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CTRL Me
A night out between friends turns hot and tempting when Gabe deliberately pushes Tom’s submissive buttons. Then Tom discovers rope in Gabe’s glove-box—and it’s not the type for securing luggage.
This ~14,000-word short story was originally published in the Rules to Live By anthology and has been lightly edited.
This ~14,000-word short story was originally published in the Rules to Live By anthology and has been lightly edited.
53 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2015
14 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Anna Zabo
26 books708 followersAnna Zabo (they/them) writes contemporary and paranormal romance for all colors of the rainbow. They live and work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which isn’t nearly as boring as most people think.
Anna is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns and prefers Mx. Zabo as an honorific.
Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. They can be easily plied with coffee.
Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
Anna is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns and prefers Mx. Zabo as an honorific.
Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. They can be easily plied with coffee.
Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
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February 13, 2020This packed quite a punch for a short book. The bondage scenes were crazy hot, seeing Tom go into subspace so easily and Gabe’s natural and compelling domination.
I would have loved to have seen a public scene like they were talking about, but I knew going in that this was a short and would be constrained by space.
I would have loved to have seen a public scene like they were talking about, but I knew going in that this was a short and would be constrained by space.
February 16, 2019
This is a surprisingly deep (and hot) story for its length. Zabo excels at creating charters and we get to enjoy her craft here.
Friends to lovers, with some hurt/comfort, kink and office romance between Tom and Gabe, two kind heros.
Lovely!
Friends to lovers, with some hurt/comfort, kink and office romance between Tom and Gabe, two kind heros.
Lovely!
May 27, 2019
Oooo lala!
Oooo lala! This one was short but no less hawt *fans self* I’m always in awe of authors who can build awesome stories but with far fever words than you’d think they need. This is one of those times. Definitely spicy! 🤤
Oooo lala! This one was short but no less hawt *fans self* I’m always in awe of authors who can build awesome stories but with far fever words than you’d think they need. This is one of those times. Definitely spicy! 🤤
March 30, 2019
*4.5 Stars*
Oh this was yummy. I hate it ended so soon as these two had some pretty great chemistry and I’d have loved to see them in several more scenes together. Definitely a fabulous shortie
Oh this was yummy. I hate it ended so soon as these two had some pretty great chemistry and I’d have loved to see them in several more scenes together. Definitely a fabulous shortie
April 8, 2019
Great chemistry between Tom and Gabe. Liked it. 👍
March 29, 2019
Short but oh-so-hot
This packed quite a punch for a short book. The bondage scenes were crazy hot, seeing Tom go into subspace so easily and Gabe’s natural and compelling domination.
I would have loved to have seen a public scene like they were talking about, but I knew going in that this was a short and would be constrained by space.
This packed quite a punch for a short book. The bondage scenes were crazy hot, seeing Tom go into subspace so easily and Gabe’s natural and compelling domination.
I would have loved to have seen a public scene like they were talking about, but I knew going in that this was a short and would be constrained by space.
Want to read
February 13, 20192/13/19 Currently FREE via Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
May 23, 2019
Romance by rope
Holy sizzling bondage kink! Anna Zabo is one of the very best writers of kink, that I’ve read anyway. Not heavy or extreme kink but beautifully intense. Two bisexual men too! Good bisexual rep in romance is priceless. The relationship is quite believable as the author is skilled at creating effective characters no matter the story length. Recommended!
Holy sizzling bondage kink! Anna Zabo is one of the very best writers of kink, that I’ve read anyway. Not heavy or extreme kink but beautifully intense. Two bisexual men too! Good bisexual rep in romance is priceless. The relationship is quite believable as the author is skilled at creating effective characters no matter the story length. Recommended!
December 24, 2018
A fabulous short piece of perfection! The relationship between these two is amazing, starting from a place of friendship as co-workers, and blossoming into so much more. Excellent job -- thank you Mx. Zabo!
April 12, 2019
3.5 stars. And lotsa rope.
June 3, 2019
Hot short bondage story with likable characters.
May 25, 2021
A friends to lovers BDSM short, in which two bi men finally explore their UST. It’s powerfully hot, but takes it’s time getting there despite the short length. Anna Zabo finds space to explore submissive Tom’s negative past experiences, and build trust with Gabe, who is a complete sweetheart of a Dom. It was a perfect antidote to the sad shifter book I finished last night.
May 19, 2018
3.5 stars
May 25, 2019
Wow. Not many authors can pack so much punch into a story as short as this one, but Anna Zabo pulls it off. A friend's review "roped me in" to this bondage story (I know, cheezy pun intended. I couldn't resist) and I literally devoured it without pausing for anything other than a few deep breaths.
Gabe and Tom work together, but Tom has no idea Gabe is gay. And since Tom was dating a woman, Gabe was only able to hope he might be bi. But he never suspected Tom would be into bondage and when the two finally allow their dominant and submissive sides to show, it's no holds barred from there.
Here's a clue: Gabe now only calls Tom, Thomas, and Thomas can only refer to Gabe as Gabe, not Gabriel. Why? Gabe sounds better as a one syllable moan. There's blue rope, a chair scene, a bed scene and some smokin' hot sexy times. And yet, there's also great characterization. I'd love to see more of these guys in future. Highly recommended.
Gabe and Tom work together, but Tom has no idea Gabe is gay. And since Tom was dating a woman, Gabe was only able to hope he might be bi. But he never suspected Tom would be into bondage and when the two finally allow their dominant and submissive sides to show, it's no holds barred from there.
Here's a clue: Gabe now only calls Tom, Thomas, and Thomas can only refer to Gabe as Gabe, not Gabriel. Why? Gabe sounds better as a one syllable moan. There's blue rope, a chair scene, a bed scene and some smokin' hot sexy times. And yet, there's also great characterization. I'd love to see more of these guys in future. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2024
Wow, truly amazing! Despite being less than 100 pages long, this book managed to give me things that some 500-paged books couldn't. So hot and well-written. I wished we could have seen more of their relationship.
May 27, 2018
A short tale with an incredibly emotional punch. Wonderfully kind, totally hot, terribly sweet. Recommended.
July 2, 2018
Very Hot Short Story. Perfect build up and great ending for such a short work.
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September 13, 2018Review to come.
Content Warnings
Content Warnings
March 23, 2023
[3.75]
Guess I'm back in my smut era. I'm ok with that.
This was a really cute short read. I always forget how much I appreciate how Anna Zabo writes kink. They seem to have a clear understanding on power dynamics and consent, which is something I appreciate.
Guess I'm back in my smut era. I'm ok with that.
This was a really cute short read. I always forget how much I appreciate how Anna Zabo writes kink. They seem to have a clear understanding on power dynamics and consent, which is something I appreciate.
September 3, 2019
Well written and hot. Too short!
February 17, 2019
Fun and sexy BDSM themed short novella featuring two bi-guys, friends, both now single who are willing to take a risk for more!
June 14, 2021
Hot kinky friends/coworkers to lovers short story! Tom had no idea about Gabe’s feelings for him and while there was some anxiety about whether it was okay for colleagues to date (it is), they pretty much dove straight in once Gabe learned Tom’s girlfriend broke up with him. The declaration of love at the end stretched credulity—they literally have been together for one day and Tom is fresh off of a breakup—but they couldn’t be more of a perfect match, penchant for rope play and all.
Character notes: Gabe is a white bisexual Dom who is in a darts league. Tom is a white bisexual sub. This is set in Pittsburgh.
Content notes: on-page sex, ex kinkshamed MC, biphobia (ex), past abusive Dom who ignored MC’s safe word three times
Character notes: Gabe is a white bisexual Dom who is in a darts league. Tom is a white bisexual sub. This is set in Pittsburgh.
Content notes: on-page sex, ex kinkshamed MC, biphobia (ex), past abusive Dom who ignored MC’s safe word three times
October 27, 2023
CTRL ME was a short read but so sexy! Tom and Gabe had electric chemistry and their workplace friendship quickly shifted into more after a date. At the beginning I felt so bad for Tom who was really feeling down after a breakup, so it was nice to see Gabe pull Tom out of his funk and also help him explore his interest in rope play. While Tom was experienced in a D/s relationship he'd never had the chance to explore bondage and Gabe fulfilled that fantasy and then some!
I liked that Tom and Gabe already knew each other so there was an inherent trust and intimacy that had already been established. I also liked how caring Gabe was and the way he always checked in with Tom to make sure he was comfortable. Of course, Gabe also had a devious side and Tom was enjoying every second of it. They were so sweet with each other while also being wonderfully dirty! I just wish this was longer so I could keep reading about them.
Content Warning: past Dom who ignored safewording
I liked that Tom and Gabe already knew each other so there was an inherent trust and intimacy that had already been established. I also liked how caring Gabe was and the way he always checked in with Tom to make sure he was comfortable. Of course, Gabe also had a devious side and Tom was enjoying every second of it. They were so sweet with each other while also being wonderfully dirty! I just wish this was longer so I could keep reading about them.
Content Warning: past Dom who ignored safewording
July 21, 2018
✦ 1st POV, MC only
✦ Both heroes are bi
✦ Coworkers/friends to lovers -- they do code and stuff
✦ Rope play
✦ Quick yet satisfying and super sexy -- def rec!
✦ Only complaint: I would kill for a full story for these two. Because I'm greedy like that, loved these two together, and they were hot as hell. ;)
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
If you wish to look at some quotes/thoughts I highlighted, please check out my Twitter feed
✦ Both heroes are bi
✦ Coworkers/friends to lovers -- they do code and stuff
✦ Rope play
✦ Quick yet satisfying and super sexy -- def rec!
✦ Only complaint: I would kill for a full story for these two. Because I'm greedy like that, loved these two together, and they were hot as hell. ;)
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
If you wish to look at some quotes/thoughts I highlighted, please check out my Twitter feed
May 12, 2020
The start was a little rough but I enjoyed the rest of the setup. Also, two bisexual men? Blessed.
June 7, 2018
4/5
This short story balanced intensity and sweetness. It was definitely "4 great job stars". I had not read anything by Anna Zabo before and would be interested in doing so again.
I'd also be super curious to know more about the anthology this shorty came from. hmmm... tasty books to read
This is what I consider BDSM light. There is bondage (hello cover!) and some domination/control, but no pain or humiliation play. For those who are sensitive to literary elements like that, there is discussion of abuse in a past relationship. It is not talked about at length, but I found it pretty sad to read. That was really the only downer in this little tidbit.
What I also enjoyed were the references to the city. I grew up in California and am always excited to hear about others from there, but I also love Pittsburgh and felt a bit like I was visiting alongside Tom's exploration.
This is a fairly scrumptious short story with a good deal of sweetness for those who enjoy their readings like Chinese food - steaming hot and ready fast.
This short story balanced intensity and sweetness. It was definitely "4 great job stars". I had not read anything by Anna Zabo before and would be interested in doing so again.
I'd also be super curious to know more about the anthology this shorty came from. hmmm... tasty books to read
This is what I consider BDSM light. There is bondage (hello cover!) and some domination/control, but no pain or humiliation play. For those who are sensitive to literary elements like that, there is discussion of abuse in a past relationship. It is not talked about at length, but I found it pretty sad to read. That was really the only downer in this little tidbit.
What I also enjoyed were the references to the city. I grew up in California and am always excited to hear about others from there, but I also love Pittsburgh and felt a bit like I was visiting alongside Tom's exploration.
This is a fairly scrumptious short story with a good deal of sweetness for those who enjoy their readings like Chinese food - steaming hot and ready fast.
June 2, 2018
Disclaimer: I consider the author a friend; however, I purchased this ebook short story for full price.
While I continue my trend of reading everything Anna Zabo writes, I appreciate that they've taught me a lot about my romance genre preferences. I enjoyed this particular short tremendously, but I think I prefer my romance in novel-length form. In this case, the beginning felt a bit rushed before it all came together as a proper love story in the end. I'd rather have enjoyed the slow burn of the two characters meeting and interacting rather than jumping into the middle of their friendship.
The BDSM elements to this short are a great example of how not all kink has to involve pain while still retaining elements of dominance and submission. Tom and Gabe are a fantastically matched pair, and I'd enjoy seeing the continued evolution of their relationship.
They are in Pittsburgh, after all. /raises eyebrow at Zabo's Takeover series.
While I continue my trend of reading everything Anna Zabo writes, I appreciate that they've taught me a lot about my romance genre preferences. I enjoyed this particular short tremendously, but I think I prefer my romance in novel-length form. In this case, the beginning felt a bit rushed before it all came together as a proper love story in the end. I'd rather have enjoyed the slow burn of the two characters meeting and interacting rather than jumping into the middle of their friendship.
The BDSM elements to this short are a great example of how not all kink has to involve pain while still retaining elements of dominance and submission. Tom and Gabe are a fantastically matched pair, and I'd enjoy seeing the continued evolution of their relationship.
They are in Pittsburgh, after all. /raises eyebrow at Zabo's Takeover series.
December 22, 2019
I have Anna Zabo’s Reverb and I meant to read it this month, but I wasn’t really in a rockstar mood, so I went browsing on Amazon to see what else they had and I saw CTRL Me. I decided to check it out and since it sounded good, I got it and I am so happy that I did because I absolutely LOVED CTRL Me! It might be a short story, but there was still so much life to it. CTRL Me was a great friends to lovers romance that was hot, sweet, and meaningful — it was utterly fantastic!
~ Sonja, 5 Stars
~ Sonja, 5 Stars
March 30, 2019
What a terrific surprise for me. I have avoided short reads thinking they couldn’t get me any sort of depth nor intense feeling I love from my characters. WRONG. Normally I go for 250-400 pages so I can dig in deep - horrid pun. While quick, which I also found I liked, I really enjoyed the development of relationship between Tom/Thomas and Gabe/Gabriel. Looking for more like this.
January 7, 2020
I’m not usually into short stories like this because they leave to many unanswered questions, but for some reason this book left me feeling satisfied. I finished this book with like an hour and a half. I couldn’t put it down, once I started I was completely engaged and hooked. Very well written and amazing story line.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews