Gale ran fingers through Jude’s hair, appreciating the faith it took to accept his offer, to know he’d be safe, to find comfort in his presence. It reminded him of when Yosi would climb into his bed during the rain seasons. Yeah, he could have suggested they go to Jude's larger bed, but where was the fun in that? Here, he had a chance to force Jude to get close, to see if the proximity would inspire a reaction, and if their closeness could break past the final barriers Jude had raised between them.
For four chapters, Gale brushed fingers over Jude’s shoulder and listened to the storm rage. When he put the light out, he couldn’t resist shuffling down a bit to curl tight around Jude, leg between Jude’s, making the most of the close proximity. With his nose tucked at the back of Jude’s ear, he fell asleep to the rumble of thunder and the comforting rise and fall of steady breathing beneath his hand.
Chapter Four
The sweet scent of sage filled his senses, hair tickled his nose, breath puffed against his skin. A spike of rosewood emerged as Jude nuzzled closer, his cheek rubbing against Gale’s stomach.
This was new. Nice. Reaffirming what Gale had been considering since he had first caught Jude watching him. They were developing a mate bond, likely lurking within them from the day they were born. Unnoticed…why? Because they hadn’t been ready? Because it hadn’t been safe?
Gale hadn’t been having random affairs with women because he didn’t believe in sharing intimacy with anyone who wasn’t his mate. From his observations, Jude was exclusively attracted to men and probably hadn’t been seeing someone in Vihaan due to the culture there.
Those who experienced the mate bond claimed it was clever, sentient enough to know when to appear and when to hesitate. Had the clever shit been aware they were incompatible? Known to develop a friendship before expecting more?
That would imply they’d been building the bondlongbefore now. Countless nights in the hut by the border, days hunting and tracking prey, a precursor to this bond. The mate bond establishing itself and asserting its dominance in a reminder this was inevitable.
Was that why he wasn’t afraid? Why it didn’t matter Jude was a guy with equipment he’d never thought about handling? Was that why he delved wholeheartedly into exploring what lurked between them? Why he didn’t run or fight, consider walking away and rejecting hismalemate? Something had to explain it, to make sense of why Gale had never looked at, thought of, or considered touching another male, but the moment he saw Jude’s attraction, he couldn’t resist.
Inhaling the familiar scent, he buried his nose behind Jude’s ear and let it wash over him: warm, earthy. The scent of home.
A knock on the door made Gale sigh. He didn’t risk waking Jude by calling out but let the ten-count rule apply. After twelve, the door opened and Drew popped his head in.
“I have a lead on another name in the city. We’ll have breakfast, then head out,” he said, explaining his interruption with the only acceptable excuse.
Gale gave a thumbs up and watched him exit, leaving him the unenviable task of waking Jude and discovering whether he regretted the events of the previous day or if he snuggled into Gale’s naked body, showing he accepted the growing bond between them. He had two ways to avoid the inevitable freak out: slip out of bed before Jude woke or wake his fireball with a smile.
No, that wasn’t true. There was no choice.
Nipping at the tender flesh below Jude’s ear, he splayed a hand against Jude’s stomach over the tee he’d worn to bed. As he offered light nips and kisses to the expanse of Jude’s neck, Gale slipped a hand under the fabric and fought the instinct to head south, trailing fingers, stroking bare flesh.
Jude stirred awake, eyelashes fluttering. When he opened hazel eyes, Gale grazed a thumb over a delicate nipple and a smile spread across Jude’s lips like the sunrise. “What are you doing?” he asked, husky with sleep, the sound sending a jolt to his cock.
“Time to wake up,” he whispered, easing the tee to Jude’s chin to latch his mouth to a pert nipple. Sucking his middle finger into his mouth to add a wet, alternating touch.
“I’m sure words exist for that,” Jude said, breathy and soft.
Gale nipped the tender flesh. “Yeah? I’m sure you know exactly what I’m doing, yet you ask every time.” He arched an eyebrow to question whether Jude would continue being difficult. “If you’re done complaining, you can get this ass in the shower, or…” He paused to offer an alternative, licking at the raised nipple and cupping Jude’s fine ass.
“Or?” he asked, breath hitching when Gale parted his ass cheeks and slipped a finger between them. Jude gasped and clutched at his biceps with biting fingers.
Nothing was more gratifying than watching Jude’s lashes flicker in a struggle to keep his eyes open. “Or you can ride my finger until you come, thank me, and join me in the shower to save time,” he replied, easing a finger inside the tight hole until Jude grunted and his eyes closed.
“Thank you?” he repeated, grinning and biting his lip as Gale continued the drag of a finger against his tight asshole.
“Yeah, thank me.”
If Jude asked what for, he’d leave him hard and alone, leaking pre-come in the space between them. Fuck the games and make him figure it out.
Gale pushed his finger deeper, wishing it didn’t turn him on to see how Jude reacted, to watch unguarded pleasure sweep him away from reality.
When he opened his eyes, Jude wrapped his arms around Gale’s neck and leaned in closer. Jude kissed with a hunger Gale couldn’t feed yet, moaning when Gale tugged him closer. Breaking the kiss, Jude panted, eyes glazed with pleasure, mouth wet and kissable. “Thank you.”
*
The verbal thank you was all the gratitude Jude showed for the serious finger-fucking that sent him careening into orgasm. He had joined Gale in the shower, the water cool but Jude so frosty it should have turned ice-cold.
If they’d been confined by the storm, he’d have caused another fight to get Jude to admit he spent 90 percent of his life behind a mask of indifference.
Gale had never seen anything more perfect than Jude falling apart in his arms, flying high on an orgasmhegave. If Jude wouldn’t let it be more, Gale would be better rejecting the bond and finding a mate who could appreciate him. He had more to offer than his body.
