Lachlan's heart hung in tatters, but he let Apollo's wrists go. "Yeah, I'm done." He went to move off him, but Apollo wrapped his legs around him.
"Where the fuck do you think you are going? You can't just say all that and leave me," he said.
Lachlan frowned in confusion. "I don't know what I'm meant to do now."
"You're meant to kiss me and make it a good one," Apollo insisted.
Lachlan brushed his fingers over Apollo's cheek before leaning down and gently kissing him. His lips tasted of heartache, but Lachlan still didn't stop.
Apollo threaded his fingers through his hair and tugged him down, his soft mouth hungry and searching. Lachlan was shaking, and he couldn't hide it. Apollo's legs tightened around him, and it was the only thing that kept him from feeling like he was going to fly apart.
Lachlan swallowed back the lump of emotion in his throat and lifted up. "Is this a kiss goodbye before you poison me or something?"
"Would you like it to be?" Apollo asked, his fingers trailing down Lachlan's back. "Because after that big speech, I don't think that's the case."
"Always so confusing," Lachlan sighed and kissed the tip of his nose.
"You love it. You love me. You said it just now."
Lachlan tickled his ribs, making him squirm. "Don't mock me, you dick. Just tell me you love me back and be done with it."
Apollo tugged his dark curls until Lachlan lowered his head. "You better not be doing all this just to fuck me in Paris and toss me aside when we get home."
"I'm not."
"And you better be really prepared to give me everything you promised you would because I'm not good at rejection or being ignored."
Lachlan's lips twitched. "I've noticed. You're high maintenance in all the ways, and I love that about you too."
"Yeah?" Apollo asked, voice small.
"Yeah," Lachlan replied, kissing the corner of his mouth.
"I don't know how good I'll be at a relationship. I've never had one."
Lachlan kissed him again, feather soft. "Neither have I. We'll figure it out as we go along. One day at a time."
"Then, okay. This is me laying at your feet and giving in to us like you wanted." Apollo sighed like he was in physical pain. "I…love you."
"So dramatic." Lachlan was laughing as he kissed him again, needing more of those lips on him. He kissed Apollo like he'd always wanted to, with his heart stripped bare, and he didn't know how anything could hurt so much and feel so good at the same time.
23
Apollo thought he must have been mad to admit he loved Lachlan Ironwood to his face. What had happened to his self-preservation? Oh, right, he had been kidnapped and forced to focus on what really mattered. And Lachlan, on top of him, telling him how much he wanted to be in a relationship, a real one? It had made him want to take the risk.
Maybe I've been fighting this too hard?
His dragon snorted in frustration, his equivalent of calling him a dumbass. Maybe he had been, but he'd had his reasons. Apollo was still shit scared over the thought that he might actually be able to keep Lachlan, but his dragon wasn't. Now it knew that Lachlan wanted something more than a hookup, it wanted to sink his teeth into his neck and fuck him to pieces.
"Your eyes are glowing so hot right now," Lachlan whispered.
"My dragon wants to do all kinds of naughty things to you, that's why," Apollo replied and patted him on his ridiculously toned butt. "It wants this ass. You shouldn't have said you haven't been topped.Badidea to tell my dragon you're a back-door virgin."
Lachlan rolled his eyes. "Just because I haven't been topped by someone doesn't mean I'm a back-door virgin. It means that I've never trusted someone to do it other than myself with a toy."
"Shhh, now, it's going to be okay. I'm here." Apollo patted his ass lovingly. "Don't worry, my little virgin. I'm going to take good care of you. I'll get you used to the idea, and then I'm going to rock your world."
"Are you talking to me or my ass?" Lachlan laughed.
