dylan. And Lark, it’s always a pleasure. I hope to see you both again soon.”

We said our goodbyes, and once we were back in my truck, I handed Lark the bag of candy. That brought a huge smile to his face, and he kissed my cheek and thanked me.

On the drive home, I asked, “Will you spend the night with me tonight?”

“I’d love to. I brought along a toothbrush and some PJs, just in case you asked.”

I knew it was unusual to end every date with a sleepover. It definitely didn’t fit with most definitions of casual dating, either. But I enjoyed it too much to overanalyze it, and it seemed like he did, too.

It started raining a minute or two later, and Lark said, “Our sleepover is going to be extra cozy now.” I loved the way he instantly turned it into a positive.

He’d forgotten about the desserts, and when we got back to the loft and I took them out of the refrigerator, Lark was delighted. I changed into pajamas while he insisted on making me a cup of tea. Then he went to change and use the bathroom while I made him some hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream and marshmallows.

I brought a soft blanket, the drinks, and our desserts to the couch and got comfortable while I waited for him. I’d gotten a thin slice of plain cheesecake, and he’d selected a great big slab of chocolate cake that made my dessert seem lackluster.

In the same vein, I’d put on a plain white T-shirt and gray plaid pajama pants, and he joined me wearing pink flannel pajamas with rainbows and unicorns. He’d put on the harness over them, presumably to keep breaking it in.

It was hard to imagine two things that went together less than those pajamas and a leather harness, but in an odd way, it suited Lark perfectly. He was both of those things, somehow—sexy and sexually adventurous, but still utterly sweet and innocent. The word innocent shouldn’t have fit, given the first part of that, but it just did somehow.