Chapter Nineteen A Single Soul

A Single Soul

Jesse opened his front door, squeezing Demetrios into the narrow hallway, and as he closed the door behind them, he wasted no time pinning him to the wall and kissing him. Demetrios dropped his bag, snaking an arm around his waist, and hauled him closer.

God, Jesse loved that possessive grasp he had on him.

And his heart.

It had taken all Jesse’s effort not to jump in Demetrios’ lap the moment he’d laid eyes on him in the restaurant. He’d spent the day nauseated, regretting his decision to meet Castor for dinner. It had felt as if he’d been cheating. Which he’d ruled as ridiculous, but still hadn’t been able to shake the feelings of dishonour at accepting a date so soon after Greece. He’d be jumping into something as a rebound regardless, so he’d nearly called the whole thing off, citing bird flu or something else as absurd. But there’d been a niggling feeling that maybe…just maybe….

Then when he’d seen Demetrios, he’d thought his eyes had been playing tricks on him. As though the glasses he’d repaired at the opticians earlier had caused him to hallucinate. He’d been in shock for the rest of the night. Not at Demetrios having been Castor, because, in hindsight, his subconscious had probably had already known that, but at him having been there at all. Having been brave enough to leave Greece. The taverna. His babá. And boarded a flight—his first flight—to London to find him. To tell him he loved him.

If that wasn’t love, Jesse wouldn’t ever know what was.

But what he did know was that love should be this. Kissing Demetrios. Demetrios’ arms snaking around him to hold him and keep him safe. The way Demetrios smelt. The way he felt. Who Jesse became when he was with him. And how Jesse couldn’t breathe without him. Demetrios was his air. His soul.

His everything.

“S’agapó,” Demetrios whispered into his ear.

Jesse whimpered, then…melted.

“I don’t need to call 999 then?”

Jesse snapped away from Demetrios to where Jade stood in her Oodie, leaning on the doorframe that led into the front room.

“Jade.” Jesse bit his lip.

“Your date went well, I see.” She nodded to Demetrios. “Online lover didn’t turn out to be an axe murderer or anything. Unless, of course, you just let him in our house without vetting him? Do I need to warn him about Trent?”

Jesse adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat. “Um…no. Sorry, should have texted.” He motioned to Demetrios. “This is Demetrios.”

“Demetrios?” Jade widened her eyes, pushing away from the door frame.

“Yeah. My stepbrother.”

“Thought it’d be strange for you to fuck two different people with that name, but your explanation clears that mess up.” She shuffled over in her slippers, holding out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Demetrios.”

Demetrios, with his back to the wall and Jesse in front of him, had no space to manoeuvre, so reached his arm across Jesse to shake hers.

“Demetrios was Castor,” Jesse said, then thought about it. “Is Castor?”

Demetrios shrugged, agreeing with both.

“That makes sense. Greek god, ain’t he?”

Demetrios nodded, but there was definitely a pink tinge to his cheeks beneath the dark stubble.

Jesse came to his aid. “Jade is my housemate. She has no filter, and it’s probably worse now she’s pregnant.”

Demetrios arched an eyebrow.

“Not mine.” Jesse held up a hand. “We had one kiss back at uni but it was for a dare, so I’m pretty sure it doesn’t count.”

“You’re right it don’t.” Jade folded her arms. “You refused to use your tongue.”

“You had just thrown up your five sambucas in the toilet.”

“Sorry I don’t taste of the Aegean Sea.” Jade tutted, then hitched a thumb over her shoulder. “I’ve got a Netflix doc on the go in there. Two episodes left to find out who dunnit. I’m gonna assume you don’t want to join me?”

“Uh…” Jesse winced. “No.”

“Thought not.” She pointed at the ceiling. “I’m directly below, and the plaster is flaking.” She then scurried back into the front room, closing the door behind her.

Jesse winced. “Sorry. I thought she’d be in bed.” He picked up Demetrios’ bag and ushered him up the stairs, into his room.

He plonked the bag by his wardrobe as Demetrios sauntered around, taking in where Jesse lived. It was strange to have him here. Jesse had dreamed of this moment. Of when Demetrios, his holiday romance he’d only seen beside a beach or against the sea, basking in the sun, would be here in his room. In London. Where the sun didn’t shine as brightly.

It might do now.

Demetrios perused his desk, picking up bits of drawings and sketches, then dipped closer to the pin board. To the picture of himself. The one that had been on the wall at the Kallis residence Jesse had swiped. Demetrios spun, arching an eyebrow.

“It isn’t stealing if I made it.” Jesse blushed.

“Tell that to the British Library.”

Jesse couldn’t hold back anymore. He rushed forward, gripping Demetrios’ tie to drag him closer. “Jury’s in,” he said, ghosting his lips to Demetrios’.

“Yeah? Couple of hours deliberation. Not bad. And?”

“Unanimous verdict.” Jesse kissed him, long and lingering, then with all he could muster through his fear, his apprehension, his desperation, he pulled away and said, “I love you.”

Demetrios smiled, sinking against Jesse as though he wanted to slither inside him. He could. Jesse would let him. They’d always been one soul occupying two bodies, anyway, but Demetrios scooped him up, laid him on the bed, and sank on top of him, combining their bodies as one.

“I love you.” Demetrios stroked a finger down Jesse’s cheek, gazing at him as if he were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “Always have.”

He then kissed him. And Jesse hadn’t ever experienced a kiss like it before. As if there wasn’t anything holding them back. As if getting everything out in the open meant they could dive right in, no armbands, no safety net, no anchor. Because they would be each other’s security. Demetrios was the definition of romance, and Jesse adored it. Adored him.

Lovedhim.

Flinging an arm around him, holding him close, legs entwining and hearts colliding in an entangled mess of body and limbs, Jesse kissed his way back to Demetrios. But there were far too many clothes between them for Jesse to give himself over completely. So he rolled Demetrios onto his back, straddled him and slowly, seductively, loosened his tie for him, ripping the silk from around his collar. He lifted it up, sliding it through his fingers.

“Can’t believe you wore a tie on a date with me.”

“You’re worth it,” Demetrios said, gliding his hands onto Jesse’s thighs.

Jesse tossed the tie away, then leaned down and just as leisurely unfastened the buttons on Demetrios’ shirt, uncovering his tanned body with each painstaking pop. He ruffled it out from his chinos and Demetrios raised his hips to allow Jesse to tug it free and roam his hands up Demetrios’ stomach. He was gorgeous. Toned and fit, dark hair along his chest to his belly and what lay beneath.

Demetrios rose to sit, allowing Jesse to rip the shirt off and toss it away. Jesse clasped his arms around Demetrios’ neck and kissed him, a whimper escaping his throat when Demetrios snaked one arm around him, the other propping himself upright. Demetrios shimmied off Jesse’s cardigan, ripped off his T-shirt and kissed his neck as Jesse scraped his fingers down his back.

“God, Dem. I love you. I fucking love you.” He couldn’t help saying it now. As though he’d popped the lid off his feelings and they’d been let loose like a party streamer.

“S’agapó,” Demetrios rumbled into his ear, and Jesse shivered. More so when Demetrios went for Jesse’s jeans’ button fly, ripping them open in one expert hand. “Gonna make you feel so good.”

“Fuck, Dem, I’m so hard right now.”

“I know.” Demetrios massaged his cock through the restriction of his jeans and underwear, and even though flesh wasn’t on flesh yet, shockwaves sparked along Jesse’s spine.

“Fuck it.” Jesse clambered off him to stand, dragging down the rest of his clothes. He couldn’t wait anymore. He needed skin on skin before he burst. “Take it all off. Now!”

Demetrios removed the rest of his gear, shimmying to sit on the end of the bed and, once naked, he grabbed Jesse, dragging him toward him. Jesse went to take his glasses off, but Demetrios grabbed his elbow to prevent him.

“Leave them on?” he asked, timid yet assured.

So Jesse did, and Demetrios licked his lips, eyes level with Jesse’s cock pointing directly at him. Jesse trembled at the promise. At having Demetrios’ lips as near to his dick as they were. The anticipation was agonising, and Jesse inhaled, holding his breath. Demetrios glanced up, winked—fucking winked—then dived straight in to take Jesse into his mouth.

“Oh, fuck.” Jesse’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as Demetrios took his entire length into his throat. God, he was good at that. Knew exactly what he was doing and how to do it. He’d practiced, and Jesse both loved that he was getting a trained mouth and hated that he hadn’t been getting him for the past nine years.

Jesse raked his hands through Demetrios’ hair. “I wish you’d learned how to do what you’re doing right now on me.”

Demetrios slurped off him, glancing up. “Me too,” he said, voice hoarse, palming Jesse in slow, languid movements. “I wanted to. Waited as long as I could for you.”

Jesse exhaled. So much time lost. “I’m sorry I didn’t come back for you. Didn’t believe you were only mine.”

“I always was. Always will be. I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to come find you.”

Jesse stroked his thumbs down Demetrios’ cheeks. “Let’s make up for lost time.”

Demetrios smiled. “As you wish.”

He licked him, lapping up the pre-cum seeping from his tip, circling the head, then gulped him all the way to the back of his throat. He sucked. Up. Down. Sure about it. Confident. And so damn precise with such a leisurely pace, as though tasting his favourite sweet and savouring the sugar coating his tongue. Jesse’s knees weakened.

Not that it wasn’t absolutely everything, but Jesse needed more. And it took all his effort to step out from Demetrios’ delicious mouth. “Wait there!” Jesse pointed at him.

“Not going anywhere,” Demetrios said, wiping the saliva from his lips.

Jesse rushed over to his bedside table, grabbing the lube and condoms, and clambered back to Demetrios sitting so carefree, so lazy, reclining back on his elbows, glorious, thick cock erect and full, ready and waiting.

Jesse slapped the supplies on the bed beside Demetrios. “So you know where they are.”

“Good thinking.” Demetrios sat back up, sliding his hands on Jesse’s hips and dragging him back to him. He wasted no time and suckled on Jesse’s cockhead while fiddling with the lube, then slurped off, forcing Jesse around, hand gliding up his back to bend him forward.

Jesse buckled. Shuddered. Clung onto his remaining restraint as whatever Demetrios had been doing with his tongue on his dick now traced those movements around his crack, adding a nip on his arse cheek. Jesse gasped.

Holy fucking shit.

Demetrios wasn’t only sensual. He was filthy. And hot.

Jesse shook, clasping the windowsill in front of him to hold himself up while Demetrios feasted on his arse. He licked near, so near, then fucking fuck, his wet, slippery tongue circled his entrance. He groaned. Deep and shameless, then splayed his hands over Jesse’s buttocks and pulled them apart. Jesse lost all sense of reason then as Demetrios slathered him with saliva, poking his devious tongue inside his hole, tickling and moistening Jesse to dizzy heights. Thank fuck he was holding onto something, because if he wasn’t, he’d be in the air. Flying higher than any artificial high he’d ever inhaled.

Demetrios removed one hand from him as he continued to rim him with as much gradual tenacity as he had indulged his cock, then a pop and squirt, and Jesse braced himself as Demetrios retracted his tongue and eased one slicked up finger inside him. He urged Jesse back, losing his finger inside, and Jesse lost control, moaning from deep within his gut. Oh, God, he wanted it. He wanted it all. He wanted Demetrios’ tongue, his mouth, his fingers, his hand, his cock. And he wanted them all at the same time. Demetrios inserted another finger, loosening him and massaging inside, every nerve ending tingling and elevating.

Jesse palmed his cock, it pulsating in his hand with each delectable fondle of Demetrios’s fingers inside him. Then rustling behind, followed by the tearing of a wrapper, and spitting away of the leftover plastic, had Jesse burning with anticipation. Demetrios sheathed himself one handed and Jesse lost his vision to stars when, deep and commanding, Demetrios said, “Ride me.”

If he fucking insisted.

Demetrios grabbed Jesse by the hips, forcing him around to face him and Jesse climbed onto his lap, knees digging into his sides, straddling him before rising for Demetrios to poke the tip of his cock to his entrance. “Slowly,” he demanded, shaking Jesse to the core. “No noise.”

Jesse sank down on him, cock stretching him the lower he descended.

“Oh, fuck, Dem…” Jesse breathed out in a shallow whisper, desperate to keep quiet.

Demetrios kissed him, preventing him from crying out, and Jesse wrapped his arms around his neck, wriggling his hips to feel every inch of Demetrios inside him.

“Up,” Demetrios commanded into his ear.

Jesse rose, almost letting Demetrios come out of him, but Demetrios grabbed his backside with two firm hands and rumbled, deep and seductive, “Down. Slow.”

Jesse did and Demetrios groaned as Jesse repeated the movements. Up, down, slow and lazy, Jesse’s chest burst with delicious torment. No urgency, just two bodies coming together, no flesh untouched, slipping and sliding their way to a languid climax.

“Jesse…” Demetrios kissed his neck as Jesse rode him. “Eísai ómorfos.”

“I love you.” Jesse clutched Demetrios to him, not even letting any air come between them. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“To moró mou.” Demetrios leaned his head back and kissed Jesse, tongue and lips as mellow as his languid thrusts. “Oh, God, Jesse…” He pulled away, dropping his forehead onto Jesse’s, knocking his glasses askew, and his light panting was the only sign he was close. “I’m gonna come.”

“Come,” Jesse plead into his ear, ensuring not to speed up to allow for Demetrios to feel every vibration, every build up, every sparking, bubbling sensation driving him to blinding ecstasy. He groaned, trembled, arms tightening around Jesse as he released himself inside him with a low groan.

Jesse swayed his hips, deepening Demetrios’ cock inside him as he spent his load. Only then did he rise and let him out of him. Demetrios tumbled Jesse onto his back and took Jesse’s cock into his mouth, slow sucks intending to give Jesse the same dreamy end. Jesse arched his back, legs shaking as his orgasm crept up on him and he came down Demetrios’ throat. Demetrios swallowed, then stroked Jesse’s waning cock in his hand, extracting every drop of bliss from him before crawling up Jesse’s body, removing his glasses for him so he could kiss him.

It took a while for Jesse to come down. It didn’t matter. Demetrios had hold of him, keeping him safe while he rode the high. When he thought he could function again, he flipped a leg over Demetrios’ hip, squeezed him closer and pressed his lips to his ear. “You’re amazing.”

“I know.”

“Do you always make love like that?”

Demetrios tilted away. “What do you mean?”

“You’re…tender.” Jesse bit his lip, unsure he should have this conversation after one of the best nights of his life. When he’d been treated with such care and attention. Been made love to and not just used to get off.

“But…?” Demetrios urged with an eyebrow arch.

“Do you ever…fuck?”

Demetrios blinked. “Yeah. I fuck. I have fucked.”

Jesse screwed his eyes shut, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. The word sounded so vulgar coming from Demetrios. As if it was a whole different ball game to him.

But then he closed his lips around Jesse’s ear and changed the whole meaning of it when he said, “I’ll fuck you any way you want,” sending shivers down Jesse’s spine and sparking his flaccid cock. “I’ll fuck you hard. Fast. However you want it, when you want it.” He wrinkled his nose. “Just maybe not when your housemate is downstairs.”

Jesse chuckled. “Prude.”

He was joshing with him, but Demetrios buried his face into the crook of his neck and Jesse had a pang of regret at being so flippant. Demetrios sank farther into him, shoulders dropping, then after a moment, he wriggled his head back out, gazing into Jesse’s eyes with such heartfelt warmth, Jesse’s breath hitched.

“I love you, Jesse. And if it’s all right with you, I’d like to keep you to myself. I don’t want others to hear us. To witness what we have. It’s too special.”

Jesse searched Demetrios’ face, recalling what Elias had said. How Demetrios had warned others away from him. He was possessive with the ones he loved. He had the bruises on his knuckles to prove it. And it was so clear. So transparent. It had been there all along, waiting for this moment. Demetrios loved him. And Jesse now knew with certainty what love was. It was all there in Demetrios’ eyes. It had always been there. From the first moment he had found him under an umbrella and been brave enough to say, ‘hi’.

“I can deal with that,” Jesse said and held onto Demetrios in all the ways he should have done years ago.