As if it was his own private striptease, Seb watched transfixed as Tim unbuckled his belt and flipped open the button on his jeans. The zipper sounded so loud, and Seb’s heart rate increased as each tooth opened. Tight black underwear kept Tim from springing free as he shucked off his jeans and kicked them aside.
He pointed to Seb’s pillows. “I thought you were supposed to be getting comfy.”
“I am comfy.” The last thing Seb wanted to do was move.
Tim eyed him curiously, but didn’t reply. He didn’t appear bothered by Seb watching him undress, so Seb stayed right where he was as Tim hooked his thumbs under the waistband and drew the underwear down over his hips. Now free, his cock jutted out in front of him, hard and inviting. The tip already wet with precome made Seb’s mouth water at the thought of tasting it.
“Move,” Tim whispered.
He put a knee on the bed. Seb realised he wasn’t going to come any closer until he got into position on the pillows. So he did, shuffling back until he felt one under his head. Then he rolled onto his side and watched Tim climb up after him.
They lay facing each other, both on their sides. Seb itched to reach out and touch him, and once again he cursed his own stupid rules. He settled for wrapping his hand around his cock; it was his bad wrist, and although almost fully healed, it still twinged. Failing to hide the wince, he wasn’t surprised when Tim laid a hand on his arm and stopped him.
“Let me?” Tim’s eyes, full of want and need, burnt away the last of his resolve.
With his heart pounding, Seb nodded. His eyes slipped shut as Tim shuffled closer and wrapped his long fingers around both of them. “Fuck.” His breath caught as his cock rubbed up against Tim’s.
Tim’s grip, firm and tight, pulled a moan from Seb’s lips. Each stroke of Tim’s hand sent a shiver through him, pleasure snaking up from the base of his spine and unfurling in a wave of heat. Fuck, Tim had been right. It wasn’t going to take him long at all.
A low, rumbling growl broke the silence and Seb’s eyes snapped open.
Tim was watching him, his open mouth revealing too-sharp teeth. “’S okay,” he mumbled, the words a little distorted. “Still… in control.” He ran his thumb over the head of Seb’s cock.
“Glad… someone is,” Seb groaned, and when Tim growled again, his hand tightening around them, Seb was done for. He came with a shout, head thrown back and eyes closed, riding the wave of pleasure coursing through him.
His release hit his belly, and Seb had the fleeting thought that maybe he should have aimed better. He opened his eyes to watch Tim. Then Tim was coming too, and the sight caught and held his attention. Mouth open on a silent cry, Tim followed him over the edge, managing to hit his own chin, chest, and belly.
“Wow.” Seb took in the state of him and grinned. “That’s a lot of come.”
Hard to tell whether Tim blushed or was still flushed from his orgasm. Tim glanced at Seb’s belly, then down at himself, and shrugged. “It’s been a while.”
They looked up at the same time, and before any awkwardness could creep in, Seb blurted, “So now what?” He ran two fingers through the mess on his belly and held them up. “We do the smearing thing, right?”
Tim’s eyes darkened, and for a split second, Seb swore his features started to change, but then he was back to normal as though nothing had happened.
Maybe I imagined it.
“Yes,” Tim said eventually, not taking his gaze from Seb’s fingers. “We do that.”
“Here?” Seb licked his lips and then rubbed his wet fingers along the side of Tim’s ribs.
Tim flinched as if ticklish. “A little higher.”
Seb slid his fingers up, brushing Tim’s nipple in the process. “Here?” Tim shook his head. “Show me.”
Without saying a word, Tim coated his fingers with his own come and smeared a trail of it down the side of Seb’s neck to the base of his throat. “Like that.”
Seb breathed deep and felt the brief press of claws against his skin; then Tim’s hand was gone.
It felt like they were teetering on the edge of something. None of what they’d just done seemed perfunctory or solely for the good of the pack, and Seb didn’t want it to be. He’d been fooling himself into thinking he could do any of this and not get attached.I’m already attached.
All he had to do was say the words and all this would be for real. Copying what Tim had just done, he wet his fingers and slid his hand around Tim’s neck. “I don’t want this to be pretend anymore.”
Tim froze, his body going rigid under Seb’s hands. “But you said—”
“I don’t want to be a wolf, and I don’t want to be anybody’s bonded mate.” Seb swallowed, wondering if that was too much for a shifter to handle. “But I’d like to try this. Us. If you do?”
Tim took less than a second to consider his answer. “Yes.” With a hand on Seb’s waist, he rolled him onto his back and moved on top of him. “Are you sure?”
