“You only kiss me like that before a session.”

“Really? I didn’t realize there was a pattern.” But when she turned back to him, she held a pair of restraints and a ball gag and she was smiling, wide. When he started to reply, she pushed the ball into his mouth, nodding to indicate that he should fasten the buckle. He did. She led him to the hotel room’s desk, spun the chair to face the bed, and pushed him gently down onto it.

“Now,” she said, “I know you are wondering about this.” She was slipping his wrists into the leather cuffs. “I know that you normally help me choose a Bull and that we’ve usually vetted them together.” She was clipping the restraint cables to the arms of the chair. “But this is something I’ve been working on for a while, and I wanted to surprise you. Pull your hands back now. Let’s see if you can reach your cock.” Lawrence pulled his hands toward his lap, bent his wrists, and brushed his crotch, realizing only then that he was already getting hard. Jessica adjusted the slider on the cable, reducing the play just beyond the range that allowed him to touch himself. “I met him at a conference last year. He’s a physicist too.”

Lawrence shook his head, eyes widening in alarm. “Shush,” she said, placing a finger on his cheek to stop the movement. “I met him and found him interesting. I started a correspondence on the pretense of getting a scientific opinion on a paper I intended to publish dealing with deviant sexual behavior among intellectuals. Using that as a basis for conversation, I concluded that he would be acceptable and gradually brought him up to speed. I can assure you he will be discreet and professional.”

Lawrence began shaking his head again, indicating the cuffs with his eyes, mumbling around the gag that she should undo them.

Jessica ignored him and continued. “I don’t want you to worry. Do you trust me?” His eyes softened and he nodded once. “Then believe me when I tell you that this man is discreet, more so than the young, aimless Bulls we’ve used in the past. Even the ones who have a good reputation might one day need more money, or demand something from us if they discovered our prominence in our respective fields. You were interviewed for an episode of Nova recently; I have articles in industry journals every few months. Think how easily any number of men could cause trouble for us. This man is a peer. He has no more desire for his colleagues to learn what he’s doing than we do. He also feels he is too busy for a relationship. He understands what this is. If it all works out, we might even stable him.” Her expression softened and her tone became persuasive. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a regular arrangement? To stop looking and be able to just enjoy the encounters?” Lawrence nodded again—just the slightest of movements, but a nod nonetheless. “Good,” she said, and nothing more.

He watched her walk to the door, open it, and extend an arm into the hall. She slowly pulled it back in, a large dark hand in hers. The man who entered was not just tall, he was enormous. Not a black man but certainly some darker race. Jessica brought him over, and they stood in front of him, hand in hand. He towered above Jessica, even though she was in her heels. Few men did that.

“This is Eric Savea, darling—Dr. Savea actually—he recently obtained a doctorate in physics from MIT.” She turned to look up at Eric. “Eric, this is Lawrence, but for tonight you may address him as Larry. He dislikes being called Larry, so I think it will set a nice tone. Right now he is feeling a bit jealous because he would have very much preferred his credentials to bear the MIT seal, but he had to go with his second choice, Princeton. Nothing to be ashamed of, but a disappointment nonetheless.” She turned her eyes back down to Lawrence. “Eric is going to fuck me now, but first he needs to ask you something. I dislike the idea of breaking the mood, but he needs it for his own reasons so I’ve agreed. Go ahead, Eric.”

Stooping a bit for better eye contact, Eric said, “This is what you want? It’s for you?” Lawrence didn’t move, just stared at him, and very slowly nodded once, long and deep.