A Strong Hand

he was saying about his need to create the image in his head and was agreeing with him! What did he study at university again? Whatever. Damian couldn't remember ever asking him.
    "I need a model to pull this off. Can I use you?"
    "What do I need to do?" Nick asked, his voice interested and bright for the first time in Damian's memory.
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    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    "I need to work out the pose, and it'll be cheaper to use you than a model. Just with some of these things of Ashley's,"
    Damian said, waving a careless hand at a table holding various whips and strappy-looking things.
    "All—all right," Nick said faintly, looking at the table full of implements with nervous fascination.
    "Right. Get up and out of your kit, then," Damian ordered.
    "I need your bare skin."
    He grinned impishly, expecting to have to convince the young man when he refused, but was surprised as without hesitation, Nicholas started stripping right there in the set, tossing his T-shirt off to the side. He stood up to toe his sneakers off and unzipped his pants, only to realize that Damian was staring at him. His hands hesitated. "Am I doing it wrong?"
    Damian laughed. "There's no wrong way to get undressed.
    Especially if.... "He trailed off, thinking it might not be wise to bandy racy comments with his assistant. On the other hand, the way things were going, Nicholas wouldn't be around that long anyway. "Especially with a tight little ass like yours," he resumed, figuring it didn't make much difference if Nicholas ran screaming into the night. No model, no shot, at least for today. "Green socks?"
    "Oh. I thought maybe I shouldn't be throwing my clothes on the floor," Nick muttered, ignoring the comment on his brightly colored socks.
    "Throw them wherever you like, other than in the set,"
    Damian said generously, excited by the prospect of a compliant model to play with for a couple of hours. This way 18

    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    he could get his idea worked out before the expensive model arrived.
    Nick continued to strip, feeling a bit flustered, but Damian was no longer looking at him, so he made short work of it. He stood there naked, waiting for the next instruction.
    Damian came over and took him by the arm, leading him to a lump under the canvas. "Kneel on that; I put some packing foam under there. It'll be easier on your knees."
    "Away from the camera?" Nick asked.
    Damian rolled his eyes. "Yes, away from the camera. Right there." He pointed insultingly.
    Nick dropped to his knees, grateful for the soft cushioning under the backdrop. His knees were bony, and the concrete floor had hurt when he knelt there earlier.
    Damian came back to him making a clanking noise, and Nick darted an anxious glance at the photographer. He was carrying black leather restraints of some kind, linked together by a length of silver chain.
    "Give me your hands," Damian ordered.
    Silently, Nick held out his wrists.
    The leather cuffs were long, almost like a gauntlet, running nearly to Nick's elbows. Damian fastened the various buckles on the right arm, passing the chain over the bar in front of Nick. It was quite high, almost to Damian's shoulders, and Nick had to raise his arms for Damian to attach the second restraint.
    After Damian had him securely bound to the bar, he stroked the smooth, honey-toned skin of Nicholas's bare shoulder. "Okay?"
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    A Strong Hand
    by Catt Ford
    "Yeah."
    Damian thought Nicholas's voice had sounded a bit breathless, but he was so excited to see his artistic vision come to life that he paid it no heed, bounding back behind the camera to check angles and lighting.
    He suppressed a gasp, swallowing it when he saw the lithe form, lean muscles taut in the slender shoulders, buttocks round and tempting, and the glossy dark curls shining under the sole light source. He really was blind, Damian marveled.
    It was a mercy that the insipid blond model actually hired for the shoot hadn't turned up. Nicholas was perfect for this.
    Damian enjoyed the sight of the muscles in Nicholas's thighs twitching slightly as he fought to remain still.
    Damian checked his focus and snapped off a couple of quick shots. "You doing okay?" he called out.
    "Yeah, fine," Nick said, turning to look back over his shoulder just as Damian snapped the shot.
    "Now don't do that again if you don't want a recognizable shot of you naked in handcuffs. Stay ... fucking ... still,"
    Damian snarled.
    Nick turned away quickly. His heart was beating so hard and loud;