d.a.m.n. It was confirmed Cutter dreamed about the sweet thing sitting across from them. Oddly enough, the revelation turned Storm on more then it incited jealousy. He actually wanted to ask Cutter to describe the dreams to him slowly so he could enjoy the images fully.

Maybe his stare was accusatory, for Cutter snapped, "What? I can't have dreams now? It's not like you've ever wanted me..."

Nothing could be further from the truth, but again Storm couldn't refute the evidence. So he simply reminded the group as he refilled gla.s.ses, "Ulrich's turn."

"I never want any of us to part." Uli collapsed into Alex's side. He cuddled in and cooed.

"How much has he had?"

Cutter's hard elbow connected to his side. "That hurt."

"Good." Cutter actually stuck his tongue out. He'd watched this particular move since he was fourteen, and every time Cut pushed his tongue between his lips Storm wanted to suck on it. He wanted to just take it in his mouth and suckle it like he would his c.o.c.k. f.u.c.k! He needed a grip...on his d.i.c.k.

"Alex's turn," Cutter chirped brightly before he turned and made a face at Storm. What the h.e.l.l?

Alex sat straighter, as if he understood Cutter's boundary pushing. "I've never spanked a brat."

Cutter's whole body squirmed until he breathed out, "Really?"

Even the tipsy Ulrich sat up to study Cutter.

Folding his arms, Alex didn't appear skinny or delicate. His whole demeanor changed, and f.u.c.k if he hadn't became a force to be reckoned with. "Really," his deep voice purred.

What the f.u.c.k was that? What was happening? Uli turned his head from Alex to Cutter and back again as if he observed a game of air hockey. And the birthday boy didn't appear to be happy until he entwined his fingers with Alex's as if he needed to show ownership.

As if he could get them on track, Uli reminded them of the game. "No one drank. Your turn, Cutter."

Cutter shifted his eyes to Storm for half a second before they drifted to the ground. "I've never been kissed."

Uli's and Alex's mouths both dropped open. "But you've had s.e.x?" Uli asked curiously but without judgment. He seemed genuinely confused as to how one accomplished intercourse without swapping spit.

Shaking his head, Cutter appeared so sad. "Just f.u.c.ked."

Ow. Way to jam a knife in.

Uli moved around the table to pull Cutter into his arms and hugged him tight. "Awww, poor baby." The German kid stroked Cutter like a pet bunny. "Maybe we should play the game with the bottle instead."

Cutter sniffed. "What you mean 'Spin the Bottle'?"

Uli cuddled Cutter and glared at Storm, making him feel this was his entire fault. Maybe the entire f.u.c.ked-up situation was, but he didn't need it pointed out to him. He lived with the f.u.c.ked-up-ness that was his life.

Instead of the surge of jealousy Storm had gotten accustomed to when Uli got close to Cut, his c.o.c.k lengthened at the sight of the two cuddling. He wanted Cutter kissed, and Uli's s.e.xy mouth could subst.i.tute for his.

"We're playing this game." Alex's voice cut through the l.u.s.t flowing around the room. "Uli, drink."

Cutter reluctantly unwrapped his arms and sat up, but stayed a little closer to Uli.

Uli tipped his gla.s.s toward Alex's to clink them before they drank.

Storm did not. He licked his lips and tried not to want to be kissed. It was ridiculous at his age to never have been kissed. But there it was: he'd dipped his d.i.c.k but not his tongue.

The birthday boy's buzz must have resurfaced, because he waved a sloppy hand in Storm's general direction. "You neither?"

"Course not." All attention fell on him. If Cutter hadn't kissed, why would he? He pulled a reason out of his a.s.s. "Guys don't kiss."

Uli snorted. The statement did sound unbelievably lame. He kicked himself for not coming up with a better lie. Cutter leaned farther away from him, and Alex moved forward as if he wanted to get closer to study what a jacka.s.s Storm was.

This game was more than a bad idea. "Disaster" was a closer description. When no one said anything, Storm adjusted his crown as King of a.s.shole-dom. "What?" He'd ride this comment out into the land of a.s.sholes and stay where he belonged.

Alex reached out a hand and touched Storm's as it rested on the table. "You don't believe that."

f.u.c.k no, he didn't believe that s.h.i.t. But he couldn't go there, not if he wanted to take care of Cutter. His father would figure out if he'd done anything physical with a guy, and he'd be cut off in a heartbeat. He needed his family's help to get through college as soon as possible so he could get a decent job. Then he could tell them to take their h.o.m.ophobia and shove their backwards ideas of family values up their a.s.ses. But until he could take care of himself and Cut, they couldn't be together. If he laid his lips on the man just once, he knew he'd never stop, and he wouldn't be able to hide his feelings.

He wasn't an idiot; he just sounded and acted like one. "No, I do. Kissing is for girls."

Alex squeezed his hand and sat back, frowning. Strange, he missed Alex's touch. He hadn't known he would miss the tenderness until the moment Alex had taken it away.

Uli snorted. "You need to be kissed." His voice dropped. "Kiss him, Cutter."

"What? No!" Cutter moved away as if Storm had cootie bugs. Storm tried not to let the hurt in.

"Come on. You haven't been kissed. He hasn't been kissed." Uli pushed Cutter.

"He doesn't want me to kiss him." Bitterness dripped from Cutter's words.

G.o.d, nothing could be further from the truth. Storm wanted Cutter's kiss more than he'd wanted to f.u.c.k him that night. He had s.e.x because he desperately needed the connection with Cutter. He was a selfish f.u.c.k who needed to make Cutter his even if he couldn't have him. Storm glanced up to find Alex studying him and didn't miss the flash of understanding across Alex's face.

"Cutter, I want you to kiss Storm." Alex's voice brokered no s.p.a.ce for refusal.

What the f.u.c.k was that? Was this a command from the almighty supermodel? Who did he think he was? Cutter wasn't going to do what he said.

"Yes, Alex." Cutter exhaled and appeared propelled into action by Alex's voice. Storm watched his best friend crawl the short distance across the floor, and d.a.m.n if Cut didn't look s.e.xy on all fours. Storm'd seen the heated expression on Cutter's face before-he'd worn the same expression right before they'd torn each other's clothes off and given each other something to regret.

Without pause, Storm leaned back away from the table to encourage Cutter to take up the s.p.a.ce. Slowly, Cutter's socked foot slid over Storm's erection, which fought a losing battle with his jeans. Not even the tight pinch dampened his need. After what seemed like an endless tease of shifting and grinding, Cutter settled into a straddle on Storm's lap. Storm found a comfortable place for his hands on his Cutter's hips. Cut's low-rise jeans happened to be belted below his waist, which allowed Storm's fingers to touch the velvety skin of his torso. Cutter was warm and soft.

He inhaled the familiar scent of Obsession, spearmint gum, and Cutter. His c.o.c.k hardened further as if more than a simple kiss might be offered. But this meeting of lips was far from simple.

This was their first kiss. He should stop this before he got a taste of something he couldn't have yet. He should push Cutter...

Gentle lips pressed against his mouth, stealing any thoughts of denying himself. Cutter's lips slowly glided over his, and a flick of tongue invited Storm to open up. Cutter skated his hands up Storm's arms to his shoulders, tugging him closer. He helplessly parted his lips and allowed Cutter entrance. Cautiously, as if he waited to be shoved away, Cutter teasingly licked and played in Storm's mouth, making him happy, light-headed, and turned on.

The kiss lasted forever but ended way too soon. His first s.e.x was a tragic memory of fumbling confusion that he wished he could forget, but his first kiss was the kind that made men fall in love. This kiss should be framed in gold leaf and hung up for all to enjoy. If he hadn't already been head over heels in love with Cutter, this kiss would have done him in.

He opened his eyes and saw the complications in his life sitting across from him. Staring at them made breathing almost as hard as he was. As much as he hated for Cutter to leave his embrace, he tapped him on the thigh. "Hey, come on. We're putting on a show."

Dreamy eyes flashed up at him before they saddened. "Oh yeah. Sorry." Cutter scrambled out of Storm's arms like he'd caught on fire.

Uli frowned as he stared at Cutter's downcast eyes. "It's your turn, Storm." The birthday boy threw p.i.s.siness in his general direction, and Storm didn't even know why.

"Okay, um. I never..." This was more of a minefield than a game. "I never had jet lag."

Alex smiled in approval. Uli pouted a bit before drinking. "You should have seen him. He crashed for days."

Cutter filled everyone's gla.s.s again.

"Did not." Uli seemed to fight a smile as he b.u.mped into Alex with his shoulder. "My turn." He surveyed the loose circle as if he tried to ferret out secrets no one wanted to spill. "I never was spanked."

He and Alex gulped their drinks down as if the alcohol could wash away painful memories.

Uli's mouth dropped open and shook his head. "No, I meant the fun kind. My father beat me whenever Kai wasn't around." He took a quick sip before begging, "Please don't tell Kai."

"We won't," Storm a.s.sured him. He felt the need to lighten the mood. "So the fun kind, huh?"

Cutter wiggled as if he couldn't get comfortable.

"So, you've never had a spanking?" Cutter's frown turned into a cute pout. Where was his best friend and who was this man tossing around his pheromones like confetti? "Me either."

"Do you want one?" Uli asked.

Cut opened his mouth but nothing came out, though from Storm's angle, the expression of pure need and a big-top circus trying to set up their tent in Cutter's pants was louder than any verbal confirmation.

Uli might not have been that drunk. "I bet Alex could give you a good one."

"What?" Alex choked on the word.

"It is my birthday."

"Right, then shouldn't you be spanked?" Storm searched for a way to shut this mess down.

"Tradition at Club Zombie is the birthday boy gets to spank and other men receive."

Alex might have been trying to sound reasonable, but the heightened color in his cheeks gave him away. "Then why are you suggesting I-I do it?" he asked, as if no one else could see he'd be into that s.h.i.t.

"Cause you're supposed to..." Uli stared off into s.p.a.ce. "It's you. You're supposed... None of what I'm seeing makes sense." He shook his head as if he needed to snap himself back into reality.

"How drunk are you?" Alex asked what everyone else was probably thinking.

"Drunk enough to want to see you spank someone's a.s.s." Uli's quick comeback a.s.sured Storm the kid wasn't as three sheets in the wind as he appeared earlier.

When no one said anything, the birthday boy sighed. "Fine, another time."

Cutter exhaled. He appeared disappointed as he slammed back his drink. The liquid courage must have lubricated his tongue, for Cutter asked, "Your birthday is next week, isn't it, Alex?"

Chapter Seven.

Alex wiped his sweaty hands on his black jeans before gripping the gold k.n.o.b to open the door. He ignored the sign stating "Closed" and tiptoed into the room identified with big red letters, "Behind the Red Door." His eyes quickly adjusted to the large, softly illuminated gray room with red curtains, chairs, and padded tables scattered throughout.

The entire area was empty except for a few zombies that were taking part in his educational process. Lafayette and Dom Tom stood off to the side, chatting. Each of the men was decked out in the standard BDSM uniform of black leather, while their mates went shirtless. A barefoot Beau was in only a pair of faded blue jeans, his arms swallowed up in a leather arm restraint, and Talon wore only a silver dragon chast.i.ty device wrapped around his erection.

Alex refused to let the shock show on his face as he strode with purpose to where the two masters beckoned him. "Come in. Come in."

He had no clue how to respond. He'd read the books Lafayette suggested. He'd met with both Dom Tom and Lafayette to learn the uses of each and every toy in the cabinets. All the information merged and seemed to be swimming to the surface of his brain.

Some of the books suggested he should only speak to the Masters, but not greeting their submissives seemed wrong. He'd known Talon and Beau too long, and not to acknowledge them felt odd. He decided on a basic "Hi."

Geez, if the proper greeting took so much thought, he had no idea if he would be up to the challenge. An image of Cutter flashed through his mind, and he knew there wasn't a choice. He'd get it right.

Beau tossed his head so his hair flew over his shoulder. "So, welcome to BDSM 101." The cheerful note in Beau's voice seemed incongruent with his arms being laced up behind his back in a leather elbow wrap. Talon remained on his knees, head down, while other parts were very much up.

Lafayette spoke. "As you can see, each mate needs something different. You'll have to a.s.sist your mates in discovering what they need." The man glided over to his submissive lover and arranged Beau's hair.

"Thank you, Master," Beau murmured.

"But how you give it to them is just as important," the other man in black said.

Beau chimed in, "Though their needs can always change based on external factors such as stress, interactions with others, or a variety of other things."

Alex surveyed the area. There appeared to be smaller rooms off the main playroom, but he couldn't tell. He eyed the cabinets along the walls and knew the kinds of toys they held. Lafayette and Dom Tom had drilled him until he was comfortable using each one as if he were born to it.

Dom Tom cleared his throat, bringing Alex's attention back to the present moment. "Talon has agreed to let me share some rather personal information to help demonstrate how vastly different needs can be."

"I appreciate his willingness and yours to teach me how to meet the needs of my mates." Alex tried to keep his face neutral and give off a calm he didn't feel.

"Many subs need floggers, paddles, and crops."

"Purrrrrr." Beau batted his eyelashes at Lafayette.

"Behave," Lafayette said with a chortle. Beau's head dropped so his eyes stared at the floor as if his demeanor would counterbalance his happy smirk.

Thomas ran a hand up his sub's shoulders as he walked around him. "I've never used any device on him save the one you see wrapped around his c.o.c.k." As if being mentioned awoke Talon's manhood, it throbbed as a bit of fluid escaped the slit, making the dragon appear to drool. "Each sub needs a different path to subs.p.a.ce."

Subs.p.a.ce, the blessed place of nirvana most submissives wanted to reach. "What does that feel like?" Alex directed the question at Lafayette and Dom Tom when he asked.

"Heaven." Beau exhaled.

"May I, Master?" Talon asked softly.

"Yes, my pet. As always, please share your thoughts freely."

"Thank you, Master." Talon leaned into Tom's caressing palm when it cupped his cheek for a moment, as if it gave him strength. "To me, subs.p.a.ce is a place of complete freedom, but I'm totally connected to my Master so I'm completely safe."

Beau nodded his head. "Exactly. I'm out of my body, watching Lafayette tend to me." He batted his eyelashes at his mate before adding, "And he tends to me in delicious ways."