Page 117 of The Boy Bride

He tipped Lill’s head back to kiss his throat. Lill’s arms twined around Vanu’s neck, and he gasped as Vanu’s teeth grazed his collarbone. Vanu slipped one arm under Lill’s knees, wrapped the other around his shoulders, and picked him up, still kissing him, and headed for the stairs.

Chapter 31

Undefeated Lion

Vanu went up the stairs to Lill’s room with Lill clinging to him, arms around Vanu’s shoulders, face buried in Vanu’s neck. Vanu nudged the door open with his hip and kicked it closed after him.

The first time they had come up here, on their wedding day, Vanu had been giddy, fired up, ready to explore this boy who had said yes to him, married him, and kissed him with such obvious purpose when they were finally alone together. He’d been selfish. This time, he didn’t expect anything for himself. He just wanted to give Lill something, whatever Lill was ready to have.

He tried to lay Lill down on the bed. “Gotta let go of me so I can take off your boots.”

“Oh.”

Lill released him obediently and uncoiled himself on the bed. Vanu tugged off Lill’s boots one at a time, kicked off his own, and shifted up further onto the bed so that Lill’s legs were draped across his lap.

“What’s in your mind?” Vanu signed.

Lill squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them. “Nothing. I’m trying to think about nothing.”

“Think about me,” Vanu suggested.

Lill smiled a small, thoughtful smile. “Yeah. That helps.”

Vanu had mostly meant it as a joke, but he didn’t say that now. He stroked Lill’s thigh, thinking how to proceed. He liked looking down on his boy wife like this—he liked how their positions made it clear who was in charge. But maybe it would be easier for Lill if they were both lying down. He stretched out beside Lill. Their legs twined together. Vanu ran his hand over Lill’s waist and hip, around to cup his little ass. Lill kissed him, tense and deliberate, the same way he had kissed Vanu that first time on their wedding day. Like he had rehearsed it in his mind before making his move.

He probably had.

“You’re lovely,” Vanu whispered. “Know that? Beautiful face, beautiful everything. I’m so lucky.”

Lill laughed as if that was ridiculous. Vanu undid the knot of Lill’s sash and unwound it from around his waist. He tugged Lill’s shirt free from his trousers and slipped his hand in under the fabric to touch Lill’s flat stomach. Lill’s skin felt impossibly soft under Vanu’s calloused fingers. He remembered those dreams where his touch bruised Lill, and he could understand why Lill had said he was trying to think about nothing. He looked into Lill’s eyes. It was hard to say exactly what was different, but he had a feeling of looking in an open gate that had always been barred before.

“I like that,” Lill whispered.

Vanu smiled. He moved his hand under Lill’s shirt, caressing, watching Lill’s reaction. He kissed Lill, deeper this time, tongue lingering in Lill’s mouth. He stroked slowly lower, down to the front of Lill’s trousers, and his hand was on Lill’s cock, half-hard under the layer of fabric. Lill made a noise against Vanu’s mouth. Vanu drew back to look at his face again.

“Like that?”

“Yes,” said Lill steadily. Like he was taking an oath or something.

What had they done to him that it took so much courage for him to admit he liked being touched? Earth’s heart.

Vanu stroked him through the thin wool of his trousers. Lill gripped Vanu’s shoulders and kept his eyes open. He didn’t look quite like he was trying to endure torture, but it was closer than Vanu would have liked.

But gradually, as Vanu went on gently rubbing, Lill began to melt. That was the only word for it. First his fingers clutching Vanu’s shoulders relaxed. Then he rolled onto his back, one knee falling to the side, spreading his thighs wider. His hips moved a little, pushing up into Vanu’s hand. Vanu pressed his fingertips lower. Lill gave a tiny moan.

That seemed to surprise him more than it surprised Vanu. For a moment he looked shocked, almost alarmed. He squeezed his lips together and thrust against Vanu’s hand again. His cock was rigid.

Abruptly, Lill grabbed Vanu’s wrist. Vanu snatched his hand away, but Lill hung on, grabbing with both hands.

“No—remember on our wedding day, before I whacked you in the head?”

“Yeah.”

“What were you going to do, before I did that?”

Vanu raised his eyebrows. “What was I gonna do? Take your trousers off and put my mouth on your cock, I think.”

Lill swallowed. “Would you do that now?”