20. Bennett

Bennett

Hours had passed since the confrontation with Xander's parents, and the quiet of my apartment felt like a fragile sanctuary. The dim light of the bedside lamp cast a warm glow over us as we lay entwined under the blankets. I cradled Xander against me, his head fitting perfectly into the hollow of my chest, his breath rhythmically rising and falling against my skin.

A swell of pride filled me for how he'd handled himself. Telling his parents the truth about who he was and standing firm against their outdated views took guts. He hadn't backed down, hadn't apologized for being himself. But one thing he'd said kept replaying in my mind, resonating deeply.

Xander had said out loud what I'd wanted to say but hadn't. Not because I was scared, but because I'd been waiting for the perfect moment to tell him. Listening to him tell his parents there was no apology for loving me made me realize there was no perfect time to tell the person who held your heart that you loved them. Because when it came to the thing called love, it played by its own rules, no matter the game.

I shifted slightly, the rustling of the blankets breaking the silence. "Did you mean it?"

Xander looked up at me, his eyes clouded with confusion. "Mean what?"

"The part about not apologizing for loving me," I clarified, my voice barely more than a whisper.

He lowered his gaze, his fingers toying with the edge of the blanket. "Yeah."

My heart hammered in my chest as I used my finger to gently tilt his chin up, bringing his eyes back to mine. "Say it again."

His eyes, wide and vulnerable, searched mine for a moment before he murmured, "I love you."

A surge of emotions threatened to choke me as those three words resonated in the air between us. I'd imagined what hearing them would sound like from his lips, and now that I had, it was even more beautiful. Cupping his cheek gently in his hands, I brushed away a stray tear with my thumb. "I love you too, Sunshine. More than I could ever put into words."

He smiled then, a radiant, beautiful smile that lit up his entire face. "Really?"

"Really," I confirmed, my voice thick with emotion. "I've wanted to tell you for a while, but I was waiting for the right moment."

As his fingers traced lazy patterns on the tattoos on my chest, I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Remember when we first met? How we couldn't stand each other?" I chuckled softly.

"Yeah," he smiled at the memory. "It's funny how things change."

"Not just funny. It's amazing. You've changed my life, Xander. You've shown me what it means to love and be loved."

"I can't imagine my life without you." His voice broke slightly. "You're my home, Ry."

He hugged me tighter, our foreheads touching. "And you're mine. Always."

I smiled when he flipped over and started nipping and nibbling the crook of my neck, my nipples, my belly button, then back up again. My dick hardened.

"When the captain fell, he fell hard for the rookie."

This guy's such a tease.

Chuckling, I said, "Oh yes, he did. The rookie captured his heart."

He shifted above me, straddling my chest, and reached for the headboard. The sight of his dick so close to my face sent sparks down my spine. He was magnificent in this moment – confident and commanding. He positioned himself just within reach of my mouth.

"Gonna feed me your cock?"

"That's the plan." His grip tightened on the headboard, muscles rippling under his skin as he sought leverage for what came next. The anticipation was exquisite; it heightened every sensation. He grabbed his dick, and used it to tap my lips. I opened up, and he slipped his length inside my mouth. I felt each pulse of his arousal in time with the pounding rhythm of my heart.

I matched Xander"s rhythm as he moved inside me, my hand stroking myself in time with his thrusts. My tongue explored him – tasting and teasing until he came, spilling cum into my mouth. I savored every drop while continuing to pleasure myself.

Then it was Xander"s turn to taste me. His eyes held mine captive as he shuffled down the length of my body and then took me into his mouth.

Jeezus. The heat. The suction. The man. Those were all I needed to release myself – thick strands of pleasure pulsating through me.

This time, we didn't need to declare our love out loud; our actions spoke louder than any words ever could.