Page 34 of Leather and Longing (Island Tales #3)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Adam reclined on the bed, listening to Paul moving about the room, opening drawers and wardrobe doors.

The temptation to choose an empty bedroom to set up as a playroom had been huge, but Adam had to face facts.

It was an indulgence he didn’t need. Why fit out a room with his whips, canes and other such items when the likelihood was he would never wield them again?

His bedroom was the only sensible option.

He’d gotten Paul to lay everything out on the bed, while Adam gave instructions as to what to put out of sight and what to keep within hand’s reach.

The bedside cabinet now contained a couple of pairs of leather restraints and numerous dildos of varying sizes.

He enjoyed listening to Paul’s breathing change as he handled each item.

“One day when you have a house, maybe you’ll create a room where you can submit to the darkness,” he suggested to Paul, smiling to himself. The stillness that followed his remark was intriguing.

“Darkness?” That quaver in Paul’s voice was telling.

Adam shifted position until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Come here a minute.”

Paul moved closer until Adam could feel his body heat.

Adam drew Paul to him, his hands resting on Paul’s upper arms. “Be honest. Hasn’t BDSM always had a dark allure to it?

” He stroked down Paul’s arms, the movement languid, casual.

“Wasn’t it the darkness that drew you, whispered to you to come closer?

” he said in a seductive tone, trailing his fingers over Paul’s bare forearms, feeling the skin pebble.

Paul’s breathing quickened, and Adam knew without a doubt he was hyper-aware of the plug nestled in his arse.

It crossed his mind to pull Paul into his arms, hold him, caress him and kiss that wonderful mouth until all they could think of was making love, the afternoon sunlight warm on their bodies while they made their own heat…

Adam put on the brakes. This was not what he’d planned, delightful though the images were that filled his head in that moment.

Stick with the program, remember?

He reached around Paul and smacked him on his behind, forcing a yelp from him.

“I think some coffee is in order, and after that you can finish off putting all of this away.” Adam released him, patting his rump before giving him a push to go downstairs.

The slow tread of Paul’s feet across the floor made Adam smile.

Paul was going to be feeling that plug for a while yet.

He stretched out his hand across the bed, his fingers searching for whatever items still remained.

When he touched the single tail whip, he knew what it was in an instant.

His fingers curled around the handle, running its length across his other palm, feeling its texture.

Adam coiled the whip and placed it back on the bed.

He’d lost that part of his life. That wasn’t the bitterness of old talking: now it was cool common sense.

But this unexpected gift, a chance to help Paul discover his own nature, had brought him a new lease of vitality.

The only thing troubling him was how far Paul wanted to delve into that inner darkness.

Adam could only share his journey so far.

There might come a time when their paths would diverge.

What the fuck do I do then?

Paul was the best thing to come into Adam’s life for a long time. Adam was only then starting to realize he didn’t want to lose him.

Something on his bedside cabinet was buzzing. Siri intoned one word: “Seth.”

Adam frowned. He could count on one hand the number of calls he’d received since he’d come back to the island. It was as if he ceased to exist once he’d left London.

More like, since I lost my sight.

Well, if they didn’t want to associate with a blind guy, fuck them. Adam had no need of friends if they were that shallow. Not that they’d been such great friends when he was sighted, come to think of it. Seth was the only guy who came close.

His phone fell silent.

Adam made a grab for it and sent it flying.

Fuck .

He got down on his hands and knees, feeling on the floor until his fingers encountered his phone. Adam returned to the bed, pressed the screen, and opened HeyTell.

“Seth, can you call Adam, please, when you get this? Thanks.” He placed the phone on the quilt.

This is assuming the app works the way Paul says it does.

There had to be a first time for everything.

It couldn’t have been more than a minute later that it vibrated.

Bloody hell, that was quick.

Adam swallowed. “Answer.”

He heard a cough. “Adam? Well, fuck me. It’s only taken you two months to answer my last message, you git.” Seth chuckled. “How you doing? Or is that the wrong thing to ask?”

A wave of relief flooded through him. A good dose of Seth was exactly what Adam needed.

“Damn, it’s good to hear you. I’m doing okay. Actually, better than okay. I… I’m finally starting to get my act together.”

“About fucking time,” Seth said bluntly. “Don’t mind admitting, you had me worried. I mean, seriously worried. And when you stopped answering my calls and texts…” Seth went quiet. “Gotta be honest, Adam. I expected the worst.”

That stopped him in his tracks. Did I get that low ? He thought back to how he’d been when Paul had arrived.

Yeah, no wonder Seth had been worried.

“I’m sorry. To be honest, I crawled into a hole and shut out the world.”

“But now you’re out of it?”

Adam smiled. “Like I said, I’m getting there.”

There was a brief silence. “Adam, if you need me, for anything , I’ll be there for you, okay? Even if it means getting on a bloody ferry and coming over to that mouldy rock you’re now living on, I’ll do it.”

Adam snorted. “My God. You’d actually leave London? I thought London was the centre of the universe?”

“Anyone who says otherwise is deluding themselves. But after months of not knowing if you were alive or not, you think I’d pass up on the chance to visit?

” He paused. “I mean it.” Seth lowered his voice.

“Chris is at lectures during the day, and besides, that boy can take care of himself. Just say the word, all right?”

Adam expelled a breath. “Thanks, Seth. I mean that. And if I do need you, I won’t hesitate to call, I promise.”

“So how’s life treating you?”

He chuckled. “How long have you got?”

They talked for a while. Seth didn’t mention the club, for which Adam was grateful. He chatted about his submissive boyfriend Chris, plays and films he’d seen, his trip to Norway…

Adam told him about Paul, from his arrival to the most recent developments. When he got to the part about sex on the library floor, Seth snorted.

“I definitely don’t need to worry about you, do I? It sounds as if this guy is good for you.”

Adam thought that was putting it mildly.

Paul was the best thing to happen to him in a long time.

Before they finished the call, Seth reiterated his promise to be there if Adam needed him. Another pause.

“I’ll visit you soon, if that’s okay.”

Adam took a deep breath. “I’d like that. Let me know when you’re thinking of coming.” The idea of Seth staying in the house wasn’t an unpleasant one.

If he’d said as much a month ago, I’d probably have ended the call.

Seth chuckled. “That’s me knocking on your front door. Well, maybe not that fast. But you’re aroused my curiosity. I want to meet this Paul.”

What flickered through Adam’s mind was the idea that Seth could tell Adam what Paul looked like.

Paul was jittery as hell.

As the afternoon had worn on, he’d become accustomed to the plug, to the feeling of fullness.

Every now and then, however, he’d move sharply, and the plug would jostle against his prostate, sending shockwaves through his body.

The inclination to call Adam every foul name under the sun soon passed: Paul had chosen it, after all. He had no one to blame but himself.

Yeah, but Adam didn’t stop me, the sod.

Not that Adam had been the least bit bothered about Paul’s predicament.

He’d spent the afternoon on his laptop, trying to come to grips with his new software.

Paul had kept him supplied with coffee and snacks, doing his best to be as unobtrusive as possible: judging by the swearing and frequent sighs of exasperation, Adam didn’t find it easy.

Paul didn’t doubt for a second that Adam would master it.

Adam was a fighter. That much was becoming evident.

The jitters began while he was preparing dinner.

Focusing on where the knife was going while his head was filled with dark, sensual images was not the easiest task.

His skin prickled each time he wondered what was going to happen.

Would Adam want to play straight after dinner?

Paul had a sneaking suspicion he was going to be the dessert.

His choice of toys seemed to have pleased Adam, and the nipple clamps and cock ring didn’t strike him as too extreme.

The thought of his wrists bound in those cuffs sent a shiver through him, however.

I can cope with them.

He hoped.

Adam sat back from the desk, tugging the headphones off with a growl.

The synthetic voice of the screen reader still echoed in his ears, metallic and unrelenting.

He’d spent hours forcing himself through the tutorials, trying to wrestle his thoughts into words again.

But the truth was, his mind hadn’t been in it.

Not really.

His hand found the cane resting against the desk, his fingers curling around it. The faintest tremor ran through him, not from fatigue this time but anticipation.

Paul.

The thought of him waiting for Adam, his body primed by hours of secret preparation, tightened Adam’s chest. He hadn’t thought he would ever do this again, not since the darkness had swallowed his sight.

He’d convinced himself it was impossible.

Dangerous, even. He couldn’t see the cues, couldn’t watch for the subtle flicker of tension, the warning flush of skin.

But Paul wanted this. And Adam had said yes.

The air in the study felt charged, restless.

His pulse was too quick, his palms damp.

He tried to steady his breathing, but excitement fizzed through him like champagne bubbles, refusing to be contained.

Never mind Paul— he wanted this too. The control, the intimacy, the claiming of it.

The part of himself he thought had been locked away forever was stirring again, stretching, alive.

And yet, beneath the exhilaration, a thread of fear coiled tight.

What if I misjudge the situation?

What if I push too far?

What if the man who had trusted him enough to prepare all day for this, discovered Adam wasn’t the Dom he once was, but a broken imitation stumbling in the dark?

His hand clenched tighter around the cane.

Fuck it.

Doubt had already stolen enough from him. This—this was his. His to reclaim, his to adapt, his to fight for.

Adam rose, his muscles taut with determination, and turned toward the door. The cane tapped out a steady rhythm on the floor as he headed for the library, every step measured but unhurried.

He was going to do this. He was going to take back what he thought was gone.

And the thrill of it was intoxicating.

Throughout dinner he wanted to rush through the meal, but Adam took his time, praising the red wine sauce Paul had created to go with the beef dish.

It always warmed him inside when Adam appreciated his efforts.

When Adam had mentioned his tutor at Torquay had tried to guide him through basic cooking, it had given Paul an idea.

He’d need to see if Adam was receptive and it would require careful planning, but yeah, it was doable.

“You’ve gone quiet.” Adam’s voice cut through his internal machinations. “You’re not thinking about what’s coming next.” It was a statement.

Paul hiccupped and took a drink of water. “How did you know?”

Adam smiled. “I use my senses. It’s amazing the things I can pick up on when I concentrate.

” His expression grew serious. “Not so long ago I was berating all those stories about blind people having heightened senses to make up for their loss of vision. It was all lies, as far as I was concerned. But these last few days, I’ve come to realize my tutor was right.

It’s all a matter of practice. And having the right incentive,” he added with a smirk.

Paul felt ten feet tall. He’s talking about me.

As if to confirm his thoughts, Adam looked directly at him.

“I’m not the easiest person to live with.

I know I’ve cursed a lot this afternoon, but it’s a learning curve, like everything else.

I’ll get the hang of it. What it all boils down to, is that I’m contemplating writing a book, something I thought I’d never do again in my darkest moments.

I have you to thank for that.” He smiled, his expression relaxed, almost serene.

Paul gazed at Adam, warmth radiating throughout his body. “I’m glad I could help,” he said softly.

Adam pushed back his chair and stood, grasping his cane. “Thank you for dinner. When you’ve finished the dishes, I’ll be upstairs in my room, waiting for you.”

That was all it took for Paul’s breathing to quicken, his heartbeat to accelerate.

Adam grinned. “ Now you’re thinking about what’s coming.” He exited the kitchen, chuckling.

Paul hoped fervently he’d be the one coming.

He wouldn’t deny me my orgasm—would he?

His skin pebbled and his nipples were like bullets.

Knowing Adam? Anything was possible.