The hours had never felt so long. Salvatore had left me restless and needy after our conversation this morning, and not having work to distract me made the day tick by slower than usual. Not to mention that not being able to touch myself and relieve the ache he’d built up after I’d had to listen to him come… God. That had been the hottest thing I’d ever heard, and his grunts replayed on a loop in my brain, keeping me hard the whole damn day.

It was torture, but it ensured he stayed in my mind, which I’d guess was exactly the reason he’d done it in the first place. What would it be like to watch him come in person? To see that powerful, gorgeous man spread out and naked, knowing he was getting off because of me? To say I was eager and scared for that to happen was an understatement, but still…I wanted to touch him, please him. Would tonight be the night? I had no idea what to expect, and I wouldn’t have to wait long now. It was almost seven o’clock, and Salvatore had proven to be a man who showed up on time. I’d done my best to get ready with the lack of information he’d given me. Casual was out, since I didn’t think Salvatore knew the meaning of the word, so I’d dressed in my nicest khaki pants and a light blue button-down and hoped I wouldn’t be too out of place wherever we were going.

I tucked my wallet in my back pocket, grabbed my cell, and then locked up. As I headed out of my apartment and down the stairs, there was a knock on the main door, and all of a sudden, the nerves were back.

I wiped my hands on my pants and took a fortifying breath, and then I opened the front entrance to see Salvatore standing there, looking like he’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine. He was an imposing figure already, but in black trousers and a matching lightweight turtleneck, and with his dark hair styled back, he was even more so.

“Hi,” I said, a shy smile crossing my face as I looked up at the man I’d been thinking about all day.

“Good evening, Jesse. My, my, don’t you look good enough to eat.”

My mouth parted at his forwardness, but I’d come to expect that, and it was one of the things that attracted me most to Salvatore. I liked hearing the effect I had on him, even if returning the compliment was a little difficult on my end.

“Thank you,” I said, stepping out onto the stoop and shutting the door behind me. “And you look… Wow. I mean, you always do, but…”

“But?” Salvatore raised a brow, waiting for the rest of what I couldn’t articulate. Not like he did, anyway.

“But…” Oh, just say it. “Well, you already left things hard for me earlier, and now? It’s like you’re trying to torture me.”

A wicked grin crossed Salvatore’s face, and then he leaned in and whispered, “I am.”

His words, combined with the heat of him so close, had my eyes falling shut as I breathed him in. Even with the rain falling around us, it felt so perfect, so right. As I opened my eyes, they caught on the white stretch limousine parked at the curb.

“Is that for us?” I asked, blinking a couple of times to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.

Salvatore straightened to his full height and shook the excess rain off his umbrella. “I thought it might be nice not to have the distraction of driving, should I want to put my hands somewhere other than the steering wheel. What do you think?”

What do I think? Seriously? “Um. I’ve never been in a limo before.” I hated to admit that all of this was so alien, but he’d told me to be honest, and that was the truth. I braced myself for the look of shock on his face, but instead, Salvatore stared down at me and ran the back of his knuckles along my cheek.

“Then let’s rectify that, shall we?” He opened his umbrella, large enough to cover the both of us, and as we came up to the limo, the driver opened the door and we climbed inside.

TEN MINUTES LATER, the limo pulled up outside of the Westport Tower, and I peered out the tinted window at the elaborate revolving door to the main lobby. The tower was a landmark in the city, and when the driver opened the door for us, Salvatore touched my thigh to get my attention.

“You ready to head inside?” he asked.

When we’d gotten into the limo back at my place, I’d asked where he was taking me, but he’d been quick to remind me that patience was something I’d do well to learn around him, and judging by the fact he had yet to touch me, I knew he wasn’t joking. The man had the patience of a saint. I looked over to Salvatore to tell him I was ready to get going, and as his lips curled into a knowing smile, I thought, Okay…maybe not a saint.

“We’re eating at the 360?”

Salvatore nodded and slid down the seat toward the door. “We are, if you get out of the car.”

I chuckled and moved down the seat also, and when he climbed out and offered a hand to me, I took it and barely contained the quiver that raced up my spine from the touch. My body was so aware of the man in front of me that it was a miracle I was decent.

As the driver shut the door behind us, Salvatore put a palm on my lower back and urged me toward the entrance, and I had to stop myself from asking him to pinch me, this was all so unreal.

The 360 was one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city. It sat at the top of the tower, and a meal there was easily the cost of two, maybe three, of my paychecks. Wow. So this is how the other half lives…

“Are you okay?” Salvatore asked when I didn’t move. “We can go somewhere else if you’d like.”

His intense gaze was locked on my face as if searching it for an answer. It wasn’t until I smiled and nodded that he seemed to relax a little. “No. No. This is fine…more than fine. It’s just, I’m feeling a little bit overwhelmed, I guess. The limo, this restaurant…you.”

A glint lit Salvatore’s eyes as he began to lead me up to the door. “Hmm, but a good overwhelmed, yes?”

I stopped before stepping inside the moving door. “Yes. You’ve definitely overwhelmed me in a good way.”

Salvatore bent down to put his mouth by my ear, and I felt the pressure on my lower back increase. “That’s a good place to start. But by the end of the night, I plan to do much more to you than that…in bad ways.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks and my cock reacted to the velvety promise in his voice as he shifted away and gestured to the door.

“After you.”

How the hell did he expect me to function after that? I could barely tear my eyes away from his face long enough to concentrate on the motion of the door to step inside it. Somehow, I made it through without causing any bodily damage to myself, and Salvatore was right there seconds after directing me through the most elegant lobby I had ever set foot in.

Marble floors so shiny you could see your own reflection glittered under the light from the enormous chandelier that hung in the center, and as I was led through it with my mouth agape, I was absolutely speechless. The building was stunning, and we were only in the lobby.

We came up to the bank of elevators, and three metal detectors and several security staff were standing by them and sitting behind the screens. A big, burly man by the closest screen looked up and spotted Salvatore, and immediately inclined his head in greeting.

“Good evening, Mr. Wolfe,” he said, addressing Salvatore in a tone that relayed his respect and Salvatore’s…authority.

I frowned, confused by the display. How did he know Salvatore? But when all the other guards greeted him in much the same way, I started to suspect there was more going on here than Salvatore had told me.

“Evening, gentlemen,” Salvatore said as he stepped through the security checkpoint and then turned to look at me where I stood still and silent. He chuckled and raised his hand, crooking his finger at me to follow suit. As I walked through, I heard Salvatore say to the guard, “It’s his first time here. Thought I’d show him the beauty of Westport at night.”

When I got to the other side without incident, the guard looked down at me and nodded. “You’re going to love it. Great food. Great view—you aren’t afraid of heights, are you?”

I shook my head, still trying to work out how Salvatore was so friendly with these guys. Did he bring all his dates here?

“In that case, you’re going to love it up there. It takes forty-three seconds to get to the top, so hang on.”

Salvatore walked over to the elevator and hit the up button, and when it immediately chimed and the doors opened, I looked behind me to where more people were now lined up to go through security but were being detained for the moment.

I hurried over to where Salvatore had his hand on the door, and when I brushed by him, I finally spoke. “Don’t we have to wait for a full elevator?” I said, thinking of the time I’d been crammed in an elevator to the top of the Empire State Building. Salvatore stepped inside, removed his hand, and as the doors shut, he moved to where I stood with my back to the wall. His height and formidable presence immediately made me forget anyone other than him, and when he placed his fingers beneath my chin to tilt my face up toward his, I nearly forgot my own name.

“No one rides with me unless they have my permission. And tonight, you are that person.”

Before I could respond, the elevator began to move, and Salvatore crushed his mouth down over the top of mine. I moved to clutch at his biceps as the elevator shot up, and my stomach flipped from the high-speed ascent and Salvatore’s mouth devouring mine. What a rush. My knees felt weak and my cock throbbed as Salvatore ground his entire body against me, and I dug my fingers harder into his arms, using his body as an anchor to both the ground and reality.

How long did the guard say the trip to the top was? Forty-three seconds? Well, that was all it took for my brain to be completely and utterly obliterated.

All too soon, the elevator dinged to announce its arrival at our destination, and as Salvatore straightened, a thrill went through me that anyone who would see us now would notice his swollen lips and know I’d been the reason for them. No doubt mine would look the same, and as the doors opened, Salvatore’s hand went to my lower back, guiding me out of the elevator and into the restaurant that took up the entire top floor of the building.

“Mr. Wolfe, good evening,” the hostess said as we approached her desk. “A table for two at your usual?”

“Yes, Rey. Thank you.”

The hostess smiled at us and grabbed a couple of menus, and as we followed, I was more than aware of Salvatore’s hand still resting on my lower back. As we made our way through the tables, I could feel the stares of those we passed, and it was all I could do not to check that I was missing a button, or that I’d made sure to zip up my pants. Or maybe I’d left some toothpaste on my chin? Don’t fidget, just keep moving. That was easier said than done, though, because at every table we passed, there were nods in our direction, followed by whispers. I could just make out the words Salvatore Wolfe, but beyond that, I could only guess why we were drawing so much attention. A gay couple wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary in Westport, so maybe it was just that Salvatore was so damn good-looking. He’d get my attention, that was for sure.

“Here you are,” the hostess said, setting the menus down at a table by the window that overlooked the city. Night would be falling soon, and the view of the sun setting over the buildings and the ocean beyond was stunning. As we took our seats, our hostess was quickly replaced by a waiter in a sharp blue suit, and he smiled warmly at both of us before turning his attention to Salvatore.

“Mr. Wolfe, it’s so nice to see you again. How may we serve you this evening?”

“A bottle of Malbec and the beef carpaccio to start, please, Alexei.”

“Absolutely, Mr. Wolfe.”

As Alexei left, I picked up the napkin in the shape of a fan and placed it in my lap. Salvatore was on a first-name basis with everyone in the building, it seemed, and this table was “his usual.” Once again, I wondered how many others he’d brought here. I didn’t want to think about that, not while I was sitting here at this beautiful restaurant with an even more beautiful man, but as I looked up and caught a few stares from surrounding diners, I felt the niggling insecurity that I didn’t belong in this world rise inside.

“What’s on your mind?” Salvatore asked.

“Do you come here often?”

“Yes.” When I didn’t follow that up right away, a hint of a smile turned up Salvatore’s lips. “Go ahead. Ask me.”

“Ask you what?”

“The question that’s all over your face, little lamb.”

I fiddled with the napkin in my lap. “Well, it’s not really my business—”

“Isn’t it?”

Looking up, I saw the unflinching honesty in his eyes, but I still hesitated.

“Jesse, I plan to be inside you by the end of the night, so if it’s not your business tonight, then I don’t know a more appropriate time.”

My eyes widened, and then I let out a nervous chuckle. Would I ever stop being surprised by the things that came out of his mouth? “Do you…come here alone, or… I mean, do you bring all your dates here?”

“No, I don’t. And I also told you I don’t date.”

“Then what do you call this?”

“A first time for everything.”

My smile gave away exactly how I felt about his answer, as the waiter returned with a bottle of Malbec. He proceeded to uncork it, and then he poured a small amount for Salvatore to taste. Salvatore kept his eyes on mine as he lifted the glass to his nose, and then he took a sip of the wine, and as he swirled it in his mouth, my gaze dropped down to his lips. I wouldn’t mind tasting the wine that way…

Salvatore swallowed, and when my eyes caught the movement, he smirked. “I think this’ll do nicely, Alexei,” he said, placing his glass back on the table and running his fingers up and down the stem. When our glasses were filled, he held his up, and I followed his lead. “To getting to know each other better.”

I nodded as he touched his glass to mine, and he held my gaze as I lifted the wine to my lips. The taste was bitter, and I only managed a small sip before setting it back on the table. Okay, that one is going to take some getting used to.

“Something wrong with the wine?”

“Oh, uh… No, it’s fine.”

“Try again.”

I blushed and fingered the edge of my napkin. “Well, I don’t really drink a lot of wine.”

“Ah. So it’s not to your taste?”

Uh, not at all. How awkward to admit I didn’t have the palate for a super-expensive wine and would prefer dollar drafts at one of the pubs I went to when I had spare change. “I’m sure it’s great, but it might take some getting used to.”

Salvatore fingered the lip of the glass. “That’s a shame. Red wine pairs so nicely with the lamb I’m going to eat later.”

* * *

Ah, yes, there it is. The heat that rose to Jesse’s cheeks any time I mentioned my…appetite was something to behold. His virtue was beguiling and sent the blood straight to my cock.

“You can’t keep saying things like that,” he said, looking down again.

“I can do and say whatever I like. Especially when I know how much you enjoy it. Tell me, are you hard right now?”

“What?” Jesse looked around at the other diners and then back at me.

“I asked you a question. I expect an answer.”

“You might want to keep your voice down or we’ll get kicked out.”

I chuckled. “No, we won’t.”

“How do you know? I’m sure it’s a rule, like indecent exposure or something, but with words.”

“Because I own the building, and if I wanted to fuck you right here on the table, they still wouldn’t throw me out.”

The expression on Jesse’s face at that comment was a mix of shock and scandal, and hell if I didn’t want to do exactly what I’d just proposed.

“You, uh… What?” he said as he blinked and shook his head.

“I own the building. I own this restaurant. I own every one of these lovely staff members due to the handsome paycheck I give them every two weeks, and at the museum gala the other night, you agreed that I own you. So, Jesse, I’m going to ask you one last time. Are you hard right now?”

Jesse shifted in his seat, and I already knew the answer. But I wanted him to say it. I wanted the young man opposite me to be comfortable in his own body so when I finally got my hands on him, he wasn’t second-guessing himself.

“Yes,” he said so softly that I barely heard it.

I stretched my legs under the table, put a foot between his, and kicked lightly at one of his ankles. “I didn’t hear you. Speak up, Jesse, unless you want me to find out for myself.”

Jesse hesitated, and I thought for a moment the little lamb might shock me, but then he seemed to shake himself out of the trance and answered. “Yes. I’m hard right now.”

Without looking away from him, I picked up my glass, took a sip, then asked, “And why are you hard?”

I could see his chest rise and fall as he continued to hold my stare. “Because I like the way you talk to me.”

My eyes narrowed on him, and I took my time drinking in his features. His coloring was exquisite in the restaurant lighting. The blond hair, the light blue eyes, the peaches-and-cream complexion, and that soft pink mouth I wanted to fuck to a ripe red. “And how do I talk to you, Jesse?”

Jesse’s eyes darted around us before landing back on me, and when they did, he sucked in a breath. My intentions were clearly written all over my face.

“Like you own me…all of me. Like, I don’t have a say.”

“You don’t,” I told him, and his cheeks got impossibly redder. “And you like that, I see.”

“I, uh, never thought about it before.”

“And now that you have?”

Jesse nodded. “I like it…a lot.”

I raised a hand and gave a flick of my wrist but didn’t bother looking behind me, knowing Alexei would be at the ready for my signal. And when he arrived not a second later, Jesse startled a little and looked up at him.

“What can I get for you tonight, Mr. Wolfe?”

I glanced at Jesse, who was now looking down at the menu, having realized he’d yet to pick something out, and asked, “Do you know what you’d like, or would you like me to order for you?”

He peered over at me with those beautiful eyes of his and gave a quick nod. “Please do. I’ll eat anything.”

I felt a devil’s smile cross my lips at Jesse’s words. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

When Jesse realized what he’d said, his eyes flew up to check on Alexei, but he was too busy waiting on his employer to notice the other occupant at the table cringing. I ordered a three-course meal for the both of us, and when Alexei left, I settled back in my seat and studied the man across from me.

Jesse seemed more at ease now, as he too relaxed into his surroundings after the bartender brought out the beer he’d just ordered. I took another sip of my wine, trying to decide where I wanted to start with him. I wanted to get him talking, wanted to learn more about him. I wanted to know what obstacles, if any, were going to stand in my way.

It was time to lead this little lamb where I wanted him to go.