Designs of Desire Page 5

  “Before you freak out, it’s not broken. I don’t know why though—those were steel-toed boots—but you’re going to be in a chair for a couple of days.”

  “What about my hands, Chase? What’s wrong with them?” He could hear how his voice raised, but if his hands were destroyed, so was he.

  “Not broken, but some of your joints were badly dislocated. They’re in temp braces under the wrappings.”

  “Will I—”

  “Calm down, hun. They put your fingers back in place right, and you know how this works, your house is already accessible, but, well, I want to stay with you. I’ll crash in your spare room, but I don’t think you should be alone right now. Probably just for the weekend. Okay?” Chase looked at him with wide, pleading eyes. He knew how much James hated the wheelchair, though he still had one from his time recovering after the “accident.”

  “Fine,” he sulked. He knew he was being childish, but under the circumstances, he didn’t really care. “But your gossiping tendencies have to go on holiday, Chase. I don’t want anyone that doesn’t already know to find out. Maybe it’ll heal up before Seth comes back. If he comes back,” he added quietly. Chase either didn’t hear his mumblings or chose to ignore them.

  “I only gossip about sexy men in compromising positions, not about you getting hurt. You should know better,” he added with a huff.

  After a flurry of paperwork Chase had to sign for him, and instructions he was glad they also printed for him, as he would never remember them all, he was finally released from the E.R. and sent home.

  Chapter 5

  HE CALLED Carl, his senior manager, Monday morning and explained what had happened. After he had assured Carl he would be fine, he stayed home for the first part of the week.

  By Thursday, James told Chase where to put the damn chair once he painfully made his way back to work on his crutches. So, Thursday was the first anyone other than Chase had seen him since the attack. He got a lot of stares and a few questions, but even Brian-the-dick left him alone.

  That afternoon, James’s cell rang, but instead of answering it, he sent it straight to voice mail. Chase, who had eaten lunch with him, refused to go away no matter how many times he said he was fine. He looked at the cell curiously and asked, “Who are you avoiding, Jamie?”

  “It’s nothing. Mind your own business.”

  “No, that was Seth’s ringtone, wasn’t it? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you shunt a call this week. Why aren’t you answering? Last week you were moping over his not calling and now you won’t answer. What gives?” Chase asked, sounding a little put out.

  “He’s been calling since earlier this week. I don’t want to talk to him. It’s probably just about his purchases or possibly the site designs, which I know Sandy already got his approval for since she faxed it over earlier.

  “I can’t let myself get attached again, Chase. I let that happen with Victor and look where it got me,” he said, gesturing to the lurid bruises still on the side of his face. “Plus, how long would he really want me? It took him a week to call, so it’s obvious that he’s got other things to worry about.”

  “You’re being an idiot. The most gorgeous man you’ve ever met is interested in you, is awesome in bed, or so you said, and you’re worried he’s bored after one night?” Chase snapped. “I’d pick up the phone before the first ring was done if it were me. I never get that lucky,” he pouted.

  “He can’t make me care then leave if we don’t ever really start. If he saw me right now, like he’d want anything to do with me? I didn’t even fight back!” James nearly cried. He was hurt and all the old fears and pains were trying to drag him down into nothingness again. The fact that some of the damage from the attack was permanent wasn’t helping. He awaited the delivery of his new silver finger-splints so he could do his work without screwing up his hands any worse. He couldn’t stand to go through it again. While he didn’t believe Seth would abuse him, not like Vic, he didn’t believe he’d really want to stay either. He wasn’t into one-offs or flings, no matter what it had appeared that night with Seth.

  “Jamie, you’re off in your head again. Talking it out works better, ya know and are you sure your hands won’t heal?” Chase continued to badger James off and on all day, not letting up even on the ride home.

  “Chase, you know full well that damage to joints doesn’t fully heal with EDS. So yeah, I’m pretty sure,” James snapped. Chase knew as much about his genetic disorder as he did, so why ask inane things like that? Seriously!

  When his cell rang during dinner, Chase jumped up and answered it before James could send it to voice mail. What made it worse was he took off out the door, so James couldn’t hear what was said. When Chase came back in, he returned the cell but refused to tell James anything about the conversation. Chase also left that night, returning to his home.

  An on-site conference with Sandy the next morning meant he could sleep in, but he was tired, more mentally than physically. He decided to head to bed early so he could curl up and forget the last week or two.

  STARTLED out of a sound sleep, James realized someone was knocking on his door—his outside bedroom door. “Chase, go home. I’m not interested in listening to you right now,” he grumbled.

  “Open the door, James” came the most beautiful yet icy voice he had ever heard.

  “Seth? What the hell? It’s—” He paused long enough to blink at the clock. “It’s three in the morning and why are you even back?” He wasn’t supposed to be there, was he?

  “You will open this door, now. Then we will discuss why I am here at this ridiculous hour,” Seth said with a voice like gentle steel. After grabbing his crutches, James stumbled to the door and flipped the lock.

  “Fine, it’s open. Now, go home and let me sleep,” he nearly whined. He hadn’t wanted Seth to see his bruises. So much for wishes and intentions. Without looking at Seth, he turned and headed back to his bed and sat on the edge. He hadn’t turned up the light, so only the far lamp lit the room. He hoped it meant Seth wouldn’t be able to see his injuries too well.

  Seth sauntered in, headed straight for the wall where the light switch was, and flipped it, casting the entire room in harsh, bright light.

  “Damn it, Seth. Warn a guy, would ya?” James snapped and blinked to disperse the bright spots in his vision.

  Seth moved back to stand in front of him and peered down as anger flashed across his beautiful face before he controlled his expression again. “Why?” was all he said. He looked at James, obviously demanding an explanation in his usual, unusual way.

  “It’s not like I wanted this,” James snapped, and turned away. He wished Seth would either leave or hold him; he couldn’t decide which, and hated himself for that indecision.

  “I never thought you did, baby,” Seth murmured as he pulled James’s stiff body into his arms and settled on the bed beside him. “You are submissive, not stupid. No, shh…,” he soothed when James tried to pull away.

  “I’m not like that,” he said firmly. “I never liked what Victor did to me and I won’t allow anyone else to ever do it again, not even you. He’s in jail,” James insisted. He’d heard that word used to describe him before, but it was Victor who had said it. He had even tried to convince James that the abuse was okay because it was what he had to do to keep James in line. He had only used that excuse late in their relationship, but James wasn’t sure he ever wanted to hear that word again. Worse, though, it had come from Seth. Had he so misjudged the man? Had he let another abuser near him?

  “Submission and abuse are not the same thing. This…,” he continued, gently caressing James’s hair to soothe him again. “What that monster did to you, I’d like to kill him for, but I will stay here with you instead since even I don’t think I could get away with murder at the jail.” He laughed, but it lacked any joy.

  “I don’t like being hurt, Seth. I didn’t want to end up on crutches for the rest of my life, or in a wheelchair, for that matter. If that’
s what you’re looking for, please leave. I can’t do this again. I’ll die before I go through that hell again!”

  Turning James, he gently raised his face. Seth looked into his hollow eyes, releasing a muttered string of curses damning that son-of-a-bitch straight to the bowels of hell for what he had done to “such a treasure as James.”

  James’s mind caught on the word treasure, wondering if Seth could actually see him that way.

  “I swear this to you, James Bryant, I will never treat you like that. I will never leave your body broken and bloody like that ass did. Can you trust that I mean what I say?”

  Looking into Seth’s hazel eyes, captivated by what he saw—the power, the command of the man he knew he was falling for, stupidly he was certain—he also saw tenderness, and he thought maybe even honesty. Swallowing hard, James said, “Yes, I—I can try.” He shook as he said the words, but something in him believed in Seth, even though his words terrified him.

  “Good. Now, I should not have had to learn about the attack from Mel, nor should Chase have been the one to answer your phone or to send me pictures of your injuries.”

  James started to defend himself, but Seth cut him off. “No, I don’t wish to hear excuses. You should have told me yourself, pet, but, under the circumstances, I will forget about it, this time. I expect you to answer your phone, though, especially when you know I’m supposed to call.”

  “I’m sorry,” James said quietly. “I just didn’t want you to see me like this. Chase has been through my hell before so that was okay, but—”

  “But, you were afraid I would think less of you. For what, James? Put your fears aside for a moment, please. What did you have to fear from me that made you hide from a cell phone? It’s a little pile of plastic,” Seth said with a little shove. “Hardly intimidating.”

  “It wasn’t the phone,” James replied, smiling involuntarily. “I didn’t want you to know I was this weak, that I couldn’t manage to protect myself. It’s bad enough you were there the day I panicked and tried to run out of the hotel. Not that you let me.”

  Seth leaned in, lightly brushed his lips against James’s, and whispered warm breath and soft flesh across his mouth. “You are not weak, pet. You are an incredibly strong, sexy, passionate man that happens to have been attacked by a monster.” He kissed James again, still gentle, placing a light kiss to each corner of his mouth before he traced James’s lower lip with his tongue.

  At that simple, light touch, James was hard and wanting. He startled when he realized the plaintive moan he heard had come from himself.

  “Be careful, baby. I don’t want to hurt you,” Seth said, continuing to kiss and tease his lips, jaw, and neck.

  “I’m fine,” James murmured, and tried to increase the intensity and pressure of the kisses. Seth wouldn’t have it, though. He kept firm control over the kiss, only intensifying it once James gave over control of their passion.

  Gently, he pushed James back onto the bed, and stripped them both of all clothing before climbing into bed, carefully pulling James into his arms.

  Seth did magical things to his body, pushing James’s pleasure higher and higher with nothing more than his hands and mouth.

  Sitting up against the head of the bed, Seth pulled James into his lap at an angle as he stretched his long legs out on either side of James’s tight body. Wrapping his warm, strong fingers around James’s cock, Seth set a slow, sensual pace, one that caused James to moan and writhe against him. “You need this, baby, but your body is still healing. You will stay still and let me take care of you,” Seth instructed. His sultry steel-wrapped-in-silk voice slid over James, washing away his doubt and worry—at least for the moment.

  Seth kept up the sensual torture until James’s body throbbed, skin tingling everywhere. Finally, his other hand disappeared from James’s sight but returned quickly. A couple of the fingers glistened as they descended below, reaching behind James’s balls to lightly circle his opening before he slowly slid one inside. James hadn’t even noticed the snick of the lube opening.

  James moaned as his hips moved, shifting between increasing the slide of Seth’s hand on his cock and forcing Seth’s finger deeper within him. He couldn’t seem to decide which he wanted more, but what he was certain of was his need to release soon.

  After a few moments, he thought he’d go out of his mind with Seth’s sexual assault, but then Seth carefully added a second finger and sped up his stroke.

  As he kissed and nibbled on James’s neck and ear, he whispered, “In a minute, I’m going to tell you to do something and you will do it. No questions, pet. Simply do as you’re told.” As he finished his murmured instructions, he increased the speed and grip of the hand shuttling on James’s weeping, throbbing member just as he curled his other fingers deep inside to hit the sweet spot that would send electric jolts of divine pleasure throughout James’s body.

  When James thought he wouldn’t be able to stop from coming, Seth softly commanded, “Come for me, pet. Now.”

  With those words and the single-minded focus on his cock and prostate, James couldn’t do anything but come, as ordered. Arching up off Seth’s chest, which drove the fingers even deeper, he felt the pulsing of his cock in that tight, nearly punishing grip as James shot stream after stream of hot, thick white seed over Seth’s hand and his own stomach. It felt like his pleasure had been wrung from the very core of his being, forget just his body.

  Seth gently continued to stroke James, to draw out his aftershocks until he started to whimper from over stimulation. Seth finally released him, wrapping both arms around him, seemingly thoughtful and aware of James’s injuries, and rocked him slowly as he came back to himself.

  JAMES found himself snuggled back into Seth as he floated on the haze of pleasure Seth had brought to his sore, battered body. He idly wondered how one man could make him feel safe, possessed, cared for, and wanted as he lay sated and content.

  Seth eased him down slowly and stood, evidence of his arousal still exquisitely prominent. “Let me,” James started to say.

  “No, baby. You stay still. I’ll be right back.” Like their first night together, Seth headed to the ensuite, and brought back a warm cloth he used to clean James, his touch so soft it barely whispered across his tender skin. Once Seth climbed back in and curled around him, James tried to shift to touch Seth, but he tightened his arms around James, stilling his body.

  “But you didn’t. I mean,” James said as he struggled for the right words. With Seth around, he seemed to frequently lose his ability to think or speak clearly.

  “James, you need to rest. We will talk in the morning, when we have both had some rest.” With those words, Seth pulled him tighter to his chest and held James until they both fell asleep.

  STANDING in the doorway, Seth watched James sleep. He hadn’t slept well in days, not since that first unanswered call, Monday. When Chase had answered James’s cell and sent him the images of his James’s bruised and battered body, he booked the first flight home, canceled the rest of his appointments and trip. He had used everything at his disposal to get back to his new pet as quickly as he could. Maybe he’d take James with him next time he needed to travel. Wonder what he would think of that? he thought with a wry smile.

  James got up earlier, claiming he needed to go into the office before he headed to the hotel site. Seth had ordered him back to bed. He explained that since he was the client, he would call the office and let them know James would be on site, that way no one would notice his absence. In all actuality, James could move on to other projects now, only consulting with them from time to time for tweaks and special requests, a point Seth was not going to make known for as long as possible.

  He liked watching James sleep, paint, hell, even the way James breathed turned him on. He only turned away when he heard the soft rap on the door. He hoped it was Dillon, his assistant. He had called him a little while before to give him a list of items he needed picked up and brought to James’s little cottage. H
e liked his penthouse with all its amenities, but the stone cottage felt homey, sort of quaint and comfortable. He could see why James liked it so much.

  Opening the door, he saw Dillon and a delivery driver he hadn’t expected. He also saw a cop car pull up right behind his and park. Seth watched as Dillon hurried up the sidewalk with the UPS driver, and looked back at the two officers not far behind him.

  He stepped aside as he let Dillon in but stepped back to block the passage when the driver and two officers finally arrived. They looked back and forth between each other and him before the UPS guy spoke. “Mr. Bryant?”

  “No, I’m Seth Burns. James is resting right now. I’ll sign for the delivery.” The guy gave him no trouble and was quickly off, after a nervous look at the cops, and drove away.

  “Now gentlemen, what can I do for you?”

  The older officer spoke first. “We are here to speak with a James Bryant.”

  “He is still not well from his attack last weekend, officer. How may I help you?” He didn’t want to upset or disturb James unless it was necessary. He had found out when James was up earlier that he had not been taking the pain medication prescribed, citing that it made him too sleepy and loopy to work. He handed him the pills and a glass of water and stood there until James gave in and took them. And sure enough, within half an hour, he was sleeping soundly again.

  “That’s why we’re here, sir,” the younger officer said. “I’m Officer Sayer and this is Officer Parks. The problem is more information and allegations have come to light and we need to speak with Mr. Bryant about those.”

  “Look, mister,” the older one, Parks, said at Seth’s reluctance. “I know he was hurt pretty badly. I saw the write-up. The problem is, Mr. d’Leone has lawyered up, of course, and now claims that while he may have gone a little—his words, not mine—overboard, it was James that attacked him first. There is a new bond hearing later today to reduce the bail amount and the responding officer is my brother-in-law. He asked us to come over and unofficially warn Mr. Bryant.” Parks finished his speech, having said it all as if it was practically one long word.