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Free to Fly

By Belinda McBride

Published by BelMac

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains

the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, copied and

distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book,

please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com. Thank

you for your support.

Author’s Note: this is a revised edition of Free to Fly, which first appeared in the

Don’t Read in The Closet anthology at the M/M Goodreads Group

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product

of either the author's imagination or are used fictiticiously and are not to be

construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons,

living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Chapter 1

At eight pm, the streetlights were beginning to glow and the scent of summer grilling still

lingered on the warm summer air. The breeze carried the scent of the Pacific Ocean and in the distance,

he could hear the churning engine of a boat. Vincent Sala coasted his Harley to a stop at the curb, gazing

around at the neighborhood he already missed. The house he’d lived in this past year had never really

evolved into a home, in spite of all the hopes he’d cherished. Tonight would begin the end of the most

heart-felt, frustrating relationship he’d ever had in his life.

True love doesn’t always prevail.

The lights were on in the kitchen and living room. He frowned, triggering the garage door opener

and rolling the bike in next to Daniel McGee’s upscale SUV. It was Friday; Danny’s flight to St. Louis

would depart in just a few hours. He was tied up in a big case and deposition began on Monday

morning. If not for the house lights, Vincent would suspect that his soon–to-be ex had taken the airport

shuttle. Unfortunately, a raised voice told him otherwise. This couldn’t be good.

Vince had planned to start packing tonight. He glanced around the garage…this was his space.

When he’d first moved in, he’d taken mercy on Daniel, clearing the garage of its myriad moving boxes,

storage and general clutter. Danny had been parking on the street up till then. He sighed. The garage was

large enough that he’d been able to set up a workbench and his tools. Having lived in apartments all his

life, Vincent had never had the luxury of space. Maybe it was time he bought his own place. One with a

garage.

He hadn’t planned to pack and run, that was the coward’s way out. He’d intended to pack, wait

for Daniel to return home next week, and then have the talk. It wouldn’t come as a surprise; they’d both

been miserable these past few months. This way was probably better. He wasn’t much of believer in

letting a bad situation drag out. It’s just that he’d hoped that this was the real thing…a life commitment.

It wasn’t hard to visualize forever with Daniel McGee. At least…when things were good. Unfortunately,

the good times were now few and far between.

Vincent slipped his helmet off, hung it on the wall and ran a hand over his sweaty, bristly scalp.

He grabbed his satchel from the saddlebag, counted to ten, and then opened the door, stepping into

chaos.

Danny was pacing the kitchen, cell phone to his ear, laptop open on the table, and his suitcase

tipped over on its side by the doorway. Paper spilled from his briefcase and he didn’t even bother to nod

in Vincent’s direction. His cheeks were flushed and his carefully cut hair was ruffled. If ever there was a

man on the road to a heart attack, it was Daniel. He wasn’t even thirty yet.

Shucking his leather jacket, Vincent headed for the utility closet where he unbuckled and hung

up his leathers. He unlaced his riding boots and kicked them on the floor next to a pair of ancient steel-

toes. He straightened then before turning around.

“Carrie…can you please just check again? I swear, I’ve got a travel site up right now, they show

another flight going out in just a couple hours….you did?” Hand to his head, Daniel clutched his hair.

“Carrie…seriously…seriously…no, tomorrow afternoon is too late. I’m supposed to meet with the

clients first thing. OK….ok…just do your best…” He powered off the phone, stared at it and his hand

tightened convulsively.

“Don’t.” Vince warned, pulling open the refrigerator door. Not much in there, he should have

just eaten on the road.

“Fuck this shit,” Daniel mumbled, kicking the suitcase on his way out of kitchen. A heartbeat

later, he was back in the room. “They canceled the fucking flight. Mechanical issues. Everything else is

booked…Carrie can’t even get me on stand-by till tomorrow afternoon!” He started pacing again.

Vincent pulled bread and peanut butter from the cupboard, and jam from the fridge. He carefully made a

couple sandwiches, letting Daniel rant. He considered a bottle of beer, and chose milk instead. Neither

of them needed alcohol tonight.

He watched his lover in the reflection of the kitchen window. Danny was dark-haired and

slender; beautiful in the way that only certain men can be. He was as comfortable in a flannel shirt and

jeans as he was in cashmere and wool. And most of the time, his personality was sunny as his smile.

Unfortunately, clouds had been dimming his light. He couldn’t remember the last time Daniel had

laughed. Something was wrong and Danny wasn’t talking.

Vincent looked at his own dim reflection and marveled at how they’d managed to come together.

If ever there was an odd couple, it was Vince and Danny. Where Danny was chic and urbane, Vincent

was rough, with his buzz-cut hair and guarded brown eyes. His hands were rough and his muscles where

cut from years of hard work. At six foot three and a half inches, he towered over most men.

Vince was a chef, but he’d certainly never gone to culinary school. An inner city kid rarely had

the funds for fancy cooking academies. He’d sweated away in kitchens from the time he was a kid,

working for whatever wage he could get, and for free when he had to. He’d graduated high school only

because it made sense to have that bit of paper in hand. He spoke Italian, French and Spanish…enough

to get by with most of his co-workers. He could even pull out a bit of Cantonese when necessary.

The year Daniel entered grad school, Vince landed his first position as executive chef in an

upscale restaurant in the City. At the time Danny passed the bar exams, Vincent graduated from

executive chef to business owner. Their meeting was a stroke of serendipity. Danny was celebrating his

promotion to junior partner and Vincent was playing host at Tapas, his third restaurant. He’d seated the

lawyers, looked into a pair of dark blue eyes and lost his heart. No one was as surprised as Vincent at the

whirlwind speed of their romance. On night they went out for drinks. One morning he woke up in

Danny’s house on the channel. Not long after, he moved out of his apartment and into Danny’s place.

He’d never once questioned his decision. Not even now that he was leaving. And damn, his heart was

aching.

He turned, eating his sandwich while Danny returned to his laptop and begin yet another search.

“I could drive to Oakland…maybe even Sacramento.”

“Or you could go tomorrow. Be nice to have an evening at home. Together.”

It was a futile hope, a last minute offer of détente, but Vincent grabbed onto that last little bit of

desperate hope. It was stupid, especially since he'd already decided to leave. But he loved Daniel and

didn’t want to lose him. Could one night make the difference?

“The depo’s on Monday, Vince. I need all the prep time I can get.”

“You’re a good lawyer, babe. Nobody knows this case as well as you. If it’s necessary, you can

do a teleconference in the morning and then meet your clients on Sunday.”

That comment met with cold silence.

When Daniel slammed the lid of the laptop closed, he jumped. The tension in the room went up

another notch. He turned, washed his dishes and put them in the drainer, then started upstairs. Sweat and

road grime covered his face and clothing. Now, his soul was as weary as his body.

“Where were you all day?”

He paused. Sighed. “I was up the coast a ways. There’s been a place up there I had my eye on for

a couple years. The owners contacted me last month; they want to sell. I spent the day with their lawyer,

hammering out terms.”

“You bought another restaurant? Don’t you think three is enough?” Danny turned in the chair,

looking at him with a devastating mix of shock and dawning realization. “As it is, I never see you

anymore!”

Now there was a bit of irony, considering how many twelve-hour days Danny had been putting

in lately. Not to mention the out of town cases that had kept him from home. Vince’s anger surface, and

he brutally shoved it down.

Vincent carefully cleared his throat. “I’m selling Tapas. Had an offer on it. Thought I’d try

something new.”

“You’re selling Tapas? But that’s where--”

“I know, Danny. It’s special to me too, but this is business. It’ll turn a substantial profit.”

“Profit.” He snorted in disgust. “Business. That’s pretty much all you think about, isn’t it?”

“Your business drags you all over the country. You do it for profit.” The anger rising in Vincent

was different than usual. It was hot and nasty; putting him right at the edge of a precipice he’d avoided

most of his life. Big guys like him couldn’t afford to lose their temper. It was dangerous in so many

ways…

“I do my job. I’m not selling something I love for money.”

Well ouch.

“It’s a business; a building and a name. It’s not me and it’s certainly not my soul.”

He glared at Danny, who was pacing again. Danny’s cell rang and he picked it up, glancing to

see who was calling. “Yes?” He waited…listening. “Great. Just great.” He sighed. “I understand. It’s not

your fault, Carrie. You go home and make sure you put this on your timecard. Okay? I’ll see you next

week.” He ended the call. “Nothing till tomorrow.” He stared at the phone in his hand.

“Danny…”

His arm came back and he hurled the phone across the room. The expensive device narrowly

missed the window as it slammed into the wall, shattering into pieces. Danny whirled, bracing himself

against the table. His face was flushed with anger. Grief.

“You’re dumping the restaurant just like you’re dumping me. You’re heartless, you know that?”

For a loaded moment, they glared at one another.

Those words felt like a punch to the gut. Danny stalked out of the kitchen, pushing past Vincent,

slamming into his shoulder as he passed. Without pausing to think, Vince reached out, grabbing Danny’s

arm, forcing him face-first into the wall. He held him there for a moment, getting a rush from the

incipient violence…from his ability to control the other man with nothing but brute strength. Danny’s

cheek pressed into the wall, one arm trapped, the other in Vincent’s powerful grasp.

“Is this what you were hoping for? To push me into hurting you?” His voice was a low snarl; his

powerful hands dug into Danny’s shoulder and arm. The other man had gone still, his eyes wide, his

breathing fast and uneven. Unable to leash the anger, Vincent shook him once, and then slammed his

hips into Danny’s ass. His cock was hard as stone and shame wormed through him like a snake. This

had to stop before he crossed a line. If he hurt Danny, there’d be no going back. One finger at a time, he

released his grip. But he didn’t move back from Danny’s body. He looked at that young, handsome face

and saw fear, relief and something that looked like sheer, raw arousal. Danny remained in

place...waiting for Vincent to act.

Suddenly, he understood.

“This is it, isn’t it?” He reached around, cupping Danny’s cock through the expensive fabric of

his trousers. He was so aroused, so erect that there was a damp spot leaking through. “All this time

you’ve wanted me to play the tough guy. You’ve wanted to be pushed into walls and forced to submit.”

Danny shivered as he whispered in his ear. “Did you even know?”

“N…no. No. But maybe…yeah.” He could barely force the words out. His shoulders were

heaving and Vince could see the pulse in his throat.

“Well that’s what you got. A big, controlling bastard.”

He rested his head against his lover’s shoulders for a moment, gathering his emotions. What he

was about to do couldn’t be done in anger, someone could get hurt. If he broke trust with Danny, he’d

lose everything, including his honor. He let the heat and anger simmer in a pool in his belly. Clearing his

mind, he carefully planned his next move.

“Now Daniel, I’m going upstairs. I’m taking a shower and getting myself cleaned up. You take a

few minutes and decide exactly what it is you want from me. Then you get your ass up to our room. You

bring whatever you want me to use with you. Do you understand?”

Danny nodded. He rewarded him by nipping his earlobe. Danny shivered.

He spoke again, his lips brushing the shell of Daniel’s ear. “Then you strip naked. You kneel on

the floor and you wait for me. Do you understand?”

Danny nodded again.

“Say it!” He twisted his arm a bit.

“I understand!”

“I think you’re missing something there.”

Daniel blinked rapidly; he looked semi-panicked, struggling to find the right answer. Vince

decided to help him out a little. He gripped Danny’s thick hair and pulled his head back till their faces

were just inches apart.

“Who am I, Daniel?”

“You…you’re my…ma…”he stumbled, clearly on the path he wanted to go down, but still

slightly lost. He stopped, took a breath and calmed himself. “Sir. You’re my Sir.”

Sir. The word took his breath away. In the past few years, he’d heard it a lot. Never from a lover,

though. Never from Daniel. Arousal rushed over Vincent, making him sweat and tremble. Slowly, he let

Danny loose. Vincent looked ruefully down at the front of his jeans; the last thing he wanted right now

was to walk away and get into the shower. But they both needed a few minutes to cool down and

process what had just happened. He took a step back, waiting for Danny to whirl around and strike out.

Instead, he leaned into the wall, hiding his face. His shoulders heaved as he gulped down air.

“You okay, babe?”

“Yeah. Fine.”

“Do you want this to stop?” He had to offer the man a way out.

“No!” Obviously, Danny didn’t want a way out. “I need this. Please, Vincent!”

His voice was gruff. Was he crying? He desperately wanted to comfort Danny, but knew that

was outside of the unspoken rules of the world they were building. Without another word, Vincent left

the kitchen, climbing the stairs to the room they’d shared for a year now. He stood in the dim room,

soaking in the familiar comfort of the space.

Vince knew the past few months had been hard on them both, but he’d never really been able to

figure out what was driving Daniel’s discontent. Was domination a kink he craved in a relationship, or

was his life so full of pressure that he needed this release? He crossed to the window, looking over the

tiny back yard that led down to the boat dock.

Daniel’s passion was sailing. Vincent had found a new world out on the ocean with Danny at the

helm of the boat. He’d lived for their weekends, exploring the Pacific coast, dropping anchor and

camping out under the sky. It had been months since they’d been on the water. The Dove was there like

a ghost in the darkness, always waiting, but never leaving her slip. She was like a graceful seabird that

had been captured and grounded. She was a concrete symbol of their failure.

They’d fallen into the routine of their jobs, their obligations. Vincent spent evenings in his

restaurants, sometimes cooking, other times just taking care of business. Daniel spent weekends on the

road, hustling on behalf of his firm. They had sex often, but clearly that wasn’t enough. For the first

time, Vincent realized that maybe it was his failure, not Daniel’s. Maybe he hadn’t asked the right

questions, or tried hard enough. He’d waited for Danny to speak, and tonight, he’d finally listened.

And he’d been the one getting ready to walk out.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he fished out his phone and keys, dropping them on the

dresser. He stripped naked, carrying his clothes to the bathroom hamper. Vincent cranked up the shower,

stepping in before it was warm, letting the sting of the spray pierce the odd, sad mood he’d drifted into.

He soaped up, scrubbed himself down, fondling his semi-erect cock. What sort of person was he that got

turned on by bullying another man? Hell, maybe he was just lucky, since that seemed to float Danny’s

boat. He rinsed and shut off the water, grabbing a towel from the rack. After he dried his face, he looked

up and froze, staring at the back of the door.

His motorcycle leathers were hanging off the robe hook. His riding boots were on the floor. A

wide leather belt lay coiled next to the boots.

Vincent took a deep breath and grinned.

Chapter 2

Daniel was on his knees, naked and beautiful and looking a bit self-conscious. He glanced up

shyly; his cheeks flushed red at the sight of Vincent. As he watched, Danny’s cock began to rise. Vince

fought down a grin; there was nothing under the riding chaps but his knee high boots. He had the wide

leather belt draped over his shoulder. His face and head were a bit bristly and down below, the leather

lovingly framed his hard, aching cock. He ran a hand over his belly, up to his chest, drawing Daniel’s

gaze to tough, cut muscle and tanned skin.

Vincent glanced at the bed; in the few minutes he’d been in the shower, Danny had been busy.

Neatly coiled rope rested on the cotton duvet. Next to it was a bottle of lube, a condom and a length of

fabric. Initially he’d thought the belt was for binding Danny. It appeared there was another purpose for

that wide strap of leather. For the first time, he felt uneasiness flutter though his gut. Binding and

blindfolding was something he could get into. Hitting? Pain? A man couldn’t live in the Bay Area most

of his life and not be aware of the pain scene, but could he step up to the plate and offer his lover what

he needed?

“You ever do this before?” he asked. Mutely, Danny shook his head. “Okay. So if it gets too

much, tell me your word for ‘stop.’”

Danny swallowed, his eyes lingering on Vincent’s erect shaft. “Candy.”

“Okay. Candy. If you say that, I stop.” He walked across the room, stopping just inches in front

of the kneeling man. “Here’s what I think you want. You listen. When I finish, you tell me if I’m

wrong.”

With his head still bowed, Danny nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Say it so I can hear it.”

“Yes Sir.” Danny’s chest heaved; otherwise, he remained perfectly still. His body nearly vibrated

in anticipation.

“I think you want to bend over and show me your beautiful ass. You want me to touch it…

maybe you want me to be gentle. And then, I think you want me to use that belt on you till you’re red as

a rose. Is that right?”

“Yes Sir.”

“I think you want to wear those ropes. You want me to tie you up from head to foot. You want

me to put that blindfold on you. And then you want my cock in your mouth. You want me to fuck you

till you choke.” Shit. He’d bring himself just by talking about it. Thankfully, there were a couple cock

rings lying next to the lube. He took a deep breath. “After that, you want me to fuck your ass. You want

me to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to breathe. You won’t know if you’re coming or going. And

you know what? You won’t come because I won’t let you till I want you to come. And tomorrow, when

you fly out of here, you’ll think of me every minute…every second that you’re sitting on that plane.”

He reached down and grabbed Danny’s jaw, forcing him to look up, and then to rise to his feet.

“Look at me.”

Danny obeyed; his blue eyes were brilliant, glazed with an excitement Vincent had never before

witnessed. “Get those cock rings. Put one on. Then put the other on me.” He watched carefully; they’d

have trouble getting the rings on with their erections. Danny had always favored an adjustable strap, so

his went on quickly. The steel ring that Vincent favored wouldn’t be so easy. He relaxed and breathed

deeply, willing his erection down. He watched as Danny lubed the ring, and then gently worked his balls

through it.

Danny’s touch on his dick nearly did him in.

When he was finished, Vincent looked Danny over from head to toe. For a desk jockey, he

stayed fit. His belly was flat and lightly muscled. His body was nearly hairless, except for the dark nest

of pubic hair that surrounded the base of his cock. His legs were long and his hips were narrow. Now he

was aroused again, his shaft began to purple with trapped blood. He liked the look of the ring Danny

wore; it was like a harness, holding him up and forward for Vincent to enjoy.

“Turn around.”

Danny presented his back. His ass was tight, narrow and muscular. Vince reached out and

stroked it, letting his fingers linger between his cheeks. Without any warning, Vincent brought his hand

down sharply. The sound shocked him and Danny hissed. Was it too much?

“Yes or no?”

“Yes!”

“Then bend over. Spread your legs and touch the floor.”

Danny obeyed and Vincent closed his eyes briefly. His mouth went dry, both at the eroticism of

the sight and at Danny’s obedience. His trust was humbling. He reached up and rubbed his eyes.

“Hand or strap?” He sounded gruff and stern, completely opposite of what he felt. Vincent didn’t

know what the hell he was doing, but Danny didn’t care. Danny just wanted to please.

“Start with the hand. Please, Sir.”

Vincent blinked rapidly. He raised his hand and brought it down. Hard. There was a red mark

where he’d first struck Danny, now there was a matching print on the other cheek. His hand stung so he

knew it had to hurt. He stroked gently, knowing the skin on his hand was harsh rather than soothing.

Danny moaned a bit. His skin went rough with goosebumps.

“Quiet.” He brought his hand down sharply a third time. A fourth. Without speaking, he lowered

the belt from his shoulder, testing it against his hand. When it snapped, Danny flinched. “Do you like

that sound?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Vincent trailed the leather over his ass then up between his legs. He glanced at Danny’s flushed

face, he'd been in that position too long. “Straighten up. Bend over and brace your hands on the bed.”

Carefully, Danny followed his instructions. Once he was in place, Vincent rubbed the leather between

his fingers.

“I’m going to use the belt. It’s going to hurt.” Danny braced himself. “Relax and breathe. Don’t

get tense. It’ll be better if you aren’t fighting it.”

Or so he hoped. His mom had spanked him only once in his life. He’d been sixteen, six foot two

to her five foot three inches. She’d put him over her lap that day and paddled his ass good. He couldn’t

remember what he’d done to piss her off so bad, but afterward they’d both ended up laughing. She’d

never tried to punish him again and he did his best never to give her reason.

Vincent raised his hand and brought the leather down across Daniel’s ass. There was a loud

‘crack’ that stunned him. At first, Danny didn’t react. As the pain registered, he went stiff, and then

loose again. Vince waited.

“Again, Sir. Please.”

He struck again, picking a lower spot on his buttocks. The next blow landed on Danny’s upper

thighs, perilously close to his testicles. The smaller man was breathing hard now. One glance showed

that he was hard and erect. Vincent eyed the welts; none should bruise. He’d make sure to rub arnica

cream on them after they were finished. He didn’t want to risk one more blow, after all, Danny had to

fly tomorrow. He put the belt on the bed and stepped several feet away, collecting his emotions.

Tonight, just three stripes with the belt. Next time, they’d try more.

“Stand up. Hand me the rope.”

Danny was trembling. Bright patches of red stained his pale face. Sweat shone over his chest.

When he handed Vincent the rope, his hand lingered. He smiled reassuringly.

“I’m all right, Vince. I’m good. You’re wonderful. Beautiful.” He was out of character, taking

the moment to comfort Vincent.

What had Danny seen in his face? He took a deep breath and nodded once. Leaned down and

kissed Daniel. Their lips caressed gently, and he broke away, whispering in Danny’s ear.

“You’re amazing.”

Danny gave a short caustic laugh. He then retreated behind the mask of the submissive, bowing

his head.

“Don’t know any fancy ways to tie you up. But when I’m finished, you won’t be able to move

your arms. If you’re uncomfortable or feel panicky, tell me.” Next time, he’d remember to have scissors

on hand. And different rope. This wasn’t bad, but he’d like a more pliable texture against Danny’s skin.

Vince focused, looping the rope around the other man’s wrists, bringing his arms behind his back. It

didn’t take long since he didn’t know anything beyond basic knots. Knots that Danny had taught him

aboard the Dove. Now wasn’t that just poetic? He smiled and shook his head. When he finished, he

carefully lowered the blindfold over Daniel’s eyes. He gently guided him down to his knees.

“Open your mouth. Lick me till I tell you to stop.” Danny leaned forward with uncanny

accuracy, finding Vincent’s groin, then his shaft, working his way from root to tip. He fluttered his

tongue, and then licked slow and long, doing everything he could to destroy Vincent’s composure. This

was a power grab. He was trying to take control of the game.

“Stop.” Danny froze, leaning slightly forward. “Swallow me. Deep.” Danny opened his mouth,

positioning himself, and then leaned in to take Vincent’s length. He groaned, feeling himself slide down,

surrounded by the other man’s mouth and throat. He dug his fingers into Danny’s hair, guiding him

gently as he thrust.

Control. He needed to control not just Danny, but himself.

“You feel so good…” He let his head fall back, losing himself in the bliss of Danny’s touch.

“Shiittt….” If not for the ring around the base of his cock, he’d have gone by now. He thrust into the

warm cavern again, hard. And then once again before pulling away. Vincent panted, staring down at the

bound man kneeling before him.

He was high. Never in his life had he suspected he’d get off on something like this…having full

and total control over another person. He couldn’t think about anything else…not their problems, not the

restaurant, not the fact that he’d been planning to walk away tonight. None of that mattered. Not with

Danny tied up and on his knees, waiting for Vincent to command him.

He pulled Danny to his feet and shoved him onto the bed where he landed hard, bouncing a

couple times.

“God, I’m gonna fuck you, Danny…fuck you so hard…” He heard nothing but the rush of blood

in his ears. Smelled nothing but their sweat and the rising scent of sex from their bodies. Danny

struggled to right himself, to get onto his knees, but Vincent pushed him down. He hoisted Daniel’s hips

and grabbed the rope binding his hands. In the end, the sub was face down on the mattress, his ass high

in the air.

Vincent grabbed the lube, slicked up Danny’s ass, and pressed his thumb deep. The other man

was ready, still blindfolded, nearly immobile, but he still managed to rear back against Vincent’s hand.

“Oh…please… just…hard…please…” he was babbling. Vincent pulled away and slapped his ass

sharply.

“Be still!” When Danny went silent, Vincent nearly climaxed…cockring and all. He took a deep

breath. It was time to break character again.

“Danny, has there been anyone else since we last tested?”

The other man went still. “No one. No one but you, Vincent.”

Gently, he rubbed Danny’s smooth back. “No one for me either.” Danny let out a breath, as

though he’d been holding it forever. Had he thought Vincent was cheating?

“Lose the condom, Vince.”

It was back on. Once again, he slipped a finger into Danny’s ass. His boy might want it hard, but

he wasn’t going to damage him. He pumped gently, savoring the feel of tight muscles giving way to

silky flesh. Without removing his fingers, he lined up his cock, pushing in as he pulled his hand away.

Danny buried his face in the bedding, stifling a groan. In spite of it all, Vincent grinned. This was the

first time in his life he’d gone bareback. And damn...just...damn.

He pressed gently, staying deep for endless moments. Danny turned his face way from the

bedspread, allowing Vincent to look at him. He reached down and slipped the blindfold away and the

other man blinked against the light. He then lay still, letting Vince do the work. Reaching around, he

grabbed Danny’s penis and began to stroke. His hand was full of lube, and as he pumped into the other

man’s ass, he fisted him hard and fast.

“I want you to come. I want you to fuck my hand, Danny. Harder!” Danny’s hips began to pump,

thrusting back onto the cock that speared him, forward into his hand. He began to wail softly. The air

filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and flesh slapping flesh.

“Louder. I want to hear what you feel!”

“Ohh…Ohhh…God…Vincent!” Hot fluid spilled over his fist as Danny bucked, his groans

rising to nearly a scream. As he reached his peak, Vincent slapped his ass over and over, even as he

pounded harder, his thighs burning, his balls clenching. He came…hard…his seed forcing its way from

his shaft and into Danny’s convulsing body. He growled, bit and dug the fingers of his free hand into

soft skin. He buried his face between Danny’s shoulder and neck, tears flowing freely, as though a dam

had burst in his heart.

Under him, Danny sobbed, his face in the bed, immobile and helpless under the weight of

Vincent’s heavy body. “Oh God…don’t leave me, Vincent…don’t leave me…” And all the while,

Vincent cried too, only the words didn’t come so easily. He rolled away, his cock still too hard to

remove the ring. He rose to his knees, releasing the rope from Danny’s wrists and arms. They were

flushed and reddened, but not abraded. He rubbed Danny’s hands and then rolled the other man to his

back. He was limp and unresisting, staring up at Vincent, his face etched with despair. “Please don’t

leave me, Vincent.”

Danny reached up, trailing his fingers through the tears that wet Vincent’s face. They gazed at

one another for a long, breathless moment.

“Don’t make me leave you, Daniel.”

They stared at each other, wondering how on Earth they’d come to this place.

Chapter 3

The lights were off, the room lit only by the faint light of the moon and the safety lights on the

marina. Somewhere, a TV played, a man’s laughter carried on the night air. Glancing at the clock,

Vincent was surprised at the time. It wasn’t even ten o’ clock. They lay together, arms and legs

intertwined, their heads resting together on one pillow. Vincent’s muscles were lax, he was exhausted,

his mind oddly empty. It felt like he was coming off a high, but without the hangover. Danny seemed no

different; his eyes were open but vacant. Once the emotional catharsis had ended, he’d gone silent and

surprisingly peaceful.

“Do you hurt?”

Danny shifted, reaching down to rub his bottom. “No, you did good. Plus, you got the arnica

cream on right away. That’ll stop the bruising.” He took a deep breath and exhaled, relaxing back into

Vincent’s arms. “That was perfect. I feel…empty. All the chaos in my brain is gone. I’m floating.”

Vincent studied the far wall before speaking. “Did you know this about yourself?” Briefly,

Daniel went stiff, and then relaxed again. “No. I mean…when I look back, the signs are all over the

place. But I would never have imagined...not until I was against the wall with your behind me. Then I

knew.”

“Is this why you were attracted you to me? The way I look? The fact that I’m rough?” That was a

painful little thought, but since they were here and the tension was defused, they might as well air all the

bad stuff. They could start with the basics.

“Vincent, the first time I saw you, I thought you were hot. Butch and tough usually isn’t my

style. But you know…” He turned his head a bit, looking at Vincent. “…you smiled, and I had to smile

back. When you smiled at me and, I fell.” He looked away, tears starting in his eyes again. “I thought

you were going to leave me. Every day, I expected to come home and find you gone. Then you told me

about the restaurant…my God!” He wiped his eyes. “And you think I wanted you to leave?”

“You were off living your own life. When you were here, I felt like you wanted me gone. So

yeah, I was thinking about…no... I was going to leave. I wanted to talk with you about it tonight.”

Danny brought both hands up, covering his eyes. “I’m sorry. I am. I just…I start pushing and I

can’t stop. My head gets ugly and I guess I was trying to pressure you into…”

“Dominating you.” He supplied.

“Yeah. That.” He dropped his hands. “I need this. I’ve always needed this and had no idea that’s

what was going on. I need…you. I need you to take all the choices away, just for awhile. I need you to

push me past my limits.”

“Can we maybe push your limits at the gym or something? I mean…I spanked you, then used a

strap on your ass. I tied you up.”

“And it was hot! I’ve never…” He swallowed. “I’ve never felt so safe before. I felt owned.

Cherished. I know it sounds weird, but it was so good.”

It had been good to Vincent too. He’d loved the game…loved watching Danny’s efforts to please

him; his willingness to take whatever pain or pleasure Vince asked him to bear. He knew at that moment

that when he was in control of Daniel, there’d be no fight, no break up. Just hot, hot sex.

“You really don’t want me to leave?” He heard the uncertainty in his voice and it caused him to

flinch. Danny saw too much. In this moment, he felt that his soul was bare to the other man. Maybe

that’s the way it was supposed to be.

“I made you afraid of me.” Danny’s voice was bleak in the darkness. “I was so fucking…

selfish.”

“And I turned my back. There are two of us here, Danny. I should have manned up and talked to

you instead of shutting down. And no, I don’t want to leave. God, I love you. I thought I’d die if I

walked out that door.”

Daniel laughed weakly, and after a moment, Vincent joined in. There wasn’t anything really

funny, nothing worth their laughter, but laughter seemed like the better option. Better than tears,

anyway. “You want to tough it out a little longer? Here with me?” He reached up and cupped the side of

Vincent’s face. The laughter died.

“Yeah. I’d like that. But on one condition. You must…must tell me when this is happening. Even

if you can’t say it with words…give me some sort of sign that you need me to take control. Can you do

that?”

Danny nodded. “Same goes for you. If you need this…”

“I’m not a dom. I don’t know what to do. You have to tell me what you need.”

“Bullshit. We’re so right for each other it’s like a fucking miracle. Or…miraculous fucking…or

whatever. Anyhow, you be who you are. You’re a big, quiet, gentle man who needs to take control

sometimes. That’s who you are and I need you to be that.” He sat up, looking down at Vincent. “You

knew your path in the world from the time you were a kid. You followed your passion and dammit! You

never seem to take a wrong step, Vince. At work, I won some cases and they promoted me over guys

that have been practicing years…decades longer than me. And sometimes I wake up and hate my life.

I’m scared shitless that I can’t measure up.”

“But you do. You have a gift for negotiating, for seeing the big picture and sharing your vision.

Your firm isn’t a charity, Danny. They didn’t do this as a favor to you. They put you where they needed

you to be.”

Danny looked stunned. “Thank you. That’s…well, I never thought of it that way.” He slipped

back down onto the pillow, his head next to Vincent’s. “So tell me about this new place of yours. What

on Earth made you buy so far out of town?” He smiled bitterly. “I thought that was the end. I thought

you were going to tell me you were moving up there to run the place.”

“The thought did cross my mind. I mean, it’s the perfect showcase for me.” He grinned at

Danny. “It’s called the Lavender Cottage. It’s a Victorian tea shop and bakery.”

“You are shitting me.”

“I shit you not.” He chuckled. “The owners want to travel. They’ve got a woman there who’s the

most amazing pastry chef I’ve ever met. I want to get a couple of my younger staff members up there to

train for a year or so. Did I mention there’s a bed and breakfast and restaurant attached to the property?”

Danny was up again, leaning back on his arms. “An inn? Seriously?”

“A big, gingerbread Victorian. I’m thinking of opening the place for lunch, maybe dinner on the

weekends. It’s right off the coastal highway and should draw good tourist traffic. It’s got good business

from the regulars already. Just needs better management.”

“Vincent, this must have cost you and arm and a leg. And I don’t believe for one minute that you

want to have high tea with a bunch of ladies.”

He rolled his eyes and grinned. “I’m charming. They’ll love me!”

“I’m not saying they won’t! But damn it, babe, what gives?”

Vince rolled over onto his side, propping his head on his fist. Danny’s gaze flicked to his

powerful biceps, than back to his face. It was hard not to preen.

“Did I mention it’s a beachfront property? And there’s a mighty fine marina there. Nice place to

wind up after a day of sailing.” He grinned at the stunned expression on his partner’s face.

“You have got to be kidding! You did this…so we could have a vacation home?”

“Well, it’s a solid investment. I’m just getting tired of seeing that boat of yours sitting out there.

She wants to fly again, Danny.”

Danny leaned forward, covering his eyes. “God…I’m just…damn…”

“I want to fly again too. With you, on the Dove.”

Over on the dresser, Vincent’s phone chimed softly. He started to get out of bed, stepping on his

fallen leathers.

“Just leave it.”

He tossed a look of amusement over his shoulder. “Like Mr. Type A would let a call go

unanswered?” He glanced at the display and handed it to Danny. “It’s for you. Carrie.”

“Oh..” He grabbed the phone. “Carrie. Yes…it’s me. I left my phone downstairs.”

Vincent rolled his eyes. “In pieces.”

Danny shot him a dirty look. “Yeah…okay…” Vincent wandered to the bathroom, peed and

washed. He came back out to find Danny climbing out of bed. He headed into the bathroom. “So I’m

free to fly. She got me on standby for a redeye out of Oakland.”

Vincent’s heart sank, but still, it was good that Daniel would make his meetings. He pulled on a

pair of sweats and a tee shirt; they’d have to hurry to make the plane. “You owe that woman flowers.”

“Already done. A box of chocolate too. A lawyer’s only as good as his assistant. By the way, I

love your phone.”

When Danny came out of the bathroom, he crawled back into bed. “What are you doing, Vince?

Get naked and back into bed!”

He turned and looked at Danny in question. Clearly, the man was settling in for the night.

“You were right. I’m a good lawyer. I’ll take the flight out tomorrow afternoon, that’ll give me

all day Sunday to prepare. Besides, I’ve already flown tonight. Need my beauty sleep.” He grinned and

stretched, watching as Vincent stripped. For once, he didn’t bother to put his clothes away; he just left

them on the floor. He climbed back onto the bed, right up over Daniel’s body, where he straddled his

legs, pinning him to the mattress.

“When do you come home?”

“Wednesday evening..”

Vincent leaned down, one hand on either side of Danny’s head. He stared into his eyes.

“When your flight lands, you will call me immediately. You will listen carefully and obey every

order I give. Do you understand?”

Danny’s blue eyes were wide. “Yes Sir.”

“I like being your Sir.”

“I love being your sub.”

“Good.” He leaned down, kissing Danny gently on the lips. “Now you’re free to fly.”

The End

Biography:

Belinda McBride writes erotic romance, primarily in the sci fi, fantasy, bdsm and paranormal

genres. She lives in northern California with her family, her Siberian Huskies and an alpha Chihuahua

named Squirt.

As an author, Belinda loves crossing genres, kicking taboos to the curb, and pulling from world

mythology and folklore for inspiration. Several of her books have finaled in the EPIC book awards, and

her m/m science fiction romance An Uncommon Whore is the Passionate Plume winner in science

fiction for 2011. Her m/m paranormal romance Blacque/Bleu won Second Place in the 2011 Rainbow

book awards.

Regardless of the flavor of her protagonists, Belinda is committed to taking her readers on an

emotional journey, and never forgets that no matter how hot the story is, she’s writing about love.

Website:

http://www.belindamcbride.com

Blog:

http://www.belindam.blogspot.com