Sonny blinked up at him. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, a nervous gesture that made Reese’s cock start to harden.
Reese kissed him. Cut off whatever the guy was saying with his mouth. Sonny made a surprised sound that melted into something softer and needy. His lips parted immediately, letting Reese in. The taste of him flooded Reese’s senses, made his bear snarl with the need to claim, to mark, to make sure everyone knew this bunny belonged to him.
Sonny’s hands came up to grip Reese’s arms, his fingers digging into muscle. He was already breathing hard when Reese pulled back, his mate’s face flushed. “Oh. We’re doing this. Okay. That’s happening.”
“Is it a problem?” Reese kept his voice even despite the way his body was responding. His cock pressed against his jeans, hard enough that it was starting to hurt. His bear wanted to push Sonny down onto the bed, wanted to strip him bare and claim him. But his mate needed to want this, too, needed to choose it.
“No. Definitely not a problem.” His grip on Reese’s arms tightened. “I’ve been thinking about this since yesterday. Since the coffee shop. Since I saw you and my entire brain just kind of short-circuited because you’re my mate and that’s a thing that exists and wow you’re really good at kissing.”
Reese kissed him again, swallowing the rambling words. Sonny melted against him, his small body pressing close. The height difference meant Reese had to bend down, had to angle himself to make the kiss work. His hands found Sonny’s hips and gripped them.
Sonny pulled back just enough to speak, his lips brushing against Reese’s with each word. “I should probably tell you I’m a virgin. Well, not a virgin virgin, but close enough that the distinction doesn’t really matter. So if you’re expecting someone with experience, you’re going to be disappointed.”
The admission made Reese’s bear roar with possessive satisfaction. His mate was untouched, unclaimed by anyone else. Reese would be the first to have him, the only one who mattered. “Not disappointed.”
“Really? Because I feel like that’s the kind of thing that would be disappointing. I mean I’ve done stuff, just not the specific stuff we’re probably about to do. And I might not be good at it. I might be terrible at it. You should probably lower your expectations significantly.”
Reese slid his hands under his mate’s oversized shirt, finding smooth, bare skin. His mate was talking too much, his nervousness making the words spill out even faster. I’ll fix that.
Walking them backward, his mater’s legs hit the bed, then Sonny sat down hard, hazel eyes growing wide as Reese followed. The mattress dipped under their combined weight. Reese settled between Sonny’s thighs, his hips pressing forward. The friction made them both groan, the sound filling the quiet room.
“You talk a lot when you’re nervous.” Reese’s mouth found the exposed skin of Sonny’s shoulder, tasting salt and soap. His mate’s pulse hammered under his tongue..
“It’s a defense mechanism. If I keep talking, then I don’t have to think about how nervous I am.” Sonny’s hands were in Reese’s hair, fingers threading through the strands. “Also you’re really big and I’m really small and I’m trying very hard not to think about the logistics of that situation.”
He bit down gently on Sonny’s shoulder, not hard enough to break skin but enough to make his mate gasp. The sound went straight to Reese’s cock, made him grind against his mate. The guy was hard too, the evidence pressing against Reese’s stomach.
“Stop thinking,” he said against Sonny’s skin. His hands moved to the hem of the shirt, pulling it up and over Sonny’s head. The fabric caught on his mate’s arms for a moment before slipping free. Then Sonny was bare from the waist up, pale skin smooth in the dim light.
Sonny’s breathing was ragged, hands tugging at Reese’s shirt. “This needs to disappear. It’s not fair I’m half-naked and you’re fully dressed. That’s an imbalance. We should fix the imbalance.”
In one fluid motion, Reese yanked the shirt off. Sonny’s eyes went dark, tracking over the exposed muscle. His tongue darted out to wet his lips again, that nervous gesture that made Reese want to bite him. His mate’s hands reached out tentatively, fingers brushing against Reese’s stomach.
“You’re so solid.” His mate sounded breathless. “Like, I knew you were big, but seeing it up close is different. You could probably bench-press a mobile home. Could you bench-press a mobile home? That’s not relevant, but I’m curious.”
With a smirk, he pinned Sonny’s hands and above his head, pressing them into the mattress. His mate’s breath caught, pupils blown wide, the scent of his arousal spiking. Sonny liked being held down, liked giving up control. The knowledge made something hot and possessive coil in Reese’s gut.
“Keep them there,” he instructed.
Sonny nodded, his fingers twisting the pillow above his head, knuckles white with the effort of staying still. “Okay. Yes. I can do that. Staying still. Very good at staying still.”
Lips found Sonny’s collarbone, tasting the skin. His mate was lean with soft edges. Reese traced lower with his tongue, following the line of Sonny’s chest. The bunny trembled under his mouth.
“You’re taking your time.” Sonny’s voice wavered. “Not complaining. Just observing. Very thorough. I appreciate thoroughness.”
Reaching the waistband, Reese’s fingers hooked into the fabric, pulling them down slowly. Sonny lifted his hips to help, the movement making his cock bob against his stomach. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath, hadn’t bothered with underwear after his shower. His erection was flushed and leaking at the tip, hard enough to make Reese’s mouth water.
“No underwear.” Sonny’s face had gone red. “I don’t mind borrowed clothes, but I draw the line at putting on someone else’s boxers.”
“Quicker access.” He pulled the sweats down Sonny’s legs, then tossed them aside. His mate was completely bare now, exposed and tempting. The sight made Reese’s bear rumble with satisfaction, made his cock throb with need.
He stood long enough to strip off his own jeans, watching as Sonny tracked the movement. His mate’s gaze locked onto Reese’s erection, going wider. “Oh. That’s… That’s definitely happening. Okay. I can work with that. I think.”
Reese moved back onto the bed, settling between Sonny’s thighs. His mate’s legs fell open to make room. The trust in that gesture made something fierce rise in Reese’s throat. Sonny was offering himself, giving everything despite his nervousness.
“Lube's in the nightstand.” Reese’s voice had gone rough.
Hands still above his head, Sonny twisted his lips. “I can’t reach it from here. You told me to keep my hands where they are. I’m following instructions. Very obedient. Gold star for me.”
