Page 65 of Sin Deep
He nodded. It was pretty.
“How did it go here?” Kelvin stopped by and had a look at his knot. “May I?” That was to Harley, as Kelvin reached for his wrist.
He looked at Harley. “Do you mind if Master Kelvin has a look, petit?”
“No, sir. Didn’t he do a fine job?” Harley held his hand up.
Kelvin looked the knot over. “This isn’t your first knot, Winter. This is very pretty. Not too tight. Perfect.”
“No, it’s not. But it’s his. And thank you.”
“Lucky boy. Firsts are so much fun.” Kelvin let go of Harley’s hand and moved on to the next couple.
“So… Do you like this? I mean, you know how…”
“I like how it looks. I like the act of tying the knots. I know how because I’ve been to many of these classes over the years.” He winked at Harley. “I don’t feel a need to restrain my lovers. Not with ropes, anyway. Just with…words.”
“Mmm…” Oh, that was a happy, interested little sound, wasn’t it?
“We are a good pair, Harley, aren’t we?” Kelvin started showing them how to do the double column, and he removed the knot on Harley’s wrist as he watched.
“More than good, hmm? You and me. We’re solid.”
“I think so. I hope so. I do love you, petit. I struggle with that a bit, though, which has nothing really to do with you.” He started threading the rope around Harley’s wrists, lashing them together, and he felt like it was strangely metaphorical, given their conversation. He’d like to bind his boy to him, but he knew better. He didn’t care for the hazards of Harley’s job, but he knew he had to leave that decision to the boy. He wanted Harley to live with him, but Harley wanted to ride out his agreement with Oliver and he had to respect that too. The demands he’d made of lovers in the past hadn’t worked out well for him at all. Little birds had wings. Clipping them was a mistake.
“I know you do. I’ll just have to be steady. You’ll learn.”
Harley had a way of warming him in the sweetest way. He gave his boy a fond smile. “I’m an old dog, but I don’t give up easily.”
“I’m just stubborn as a mule.” Harley winked at him. “Maybe even two mules.”
Winter chuckled and finished his knot. “Can you out-stubborn that?”
“Not in my experience, sir. Not a bit.” Harley didn’t tense against the bondage, in fact he seemed easy, relaxed.
Harley’s respectful ‘sir’ made his mouth go dry and he swallowed hard. Sometimes when Harley used the term he was just being polite, and sometimes it seemed to mean more. He wasn’t never sure, and he didn’t care. Respect was intended and that was enough for him. He ran his fingers over the knot, admiring the pale rope against his boy’s tanned skin. “Pretty. How do you like that?”
“It’s… I thought it would be weird, maybe scary, but it’s not. It’s… I don’t know how to describe it, I don’t think.”
“It’s trust. It’s a physical symbol of trust. More than symbolic I suppose.” Harley had put himself in Winter’s hands. He didn’t take that responsibility lightly.
“It is. I do.” Harley leaned in to whisper. “With more than my hands, lover.”
Winter kissed him, curling his fingers around the rope that bound his boy’s wrists and tugging him closer. Harley went, groaning deep in his chest, opening for him.
He let it happen; he’d never cared who saw him, just as he’d always liked to watch. Eventually, though, Kelvin’s voice cut in.
“May I interrupt?”
Winter broke the kiss off gently. “Of course. Show Master Kelvin your wrists.”
He didn’t miss the wince as Harley shifted back to his pillow.
Harley lifted his wrists, the white shocking against Harley’s skin.
Not quite as shocking as the blood stain growing on his boy’s Wranglers, though.
“Winter.” Kelvin nodded his head at the stain.
