After an hour of constant tossing and turning, Justin abandoned all thoughts of sleep. How was he expected to sleep with everything running rampant through his mind? It wasn't solely Brian's incredible offer, although that was enough to keep his mind in a constant state of activity, it was also all the events of the past couple of days. Gary Sapperstein and his roommate, further making his life all the more untenable, had placed him in a constant state of anxiety. Kip had always been resentful of him, not to mention attracted to him, but he'd kept his distance for the most part. Justin didn't doubt that it was entirely in fear of facing Gary's wrath. Sometimes he wondered if Gary had been doing it purely to keep him for himself, or if there could be something more sinister involved. With Gary Sapperstein it was always hard to tell.

There wasn't a doubt that he wanted to leave that life behind. And yet, he wasn't certain he truly would be. Wouldn't it simply be exchanging one jailer for another? Justin found it difficult to think of it in those terms; being so intensely attracted to Brian made it hard to view him in such cold, and simplistic terms. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he wanted Brian Kinney. Was there anything not to want about that man? He was rich and successful, confident and dominant... and he was possibly the sexiest man alive.

Justin sat up in the bed, his naked body feeling incredible encased in the silken bedding. He always slept naked, on occasion he'd wear some boxer briefs for sleep, but ordinarily, he was in the buff. That had felt good in this bed. Knowing that the man that wanted him so badly was just down the long hall didn't intimidate him into changing his normal habits. Although he didn't know Brian well at all, he knew one thing for certain - Brian wasn't a rapist. Anything that happened between them would be his choice. During the past sleepless hour, he had been so tempted to go to him... only one thing had stopped him.

Fear.

It wasn't fear of the overtly sexual, and controlling man that held him back; it was another kind of fear. The one that stemmed from the unknown. What a laugh. He had been on his own in New York City for the past four years, and under Gary's watchful eye for much of that time... and yet, he was still a virgin. Fuck! Brian would probably never believe him. He would think it to be just another delaying tactic. Realistically, Justin couldn't blame him for having that opinion. How likely was such a scenario? He knew if he agreed to Brian's offer that he would need to tell him. One thing had been blatantly clear, Brian didn't exude a great deal of gentility. He would only proceed slowly with him if there was a valid reason.

He wasn't completely inexperienced. However, regarding taking a dick up the ass - he had absolutely none. Justin knew he was well-skilled at sucking cock; that one blow job he had given Gary in a moment of desperation, had been enough to hold his lust-crazed boss off until now. Gary had merely been playing him along. He realized that now. Justin didn't doubt how Gary planned to break him in. He shuddered thinking of Gary's friends, and the parties they frequented together. Justin would have been their toy to collectively use. He didn't have any doubt that Gary would have fucked him first, and last. There was no way he could have stomached that. No matter what he had to do - he wouldn't go back to that life.

Justin knew he could sit on the side of this luxurious bed all night trying to exhaust himself, or he could get up and hopefully make a decision; one that wasn't derived from impulse alone, but one that he could accept as being the right one for his life. Seeing the navy-blue silken robe that was hanging on the back of the door, Justin padded over to it; he slid into it and secured it snugly with the single tie at the waist. He couldn't help but wonder if it belonged to Brian, or if he was just that accommodating to his house guests - whether they were expected ones or not.

Noticing the time to be nearing one o'clock in the morning, Justin quietly slipped from his room and down the hall. Waking Brian was the last thing he wanted to do. Right now, he wasn't sure how he would respond to the banker's sensual overtures. Soundlessly, his steps took him to the large glass windows that overlooked Manhattan. The lights in the city always amazed him, although he'd never viewed them from quite this vantage point. What could appear dismal during the day, transformed into something close to magic at night. It was virtually bedazzling. So lost in the visual beauty that was Manhattan at night, Justin didn't notice the man seated on the couch, his chest bare, and his eyes eating him up through the flickering firelight. Had he seen that look in his host's eyes, he would know - now, more than ever, precisely how fucked he truly was.

Brian's smile was self-indulgent as he eyed the blond beauty clad in the robe he had provided. He only wanted the best of materials touching that alabaster skin; Brian knew he would attain the greatest of pleasure each night when he removed every article of clothing. He realized that some nights it might be gentle, and more leisurely... and then others, he would be ablaze, consumed by the urgent desire of staking possession - primitively and irrefutably. He had never had such a deep and instant need for a man. Brian didn't see that changing anytime soon.

Justin's back tensed as he heard a slight movement from behind him. Fuck! He had known he should have stayed in the safety of his room. Surprisingly, he had felt the safest in that room than he had in any other, for longer than he could remember. Already sensing how predatory Brian innately was, his comfort being isolated with him now gave him considerable cause for thought.

As he slowly approached his enchanting prey, resisting his more primitive desires to just take him became increasingly more difficult. Brian wanted to fuck him against the very window he now stared out of, before bending him over every piece of furniture in his penthouse to do the same. He wanted to do everything to him; Brian was determined he would be - and soon. His cock was already throbbing in his pants, and he hadn't even touched him yet. He would be touching him, though; that, and so much more. Recognizing it might not be wise, and undoubtedly make it more difficult to send him back to his room, Brian disregarded the possibility of failure, when he lifted his hands to begin kneading Justin's shoulders. "Such a tense boy..." Brian purred, smiling in satisfaction at the soft gasp that fell from Justin's lips.

"I-I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind, I guess." He glanced over his shoulder briefly, yet long enough to see the fires of a burning desire in Brian's eyes. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

Brian chuckled huskily. "You have disturbed me from the moment we met." His hands slid down Justin's arms to link around his waist, his hands poised just over the tie that held the robe in place. If he wasn't mistaken, Justin was naked beneath the robe - or very close to it. Should that be the case... Brian wasn't certain anything could stop him. He turned his lips into the side of Justin's neck, his body pressing tightly against the blond; Brian whispered huskily, "Tell me, Justin - what are you wearing beneath this robe?"

Justin gulped. That wasn't something he wanted to answer. He knew that would lead them to one place. And right now, he wasn't sure he could resist that. "Uhhh, does it matter?"

"Everything matters, Justin." Brian's lips crawled over the skin of Justin's neck, his tongue trailing up and down; in his mind only a prelude of all he intended to explore with this man. His fingers toyed with the end of the tie. "Perhaps I should just open it and find out..."

"N-no!" Justin squawked, his hands reaching down to barely manage to pry Brian's hands away. He didn't have a doubt which one of them was the strongest; if he pulled Brian away, it was because he had allowed it. He moved a slight distance away, turning to face him with slight accusation in his eyes, confused and bewildered by how this man acted on almost every occasion. "You said I had the night to think about it. What you're doing isn't fair."

Brian arched a brow, his expression being dubious. "Justin, I think we both know what your answer is going to be. In fact, I think you made it before you went to bed. That's what is keeping you awake... isn't it?"

Justin shook his head. "That's not it! I told you already. I just couldn't sleep."

"Really..." Brian drawled, still remaining unconvinced. "Tell me what it is that would make it easier for you to say yes..." Brian's eyes were like flint as they stared into Justin's. "Whatever your hesitation... I can make it go away."

"Are you always this superior to everyone? So incredibly arrogant?" Justin watched as Brian's eyes narrowed on him in a mixture of surprise and assessment. Brian obviously wasn't used to being challenged. One thing was for certain - if he accepted Brian's offer, he needed to get used to that.

"The answer is yes to both." Brian watched him closely. Something was missing here, and he didn't like mysteries... especially regarding something he wanted so much. "I see fear in your eyes, Justin. And I don't understand that. I would never hurt you. I've told you that."

Justin looked away quickly. The man just saw too damned much. "I'm not afraid of you, Brian. You haven't given me a reason to fear you."

Brian stepped closer to Justin, his eyes moving up and down the beautiful blond. "I want you, Justin." His voice was gravelly, and barely audible even to his own ears, but he knew Justin heard him. "I think you want me too. Accept my offer right now, and stop playing these fucking games."

"Y-you think I'm playing games, but I'm not. This is just not how I expected my first time to be!!"

His eyes lowered to the floor for a moment, before raising them back to look into Justin's eyes. He could scarcely believe what he was hearing. How was it even possible? But as he probed Justin's eyes with ones that were feral in devouring intent, Brian rasped, "Repeat that."

"In some respects, I'm a virgin. I know it's ludicrous, especially knowing what Gary wants from me, but it's true. I swear!" Justin looked Brian directly in the eye, his gaze was unflinching and completely solemn.

"I believe you, Justin." Brian's tone was sultry and soft, his gaze piercing deeply into him; at this moment, Brian felt he could reach the boy's soul. There was so much emotion in those beautiful blue eyes. He would devour him, over and over again; his intention to bind him to him had never been more absolute. The boy was his until he deemed otherwise. Brian thought that would be for a very long time. "Do you have any idea what that does to me?" Brian's eyes were feral as they skimmed over him - slowly. It amazed and thrilled him how thoroughly he wanted to know this man. It wasn't only physical, either. Although at this moment, that was definitely the most pressing aspect; Brian also realized that he wanted to know what made this man who he was. That wasn't something he was accustomed to feeling with his tricks.

Brian had to amend that to himself. Justin wasn't a simple trick. He was so much more... and he wanted all of him. He continued moving closer; Justin's silence slightly encouraged him. "Justin..." Brian whispered in a raw, aching voice. "You didn't answer me." A low growl rumbled from Brian's throat. "Do you know what it does to me - knowing that no other man has ever had you?"

Justin swallowed, unable to look away from the immense heat in Brian's eyes. "I'm guessing it turns you on."

A lust-filled smile twisted Brian's lips. "Everything about you turns me on, Justin. However, knowing that I will be the first to fuck your - clearly established - tight little ass, well, that does things to me I can't begin to explain to you." Brian stepped closer, until they were toe-to-toe, his eyes flickering down to the tie that secured his robe. "Open it."

"You assume that I am going to accept your offer. Perhaps you are reading me all wrong..."

Brian's eyes became cold for a slight moment, before realizing it was still fear urging the boy to fight him. In time he would learn not to push him, especially when he was in the grip of this need. "Don't play games with me, Justin. I need you too fucking badly. I won't dishonor our original terms should you accept. In the morning, I will have my attorney draw up a legal document. Your financial worries will be a thing of the past. The only one you will have is pleasing me..."

Justin felt his cock quickening at those words. Pleasing him. Would he be able to please this overtly sexual, and clearly experienced man? "Fine. I'll give you my answer."

A smile curved Brian's lips as he watched the emotions flickering across his hot little blond's face. He was still fighting him... but not in everything. He knew he would get the answer he wanted. The only thing that worried him was the mischievous look on Justin's face. That couldn't bode well for the rest of the night. "Tell me..."

He moved several steps away, deliberately in the direction of his bedroom. Justin didn't intend to let this primitive beauty have everything his way - and especially not all in one night. He recognized that periodic shows of strength - whether he felt it or not - would be vital in holding his head above water with this man. "I accept your offer, Mr. Kinney. But it won't be tonight."

Teasing little fucker, Brian thought to himself. "Waiting to sign on the dotted line, are we?"

"No. It's not that. I trust you." Justin didn't know why he felt so strongly about that, he just knew that he did. "It's nearing two a.m. now, and I'm getting tired now. I want to be fresh and alert when this happens. I don't want everything to feel rushed."

Brian nodded. "Okay. As much as it pains me, I'll give you tonight. Remember this, though. It will be the last night you sleep alone."

Justin began walking back to the hallway that led to his room, his steps were confident, and he felt a security here he couldn't begin to understand or explain. Mockingly he reminded him, "Except on those nights where you desire to be alone."

Remembering saying that, Brian told him, "I also said, I expect such instances to be extremely rare."

Shrugging, Justin determined to himself to have the last word. Once he could see his door in the distance, he turned back to cast a sultry smile on his soon-to-be lover. "Oh, by the way, Brian. I'm not wearing anything under the robe." He laughed as he heard Brian swearing; Justin didn't doubt he would pay for that provocative declaration. "Sweet dreams, Brian."

TBC