Talon squeezed his hand.“Come on, let’s go for a walk in the gardens.”
That sounded lovely, but… “We should be studying instead.”
“It’s okay to take some time for yourself,” Tal said kindly.Any other protests Zane had evaporated when Talon put an arm around his shoulders and steered him towards the gardens.
Unlike in Athusa, the plant life here consisted mostly of muted green succulents and twisty trees that barely seemed alive.But there were splashes of color to be found as they wandered through—orange poppies, yellow marigolds, and pink oleander.An agave with wicked looking spines towered over them, a single stalk in the center of the plant spearing towards the cloudless sky.The earthy aroma of hot sand mingled with sweet honeysuckle.
They walked until they found a wooden bench and sat, Talon’s arm still around his shoulders and Zane rested his head against him.Before him lay a grand tapestry of desert beauty, but he found he could focus on little else other than the heartbeat sounding beneath his ear, and his own turbulent thoughts.
Talon seemed to improve day by day, and for that, Zane was truly grateful.But it meant that he was worrying less about someone else’s mental well-being, and all of his own personal experiences rushed in to fill the empty spaces.
He’d been taken prisoner by his own father, tortured to the brink of death, and forced to face his father in battle.Then to watch Talon murdered in front of him, and those few harrowing minutes that he held his lover’s dead body, considering ending his own life because this one had been so fraught with heartache.Not to mention, he’d never properly dealt with the deaths of his mother, and his previous lover, Jax.
“What are you thinking about?”Talon murmured.
Zane shook his head.He didn’t need to burden Talon with any of his problems.A firm finger underneath his chin tilted his head back until Zane was staring into warm blue eyes.That same blue that screamedhome.
“Let me take care of you, my heart.You kept me afloat for so long.Let me return the favor.”
Taking a shuddering breath, Zane closed his eyes.Talon was the only one he’d ever felt comfortable exposing his entire true self to.But that didn’t mean it was easy.Especially after a lifetime of hiding who he was and what he was feeling.
“I’ve been through a lot,” he began, then found he couldn’t stop, the words flowing out of him.At some point, he started crying.Silent, hot tears streamed down his face as he forced himself to get everythingout.Talon sat with him, saying nothing, simply holding him close and wiping away the moisture on his face.
“You’ve gone through more than anyone should have to deal with in a lifetime, let alone before they’re thirty,” Talon finally said when Zane fell quiet.
“You’ve been through worse,” Zane whispered.What were his problems compared to Talon actually dying?
Tal cradled Zane’s face in his warm hands, callused fingers swiping away errant tears.
“One person’s problems don’t invalidate someone else’s.Just because you see something as ‘worse’ doesn’t mean your problems mean nothing.Your worries matter, Zane.”His hands trembled slightly.“Youmatter.So much.Not only to me, but to so many around you.”
Zane’s sinuses burned with more unshed tears, but before they had a chance to fall, Talon was kissing him.He gripped Tal’s tunic and tugged him closer until Zane was practically sitting in his lap.The rough scratch of stubble against his cheek drove Zane close to insanity.He needed more.So much more.He broke apart and leaned his brow against Talon’s.
“Room,” Zane said, breathless.“Now.”
Standing without a word, Talon grabbed Zane’s hand and together they ran back to their room.Broad smiles covered both of their faces and as they passed the palace staff, many of them shot questioning glances at the crazed couple flying through the halls.
But they finally, finally made it back to their guest suite, and once the door was closed, Zane’s back was shoved against it, Talon’s lips hot on his again.Tal crowded him against the door, shoving a leg between his thighs that Zane shamelessly ground down on.His hands were everywhere, wanting to touch every single part of this man but not knowing where to start.
A light caress over the skin of his midriff had Zane breaking apart, chest heaving, to rip his tunic off, then Talon’s.It wasn’t his first time seeing Tal’s bare torso, but Zane soaked in the sight, anyway.Straining muscles sat underneath pale skin, covered with a spattering of freckles.Zane ran his hands down his chest, quickly replacing them with his lips and tongue.Talon gripped his hair tight, holding Zane to his chest.
He let his hands drift lower, toying with Tal’s waistband.The large bulge of his arousal was evident, and Zane finally allowed himself to touch, cupping Talon right where he had always desired.A muttered curse had Zane smirking as he dropped to his knees.Looking up at this wonderful man, his smile refused to disappear.His fingers deftly undid Talon’s trousers and yanked them down, exposing his magnificent cock.
Zane gazed deep into Talon’s blue eyes, a heat and hunger there that he’d never seen before.He dragged his tongue up Talon’s shaft slowly before sucking the tip into his mouth.Tal’s hips thrust forward, and his hand tightened in Zane’s hair.
“Fuck, Zane,” he hissed.
His own cock twitched at the words, his trousers becoming uncomfortably tight.Zane worked Tal methodically, using his hand to squeeze at the base while his tongue swirled around the tip.Talon’s breathing became choppier, and his hand spasmed in Zane’s hair.Zane moaned in anticipation, then groaned as Talon pulled him away.
“I will not come in your mouth the first time,” Talon said, his voice low and full of want.“Come here.”
He hauled Zane up and then was kissing him again, nipping at his lower lip, their tongues dancing together.Tal’s hand speared into his pants and wrapped around Zane’s aching cock.Stilling at the sensation, Zane could only gaze with wonder at the man he loved as his fist began to stroke up and down.Talon walked him backwards until his knees hit the bed.
“Take those off,” he murmured in Zane’s ear, biting the lobe gently.Then he turned and walked towards the bathing room.Zane hated that he was leaving but loved the sight of his bare ass too much to complain.
“Where are you going?”Zane tore his trousers down and kicked them away, waiting impatiently for his lover to return.
“Getting lubrication,” came the shouted reply from the other room.
