Page 95 of Stable Hand

“No problem. Not everybody is a pain slut like me.”

“I’m not,” Noah said quickly, moving in beside me. “I kind of am. But Luke and Kamal take pain to another level.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to figure that out.”

“You wanna sleep in those ropes, cowboy, or should I untie you?”

I held my bound hands out. “Milking you was a completely new experience for me. I always assumed if my cock went in someone I’d be in control.”

Luke nodded, grinning. “Always think outside the box, Jensen. That’s where all the good stuff is.”

*

Noah was exhausted from his performance and our games, so we accompanied him to the bunkhouse to make sure he got there safely. Then Luke wrapped his hand around my wrist and winked.

“Come with me,” he said.

He led me down a narrow path through the woods to a small pebble beach. The still water of the lake glistened in the moonlight as Luke dropped my wrist and stripped his clothes off.

“I need to get clean, cowboy. So do you.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Okay, but no funny business. I’m fucking tired. That spanking almost killed me.”

Luke stilled, throwing his shorts and shirt in a pile and stripping off his boxer briefs. The smile he gave me, devoid of the usual Luke mischief, was genuine and kind. I almost didn’t recognize him.

“Can I kiss you at least?” he asked, hesitation in his voice. I didn’t know Luke could be less than sure about anything.

“I guess so,” I said. For once I didn’t want Luke to suck my cock or fuck me or do anything except be with me.

In the moonlight. At the lake. Under the stars.

I finished undressing and moved toward him, ignoring his relaxed cock in the steel cage. As I examined his face I saw the notes of fatigue and uncertainty I might have missed before.

We stood like that for a long moment, mesmerized by each other after our intense coupling in the shed. Perhaps we’d finally put our desire to rest for the moment and could connect on another level.

“I know you think I only want sex from you, Jensen,” he murmured, his hand coming up and cupping my chin.

I turned my head and kissed his thumb, which elicited a surprised smile.

“But I don’t. It’s…it’s the easiest way for me to connect with someone. It always has been. And I’m good at it, and it makes me feel confident and in control.”

I nodded. It wasn’t like sex with Luke was a chore. I’d had more fun sexually with him than I’d ever had with anyone. But I wanted more. I wanted so much more.

“I really like you as a person, Luke. I like the way you take care of Noah and the way you protect me from—” I waved my hand in the air gently. “—my own insecurities.”

His smile widened. “You do?”

I laughed, surprised that he hadn’t realized. “Yeah. I do.”

We were silent a little longer.

“I’m glad you came into my life, cowboy,” Luke said, his face so close to mine I saw past the vibrant colour in his eyes to something else before he bent to touch my lips gently with his.

My hands settled on his naked waist as he kissed me, so softly, with a tenderness that made my knees weak. I felt like a teenager receiving their first kiss in the moonlight beside a beautiful, still lake. My heart pounded and my belly flip-flopped. I didn’t know what was happening.

The sex had been great, was always great, but this…this was magic.

When we pulled apart, we stood there for a second, inhabiting this special moment. Then Luke urged me on, and we went into the water, splashing around like kids and laughing into the night.