Chapter 13
JASPER WASN’T sure if he should be more amazed or terrified of Zach.
It was clear he had years more experience than Jasper and was knowledgeable about kink, especially about being a brat, which wasn’t surprising.
He didn’t know Doms could be brats, but now that he thought about it, Vincent being a dick was basically brat behavior.
Maybe that was why they got along so well.
Well enough that he was hesitant to actually try any of Zach’s many, many suggestions, though the insider information and confirmation that role-play was one of Vincent’s biggest kinks was appreciated.
Most of Zach’s ideas sounded like deliberately being a general nuisance until Vincent punished him, and Jasper wasn’t quite up to pushing his luck that far.
The idea of teasing him, though….
He polished off the last bite of his blueberry cheesecake, then slumped against Vincent’s side as he fought off a food coma with a soft moan. “I ate too much.”
Zach chuckled and sipped his coffee. “Glad you liked it.” He tilted his head as he glanced at Ash. “Did you decide?” When Ash nodded, Zach turned back to Jasper. “If you want to see some of his work, his studio is downstairs.”
Jasper eyed Zach and Vincent and took the hint. “Sure,” he said and followed Ash to a set of stairs leading to a basement. The room was significantly cooler than upstairs, but the countless photos lining the walls distracted him from any discomfort.
Most were bodies in various states of undress, primarily displaying rope, leather, or gags, though none showed a full face. Most were black and white, with a few in color sprinkled through. A few were even black and white with color showing only on the rope.
Two in particular caught his eye. One was a black-and-white close-up of wrists bound with bright red rope, the end of it draped between fingers.
Another was the lower part of a man’s face and neck, a hand resting on his throat from someone behind him, with two fingers of their other hand pressed against the man’s lower lip.
Jasper paused in front of them for a long moment, resisting the urge to press a hand to his own throat. He knew from experience that it wouldn’t feel the same as Vincent’s hand on him.
He turned and continued walking as the achromatic bodies gave way to brilliant bursts of colors.
One entire wall was dedicated to nature and was full of shots of the forest, with brilliant streaks of golden morning sunlight shining through trees or sunsets glimmering red and purple on the water.
Sharp close-ups of various insects followed.
Caterpillars and butterflies, a praying mantis, ladybugs, a giant fuzzy bee covered in pollen.
A coiled red snake with stripes of black slightly hidden beneath a large rock.
“These are amazing,” he said softly, turning to find Ash picking up a camera.
“Master Vincent suggested I take a few photos of you now, if you’re willing.”
Jasper swallowed and glanced at the pictures of the bodies again. “Do I need to be naked?”
Ash tilted his head and followed Jasper’s gaze. “Skin is the most natural self, but no. Whatever you are comfortable with.”
He gripped the hem of his shirt with a deep breath before unbuttoning another two buttons to show off more of the Shibari rope Vincent put so much effort into. “Is like this okay?”
Ash’s lips twitched with a hint of a smile. He nodded and motioned across the room to a clear spot in front of a white backdrop, then turned on a few lights with umbrellas behind them.
Jasper stood in front of them and squinted until Ash adjusted the heights and angles so they weren’t blinding him.
“Relax,” Ash said, though that was easier said than done; the only photos ever taken of him were for school. Jasper blinked up at Ash when he stepped closer. “May I?” he asked, motioning to Jasper’s shirt.
“Um, sure.”
Ash tugged open a couple more buttons so only two were left, adjusted the shirt a bit to bare more of Jasper’s right shoulder, and nudged it open to show off the ropes that went all the way to his hips.
He cupped Jasper’s wrists and lifted the left above his head and the right to grip the front of his shirt.
Then he stepped back and raised the camera to snap a few pictures.
Jasper felt ridiculous, but then Ash quietly asked him to tilt his head down and to the side as the camera clicked again, and then to lick his lips, and something released inside him.
He’d already seen for himself that Ash took amazing photos.
Surely he wouldn’t be wasting his time taking pictures of Jasper if he didn’t think they would turn out good.
A few minutes later he was slipping his shirt off, following Ash’s soft directions and pausing with the shirt bunched around his elbows and waist. He turned with his back to Ash and let it slowly slip to the floor.
It was… strangely liberating. He’d never stripped and been the sole focus of someone’s attention without sex being involved.
The click of the camera turned almost soothing, and he even started to enjoy himself. Striking poses like a model should have been absurd, but Ash didn’t laugh or tell him to stop, merely offered the occasional suggestion and kept taking pictures from various angles and distances.
By the time Vincent and Zach joined them, Jasper had completely lost track of time, the cold of the basement forgotten beneath the heat of the lights and warmth of exertion. A stronger heat flooded him when he realized he’d even gotten his jeans unbuttoned with a teasing glimpse of boxers showing.
Zach wolf whistled, and Jasper shot him a scowl over his shoulder even as he heard the distinctive click of the camera. Zach smirked at him. “Oh, I want a copy of that one,” he said as he slipped his arm around Ash’s waist. “Well? You interested in an actual photo shoot?”
Jasper glanced at Vincent before picking up his shirt. “Maybe?” He slipped the shirt back on and stepped in against Vincent’s side.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Vincent said, hooking a finger in the back loop of Jasper’s jeans to tug him around.
“Sure. Nice meeting you, Jas.”
“You too,” he called and waved over his shoulder as Vincent urged him up the stairs.
He wasn’t able to get more than a step ahead when Vincent kept hold of him, and he snorted softly, wondering if Vincent had missed him for the short time he’d been downstairs or if he was horny after seeing Jasper partially undressed. He liked to think it was both.
The late afternoon heat was nearly stifling as they stepped outside and headed back to their own cabin. He hadn’t noticed that so much time had passed. He glanced at Vincent from the corner of his eye. “They were nice.”
“Yes.” Vincent let out a slow breath and seemed to relax. “I’m glad you like them.”
He smiled and hooked his arm around Vincent’s waist, leaning into him as they walked, and he realized he’d finally met some of Vincent’s actual friends.