Read Online Without a Net by Lyn Gala - Free Book Online Page A

brush.”
    Ollie narrowed his eyes as he remembered Travis commenting that his wife accused him of coming on too strong. “Hey, if you’re into that…” He let his words trail off. He figured the tone carried his disapproval.
    “I’m just saying that I’ve known a number of shade subs. I had one for a partner, and they are the scariest bastards you’ve ever met.”
    Ollie had been reaching for his doorknob, but he turned around at that. “What?”
    Travis leaned against the stair rail. “People talk about shade Doms, and I get that. Dominants do tend to make themselves the center of attention—but the shade subs I’ve known were terrifying. That’s why they went in for the shade side of the control games. They couldn’t turn off that big personality of theirs without riding a sharper edge.”
    “No offense, but that doesn’t sound healthy.”
    Travis shrugged. “If I tried free-climbing, that wouldn’t be very safe, but for a small percentage of the population, it’s great fun.”
    Ollie thought about Buck. Honestly, he was formidable—enough that Ollie had trouble seeing him as sub. At least he’d had trouble before the bench incident. The punishment Buck had endured had pushed him into submission.
    After a long silence, Travis spoke again. “So, with your case tonight, was the sub clinging to you and afraid, or mad as hell and accusing you of violating his or her right to chase a really good orgasm?”
    Neither was true in this case, but Ollie wasn’t going to give Travis any details. However, if Ollie had tried to arrest people, Buck definitely would have been in the second category. That didn’t mean Ollie was comfortable with the situation. “I think control clubs are great, and I have never minded getting tied down, but rules are rules for a reason. Too many people get hurt when those lines get blurred.”
    Travis nodded. “You’re right that it’s dangerous. A lot of things are. But there’s something intensely erotic about straining against restraints, sweating and panting as you wait for the next sensation, never knowing what’s coming. The anticipation, the lack of control—it’s like the spice that makes every nerve sing.”
    Ollie’s cock hardened. He could imagine that too well, and yeah, he’d love that if he could really trust his partner, but trust didn’t come that easily. He cleared his throat. “Too much spice ruins a dish.”
    Travis studied him for a long time before answering. “Yeah, maybe it does,” he agreed. “Well, I’ll let you get some sleep.” He turned to head upstairs, and Ollie was left with an odd mixture of feelings he couldn’t even identify, much less process. When he’d first started out as a detective, he’d had a great partner—Donna Silver. When he felt like he was in over his head, she always had the right words to convince him he had the skills to get the job done. Maybe he was missing that professional support.
    Ollie turned back to his door, slipping his thumb in the reader to unlock it. A lack of professional affirmation didn’t explain his hard cock or the sinking feeling that he’d somehow disappointed Travis, but those were explained away as a combination of sex-enhancing drugs and a really shitty night.
    Too tired to even go to bed, Ollie collapsed onto his couch. The new asshole who had the apartment next to Mrs. Dennison had his music up so loud the bass vibrated through the walls. Ollie gritted his teeth, and then he thought about the fact that Mrs. Dennison hated having her chi or her karma or whatever interrupted. He decided he kind of liked the beat.
    After a few minutes, he forced himself back up to his feet so he could grab a beer before collapsing back onto his couch. He wanted the world to go away so he could have five minutes of peace, but his brain kept spinning. Travis’s words colored all his memories of the night in ways that disturbed Ollie. The image of Buck’s face was burned into Ollie’s mind—the fear