"Say 'would you like'," Laurent suggested. "So that everything is an invitation. Would you like to kiss me, would you like it if I pleasured you with my hand. I'll try to do the same. There's great pleasure in saying 'yes', I think."

Setting aside his comfort pillow, Laurent watched Damen's eyes, willing to trust if they could try asking and suggesting and negotiating rather than simply fumbling until one of them hit a boundary. "Would you like to cuddle and talk, as we were doing before?"