Rage that reminded Wade of a storm’s fury flashed across Riordan’s eyes, but none of it was in his touch, in his voice. “I promise I will never hurt you.”
Wade drew in a shuddering breath that tasted like Riordan, like the sea, filling his lungs with the scent ofthemand not old memories that had no place here. “I know you won’t.”
That was a belief Wade clung to, realizing it was true on every level as Riordan slowly, carefully slid a finger inside him after Wade nodded his okay to continue, no pain radiating out anywhere. The intrusion wasn’t like anything he’d experiencedbefore, and Wade ducked his head, biting at Riordan’s collarbone to muffle the sound that wanted to escape his throat.
Riordan took his time, which some part of Wade was grateful for, but by the time he was squirming on three thick fingers, he was desperate for Riordan toget on with it. He dug his fingers into Riordan’s shoulders, trying to remember that shifting mass right about then would be a bad idea.
“Get in me,” he gasped against the curve of Riordan’s neck and shoulder, the words vibrating against warm skin.
Riordan made a noise that had to be agreement because he pulled his fingers free, and Wade made a displeased sound that had Riordan laughing. It turned into a sharp moan when Wade bit at his muscle, licking up sweat. “You need to help me out with this. You’re taking the lead,mo chroí.”
Oh.Oh. Well then. He could do that.
Wade’s coordination wasn’t the best right then, but he somehow managed to rise up on his knees, let Riordan get his hands on him and guide him back down. The press of Riordan’s cock against his entrance had him freezing for a split second, but the fingers skating up his thigh to palm his hip and the soft kiss Riordan gave him was distracting enough to push aside everything but the here and now and the growing heat in his gut that had nothing to do with fire.
He sank down onto Riordan’s cock, panting against the other man’s mouth like he was flying and diving in a dizzying spiral. It didn’t hurt, not when he could go at his own pace, not when Riordan had ensured the stretch would be easy and feel good. It still felt weird, but Wade decided he liked it. Then he tilted his hips while chasing after Riordan’s mouth for a kiss, and Riordan’s cock pressed against a spot inside him that lit up every nerve in his body, and Wade made a noise he didn’t know he was capable of in human or dragon form.
“Yeah,” Riordan rasped, biting at the edge of his jaw. “Take whatever you want.”
“You?” Wade muttered, clumsily circling his hips, wanting to feel that sensation again, trying not to claw open Riordan’s skin as he braced himself against the other man’s body for leverage.
Riordan laughed, the sound disbelieving and raw as Wade rose up on his knees a little and sank back down on that hard cock. “You gave my skin back today.”
Wade groaned as he dug his knees into the bed and figured out how to make his body move to ride Riordan’s cock. “Not gonna keep it if you don’t give it to me.”
He wanted to—desperately wanted to keep Riordan the way he’d never wanted to keep anyone else—but he’d never take someone’s heart if it wasn’t freely given. A deep instinct had drawn him to the selkie, but it was Riordan’s whole personality and kindness that had led Wade into his arms, into his bed, riding his cock with the freedom to stop whenever he wanted.
Only he really didn’t because it felt so good when Riordan filled him up, the way Riordan let him set the pace and only ever steadied him, kissed him, made him feel like he was about to burn up in the best way possible. Any lingering remnants of memories of other times he’d done this were washed away by hot waves of pleasure that eddied through his nerves. Everything narrowed down to the undulation of his body as he chased that building pressure of pleasure, to the hands that never left his body, anchoring him to the human shape of the life he preferred to live right now.
Wade’s orgasm caught him by surprise, not knowing what the edge felt like until he tumbled right over, desperately grinding down onto Riordan’s cock while Riordan stroked Wade’s through his release. Riordan kissed away his startled cry, swallowing the noise as he tried to figure out how to breathe.
“Your scales are beautiful,” Riordan murmured, lips dragging away from his mouth to kiss his cheek, the edge of his jaw, down his throat, anywhere he could reach.
Wade’s chest ached with the need for air, as if he’d done a cross-country flight with no stops, hands gripping Riordan’s shoulders tight. He could see the sheen of red scales scattered over the back of one hand out of the corner of his eyes, a trail stretching up his forearm. He didn’t remember losing control of his body like that.
Wade hummed, feeling loose-limbed and happy, even as he realized Riordan was still hard inside him. “You didn’t come.”
“Close,” Riordan muttered, tightening his arms around Wade before releasing him. “Lift up.”
Wade slid off Riordan’s cock and settled on his lap. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Riordan stared at him, breathing hard as he stroked his cock until he came, spilling between them, some of it hitting Wade’s stomach. Curious, he wiped up a bit of the cum and put his finger in his mouth. The sound Riordan made was definitely better than the way his cum tasted.
“Might pass on that,” Wade admitted.
Riordan laughed, hooking his other hand around the back of Wade’s neck and pulling him in for a lazy kiss. “Whatever you want.”
You, Wade thought, even if he didn’t say it out loud as he leaned against Riordan and let the older man hold him.
It’d be nice if he could make that desire come true.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Riordan wokeup Sunday to the drumming sound of rain against the windows behind the heavy curtains in the hotel bedroom. He was warm even with the air-conditioning on and the sheets tangled around his hips. Most of that reason was lying half on top of him, head resting on his shoulder, one arm slung over his middle and a leg tangled with his, breathing softly against his skin. Wade clung like an octopus in his sleep, and Riordan couldn’t say he minded.
He bent his arm, lifting his hand so he could gently run his knuckles up and down Wade’s back, following the path of his spine. His skin was fever-warm, a byproduct of being a dragon, Riordan presumed. It made him think of winter and staying in bed curled around each other, a dream he wasn’t sure would ever become reality, despite last night.
Letting Wade have his way in bed was the only thing Riordan would ever want in the bedroom. Knowing Wade’s past, knowing what he’d overcome, meant Riordan would do everything in his power to never hurt the younger man. It’d been easy to guide him, to show Wade pleasure that made him comfortable, and the best thing about it all had been the laughter. Riordan wanted toremember it all, wanted to be able to hold those moments of joy and heated passion close, because Niall was still a threat.
“You smell like Jono when Patrick has done something stupid and he thinks brooding will solve the problem if tea won’t,” Wade mumbled, breath tickling Riordan’s skin.
