He’d remember this short time with Ian long after Ian had forgotten him. And after Jesse could no longer remember that Callum had been the love of his life.
They reached Ian’s front door, and as had become habit over the years, Jesse subtly sniffed the air, checking for any other vampires in the area. His shoulders lost some of their tension as he only smelt humans. Jesse’s coven was the only one in Bristol, the only registered one, anyway. Strictly speaking, any vampires visiting the city should check in first with Raph, but things had got messy since their agreement with the VLCD. Some obeyed coven etiquette; others took great delight in flaunting it. Jesse would rather not put Ian in the middle of a vampire pissing contest if he could avoid it.
Yet another reason to stop this now.
Ignoring the irritating voice of reason, he followed Ian into his building and up the stairs.
Once inside, Jesse shut the door and slipped his arms around Ian’s waist from behind. He buried his face in the crook of Ian’s neck and breathed in deep, indulging his desire to be close but taking it no further. Ian’s skin was warm to the touch, a hint of sweat and alcohol clinging to it, and Jesse closed his eyes, revelling in it.
Under it all, the steady thrum of Ian’s pulse called to him. His fangs ached and his body yearned for the sweet, rich taste of blood that could be his in an instant. But unlike before in the club, Jesse easily ignored it.
There were other things he wanted to taste more tonight.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ian closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of Jesse’s solid body behind him.
Staying in the club had been torture. As much as he’d wanted to make sure Cate was okay, that she felt safe, he’d longed to take Jesse home and get him out of his clothes.
Turning in Jesse’s arms, Ian kissed him. He fisted his hands in Jesse’s hair, tilting his head how he wanted it and deepening the kiss until he had to break for air.
Jesse stared back at him, hardly even breathing heavily, a smile curving the edges of his mouth and a hungry look in his eye. “Shall we go to your bedroom?”
“What’s wrong with right here?” Ian was mostly kidding, but Jesse grinned and put a hand under each of his thighs, hefting Ian up so he had to wrap his legs around Jesse’s waist.
“Nothing at all.” Jesse backed Ian up against the wall, pressing into him, and there was no mistaking how much they both liked this position.
Ian laughed, surprised at how easily Jesse picked him up. He was by no means a small guy, but Jesse held him up like he weighed nothing. “You’re stronger than you look.”
“I’ve been working out,” he whispered, then proceeded to kiss Ian again until he forgot about everything other than Jesse’s tongue in his mouth and the way his body fit against Ian’s. In that moment, nothing else mattered.
Ian’s phone vibrated in his back pocket, making him jump. It was Cate’s text alert.
“D’you need to get that?” Jesse asked, trailing kisses along Ian’s jaw to his throat.
“No.” Ian let his head fall back against the wall, giving Jesse all the access he wanted. “It’s just Cate telling me she got home okay.”
“Is this a new thing? Has something happened since the last time I saw you?”
Jesse’s mouth on his neck was far too distracting, and it took a couple of seconds for the words to sink in. “Um...”Yes. We discovered that vampires are real.Ian scrabbled to think of a plausible lie, which was increasingly difficult with Jesse’s jean-clad cock rubbing against his and teeth grazing along the base of his throat. “Our friend got a new job last week, and he was telling us about some of the new stuff he’ll be working on. Cate got a little freaked out.”
Jesse hummed. “What does he do?”
“Security.” Ian tugged on Jesse’s hair and pulled him back so he could see his face. “As much as I love my friends, I’d rather not be talking about them right now.”
“What would you like to talk about?”
Ian grinned. “Nothing. I’d prefer one, if not both of our mouths to be otherwise occupied.”
Laughing, Jesse turned, Ian still in his arms, and headed towards Ian’s bedroom. “I like that idea.”
Fuck yes, me too.
Jesse set him down in the middle of the floor, hands sliding under his T-shirt and tugging it off over his head. He took off his own next, and Ian ran his hands over Jesse’s flat stomach, the dark trail of hair tickling his palms. As he slowly moved them higher, tracing over his ribs and towards his chest, Jesse grabbed his hands and lowered them back down, pressing them against the bulge in his jeans.
“I think this needs your attention more.”
Ian grinned and set about undoing Jesse’s button, then his zip, while Jesse ducked his head and kissed along Ian’s collarbone.
