And he did, hedidunderstand. It just hurt.
Brannal’s eyes darted up to him. “The good news is that the new Summus hates carnalions, so I don’t think that’s going to be a difficult rule for him to follow.”
Perian froze. “What?”
“I resigned,” Brannal said, like it was that simple. “As Summusanda Mage Warrior. So… I am currently unemployed, and if that offer to stay still—”
But Brannal couldn’t finish what he was saying, because Perian had thrown himself at him, never mind the table or the teacups—there’d definitely been the crash of something breaking—but it didn’t matter, nothing mattered but Perian climbing all over Brannal, kissing Brannal, because he was staying, he was staying, he—
Perian pulled back. Brannal looked slightly dazed, lips red and swollen from Perian’s fervent kisses.
“Are yousure?” he asked, swallowing. “I know how much your job means to you. I would understand, I promise.”
“It does mean a lot to me,” Brannal answered. “But when the Queen issued her ultimatum, I promise you, it was the easiest decision I’ve ever made. I love you, and it’s not just that I had to leave to be with you, it’s that they put me in that position at all. I couldn’t be with you in the castle because they threatened you with death if you left here.They’rethe ones who backed me into a corner, but you’re the one who set me free. I love you so much, Perian. More than anything.”
And Perian couldn’t doubt that sincerity, because Brannal had left everything else that he knew and loved to come live here in exile with Perian.
Perian was crying again, and Brannal was carefully wiping his tears with those callused thumbs, making him shiver in the best possible way.
“I love you, too,” Perian said between sniffs. “So very much. Thank you a hundred times. A million times. Thank you so much! You’ve made me so happy.”
Which was why he was sitting in the man’s lap, crying. But Brannal seemed to understand, just smiling softly and continuing to wipe away the tears.
“You’re really going to stay?” Perian asked, needing to hear it again.
“Until you ask me to go,” Brannal told him.
“So you’re going to stay forever?” Perian pursued, feeling like he was well past the point of stating what he really wanted.
Brannal lit up, and he agreed, “So I’m going to stay forever.”
And then they were kissing again… which progressed to grinding again. This was probably not the most appropriate action at the lunch table in the middle of the afternoon, but Perian couldn’t bring himself to care. He needed this man so badly, and he’d just agreed to stay. Forever.
Their movements became frantic, all friction and heat, and they came together, gasping into one another’s mouths, without getting their hands anywhere near their cocks.
“It’s a good thing our trunks are arriving tomorrow. I’m going to run out of clothing,” Brannal said ruefully.
Perian winked at him. “I don’t see how that’s a problem.”
Brannal laughed. “You know, maybe this is the real reason your father sends his staff away at night. He was planning for this moment, when you brought someone home, and he wanted you to be able to thoroughly enjoy yourself.”
“You followed me home,” Perian corrected, liking the way Brannal suggested that, a much happier reason for all this seclusion. He didn’t really believe it, but it was nice to imagine.
Afterwards, Perian realized what a mess they’d made.
“Oops.”
“If you’re trying to hide what we’re doing from your staff, I’m sorry to say that I don’t think you’re succeeding,” Brannal told him with a smirk.
Perian laughed. “Uh, no, I’m pretty sure they guessed from the moment you arrived. The words ‘unhappy, monosyllabic, and detached’ probably best describe my behavior upon my return. They were well aware that something happened while I was gone—just from the length of the stay, I imagine, but certainly from my return. And then you show up with all your”—Perian gestured at everything—“this, and I think it was immediately obvious what the problem was. And, fortunately, the solution.”
Brannal leaned in and kissed him. “I’m happy to… inspire you at the table anytime you like, but it does seem to be a little hard on the dishes.”
“Yeah, we can work on that. I’ll try to pay attention to all the safe places where we can have sex.”
Smiling, Brannal said, “I like the way your mind works. No consideration for just the bedroom.”
Perian scoffed. “This whole house is mine. As of the evening, I’m in it alone until the next morning. It’s always been too big just for me. Now we get to share it, and Icategorically refuse to have sex only in the bedroom when there are so many other rooms in the house.”
