Getting ahead of yourself, Marek,he scolds himself with the last shred of his sanity.
Sei’s hands scrabble behind Marek’s neck, slipping in the sweat. His next moan is higher.
“Are you close?” Marek murmurs into Sei’s hair.
Sei’s only answer is a gasp. He arches up and comes in Marek’s hand.
Marek has never seen anything more beautiful—until the next moment, when Sei completely melts against him. His arms drop to Marek’s thighs, and his head turns against Marek’s chest. His every heaving breath echoes through Marek’s lungs.
Marek forgets his own arousal until Sei stirs in his lap, and asks, “What do you want?”
Need slams into Marek. What does he want? He wants to dive into Sei’s body and claim every part of him. But Marek won’t last the journey to grab the salve from the picnic basket.
“I want you to kiss me,” Marek says instead. “Show me what you’ve learned, teacup.”
Sei twists around to sit on Marek’s thigh. His fingertips rest on Marek’s face, holding him in place with feather-soft touches, in perfect contrast with the intensity of his gaze.
He’s learned alot.
Marek closes his eyes as Sei softly, gently steals his breath away. He barely needs his own touch before he’s spilling into his come-slick hand.
When they can both breathe again, they sit slumped together at the edge of the cliff. Sei fits perfectly under Marek’s arm, and rainbows dance through the waters below.
“One year,” Sei says. “That’s what I want.”
“What?”
“This was wonderful. Incredible.” Sei sighs. “But it doesn’t change everything.”
Marek’s nervousness is its own wonder. He’s never feared rejection before. “I’ve been terrible to you.” Marek strokes Sei’s arm through his sleeve. “I was wrong about… just about everything. But I’m selfish enough that I want to make it up to you. So, has it changed enough?”
“I don’t know.” Sei catches Marek’s hand and starts tracing his knuckles. “But I want to find out. That’s why I want you to promise me a year. Just one year of making this arrangement work. After that, we’ll decide what to do.”
Blissed out from orgasm, Marek would promise a lot more than just a year to Sei right now. But he restrains himself. Sei doesn’t want reckless promises. Sei wants something true.
“That’s very sensible.” Marek kisses the top of Sei’s head. “I accept. I’m yours for a year.”
?
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sei
Sei has never had a birthday like this. He thinks it’s already perfect until late that night. Alone in the bedroom, Sei faces the massive, comfortable bed and realizes he wants one more thing.
After today, he doesn’t think Marek will refuse.
Sei pads barefoot downstairs to the dining parlor. The balcony patio is shuttered off, making the space smaller and cozier. Marek and Osric sit on the floor, an aerie board between them. They both look up as soon as Sei reaches the doorway.
Osric has been blessedly circumspect since Sei returned from the picnic, though the fellcat can’t completely hide his smugness. Marek had it worse—Loska heckled him the entire flight back.
At least, Sei assumes so, given Marek’s muttering behind him:
“Stop it.”
“None of your business.”
“Yes, you were right, but do you have to be insufferable about it?”
