Oh, fuck. If he had, that would really, really suck.
No. He was right. Max was just being difficult. Fighting this like the stubborn man he was. After all, he wasn’t exactly pushing Sean away. He pressed his body closer, kissed Max’s lips even harder, till a needy moan curled up his throat.
A sound that—thank fuck—seemed to finally do the trick.
Max growled and tightened his grip on Sean’s shoulders, then turned and shoved him hard against the wall. Breath punched from Sean’s lungs. Max pinned him aggressively. Shoved his tongue into Sean’s mouth, assuming control. Shit, scratch control. Try unequivocal domination. Sean’s insides ignited. Blood shot to his cock. Max’s kiss was like an instant oral orgasm.
To his dismay, though, Max quickly reeled it in, breathing hard and husky against Sean’s mouth. “This what you wanted?”
Sean nodded, panting. “Yes.”
Max chuckled, the sound ominous, and snagged Sean’s lip with his teeth. Steadily, he bit down. “How ‘bout this.”
Damn, that shit hurt. But Sean was too lit to care. Max was kissing him for fuck’s sake. Getting frisky.
Sean laughed. “Shit, yeah.” He gripped Max’s sides. Ground their crotches. Tried to reclaim Max’s mouth.
Another thick rumble echoed through the studio. Max released Sean’s lip and got back to dominating. Showing Sean’s tongue who was boss. And man, was that thing charged. So hot and forceful. Conquering every inch of Sean’s mouth. Jesus. He could feel it. All along his body. Max’s heat, Max’s passion, pulsing like mini thrusts. Surrounding Sean with an energy undeniable. But not just the sexual kind. The possessive kind, too. Confirming what Sean already knew. That Max wanted him. Intensely. Inside and out. Like a lover craved his partner. Like Sean craved Max.
His heart pounded faster. He fisted Max’s hair. Couldn’t help it. Needed closer. Which Max graciously gave him—a few seconds more of it, anyway—before he stopped.
Breathless, Max rested his brow against Sean’s. “There. Theory debunked.”
Sean grinned. “Debunked, my ass.”
Max’s lips curved. Slightly.
That’s right, bud. So busted.
Sean’s smile turned smug. “I knew it.”
“You’re delusional.”
“The lips don’t lie.”
“Mine do all the time.”
“You kiss guys a lot?”
“Not really.”
“See? More proof. You kiss me every time you see me.”
“Because I have to. It’s my job. And you’re very high-maintenance.”
Sean laughed. “You said once that you liked high-maintenance.”
“My lips did. Because they lie. Because my lips are total liars.”
Sean grinned and closed his eyes, brow still pressed against Max’s. God, he loved this. Just bantering and being stupid. Goofing off with the man who’d stolen his heart. He drew in a breath, then slowly let it out. “Your kiss, Max. It told me.”
Max quieted. “No, it didn’t.”
“Yes… It did.” Sean leaned back and looked at him. Grinned. Then started singing Miss Congeniality. “You think I’m gorrrrrgeous… You want to kiiiiiiiss me…”
“Oh. My God.” Max choked on a laugh. “For the love of all that’s holy, please stop doing that.” Sean beamed and laughed, too, but Max quickly sobered. “Listen, Sean.” He stepped back. Ran a hand down his face. “I do like you. You’re a good kid. But that doesn’t change anything. My lifestyle just doesn’t have room for this shit.” He met Sean’s eyes. “I don’t date.”
Sean stared at him, frustrated. Although, he shouldn’t’ve been surprised. Max was still a Dom, which in fairness, did still complicate things. But God, their kiss, so unscripted, so real. Guess a part of him had hoped that the truth it’d screamed might’ve actually changed Max’s perspective.
Good thing Sean had planned for if it didn’t.
Giving a little shrug, he pushed off the wall. “Fair enough,” he murmured. “Guess I’ll stick with being your sub.” Max eyed him suspiciously. Sean held his gaze. “Your full-time sub.” He smiled. “Next best thing.”
Max stilled, then shook his head, a deeper frown forming. “Damn it, Sean. No. That’s like… practically the same thing.”
“Oh, no it’s not,” Sean chuckled humorlessly. “Dating isn’t centered around non-stop obedience. Full-time subbing is, though. You said it yourself.”
Max nodded. “I did. Because it absolutely is. Something you could never fucking handle.”
“Try me.” Sean had gotten this far. He wasn’t quitting.
Max clenched his jaw for the umpteenth time, then exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You wouldn’t like it, Sean. It’s different. Not what you’re used to.”
“Different, how so?”
Max slid him a look, one that made Sean take heed. “Different because it wouldn’t be about just you anymore. It wouldn’t be merely catering to your needs.”
Sean shrugged. “Not seeing much of a downside to that.”
Max’s lips slowly curved. “You’d be my plaything, Sean, not my client. Which means no more safety net and one-sided tailoring. It’d be about my pleasure as much as yours. And when it comes to what pleases your Dom, little cat, you’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg.”
Sean swallowed, heart hammering, trapped in his stare. What Max said should worry him, he knew it should, but all it did was make him want this more. “Show me,” he whispered.