Plot
Colin, a shy, introverted gay man, lives with his parents in Bromley, London, and works a menial job assigning parking tickets while pursuing his hobby of singing in a barbershop quartet. One evening at the pub, he is slipped a note by Ray, a handsome American member of a local biker club. The two meet on Christmas Day at a high street alleyway, where Ray wordlessly ushers Colin to perform oral sex on him. After the hookup, Colin suggests seeing Ray again, but Ray replies that he is not often around.
Colin texts Ray, but receives no response. While Colin is at work, he receives a phone call from Ray. Ray picks up Colin at his home on a motorbike, meeting Colin's parents for the first time. Ray brings Colin to his home, where Colin is initiated into a strict BDSM relationship: Colin cooks, cleans, and shops, sleeps on the floor at the foot of Ray's bed, and obeys Ray's every command. In return, Colin enjoys an intense but controlled sexual relationship with Ray, in which they never kiss. Acclimating to Ray's lifestyle, Colin shaves his head, begins to wear a chained padlock around his neck (with Ray wearing the key) and joins Ray's fetish biker community. Meanwhile, Colin's parents express their worries about how little Colin knows about Ray.
Though Ray does not celebrate Colin's birthday, the bikers throw a surprise party for him and they all go on a road trip. During this time, Colin witnesses different BDSM dynamics and sees a dominant and submissive kiss. Colin finds himself in a line-up of four men wearing chaps, leaning side-by-side over a picnic table, positioned to be penetrated by their doms. Ray has one of the other subs fellate him in front of Colin, much to Colin's chagrin. Ray then proceeds to have sex with Colin in the missionary position for the first time as a birthday gift, and Colin delights in the intimacy.
Given Colin's pleas and the fact Colin's mother is terminally ill, Ray finally relents in having dinner with Colin's parents at their home. Colin's parents fail to understand the couple's dynamic, resulting in an argument in which Colin's mother accuses Ray of mistreating and taking advantage of Colin and Ray accuses Colin's mother of a "backwards", "ignorant" worldview.
Some weeks later, Colin's mother dies. Following the funeral, Colin has a breakdown while cooking Ray's dinner, deliberately burning his hands. Ray helps Colin, orders them pizza and jokes around with Colin during dinner, and finally allows Colin to sleep in the bed with him for the first time, where Ray unknowingly cuddles Colin in his sleep. Colin confesses his love to Ray, but Ray replies that love is not the basis of their relationship. When Colin asks to be allowed to sleep in the bed again and to have a day off from his submissive role each week, Ray flatly refuses. The two fight, and Colin steals Ray's motorcycle and rides into the night.
The next morning, upon returning to Ray's house, Colin is shocked to find Ray has agreed they should enjoy a day off from their dominant and submissive dynamic. Colin is initially unsure what they should do as a "normal" couple. The two go to the cinema, where Ray touches Colin's thigh before giving him a handjob, and the two are chased out. After eating at a restaurant, they go to the park where they wrestle and share their first kiss. Colin is excited, but seems to read the sadness on Ray's face afterwards.
The next day, Ray disappears entirely, and Colin unsuccessfully attempts to locate him. Some time later, understanding and accepting that Ray has abandoned him, Colin makes an account on Grindr, seeking a new BDSM relationship, now with a better understanding of his limits and being more assertive about his demands. He meets up with a new dom, Darren, at a football pitch, and the two begin discussing the outlines of their dom-sub relationship.
