“I really embarrassed you, when I offered to let you to top me, didn’t I, Nick?” Austin asked.

“I wouldn’t say I was exactly embarrassed. Taken by surprise, is more like it. A lot of guys just can’t get into that sort of thing.”

“I bet I could. Hell, I know I could. With you, anyway.”

“I don’t want you to feel under any sort of obligation to, uh, experiment. Sure, I’ve been involved in the whole leather scene for quite a few years, but, personally, I can take it or leave it.”

Austin scoffed. “Nick, a man who has a sling, a cage, and a fucking machine in his house does not strike me as the kind of guy who can ‘take it or leave it.’ You’re really into all that kinky shit, aren’t you, so don’t even bother to deny it.”

“All right. I won’t. But I think we’ll put the rougher stuff on hold, at least for now, and concentrate on the tried and true. Shall we? You know, good old-fashioned vanilla sex?”

“I can’t believe you’re such a prude,” Austin protested. “Not after everything you’ve already told me about yourself, and some of the stuff I’ve already seen on your website. You don’t really think you’re in any danger of corrupting my youthful innocence, do you? I don’t have much in the way of youthful innocence left to lose. I do want to go to bed with you again, Nick, in fact, I’d like to do it right now! But only if you promise to stop treating me like a child. I want you to treat me the same way you behave toward your other tricks. I want it to be man to man.”

Perhaps Nick had felt that Austin was teasing him before, but now he realized that the younger guy was being very serious indeed. The stubborn set of Austin’s jaw was one giveaway, and the firmness of his voice was another. Nick must have stared harder at him than he’d intended to, because Austin’s eyes caught Nick’s and suddenly sparkled with a combination of amusement, and satisfaction. Austin knew that Nick wasn’t going to be able to resist him, not for long, anyway. He had Nick exactly where he wanted him!

Nick put down his coffee cup, rose from his chair, and drew Austin into his arms.

Austin trembled in his embrace for a moment, almost as though he was frightened, a different kind of tremor than that of lust, but certainly not any indication of reluctance. More likely, it was the recognition of impending emotion, intensifying the mere sensual anticipation of physical pleasure. Nick had known Austin for only a couple of weeks, but he already knew that every time he and this particular number had sex with each other, it would inevitably be more than “just sex.”