“I think they’re awake,” an amused voice said.
Jolted unpleasantly out of the moment, they pulled away from one another and turned to find a very amused-looking Brannal. Cormal would have had some very choice words to say to him—couldn’t he just haveturned around and left?—except that in addition to the doctor and Perian, Princess Larenia was with them as well. She looked totally disgusted.
Cormal cleared his throat, his voice coming out rough and slightly squeaky, “Yes, we’re definitely awake.”
Hehadjust woken up. Perian looked like he was trying really hard not to laugh. The doctor had a twinkle in her eye. The Princess was looking at her brother very judgmentally.
“Are you totally sure you want him? It’s not too late to change your mind.”
It wasn’t too late at all, Cormal had to concede. The man was solid again. And aprince. He could have absolutely anybody that he wanted in the whole country. Relations were excellent with the neighboring countries, so he could no doubt have anyone there, too.
A warm arm wrapped around his waist, and then Kinan was pressed against his side. Cormal couldn’t help but sag into the contact, brain still a little shocked with each instance of their being able to actually touch one another.
“I’m totally sure,” Kinan said simply, like he didn’t have any doubt whatsoever. “I’m definitely not going to change my mind.” He cleared his throat. “And unless there’s anything in particular you need to checkright now, do you think we could have another hour or so to, uh, conduct our own examination and make sure that everything’s working?”
Perian outright laughed, and the Princess made a gagging sound. Brannal and the doctor both still looked amused.
“I think that could be arranged,” the doctor said.
“Gross,” Princess Larenia muttered.
“Come on, Renny,” Perian said cheerfully. “You want to go tell your mother that Kee might actually get out of bed later today?”
She huffed a breath. “Ugh, fine. I certainly don’t want to stay here and watchthat.”
Another couple moments, and they were blissfully alone once more. Cormal was pretty sure the doctor had said she’d be back in an hour, but he’d stopped listening once it was clear they were going toleave.
He turned back to Kinan. “Where were we?”
Kinan’s gray eyes were bright, like mist just hiding the sun. “I don’t know. Maybe you should come over here and remind me.”
Cormal went eagerly, leaning in, and Kinan met him halfway. Kisses led to all sorts of touches, which led to a naked Cormal flat on his back with Kinan stretched out on top of him. He had no objections to allowing Kinan to direct everything.
“Feels amazing,” Kinan mumbled against his lips, hips rutting against Cormal’s. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted—”
Only Cormal did know. Because Kinan had had a crush on him back when he was sixteen, and it had apparently been strong enough to carry him through six years of not being able to interact with anyone but his sister, through years of Cormal’s short temper and secrets about his father, through Cormal messing everything up with Perian.
Maybe they would never have made it here without all of that—and Cormal wouldn’t have wanted to start anything when Kinan was younger than this, not given the six years between them—or maybe it could have all happened a bit sooner and way more gracefully if Cormal hadn’t been an ass. But that didn’t seem to matter anymore, not with Kinan writhing against him.
Cormal gripped Kinan’s hips, thrusting up even as Kinan drove down. Friction was amazing, the sensation of the two of them rubbing against one another… It was so simple, and yet it was something they’d feared they’d never be able to do together.They’d made it work, but this was so much better. It made liquid heat travel up Cormal’s spine, his whole body thrumming with it.
Kinan cried out, body growing taut as he came, and the sight, thefeeling, was enough to push Cormal over the edge, spurting his own release between them to join Kinan’s.
Kinan collapsed on top of him, head against Cormal’s shoulder, and Cormal wrapped sweaty arms around him and held him close, still marveling that he could do that now.
“Good?” Cormal managed to ask after a moment.
Kinan let out a huff of breath that ghosted across Cormal’s skin and made him shiver.
“So good,” Kinan breathed. “When can we do it again?”
Cormal couldn’t help but laugh. “I think we might need a bit more recovery time.”
Kinan made a noise of displeasure, but he didn’t move.
As the mess between them began to cool unpleasantly, Cormal said, “We should get cleaned up.”
He definitely didn’t trust that some of the others wouldn’t barge in again if they weren’t ready when they’d said.
