11. Clark

Clark

" I can't believe you think those games are fun!"

X scowls as he says it, but I saw him laughing in the hay maze. And how he lit up when he finally got an apple from the barrel to be rewarded with a candy one.

His innocence is so vibrant. All his discoveries lit him up, and it was a joy to witness. His smile and laugh pulled me further into his orbit, and I already know he's someone truly special.

X slumps onto my sofa as I lock the front door and kick off my shoes.

I take the end seat where his feet are and lift them into my lap. Absently, I rub my thumb into one of his arches and he sighs.

"If you give foot rubs, you're officially perfect."

With a chuckle, I move to the other foot.

"You look like you need it. You're tired."

He stifles a yawn as he protests, and we both chuckle.

"Okay, you're right. I'm tired. Do you mind if I shower before bed? "

Thinking of him naked in my shower sends a wave of heat across my skin.

"No." My voice rasps as he sits up to slide his lips across my cheek.

"You can join me." He kisses my neck. "No pressure, though."

He heads to the bathroom, peeling off his shirt as he goes and as comfortable as if he lived here. I don't hear the door close, but the water runs, and I take a few calming breaths.

Of course, I want to join him. He's sweet and sexy and pushes all the right buttons, but something holds me back, and I'm not sure what.

Once at the bathroom door, I'm on autopilot and stripping out of my clothes as I watch the water sluice down his muscular back as he dips his head under the shower spray. His long, dirty blond hair hangs around his face, and I lick my lips at his wet and naked body. This is the first time I've seen him naked, and he's watched me come twice now.

That seems a little one-sided.

Sliding the shower curtain over, I step up behind him.

"I didn't think you'd come."

Grabbing the loofah and body wash, I squirt some on the sponge and rub slow circles across his back. The tension eases out of his shoulders.

"I didn't think I would either, but…I wanted to take care of you. You seem a little unsettled." X remains silent as he lets me wash his body and if that's all that happens, then so be it.

"I'm nervous about sleeping here." He finally whispers, and I almost don't hear it over the running water.

"Because of me? If you're not ready to do anything we don't—"

"Believe me, it's not that." He turns to face me and wipes the hair from his face. "I've watched you come twice, and I'd love to be the one to make you come apart, but…I'm worried you won't be comfortable if I have a nightmare."

He drops his gaze and I tilt his chin up.

"Why would I be uncomfortable? People have nightmares all the time."

Tears well in his eyes as he shakes his head.

"I'm not some people, Clark. I-I-I scream and thrash. I lie awake or sweat or all of those. I pace." His eyes close, and the tears squeeze out. "It's part of the curse, and until it's gone, it'll be very disruptive for you."

"Oh, sweetheart." I pull him close to me, and even in the shower, I feel his hot tears on my chest. I ache to give him whatever he needs to feel safe and loved.

"Let's get you out of the shower, and we can talk more, okay?"

X nods, and I rinse him off before bundling him in the fluffiest towel I own. He watches me with sad eyes, and all I want to do is put a smile on his face forever. I don't know how yet, but I'm going to try.

"Do you sleep in anything?"

"Sometimes. "

His lips twitch, and I steal a kiss. "I see what you're doing. If you let me choose, I'll always say naked." Dropping to my knees, I dry him off and pause at the tattoo on his thigh. "Can you tell me about the tattoo?"

His fingers dust over it as he watches me. "It's called a witch's mark. It's also incomplete. When a witch reaches the age of twenty-one, they have their last ceremony to receive their ultimate powers. At that time, the mark turns from grey to black and reveals the final image."

"And does the image mean anything?"

He nods. "Yes. It's usually something to show where your strengths lie. Like if your specialty is potions for love, for example, it would have, maybe, a heart on a cloud or something like that."

I allow my fingers to trace the faded image on his inner thigh. How frustrating it must be to have a constant reminder etched on your body about your past. A past that wasn't good for you and still isn't.

Without a thought, I press a kiss to the mark on his thigh. My lips tingle and burn, and I pull away. X gasps as we both watch the space on his skin glow and pulse before fading away. His fingers shake as he touches the top.

"It's filling in." He whispers as he traces the U shape. "It wasn't this big before and this is the second time it's happened since I met you."

"That's good, right?"

"Yeah. It means…I might be a step closer to a sound sleep. "

X tries to smile and make a joke, but his eyes give him away. This isn't something small. It's bigger than I can comprehend, and I hope I can help.

"How about we get you under the covers and try to sleep?"

Tossing our towels on the counter, I take him by the hand and lead him to the bedroom.

"Do you care what side you sleep on?"

"I haven't been able to lie in a bed more than an hour at a time for the last five years. I'm not picky."

"Okay. I like the right side then."

X hesitates before sliding under the covers. He lies flat on his back and stares at the ceiling. If he were any other hookup I brought home, I'd likely ask them to leave if they were this uncomfortable. But he's different. He's a witch, for one thing, and despite his dirty mouth and kink preference, he's vulnerable and na?ve.

"Hey." He turns his head and troubled eyes meet mine. "Let me hold you? Even if it's only a few minutes or you wake from a nightmare and punch me in the face…just…let me hold you?"

After a moment, he slides closer and snuggles back into my chest. I wrap my arm around his waist, and he wiggles around, pulling my other arm around him so his head is resting on my shoulder, and the sweetest sigh leaves his lips.

"I didn't think it would feel this good…being held. You make me feel safe, Clark."

Dropping a kiss on the top of his head, I squeeze my eyes closed. This poor man .

"I won't let anything happen to you. I hope you can sleep even a little."

But he doesn't hear me. A soft snore sounds, and he's out like a light. Hopefully, he sleeps more than an hour.

It's still dark in the room, but the bed next to me is cold, and I sit up to look for X.

"I'm still here."

X's voice sounds from the corner, where he sits in the dark on the chair I pile laundry on.

"Is everything okay?"

"Very."

The bed dips, and he's under the covers, sliding back to me. Even in the dark, we fit together like a perfect puzzle, knowing where to put our hands and legs to fuse ourselves together without an awkward jumble.

"It doesn't sound like much to you, but I slept for three hours before a nightmare came. That's…unheard of. I haven't slept that long since I was cursed."

"You had a long day. Maybe—"

"No. It's not like that. I physically can't sleep, Clark. When I close my eyes and reach that wonderful plane of sleep that brings rest, I'm ripped from it within minutes. By a nightmare." His hand slides up my chest. "It's my punishment for not wanting what my coven wanted. For the dishonour to my family."

"What was different tonight?"

There's a comfortable pause and the air in the room crackles.

"You. It's you, Clark." His lips press to my collarbone and up my neck. "You don't love me, but you care. And it was strong enough to keep the nightmares away for a while. Thank you."

"I'm happy to hear that." He pushes me to my back and straddles my waist. "And I'm happy for this. What do you need, sweetheart?"

Leaning down, he kisses me, hard and filled with pent-up lust, and it takes no time for my dick to fill.

"I want you to touch me, Clark. Make me come. No one has ever done that."

"No one has touched you? Ever?" I know he said he was a virgin, but not even a hand job?

He shakes his head. "It was too risky with all my…issues. I had to do it myself." He huffs a laugh. "It's probably why I enjoy watching so much. I figured that was as close to real sex as I would get. But you're different, Clark." He rocks his hips to drag his hard cock across my stomach. "Please?"

"You never need to beg, baby. Sit back so I can grab us both. You okay on top?"

"Y-yes. "

He adjusts himself so he's over my hips and our leaking cocks are now touching. His eyes widen with the first brush and a small huff escapes his mouth.

"You haven't even done anything and I know this will be good."

Keeping a hand on his hip to hold him, I stretch my other hand to my bedside table and pull the lube from the drawer.

"It will never be not good, sweetheart. I promise you that. But you tell me if you don't like it, okay?"

Squirting a liberal amount into my palm, I wrap my hand around his cock, and he drops his head forward with a moan.

"What's not to like? Your hand is on my dick and—" With a twist of my wrist, I slide my palm over the head and down the length to cup his balls before sliding up again.

"Breathe, sweetheart." I don't want to laugh, but his reactions are so animated. He gulps in a breath and utters nonsense as he leans back and grips my thighs.

"This is better than watching. Ohmygod!"

"I always said sex isn't just a spectator sport. Full participation makes it more enjoyable."

"I'm a team player."

His hair hangs around his face and a gorgeous pink paints his chest. Tapping his leg for attention, I draw his gaze to mine.

"Stop wiggling for a minute and give me your hand."

After squirting more lube in his palm, I position us together and have his hand join mine. His mouth drops open as he sucks in a breath .

"Clark…oh, fuck."

X moves his hips, thrusting into our hands with awkward hesitance.

"Take what you need, sweetheart. I could watch you do this all day."

He's breathtaking in his innocence. The way his expression morphs from pleasure to wonder and back again. I've been doing this with partners since I was a teenager, and I guess I took it for granted. Watching him experience what's essentially his first sexual experience with someone is a pleasure in itself.

"Clark, fuck, I'm gonna come already."

And he does. Spectacularly. As he gasps and watches his load cover our hands and coat our cocks, my gaze stays glued to his face.

"Kiss me. Now."

X doesn't hesitate and leans down to press his lips to mine. His tongue slides past my lips and when he sucks my tongue hard, my world shatters. My orgasm explodes with no warning and a low buzz fills my body. It sits on my skin like the most sensual of touches and when X finally sits up, his eyes are as big as saucers.

"Did you feel that?" He whispers as he brushes his fingers across my lips.

"I did. It's…I don't know. What is it?"

He scrambles back and flicks on the lamp. "My witch's mark. Look."

X holds his thigh forward and runs his fingertips over the mark.

"It just changed again. It's almost complete…and…holy shit."

I scramble to sit up so I can see what has X so wound up. Aside from the sex, that is.

"What is it?"

"I always thought it was an upside-down U, like a horseshoe, you know? Like it was a bad luck thing. But now…"

When I look closer and see it head-on and not looking down like X does, I reach out to touch it.

"It looks like a Belladonna plant," I whisper, and X grabs my hand.

"Beautiful Belladonna. You, Clark."