Bodies, souls, fates intertwined.
That was how we’d always been.
Alessio had said he’d die for my sins. But as I moved up over his body, fully penetrating him, I was well aware I’d give my soul for all of his—and maybe I already had.
“Rafael,” he said, his eyes full of wonder and pleasure.
“I know,” I whispered, and leaned down to brush my lips over his. “I know…”
There were no words to describe the perfection of this moment as we both fell back into it. It justwas.
Alessio wound his legs around the back of my thighs as he took my face between his hands and kissed me hard.
“Make me yours again.”
My cock throbbed where it was lodged in him, his words bringing forward a wave of possessiveness I had no right to feel. But as I started to roll my hips, dragging myself in and out of his body, the feeling continued to grow.
For so long I’d denied this side of myself, locked it away. I’d told myself I could do without the physical love of another, that God’s love was enough. But as I stared down at Alessio’s sweat-slicked skin, his swollen lips, eyes filled with desire, I realized how foolish I’d been.
I might’ve beenableto do without it, but when I thrust back inside his fit, tight body, I knew it for the sacrifice it had been—because this was giving me life.
That might’ve been blasphemous to think, let alone feel, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe something this powerful, this spiritual, could be bad.
Alessio slid his fingers into my hair as he kissed me, and I rolled my hips over the top of his, sliding in and out of him, and as the pleasure intensified, so did our urgency. Breath, hands, and bodies intermingled as the sound of our desire echoed offthe walls, and I knew after tonight I’d never lie in this room again without hearing it.
His moan.My name. His sharp gasp.
My groan.
They each represented the longing, the lust, the ever-present love we’d always had for one another. It was in every touch of our hands, every angry word shared, the fated outcome of our lives that had always run parallel and were now coming back together.
My heart skipped at the thought, my climax threatening, as Alessio kissed his way up my jaw and whispered in my ear, “I’m yours. I’llforeverbe yours.”
I couldn’t have held back then even if I wanted to after his confession, my deepest, darkest desire. He hooked his heels behind my ass and thrust up on my cock, impaling himself in a way that felt both sacred and sacrificial all at once.
We clung to each other in a way that felt inevitable as the ecstasy took over and hurled us into new territory,forbiddenterritory. The delicious sensations fired through every nerve ending of my body, making me wonder how we could ever be the same again.
Or if that was even what I wanted.
But the one thing I knew for certain in this moment: I wanted Alessio, and I would face whatever repercussions that decision brought my way.
25
ALESSIO
STEADY RAINFALL TAPPED against the window, the only sound in Rafael’s small rectory, but my heart crashing painfully against my ribs was all I could hear.
If Rafael noticed, he chose not to say anything. Instead, he stared at me where we lay face to face, tangled together on his narrow bed, our breaths finally slowing in the aftermath. Even if we’d been in my California king, we still would’ve been this close, our bodies still connected, my arm wrapped around his waist so tight, like he might disappear if I didn’t hold on to him.
We fit. So well.Toowell. I’d told him I only needed one night, but it was a lie, and I didn’t know how, after this, I could let him go.
Again.
Rafael reached between us and tucked my hair behind my ear, then slid his fingers into the long strands. I’d worried he wouldn’t like the way I’d grown it out, but he seemed riveted, wrapping his finger around one of the messy waves, curling and uncurling it, his guard completely down for once.
Such a small, inconsequential thing, but it made my stomach flip, lit a spark inside me that felt a lot like hope, and I needed to shut that down and just enjoy the final moments I had with him.This was all I could get, and it had to be enough. He’d put his faith aside for a few hours, and that’s all I could ask for.
“You deserve more,” Rafael said softly, his focus still on his fingers running through my hair.
