...Bryan paced and made to leave several times as he waited. He’d touched nothing in Phil’s cabin; instead, he’d spent most of his time staring out the porthole at the sparkling water under a full, golden moon and wondered if he was doing the wise thing.

When he heard the lock engage in the door, he turned toward the sound. Phil strode into the room and took Bryan’s breath away. The man was beautiful. There was promise in his smile. He could only imagine giving himself over to this man, as he relinquished his will and allowed someone else to think for him. The idea sounded like heaven, at least, in the short term.

Phil stood in the middle of the room, his legs braced, his arms down at his sides. Bryan wasn’t sure if he should speak, so chose silence. He trusted Phil would guide him through this initial awkwardness. The first order came almost as the decision to be silent was made.

“Come, stand before me.” Phil’s voice was low, but demanding.

Without hesitation, Bryan said, “Yes, sir.”

“You must always lower your gaze in my presence, unless I give you permission to the contrary.”

Bryan did as instructed. He could smell the wine on Phil’s breath and he had an inexplicable urge to kiss the taste off Phil’s lips.

The thought, however, was erased with Phil’s stern words. “Raise your arms above your head.”

As though of their own accord, Bryan’s arms rose and his fingers locked, making him feel more vulnerable than he’d expected.

Phil placed a warm hand on Bryan’s cheek and traced his cheekbone with his thumb. Bryan resisted the temptation to lean into the touch or even close his eyes, but it felt so good to receive the intimacy.

“What is it you expect of me, Bryan?”

The question came out of left field and it rocked him. Of all he’d thought about since he’d last seen Phil, he’d not once thought of what he expected. Rather, he’d wondered what Phil would expect of him and had long since concluded he’d gladly give the man whatever he wanted.

Again, gently, Phil said, “Tell me.”

Bryan’s mind stumbled across words like “fuck” and “suck” and “spank,” but somehow he couldn’t say them. Finally, he settled on, “I want whatever it is you expect of me.”

Phil leaned in and his warm breath bathed Bryan’s ear as he whispered, “Good answer. If you remember that, we’ll get along nicely.”

Phil stepped behind him, his hands never leaving Bryan’s body as he touched, rubbed and glided over his ass clad in imported cotton, and then stopped. Only when he was sure Phil couldn’t see his face did Bryan dare close his eyes.

His cock hardened and his mind raced with any number of suggestions as to what Phil could do with those hands, yet he sensed Phil had the situation well under control.

Phil snaked his arms around Bryan’s body and undid his belt. As the leather slid through the loops, Bryan’s imagination went wild. Soon, he heard a crack and wondered if Phil had actually doubled his belt and snapped it.

“Unfasten your pants and let them drop to the floor.”

Bryan’s arms felt heavy as he lowered them and unbuttoned his white Ralph Lauren’s. He struggled to control his breathing, as he felt himself being ensnared in Phil’s web of seduction. As he nudged his pants over his hips, he felt the leather of what he assumed was his own belt on his ass—his naked ass, as he abhorred wearing underwear of any kind.