“Yeah?” Thad murmured, brushing his nose against the fragile skin there.
“Mmm.” Graham shifted on the bed, digging his fingers into Thad’s back.
Thad drank in every little hitch in Graham’s breath when he found a sensitive spot or used his tongue to tease at the fleshy part of Graham’s earlobe.
Was that a place where he’d ever taken his time in the past? Had he ever taken this much time with anyone before Graham?
Thad wasn’t a selfish lover but there had been little time to linger with Teddy, little opportunity for softness or sweetness. And the hookups he’d had since hadn’t really offered him that either. Most people were happy to get fucked, then politely kick him out of their place.
And he’d been fine with it at the time. Thought it was what he wanted. But was that only because he hadn’t known what else was out there? Or was it because of who he was with now?
Because this … this was arevelation.
Thad liked the lazy, unhurried exploration he could make of the column of Graham’s neck, the familiar scent of his skin filling his nose and leaving him lightheaded.
Thad licked across a spot at the base of Graham’s neck where it met his shoulder and felt Graham shudder under him.
“I wish you could leave marks,” Graham whispered roughly.
Thad shuddered too.
Because,fuck, he hadn’t wanted that before either but he fucking did now. Wanted to suck and lick until everyone could see Thad had been there. To warn anyone else from trying to go there again. To show everyone Graham washis.
God, what had he done to deserve this?
“Fuck,” Thad whispered again and pressed his face against Graham’s throat before the desperate urge to mark Graham up passed.
Graham settled a hand in Thad’s hair, carding through it with his fingers. “You like that idea, huh?” he whispered.
“Yeah,” Thad rasped. He wasn’t ready to say how he felt to Graham. Why he wanted all that. But he could admit that much.
He tugged at the neckline of Graham’s shirt to get at his collarbone and drag his tongue wetly across it. He blew air across it, watching as Graham shivered and bit his lip, eyes closed, head thrown back.
So he did it again.
When he sat up, Graham let out a quiet sound of protest.
“Hey, I’m not going anywhere, baby,” Thad assured Graham as he pushed up his shirt to get at the skin of his chest. He loomed over him for a moment, grinning crookedly down at him. “Or are you my dirty boy?”
The full-body shudder that wracked Graham’s body made Thad’s heart speed up.
Ohfuckthat was hot.
“I want to be,” Graham whispered, looking at him. An angel ready to be debauched by the devil.
Thad buried his face against Graham’s chest, breathing him in for a moment to steady himself.
Fuck, this wasn’t going to be easy to hold back. And at this rate, Thad was going to spontaneously combust before they did anything.
If this were anyone else, he’d have their clothes off and legs spread, balls-deep in them already. But this wasGraham.
And Thad knew it would be so, so much better if he took it slow. If he gave them both time to adjust to this change. If he gave Graham the care and attention he deserved.
So Thad lifted his head and licked Graham’s nipple.
Even in the dim lamplight, it was pink and perky, going hard at the first swipe of his tongue. Under him, Graham squirmed, letting out a breathy little “oh” when Thad dragged his teeth across it.
He twisted under Thad, his hands going to Thad’s hair again, greedily demanding more.
