The painful invasion stopped immediately, soft lips and hands tracing his shoulders. “Shh… easy, Alex. If you’re not used to this, we need to go slow.” Paul’s husky voice lulled him. “Relax. Let me know when you’re ready.”
It humbled Alex that, though he’d ruthlessly taunted and insulted the man, Paul didn’t plunge in brutally, mindless of any pain he caused. They were adversaries, right? Why did Paul take such care to be a tender and thoughtful lover, when by rights he should be cold and unfeeling?
The pain lessened gradually, and Alex’s breathing returned to normal. “Better?” Paul whispered, lips gently sweeping the back of Alex’s neck again.
Alex nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Paul tentatively maneuvered back and out of Alex’s body. The pop top snapped and more lube dripped on Alex’s opening, worked in by slick fingers. Paul repositioned himself, and this time, when he breached the tight ring of muscle, the burn was far less intense. Paul took his time, carefully working himself into the tight, seldom penetrated passage, stopping frequently to allow Alex time to adjust.
At long last, Paul’s balls rested against his ass, cock buried completely inside. As slowly as it had entered, the cock that felt enormous eased out of Alex’s stretched passage. The slow, unhurried motions continued until Alex grew achingly hard again and ready for more. Raising his ass to meet Paul’s next controlled thrust, he silently pleaded for a more aggressive coupling. Paul gave him what he asked for.
Paul rode him, varying speed and depth, angling his hips to ensure Alex received the maximum amount of pleasure with each forceful penetration. When Alex moaned, a thrust was repeated, until Paul knew exactly what excited him most, giving it in good measure.
Once again hovering on the edge, Alex groaned his disappointment when Paul slowed and eventually stopped, sliding out once more. Paul turned Alex and gazed down with an expression far removed from the open hostility or sneering triumph Alex expected. Wasn’t there supposed to be humiliation and getting even for the snide comments and ill treatment? Instead, Paul painstakingly saw to his comfort, ensuring the bonds weren’t pinching before leaning down and capturing his mouth in another searing kiss. If Alex hadn’t known better, he would have sworn Paul meant the passionate gesture.
Their lips parted, and Paul used his knee to separate Alex’s legs, repositioning the pillow under him. He kneeled between those splayed legs, gazing down appreciatively, like a craftsman admiring his handiwork. Alex caught his first glimpse of his captor fully naked, surprised to see a completely hairless chest, abdomen, and groin. Paul sported a full and heavy cock, as long as Alex had believed, and much thicker. He felt a rush of gratitude for Paul’s careful preparations; thoughtlessness might have caused serious injury.
“Like what you see?” Paul whispered in a voice gone husky.
Alex saw no use in lying. “Yes.”
Paul’s beamed a guileless smile as he positioned himself again, his weight braced on one wiry, muscled arm. He bent one of Alex’s legs out of the way and guided himself back to Alex’s stretched opening, leaning in and sinking his teeth into a muscled shoulder. He slowly worked his way in and then out, driving Alex insane with impatience.
Hissing sharply through clenched teeth, Alex arched his back and pulled hard against his makeshift bonds, wrapping his legs around Paul’s thighs, trying hard to hurry the wickedly slow pace.
Paul teased for a few minutes, then relented and gave him what he craved. Bringing Alex once again to the brink, Paul settled into a steady, driving tempo, his hand finding and stroking Alex’s cock in a frantic rhythm.
Deepening his plunging thrusts, Paul pressed further into Alex’s ass and stilled, his cock pulsing and spasming deep inside. His hand faltered as he groaned out his completion. Alex found release a split second later, rendered more intense by the repeated denials.
With a heady sigh, Paul collapsed in a tangle of arms and legs, still firmly embedded in Alex’s body. He mumbled incoherent words against Alex’s chest.
Careful as Paul was, Alex still winced when the man’s spent flesh slowly eased from his body. He suffered another brief moment of panic when Paul disappeared without a word. The sound of running water prompted a sigh of relief.
Bare feet padding across the floor announced Paul’s return. He carefully released the tie, raising Alex’s abraded wrists and examining them before bestowing a gentle kiss on each.
Paul’s intense brown eyes locked with Alex’s as he wiped away the evidence of their encounter with a damp cloth. Never had Alex witnessed such heated passion directed at him, and for a moment he imagined the pseudoadoration to be love instead of the mysterious, unknown emotion it actually was. Triumph, perhaps?
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Paul tossed the soiled cloth to the floor to join their discarded clothes.
Alex shook his head, fully prepared to be abandoned now that they’d satisfied the terms of their agreement, the idea depressing beyond his reckoning.
Instead of leaving, Paul folded the comforter down and urged Alex to crawl beneath it, climbing in afterward to snuggle against Alex’s side.
“Paul, I…,” Alex began, without any real clue of what he intended to say.
“Shh…. We’re still playing by my rules,” Paul replied. “Let’s not try to talk tonight.” He kissed the sting out of the words, delivering another soul-searing kiss Alex feared might prove addictive. Burrowing into the covers, Paul yawned and said, “Good night.” Soon steady, even breathing confirmed Paul was asleep. More sated than he ever remembered feeling, Alex wasn’t far behind.
BYRONhovered outside in the hallway once Alex and Paul climbed the stairs, decorum dictating that he not spy on two of his favorite men. When the moans and guttural cries quieted, he couldn’t help himself and chanced a peek into the blue room.
Gliding over to the bed, he fought the urge to crow in happiness. Observing the peaceful sleepers lying entwined, he exulted that they’d finally put aside their differences and given in to their mutual attraction. Oh, how Byron loved being right.
Satisfied his work there was done, the spirit of Byron Sinclair, now beginning to assume the shape he’d worn in life, sped away to keep watch over his own sleeping lover.
10
CONSCIOUSNESSslowly surfaced, and Paul registered deep, even breaths from across the bed. A hairy leg brushed his ass, inspiring a hopeful twitch from his cock. He jumped and rolled away, gazing through bleary eyes at his bedmate.
What have I done?After weeks of holding Alex at bay, he’d finally given in to temptation. The only thing truly stopping him before had been the reasons behind Alex’s pursuit. In those piercing blue eyes he was damned anyway—might as well earn the title he’d been given. Despite Alex’s opinions, Paul wasn’t a one-night stand kind of guy and should’ve shown more control. Grieving was a poor excuse to seek comfort from the enemy.
