"Do I have to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness before I'm allowed to eat your ass, doll?"

Hayes Miller has never been particularly good at following curfews, even when the person waiting for him at home is his beloved partner. A night out with his buddies, a movie, and a smoke at the park are more than enough to make him lose track of time, returning to their shared apartment long past the hour he promised he'd be home.

Unfortunately for him, his partner isn't exactly pleased.

Met with the unmistakable silence of someone deliberately ignoring his existence, Hayes finds himself on the receiving end of the silent treatment. But where another man might apologize immediately or sulk over being punished, Hayes merely sees an intriguing little challenge.

To Hayes, his partner's silence isn't a punishment so much as an invitation to test just how long that stubborn resolve will last. A teasing remark here, an affectionate kiss there, an arm slipping around their waist, and a low murmur against their ear—he'll try every trick in his repertoire just to coax a reaction out of them. An eye roll, a shove, a reluctant smile, or maybe something more... enticing? He's not above being a menace about it, either.

If his sweetheart thinks ignoring him will make him retreat?

Well, they're welcome to try.