Seducing Rain Read online

He’d joined the army after his family kicked him out for being gay. It hadn’t been the grandest of reasons to join up but he’d given them four solid years before a suicide bomber decimated his unit. Even after that incident he’d finished out his tour then returned home with a tidy amount in the bank. Unfortunately, life had chipped away at his money and he’d flirted with bankruptcy on more than one occasion.

  Rain’s life flashed before him, a lonely existence that kept him isolated from others. Before his weekend with Greg he’d thought his coping skills were good. This forced him to peel back the shiny lacquer of “everything is okay” he’d slapped over his life.

  Being a loner sucked at times like these. Not that he’d experienced a psychotic gunman shooting down one of his own before, but still, his number of friends could be counted on one hand with a couple of fingers left over.

  He couldn’t go to his dear friend Ruth; she was in her seventies and had health issues. If someone came looking for him he wanted her to be able to say she hadn’t seen him. She didn’t lie well.

  “What am I going to do?” He dragged himself to his feet.

  Standing only led to pacing. He walked back and forth in a twisty path across his apartment floor, circling his footstool, sliding past his couch and wandering through the kitchen before turning and starting the entire trek again. He bit at his nails as he walked, nerves overcoming sense. Rain’s mind skittered back and forth like a mouse trying to escape a maze and finding a dead end at every turn.

  Rain returned to his computer to check for other clues. It wasn’t until he reached the last photo that he considered returning to the bathroom to throw up his guts and possibly his liver. In the last picture the killer had turned and faced Rain. He’d been so intent on his crow picture, Rain hadn’t seen the murderer staring at him. Triple fuck!

  His phone buzzed. Startled, Rain jumped. Plunging his hand into his pocket he pulled out his phone. A message flashed onto the screen.

  Are you all right? Just checking in.

  Greg had texted him again. Despite the horror of his current situation Rain clung to his phone and reread the words, seeking solace between the lines. Just when he thought the Dom had given up Greg reached out to contact Rain again. Rain slid his thumb over the screen. Maybe he could stay with Greg for a few days? They’d had an amazing weekend together, no reason he couldn’t crash at the Dom’s house for a week or so.

  He didn’t have to tell Greg anything about the cop. Rain couldn’t let the Dom get involved. He liked Greg—hell, he more than liked him, which only added to his determination not to drag Greg into his problems. Rain just needed to get away from everything while he figured out what the fuck to do. Unfortunately, Greg might consider this more of a commitment than Rain was ready for. Rain shrugged; runaways couldn’t be picky.

  Before he could chicken out Rain pressed the button to connect him to Greg. Why did he feel as if he were calling his lifeline?

  “Hey, babe.” Greg’s deep voice rolled across him, welcoming as a hug.

  Rain cleared his throat and brutally pushed away the rush of giddy delight racing through him. Focus!

  “Greg.” His words trembled and his voice broke. He took another breath and grabbed back control. “I was just thinking of you.”

  Thinking, praying, and wishing he had the confidence to talk to the Dom again.

  “You could’ve called. I’ve been texting and calling you for weeks.” Greg’s sharp tone had Rain snapping to attention even though the Dom couldn’t see him. Something about Greg always had Rain searching to put his best foot forward. He failed miserably, but he tried.

  “Um, yeah sorry about that. I’m not good with emotions.” Truth. Or commitment. Or dealing with long-term, demanding Doms. He bit his lip before he over-shared.

  “And you think I am?”

  Rain almost blurted out “yes”. Greg took amazing care of his brother in his own way. Rain had seen the pair together and had been warmed by the affection in Stephen’s eyes. The artist had forgiven Rain for kneeling beside his Dom with surprising swiftness. Maybe Greg’s hand around Rain’s waist had defused Stephen’s suspicions. Rain had never actually slept with Victor before, they’d been good friends who attended the same club for a few years before Rain had moved. Only now were they in the same city together and Rain kept a careful distance, mindful of Stephen’s feelings.

  “I didn’t mean to insult you,” Rain settled. He refused to debase himself. Greg would get used to his issues or dump him, Rain would discover his choice soon enough.

  “Did you decide to come back and be my sub? I would take good care of you,” Greg coaxed.

  Crap. Rain froze, trying to put his words in a discernable order before he blurted out his problems. He didn’t usually have difficulty speaking, but Greg overwhelmed him. The big Dom wouldn’t take a toe-in-the-water approach. Greg lived life on his terms and expected everyone else to bow to his will.

  “Rain?”

  Rain winced. He’d been silent for too long. “I’m not making any promises but I’d like to come stay with you for a few weeks to see how we get along. If things work out maybe I’ll stay longer.”

  He winced. Yeah, there was a deal no Dom would turn down. His stomach churned and swirled eager to return his attention back to the toilet.

  “A few weeks?” Greg’s voice took on a more welcoming tone as if he liked Rain’s idea.

  Surely it wouldn’t take more than a few weeks to get a psycho killer off the streets? Was he fooling himself? Did justice take longer? More importantly, could he leave Greg after that much time living in his home? It had taken all Rain’s resolve to walk out the door the first time.

  “Yeah, is that too long? I can come for a day or so if you’d rather.” Rain bit his thumbnail. Please don’t say no. If Greg turned him down Rain would have to take the first bus out of town. He couldn’t afford a plane ticket anywhere. He needed to get out of his apartment and into hiding as soon as possible. Since Rain and Greg hadn’t been seen together in public maybe no one would think of the connection between them? The cop had to find Rain to kill him.

  “Meet me at my townhouse by two p.m. sharp. You should be able to find it, you left it easily enough.” Greg hung up before Rain could reply.

  Rain bit back his annoyance. “Bastard.”

  He could tell the Dom was going to hold a grudge over Rain’s previous defection. He couldn’t help it if he’d panicked at Greg’s long-term plans for him. Wasn’t it subs who were supposed to want to move in after the first date? Rain had been thrown when Greg began planning their lives. He didn’t know if he’d be able to trust someone else to run his life. Not that he’d done a bang-up job of it so far but to just hand over control to someone else took more submission than Rain could comfortably muster.

  However, if he’d had a proper Dom he probably wouldn’t have spent his morning taking pictures in the park. He doubted Greg would let Rain out of bed before noon. A peek at the clock on his microwave jolted him into action.

  “Fuck, I need to get going.”

  He ran to the hall closet. Pushing aside coats and shoes, he pulled his battered suitcase from the inner pits of the hell of the forgotten. He took it to his bedroom then tossed it on the bed, unzipped the bag and flipped it open. The small pack didn’t hold tons of things but it would hold his clothes for a week’s stay. If he figured out how to report the cop he’d be done in a few days but if it took a few weeks he needed to be prepared. Besides, Greg would make him come back to get more if he didn’t have the appropriate amount of clothes. Rain couldn’t chance returning.

  Shivering from fear and shock, Rain packed clothes, his camera, his laptop and some basic essentials, including the large jar of lube he’d purchased a few days ago. He didn’t know when he’d be back here but he sure as fuck wasn’t going to leave behind his equipment. Some things could be replaced but his camera and computer weren’t among them. He’d used some of his meager funds to purchase his gear and he didn’t have money to buy
new ones.

  He shoved his phone back into his pocket then headed out the door wheeling his suitcase behind him. He picked it up by the handle to carry it down the stairs. Good thing it wasn’t too heavy. Despite what he implied to Greg he had no intention of moving in with the man for any permanent basis. He ignored the twinges in his heart. Stupid organ had never done him any favors.

  The busy sidewalk had Rain jumping at shadows. The cop could be hiding anywhere. He wished he remembered the guy’s name but he’d just been another face in a sea of wedding guests. What if he’d followed Rain home? It wasn’t like Rain had been paying attention. His mind had been focused on possible photo shots not on cops shooting him.

  Rain brushed away the tears streaking his cheeks. He couldn’t show up at Greg’s place with red eyes and a Rudolph nose. Greg would question him mercilessly if Rain appeared upset.

  “Paper?”

  “Crap!” Rain clutched his chest as the homeless vendor waved his newspaper at Rain. He usually gave them a few bucks for their paper because at least they were working to get off the streets. He never forgot he could easily be one of them. He treated people with the same courtesy he wanted to receive no matter where they were in life.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” The paper seller grinned, unrepentant.

  “That’s all right.” Rain knew his smile lacked its usual joy but he couldn’t dig up much happiness right now. He pulled a few dollars out of his jacket pocket and handed them over in exchange for a paper. He never pulled out his wallet on the street but he almost always kept a few bucks within easy reach, for charity. Rain understood there were a few beggars who made more money than him and some spent their money on drugs and alcohol. Still, he had a few regular folks around the neighborhood he liked to help out.

  “Thanks, man. You have a good day.”

  “You too.” The odds of his day turning out well were so astronomical they were practically in a different galaxy. His legs ached by the time he reached Greg’s townhouse. Last time he’d visited he’d taken a cab home. This time he didn’t want to waste the funds or leave a trail behind. Taxi drivers kept records. Better to walk here and leave less of a trace.

  Damn, he already had a fugitive mindset.

  The familiar painted door came into sight. Rain’s feet hurt and his nerves were so stretched they might never bounce back to normal. Searching the street around him one last time, Rain walked up the three steps to Greg’s front door. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. He had two minutes to spare.

  Fuck it. Unwilling to stand outside as a possible target he knocked on the door.

  A noise had him spinning around, heart pounding, only to spot Greg’s neighbor putting the lid back on his trashcan. He gave the man a weak smile and a nod. If he didn’t get inside soon he’d faint in the doorway and Greg could pick Rain up off the steps.

  A lock clicked in front of him and Rain turned back around to meet Greg’s hard gaze. “You made it. Good timing.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  Greg must be one of those Doms who believed if you weren’t early you were late. He’d met a few of those before. He usually skipped past them when he went into clubs. He needed a Dom with more flexibility.

  “Come in,” Greg moved back to allow Rain space to step inside.

  He barely took two steps before Greg slammed the door shut. Rain’s suitcase clattered to the floor as Greg pressed him against the wall. Rain gasped at the delicious full-body contact. He went to his tiptoes to align their erections. A small whimper left him.

  “So sexy,” Greg purred. His hot breath bathed Rain’s neck.

  Rain inhaled deeply. All things good and right entwined through Greg’s scent.

  Home.

  Fuck he was screwed.

  “Th-thank you.” Rain barely squeezed those two words out. He’d be incapable of forming entire sentences if Greg stayed this close.

  “Hands over your head.”

  Rain slid into position before his brain had completely processed Greg’s request. A blush burned his cheek. The last time he’d been this embarrassed he’d been seventeen and getting blowjob tips from the football captain.

  “Good boy,” Greg ran his fingers from Rain’s wrist to his armpits. Rain flinched.

  “Ticklish?” Greg raised his left eyebrow in inquiry.

  Rain bit his lip.

  “I asked you a question,” Greg’s hard tone twisted Rain into a submissive knot.

  “Yes sir. I’m ticklish.”

  Greg kissed Rain. A gentle brush only lips no tongue. “Why wouldn’t you want to share that information with your Dom?”

  “Because you might use it against me,” Rain confessed.

  Greg kissed Rain’s cheek. His deep chuckle vibrated between them. “There’s no might, pretty boy, there’s only will. I will use every twitch, every jerk, every sensitive part of your body against you until your body knows it belongs to me.”

  The whimper was completely warranted. Lust clouded his thinking. Damn, he needed this. Rain relaxed as he gave himself over to Greg’s command. He didn’t need to worry about anything anymore—Greg was in charge. The burden lifted and relief cut through him, so sharp it took away his breath for a moment.

  “Easy, babe, damn you’re strung up tight.” Greg pressed their foreheads together as if he could combine their souls through flesh-to-flesh contact.

  “Sorry,” Rain leaned into Greg’s touch. “It’s been a tough week. I missed you.”

  Both true things, but not the entire truth. Rain hated himself for not spilling his guts to the controlling man but he didn’t want to put Greg in danger. The less Greg knew the less he’d get involved. Rain gripped that determination in a tight fist.

  “I missed you too. That’s why I kept calling and texting. I’m glad you decided to give us a chance.” Greg kissed Rain. Not the soft, almost-tender kisses of before but a hard, hungry claiming kiss that burned Rain to the ground like a bush fire clearing a mountain and leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.

  Rain melted against the wall, certain his bones had dissolved beneath Greg’s passionate assault. It had been like this before, but Rain didn’t know if he could gather the energy to leave Greg a second time.

  Finally, when he lost feeling in his legs and his cock had reached the same hardness as granite, Greg stepped back. “Go put your bag in my bedroom, then join me in the living room.”

  Rain nodded. He could understand Greg’s psychology. The Dom had put himself out there once, now Rain had to prove he truly wanted to be there by coming to him. Rain took a deep breath before retrieving his abandoned suitcase from the floor. “I’ll be right there.”

  He ignored his aching erection. It urged him to hump against Greg until they both reached orgasm. Discipline. Rain had to gain some if he hoped to make Greg proud of him. Greg wouldn’t be impressed by Rain’s disobedience. Right now presenting the proper submission wasn’t just a condition of trying to find the right sex partner but a line between life and possible death. If he wanted to stay off the cop’s radar he had to stay with Greg. Few people knew of their time together and he doubted the ones who did would say anything.

  Hurrying down the hall, Rain only made one misstep while trying to locate Greg’s room, but it didn’t take a genius to determine Greg wouldn’t be sleeping in the tub. The second door he opened had a familiar look. He’d been tied to those bedposts a few weeks before. Rain bit his lip and set his suitcase down. Until Greg told him where to put his things he wouldn’t do one step more than asked. Greg didn’t strike Rain as the type of Dom who appreciated a pushy sub. For the next few weeks Rain would work hard to be the type of sub Greg wanted. After that he’d have to determine if they were well matched or not. He adjusted himself as memories of the kiss in the hall threatened to make him come.

  Rain sucked in a deep breath, then left to seek out his new Dom. He found Greg in the living room as promised. A bottle of wine with two half-filled wine glasses, a tray of cheese
, preserves and crackers sat on the table.

  “Looks good,” Rain commented, his appreciative gaze sweeping the scene. “You didn’t have to go to so much effort.”

  Greg shrugged. “I want you to know I don’t take your offer of submission lightly. I don’t know if we’ll work out but I’m serious about trying.”

  Rain pressed his lips together before he confessed everything. He’d never hold out in a real interrogation. Not when one heated glance turned him to putty in Greg’s hands. Hell, putty probably had more stiffness than Rain’s spine.

  “Thanks,” he said when he trusted his ability to speak again.

  Greg patted the couch. “Have a seat beside me. I want us to be comfortable during this conversation. There will be plenty of time for kneeling later.”

  “Okay,” Rain settled beside the Dom waiting for his next instruction.

  Greg spread a knife’s worth of soft cheese on a cracker along with some fruity spread then held it up for Rain to eat.

  He opened his mouth and allowed Greg to place the snack in his mouth. Flavor exploded across Rain’s taste buds. He chewed and swallowed before he spoke. “That’s really good.”

  “I’m glad you think so. I like to take care of my subs. Part of that is feeding them.”

  “I thought Doms wanted the sub to do all the cooking.” That had always been Rain’s experience and he sucked at cooking.

  Greg scowled. “I remember you burning toast when you were here. I think I’ll save myself the food poisoning.”

  Rain opened his mouth to argue. Greg shoved another cracker into it.

  “Don’t even bother. Besides, cooking relaxes me. You can clean up afterward.”

  He thought about arguing but it was a great deal. Rain hated to cook and if Greg wanted to be the one who fed them he wouldn’t say no to that. He finished his cracker. “Deal. What’s next?” No doubt Greg had an entire list of things to go through.

  “Did you want a regular job or to stick with freelance photography? I’m happy with either.”

  Rain couldn’t let that slide even if the thought of taking the wrong picture again scared the crap out of him. “I want to stay with my freelance work.”