Brad moaned low and needy, undulating on the bed, rocking up into each thrust.
He groaned in complaint when Lionel’s fingers slipped free. “Nooo, don’t stop, I’m so close.”
“Shush, my love, one more finger, I don’t want to hurt you.”
Hurt—his whole body hurt with the need to come. “You won’t hurt me,” Brad insisted, rolling them so Lionel ended up flat on his back with Brad straddling him. The thick cock was right under his ass. Lionel had slicked Brad so good and his body haddone the rest that he slid effortlessly up and down the shaft, making Lionel grunt and moan, desperation coming from him as well. Except there in the tightness of his clenched jaw, evidence of his restraint.
Brad was grateful Lionel let him lead and wiggled until he was happy with the position of the fat cockhead pressing against his rim, and he mewled at the joint slickness. His ass clenched with need. Just a little more wiggling, and Brad felt the pressure of the massive head.
Lionel froze beneath him, his chest unmoving, and Brad let out a breath for both of them as he pushed carefully down. The pressure became more intense and enough to make his eyes roll in his head until the head snicked past the tight ring of muscle.
They both panted at the point, and Brad’s muscles burned with the effort to go slow. The heat building inside him increased with every inch sinking deeper, bringing with it an unbelievable stretch. He couldn’t think beyond where he began and Lionel ended, as he continued to inch slowly down the monster his mate housed in his pants. Brad didn’t stop, didn’t consider it when Lionel was looking at him like he was handing him the world. It ramped up the desire—their connection—flowing between them until every cell in Brad’s body hummed with the life of it.
You are my world.
Brad’s cock jerked, cum spraying his mate as warmth flooded his ass.You are my everything now.Brad couldn’t find a thing wrong with that, not one.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lionel
Monday morning, and Lionel was sure there was absolutely nothing that could dent his good mood. He felt closer to his mate than he ever believed possible. While it was silly to think that anal sex could make a difference in a mating, it wasn’t the act itself that changed things, it was what came from that act, or afterward.
Brad had been incredible, so open, elaborating more on the conversation they’d started after the party, sharing his initial fears. Lionel’s cock size wasn’t the only concern. It was so muchmore. Being born an omega, Brad grew up believing his mate would expect him to stay home and pop out babies every time his alpha got an urge.
Lionel had been content to hold him close as Brad explained how hard he’d worked to get to where he was, even having to overcome his father’s overly protective nature at times. “I love my work,” he’d said around a mouthful of breakfast Lionel had prepared for them both, bringing it on trays back into the bedroom. “I worried I’d resent having children because I’d have to stay home with them.”
It fully jibed with Brad’s belief that he was being selfish. Reassuring Brad that he meant what he’d said at the party, explaining how he could move his business to a home base. He already had an office on the ground floor, and he knew Jasmine wouldn’t have a problem coming to their home as opposed to the office.
There was even a possibility that Jasmine would be happy to work from her home, too. That was something to discuss with Jasmine when the situation presented itself. In the meantime, there were jokes to be shared with a loving mate about investing in a bigger tool belt and how the fear of emotional outbursts might convince some members of Brad’s teams to behave themselves on the job.
Lionel was still riding the high from the support of his friends at the party as well. He’d always assumed that he was the guy who planned social outings, organized get-togethers, and provided a broad shoulder for friends in need. There had been times when he’d actively helped his friends stay out of trouble, such as when Hector’s mom was on the warpath just before he claimed Morty. It was Lionel who’d gone around and dragged Hector out of his house and helped him arrange a limousine for their date that never happened.
I never realized how much my friends care for me, too.The party showed him without words that they did. Lionel had no idea how many plans had been changed, pushed back, or canceled just so they could attend their mating celebration, but his friends did it, and that meant more than Lionel could ever put into words.
Brad’s parents were incredible as well, so very accepting, and Charlie had been quite keen on some ideas that Lionel had for helping him to streamline his business and project files a little more. In Lionel’s head, it made perfect sense. A more streamlined system might mean that maybe his mate wouldn’t be spending evenings having meetings, and he and Lionel could do something more fun instead. Lionel also felt that on those nights when meetings were necessary, he could play an active part. Again, that cemented something in Lionel’s soul, and made him feel better about himself, their mating, and his place in the world.
He gave a cheery grin to Jasmine as he went past her into his office. He had some new projects he needed to look over—the ones that had come in the week before. Although the first order of business was to check that none of his existing clients were having any issues with their new finance.
Lionel quickly booted up his computer and checked his emails, scanning through the headings, letting out a sigh of relief when it didn’t look like there were any fires he needed to put out.
Clicking into the new work tab, Lionel started reading over the various new applications, sorting out those that would need second-tier lenders and those that might need a third-tier. There were a lot of different reasons why various clients couldn’t go to a bank. Sometimes they didn’t have a long enough banking history to qualify. In some cases, they were looking to see if they could get a rate that was better than the bank might offer.
The bulk of Lionel’s clients were those who were in a position to pay off their loans a lot sooner than the bank’s typical policies. Not all banks were agreeable to that for mortgage finance. Lionel could understand why. A bank made its money from the interest it charged on the money it loaned out, and there was a lot less interest applied to a loan that was only five to ten years instead of the obligatory twenty to thirty years on a mortgage.
With many clients also being paranormal, they lived longer, and sometimes they wanted to spread their mortgages out even further than the bank’s standard policies allowed. Lionel’s skills came from learning which of his investors would be more inclined to meet different applicants’ needs depending on their circumstances.
It was getting close to lunchtime, and Lionel was thinking about texting Brad to see whether he had time to break for lunch or if he was busy when he heard a commotion coming from the waiting room.
“Sir, you can’t go in there.” Jasmine sounded upset. “You don’t have an appointment.”
Lionel quickly got up from his desk, crossing the floor in six quick strides, opening the door to see Pennington looming over Jasmine’s desk, demanding to be let in.
“Step away from the desk, Pennington. It’s all right, Jasmine,” Lionel added, barely containing his fury. “I’m sure this is a private matter that I can attend to in a few moments.”
He fully opened his door, allowing Pennington to come inside. “You’d better make this quick.” Lionel went around his desk and sat down. “There is absolutely no need to upset my receptionist. If you had wanted to speak to me, you could have called me or made an appointment.”
“Make an appointment? You think I want to be talking to you?” Pennington’s face was bright red, and his fists clenched at his sides. Lionel’s lion stirred, watching through Lionel’s eyes.He could take him. If the man threatened any form of physical violence, Lionel would take him down.
