Sir. Veryclose attention, I promise."
Liamlaughed and gave his bare ass a light swat with
the looped-over rope. "To the lesson, not mycock." Skye's cheeks went ruddy and flushed, the way
they did when he was embarrassed or flustered.
"Sorry."
"Don't worry, professor. I'll want your focus right
back there before we're through. Right now, though,
payattentionto me."
Skye nodded, lickinghis lips. "Yes, Sir."He gasped
when Liam's hands circled his wrists and urged them
higher behind him, until Skye was cupping his own
elbows. It was slightly uncomfortable, the position forcing him to thrust his shoulders back and Skye wasn't sure he liked it. Except a few seconds later, Liamrana soothinghand over his shoulders and biceps, his touch almost reverent, and Skye decided he liked
anythingto get himtouches like that.
When Liam began looping the rope around his
wrist, Skye's heart kicked up. There'd been some
teasing with bondage, but immediately Skye could tell
this wasn't going to be that. This was the real thing. He
could hardlystand the anticipationand he forced himself
to focus, to pay attention to everything about the
moment.
Skye catalogued as much detail as he could. The
way the rope felt--surprisingly soft and almost slippery
as Liamwound it deftly around his wrists and forearms,
binding them together. The sound of Liam's breath-
slow and steady, an even rhythm Skye could focus on
and that centered him. The smells--the certain
earthiness and hint of chemicals of the new rope, the
tang of Liam's sweat and citrus-y shampoo. Keeping
this detailed focus on what was happening was
comforting in its familiarity; a needed thing when what
Liam was doing was the furthest thing from familiar for
Skye.The only familiar thing was the way Liammade him
feel. Safe. Cherished. Not alone. All the things Skye loved most about how he felt when he was with Liam. More than the pleasure, more than the lust and the physical eroticism, Skye loved the way Liammade him feel warm and not alone and like he mattered for reasons with nothing to do with solving equations or positing theories. Liam liked his brains, but more than that, Liamjust liked him.
That revelation was new and intoxicating for Skye and he focused on the feeling now as Liamfinished with his wrists and forearms and began winding the same rope--goodness, it must be long--in tight loops around Skye's upper chest.
He glanced up as Liamcame around infront ofhim. The expression on the other man's face was breathtaking. Intent and veryserious, Liamwas focused entirely on the task at hand, and Skye found his heart racinginresponse to his unwaveringattention.
"I...I saw pictures of this," Skye blurted. "On the Internet."
Liam met his gaze with a slow smile. That devastating smile always made Skye feel as though he needed to sit downand catchhis breath.
"Did you? Tellme what youthought."
Skye swallowed, trying to remember. "I...I thought it was pretty. I thought there was a sort of...art about it, almost. And I wondered what it felt like."
"How does it feel?"
Skye let out a soft sigh, meeting Liam's eyes. "Like you're holdingme."
Liam's expression softened, and he leaned in to kiss Skye slowly before pulling back again. "That's how it should feel. The ropes aren't just a decoration, they're sort of...anextensionofme, I guess."
Skye considered that as Liam continued. He liked the idea the ropes were an extension of Liam. It helped make them easier to accept as Liam continued to wind and wrap and knot and twist, the sensation gradually shifting from merely sexy to confining and intense in a wayhe hadn't expected somethingso prettycould be.
The ropes were tight, but not painfully. Enough to constrict his chest, but not his breathing. Skye trembled as Liam bent to wind the rope between his thighs, breath catching when he fashioned a single knot at the back that nestled directly against his entrance. Oh, evil, evil man. Then Liamfinished things off by securing that rope to Skye's wrists and he straightened, looking thoroughlypleased withhimself.
Skye shivered, though he wasn't cold. Now what? Liam was just looking at him, with this simmering, unreadable expression. Did he like what he saw? Skye hoped so. Skye certainly liked how it felt. He couldn't shake the feeling something was off, though, with Liam. He seemed...disconnected somehow and it made Skye nervous and anxious in a way he shouldn't be, he didn't
think."Liam?"
"Yes, myown?"
Skye didn't even know how to couch the question.
"Are yousure you're okay?"
Liam met his gaze, brows furrowing. "I'm fine,
Skye."Then he leaned in to kiss Skye again, just like he
had earlier whenSkye had asked.
When the kiss ended, Skye felt as hazy as he
usually did after one of those mind-bending kisses, but
he forced himself to shake it off, frowning at Liam.
"You're doingthat onpurpose,"he accused.
"Doingwhat?"
"Kissing me silly!" He scowled, the constriction of
the ropes suddenly not so pleasant as the doubt and
anxiety crept in and crumbled the trust he'd clung to the
entire time. What was going on and why was Liam
tryingto confuse and distract himfromwhatever it was? It was then, realizing Liam was trying distract him,
that a bit of panic began to set in. He was completely
helpless, unable to defend himself...his safeword
flickered to the forefront of his mind, unbidden, but the
rational side of him protested it was absurd even to
consider that he was in any danger. Liamwould protect
him. Skye trusted him. But why was Liam acting so
strangely--not acting strangely, exactly, but Skye could
feelit inhim...somethingwas verywrong.
Skye didn't even notice his breathing had gone
shallow and too rapid until Liam's expression changed
