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"You said you were good cooking breakfast, but you really know your way around a steak, too," Ben muses, damn near licking his fork. It's been a sublimely perfect day: sightseeing and sex and driving a classic Corvette and playing on the beach. He's amazed by how much they packed in. And the night is young."Thanks." Joel grins, sitting back. "There's not really much to it but I guess you could make a bad steak.""I'm sure I could," Ben chuckles, deliberately misinterpreting that general you. "Do you have other hidden talents I should be seeking out, or do you think you've told me everything?" he asks, and he's teasing. He feels like he could never get to the bottom of knowing Joel.Joel grins. "Hidden talents?" He leans back in his chair. "I don't think so. Fuck that makes me sound boring." He laughs. "What about you? What haven't you told me?""Ummm..." Ben chews on his bottom lip, racking his memory. "I once made a sandwich that looked like Our Lord and Savior," he says dramatically. "You've heard of Grilled Cheesus?""No," Joel's laughing. "Is that a thing?""Eh, I saw it on a TV show," Ben says, laughing with him. In a moment he sobers up. "Okay, here's something," he says softly. "I was suicidal in my teens. Knew I was gay but couldn't figure out how I was ever going to build a life that way, so I thought I had no choice."Joel nods, solemn now. "What saved you?""I started sneaking out at night, seeing which clubs would let me in. Found The Ruby Bar, have you been?" Ben asks.Joel shakes his head. "No one preyed on you?""Sure, there were a few of those. But what was amazing was that I was dancing one night, and I saw this bloke who looked so incredibly familiar," Ben says. "And I was racking my brain, trying to figure out if I'd met him somewhere... and all of a sudden it hit me: he was my dentist. My fucking dentist," he repeats with a laugh. "And I thought then that if he could make it all the way through school and be a professional while being gay, then maybe there was hope for me too."Joel nods, a smile creasing his lips again. "It's funny how the smallest things can turn life around for us," he says. "That's awesome. So, after that you weren't suicidal anymore?""Right. Still depressed and overcome with despair at times, but I always had that hope. That it really could be okay, that I could be okay," Ben explains."When did things really get better?" Joel asks, curious, his being bisexual meaning he'd never really had to deal with the same thing."Around... twenty-two, twenty-three," Ben answers. "That's when I finally started having actual relationships, as opposed to just flings. In alleyways," he adds, smirking a little.That gets a chuckle from Joel. "So where do you want to end up?" he asks. "What's your ideal relationship?""I want... someone to travel the world with. Who's also worth staying in one place for," Ben says with a smile, and shrugs. "Only everything."Joel smiles. "And what's everything to you? Monogamy? Marriage? Children?""Children? No. Marriage... maybe," Ben muses. "And monogamy... You know, I could see having an open relationship, if that was agreed on by everyone in advance. But for myself, I'm pretty much a one-man guy.""Where would kink fit into your ideal relationship?" Joel asks, starting to clean up, absorbing every last bit of information and filing it away."Hmm. Well, there's what I should say," Ben replies, getting to his feet as well. "And then there's the truth. What I should say is that kink is just frosting. Icing atop a healthy relationship," he says, carrying his dirty dishes to the sink."And the truth?" Joel asks, giving the plates a quick rinse before putting them in the dishwasher.Ben boosts himself to a seat on a stretch of counter opposite the kitchen island. "The truth is that I think I need kink. I get bored and restless and... I don't know, unmanageable without it. I need the outlet."Joel nods. He feels the same way. "Have you ever been under contract?""No." It's an absence that used to sting, but... Well, Ben figures he's too old for that now."Have you wanted to be?" Joel asks, closing the dishwasher.Ben shrugs, like it's no big thing. "Yeah. At times." He focuses on the tile at Joel's feet, ashamed."Hey," Joel says softly, reaching across the island for Ben's hand. "Should I back off asking you about this?" It's obvious he's hit a sore spot."No, it's just..." Ben touches Joel's hand for a moment. "Old insecurities. I need to shake them off already."Joel grasps Ben's hand and lifts it over the island as he comes around the side. "Let's go have our bath," he says, biting down on the words he wants to say, the offer he wants to make. Needing to be sure he's not just being selfish. Or too impetuous.Smiling at that, Ben lets himself be led upstairs. Joel's master bath is huge, to the extent of needing a spare armchair just to fill up some of the space. "Your place really is amazing," he murmurs, pulling his t-shirt off.Joel smiles. "Thanks. I'm pretty happy with it." With a home that finally feels like his home. He starts filling the tub then reaches under the vanity, holding up two bottles. "Bubbles or salts?""Hmm. Would salts, erm...?" Ben asks vaguely, looking down at his own backside. "I'm still a bit tender.""Not once they dissolve," Joel answers, smiling. "They're just not bubbly. They make the water feel softer.""Oh. Yeah, sounds lovely then," Ben agrees, grinning as he crouches down to take off his shoes.Joel pours a handful of the crystals under the running water and then strips down himself, his clothes draped over the arm of the chair. "Do you want something to drink?" he asks, wishing he'd thought of it before. "Wine, champagne, beer, water...?" He grins."This is perfect," Ben replies, his gaze moving over the long length of Joel's body. He shivers with pleasure and drops his jeans."Okay, good," Joel says, unable to stop smiling, his body reacting to the way Ben's looking at him. Even more so when Ben's standing there completely naked. Fuck. "I promise I'll behave myself," he murmurs, crossing his heart. "I already put you through your paces today." He reaches down, testing the water with his fingers and turns the taps up higher, the tub taking way too long to fill."Mm-hmm," Ben says absently, the view delighting his eyes. He steps forward and lays his hand lightly on Joel's nape, trailing fingers down his spine.It's Joel's turn to shiver, the touch sparking his arousal, his cock kicking up even more. He stays where he is for a moment then straightens, looking down at Ben, taking in his beautiful face, those gorgeous eyes, before leaning in to brush his mouth over Ben's. Softly. The tip of his tongue teasing between Ben's lips.Ben moans softly, the sound tiny and vulnerable, and parts his lips. God, what Joel does to him -- stirring him up inside, making him want when he's already been given so much.Remembering what he said just a moment ago, the promise he made, Joel draws back. "The water's ready," he says, giving Ben another quick kiss. He grabs two large bath towels and sets them by the tub, stepping into the still running water at one end. "Do you want to be at the other end, or sit against me?""I think I should probably face you," Ben says with a soft laugh. He steps into the tub and sits all the way at the other end; even though it's a big tub, it's still not that far away. "You're pretty fucking irresistible.""I'm glad you think so," Joel grins, sliding down into the water as well. "You're pretty irresistible yourself.""It's mutual, then," Ben says loftily, but spoils his delivery with a happy smile. Carefully he stretches out his legs across Joel's, and shifts until he finds the most comfortable angle for his ass to press against the porcelain.The water reaching their chests, Joel reaches behind him to turn off the taps. Sighing happily he leans back, watching Ben at the other end. "I don't make enough use of this. I'm too used to showering most of the time.""It's decadent. You've got to have some decadence in your life." Ben shuts his eyes and inhales deeply, relaxing in the silky water."Very true," Joel agrees, thinking Ben's the decadence he'd like to have in his life. "What's your ratio of traveling for work versus being home?"Ben shrugs lightly. "Usually half the month I'm out, and half the month I'm home writing. Sometimes I stretch out my travel time and work really hard to get the writing done while I'm there, but that takes a lot of self-discipline." He grins. "I don't always have it.""I can understand that," Joel says, grinning back. He splashes a little water Ben's way, eyes sparkling. "Can I ask you about the old insecurities you mentioned or would you rather I don't?""Ahh, those." Ben pulls Joel's foot into his lap and begins massaging, careful not to tickle. "It's happened a couple times, where I was in a kinky relationship and my partner treated me like I was his boy, but never took the care to make it official. And never reciprocated. I mean, I know I'm very low-maintenance," he explains, forcing himself to meet Joel's eyes. "But just because I don't require much doesn't mean I should only ever get the bare minimum."Fuck that feels good. Joel nods, Ben's touch lulling him. "Of course not," he says. "I can't imagine taking you for granted like that.""It's just the way some people are, I suppose," Ben murmurs, running his thumb along Joel's instep."Don't make excuses for them," Joel says, shaking his head. "You deserved - and you do deserve - better."Ben smiles at that. Better, huh. It's a tantalizing concept, especially in this moment. "You're good. You're a good man.""I'm glad you think so," Joel says softly, not sure he'd readily apply that adjective to himself, although he does try. "What if I asked you to be my boy?"Ben stills. Blinks. And stares at Joel, hope rising in his eyes. "Are you serious?" he asks softly.Joel nods. Very. "We'd have to make some compromises and figure things out with your work and mine, but I think we could do it."Work, right. Ben couldn't care less. "Have you done this before?""I've done a few short-term contracts but nothing longer than a month or two," Joel admits. "And none of those were... based in any kind of emotion or personal relationship. They were professionals and I was working and wanted someone with me." He pauses a second before making it clear, "This would be different."His mind stutters over "professionals," right up until Joel emphasizes that different. Ben nods slowly, feeling like he's moving through honey. "Yeah," he says softly. He coughs. "I mean, yes. I want to be your boy.""With a contract and collar?" Joel says with a smile, shifting in the tub, water sloshing over the sides, just so he can kiss Ben. Thrilled to his core.Ben's lips part with wonder beneath Joel's. "Yes, please." God, he's flying."You realize people are going to think we're crazy," Joel says with a smile, in between kisses. Not caring one fucking bit."What people? Why?" Ben moves between Joel's thighs so he can wrap his arms around him."Anyone we tell," Joel murmurs, "because there's no way I'm keeping this to myself." He grins. "And because we just met.""It doesn't really feel that way to me," Ben whispers, thrilled that Joel wants to tell people. He licks at Joel's throat. "There's so much I don't know about you, but I trust you like I've known you forever.""Good, because I would never betray that trust," Joel says, groaning softly at the touch of Ben's tongue. "I also feel the same way or I wouldn't have asked." He settles back into the water, pulling Ben with him, pulling him in close, his arms wrapped around him.Curling up against his lover, Ben nibbles along Joel's jaw, taking his time to simply enjoy the closeness. The scent and the strength of him."We can talk about details tomorrow unless you want to talk about them now," Joel says, linking one hand with Ben's and pressing a kiss to his shoulder."We can talk tomorrow," Ben says. "I know that's unusual for me, but..." He sighs and presses his cheek to Joel's chest. "This is perfect.""Yeah, it is," Joel nods, tightening his arms around Ben. "It's been a perfect day."