6 - A Gentleman Thief
Darren Quinn
Guiding the man who'd called himself Raffles out into the garden, Darren took in his manner and body language with a thrill of delight. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Cheekbones was even more beautiful up close than he'd been when Darren had been watching him during their suspension.
Even more intriguing were his mannerisms. Darren had half-expected the man to play it cool, to cling to the 'dominant' persona to try and impress him. Raffles' immediate, unfettered enthusiasm was a breath of fresh air and reassured Darren even more that they were going down the right path.
He moved closer to Raffles as they stood at the edge of the pool deck, lowering his voice. "If we're going to talk about this seriously, let's drop the scene names. If that's alright with you."
Raffles let out a breath, relaxing. "Oh, thank god. I'm Leander."
Like a Shakespearean hero? Darren thought, but held his tongue and smiled instead. "Darren. Pleased to meet you, gorgeous. Thank you for the offer of hospitality. We drove up for the event, but I wasn't really sure if we wanted to stay here at the manor overnight."
"That sounds exhausting," Leander agreed.
"It's lovely here, of course. We've been here a few times.
Zoe - the hostess - is amazing. One of those 'based out of several different cities' hot bitches, but she loves throwing events here.
I hear New Year's is really legendary, though we haven't been yet.
We've only been here in Boston for a couple of years.
I could show you around the garden, if that pleases you? "
Darren smiled as the pretty man rambled, continuing on this time without his sub's presence to ground him. Perhaps a nervous response? It was charming. He favored the man with a warm, easy smile, hoping to reassure him. "Sure, lead the way. Did you and Bunny get into the scene together?"
"Here, yes. We were kind of long-distance for a while before we moved up here, so when we were together, we didn't really want to take the time to go out.
" Leander chuckled, warm and fond. "We'd both been in and out of the lifestyle before that.
I tended to go pretty hard whenever I was on this side of the ocean, honestly, for...
complicated reasons, I guess you'd say? Back at home, I had to be a lot more... discreet."
"Home?" Darren raised his eyebrows.
"Across the pond."
"So the accent wasn't a bit?"
Leander laughed and shook his head, slipping back into it as he spoke. "Not at all, though I've mostly lost it unless I'm speaking to other Brits. Except for words like banahnah. And tomahto." He leaned into the 'ah' sound for both of them a bit, exaggerating the accent with a grin.
"Potato, po-tah-to," Darren quipped, returning his smile. "I'm surprised you don't put it on to dom, honestly. Between the accent and those cheekbones, you could turn a sub to jello."
"I've tried a few times," Leander admitted. "Especially when I first started cruising in New York. But somehow it always seemed to give guys the impression that I was more of a hardass than I actually am, and that made it feel as if I wasn't being... authentic? Is that strange?"
"Not at all," Darren assured, still smiling. He rested a hand on the small of Leander's back as they strolled down the garden path, enjoying the faint warmth from his body beginning to seep through his fine suit jacket. "If you're a switch, it's important to nurture both sides of your desire."
"Thank you." Leander's gaze was warm with gratitude and relief. "I want to. I'm trying. It's not Bunny's fault. He'll take charge of me when I need him to, and he'll even top me, but... I know he's just doing it for my sake, and I feel bad about it."
Darren's heart twisted at his words. Leander's quiet vulnerability was as refreshing as his nervousness, and surely covered for much deeper need and uncertainty. He knew firsthand how hard it was to be 'on' all the time as a dom, how exhausting it must be for him.
"You aren't doing the same thing for him?
" Darren asked, trying to keep the question simple and conversational, not accusing.
How long had this sweet man been neglecting his own needs out of love for his partner?
It summoned unwelcome memories of his own past, failed relationships.
If Leander was secretly unhappy, this wouldn't be a wise move.
The man shook his head, dispelling Darren's worry.
"No. I do genuinely love dominating him and taking care of him.
Outside of play, too. He's so kind and smart.
Actually genius smart, I'm not just saying that because I'm married to him.
He's so loving and conscientious. I'd give him the world if he'd let me.
I don't want to force him to be something he's not. "
Darren nodded slowly. Leander's words were guileless and thick with unmistakable adoration. As admirable as it was, his heart twisted again, and he had to hold back from gathering the pretty man close and promising to help him. "Hence looking for other play partners."
"Mm-hmm." Leander examined him, his expression open despite the mask he still wore. "What about you? You don't switch?"
Darren made a vague hand motion. "Occasionally, but it's not some deep-seated need to surrender.
More playful." It was impossible to ignore his own rush of arousal as he thought about how incredible sex was with Miles, not trying to keep his sensual appreciation from his voice.
Would he be in the same place as Leander if Miles hadn't been able to so passionately serve his desires?
"I'm definitely verse, but Muscles takes care of all those needs.
I also run a club in New York. I've commanded subs who've needed every kind of handling you can imagine.
So looking for play partners isn't about trying to fill a gap for me, it... "
He stopped, realizing with sudden joy that things had changed. Miles had helped him realize that. "No, that's not true. I need to mentor. Especially him, I need to see him experience the joy and gratification of truly commanding someone in a way I can't give him."
Hopefully, in the course of their play, he could help this deeply dedicated but needy dom, too.
Leander paused as they reached the end of the property, a high stone wall separating them from the forested area that surrounded the affluent community.
He turned to regard Darren and the garden behind him, foliage and structures half shielding the mansion beyond.
Then, he stepped closer, with more curiosity than nervousness in his gaze.
"Would you want him to command both of us? "
In the cool night air, the heat from Leander's body made the world around them narrow.
Darren's pulse quickened, professional and physical desires aligning in a way that made it difficult to focus on the conversation.
But this was important. "Maybe sometimes.
I'd like it much more if we both commanded both of you.
Together or separately. At first, when I suggested this, what I wanted was the pleasure of his growth.
He was the one who suggested a couple and something serious; he doesn't take these commitments lightly.
As we've worked towards this, all of that has become more important to me, too. "
"I don't mind a casual lover," Leander offered suddenly, lips tightening in concern. "I've had a hell of a lot before Bunny. I went through an extremely impressive slut phase."
"I don't doubt it." Darren chuckled softly, making a show of checking him out to try and reassure him...
and to make sure Leander understood exactly how attractive he found him.
"Don't worry, beautiful... I'm really enjoying your vibe.
We could make wonderful friends, and partners. And partners in crime."
Leander relaxed again at his words, taking a half-step towards him. Even in the dim light of the garden, Darren was fairly sure he could see the beginnings of a flush on his cheeks around the edges of his mask. "I like partners in crime. We'll take care of our subs together."
Darren gave a hum of agreement. He took Leander's unspoken invitation and stepped into him, exerting the easy and familiar strength of dominance that had made Leander fawn over him in the house.
"We will. And Muscles will take care of your sweet little Bunny, so that you can let go and give yourself to me. "
Leander's lips parted to a soft gasp. Even in the dark, his eyes were mesmerizingly green as he looked up at him, flecked with beautiful touches of hazel and amber. "...there's a lot of great play spots out here," he offered, breath ragged.
"Yeah?" As much as he yearned to touch the man, Darren held back, teasing him with his closeness and letting the delicious tension between them heighten.
He was beginning to regret encouraging Miles to decide on no sex that evening, but there were certainly other things he could do to his potential new sub.
It was a smart idea to test him and their compatibility. "Is there now?"
"Uh - yes. Sir. Am I supposed to call you Sir yet? Should I ask permission? I'm sorry, I haven't really had much opportunity to be on the other end of this in a while, and I ramble when I'm nervous - "
"Nervous enough to speak out of turn?" Darren teased.
He was rewarded by Leander shivering visibly, Adam's apple bobbing in his shapely throat as he swallowed. His nervousness was quickly being replaced by a very different kind of tension, as if it was taking every ounce of self-control to keep from pressing against him. "Forgive me, Sir."
Darren chuckled softly. "Forgiven. I did bring you out here to talk, after all. You may speak freely." He finally allowed himself to indulge, resting his hand on Leander's hip and drawing him gently into his body. "So... you were fantasizing about coming all over my back, hmm?"
Arching into him without hesitation, Leander laughed breathlessly, flushed and flustered. "You did hear that."
"I heard a lot of your dirty fantasies." Darren tried to keep his smile kind despite the heat that curled inside him at Leander's adorable nervousness. He couldn't resist embracing him tighter, rubbing the small of his back, and smiling at Leander's ragged gasp.
The pleasure of sussing out a new sub thrummed hot through Darren's veins, even better than the press of Leander's body against his own.
Every bit of him yearned to discover exactly how to push Leander's buttons.
And if he could figure him out now, then he'd be fully ready to support whatever Miles needed.
"You've been a very dirty, naughty boy, Leander," he purred, pulse quickening at the way it made the other man smile. "Now... what do you have to say for yourself?"
~~~