10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
K ai had never felt so exposed.
Not just because he was buck ass naked and bent over a couch, although that certainly contributed. But also because Ezra had been the first since he moved to find out about his issues. Not only that, but he was the first guy Kai submitted to, and the anticipation far outweighed the nerves.
He resisted glancing back at Ezra, mostly because if he did, he wouldn’t be able to stop looking. The kiss had been hot as fuck, and his cock hung heavy between his legs, the need a steady thump, thump, thump. The idea he was stripped down while Ezra was still fully clothed turned him on so much he could barely breathe. As did the thwack of the leather paddle Ezra kept thumping against his palm .
Pre-cum pooled at the tip of his cock, but he didn’t move his hands to swipe at it. No, he remained braced over the couch, waiting for Ezra’s approach.
The creak of slow, steady footsteps hit him like a starter’s pistol. His whole body hummed in readiness.
The air shifted behind him as Ezra settled into place, the proximity lighting him up. The only other person he’d felt this reaction from as of late was Sloan, who’d been just as sexy and alluring.
“You ready?” Ezra placed his hand on Kai’s hip, and Kai almost jumped at the intense flare that soared through him at that simple touch. Ezra’s hand was calloused, his grip steady, and somehow, that steadied him more than anything else.
“Go for it.” Kai attempted stoic, even though his heart performed barrel rolls. This was what he’d been curious about for so long—submitting, impact toys, hell, even kissing a guy. And it reached a part of him that had been buried deep. Something that was almost painful to unearth, but the relief streaming through him was staggering too.
The rush of air behind him was the only signal he got.
The paddle smacked down on his ass cheek with a light sting, and oh fuck.
That felt good .
He’d been worried that with the pain he experienced on a daily basis, this would be more of the same. That it wouldn’t end up sparking in his brain. However, the zing that traveled straight to his cock was undeniable.
“How was that?” Ezra ran his palm over the spot along Kai’s ass cheek.
“Definitely green,” he said. Exhilaration swirled through him so strong he couldn’t hide it. Sheer relief that this one thing had not been stolen from him too .
“Fantastic,” Ezra said. His voice was pure sin, and Kai tuned into it on automatic.
The swish of the air tipped him off again, and the paddle cracked down on his ass. This time, more of a sting followed, but ngh, no, the slight bit of pain was still hot as hell. He gripped the back of the couch tighter as more of his blood rerouted to his cock.
“You okay?” Ezra checked in again.
“Still green.” What might harder feel like? What might it be like to bear those bruises the next day, to be able to press on them and remember the sensations? For pain in his life to be something other than terrible.
Fuck, he craved it more than he’d ever thought.
Before Kai could anticipate anything, the paddle smacked down on his other cheek. It stung a little harder than before, but the increments were so gradual he welcomed them.
“How about that?” Ezra asked. “If it’s green, I’ll stay in that range tonight.”
“Yeah, so green.” He shifted his hips and thrust his ass out farther. He wanted more, more, more. Every time the paddle hit him, adrenaline rushed through him.
“Mmm, damn.” Ezra ran his palm along Kai’s ass cheeks. “You’re so fucking pretty, you know that?”
A full-body flush slammed through him. He wasn’t used to anyone talking to him that way, treating him like he was something to be admired, taken care of. Ezra made him feel seen in a way he’d been longing for, that he hadn’t even realized he’d been craving.
“Why don’t you count off for me?” Ezra said. “We’re going to do ten strikes on each side.”
Kai nodded .
“Words, sweetheart. If we go over nonverbal cues, we can start using those, but right now, I need your words.”
“Yes,” he said, trying not to sound breathy. Yet the anticipation thumped at a stronger beat than ever, and his cock was so hard he could barely think. This had proved without a shadow of a doubt that he responded to impact play.
“Good.” Ezra settled behind him again.
The first thud thwacked down on his ass, and searing pain followed. And yet it fast transmuted to pleasure, the sort that made his cock drip pre-cum.
“One,” he said.
Ezra didn’t wait before delivering the second. It hurt as much as the first one, but warmth radiated from the spot, traveling through his whole body.
“Two.”
The third smack somehow stung worse while feeling better in the same breath. His nerve signals were going haywire, but after all the ways his body had spun out of control the past year, asking for something deliberately felt so good. A controlled deliverance instead of the random flares he was subject to.
“Three.”
Ezra ran his hand over Kai’s ass, the gesture soft and intimate. The contrast of the strikes to the caress sent a ripple through him. His mind dizzied from the wash of sensations, and he sank deeper into the moment.
When Ezra started again, Kai counted on automatic, lulled by the rhythm of the thwacks, which echoed through his apartment, and the sting that radiated through him. This sort of pain was so, so different from what he struggled with, and he cherished it.
“Ten.” A heady bliss coursed through him, even as he braced himself over the back of his couch, his cock leaking onto the floor. His balls were so full he could scream, but he didn’t want this to end either.
“Color?” Ezra smoothed his palm over Kai’s backside. Sparks flared through him, and the thought of Ezra parting his cheeks and penetrating him…ngh. He’d only tried with his finger a few times out of curiosity, and while it hadn’t felt bad, he didn’t understand the big draw. But right now, the idea of Ezra parting his cheeks and sliding in—fuck, maybe he did want that after all.
“Green,” Kai murmured, his voice a bit thready.
“Time for the other side,” Ezra said. Kai didn’t look behind him, but a hum of enjoyment lingered in those words, a bit of glee that fit Ezra’s energy so damn well. His attitude was so fucking hot.
“Count off for me,” Ezra said, and the blows began. This time, Kai knew what to expect, but the sting still took him by surprise. The heady thump, thump, thump as he counted off to Ezra’s blows mirrored the accelerated beats of his heart, and his mind fuzzed around the edges like he was surrounded by clouds. His mouth moved as the strikes continued, and Ezra paused to check in and stroke his ass cheek again, but he didn’t register what he was saying.
Holy fuck, it felt so, so good.
The stinging blows, the smack of the thumps, how the pain transformed into pleasure. His balls ached so badly he would beg for a hand or a mouth, but he didn’t want to break free from this moment, from the way he floated like he coursed down a lazy river.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Ezra purred. He stroked at Kai’s ass cheeks. “We’re all done.”
“Hmm?” Kai couldn’t focus on the couch he clutched to let alone Ezra’s words. An arm slipped around him, and he was guided around the couch.
Finished.
They were stopping.
His cock ached so hard he could barely think, but the second he sank into the couch, he realized how hard the adrenaline had been coursing through him. His legs trembled, and a zing shot through him from the burn of his cheeks.
“Stay put.” Ezra leaned in and pressed a kiss to his temple. “I’ll be right back.”
Right, like he could move from where he was right now. He slumped to the side a bit to relieve the pressure off his ass. Holy fuck, it ached. Except that turned him on too. He chewed on his lower lip and draped himself along the side of the couch, reeling from the experience. That had been everything he’d hoped for and more.
Ezra returned, a red blanket draped over his arm, a glass of water in one hand, and a jar of something in the other. “Shift to the side a little more.” He crouched in front of Kai. “I’m going to apply this to your ass so tomorrow isn’t complete hell.”
Kai swallowed back his protest. Maybe he wanted some bruises left on his skin, marks of the pain he’d chosen.
The cooling lotion Ezra applied felt so damn good Kai moaned. His cheeks heated, but given that he’d just been bent over and spanked by this man, the time to get embarrassed had gotten vaulted out the window. Ezra remained quiet, working diligently to take care of him. The focused look, the way his brows drew together in determination, was hot as fuck,.
If Kai could form words, he’d beg the guy to rail him into tomorrow. However, part of him was grateful Ezra put on the brakes tonight and let him experience this in increments. Tonight, he wanted to revel in this new facet about himself that he’d discovered .
“All right.” Ezra capped the lotion and tugged the blanket around Kai’s shoulders. Kai didn’t have it in him to resist and welcomed the cozy warmth. He sagged against the couch, even though the idea of being wrapped in Ezra’s capable arms sent a shiver through him. “I need you to drink some water for me now.”
Ezra lifted the water to his lips, and Kai sipped. The cool liquid offered the relief he needed.
“You were perfect.” Ezra placed the cup of water on the coffee table. He leaned back and gestured for Kai to slide beside him. Yeah, Kai didn’t need any extra prompting. He winced as he snuggled into his open arm, the movement against his tender cheeks sending a mixture of pain and pleasure. The fact that he’d carry the memory of their time together with him a little longer was so hot he felt light-headed.
“Mmm,” Kai said, unable to form sentences.
The curve of Ezra’s lips was both cocky and devastatingly sexy. “How are you feeling? Do you have any questions about how you’re feeling? About what we did?”
“Yeah,” Kai said, his heart thudding hard. “What are the other toys like?”
Ezra tossed his head back, a genuine laugh escaping him. “Hell, that’s hot. I’d be happy to test them on you another time. Tonight, I’m going to give you some aftercare, hang for a little, and head out so I can crash. I’m in a safe headspace, but I’ve been up a while and am running on fumes.”
Kai bobbed his head. As much as the idea of Ezra leaving twisted him up, he didn’t want to seem needy. Ezra was doing him a favor, showing him the ropes with domming and subbing. They weren’t in a relationship or anything, but fuck, that wouldn’t be a hardship at all. He’d gone from divorced and lonely upon his move to running into not one but two sexy-as-fuck guys he’d experienced chemistry with. How that had happened, he had no idea.
“Long shift today?” He drew in the scent of Ezra, leather and sweat.
“You could say that,” he murmured. His dark eyes had a distance to them that filled in the blanks of everything he didn’t say. Kai knew he was an EMT, and guaranteed, the job came with some rough days.
However, Ezra fit the role as if he’d found where he needed to be. Kai was still floundering. Years of working at the supply store in Collier’s Creek hadn’t given him many options when he’d moved, and the remote work he currently did was isolating and unfulfilling.
What he truly longed for lingered in the back of his mind, a dream he understood would never come to fruition.
The time in his life when he could’ve gone to college had passed. He hadn’t bothered, because the opportunities for history professors in Collier’s Creek were slim to none, and he’d already tied the knot, tethering him to the area.
And now he fumbled to find his footing financially with his job. The timing wasn’t right to go exploring new avenues.
“So, I’m guessing I’ll be feeling this tomorrow?” Kai lifted a brow.
The banked heat in Ezra’s eyes sent a shiver through him. “You should have some pretty bruises. If you want to send the visuals, I wouldn’t be sad.”
Kai’s mouth went dry. Why was that so unreasonably hot? He’d gone from vanilla sex for years that had been pretty tepid to this world of kink that lit him up like nothing else. He hungered for all the experiences he’d been missing out on.
He leaned against Ezra again and closed his eyes. For now, though, he’d float on sensations.
** *
Ezra had left after about an hour of holding him. The guy was patient as hell. Kai promised to text him the next morning, and the desire to send the proof of his bruises burned through him. Maybe not the smartest idea, but he’d make sure he wasn’t identifiable in the shot.
He shifted against the couch seats, trying to get comfortable, but damn, his ass burned. His cock ached, and he needed relief in a bad way. Except he enjoyed edging himself a little too much. He wanted to linger in this place of neediness, of desperation, a little longer before he unloaded. A documentary on the Meiji Era in Japan played on the screen, but he only half paid attention.
His phone buzzed, and he checked it at once.
Sloan had messaged.
Are we still on for tomorrow? Kai licked his lips, confusion flipping in his chest. After the intense scene with Ezra today, going on a date with Sloan tripped his wires. However, they’d been talking all week, and Sloan was charismatic and sweet. Speaking to him came easily, and he scratched a whole different itch for Kai. He couldn’t get the memory out of his mind of the way Sloan had melted under his hands in the first workshop. Of how he’d felt sitting on Kai’s lap. The man was hot as fuck and didn’t hesitate to communicate his interest with an allure he couldn’t deny.
Thing was, Ezra hit his buttons too.
Except neither of the guys he’d experienced that zing with had made any mention of anything beyond interest. They hadn’t talked of monogamy or boyfriends, and he didn’t know if either of them even wanted that. Sloan had a reputation for having a high sex drive and a lot of partners, and Ezra was an enigma in so many ways.
It couldn’t hurt to keep exploring in both directions to see where these trails took him.
Yeah, see you at As You Like It .
His phone buzzed a second later.
Can’t wait. I’ll be thinking about you tonight;)
Kai let out a groan, the implication sending a rush of lust through him. Fucking hell. Between Ezra and Sloan, he was so turned on he could barely breathe. And yet, he wanted to explore both sides of himself more than ever. The dive into the kink world had been the first bright thing since his diagnosis, and he clutched to it with all his might.
After tonight, one thing was for sure.
He was definitely a switch.