Page 31

“Me? I’m just your regular, standard issue bisexual.”

Konrad smiled. “There is nothing regular about you, darling.”

They finished dinner and Konrad went into the main building of the gardens to retrieve dessert—again, Jasper didn’t want to know why or how Konrad had access to all this after hours. Dessert was some type of pastry filled with cream and drizzled with dark chocolate. Konrad insisted on holding it out to Jasper and watching him take a bite. Jasper laughed as he did, eating out of Konrad’s hand like a mangy stray and embarrassed by how attentively Konrad watched him. He licked cream and chocolate from his lips. “It’s good.”

“Isn’t it? Americans make their creams too thick. A good filling should be airy and sweet. Light on the tongue.”

“I think you’re just a snob,” Jasper said, holding the other pastry out to Konrad, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

Konrad held his gaze as he took one bite, then finished it with a second one, his lips briefly wrapping around Jasper’s fingers. Jasper was seized with the urge to push them deeper into Konrad’s mouth. His cock twitched, warning him off that train of thought since the fit of his pants would make it glaringly obvious if he got hard.

“I would have liked to make you bebinca, a Goan dessert I learned to make from a fellow student during my time in culinary school,” Konrad said, adjusting his watch, drawing Jasper’s eyes to the motion. “Unfortunately, each layer of the dessert has to be cooked separately, and I was not afforded quite that much time with the facilities here.”

“What a shame,” Jasper agreed, but he was still distracted by the prominent veins that stood out on the back of Konrad’s hand.

“Jasper,” Konrad said, his voice far too knowing for comfort. “Would you like to go back to our room now?”

That snapped Jasper’s gaze up.

Konrad’s eyes were always beautiful, dark brown like autumn and petrichor, but the candlelight turned them golden. With a glance, Jasper was trapped in their amber glow. Immortalized in the depths of everything he’d ever wanted and could never keep.

Jasper took a deep breath. Welcome to the point of no return. “Yes.”

His breathing came quick as he walked into the room, feeling Konrad’s presence behind him like an approaching storm. Konrad took his shoes off at the door, and Jasper leaned against the wall to unlace his boots, letting each of them fall to the floor with a solid thud. He straightened and found Konrad right in front of him. Konrad stepped closer, and there was nowhere for Jasper to go except back, hitting the wall with a quiet gasp.

“You look beautiful tonight,” Konrad said, putting a hand on the wall beside Jasper’s head. “It makes me very happy that you wanted to get dressed up for me.”

Jasper swallowed hard. “I—I’m glad.”

“Can you tell me what you want?”

“You know what I want.”

“Yes. But I want to hear you say it.” Konrad kicked one of Jasper’s feet out, making space to step between them. “You know how I adore you, Jasper. I wouldn’t deny you a single thing that is within my power to provide. So tell me. What do you want?”

Jasper was lightheaded, like he’d taken a shot of strong liquor. Konrad was so close that the lapels of his jacket pressed against the thin fabric of Jasper’s shirt, and Jasper drew a shuddering breath in the narrow space between them. “I want you,” he whispered.

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to touch me,” Jasper said impatiently, but he sounded more desperate than anything.

Konrad brought his free hand to Jasper’s chest, trailing a finger down the center, making a quiet sound of appreciation for how easily he could see Jasper’s pierced nipples through the flimsy black material. “Where?”

“Wherever you want.” Jasper took deep satisfaction in the look of pure arousal that crossed Konrad’s face.

Konrad kissed him and it wasn’t soft or careful. It was consuming.

It was exactly what Jasper needed.

Konrad laid claim to him with every movement of his lips, controlled but forceful, and Jasper couldn’t help the way he moaned into the kiss. Konrad’s tongue stroked against his, making a sound of his own when he encountered something small and hard. Konrad pulled away with dilated pupils and took Jasper’s jaw in his hand. “Your tongue is pierced.”

“Yeah. Does that bother you?” Jasper asked, already breathless.

“Let me see.”

Jasper’s brows pulled together, and then Konrad was squeezing his jaw, coaxing his mouth open. He slid his thumb between Jasper’s lips. “Open, darling.” He made a pleased sound when Jasper did, allowing him to push his thumb deeper inside. “Wider.” He pressed down on Jasper’s tongue.

Jasper let his mouth fall completely open, his eyes watering from the intrusion and fighting his gag reflex.