Gavin scrambled to his feet.
“Jerk yourself off for me.”
Gavin didn’t know about that. He was good with all of it, or so he’d thought. But masturbating seemed too intimate. Weird, but—
Aidan grabbed him by the hair and yanked him close. “When I give you an order, you obey.”
Gavin groaned, enthralled with the firm grip on his hair. The bite of pain made him that much harder, and so close, he couldn’t help brushing against Aidan, feeling the other man’s stiff dick against his belly.
“Yes, baby. That’s right.”
Baby. He shivered.
“Now come for me. Nothing exists for you but what I tell you. Forget everything else. Close your eyes if you need to. Take yourself in hand and come.”
Aidan let him go.
Closing his eyes made it easier, and Gavin started rubbing himself, pulling harder and harder on his cock while Aidan watched. For my Master, a thrilled part of him reminded. Submitting to someone definitely stronger, meaner, and deserving.
Gavin cupped his balls with his other hand and warned, “I’m gonna come. So hard…” He didn’t think he could stop if Aidan ordered him to.
“I won’t have you stop this time,” Aidan murmured. “Come, Gavin.”
With a groan, he spurted, the orgasm wringing him out. The emotional upheaval added to the climax, and he felt weak at the knees as he emptied all over Aidan’s belly. That he’d spent on the man supposed to be his Master gave him a sense of possession that he liked. And as he finished spending, he stared at the smear over Aidan’s ripped belly.
“Yeah, you like that. I do too. But mine is going even deeper.” Aidan grabbed Gavin by the arm. “Now get on your knees and take me to the back of your throat. I assume you’ve blown a guy or two before?”
Gavin blushed. “I might not be as experienced as you, but I’m not a virgin.”
“Good.” Aidan waited patiently while Gavin moved to his knees.
Then there was no more talking, only grunting and groaning as Aidan’s fat cock wedged into Gavin’s mouth. Gavin gagged a few times before accustoming himself to Aidan’s length. The man lasted longer than he’d thought, but soon enough Aidan jetted on an oath, his hands gripping Gavin’s shoulders.
“All of it, boy. Don’t lose a drop,” he growled.
Gavin sucked and licked him dry, leaving no chance of that.
Aidan softened, and still he didn’t pull out.
Gavin waited, wondering when he would have some respite. And then Aidan withdrew.
“Good boy. You waited for me.” Aidan cupped his cheek. “This is going to be a fun workup. Just as long as you remember why we’re doing this.”
No romantic entanglements. No dreams of a future, and especially not with Aidan. Just sex and a mission to complete. Gavin could more than handle that—or so he kept telling himself. He stood. “You don’t need to remind me.”
Aidan nodded, his expression no longer open but shuttered. “Come to my house tomorrow. Nine o’clock. Bring nothing but yourself. You’ll be with me until we leave for the California coast, so take care of anything else needing your attention for the next week at least.”
“I’m supposed to train with Kitty tomorrow.”
Aidan just watched him. Another test?
Gavin hated tests. “Fine. I’ll be at your place, no later than nine.”
Aidan dressed in silence after using Gavin’s shirt to clean himself. He let himself out without another word.
Baffled by the strange turn his life had suddenly taken, Gavin locked the door, ventured into the kitchen, and poured himself a huge beer. After downing the contents in a few long swallows, he went straight to bed.
He didn’t wake until eight forty-five the next morning. “Shit.” He stared bleary-eyed at the clock, sure there had to be a mistake. He’d never slept so long before. Then again, he’d never had his entire world upended by Aidan Marshall either.
He hurried to find out where the man lived. Then he dressed and made the phone calls he needed to Kitty and a few neighbors before locking up behind him. By the time he arrived at Aidan’s home, isolated in the mountains—go figure—he was forty-five minutes late.
He knocked and waited.
Aidan opened the door a moment later, his expression unreadable.
“Look, I slept late. My mistake. And then I had to—”
Aidan held up a hand. “We’ll talk about that later. Come in.” He stood back, and Gavin entered into a surprisingly comfortable home. He put his bag on the floor and looked around. An open layout with maple built-ins framed a stone fireplace. Wood floors, aqua-blue walls, and leather furniture that screamed expensive without looking pretentious gave the place a sophisticated but homey feel Gavin wouldn’t have equated with Aidan. He’d have pictured the guy with a lot of black, glass, and chrome. Yet he liked the thought of Aidan in this place. Classy, clean, and uncluttered—a lot like the man before him.
Aidan wore jeans and an untucked, open-collared white shirt that exposed the strong cords of his throat. An instinct to bite and mark the man came out of nowhere. Gavin turned a suspicious look on his new partner, still not sure Aidan wouldn’t fuck with his psyche just for fun, but Aidan was frowning down at his cell phone.
“Problem?”
Aidan looked up. “Kitty isn’t happy with me. She apparently wanted to review a few things with you before handing you over to me. She’s a mother hen who has a hard time not clinging.”
“She’s nice.”
“Too nice.” Aidan snorted. “Empathy is all well and good, but our job is to acquire a book, not fall in love or feel sorry for the criminals who stole it.”
Gavin flushed. “I wasn’t suggesting either. I just—”
“I know. Sit down. We need to review the file. Coffee?”
Aidan’s turn in manners took him aback. “Ah, yeah.” He thought he’d be treated like a virtual slave for the next few days and was prepared to handle it. Having Aidan act as though Gavin were a guest threw him for a loop.
He followed Aidan into a bright and tidy kitchen. White cabinets and black granite showcased a chef’s dream kitchen, complete with all the stainless-steel appliances. Gavin wondered if Aidan actually cooked or if this was all for show. To his bafflement, he found himself intrigued by his teammate in a way he’d never been before.
After rounding the kitchen island, Aidan motioned Gavin to sit on a nearby stool while he reached for the coffeepot.
“We need to make a few things clear. Yesterday was a prelude to physical intimacy. That, and I wanted to see you react to being ordered around a little.” Aidan set a steaming cup in front of him. He didn’t offer cream or sugar, which Gavin didn’t use anyway. Then he poured a cup for himself and rounded the island to sit next to Gavin at the counter. He turned his seat so they could face each other. “Sexually, we connect. There’s no need for us to have to fake an attraction. It’s there. That’s good.”
His clinical attitude eased Gavin’s discomfort with his behavior yesterday. He’d been too hot for the guy. Yet Aidan admitted to the attraction too. Good to know they were on equal footing in that at least.
“I watched you, and I learned. You’re a natural submissive, Gavin. Don’t argue the point. Accept it. Like I said before, there’s no shame in being true to yourself.”
Gavin never would have suspected Aidan to be so welcoming or easy to work with. He’d fully expected taunting and more bullying. Then again, Aidan could be setting him up for a punch line sure to come.
Aidan frowned. “I’m not setting you up. Christ. This is serious, and you’re worried the bully on the playground might beat you up?”
“Asshole.” Gavin glared.
“Look. I’m all about the mission. I don’t lose. I don’t screw up,” he directed at Gavin.