Professional Distance (Thorne and Dash 1)

Thorne let himself be pulled down to lie on Dash’s chest. “I’m right here,” Dash said. “You don’t have to hold back anymore.”

Thorne was grateful for the warmth and tenderness. And as his tears slowed, he realized that while the pain of losing Clint so suddenly was still there, it had eased. Telling Dash had been the right thing to do.

“I never tried dating after that. Once I moved up to senior partner, I started paying for what I wanted. It was so much simpler.”

“I hear that a lot, that paying for sex makes it simple,” Dash said. “It can, but it can also—”

“Complicate things.” Thorne finished the statement for him, certain Dash could feel his heart pounding heavily against his chest. He wanted to explain just how complex his feelings for Dash had become, but he didn’t have the nerve. Once said, the words couldn’t be taken back. They would change everything.

“Is this the first time you let yourself mourn him?” Dash asked as he stroked Thorne’s hair.

“Yes. At first I was afraid if I did, I’d never come back to myself, that I’d let grief take me. Now the pain has dulled, but it’s still there.”

“How could it not be? You lost someone you loved.”

“Who knows what would have happened, whether he would ever have left his wife. I was probably a fool to believe he would but…yeah, I did love him.”

Dash held him, and Thorne let more tears fall. What was the point in fighting them? When the storm of his emotions quieted, Dash slipped out from under him. “Stay there. I’ll be right back.”

What was Dash up to? Thorne propped himself on his arms so he could see. When Dash stepped into the boat and then out again with a coil of rope, a shudder of lust ran through Thorne.

“Raise your hands over your head,” Dash said, his voice low, commanding but not harsh.

Thorne’s cock hardened as Dash wrapped the rope around the thin trunk of the tree and then his wrists and secured it. Dash left the bonds loose, which was good since the rope was scratchy. Thorne could free himself if he wanted to, but he didn’t.

Dash shoved Thorne’s shirt up and lavished kisses over his chest. He teased Thorne’s nipples to hard nubs, sucking, licking, biting. Thorne arched up, wanting more. Dash kissed his way down Thorne’s torso as he unfastened his shorts. Then finally, he drew Thorne’s cock deep into his mouth. Thorne thrust into that inviting warmth as he fought the urge to tug his hands free so he could keep Dash right where he wanted him. Dash sucked him until Thorne was sure he was going to shoot in Dash’s mouth, but Dash stopped just in time.

Thorne watched as he pulled a condom from his pocket. He expected Dash to put it on himself, but he rolled it slowly down Thorne’s dick, the touch of his hands bringing Thorne right back to the edge.

When Thorne was covered, Dash stood and shucked his bathing trunks. He sucked on his fingers until they were slick with spit and then began to open himself up. Thorne bit his lip to hold in a moan. He needed to be inside Dash right that second. “Don’t make me wait. I don’t give a fuck about your anticipation theories right now.”

Dash laughed. “Neither do I. I don’t remember where I put the lube, and I don’t want to search for it.” He leaned over Thorne and dribbled spit onto his cock.

“Oh, fuck. Are you sure about this?” Thorne hoped he was.

Dash answered by straddling Thorne and sinking slowly onto his cock. His ass was so fucking tight. Thorne wasn’t sure he could take much more. Dash didn’t stop moving until he was fully seated. His eyes were shut tight, and his thighs were rock hard with tension.

“Dash?”

“Gimme a sec, okay?”

When Dash opened his eyes, the predatory hunger in them made Thorne shudder.

“I’m going to ride you until you lose your mind,” Dash said. “I’m going to make you forget everything but my ass squeezing your cock. You got that? But I’m going to do it at my own speed.”

Thorne struggled against the ropes. “Need to touch you. Need—”

“Not yet.”

Dash rose up and then drove back down, making Thorne cry out. Thorne was grateful there wasn’t anyone close by, not that he really cared at this point. Let them watch. It wasn’t like anyone could fail to be mesmerized by Dash like this, all hot and commanding.

Dash rose again, moving even more slowly this time. “I wonder how long you think I can keep this up.”

Thorne was done with waiting. “Fuck. Me. Now.”

“No, I think this is all you need.” He kept up the maddeningly slow rhythm.

Thorne fumbled with the ropes, working them loose so he could slip his hands out. “When I get these ropes loose—”