Page 20 of Pretty ’n Peak

Mateo wasn’t following this too well, but maybe it was about… an ex? Was Austin avoiding a bad break-up? Or trying not to infringe on his prior sub’s friend group?

“Just busy,” Austin repeated weakly, as he disengaged. He was smiling tightly, covering some other emotion.

Perhaps that was the reason that he wasn’t looking for a relationship. The reason he’d said Jamie was staging an intervention.

How much pain must he be hiding if he was avoiding all of his friends to handle it?

“I’ll try to make it out there for drinks sometime,” Austin continued. “How’s Martín?”

Carlos sighed with a note of fondness. “Deployed again. Forty-three days till my baby comes home.”

Mateo was definitely missing most of this conversation. It sounded like Martín was Carlos’s boyfriend, then. Or his sub? His boy? Though what was he doing at a singles weekend if he already had someone?

“I’m sorry, man.” Austin touched Carlos’s arm. Was he just touchy-feely with everyone then? No, because he withdrew it a moment later. “I imagine you’ll be sending him some pictures or videos, then?”

“That’s the plan.” Carlos grinned, looking cocky and satisfied. “Gonna tease the shit out of that boy, get him riled up so hard… maybe I’ll even let him come at the end.”

Mateo just stood there gawking. This was a kinky event, but he hadn’t expected things to just be out there like that.

“Perfect. Let me introduce Mateo to you. He’s new to the scene and wants to test the waters. Mateo, this is Master Carlos.”

“Why, hello, Mateo.” Master Carlos’s eyes swept over him, filled with heat.

Mateo felt like he was flushing down to the tips of his toes. What was even going on? Because Master Carlos looked like he wanted to eat him for dinner, but he clearly…

Oh. It all caught up. Austin was introducing him to another Dom, just like he’d promised. And the Dom wanted to… make dirty videos? To tease his sub? With Mateo?

Fuck. Every part of that sounded so hot. Master Carlos’s muscular body. The eyes of some unknown man watching him from across the world. Maybe trying out some of the equipment in the room, like that intimidating X-looking thing against the wall.

Mateo could almost feel the dangling cuffs tightening around his wrists.

But it also sounded terrifying. The butterflies were turning his stomach into a mosh pit.

If he’d even put the pieces together correctly.

Austin’s soothing voice cut into his aroused panic.

“Master Carlos’s boy is in the Air Force. They have an agreement that he can play with other people when Martín is deployed.”

“Yep. Though Master Austin left out the part where I call my baby when he has down time afterward and tease him for hours with the pictures and videos. It’s like a promise to him, you know? A motivation to come home.”

Mateo didn’t know, but he could see the love in Master Carlos’s eyes. Even if he had the most unusual way of showing it.

“If you want a scene,” Austin continued, like Mateo’s world wasn’t turned topsy-turvy, “he’s a great Dom to ask. He’s experienced with almost everything, highly trustworthy, and not looking for anything beyond the weekend. He could introduce you to just about anything you wanted to try.”

Oh, God. Would that be something Mateo wanted? To be Master Carlos’s… toy? Used as a message to his boy? While getting his own fantasies fulfilled?

Master Carlos chuckled. “I think we’ve stunned him speechless.” When Mateo still didn’t answer, he added an affectionate, “Chupadito.”

“What was that?” asked Austin.

“He’s shy. Like a little mouse,” Master Carlos answered. The word had both meanings. It could also mean a blowjob, but Mateo knew he didn’t mean it that way, even if the thought made him blush.

“I’m not usually shy,” Mateo interjected. He was quiet, but it wasn’t the same. There was just too much going on at once.

“Well, think about it, chupado. I told Jamie that I’d do a public scene or demo tomorrow night and I’m looking for a play partner. We could talk about it tomorrow afternoon if you’re interested. Just think about what you’d like. Fill out the checklist in Cuffd if you haven’t already.”

Unbidden, Mateo’s eyes darted back to that X against the wall. It looked like strong metal, able to hold his weight, leaving him embarrassingly exposed to a Dom who would…