A Strong Hand

free."
    "I was free," Nick said slowly. "I was tied down and completely at your mercy, and yet I was free."
    "That's why we both do it," Damian whispered and kissed him.
    Nick clung to the older man, sensing the desperation in his kiss. He tried to reassure Damian with the fervency of his response, ending up straddled on Damian's lap when the heated kiss ended.
    "I'll never hurt you, baby," Damian said, caressing the sculpted cheekbone.
    "I know," Nick whispered.

    * * * *
    Damian had led the trembling young man into the restroom and applied a cooling gel to his backside, before helping him dress.
    The adrenaline rush abandoned Nick, leaving him drowsy.
    Damian was afraid of his own impulses; it would be far safer for him to simply put the boy on the train and send him home, but somehow he needed to feel that warm body wrapped safely in his arms tonight.
    And on a practical note, Damian wanted to make sure there were no aftershocks, physical or emotional. So he took Nick to his home once again and into his bed.
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    He made Nick drink a glass of orange juice and soothed the welts with gel once more, before leading him to the bedroom. Nick accepted all of his orders, cuddling close as soon as Damian was under the sheets with him, falling asleep easily, feeling safe and secure in the older man's embrace.
    Damian smiled at the irony; Nick had complete faith in him.
    So why couldn't he trust himself?
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Chapter Twelve
    Nick opened his eyes to see Damian, his head propped on his hand, leaning on his elbow, watching him with a smile. He smiled back and stretched, wincing when his sore ass flexed against the mattress.
    "Ow."
    "One to ten, how much does it hurt?"
    "Maybe a two," Nick hazarded.
    Damian smiled smugly. "Damn, I'm good. Probably won't even bruise."
    "You're fucking kidding me," Nick exclaimed. "I probably won't be able to sit down for a week!"
    Damian laughed. "Go check yourself out."
    Maneuvering carefully and groaning loudly with every twinge, Nick made it out of bed and went into the bathroom, turning to look over his shoulder, trying to see his arse.
    Damian came in after him, saying, "Very dramatic, but I happen to know that it doesn't hurt that much. Here, look."
    He opened the door to the linen cupboard, revealing a full-length mirror on the inside. Nick studied the pink lines on his arse, looking absurdly proud of himself.
    Damian stepped in front of him, their bodies just touching, and drew a finger lightly over each welt. "Swelling's going down; you'll be fine tomorrow. Not a mark. If you had paler skin, you might have bruised, but I wouldn't have whipped you the same way."
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    Nick took a tiny step forward, sliding their chests together seductively. Damian circled his arms around his boy, and Nick slid his hands over the older man's muscled shoulders. Their lips met in a languorous kiss and Nick could feel his cock start to harden. The hands that had hurt him last night were sliding over his back, pulling him closer, the restraint holding him in place made of flesh and bone this morning rather than leather, the touch even more welcome.
    "Did you like it?" Nick murmured between kisses.
    "Very much," Damian responded softly. "Did you?"
    "Yeah. Just remembering it makes me hot."
    "I had noticed that," Damian said, insinuating one leg between Nick's and rubbing their erections together.
    "Were you going to do something about it?" Nick asked provocatively.
    "Why is it always my job?" Damian complained facetiously.
    "You're the Top," Nick pointed out. "Besides, you like doing things to me."
    "I do," Damian confessed. "But I had other plans for today.
    I was going to go ride my horse."
    "I don't think I could do much horseback riding today,"
    Nick said ruefully, wiggling his arse, knowing that Damian was watching in the mirror.
    "Maybe you could ride something else?"
    "What did you have in mind?" Nick whispered.
    Damian slid his hands over Nick's buttocks, patting them gently. "I could give you a hint."
    "Surprise me," Nick said and kissed the older man.
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    Damian broke the kiss and took the boy by the hand, leading him back to the bed. They fell onto the mattress with Damian on top.
    "Ouch!"
    "Sorry." Damian didn't release Nick, but he flipped them over so that the boy was on top.
    In the ascendant position for the first time with Damian, Nick attacked