“And what does that mean?” He knew. It was always the same. The younger ones thought of him as the mentor, as the champion. They rarely saw what hisnamoradodid, when they were alone and Balta was not the public Balta.
“It means you have what everyone else wants.”
Now it was Balta’s turn to blink, then laugh. No one had ever put it to him that way. He liked it. “Sim. Which also means I am not a very nice man.” He squeezed with both hands when Raul opened his mouth, cutting off what would either be protest or agreement. “I am not. I am a demon, according to Joa.”
Raul’s mouth twisted in a sardonic curve. “I can see that.”
“Well, then, you can see why, even though I am his lover, it is hard for me to be Joaquim’s friend.”
Head tilting, Raul seemed to think that over. “No. Joa is easy to be with.”
“He is!” Balta made a frustrated noise, like atcha. “But I am not.”
“Oh.” That actually seemed to penetrate, because Raul relaxed a bit, leaning toward him instead of against the pressure of Balta’s hand. “I think you’re fine.”
“Thank you.” He smiled again, fighting the urge to chuckle once more, not wanting to offend. “Joa, though, he is easy with you. He laughs and smiles and talks. And I see the way you look at one another.”
“He does not. I mean, he is true to you, Balta.” So dear, the way Raul defended Joa, leaping right to his aid. It made Balta like Raul even more.
“I know he is.” Balta gave Raul a shake, which earned him a gasp, and a dilation of Raul’s pupils. Interesting. “I just know that he looks at you with want, Raul. I am not jealous.”
“Nao?”
“No. How could I be when I look at you the same way?”
That left Raul gasping, those pretty lips opening. Raul had a very nice mouth. Not as pouty and inviting as Joaquim’s, but lovely. Balta reached up with his riding hand to trace Raul’s lower lip with his thumb.
“We both want you, Raul. Will you consider letting it happen if we all want it?”
“You’re crazy.” The heat in those strange eyes told him that the idea had taken root, though. “Truly a demon. What if it ruins what you and Joa have?”
“Nothing could do that.” He knew that with absolute certainty. “But I do not wish to destroy your friendship.”
“No. I do not, either.”
They sat there, Balta touching Raul’s mouth, for a long while. Then Balta leaned close, his mouth hovering over Raul’s, the hand behind Raul’s neck sliding down and over Raul’s body. In seconds, it had found the hardness beneath Raul’s fly. Raul grunted, a deep, guttural sound, the long legs falling open.
“Say you will think about it,” Balta murmured against Raul’s mouth. “That you will at least try it. I promise not to let anyone get hurt.”
“This is not something anyone can promise, Balta. Not even you.”
Balta gave that the thought it deserved before humming in agreement. “Okay. But I can promise you how hot it will be. You there, in front of Joa, taking his mouth while I take him from behind…” Squeezing Raul’s cock, he waited for a reaction. He was pulling out the big guns and he knew it. Somehow this seemed far more important than it had five minutes ago. Very important.
“I…” A warm gust of air flowed over his face, Raul sighing, lips moving on Balta’s in a tiny kiss. “I will. God help me, I cannot say no.”
Deep satisfaction filled him, the feeling almost savage in its intensity. That was how he felt about Joa, too. About how he would always give Joa what hisdoceneeded.
Balta could just never say no.
