Daniel hadn’t confessed that first night about his submissive tendencies. Not entirely comfortable with them himself, he hadn’t wanted to scare Liam away. Daniel hadn’t been new to the scene, but he’d only played at it, from time to time meeting guys at BDSM clubs and sometimes going home with them.
Nothing substantial ever came of those hookups. The men he’d found who claimed to be Doms were usually only interested in rough sex. Sometimes they would tie him up, if he felt safe enough with them to permit it. While the BDSM play could be exciting, it had never satisfied something deep within Daniel that he hadn’t entirely understood before Liam. Usually afterward, he was left feeling dissatisfied and more alone than before.
It had taken Liam’s patience and love to help Daniel understand his desires were not simply a kink, but an essential part of his being that needed to be nurtured. Liam had helped him truly appreciate the power of a loving D/s relationship. He’d taught him to embrace his submission, to revel in it. Along with the love and genuine friendship they enjoyed as a part of their consensual Master-slave relationship, Daniel had found a peace with Liam he honestly hadn’t thought existed in this world.
They’d been together a little over a year, and for the first six or seven months he’d been happy to be completely submissive to his lover. He’d thrilled to each new erotic torture and sensually submissive act.
Yet, over time, a different part of his sexual nature began to emerge. He found himself eager to discover the potential power of dominating someone. He’d close his eyes and imagine it was he who held the whip. He fantasized binding someone by wrist and ankle to the St. Andrew’s Cross they had in their playroom. He could see himself dragging the leather thongs of Liam’s flogger over the slave’s naked flesh in the moment before he struck.
Once after they’d made love, he made the mistake of straddling Liam, pinning his wrists suddenly over his head with one hand and gripping his throat with the other in a primal display of dominance. If push came to shove, though Liam was the taller of the two, Daniel was definitely the stronger.
As quickly as his aggressive behavior had flared, it sputtered out. Without needing to say a word, Liam had caught him in a fiery gaze, compelling Daniel to loosen his hold and relinquish any idea of control.
Yet, these occasional dominant urges had not subsided. Daniel had admitted to his growing compulsion to dominate another person. He knew it couldn’t be Liam, and after that first tentative attempt, knew he didn’t want it to be Liam. They’d talked about bringing someone home from a club for casual play, but both knew how unsatisfying that usually turned out to be.
Liam was the one who suggested they do a search and find someone to bring home on a trial basis, not just for an overnight romp, but to serve them both. Daniel was thrilled at Liam’s interest.
Now, Daniel stood at the door of Liam’s study, bouncing eagerly on the balls of his feet. “Liam?”
Liam looked up from his work. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”
Daniel walked into Liam’s den and sat on the leather chair in front of his desk, unable to hide his grin. “Alex will be here tomorrow at eleven thirty.”
Liam smiled back. “Excellent. Let’s hope the third time’s the charm.”
Daniel awoke early the next morning, despite intending to sleep in. It was mid-June and the sun was already bright in a sky the color of robin’s eggs. He went out back to check on his koi pond and the flower gardens.
After doing a bit of weeding, he picked a large bunch of purple irises for the house. Once inside, he showered and shaved, not neglecting his pubic area. Liam expected him to be clean-shaven and smooth at all times. He liked it as well—it made him feel more submissive—to be that much more naked and accessible for his Master. Once showered, he pulled on white shorts, leaving his torso bare since Liam enjoyed seeing him shirtless.
He had just put homemade cinnamon rolls in the oven when Liam came ambling into the kitchen, his thick, dark hair tussled, his face still marked with sleep. Daniel poured coffee into his mug. Liam touched the top of his hand. “You’ve been up a while?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep.” Daniel grinned, ducking his head.
Liam gave a knowing smile. “Don’t worry, eleven thirty will be here before you know it. Just don’t get your hopes too high. If this guy doesn’t fit the bill, we’ll just keep looking.”
Liam had been right—though the morning had dragged out for weeks—suddenly it was eleven twenty-five. Liam was sitting calmly in the living room doing something on his iPad. He was dressed casually in jeans and a red shirt. Daniel had put on a black T-shirt. He touched his silver slave cuffs and tried to keep his nerves at bay.