Personal Entanglement (Thorne and Dash 2)

“Do you get off on buying sailboats or on throwing large sums of money around in general?” Riley asked when Thorne paused for breath.

“Both. But mostly, I get off on you.”

Riley shook his head. “You’ve been fired up all day. I think you were spilling pheromones all over the car.”

Thorne laughed. “I like getting what I want.”

“And right now that means me?”

“It does.” Thorne thrust against him to emphasize the point. “You’re mine, and I don’t want you to ever forget that.”

RILEY LOVED THE hunger in Thorne’s expression.

“What if I told you I have a present for you, to celebrate buying a boat?”

“A present other than this?” Thorne rubbed his hand over Riley’s erection.

“Yes, something not attached to me,” Riley said.

“I’d be skeptical because you didn’t know we’d buy a boat today.”

Riley didn’t argue the “we” this time. Thorne wanted to share the boat with him, and that was fine. It wasn’t like he’d bought it just for him. Riley glanced toward the sailboat painting Thorne had bought at the museum’s holiday gala. It was beautiful, and even though Riley was hesitant to accept such an expensive gift, he was glad it was in their apartment. “I knew we’d have one eventually. Let me go, and I’ll show you.”

Thorne pushed away from the door so Riley could move, but the look on his face made it clear he didn’t want to wait.

“I’ll be back in a second. Don’t be so impatient.”

When Riley returned, Thorne was seated on the couch, loosening his tie. “You hid it in the guest room?” he asked.

“Are you cataloging my hiding places?”

“No.” Thorne didn’t meet his eyes. “Yes.”

“Of course you are. You’re not an easy man to surprise.”

Thorne sighed. “When it comes to you, I am, but not with anyone else.”

“I bet you always tried to find your Christmas presents.”

“I both wanted to find them and didn’t. I would have been disappointed if I’d actually spoiled the surprise.”

“But you still looked anyway,” Riley said.

“And you didn’t?”

“No. I love surprises, and I actually have two for you,” Riley said. “Open this one first.”

THORNE THOUGHT THE neatly-wrapped rectangular package was a book, but that seemed odd. Riley’s tone had indicated that he was giving Thorne something far more illicit. A book of pornographic art? He peeled away the tape and carefully removed the wrapping paper. It was a book, his favorite one, an old hardback copy of Swallows and Amazons.

“It’s a first edition,” Riley blurted out. “I hope you like it.”

“I…” Thorne’s eyes stung. Fuck. He was about to cry over a book.

“I know you have a copy, but I thought—”

“Riley, this is perfect. Actually, it’s more than perfect. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received. I never expected… I didn’t even know you were really listening when I talked about how much I loved it.”

“Of course I was. Just because I don’t always do what you say doesn’t mean I don’t listen.”

“I love you.”

Riley smiled. “I love you too.” He held out another package. “This one is something very different.”

Thorne reached into the tall gift bag that would normally hold a bottle of wine and pulled out a slender riding crop with a smooth leather loop on the end. He stared at it, cock swelling as he imagined Dash using it on him.

“Sailing is nice, but a bit of riding is good too,” Riley said.

“Y-yes, it is. Did you want… Tonight…?”

Riley shook his head. “No pressure. Even if you never want me to use it, that’s fine. Although, it looks like you’re at least a little interested.” Riley looked pointedly at Thorne’s crotch.

“I do want you to use it. A year ago, I’d never have thought I would. But tonight…”

“You’re in the mood to stake your claim on me?”

Thorne nodded. Riley always knew what Thorne needed in bed. He was sure a therapist would have a field day with the fact that sex was the aspect of their relationship where they were most compatible. So they occasionally used sex to avoid other problems. So fucking what? They were good together in bed, but they had a hell of a lot more they shared too.

RILEY PULLED HIS sweater over his head and dropped it on the floor, then peeled out of his pants and boxers and kicked them away. When he was standing naked in front of Thorne, he sank to his knees. “I’m all yours.”

Thorne’s eyes widened, and he drew in a quick breath. Then he seemed to remember he was supposed to be giving commands. “Get over here and suck my cock, then.”

Riley crawled toward him, slowly. When he reached Thorne, he unfastened his pants, and then, rather than explicitly follow his orders, Riley licked the head of his cock and then pushed his tongue into the slit.

Thorne slid his hands into Riley’s hair to hold him in place. “You’re so fucking hot.”