Page 28 of Playing to Win

So Colin stood at the threshold and held the door for Andrew. “After you.”

CHAPTERNINE

RED,BLUE,SILVER, or gold?

Colin hadn’t known luxury condoms even existed. Pacing beside the hotel bed, forced to choose from the assortment packet Andrew had tossed him before disappearing into the bathroom, he wished he’d done a bit of research.

He peered at the silky foil wrappers to see if they indicated sizes or textures, but found nothing save the fancy swooping logo.

Perhaps this was a test. Perhaps Andrew would choose a task for Colin based upon which color condom wrapper he selected.

Gonnae no think like that. You’ll go off your head.

Before leaving to “freshen up,” Andrew had given no clue how Colin was to serve him tonight. He’d seemed shocked to have won and said he needed a few minutes to ponder the matter.

The bathroom door handle turned. Colin snatched a blue-wrapped condom, along with the wee bottle of lubricant, then shoved both in his front jeans pocket before setting the condoms’ velvety box on the desk.

Andrew entered, wearing nothing but that storm-gray button-down shirt, the hem of which came to the tops of his tanned, toned thighs. The look was ferociously sexy, like something out of an arty porno.

He stopped a few feet away and looked at Colin with an almost eerie serenity.

“Well?” Colin asked, hating the tremor in his own voice. “Do you know what you want?”

“Yes, I know exactly.” Andrew folded his hands before him. “I want you to tell me what to do.”

Is this a trick?“But…you won the race. It’s your call.”

“It’s true I won. I’ve got the power.” His limbs went soft as he met Colin’s eyes. “And I’m giving it all to you.”

Colin’s pulse throbbed in his throat. “I’ve never done this sort of thing.”

“I’m sure you’re a natural.” Andrew’s posture straightened, and his voice turned businesslike. “Now, a few ground rules for our play. While I’m not averse to pain, I don’t specifically seek it. I quite fancy manhandling, restraint, hair-pulling, biting, et cetera. But no hitting.” He emphasized the last two words. “If you even think of spanking me, I’ll punch your dick inside out.”

Colin blinked. “Got it.”

“Also, we must agree on a safe word, something either of us can say if we’re not comfortable with what’s happening.”

“What’s wrong with ‘no’ or ‘stop’ or ‘gonnae no do that’?”

“Those words can be misinterpreted.” Andrew’s lips twitched. “Sometimes theyshouldbe misinterpreted.”

A chill ran across Colin’s shoulders at the implication, and he felt more out of his depth than ever. “So what word, then?”

“Something we both like but don’t associate with sex.” He brightened. “How about ‘foosball’?”

Colin started laughing, and then he couldn’t stop. He laughed so hard, he thought he might choke on his own tongue.This is not happening, he thought.I’m gonnae wake any moment now, in my own wee bed in Drumchapel, with an erection the size of a power drill.

“Colin, what’s wrong?” Andrew asked softly.

Colin’s laughter stopped mid-breath. Had Andrew ever spoken his name before? On that tongue, it seemed a magic word.

He straightened up, running a hand through his hair. “Nothing, I—this is all so new, and I’m worried it’ll get turned about on me. It’s only fair I should be your servant after this, right?”

Andrew’s eyes went sad. “That’s not how this works. If you want it turned about, you ask for it. No one gets bullied into submission. We choose it. We embrace it.”

“But why would you want that?” Colin’s throat grew thick with fear. “Why would anyone want to feel powerless?”

Andrew stepped forward to stand near him at the foot of the bed, which made Colin realize only now that he’d been backing away since the start of the conversation.

---