A Strong Hand

here.
    He wondered if he would ever see Damian's home, and concluded that probably the older man didn't want him prying into his private life. For some reason that thought upset him and he kept his eyes down, so that Damian couldn't see the sudden tears he was trying to hide.
    "Hands behind your back. Choose two."
    Nick surveyed the desk, where Damian had laid out a selection of implements. He shuddered; so far Damian had used only his hand. Now he was asking Nick to select from a crop, a whip, a strap, something with two tails, a paddle, and what he now knew was called a flogger. He shivered, wondering how each one would feel connecting with his arse.
    "I don't have all day. Choose or I'll choose for you,"
    Damian said sharply.
    Hesitantly, Nick asked, "May I point, sir?"
    Realizing the boy didn't know the names of everything, Damian said, "You may."
    The younger man pointed to the tawse and the crop.
    "Good choices," Damian said maliciously. "You'll be feeling this for several days. You'll be eating your breakfast standing up."
    Nick wondered what had happened to the man who had held him in the restroom, apologizing for scaring him.
    "Pants down. Bend over," Damian ordered. "You're going to feel this tomorrow and the marks may last a couple of days."
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    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    Hesitantly, Nick undid his pants, pushing them down to his knees, and bent over, feeling that his arse made far too conspicuous a target. He was nervous and his mouth was dry.
    "Grab your ankles."
    Nick bent further and grabbed his ankles, feeling a twinge of discomfort in his hip. He tensed up, uncomfortably conscious that in this position, his cheeks were stretched to the point that his hole must be clearly visible to Damian.
    He felt Damian place the crop on his backside, just touching it, as if trying to get the range. Suddenly his hip was seized with pain, and he let out a groan.
    "Nick? Nicky!"
    The young man dropped to his hands and knees, panting, with his head dropped to the carpet, trying not to scream with the pain.
    Damian dropped the crop and knelt beside Nick in alarm, running a soothing hand over the trembling back. "What is it, babe? I didn't even touch you!"
    "My hip," Nick groaned. "Muscle spasm."
    "Oh fuck," Damian muttered. "Can you move?"
    "No." Nick gasped in pain.
    "Okay, sweetheart. You just hang on. I'll do all the moving; you just let me take control."
    Damian couldn't tell whether Nick could even hear him; he was panting and sweat was pouring off him as he shivered, frozen in place on his hands and knees.
    Damian ran for a blanket from the studio, spreading it over the leather of the couch. Then he gently lifted Nick's body, straightening his back. He got the young man to his feet and 152

    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    lifted him in his arms, carrying him to the couch, laying him down on the unscarred side.
    He hurried to the kitchen, nuking a microwavable heating pad and snatched up a towel while he waited for it to be ready.
    He ran back to the office, wincing as he saw Nick's shoulders shuddering as if he was crying. "Where does it hurt?"
    "Scar," Nick moaned. It was becoming harder to keep the tears in and he didn't ever want to cry in front of Damian. He wanted Damian to think he was brave, even though he knew he wasn't.
    Damian put the towel over Nick's hip and laid the heating pad on it carefully. Nick let his breath out on a low moan.
    Damian rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.
    "Take it easy, babe. Try to relax."
    "I'm sorry—" Nick began, almost sobbing.
    "Shhh, calm down, take deep breaths. Your hip will feel better if you can relax."
    "Is that an order, sir?" Nick whimpered.
    Damian was startled, and then he laughed, unable to believe that Nick could still crack a joke when he was in such pain.
    "Yeah, it's an order." He went to his private bathroom and got some lotion, warming it on his hands. He pushed up the ugly shirt and started to massage Nick's lower back edging toward his hip, finding the knots of tension and working them out. He continued to stroke down the curve of the younger man's hip, moving the heating pad and towel. The skin along 153

    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    the scar was hot from the pad and Damian dug his fingers in gently, listening to the gasps and moans as he loosened the tight muscles.
    Nick sagged in relief and his fists unclenched as Damian's hands worked their magic, releasing him from the prison of his rigid muscles.
    Damian backed off on the pressure, merely