“That’s stupid. I don’t want to see anyone but you,” Grayson retorted. “I didn’t even really want to see Reiz, but you were so hyped up about it, and so sure I’d have a good time…”
“You didn’t want him?” One fiery eye peeked out from under a golden forearm. “But he’s hot.”
Grayson closed his eyes.This fucking idiot.“You know how you always make sure I communicate and push me to never feel shy about expressing how I feel?”
“Yes?”
“If you had just followed yourownrules and told me what was on your mind, this whole thing could have been avoided.” Grayson pinched the bridge of his nose. “I like what we have going right now, okay? I don’t feel the need to ‘branch out’ or see other people.”
Keld eyed him. “Sorry.”
“Apology accepted,” Grayson muttered. “Now will you please explain why I feel like I’m being smothered in forest floor?”
The vetiver scent was now choking the oxygen in the room and clawing its way down Grayson’s airways.
Keld huffed a laugh. “Forest floor, huh? It’s just an instinctive reaction, I can’t control it.”
Grayson raised a brow. “Instinct for what?”
“Oh, you know, defend my helpless Omega from the competition, mark him up so no one else tries to get him, go out there and tear Reiz’s frilly fins off… Normal stuff.”
“Your Omega?” Grayson laughed. “I’d call you a caveman, but something tells me you don’t have the same evolutionary progression as us.”
Keld pushed himself up and leaned back against the headboard. “Nuonumer. Our ancient ancestor that rose from the deepest parts of Usoi.”
“There’s no way I’m going to even attempt to say that.” A cool breeze from the overhead vents made Grayson painfully aware that he was still fully nude. “I guess I should get dressed.”
Keld’s hand shot out and caught his wrist. “Wait. Hear me out.”
“Nothing good ever comes after that sentence.”
“Maybe I’m acting like anuonummer, but will you let me mark you?”
Grayson narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean? You’re not asking to turn me into a pheromone slave, are you?”
Keld scoffed. “Not a mating mark. Scent mark.”
“You want to rub yourself all over me like a cat?”
“Not exactly.” Keld moved to his knees, legs on either side of Grayson’s. “I want you to smell like my pheromones. Inside and out.”
Grayson’s face colored, but his cock betrayed him. “Oh.”
Keld’s eyes flicked down and back up, a smirk growing across his lips. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
“And how do you plan to do that?” Grayson’s efforts to keep his tone aloof had little effect with his dick already hard between the Alpha’s knees.
“That depends. How do you feel about being manhandled?”
Grayson pressed his lips together. “I think you know exactly how I feel about being manhandled.”
Keld leaned down. “I do.” And his mouth was on Grayson’s.
The Alpha was gentle at first, but as the air grew thicker with their mingled pheromones, he grew wilder. He drove into Grayson as if staking a claim, his mouth and teeth leaving searing trails of heat across Grayson’s body. His low grunts were punctured by Grayson’s whimpers and moans as he lay beneath the Mer, unable to do anything but take him.
When Keld finally came, he pulled Grayson down to lie with his back pressed against his chest. Grayson panted and shuddered, body wrung dry. He felt Keld’s lips in his hair, murmuring barely audible praise and apologies.
“So,” Grayson ventured, having finally caught his breath. “What does this mean?”
