New Leather (11 page)

The bite of the iron scrollwork he held was a counterpoint to the sublime joy of fucking James even if the man was fucking himself, in a manner of speaking. Carl didn't care how they did it as long as it never ended. The muscles of his lover's legs bunched as James raised and lowered himself above him in a show of ability that Carl found incredibly sexy.

Using one hand for balance, James used the other to pinch Carl's tits and forced them to plump with blood. Carl hissed in reaction as he always did when James played with the small nubs that were now standing up like little soldiers at attention.

Not happy with that, James moved on to pinch and rub Carl's whole torso and the desire to buck under him brought animalistic sounds out of Carl in rumbling protest. His skin was still feeling the effects of the flogging so that the added abuse took on epic proportions.

He was going to lose the battle of patience. Between the fur at his back and James grunting above, he never stood a chance of winning. In spite of his best intentions, he was going to climax before James and there was not a damned thing he could do about it.

“Sir! I have to come.” More of a warning than permission, he tried to let his Dom know that he couldn't stop it.

“What if I said no? What would you do?” James had to be getting tired. Please, god, let him be tired.

Carl watched as a drip of sweat reached James’ eye, making him blink and shake his head. “I want to wait for you, sir. I want to... ”

James pushed up to stand clear of Carl's near painful erection. His Dom's savage gaze roamed over him as he began to stroke his own shaft in a lazy motion. “You
will
wait for me, Carl. When I come, you may.”

“Soon?” Carl knew how he looked. He was sweaty and flushed, unable to stop the jerky hip movements that escaped his control, his hands white-knuckled on the wrought iron. He looked like a slut.

James must have thought so too because he smiled as he studied Carl through heavy-lidded eyes. “Touch yourself.”

He had to pry a hand off the headboard to grab his dick in a fierce hold. The cry he gave brought another smile to James’ face. He watched the standing man's cock for any sign that he was close and matched his actions to James.

The warm musk of arousal teased Carl's nose while he waited for James to spurt. A new sweaty trickle at James’ temple mesmerized him. He played a game with himself— James would come when it fell from his jaw. The moisture rolled slowly down, turned to run across his Dom's chin, and shimmered there.

Carl opened his mouth to catch it.

James came with a roar. Spunk shot from his lover's cock and mixed with the falling droplet to land on Carl's face and tongue. He swallowed convulsively, trying to catch more as his dick jumped in his grasp to make a mess of his chest and abdomen.

James let Carl pull ahead of him on the jogging path. The man was worried about his mother's get-together this afternoon and the tension was making him surly. James could understand that.

His own family disowned him when he brought his first college boyfriend home. Thankfully, he had scholarships and a part-time job to pay for his schooling when they cut him off, but it hurt. Hell, it still hurt.

Of course, Carl's situation was different. His Mom knew his sexual orientation, had even helped him to deal with it, and his dad simply left when he realized his wife was going to ‘encourage’ their son. She packed the man's bags for him and James could not wait to meet her.

James had more trouble understanding the level of Carl's concern. Did he think James was going to exchange spanking techniques?

James grinned. That is exactly what his nervous lover thought. The lack of trust should have bothered him, but he could just picture the conversation and the absurdity of it tickled his funny bone.

Tickle. Playing with Carl the night before had been extraordinary. He had looked debauched, lying on the fur and begging to come. James’ plans to drag out the wait had ended when Carl opened his mouth. Seeing it again in his mind threatened to have him exploding in his shorts a day later. The sight had taken his legendary control and shattered it forever.

The trick, now, was to convince Carl to stay past the contract. Six weeks were not enough. Six years would not be enough. Carl provided everything he needed and he could do the same if Carl let him.

They came so close last night, but his boy's skin began to get too pink and hot to continue. He could make him fly, he knew, if Carl stopped resisting the slow pace he'd set. Carl had to overcome the idea that he failed somehow with the whip— it was an obstacle.

James believed Carl would never take to the whip— it was too intense. He needed the steady increase in pace that did not disturb the peacefulness he could achieve. Over time, he would be able to take longer sessions with the flogger and get to that place of euphoria.

James wanted that time.

They switched to walking when the house came into view.

Carl spoke for the first time in an hour. “What is that smell?” He sniffed loudly and sighed. “Tell me that's going to Mom's with us.”

“It is. I made baby-back ribs for the party.” James opened the oven to check the ribs’ progress. “I think they're done.” He removed two big roast pans from the massive appliance. “I hope four racks are enough.”

“You said dazzle, I should have guessed you would go all out.” Carl relaxed at last. “Thank you for this.”

“Nonsense. I love to cook for parties.”

“No, for being such a good sport about going.”

James left the ribs to cool and wrapped his arms around Carl. “I want to meet your mother and your friends and I will have a wonderful time.” He kissed the younger man, lingering on the full lips.

“I wi’ nuthpie.”

James stopped nibbling on the boy's mouth. “What?”

“I will need therapy.”

James parked the truck in the street in front of Mrs. Guttuso's small cape house. The neighborhood was an older one with big maples in the front yards and picket fences in the back. He thought the effect charming.

A petite woman wearing a sundress that showed off her light tan burst from the house to hug Carl. “You made it!”

“You told me I had to, Mom.” He returned her hug and looked at James. “This is James, Mom. He's a friend.”

“If you say so, dear. Hi James, I'm Elaine and I'm very happy to meet you.” She by-passed his hand and hugged him as well.

“It's nice to meet you Elaine. I appreciate the invite, your home is lovely.”

“Thank you James. Come out back and I'll introduce you to everyone.”

“Carl and I have to pry the grill from the truck first.”

Elaine looked in the truck bed at the grill, the roasters and the plastic tub. “James, did you think I wasn't going to feed you?”

He laughed— her dry humor was so like Carl's. “No ma'm. I like to cook.”

She smiled and said to Carl, “He's a keeper.” James could have kissed her.

The ribs were a success. James met every member of Carl's extended family as each one came back for seconds. Tony hung around the longest and it was a toss up if the food or the Dom drew him.

“No one else is near, Tony. Ask your questions.”

Tony picked at the label on his beer. “I don't have any questions. Carl is pretty open about the bondage shit and anything else is more than I want to know. I just wanted to tell you to be gentle with him.” Tony shook his head sadly. “He doesn't have great health insurance.”

James knew Tony was joking around, the devilry in his eyes gave him away, but the underlying message was clear. “I am always careful, Tony.” He paused the same way Tony had. “I can't afford a lawsuit.”

Tony burst out laughing and clapped James on the back hard enough to rattle his teeth. “Great! Then we have no problems.” He walked over to Carl and talked him into a volleyball game that was forming.

James watched the game while he cleaned the grill. Carl looked good out on the battleground of competitive tomfoolery.

“I think you're good for him.” Elaine's comment startled him. “Sorry. I thought you knew I was here.”

“No need to apologize. I was lost in thought.” He appreciated the way she began to help with the grill without asking. He didn't need the help, but she wanted to talk and wasn't going to just stand around while he worked.

“He has been full of energy lately and I think it's your doing. You're good for him.” She repeated.

“I like to think so.” James was in unfamiliar waters. How did one talk to a curious mother?

“How long have you been seeing Carl?”

“A few weeks.” Short answers seemed the best.

“He has boyfriend potential, you know.”

James had no idea where the conversation was going, but decided to steer her away from the disaster this could become. “If you are asking my intentions then I must decline to answer. I like Carl and I want to explore that, but I will not discuss him with you. He has a right to his privacy.”

She studied James for a minute and then concentrated on the grill. They worked in silence until it sparkled and Elaine was about to walk away.

“Have I offended you, Elaine? I admit I am not used to talking with mothers.”

“No dear. I should apologize. I sometimes forget to mind my own business.” She softened the words with a kiss on his cheek. “I still think you're a keeper.”

No wonder Carl had had a case of nerves. The party was a minefield of well-intentioned people. On the other hand, they confirmed Carl's lack of a partner was not due to any flaw, but rather to emotional caution, and James might be the one to break through that barrier.

Whistling, James joined the spectators of the volleyball free-for-all.

It was no surprise his mother liked James. She was so happy to see him with someone— she would probably welcome a serial killer as long as he was good to her son. Tony though. Tony was a shocker. Not only did he like James, he also told Carl to hang onto him. Since when did Tony dispense advice to the lovelorn? It was downright creepy.

Carl ran around his teammates to hit the volleyball as many times as possible. He was not good at the game, but that was not the point. Pissing off his cousins was the point. He was the youngest and it was his mission in life to be the butt-head.

Ryan tripped him and everyone hooted when John pants him because they all saw the underwear he almost wore. A thong, for cryin’ out loud.
The
thong. Even his mother laughed. James just acted as if nothing was wrong. He might have fooled the rest of them, but Carl saw the swell behind the fly of his slacks.

The man looked hot in those slacks too. Not ninety degrees in the shade hot, but good enough to eat hot. Carl did not understand why James never wore shorts. He had a killer body and a fine set of legs that would benefit from a little sun, although the slacks had a way of adding to his allure. At least Carl thought so. Knowing that the bulge, which James did not bother to hide, was for him did things to Carl that had the thong strangling him. Hot, but evil.

Late afternoon saw everyone helping Mom clean up the yard. John and Uncle John got the huge grill back into the Toyota for the price of James’ rib recipe. Wait until they got home and found out Aunt Jo already had it. James brought typed copies with him and gave them to all the ladies who asked throughout the day.

Mom kissed both men goodbye and winked at Carl. She might hold out until he saw her next Friday when he visited, but he doubted it. His house phone would be ringing the second he stepped into his apartment Monday night, but he would deal with that then.

Right now, he had other things on his mind. Like tonight's scene when he would finally get to feel the whip again. Carl was past the point of caring if his fascination bordered on obsession. James kept taking him to the edge of that illusive something and then backing off and he was tired of it. Virginal trembling on the brink of orgasm was fine for the romance novels, but he wanted to go over the edge.

“I like your family, Carl. I expected to be treated like an outsider, but they were very friendly.” James broke into Carl's musings.

“Every date is a potential relative to them. That's why most of my cousins don't bring anyone to these things. The Aunts and Uncles are like locusts. No one is safe.”

“Even gay dates apparently.”

Carl grinned. “Mom made it clear a long time ago that I am as entitled to their loving interference as anyone else.”

“She astounds me. You are a lucky man, Carl. I hope you realize that.”

“Your mom is disappointed that you're gay?”

“No. She and my father hate me for being gay.”

“Hate you? Really?”

“So they said the last time I saw them.”

Carl's dad had not been much better, but at least he had his mother's love. The idea that both of them could have reacted badly, shook him. It was not something he ever considered. “When was that?”

“Twenty years ago.” James looked over at him. “Cheer up. I am content with my life and my friends.”

“James... ”

James pulled the truck into the garage and spoke before Carl went any further. “Let's get the grill out and we won't have to face it in the morning.”

“Sure.” Carl was painfully aware of the temporary nature of their agreement and he suspected James was as well. Why dig deeper when he was going to be part of James’ past in three weeks. He wished he hadn't whittled James down to a measly six weeks. It was something he regretted more each day.

Once in the house, James told him to be in the playroom in an hour and closed himself in his study. Carl entered the guest room with a heavy heart.

One hour on the dot, he was showered, alone and blushing anyway, and dressed in the scrubs of the day, leopard spots. James awaited him in the playroom, his moodiness gone.

“Are you ready to try again, Carl?”

“Yes sir. I've been ready all week.”

James put the flogger and the whip on the cart and rolled it next to the large cross. “What is your safeword?”

“Red, sir.”

“We will start with the flogger to warm you up and then I will use the whip. I won't hit as hard as I did last week, you aren't ready for that.”