Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 2

November 19, 2112

MATT turned twenty-five today. He knew James would never remember. It didn‟t bother him; that was the kind of guy James was. He did lots of things on regular days of the year to make Matt feel special. And if Matt had anything to say about it, James was about to make Matt‟s birthday very, very special. “James?” He knew his voice was a little tentative, but he was asking for something he‟d never asked for, and it was a little… freaky. As in the kinky kind of freaky. James was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the news on a comp tablet, not really paying attention. Matt could tell James wasn‟t picking up any psychic signals from him. If he were, he‟d be focused on Matt. James wouldn‟t be able to focus on anything else, not with how horny Matt was. Not to mention Matt didn‟t always let James into his head, so when he did, James usually paid attention. Usually. When he noticed. When James didn‟t answer right away, Matt tried again. “James?” He might normally get snappy at this point, but not this time. He wanted something. He really, really wanted something. “Hmmm, baby?” James didn‟t turn to look, preoccupied. But just the sound of that deep voice made Matt squirm a little. Even though James still wasn‟t really paying attention yet.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 3 Matt took a deep breath. “Will you spank me?” He said it so fast it almost ran into a single word. James sat straight up in his chair, set down the tablet, stared out the window across from him, and didn‟t say a word. His broad shoulders looked tense. Uh-oh. Slowly James turned, and Matt could feel the mental connection now. His body sideways in the chair, eyes heavylidded and partially obscuring their honeyed color, James rumbled at him, “You really want me to, don‟t you, baby?” Oh God. Matt fucking loved the rumbly voice. He nodded mutely, looking at James and fingering the drawstring on his thin cotton pants. Squirming a little more, thighs rubbing together, balls caressed by rough hair and smooth skin. Wishing it was James‟s hair and skin against him. Getting harder than his imagination had managed up 'til now. James reached out a hand and captured Matt‟s wrist, stroking the soft inside with one calloused thumb. “Oh, yeah, baby. I can spank you.” But instead of drawing Matt forward, yanking down his pajama pants, throwing him over his lap and whaling on his ass, James stood up. Matt whimpered a little in disappointment and need. He looked at James from under his lashes. James quirked a lopsided smile at him. The psychic link wasn‟t infallible. Sometimes all James got were feelings and impressions, sometimes words, and occasionally images. Matt had really been hoping James would get the image. The one of Matt naked over James‟s lap, ass bright pink as James‟s hand landed on it over and over (and over) again. James fully clothed, pinning Matt‟s

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 4 wrists behind his back with the hand that wasn‟t abusing his ass. James chuckled at his whimper. “I know what you want. But we‟re doing this my way. How long have you wanted me to do this?” He stepped in closer to Matt. James was broader and more muscular, and when he used his size to intimidate just a little, it always made shivers run down Matt‟s spine. In a really good way. He looked in James‟s eyes, just the tiniest bit ashamed still. But the need won out. He gave a faux-nonchalant shrug. “Couple months?” He looked down at the drawstring he was fingering, then back up. James smiled more fully. Still stroking his wrist, he pulled Matt in and kissed him gently, rubbing his chapped lips against Matt‟s. “We‟re doing this my way,” James said again, breathing the words across Matt‟s lips. Matt felt goose bumps prickle their way up his back. “Tell me again you want it,” James rumbled against his ear, caressing Matt with his stubbly cheek. Matt took a deep breath and pulled back to look James in the eye. “I want you to spank me.” “No more talking,” James said in that voice. The incontrol voice he only (well mostly) used with Matt when they were playing. “You don‟t say another word until I give you permission. You can make all the other noises you want.” James turned and pulled him into their bedroom by the wrist. Thank God, he’s going to do it. James walked right through the bedroom and into the bathroom. He turned on the shower, steaming hot. The water shower, not the sonic one they‟d installed when they bought

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 5 this place. The sonic one was for getting clean. The water was for playing. Anymore, just the sound of the shower could make Matt hard. James got the temperature he wanted and turned to Matt. “Get naked.” James‟s eyes were focused on the tent in his pants as Matt brought down the big top. So to speak. He looked down to see what James saw. Matt was hard as hell, his slim prick curving up and out from his body, a bead of pre-come just hanging off the head, the skin flushing bright pink. James said he turned that color all over when he came. Just the thought of James watching that color sweep down his back sometimes made Matt go over. “Undress me.” Matt took a short breath and reached out to pull up James‟s shirt, exposing his abdomen. Matt stopped, running a hand across the hard muscle there, pulling gently on the hair below James‟s navel. “No playing. Just take off my clothes.” Matt looked into James‟s eyes. He had that stony, expressionless look he used when he didn‟t want anyone to guess what he was thinking. Matt secretly thought of it as his masterful look. James let a slow grin curve his mouth. “You can call me „sir‟ if that does it for you.” Matt swallowed. There were advantages and disadvantages to having a psychic boyfriend. He pulled the shirt over James‟s head. James‟s hands fell back down to his sides once Matt had it off, his face inscrutable again as Matt reached for his pants. Matt

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 6 unsealed the fly and sucked in a breath. James was going commando today. As soon as he had the fly open far enough, James‟s hard cock sprang out. It was all Matt could do not to skate a finger up the underside or slip a hand under James‟s balls and palm them, letting James‟s heavy cock brush against his forearm. James was deliciously thick, with a heavily flared rim around the base of his cock head. Matt‟s sphincter clenched, a very visceral reaction to the memory of what it felt like when James shoved into him. Matt swallowed hard and kept going. He moved slowly, watching James‟s cock sway as he pulled the pants off James‟s hips. Matt knelt on the floor to help James‟s legs out, although he didn‟t really need to. Mostly he did it because he needed to be closer to James‟s cock. God, it was right there, bobbing in front of his face, the foreskin retracted past the heavy ridge where the head met the meaty shaft. He imagined James slapping him in the face with it. Fuuuuuck. Matt wanted. He leaned in as unobtrusively as possible and drew a deep breath in through his nose. James smelled so fucking good, like sweat and man and sex. Matt clenched his ass again in response. Suddenly James‟s hand was in his hair, grabbing him roughly and yanking him back. “No,” James said in his rumbly voice, using his hold to tilt Matt‟s head back and forcing him to look into James‟s eyes. Matt shuddered and whimpered a little. “No,” James said again. Calmly, completely in control. Reprimanding him. Okay, no trying to pull one over on the psychic guy.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 7 James pulled him up by his hair, not hard enough to really hurt, but hard enough to make Matt‟s prick leak out more pre-come. James looked down and smiled, still holding Matt by his hair. He swiped the index finger of his other hand across the slit, making Matt gasp. He looked Matt in the eye as he stuck the finger in his mouth, sucking the droplets off. “Nice, Matty,” James rumbled at him. Don’tcomedon’tcomedon’tcome…. James let go of him suddenly, relaxing the pressure on Matt‟s neck. “Get in the shower.” Then he stood and stared at Matt, waiting for him to obey. Matt turned and opened the door to the stall. As he stepped in, James‟s hand landed on one ass cheek. Hard. Matt gave a surprised yelp and felt the heat spread out in waves from where James‟s hand had landed. Then a little tingle, which intensified around his asshole. Fuuuuuuuuck. More of the shuddering. James crowded him into the shower when he stopped, then roughly pushed him against the wall, face first. Matt was starting to think it would be just fine if James wanted to fuck him in the shower, and they could save the spanking for some other time. He planted his hands on the wall and pushed his ass out toward James, spreading his legs. But that wasn‟t the way it went down. James lathered up some shower gel and washed him. Carefully, in long, soothing strokes, first up his back, across his shoulders, down his arms. Then he crouched behind Matt and washed his legs in those same long strokes, starting at the ankle.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 8 Matt could feel James‟s breath on his ass and the occasional ghost-scrape of a stubbly cheek. Finally, he reached up with those hands and carefully washed Matt‟s ass. Caressing his cheeks, circular strokes, thumbs just entering the crack, but not where Matt really wanted them. Following the sensitive fold between cheek and thigh, but not far enough. Finally, James placed one soapy finger at the top of Matt‟s ass, right on his spine. And slowly dragged it down, between his cheeks, skating over the puckered entrance, then on to the perineum, stopping just behind Matt‟s balls. Matt shuddered while he did it, and shuddered again when James pressed up with his finger. “Ja—” “No talking,” James cut off his moan. He reversed the finger, stopping and swirling it around Matt‟s pucker, then slid his finger into Matt‟s asshole. Matt moaned wordlessly, bracing his forearms against the shower wall, pushing his ass out. James slid his finger back out, then in again, just ghosting across Matt‟s prostate, then out all the way. Matt moaned again. James stood up. Dammit. “Turn around, Matty.” Matt could hear the change in James‟s voice. It was still the rumbly voice, but no longer completely in control. James‟s breath was coming faster. Matt wiped the small smile off his face just before he turned, pressing his body against the tile, leaning his back against the wall now, hips a little forward. He gave James his best seductive look from under his lashes. If Matt could talk, he‟d be begging James to fuck him now. Impulse control wasn‟t really his forte. Maybe not being able to talk was a good thing.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 9 James smirked at Matt‟s thought, then lathered up more gel. He washed Matt‟s chest and abdomen, circling his nipples but only skating a gentle fingertip across the hardened buds occasionally. Matt fisted his hands and whined a little, then again when James crouched in front of him to do his legs. Matt was quivering by the time James got to his groin. Trying to dig his fingernails into the shower wall. But James stood up and took one of Matt‟s hands. He squirted some shower gel into Matt‟s palm. “You wash it.” He got some more gel for himself. James watched him as Matt lathered up his dick. While James ran soapy hands over his own body impersonally, his eyes focused intently on Matt fisting his cock and slowly stroking up to the head, then back down. Matt reached his other hand lower, soaping his balls. On his next stroke up he twisted his fingers over the head, moaning in the back of his throat, his eyes falling closed. Suddenly James fisted his hand over Matt‟s, squeezing a little. “No more, baby. I don‟t want you to come yet. But damn, you look sexy doing that.” He was nuzzling Matt‟s jaw just a little, leaning in but not letting their bodies touch. Matt gave another little moan and tried to bring his hips forward more, but James squeezed his hand harder, increasing the pressure on Matt‟s shaft. Matt moaned louder. “No.” James dropped his hand and shoved Matt under the water to rinse him off. Then he turned the water off and got out of the shower. Matt stood dumbly and dripped a minute. Then James reached in and pulled him out by the arm. He used a towel on Matt, rubbing him dry gently, the sensation too soft,

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 10 especially when James carefully patted his dick and balls dry. Gah. James took Matt‟s hand and led him into the bedroom. It was dark and shadowy, a little bit of light sneaking in past the blackout curtains, some from the open bathroom door. It felt safe. A safe place to play. Assuming they ever got to the playing part. James stood Matt beside the bed, then opened the nightstand drawer. Now he knew they were going to play— that was where they kept all the toys. Matt‟s ass clenched in anticipation as James pulled out lube and a small plug. Oh, fuck. He was going to spank him with a plug in? Matt could practically feel the blood draining from his head. As if his dick needed any more. James reached back into the drawer. And brought out the set of electro-magnetic cuffs. Matt bit his lip and moaned. A plug, a spanking, and bondage. Don’tcomedon’tcomedon’t come…. “C‟mere,” James rumbled, looking at him steadily. For just a second, James looked like a big golden lion. Lazy but powerful, honey-golden all over, from his short curly hair to his eyes to his skin. Toying with his prey before he leapt on him and ate him. Prey probably didn‟t enjoy it as much as Matt did, though. Especially the eating part. He took two steps forward, until he was all but touching James‟s hard cock with his own, looking into James‟s eyes. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back, wrists together.” Matt did as he was ordered. He could feel

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 11 James‟s cock just barely tracing patterns on one of his cheeks. Nnngh. James placed a cuff on each wrist, then held them together as he activated the electro-magnetic lock. Matt felt them jerk and lock his wrists securely together. He yanked a little, just to feel the restraint. Matt felt James looming back there, behind him, his cock tracing now-wet designs on him, feather light, James‟s breath on his neck. James wasn‟t any taller than him, but when he was in control like this, Matt always felt like James loomed. He shivered and arched a little. Suddenly Matt felt a hand on his ass, caressing a cheek. “You thinking about it, baby? About me pulling you across my lap and spanking you? My hand slapping your white ass as hard as I want, as long as I want, until you turn all pink? You think maybe I can make you come that way? Make you shoot your load all over my thigh? I won‟t touch your cock, you‟ll just come because I order you to. Then maybe I‟ll throw you down on the bed and fuck your ass hard. Shove my cock in your hole and pound it into you, fuck you through the mattress.” Matt whimpered and felt cold sweat and goose bumps prickle up his back. A shiver worked its way up from the end of his spine. “Or maybe I won‟t let you come. I‟ll stop spanking your ass and put you on your knees and make you suck me. Fuck your throat until you can‟t breathe and hold my cock there until I shoot, let you hump air. You‟d like that, wouldn‟t you, baby? You like being my little bitch.” James slapped his ass again, the pain instant and hot. Matt‟s asshole clenched convulsively, and he barely stopped himself from begging. But that would be talking, and it wasn‟t allowed, and Matt wouldn‟t do anything that might end this now.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 12 James caressed him again. “Mmmmm. Like seeing my handprint on you, Matty.” He stepped back and Matt panicked. That wasn‟t it, was it? But James had stepped in front of him and was sitting on the side of their bed. He patted his thigh. “Spread your pretty ass out, for me, baby. Lay yourself across my legs.” It took a minute to maneuver with his hands behind his back, but James grabbed his shoulder and helped him down. Matt could feel James‟s rough hair on his lower abdomen and thighs, and he wiggled a little to increase the friction. The head of his cock scraped James‟s thigh, just a little. “Unnngh.” He loved the roughness of James‟s hair, and his stubble and calloused hands too. One calloused hand was stroking and petting his ass, the rough skin occasionally catching at Matt‟s smooth skin, increasing the sensations shooting across his cheeks. James grabbed his bound wrists and pulled him forward a little so that Matt‟s ass was tilted up into the air. He could feel air on his hole, and his cock was rubbing against James‟s thigh. Oh fuck. Matt wiggled a little, feeling James‟s eyes on his ass, watching him squirm. He felt hypersensitized, like everything was hot-wired to his asshole. James‟s finger, slippery with lube, slid between his cheeks. After circling Matt‟s pucker a few times, James pressed down gently with the pad of his finger and pushed into Matt‟s ass. He twisted it around, then slowly started stroking in and out, the friction of his finger against the gripping muscle making Matt moan. Matt clenched, just to get more friction. James laughed quietly. “Greedy, aren‟t you?” He slid in another finger, and Matt gave a little hip swivel, as much as

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 13 he could manage in this position. The second finger stretched him more, just enough to get a taste of that almost uncomfortable pleasure. Matt hung his head down and moaned, relaxing and tensing up at the same time. James finger-fucked Matt slowly, not touching his gland directly, just gliding past, ghost touches. Rubbing around inside him, stroking all the other hotspots, slippery and just that tiniest bit rough. Teasing. Then James pulled out. Matt tried to follow, but James was holding his wrists at the small of his back, holding him down. “‟M gonna put in this plug so you‟re ready for me if I decide to fuck you, Matt. Not as big as me, so it‟ll still burn some when I push into you.” Matt moaned again at James‟s words. He felt the cool tip of the plug push against his hole and slide in slowly, James fucking in and out with it for a minute while Matt panted and squirmed and groaned. James popped the largest part of the plug in past Matt‟s sphincter and held it a second, then slipped it out again. Then he did it again, finally sliding it all the way home, resting it alongside Matt‟s prostate, the flared base caught between Matt‟s ass cheeks. It wasn‟t as thick as James, was barely as thick as his two fingers. Enough to keep him wanting, not enough not satisfy him. Matt whimpered in frustration and pushed back into air. “You still want me to spank you, Matty? Think it, don‟t say it.” Matt nodded so hard he nearly overbalanced. Fuck, yes. James reached down between Matt‟s thighs and fisted his prick. Matt‟s head shot up, his neck muscles straining. “Oh, fuuuu—!” Matt stopped himself from saying the word

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 14 just in time. James played with him a minute, stroking his shaft but not touching the head, tapping the plug with the finger of his other hand. “Nngh!” Matt gasped. He was shaking now, wondering when the spanking was going to— James‟s hand hit his ass right in the center, the stinging blow landing on both cheeks. “Aaah!” Heat, then pain and tingling. Matt felt his dick pulse, the heartbeat strong in it, as James let go of his shaft. Pre-come was welling out, coating James‟s thigh as he spanked Matt again and again. Matt gripped his fingers together at the small of his back. It hurt like fuck. James was holding back a little, but he was slapping Matt with his full palm, and within ten strokes, Matt‟s ass was on fire. And stinging and tingling and hot. And it felt so. Fucking. Good. The tingling pain intensified with each slap, and Matt could feel it spreading to his cock and balls and asshole and vibrating up his spine. He started to tilt his hips up for the next stroke, each one coming randomly. Flinching when James‟s hand landed on his ass but needing it again immediately. Pushing up for James‟s next blow, begging silently. He could almost see how pink his ass must be by now, and it made him shudder even more. His prick bobbed against James‟s thigh, and the plug jiggled in his asshole. Every time James‟s hand landed on him, sensation radiated from the contact all through his groin and up his spine, and it was more intense with each stroke. James‟s hand became his sole focus. Matt could feel himself building up to an incredible explosion. He was practically choking on it. James was

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 15 forcing it out of him, stoking it and feeding it and coaxing him into this intense state of pleasure pain. Just one more stroke. Matt tilted his ass up and held himself, quivering, waiting for it. James gently laid his hand on Matt‟s ass, his fingers stroking lightly. “Fuck, Matty. That‟s so hot. Your ass is pink, and you‟re pushing it toward me, your balls tight between your legs and that plug…. Fuck.” James grabbed Matt‟s bound wrists and hauled him onto the bed on his stomach, his legs hanging over the edge, barely managing to keep him off the floor. James planted his hands inside Matt‟s thighs, forcing his legs open. Matt whined and panted, caught between wanting more of the spanking and wanting what he knew was coming. James reached between his ass cheeks and roughly pulled out the butt plug, dropping it on the floor. Matt‟s sphincter muscle spasmed. James spread Matt open with one hand and guided his cock with the other, pushing into Matt‟s ass relentlessly. It burned, just enough to echo the burn of his skin. So much better than the plug. James kept shoving into him, forcing him open slowly, but never stopping. Matt let out a long, high-pitched moan. Keening. James‟s skin and hair were rough against Matt‟s freshly spanked ass. Matt shifted a little once James was fully in, the friction on his sensitized skin causing more of that zinging heat to spread through him. “Gonna fuck you hard, baby,” James rumbled in his ear, his voice hoarse. He slipped his arms under Matt, gripping his shoulder with one hand, pinching a nipple with the other. Then he pulled almost all the way out and plunged

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 16 back in, fucking Matt as hard as he‟d promised. He started out rough and fast, no buildup. James pushed himself up on his arms for leverage, planting one hand in the middle of Matt‟s back. Matt was yelling his head off. James was hitting his prostate with nearly every stroke, although he was too out of control to have any precision. Or rhythm. Matt didn‟t need it. His ass was on fire inside and out; that explosion building inside him was more intense than before. He hunched his back, humping the bed as James slammed into him again, pegging his gland. “Come for me, Matt,” James gasped in his ear. Then he bit down on the back of Matt‟s neck, hard. Matt couldn‟t resist the feeling of being controlled by James plowing his ass and holding him down with his teeth. He screamed out James‟s name, his cock shooting and his ass clenching around James‟s cock, intensifying the whole orgasm. James plunged into him repeatedly, pulling another spasm and release with each thrust. Matt‟s whole body clenched with each stroke, and the room started going black and white. And fuzzy. Then he floated.

WHEN Matt came to, he was on his stomach still, but out of the wet spot, his body resting on the cool sheets. He could feel James‟s heavy hand on the small of his back, James‟s body snuggled tight up to his side, James‟s lips on his shoulder. There was something on his wrists. Matt cracked his eyes enough to see the one in front of his face.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 17 Oh. The cuffs. James had deactivated them, obviously. Matt sighed. He was still floating. Just, you know, consciously. Everything was perfect in his world. James loomed over his back, scraping stubble across his bare shoulders and the back of his neck. Matt tried to nuzzle into him, but it required too much energy. James gently rolled him over on his side and rested his shoulder under Matt‟s head. “Okay, baby?” James whispered, then kissed his temple. “Mmmmmmmm.” That was all he had. “I wasn‟t too rough?” He had to know the answer to this. “Mm-mm.” No way. “Perfect,” Matt managed to mumble. James brought his other arm around Matt and gently skated a hand over the skin of his lower back. Matt shivered and wiggled into James, just a little. “I need to find something for the skin on your ass. It‟s going to be painful if I don‟t.” “Mmmmmm.” Like he cared right now? “Do it later, I guess.” Matt leaned forward a little and kissed James‟s chest. He snuggled in more. James tightened his arms. “You‟re on an endorphin high, baby.” Huh. That was nice. James gave a snorting laugh. “You‟re wide open right now, Matty. Can read your mind.” Oh. That made things easier. I love you. “I love you too,” James rumbled. “And that was fucking hot. You came so hard you passed out.” ?????

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 18 “Yeah, you did. I almost did too. Hope your ass can take how often I want to do that in the future.” “Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.” That sounded fucking awesome. James sighed, a happy-sounding sigh. Matt could hear the smile in his voice. “Happy birthday, baby.” Matt cracked an eye open and looked at James, looming over him again. He did remember. James lowered his head, tracing his lips across Matt‟s cheek and jaw. “Guess this‟ll beat the surprise party all to shit.” Fuck. James was ruining his endorphin high. “When?” Matt managed to ask. “Oh, your mom should be here in fifteen minutes or so.” “Fuck!” Matt shot up, wincing when his red skin met the bed sheets. James was laughing, the bastard. But when Matt glared at him, James pulled him down again, this time onto his stomach. “C‟mon, baby. I‟ll get some of that cream we use on your nipples when I play with them too much. That‟ll help your skin. It‟ll look weird to everyone if you can‟t sit down all day.” “Everyone who?” Matt asked suspiciously. James shrugged. He was enjoying this, the jerk. “Oh, just the team, mostly.” The other members of their top secret task force, in other words. Great, that was like fifteen-plus people, once you figured in significant others. “And the rest of your family.” Matt groaned. “Get the fucking cream,” he growled to a smirking James. Although it would be nice to see all of his

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 19 cousins, not just the ones on Task Force Iota. And maybe even his brother, if the little fucker could get leave. Matt let go of his tension, pillowing his head on his arms while James massaged the skin of his butt, then his lower back and thighs. James had just started kissing up his spine when Matt heard his mother‟s voice in the hallway. “Matt? Happy birthday! Where are you guys?” She sounded dangerously close to the bedroom. But James was up and dealing with her before Matt‟s heart rate could even pick up. James must have picked up on her psychic signature before she called out. He flipped a sheet over Matt and walked out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him. “Hey, Gabi, Matt‟s just resting. We can get him up in a bit.” “It‟s not even 1300 hours,” she said suspiciously. Matt could almost hear the smirk in James‟s voice. “Yeah. I, uh, tired him out.” His mother didn‟t say anything back, but Matt could swear he heard her smirk too. He rolled his eyes but ignored them and drifted off again, while their voices faded down the hall toward the kitchen.

WHEN James came back to get him before 1400—who planned a party for the middle of the afternoon? Had to be his mother‟s idea—he laid out some stuff for Matt to wear. Huh. Had James ever done that before? “Wear this, baby.” Jeez, he was heavy on the “baby” today. Matt looked up at him, lifting up from his stomach onto his elbows. James leaned down to kiss him. He was

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 20 being especially demonstrative today too. James just smiled. “It‟s your birthday present.” Matt sat up—his skin was bearable, thank God—and looked at what James had laid out for him. Jeans and a simple T-shirt, but in some slinky fabric. No shorts. Jeans were Matt‟s favorites. He was a natural fibers slut even though they cost a fortune, especially cotton, since most of the world strictly rationed water for ag anymore. James kissed him again. “And don‟t take off the wrist cuffs,” he rumbled in Matt‟s ear before leaving the room. “No shoes, either.” Wordlessly, Matt watched James walk out of the room. He‟d definitely never done that before—tell Matt what to do outside the bedroom. Or the living room, kitchen, bathroom or… well, outside of sex. And he had to know that at least some people would know what the cuffs were…. Matt shivered. Either from lust or discomfort, he wasn‟t sure which.

THE jeans were new cotton, not recycled. They had to have cost James a fortune. Thousands US. And they felt fantastic on his ass, which really needed some TLC. They were predistressed, which he generally thought was a load of crap (and unnecessary, since he always bought recycled jeans), but he appreciated it today. And the cuffs…. No one had said anything. Yet. They were covered in faux leather and looked decorative. But they made Matt feel a little bit… owned. And when he combined

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 21 that with the cotton rubbing against his still somewhat tender skin? He spent a lot of time thinking about things guaranteed to kill a hard-on. “Nice wrist cuffs,” Laslo was saying. Matt came out of his daze to look over at his cousin. Who was smirking at Matt‟s wrists. Jesus, everyone was a smirker today, weren‟t they? “Ooops,” Matt said, for lack of anything else to say. He knew he must be blushing. Laslo, of course, knew exactly what they were, having given them to Matt and all. Logan, Laslo‟s husband, wandered up about then. “Hey, yeah, Matt. Those look kinda familiar. I think I saw them before in… oh.” Logan turned as pink as Matt must be. “Nice party,” he mumbled, then took a long drink from his beer. Fortunately, James came to Matt‟s rescue. Sort of. He walked up behind Matt and slipped his arms around him, then addressed Laslo. “Hey, now, Laslo, leave my baby alone. It‟s his birthday.” Matt raised a mental eyebrow. Laslo raised an actual eyebrow. “Your „baby‟, huh?” It wasn‟t that James was undemonstrative in front of others, but he didn‟t generally going around calling Matt anything other than Matt—or, in extreme situations, Matty—in front of other people. James went on before Laslo could say more. “It‟s not every day a guy turns twenty-five, you know.” Matt raised his other eyebrow—this time the actual one. James even remembered how old he was? He hadn‟t remembered last year, and they‟d barely been together a month, then. The man had hidden depths.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 22 Altogether it was a good birthday party. Embarrassingly, and to his secret delight, people brought him presents. “What‟d James get you?” someone, probably Jude, the obnoxious prick, yelled out. Again James acted uncharacteristically. “He‟s wearing it,” he answered, standing next to Matt with a hand in the small of his back. Everyone looked at Matt‟s wrist cuffs. Gah. Matt swallowed. And shivered. “And I gave him his birthday spanking.” James‟s hand slipped down to Matt‟s ass and gave it a sharp pat, making Matt jump a little. Everyone laughed, most people thinking it was a joke. Matt caught Laslo looking pointedly at his wrists again. That was the final straw. Matt flushed bright red and yanked James into a shadowy corner. He hid his face in James‟s shoulder. And punched the laughing asshole in the chest. Fucker was lucky that was all he did. Matt knew at least three moshuh nanren moves that could silence James‟s laughter permanently right now. Laslo wasn‟t stingy in sharing his esoteric martial arts shit with his siblings and cousins. Even with Jude the Obnoxious Bastard. Instead, Matt leaned in again and kissed James‟s neck, right where it met his shoulder. Not that he deserved it. Still laughing a little, James wrapped his other arm around Matt, pulling him into a bear hug. Matt slipped his arms around James. James‟s stubbly cheek scratched Matt‟s jaw; then James‟s rumbly voice spoke in his ear. “Admit it, you like it. You like people knowing you‟re my bitch, baby.”

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 23 “Not my parents.” Matt would be the first to admit that he was whining. Really, the situation called for it. James shuddered. “No, not them. God,” he choked out. Their place cleared out by 2000 hours, and Matt had wandered off to the bedroom when James didn‟t want his help cleaning up, not that he tried that hard to convince him. Wasn‟t that why they had a house-bot? It had been Matt‟s turn to be the drunken asshole, it being his birthday and all, but he hadn‟t actually had that much to drink. Mostly, Jude had been the drunken asshole. Shocking. Except… James had been awfully affectionate. And demonstrative. And unembarrassed by the many sexual allusions and innuendos he had made. And James had made a lot of sexual allusions and innuendos. The fuck was going on with him? “You‟re not reading, baby.” James had walked in while Matt was zoning out. “Not really,” Matt agreed, setting aside the blank comp tablet he‟d been staring at for the last hour. “Mostly thinking.” “‟Bout what?” James was smirking a little, as if he knew what Matt was thinking about already. Which he more or less did, of course. “‟Bout me?” Matt threw a pillow at the smug, mind-reading dick. James caught it and strolled to the bed to replace it. He leaned across Matt to do it, and when he stood up, he casually picked up one of Matt‟s hands. “You‟re still wearing your cuffs.” James ran a thumb across Matt‟s skin on the

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 24 underside of his wrist, back and forth, looking down at the cuff. “Yeah.” Did his voice sound husky? “You told me to, remember?” “Yeah,” James rumbled softly at him. Matt shivered, then pulled on James to sit next to him. He didn‟t really expect him to do it, though. James sat. Then he stretched out and pulled Matt down next to him, pulling Matt‟s head onto his chest. “Lights,” James told the room, and the lights went out, only the light from the bathroom coming in. “D‟you turn on the security?” “Yeah.” “Program the house-bot for breakfast?” James just nodded this time. “James, did you have a lot to drink?” His shoulder shifted under Matt‟s head as James shrugged. “Nah. Don‟t think so.” “James, you‟re being strange.” There, he‟d finally said it. Matt held his breath. James took a deep breath in, then blew it out. Loudly. “Yeah.” Matt waited. And waited. Finally he pulled his head up off James‟s chest and whacked it. “You‟ve been unusually vocal and demonstrative all day, and now you clam up?” He stared down at James. He couldn‟t quite meet Matt‟s eyes. He shrugged. Then he mumbled something. “What?”

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 25 “I said, „I wanted to show you how much you mean to me‟,” James practically yelled. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “And I guess I had a couple extra beers.” God, that was just so… sweet. James flinched a little when Matt thought the word. He almost looked ashamed of himself. Matt laid his head on James‟s chest, hiding his satisfied smirk. “I know what you‟re feeling, Matt,” James said a bit disgustedly. “You don‟t have to pretend you aren‟t laughing at me.” “But babe, I‟m not laughing!” Matt‟s head shot back up, and he looked at James with a mildly horrified expression. “You know that.” “Yeah,” James mumbled, playing with Matt‟s fingers and avoiding looking in his eyes. Matt laid his head down on James‟s hard muscles again, content to wait James out, now. James definitely had more to say, but Matt could be patient. Maybe. Matt sighed. Muscles felt so good when he ran his hands across them and looked so good when James took off his shirt. But for pillowing his head while he patiently waited for his boyfriend to spill? Not so much. He moved his head a little, trying to find a more comfortable spot. Then he did it again. James got sick of his wiggling and rolled over, turning Matt on his side and spooning up behind him. He pulled the sheet from Matt and slid under. “You‟re still wearing your jeans.” “I liked them, babe.”

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 26 “They make your ass look hot,” James rumbled. He pushed his hips into Matt‟s ass a little. Matt pushed back. “Love your ass. Love it that you exfoliate your skin so it‟s always smooth for me.” “You know about that?” Matt tried to sit up, horrified, but James held him down with one heavy arm. He snorted. “‟Course I know.” Jesus, that was embarrassing. “Why are you embarrassed? Just you doing something because you know I like it. I shave with an old-fashioned electric razor for you.” Oh, yeah. Matt relaxed again and pushed back into James some more. James slid a big hand down and palmed one cheek. “Skin still sore, baby?” “A little.” “Maybe I should take a look?” James‟s voice had gone into the low-pitched rumble. “Yeah, maybe.” Matt‟s voice was almost a whisper. Slowly, James slid his hand around to the front of Matt‟s jeans, cupping him a second, tracing his fingers up Matt‟s growing erection, then finding the closure and unsealing the fly. He slipped a hand inside and traced fingertips across Matt‟s skin. “Mmmmm, no shorts. Good boy.” “You didn‟t lay any out for me,” Matt whispered. His breath was coming a little faster, and he could feel the muscles in his abdomen tensing up. James leaned forward and kissed the back of Matt‟s neck. “Was that alright?”

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 27 “Telling me what to wear? It was kinda hot.” Matt pushed back into James‟s hips and felt his erection. He ground his ass against James. “We‟ve never played like that before. But I got you those jeans, and you looked so hot with the wrist cuffs, and I wanted to show you off. I wanted everyone to see how sexy you are and know you‟re mine.” Matt squirmed a little, breathing heavier. James thrust his hips against Matt, prodding him with his prick. James‟s fingers traced across the skin of Matt‟s lower abdomen, searching out his cock. He found it and ran a single finger up the underside. Matt shuddered. “I wanted to remember how worked up I can get you. No one else can do that for you, baby.” The way James was wrapping his fingers around him, Matt almost missed the significance of that. But it clicked, finally. A few seconds late, but he made the connection. Matt stilled his hips and opened his eyes, staring into their darkened bedroom. James wanted Matt to know how much he meant to James. He wanted everyone to see Matt was his. He wanted to remember how crazy he could make Matt. He wanted to know no one else could do that for Matt. Matt rolled over suddenly, James‟s hand sliding off his prick as he moved. James wouldn‟t meet his eyes. “Baby, you know I love you.” “Yeah.” James‟s voice was rough. “I‟m never going to forget, James. Or stop loving you.” “How do you know that?” Now James looked at him, but his voice sounded a little bit choked.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 28 “I know. Do you feel that way about me?” Somehow Matt knew James did. “Yeah.” Still rough, but not choking. “And you can read my feelings, babe, right?” James swallowed. “Yeah.” “So how can you think I would ever change my mind?” James looked away again, shrugging. “How come you‟re the empath, but I‟m the one who‟s sure about this?” James cleared his throat. “„Don‟t know.” Matt was at a loss now. “Is it because I never fuck you?” James looked at him like he‟d misplaced his head. “No. We have great sex.” Couldn‟t argue with that. “Do you feel like there‟s something I‟m not doing for you? Something that makes you feel insecure?” “Uhhh….” James just looked bewildered. Sometimes he was so fucking male. “I‟m an empath, Matt, not a psychologist.” “James, dammit, I don‟t want to go around wondering if you‟re feeling insecure all the time. I wanna figure this out. Work with me, here.” Matt glared at him. “Jesus, some people‟s kids,” he muttered. Oh. Wait. “James, babe, maybe it‟s my family.” “I like your family. Even your mom.” He was giving Matt the bewildered look again. “Yeah, but they‟re my family. You don‟t really have much of a family anymore.” Or any family, actually.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 29 If Matt had hit James upside the head with the comp tablet, he probably would have gotten a similar look. “You mean you think I feel like I don‟t belong?” James sounded like someone who‟d discovered squirrels playing checkers at his kitchen table with the house-bot. Not quite believable, but the evidence was right in front of him, so…. Matt pushed himself up over James, looking down at him, propped up on one elbow. He traced little circles on James‟s chest. “We can fix that.” He couldn‟t seem to speak above a whisper. “Fix what?” Matt took a deep breath and held it for a second. James was getting it, he could tell by the look in his eyes. “We can make you a part of my family. If that‟s what you want.” “Is that what you want?” James voice had gone beyond rumbly to rough. Matt watched his Adam‟s apple bob as he swallowed. “Yes.” Matt nodded slowly, looking into James‟s eyes. He thought that was what James wanted, and James had to know that was what Matt wanted, but he‟d give James the words (well, word) if that was what he needed. James swallowed again, his lips parted. Matt thought that it wasn‟t so much that he didn‟t have anything to say, but that he couldn‟t speak. James brought his hands up to Matt‟s face—Matt could see a slight tremor in his fingers— and slid one into his hair, cupping his cheek in the other. He pulled Matt‟s head down, lifting up to meet Matt‟s lips with his own. It was a strangely awkward kiss. The kind they‟d never had before, not even in the beginning. Not even the first time. James seemed unsure, but he was always so sure.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 30 For the first time, Matt took charge. He pressed down gently, forcing James‟s head down on the pillow, and he sucked on James‟s lips, sucked his tongue into Matt‟s mouth. He stroked it and explored and opened James fully. He continued kissing James, slipping one hand under James‟s shirt, tracing the muscles in his abdomen, following the furrow between them up from James‟s navel, exploring the landscape. James got goose bumps this time. Matt slid a leg over James‟s hips, gliding his thigh across James‟s erection. James made a noise Matt had never heard him make. Almost whining. Matt lifted his head in surprise. “Please,” James whispered. James‟s need was a bigger turn-on than Matt could have ever guessed. He was as hard as he‟d been when James had spanked him. “Shhh, baby. Let me make love to you.” Had he ever used those words before? he wondered as he kissed under James‟s chin, then took James‟s earlobe into his mouth and sucked. James moaned and arched up, clutching at Matt‟s back. Matt pulled himself more fully on top of James, kneeling over him so he could unseal James‟s pants. James reached down to help, frantically pushing his pants over his hips as soon as Matt had them open. Then he gripped Matt‟s hips and tried to bring them to his, but Matt resisted. He started tugging on James‟s shirt. He needed to feel more skin. Impatiently, James pulled himself up enough to whip the shirt over his head. Then Matt fell on top of him, skin to skin, rubbing them together, creating little sparks of friction and lust. He moved to the side just enough and reached down, gently cradling James‟s balls in his hand, rolling them

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 31 between his fingers and thumb. James pushed his hips up to Matt‟s hand, making more of the whining noises. Fuck, that was sexy. Was this how James felt when he had Matt nearly crazy with need? No wonder it made him hot. Matt nipped at James‟s shoulder and neck a little, reaching behind his balls with one finger to stroke James‟s perineum. James parted his legs. Matt took the invitation and slid between James‟s legs, pushing his pants down his hips too. He lay on top of James, his erection riding James‟s hip, his hand wrapped around James‟s shaft, running his thumb over the head and collecting the pre-come seeping out, rubbing it onto James‟s silky hot skin. Matt slid his hard prick in against James‟s, gripping them both in his fist. Using his fingers to stroke all James‟s hot spots. It felt amazing. Holding them together like this, James arching up for his touch, thrusting into his hand, begging with his body. Matt stroked experimentally, sliding his hand up, passing his thumb around James‟s cock head, thrusting against him at the same time. He could feel the sensitive skin on the underside of his dick sliding against James‟s, slipping skin, making him shudder. James groaned, arching up again, sliding one big hand down Matt‟s back to his ass. When Matt first felt James‟s rough calluses slide across his still sensitive skin, his control started to slip. He lost the rhythm he was trying to build, pushing against James hard, grunting. “James.” James slid his other hand down, gripping Matt‟s ass, digging his fingers in and pulling his cheeks apart, forcing Matt into him harder and faster. Taking the control Matt had given up. Matt lost his grip on their shafts, reaching to grab

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 32 onto the sheets. “Oh, God,” he groaned, throwing his head back and pushing up on his arms, pushing his hips into James faster. “C‟mon, baby. Give it to me,” James whispered, reaching up to flick one of Matt‟s nipples with his tongue. Then he bit down gently. Matt moaned and drove his hips into James, grinding against his cock, driving his own into James‟s, rough hair and silky skin. James thrust back against him, hard and fast. “Gonna come, Matty.” Matt moaned again, picking up speed as James ran his rough fingers across Matt‟s ass, re-sensitizing it, irritating it in the best possible way. The sensations from his cock and his ass amplified each other. James was thrusting up into him feverishly, and Matt knew he was close by the noises he was making and his rhythm. Matt twisted his hips a little, dragging his cock head across James‟s, groaning. So fucking close. James leaned up to him and bit his neck while reaching one hand between Matt‟s cheeks, his finger sliding down, circling Matt‟s hole, dragging across the puckered skin. “Want you to come, baby.” Then he pressed down and forced his finger into Matt, twisting it, his hand gripping Matt‟s ass, pushing into him and pushing him into James at the same time. Matt came, moaning and holding himself up on shaking arms. He could feel James‟s dick pumping next to his, could feel someone‟s come hitting his stomach. He thrust against James again, everything now slippery and slick, all his nerves alive in that one part of his body. All of it more intense and better because James was feeling the same thing at the same time.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 33 Matt‟s arms collapsed, and he fell on James. For a long time he just lay there, catching his breath while listening to James catch his. Finally, they were both mostly quiet, and getting stuck together. He started to move over, off of James, but James grabbed him in both arms and held him tight. “Ask me,” James whispered. It wasn‟t the commanding, in-charge voice or the rumbling, sexy voice. It was a different voice, one Matt had only heard once before. “James, will you marry me?” He didn‟t think about it first, just spit it out. He didn‟t need to think. “Yes,” James gusted, as if he‟d been holding his breath. Matt lifted his head and cupped James‟s face in his hands, kissing him. Trying to comfort and reassure. Wasn‟t the guy who asked the question supposed to be the insecure one? He looked down at James, who was giving him a sheepish smile. Matt kissed his shining eyes closed, first one lid, then the other. “Love you, baby. ‟S‟okay.” Matt was the one who went and got something to clean them off with, who got them naked and who spooned James. At least until James decided it wasn‟t that comfortable and rolled over. He lay his head on Matt‟s chest, more normal territory for them. “Was that too mushy?” James asked after a while. “No. It was just how it needed to be, James.” Matt kissed the top of James‟s head, holding him tight. “Seemed a little mushy.” He was playing with the hairs around Matt‟s nipple. Matt shivered but tried to focus for James‟s sake. “You want me to ask you a different way?” Or not ask at all? Matt was starting to get nervous.

Happy Birthday to Me | Anne Tenino | 34 James cleared his throat. “No.” He played a while more. Matt ran a hand down James‟s back; then he rolled onto his side, dislodging James‟s head. He was level with James now, looking into his eyes. James smiled at him, reaching out with one hand and pulling Matt forward for a kiss. “You make me happy.” That was so sweet Matt thought he might be tearing up. This time James didn‟t wince when Matt thought it. Instead he smiled and rolled over onto his back, cradling Matt‟s head on his shoulder now. Looked like it was finally Matt‟s turn to be insecure. “James?” His voice was tentative. Kinda like it had been this morning. “Yeah, baby?” “So, that was kinda hot, when I was in control… um, sorta in control….” James didn‟t make him ask. But he had a feeling James was trying to keep the smile out of his voice this time. “I love our sex life. You don‟t have to start being in control unless you want to. But if you wanna keep things the way they are, it makes my kink happy to dominate you.” “Oh thank God,” Matt breathed. “But that was kinda hot,” James added. Matt tensed, just a little. “You know what‟s hotter?” “What?” Suddenly James rolled over again, looming over Matt. He picked up one wrist, then the other, and brought them together over Matt‟s head. Matt‟s arms jerked when James turned on the cuffs, restraining his hands. He couldn‟t quite stop the moan that worked its way out of his throat. “You still have your wrist cuffs on.”

While spending most of the last three years recovering from Lyme Disease, ANNE TENINO started writing again. The Lyme Disease led to the demise of her “real” job, meaning she suddenly had the time. She began writing for her own entertainment in third grade, but life intervened, and she didn‟t get around to submitting anything to a publisher until the week of her 40th birthday. In the long, rainy, Pacific Northwest winter, writing is sometimes a mood-saver. Anne‟s husband is adorably confused by her love of reading and writing about man lurve, but he‟s always been a supportive sort. Just don‟t ask him to read it. Her two school-aged daughters think it‟s cool Mom‟s a writer but aren‟t clear on why they can‟t tell Gramma about it. When not writing, Anne likes to read, travel, cook, and shirk housework.

Coming Soon 18% Gray By Anne Tenino In a future where the United States has split along party lines, Agent Matt Tennimore‟s job is to get people out of the Confederated Red States, whether they‟re captured special ops agents from his own country or gay CRS citizens who‟ve petitioned for asylum. He never expected to have to retrieve his high school crush, aka the guy who ostracized him for being gay. Rescuing James Ayala isn‟t going to be easy: he‟s crawling with tracking nanos and has a cybernetic brain implant that‟s granted him psychic power he isn‟t sure how to control. That‟s the good news. The bad? The implant is compromising James‟s mental stability. So they‟re on the run, avoiding surveillance by AI aircraft and hiding from enemy militia. Then James confesses he tormented Matt in high school because James wanted him. Matt can‟t resist the temptation James offers, but he wants so much more than sex, assuming they ever make it home alive. Is James really a good bet when he‟s got a ticking time bomb in his brain and there‟s the question of how much he‟s actually changed?

Happy Birthday to Me ©Copyright Anne Tenino, 2011 Published by Dreamspinner Press 4760 Preston Road Suite 244-149 Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Cover Art by Catt Ford This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/ Released in the United States of America June 2011 eBook Edition eBook ISBN: 978-1-61372-028-8