Skye's neck and pullhimdown for a slow, wet kiss that made Skye's toes curl. By the time it was over, Skye could barelybreathe. "Now your pants."
Skye was panting now, heart racing. He never would have guessed something as simple as undressing could be so intimate. It was like Liamwas touching him the whole time, his gaze sultry and desirous. Lingering, long, knowing touches, caressing his skin like Liam owned him. God, it was enoughto make himdizzy.
Obediently, Skye reached downand unbuttoned his jeans, pushingthempartwaydownand thenlettingthem fall the rest of the way. He toed his shoes off and stepped out of them and the jeans, nudging them aside to join his T-shirt. He rubbed his hands on his thighs and then, unable to stop himself, bent over and tugged his socks offas well. He hated socks without shoes.
Skye did his best to ignore the pile ofclothes on the floor because he was pretty sure picking up after himself wasn't part of this lesson. He shifted on his feet, then caught his breath as Liamreached out and grasped his hips, pullinghimcloser, betweenthe other man's legs where he sat onthe edge ofthe bed.
Skye shivered, fingers clenching into fists, resisting the urge to cover himself. "I want to hide."
Liam shook his head. "That's not a feeling. Tell me what you're
feeling.
"
Skye sighed, trying to untangle his thoughts and trace themback to base feelings. "Embarrassed."
"Why?"
"Because I'm nearly naked and you're not and you're just lookingat me."
Liamsmiled. "I am. And I'menjoying it very much."
Oddly, that made a difference and helped somehow. His anxietylessened immediately. "Youare?"
"Verymuch."
"What do youenjoyabout it?"He didn't understand why he reacted the way he did to the submitting thing. Maybe it'd help ifhe understood Liam's point ofview.
"I enjoy looking at you, first of all, because I think you're very attractive." Liam laughed when Skye gave him a disbelieving look. "Don't sell yourself short, professor. You're making me rethink what I consider 'mytype,' actually."
"What, it's switching to nerdy, skinny and pale with glasses?"
Liamlaughed, his eyes sparkling when he did. God, talk about attractive. Liamjust seemed to get more and more beautifuleverytime Skye saw him.
"Maybe. But that's beside the point. Yes, you're skinny, but you have such gorgeous lean muscle tone. I bet yourun, don't you? And swim?"
Skye blinked, startled. "I do. How could youtell?"
Liam swept a hand down Skye's thigh, then back up along his side. "No bulk, but toned. I find it incrediblysexy."
The idea that someone who looked like Liamcould find anything about Skye "incredibly sexy" was a little mind-boggling. Skye knew he wasn't going to break any mirrors or make babies cry, but he certainly did not get any attention from men like Liam. Well...until he'd decided to payone, that is.
He pushed the thought out of his mind. If he spent the next month thinking that way, how would he ever learn what Liam seemed determined to teach him, which was to trust him enough to submit?
Submission.
Just the word made himtingle.
"Tell me what else you're feeling, besides embarrassed."
Skye glanced up, meetingLiam's eyes. "Anxious."
"Inwhat way?"
"I'mafraid I'lldo it wrong."
Liam's lips curved. "And what is 'it'?"
Skye shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever it is you want fromme. I don't like...failing."
Liam reached out to slide his arms around Skye's waist and this time he drew Skye down to straddle his thighs, their bodies pressed against each other. It drove home the fact that Liam was still clothed and Skye wasn't, and it was arousing in a way Skye hadn't expected.
"All I want from you is to try, Skye. I'm not asking youto be perfect. I'mnot askingyouto do anythingyou can't do. I'mjust asking you to try. You won't failifyou do that."
It sounded easy. But it reallywasn't.
Thankfully, Liam kissed him then and Skye was able to forget about nerves and anxiety and safewords and submission he didn't understand, focusing instead on the man who held him, the man who consumed him with just a kiss. If Liamcould really make himfeelwhat all those subs on the websites felt...Skye wanted it. Oh, did he ever.
He had to keep reminding himself this--this thing between them--was business. Just like he'd told Liam the first night. Skye was
sure
he wouldn't have any trouble withthat himself. Business. That's all.
* * * *
Liam could spend hours kissing him. Skye was a quick learner and it seemed as though every time Liam claimed his lips, Skye had learned another trick Liam liked by default because, hey, Skye had learned it from him. Which led to mind-blowing kisses Liam had trouble stopping. It was whenSkye had his hands under Liam's shirt, impatiently tugging it higher with mewling little sounds of need, Liam was reminded he was supposed to be giving Skye a lesson in submission, not a lesson in how to strip Liam naked in five minutes or
a groan, and was forced to grab Skye's shoulders to keep the other manfromjust leaningforward and taking the kiss back. "Stop. Skye, stop." His Dom voice left something to be desired when he was fending offdamp, flushed pink lips he had no realdesire to fend off.
Skye scowled at him, pressing closer. "Why? I don't want to stop." He reached for Liam as he spoke, and Liam let go of his shoulders to catch his wrists instead. Skye tried to tug free, then huffed, eyes narrowed. "I always wondered what a 'tease' was. Now I know."
His voice was petulant and Liam had to grin. "It's not teasing when I do intend on following through. Just not right this minute."He lifted his brows. "Can I let go? Or are you going to try to have your way still?" The idea ofSkye havinghis waywithhimwas tempting.
Liam let go of his hands and urged Skye out of his lap to stand in front of him again. His cock was hard and flushed at the tip, glistening with pre-come. Liam was beyond tempted, but another blowjob lesson wasn't inthe plan.
He nodded to the bed he sat on. "Come here. Kneelonthe bed."
Skye's expression flickered, and Liam wondered
Skye lifted one shoulder. "Kneeling...it's so, well, subservient."
"And youdon't like that?"
Skye shrugged. "I've just...never been."
Liam smiled. "Well, there's a first time for anything. And maybe you'll like it. Come on. Kneel for me, Skye."
He had to admit he was very much looking forward to Skye on his knees. Another time he would put the man on his knees for other, slightly more nefarious purposes. Today was going to be challenge enough for his tight-laced professor.
After what felt like forever, Skye took a deep breath and climbed onto the bed, turning to kneelfacing Liam. "Like this?"
"Sir. This is the third time I've had to remind you. Why?" Skye was far too intelligent to keep forgetting without reason.
"I forgot." But even his tone suggested Skye also knew it wasn't the whole story. Liam lifted a brow and held his gaze, and finally Skye let out another heavy breath. "It sounds silly. Like you're a principal or something."
Liam's eyes narrowed. Skye didn't take him seriously. "Silly? You think I'm silly, Skye? This is a joke to you?"
Skye swallowed hard, eyes widening. "I...no, I just... I'msorry, Sir."
Liam pointed a finger at him. "You didn't hesitate there. Why, I wonder? Am I being too easy on you? Brattysub that youare, do youneed a harder hand?"
Skye's jaw dropped. "Did you just... Bratty? I'm not a child!"
Liam reached out, fingers sinking into Skye's hair and fisting in the thick mess. He knelt in front of Skye on the bed, looking down at him. And what he saw told him everything he needed to know. Skye's eyes were wide, dilated and burningwitharousal. His cheeks were flushed; his breath quick and shallow. If Liam bent to press an ear to his chest, he was sure Skye's heart would be racing. And, most telling of all, Skye's hardonnever faltered.
"No, but you're certainly acting like one. I haven't asked you for anything difficult, Skye. And yet you're fightingme everystep."He leaned inand nuzzled Skye's mouth, tasting the desire, the sharp gasp of his breath. "When you fight me, it makes me think you don't want to do this. But you're here, you paid me, so you must. Tellme, Skye. Do youwant to stop?"
Skye trembled, breath fanning against Liam's mouth. He shook his head as best he could with Liam's fingers fisted in his hair. "No," he whispered. "I don't. I want..."
Liam's brows lifted, curiosity piqued. "Want what? What do youwant?"
Skye whimpered, eyes closing. "You said...you said youdon't like to take. That youwanted me to give."
Liamnodded. "Yes."He wasn't sure where this was
Liamcouldn't hold back the moan, heart racing. His answer was a scorching kiss, hauling Skye closer, free armsliding around his lean waist to jerk the other man's body up against his own. Some part of his brain, the part not fried by the kiss, tried to remind him he shouldn't feel all these things toward Skye. That Skye shouldn't engender all these feelings
in
him. He didn't want to listen. What he wanted was to be able to relish the surrender of a beautiful man who made him ache with want. Ache in a way Liam hadn't in a very long
When the kiss broke, Liam slid his hand out of Skye's hair, cupping his chin. "You don't know what you're givingme permissionfor, Skye."
Skye shivered, face tipped up toward him, panting. "No, I don't. I expect you're about to show me, though." His gaze flicked down to Liam's mouth, then back up to meet his eyes. "Do you often hesitate when given carte blanche?" There was a subtle, delicious challenge in his voice and his eyes. Not something Liam would have expected from him. From any near-virgin, for that matter. Skye McCord was something different and it intrigued Liam. What else about him was more thanit appeared?
It took him all of half a minute to decide what he wanted from Skye today. He wanted his virginity. No tiptoeing around it, no easing into it. He got the feeling Skye would agree.
Skye shuddered and obeyed, putting his hands in Liam's. Liam pulled them up to the headboard, curling Skye's fingers there.
"Just like last time, Skye. Don't let go." He bit Skye's lower lip, brows lifting. "Can I trust you not to move them? Or do you want to lose your virginity bound?"
Almost as soonas the words were out ofhis mouth, Liamknew the answer. Skye's reaction, the faint hiccup in his breath and the way his whole body shuddered told Liamhis answer as well. Bound, it was.
Liam glanced around the room, searching for something to use, since he hadn't brought any of his own supplies with him. His gaze finally lit on the drapes and he grinned. "Don't move."
He slid off Skye and out of bed, striding across the roomto unknot one of the curtain tie-backs and turned witha grin. "This willdo."He approached the bed, gaze rakingover Skye, silkybraided rope runningthroughhis fingers. "You're verybeautifullike that, Skye."
Skye's brows knit, as if he didn't quite believe him. "Thank you."
It was true. Skye wasn't a conventional beauty by any stretch of the imagination. But his face was clever and interesting and all the oddest bits came together in such a way that he
was
beautiful. Just not the way Hollywood and media said one should be. Liam didn't care about Hollywood or the media, though. He thought the geeky scientist squirming on the bed was hotter than anythingthe entertainment industryhad to offer.
"Youdon't believe me."
Skye lifted one shoulder. "I don't know. Not really."
Liam set the rope on the bed and took the opportunity to strip out of his own clothes. He was gratified by how closely Skye watched as each piece dropped to the floor untilLiamwas naked.
Skye let out a soft sigh. "
You're
beautiful."
"Thank you." He climbed up onto the bed and held out one hand. Skye slowly let go of the headboard and placed his hand into Liam's. Liam smiled and bent his head, lips brushing the tender inside wrist before he looped and knotted the rope around it. He leaned forward, then, reaching up to thread the rope through the slats of the headboard and binding Skye's other wrist in the same way. Content they were secure, but not hurtinghim, Liamsat up, straddlingSkye's thighs.
For a moment, he just looked. There was much to enjoy. The way Skye's skin almost glowed, pale and faintly golden, was beautiful and made Liam crave to see it in the moonlight, Skye wakened fromsleep, hazy and sensual. His cock thumped against Skye's lower stomachand caught the other man's attention.
Skye licked his lips, and Liamgrinned.
"Youwant that, don't you, darlin'?"
Skye didn't answer at first, and Liamleaned down, one hand sinking into his hair, tangling in the dark, messy strands. "Answer me when I ask you a question,
Skye glared at him, but at the same time arched closer, hissing in pleasure when Liam rolled his hips so their cocks rubbed together. "Yes," he gritted out throughclenched teeth. "Don't callme 'boy.'"
Liam laughed, almost mocking him. "I'll call you whatever I please,
boy.
I'llcallyou mine ifyou're a very
good
boy."
Liamshook his head, refusing to make promises he couldn't keep. Skye didn't want
him;
he wanted to be ready when he found the perfect man. Liam was determined to help him, so the next man, the next Dom, cherished Skye the way he deserved. "Shhh. Close your eyes."
Skye spent too much time anticipating. Worrying. Following signs and hints to determine what came next, probably before Liam had even made his decision. He needed to learn how to mute that somewhat or he'd never be able to let go the way a submissive should. Headspace was all about freedom, and Skye was far too chained to the ground.