Page 110 of Leather and Longing
Paul nodded again, feeling more comfortable. “Got it. Red to stop, yellow to slow it down.”
“Good boy.” Adam kissed his neck again.
Seth reached behind him and brought out his flogger. “There you go.” He held it up for Paul to see. The tongues were long and flat, coming to a point at each end. Paul stretched out his hand tentatively toward it and Seth nodded encouragingly. “Touch it, by all means.”
Paul fingered one of the tongues. “It’s soft,” he said, “just like Adam’s.”
Seth smiled at him. “You’ve seen Adam’s floggers? Good. Okay, let’s talk about what’s coming. I’ll be starting out nice and light, and then I’ll slowly build up speed and intensity. If it starts to get painful but not enough to stop it, try focusing on something other than the pain. Adam will be physically connected to you, so maybe focus your attention on him. Listen to his reactions, because trust me, if I’m flogging you? Adam will react.”
“You can also focus on Seth’s voice,” Adam added. “Listen to its rhythm, its cadences.”
Paul nodded, leaning into Adam, reassured by the feel of those strong arms around him.
“I think we’re ready to start,” Seth said briskly, rising from the bed. “Strip, please.”
Adam rose to his feet, pulling Paul with him, and helped him to undress. Paul shuddered when Adam ran his hands over Paul’s bared body, trying not to think about being naked in front of a stranger.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Adam said quietly. “I’m here with you, Paul.” He bent his head and kissed him softly on the mouth. Paul couldn’t help but respond, closing his eyes and leaning into the embrace, focusing on the feel of Adam’s lips against his, the feel of his hands on Paul’s back and arse, squeezing, cupping, stroking.
“That was lovely.” Seth’s voice was filled with warmth. “Adam, can you stand with Paul facing you, please? Paul, I want you to put your arms around Adam’s neck. Adam will put his hands on your waist. There’s no fear of the flogger hitting them there, because I’ll be avoiding that area.”
“That’s where your kidneys are,” Adam whispered, his hands warm against Paul’s skin.
Paul was grateful for the aside, not that he didn’t already know Seth was good at what he did. Adam wouldn’t have let him anywhere near Paul if that wasn’t the case.
Seth moved behind him. “Adam, lower your head until your foreheads are touching.”
Adam did as instructed, his breath fanning Paul’s face. “I’ve got you,” Adam whispered.
Paul tightened his hands around Adam’s neck. “I’m glad about that,” he whispered back.
Seth stroked over Paul’s shoulders, his hands firm and warm. “Good muscle tone, Adam. He works out.”
“Told you,” Paul couldn’t help retorting with a snicker.
Adam chuckled. “Brat.”
Seth stroked lower over his buttocks, rubbing with firm strokes before delivering a slap there. Paul jumped at the unexpected contact with his still warm skin.
“Easy,” Seth soothed. He resumed his gentle stroking over Paul’s arse and then across his upper back, except now he was delivering slaps to those areas.
“You know what he’s doing, right?” Adam asked quietly.
Paul knew. “He’s showing me where the flogger will go, like you did this morning when you spanked me.” His voice quavered.
“Good boy.” Adam’s words made his chest swell. He concentrated on Adam’s breathing, aware that his own body was shaking, covered with a thin sheen of sweat.
Seth caressed Paul’s back and buttocks with the flogger’s tails, before hitting him lightly with it across his shoulders. He repeated it a couple of times and then his hands were back, stroking and rubbing. More trailing of the flogger over Paul’s skin, its touch soft, gentle.
The first hard strike against his arse made Paul gasp and jerk violently, the tails connecting with a thud that he felt deep in him.
Adam’s hands tightened on his waist. “I’ve got you, Paul.”
Paul’s breathing sped up, a series of gasps followed by holding his breath.
Seth was back, soft again, almost delicate, followed by another two or three hard hits. Paul clung to Adam as realisation set in: it was going to get worse. Those first few moderate strikes had lulled him into a false sense of security.
Seth paused. “Breathe, Paul. Breathe.”
