Breathless, James nodded once in response.
Hooking his hands behind his back, Cassian retreated a bit. Just enough so that he could watch James with ease and see the entirety of his naked form as it came into view. Keeping his expression stoic, Cassian ignored the hammering of his heart as James removed every piece of his uniform, the clothing creating a small pile on the floor as he did. All the while, James’s breathing shook, and hearing the sound brought Cassian some semblance of calm, for he himself was on the verge of shaking.
Once James was finished, he straightened his posture and smiled sweetly. Cassian’s mouth twitched, and he bit back a smile of his own. Feigning a steadiness that he did not possess, he raked his eyes over James’s naked form, scrutinizing and admiring the man he loved. He let his eyes fall to James’s cock first, and his own member seemed to swell upon seeing it. Thick and long, it was larger than Cassian had imagined it would be, and he found himself so enamored that he momentarily forgot to breathe. He stared, transfixed, for several more seconds, his face flush, until James began to stroke himself and inadvertently broke the spell. Cassian began to lift his gaze, lingering on every inch of James’s perfect torso, including his lean-but-somehow-soft-looking stomach as well as his lovely smattering of chest hair. Finally, he reached James’s face, and the man’s sweet smile—somehow both shy and confident at once—made Cassian’s heart stutter.
Cassian had yet to make himself move when James closed the gap between them, capturing Cassian’s mouth in a kiss. Cassian threaded his fingers through James’s hair, and James let out a heady moan, sending ripples of want pitter-pattering over Cassian’s skin and making him shudder.
“Now,” Cassian began, his voice wavering only slightly, “remove mine.”
James, the wonderful, obedient steward that he was, did as he was told. Cassian fought not to shudder again as more and more of his skin was exposed. After the last piece of his clothing was removed, Cassian had the fleeting thought that he hoped James liked the look of him. Exactly then, James fell to his knees.
Cassian nearly came undone at the mere sight.
“Please,” James said, looking up at Cassian through his lashes. His eyes flitted to Cassian’s cock. “Let me pleasure you.”
Again, Cassian only nodded.
After a pause, James took Cassian’s cock in his hand and then, before Cassian managed to even process the feel of the other man’s hand on his shaft, James took him into his mouth. Reflexively, Cassian bucked his hips a little, and he let out a soft moan as James began to bob his head. Pleasure climbing, Cassian moved a hand through James’s hair once more, and the sweet smile that followed, one that brightened James’s face even though he was still hard at work and occupied, brought Cassian closer to the edge. Just looking at James—thinking of how considerate he was and how fucking handsome he looked and how caring he could be—was enough to make Cassian feel as though he might climax. Lord in heaven, it had only been a mere minute or so.
Never had Cassian experienced something like this before.
“James,” Cassian rasped out, teetering on the edge.
James’s free hand found Cassian’s. Gently, he squeezed Cassian’s fingers.
And that was the thing that made Cassian come.
With a long, low moan, Cassian finished in James’s mouth, his breathing somewhat labored as he succumbed to orgasm. James swallowed every bit of Cassian’s ejaculate, continuing to move his head and suck while Cassian’s cock pulsed. Afterward, James wiped his mouth with his wrist and pushed himself to stand. Overcome with a possessive need to keep James close, Cassian pulled him in for a fierce kiss before leading him over to the bed. Together, they climbed into it, and then they continued to kiss. Cassian let himself become lost in it, the post-orgasm haze making him feel as though he was intoxicated for a long while.
Intermittently, Cassian nibbled on James’s bottom lip, enjoying the little sounds that he managed to coax forth with only a little bite here and there. Several times, they stopped to stare into each other’s eyes, and even though James stayed hard throughout, he never once asked Cassian to pleasure him. Embarrassingly enough,Cassian couldn’t help but feel vaguely relieved by that. He wanted to pleasure James. More than anything, he wanted to please his lovely steward. But his lingering sense of unease remained, and a voice in the back of his mind whispered that he might look foolish. Or worse, that he himself might be middling.
After all, James had been with a man before. But Cassian had not.
Slowly, while they kissed, Cassian’s cock began to stiffen, and soon, he was fully erect again. He had only been hard for a little while before James began to stroke him.
“James . . .”
“I want to,” James said softly, his voice so incredibly sweet. “Please.”
But Cassian brought his hand to James’s wrist, stopping him.
“But I haven’t—”
“I know,” James said. “It’s not important to me right now. Later, maybe you can... or—or I can...” He shook his head. “Either one. Or even neither one, too.” He resumed pumping his fist, his movements slow. “I want this, Cassian. I want to pleasure you.”
Cassian rolled onto his back. James sat up on his elbow and continued to stroke him. Closing his eyes, Cassian let himself once again become lost in the sensations. Everything else faded as James moved his fist. After a minute or two of pleasure, James nuzzled Cassian’s cheek with his nose. Goose bumps pebbled over Cassian’s skin, and he shivered. Humming softly, James moved his fist faster.
“Thank you,” James whispered into Cassian’s ear, “for letting me have you like this.”
Cassian huffed a laugh.
“I thought you wanted to be taken,” he countered, a playful hitch in his tone.
“I do want that,” James said. “But even more than that, I want you to have what you want. Now. Always. Forever.”
Cassian laughed a bit more. Lolling his head to face him, Cassian cocked an eyebrow.
“Anything I want?”
