Page 62 of Drown Me Gently

“Yes—gods, yes.”

Ulric’s thumb brushed his nipple, and Auren jolted, rattling the door on its hinges as pleasure sparked across his skin.

“Too much?”

“No,” Auren panted. “It’s—It’s good.”

Ulric continued, pinching Auren’s nipple hard enough to send a quick spark of sensation all the way down to his toes. Auren arched into the touch, the door cool against his spine and Ulric hot everywhere else.

Before he could catch his breath, Ulric leaned in, voice rough against his ear.

“Let me show you more.”

Yes. Gods yes. Show me more. Show me everything.

But Auren was too breathless for words and only managed a quick nod.

He watched, aching, as Ulric leaned back and shed his own shirt. The firelight kissed every inch of inked skin and muscle, from the thick ridges of his abdomen to the ancient glyphs spiraling over his ribs.

“You can touch me,” Ulric said, voice thick. “Anything you want. My body is yours to explore.”

Auren did. He let his eyes wander over every ridge. Every inch of skin pulled taught over muscle. He counted the sigils inked there. Wait… were they always so faded? Several of them had an unfinished look. Unfinished— or disappearing. But before Auren could inspect further, his thoughts were interrupted by Ulric’s hand grabbing him by the neck, forcing his chin up.

Ulric kissed him—harder this time—then spun their bodies and walked them backward, lips never leaving Auren’s as they stumbled toward the bed. When the back of Auren’s knees hit the edge, he let himself fall onto the mattress, dragging Ulric down with him.

Auren’s hands slid up Ulric’s torso again, exploring every line, every curve, everything that marked Ulric as powerful. Auren wanted to leave marks of his own. He pressed his lips to the crook of Ulric’s neck, sucking skin into his mouth. Ulric made a low rumbling sound, and when Auren pulled away, he was delighted to see a red spot blooming there.

He’s mine, Auren thought with a rush that went straight to his groin.

Auren licked the side of Ulric’s neck, right where he could see the frantic pulse of his vein. He went lower, and when he reached Ulric’s chest, he paused. Instead of mimicking what Ulric had done, Auren leaned down and gave one pink nipple a slow, languid lick with his tongue.

Ulric jerked, but then resumed his statuesque pose above him, braced on his knees, hands gripping the bed sheets as though clinging for dear life.

He’s holding back, Auren realized.

Auren relaxed into the pillow, staring into those bottomless eyes. “I want to explore more of you. All of you,” Auren clarified, and to be sure the message landed, he reached between them. His fingers found the worn leather of Ulric’s belt. The clasps gave with a satisfying clink, and the sound of sliding leather might as well have been thunder in his ears.

Ulric’s breath hitched, his body turning to stone—but he didn’t stop him.

Carefully, Auren pried Ulric’s white-knuckled hands from the bedding and guided them to his waist.

“Don’t hold back now,” Auren whispered, voice shaking. “My monster of the deep.”

Ulric broke.

In a rush of desperate heat, he grabbed Auren and kissed him with a hunger that stole the air from his lungs. Their hips rolled together. Auren’s whole body pulsed with need, desperate to be closer.

He barely noticed the shifting fabric as Ulric kicked off what remained of his pants.

“You can touch me,” Ulric whispered, the words gasped as though he’d been holding his breath all this time. “Take whatever you want.”

He didn’t wait for permission to be granted a third time. Auren slid his hands down the trail of hair, over the definition of Ulric’s abdomen. He felt down the hard lines of his hips, finding coarse hair and trembling thighs. And then he reached the core of Ulric’s pleasure and couldn’t help the small gasp as his hands wrapped around the thick shaft. It pulsed in his grip, so hot it might scorch him.

Ulric stuttered as Auren explored the sheer size of his girth, leaving no place untouched. He let out a low, guttural curse.

“Fuck.”

The slip of Ulric’s composure emboldened Auren. Made him want more. Somehow, with one dose, he was addicted to hearing sultry words fall from those lips. He stroked carefully, marveling at the way Ulric’s body responded to every movement.