Room at the Top (16 page)

Their love for each other might have been sweet, but it made them incredibly predictable.

Getting the dildo out was quicker than getting it in, but Austin suffered through its withdrawal. He hadn’t come, which Liam found frankly incredible. The climax Austin had reached had been an emotional one, but his body was still stubbornly insisting it was aroused and needed satisfying.

Liam took mercy on him, though he longed to replace the dildo with his fingers, driving up into the widened, welcoming channel and feeling Austin convulse and cling to him, sobbing out his gratitude.

Bleakly Liam realized he had some thinking to do when he was alone. They’d all agreed where the line was to be drawn, and he was crossing it in his head two or three times a session. He’d been prepared for it to blur, but not like this.

He helped Austin over to the chair, brought the soft throw down over him, and uncapped a bottle of orange juice, folding Austin’s hands around it and making sure he swallowed some of it. The dildo he wrapped in a hand towel and set aside to clean later. It was a chore he enjoyed, the true end of the session for him, as he returned each item to its place, recalling the use he’d put it to.

When he’d cleaned his hands with a disposable wipe, taking his time, he walked over to Jay, who was still kneeling but glowering at him. The clothespins had to be causing him a considerable amount of discomfort.

Good.

“I was thinking twenty strokes with the paddle for you,” he said calmly. Better to rid Jay of the gag first—that way it would be more of a challenge for him to keep quiet while the pins were removed. No point in making it easy. It didn’t take long to unfasten the gag, and Jay swallowed. Saliva glistened on his lips.

Liam removed the clothespin from Jay’s earlobe.

Jay whimpered and swallowed again. “And something extra, Sir.”

“Oh yes.” Liam hadn’t forgotten the extra punishment, but he was pleased Jay had reminded him. Well, most of him was pleased. A small part of him wished they’d both forgotten, because anything doled out to Jay at this point was going to lack something. Irritated with himself for being affected when he shouldn’t be, Liam unclipped both pins from Jay’s nipples at once and without warning.

Jay’s nipples, having been pinched tightly for so long, flushed bright red as blood rushed back to the area. At his sides, Jay’s hands twitched as if he wanted to rub them.

“Sore?” Liam asked.

“Yes, Sir.” Jay’s voice was tinged with discomfort. Liam wondered what those swollen nipples would do when licked. Would they tighten into points?

“Turn around and get on your hands and knees.”

Jay looked shocked. “Sir? I—”

“I’m perfectly aware that I haven’t removed all the clothespins yet,” Liam said, turning to get the paddle and glancing to see that Austin was all right at the same time. “I’m going to paddle you with them on. That’s the something extra.”

There was no point in doing this lackadaisically, even if his interaction with Austin had left him shaken and uncertain. Liam was determined not to leave Jay wanting, and he wasn’t going to cheat himself of the experience of paddling Jay, who had done as he’d been told and was on his hands and knees, bare arse facing Liam and the clothespin on his scrotum visible between his thighs.

“I believe I said fifteen.” He said it casually so Jay wouldn’t realize it was a test.

“No, Sir. Twenty.” There was anticipation in Jay’s voice, and Liam rewarded him for his honesty with a quick caress of his arse before bringing the paddle swinging in to strike him.

By the time Liam reached double figures, he was aware of an ache in his shoulder. Nothing to do with the evening’s activities; he’d been foolish enough to agree to playing a round of golf two days running after months when his clubs had been left to grow dust over the winter. Knowing that he’d got this to look forward to, he’d decided not to self-medicate with anything but a long soak until after they left. Even a muscle relaxant or a stiff drink could slow him enough that he might miss something.

He separated himself from the pain, concentrating on Jay, who provided an excellent distraction. The glow on his arse from the paddle was shaded beautifully from rose pink to crimson, and he whimpered before, during, and after each blow.

Liam hadn’t made him count the strokes; Jay often got it wrong simply to buy himself a few more strokes, and so Liam usually made Austin do it for Jay. Austin sometimes got it wrong too, but that was because, like Liam, he found the sight of Jay being paddled a distracting one. The week before, their eyes had met when Jay had indignantly corrected Austin’s
fifteen
to
fourteen
, and Austin had grinned at him, an impulsive, friendly grin that Liam had returned before he could remember he was supposed to be in charge.

“Talk to me,” he said, suddenly curious about what Jay would say if permitted since he was so vocal when it wasn’t.

“Hurts. Oh God. Please don’t stop, Sir. Harder, do it harder.”

Liam slowed the next stroke to a pat that wouldn’t have cracked an eggshell. “That counts,” he said and smiled when Jay made an inarticulate sound of protest. “So does this,” he added and smacked the paddle down with as much force as he could, given the angle.

“Oh!” Jay drew the word out and then hissed through his teeth, his body swaying, rocking as he absorbed the force and the pain. “I think…think I’m gonna come.”

“I’ll be most displeased with you if you do,” Liam retorted and made the last two count. “There.” He couldn’t resist smoothing his palm over all that hot, hurt skin, though he didn’t usually touch them in a way that could be interpreted as a caress. He was taking pride in what he’d done, that was all.

Jay arched into Liam’s touch, though right then Liam’s palm must have felt like sandpaper. Jay choked out a “Thank you, Sir” that sounded heartfelt.

“You’re welcome.” He meant it as much as Jay had. This was doing so much for him. He’d started smiling at work, the tension headaches that’d plagued him dwindling to nothing. He was sleeping better, drinking less. He was happier.

He owed them a lot more than a spanking or two.

“Let’s see about removing the last of the pins. Roll over onto your back.” The carpet would chafe unmercifully, but Jay would enjoy that.

Jay shifted position and lay staring up at him, dark eyes filled with trust and tears. His cock was full and thick, the pin hanging from it, the pinched skin almost purple.

Liam removed the clothespin on Jay’s balls first. It was in a spot that would hurt more during the paddling but less coming off, since it had been biting into only a thin fold of the sensitive skin. The sound Jay made was a whimper more of relief than anything else. When Liam unclipped the pin that had been attached to Jay’s frenulum, though, Jay went utterly still with the agony of it, cock twitching and then throbbing. Jay cried out and came, white fluid painting his stomach even as he grabbed hard onto the base of his shaft too late to stop his release.

“Fuck,” Liam whispered, shocked by his level of arousal at the sight of Jay’s orgasm. Even the smell of semen was a turn-on, and not knowing what else to do, Liam struggled to his feet and fled to the safety and privacy of the downstairs bathroom, slamming the den door behind him.

Chapter Nine

Austin hardly knew what had happened. One minute he’d been recovering from one of the most intense sessions of his life, listening to Jay getting a paddling that he and Liam were clearly enjoying, and the next he and Jay were alone in the den with the echo of a door slamming shut in their ears.

His first thought was for Jay. “Are you okay?”

“I came,” Jay said miserably.

Shit
. Well, that probably explained Liam’s hasty retreat. The question was, how mad was he? Austin went to Jay, who was breathing hard and blinking back tears. “Hey, it’s okay. It’ll be okay.” Jay curled up in Austin’s embrace, welcoming his touch like always; there was little else that made Austin feel more competent than comforting his boyfriend. “It was an honest mistake.”

“I was so turned on. I tried to warn him.”

“I know. These things happen. He’ll understand.” Of course, if Liam understood, why had he left the room without a word? Austin was jealous that Jay had come, but only a little bit. It was safe to assume Liam would be super strict with Jay for weeks after this, not taking him anywhere close to the edge.

“He’s pissed off.”

“He probably just needs some time. He’ll be back.”

“Jesus, Austin. I’m so sorry.”

Austin kissed Jay’s damp temple. “I know. It’s okay, I promise.”

Jay sighed. “He never asks us for anything we can’t do. Did you notice that?”

“You’re not some tantric ninja warrior,” Austin pointed out, pushing aside the emotional turmoil that was left to help Jay. “Your body gets turned on that much, you’ll come. Anyone would. If he’d been that bothered, he should’ve put you in a cock ring.”

Jay snorted. “No room. Too many fucking clothespins hanging me out to dry. Not that I’m complaining.”

“What did they feel like?” Austin traced a swollen nipple. It felt hot, so he sucked on his finger, then did it again. “Like clamps? Worse?”

“There is no worse, only different.”

“Yes, Yoda.” They shared a grin and then a surreptitious kiss, with Austin acutely aware of the door behind him and his neglected hard-on. Listening to Jay being punished had done nothing to make it subside. The taste of Jay’s mouth was maddeningly arousing, and he drew Jay’s hand down to where his cock was waiting. “Touch me? Please? That’s all it will take. Look at me. I’m so fucking close.”

Jay looked tempted but alarmed. He lifted his hand an inch or two away from Austin’s cock. “Hey, two of us in trouble? Not a good idea.”

Austin felt conflicted, not wanting to disappoint Liam after all he’d done for them both, but God, he needed to come as much as he’d needed every deep, hard shove of the dildo, every flat slap from Liam’s hand. Right then nothing mattered but the throb in his balls. He’d been fucked to the edge and left hanging by his fingernails; he wanted to let go and fly.

He ran his hand over Jay’s chest, pressing kisses against Jay’s lips, sweet, biting kisses he knew Jay loved, shameless in his need.

“This is just for us. It’s not…it’s not connected to what we have with him. The session’s over, he’s gone, maybe just so we could do this. I don’t know. If he doesn’t agree with me, he can dream up any punishment he likes and I’ll do it, but I
need
you, Jay. God, do you want me to beg?”

“And he called
me
a slut.” Jay licked Austin’s ear and then bit his earlobe; Austin gasped, not holding back in the hopes it would convince Jay. “Anyway, it’s not over, you know that. It’s not over until we leave.”

“Please, Jay. Please?” Austin murmured the words, and Jay nodded.

“Okay. But we’d better not make a mess.” Jay shifted downward and took Austin’s cock between his lips, sucking at the tip wetly.

Whether they had unspoken permission or not—and Austin was leaning toward not, he just wasn’t in the mood to care right then—he didn’t want to alert Liam to what they were up to. So he pressed his lips firmly together and focused on the feel of Jay’s mouth and on not making a sound.

He was so close it didn’t even take a whole minute. With his ass burning inside and out and Jay’s hand cradling his balls, Austin closed his eyes and came, shooting into Jay’s warm mouth with a fantastic sense of relief. He opened his eyes again before he’d finished trembling, though, feeling like he’d cheated on an important test and glad that Liam hadn’t come back to the room yet.

Sitting up and wincing, Jay wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and whispered, “Do you think he wants us to go?”

“I think he’d tell us to if that was what he wanted,” Austin said. “Maybe he doesn’t feel good. Shit, you don’t think he’s sick?”

“He felt fine when he was—”

The door opened and Liam walked in, composed, but his mouth set in a tight, forbidding line. Austin’s bravado and shaky logic abandoned him, and he instinctively edged closer to Jay.

“Yes, that’s not a guilty look at all.” Liam’s voice was harsh. “Let me guess. I was away, so you two mice decided to play. Is that it?”

“It was my fault,” Jay said immediately. “Austin needed it. We didn’t think you’d mind.” He got to his feet and held out his hand to Austin, who took it and let Jay haul him up.

Maybe they should’ve gone on their knees or something, looked penitent, but his knees were aching. He didn’t want to get scolded like a naughty kid anyway. Not for this. He was done for the night, completely wiped out.

“I mind the fact that you didn’t ask…” Liam’s voice faltered, and he passed his hand over his mouth, rubbing at it. When he spoke again, his voice was strong, confident. “Never mind. Tonight’s been stressful for all of us. It’s not surprising that you’re not as in control of yourselves as you should be.”

Austin had the weirdest feeling Liam was trying to convince himself, not them. “We’re sorry. Really. Don’t blame Jay, though. I talked him into it.”

“Into what, exactly?”

Liam’s crisp, cool words demanded an answer. Austin swallowed. “Uh, I came in his mouth. It didn’t take long. I was so close I probably would’ve come anyway. I just couldn’t hold it back. Not after what you did to me.”

The hell with his knees. They’d screwed up, and he knew it. It wasn’t gratitude for Liam bailing his sister out that prompted what he did next, but respect for his dom. He took the few steps needed to put himself in front of Liam and went down to the floor as smoothly as possible, bowing his head and whispering, “I’m sorry, Sir. I’ll take whatever penalty you think I’ve earned for not asking permission.” The formality of the words felt right even if he’d never talk like that outside this room.

When there was no reply, he took a chance and glanced up. Liam was staring at him, a blind, blank expression closing down his face.

Austin’s penitence shifted into concern. “Sir?”

“Everything’s fine,” Liam said, which was a lie if Austin had ever heard one. “It’s all right. I’m not angry. I shouldn’t have left the room without clarifying things for you, and I don’t blame you for being confused.”