Brannal reached for his hand and twined their fingers together. “I know.”
Perian curled his fingers tightly around the other man’s and relished the connection.
They couldn’t get back to their room soon enough, and once the door was closed, Brannal drawled, “Exhausted, are you?”
Perian gave his best fake yawn. “So tired. I think I’d better head right to bed. What do you think?”
“It’s been a long day,” Brannal agreed archly.
Perian tugged off his coat and draped it over the nearest chair. Then he started on his vest. He agreed, “Sooo long.”
Brannal arched an eyebrow. “And I seem to remember something being said about comparing this bed to the one at the inn.”
Perian flung off his vest and yanked his shirt over his head as he headed into the bedroom. He kicked off his boots with a little awkwardness, shucked histrousers, and by the time he made it to the bed, he was naked. He tugged the tie out of his hair, tossing it to the floor somewhere, and then crawled on top of the bed and flopped dramatically to his back and spread out across it, reaching arms and legs out to cover as much space as possible.
Brannal took a little longer, but Perian was still impressed with the speed with which he got naked given all layers to his uniform and the number of weapons he carried.
Raising an eyebrow, Brannal asked, “Is there any room on that bed for me?”
Perian shook his head. “Not even a little. I guess you’re going to have to climb on top of me.”
“I thought I was supposed to be testing how comfortable the bed was?”
“From its position underneath me.”
Brannal’s lips quirked up. “I see.”
He obediently crawled onto the bed and straddled Perian’s supine body. He stretched out to his full length and settled down, his larger, perfectly muscled body completely covering Perian’s, bringing their cocks into very delicious alignment. Perian sighed, enjoying the pure pleasure of skin-on-skin once more, heat radiating between them.
He reached up and tugged out the tie in Brannal’s hair, running his fingers through the dark strands, the round gender beads catching the light from the lamp beside the bed. Brannal leaned into the touch.
“I missed you,” Brannal admitted, sounding a bit sheepish.
Perian beamed. “I missed you, too, even though I felt a bit silly. But I guess I really got used to being with you all the time.” Realizing how that might sound, he hastened to add, “I know that’s not possible here, but it was really nice, at least for a few days. I’m sure we’ll get used to how everything works here again.”
Brannal leaned in to kiss Perian softly. “I’m glad you enjoyed our holiday.”
“So much,” Perian assured him.
Brannal kissed him again, and Perian melted into it. They spent long, languorous moments kissing and kissing, their bodies pressed as close together as it was possible to get—or almost. Brannal prepped Perian carefully, and when he pressed slowly inside, it was exactly what Perian wanted. They both sighed with contentment once Brannal was buried deep. Objectively, they’d had sex this morning, but it somehow felt like it had been ages and ages.
Brannal’s thrusts were slow and careful, a tease that was meant to excite Perian but not bring him to completion. He reveled in the movement, the slowly building pleasure and languid kisses, until he couldn’t stand it anymore. Clutching at sweaty skin, he begged Brannal to move faster. Brannal obeyed, increasing his tempo until the pleasure cascaded through Perian, bright and uncontrollable, and they both came, Brannal inside him, and Perian all over himself as they gasped into one another’s mouths, half-kissing and half-panting.
After a moment, Brannal slipped out and settled to the side so he wasn’t crushing Perian—though Perian would have happily taken his weight. He liked the feeling that they were attached and connected… and maybe wouldn’t ever be parted. It wasn’t precisely realistic, but it was a lovely feeling.
Brannal used a corner of the sheet to clean them up a bit, then pulled Perian into his arms, spooning around him. Perian let out a contented sigh and snuggled in happily. Here they were back in the castle, and while it wasn’t the same as their holiday, it was still pretty amazing.
One of Brannal’s hands had come to rest over the necklace he’d given Perian. Perian wasn’t ever going to take it off.
“I love you,” Perian whispered.
Brannal pressed a kiss to the soft skin behind Perian’s ear, making him shiver.
“I love you, too. Goodnight, Perian.”
“’Night.”
In the morning, they woke one another with hand jobs, then managed to get cleaned up in the water closet without wasting too much time. Perian decided to wear the green glass beads that he’d been wearing when Brannal had rescued him. They would always make him think of the man. Brannal smiled when he saw them and kissed Perian on his temple on the way by, even as he continued to getready.
