7. Chapter 7

I t was all the permission I needed. I leaned forward and kissed him again, but this time I rolled my hips, enjoying the hiss that came out of him as my ass rubbed over his cock. Fuck, he felt good.

When he said he'd tried to come look for me, it was what I'd been wanting to hear since I left. Just to know that someone tried, someone cared, but especially that it was him. He was the one who mattered the most. It was clear he was as in the dark as I had been at the time, but now I was back, and in his room again. I wasn't about to let this moment go by without exploring what it would be like to be with him.

I kissed those luscious rosy-taupe lips as if my life depended on it. The desperation and years of longing drove me into him, trying to climb so deep inside of him that we could never be separated again.

The sounds he made as I slid over his cock had me hungry for more. I nipped his lower lip and kissed my way over his square jaw. As I lowered down his throat, I mouthed over his Adam's apple, feeling it bob beneath my touch.

My hands slid under his shirt, feeling the defined muscles of his abs. Playing with the edge of his shirt, I looked into his darkened brown eyes. "Can I get this out of the way?"

He swallowed audibly. "Yes, please."

I couldn't help but smirk. "So polite, princey. I wonder what it would take to get you to say something naughty."

"I don't know. I don't normally…do that."

I leaned into him and whispered in his ear, "Challenge accepted." I bit his ear lobe, loving his quick inhale.

With his shirt gone, I stared at his chest. He had a smattering of dark curly hair on top of his lovely golden skin. "Fuck, Mal. You are so hot!"

His lips quirked into a smile, but his eyes roamed over me, pausing on my barely contained stiffy, whose head nearly peeked out of the top of the jockstrap. "As are you, Flor."I ran my hands up his chest, loving the way his muscles contracted beneath my touch. He practically purred when my fingers played in his hair. Unable to sit back any longer, I bent over him and flicked one nipple with my tongue.

"Crowns!" Malachi exclaimed, making me chuckle.

"We're getting closer. But I see I still have some work to do." I closed my mouth over the peaked nipple, sucking it in, tugging it gently with my teeth, and his back arched up as he moaned. Mal's hand found its way into my long hair, and he wrapped some of the strands around it, holding on, but not pulling.

"Mmm." Mal mumbled.

I gave the same attention to the other nipple, loving the way his hand tightened in my hair and the sounds he made. If he was this reactive to his nipples, I could only imagine the sounds he would make with his cock buried deep in my throat. Or my ass. But we would get there another day. I hoped.

For now, I just wanted to savor him, to touch and taste every part of the man I'd dreamt of and imagined for so long. I kissed my way down his stomach, dark hair leading me on a path to glory. Malachi tensed when I flicked my tongue under the waistband of his gray sweatpants. Did he even realize how hot those were? I might have been the one wearing practically nothing, but the way his hard cock was outlined in the light material was practically a beacon calling me home. I pulled the waistband down and kissed the spot right above his dark nest of curls.

"Wait! Flor!" Malachi rasped out.

I braced myself on my elbows and angled my head to look up at him. "Are you okay?"

He breathed hard, his eyes so dark with lust they were practically black. "Yes. I just…you don't have to…um, I wasn't expecting that."

"Do you want me to stop?" As much as I longed to have him fill my mouth and block out the past, I didn't want to push him into something he would regret.

"Crowns! I don't know. Um…yes…or, well…no?" His tone went up at the end in a question, making me chuckle at his uncertainty.

I sat up, and he let out a breath at the change in position. But his eyes were locked onto my bulge, so I decided to help him with his decision. Pulling the pouch of the jock strap down, my cock popped out and slapped against my belly. I stroked it slowly, and his gaze was glued to my hand as it slid up and down.

"You know? As king, you're going to have to be decisive, sometimes even in the hardest of situations."

Malachi sucked in a sharp breath, unable to look anywhere but at my hand on my cock. "Yes, but as king, I don't want to inflict my will against someone."

"And what if it is my will, too?" I moaned loudly, louder than necessary, but loved the way he licked his lips when I did.

"Is that what you really want, Flor?" He asked through a thick voice.

"Mmm. More than you know. Oh, wait. Maybe this will help." I leaned into him, until we were chest to chest, and our faces mere inches away. "Your Highness, may I please suck your royal prick?" I batted my eyelashes for added effect.

Mal covered his eyes as he let out a laugh. His cheeks had a lovely red undertone. He kept his hand over his eyes when he let out a terse, "yes."

I kissed his lips, flicking my tongue over them. As he opened his mouth to let me explore, I slid back down his body. He groaned in disappointment at the kiss cut short, but the groan soon changed when I didn't hesitate to pull his sweatpants down.

His cock stood strong before me, thick and hard, his tip glistening with a bead I collected on my tongue. That first taste had my magic purring within me. I glanced up and saw Mal had his head back, but his hand was still over his eyes. Oh no, that wouldn't do at all.

"Watch me, Mal. I want you to know it's me. It's us here, right now, together."

He inhaled deeply and pulled his hand away. As soon as his eyes met mine, I opened my mouth and wrapped my lips around him, using my tongue to play along the rounded edge of the head.

A moan fell from his lips as I lowered myself, letting his cock slide over my tongue. I adjusted my angle, so I could take more of him in. I'd been with enough men and had enough practice that I'd learned to relax my throat. I worked up and down a few times, lowering myself more until I had him fully, and my nose nestled in the dark hair above his cock. I breathed shallow breaths through my nose, and when I swallowed around him, Malachi bucked and spluttered sounds.

I began to move, taking him deep, sliding up, toying with his tip, before pressing back down until he was hitting the back of my throat. Malachi's hands were in my hair, fingers wrapped around the long strands, and he pushed into my mouth. It was nearly too much. Which made it exactly what I needed. So that every thought and memory of the past was pushed away and all I could focus on was the feel of him in my mouth, on breathing around him. The moans and slurps and erotic sounds were the balm I needed to quiet the noise in my head.

When I looked up at Mal, his lips were parted and his eyes heavy with lust. He met my gaze as his cock was buried deep in my throat, and I could feel him tighten. His fingers gripped my hair, and he let out a strangled, "Fuucckk!"

He came hard, and I barely managed to contain it, coughing slightly with surprise as his release flooded my throat. I stayed in place, though. Swallowing as much as I could, though I couldn't help but grin around him at the sound of him cursing. Feeling rather pleased with myself that I'd managed to make him break his habit, I slid off him, wiping my mouth and sitting on his spent cock.

"I knew I could do it."

Malachi wiped the sweat from his brow and let his head fall back. "Florian, that was… crowns! I don't have words for how good that felt."

I leaned an elbow on his shoulder and rested my head on it. "Funny. It seems you had a word a minute ago. What was it, again?"

He snorted. "Shut up! It just came out, I had no control, but I'm not likely to say it on purpose."

"Hmm. We'll have to work on that." I pecked a kiss on his lips, smiling against them. Mal's arms wrapped around mine, and he kissed me deeper, moaning as his tongue played over mine, likely tasting himself on me.

I was achingly hard between us, my tip leaking on my belly. I'd nearly lost it when he came in my mouth, but I was too focused on him. Malachi reached between us, stroking me, making my body sing like a chorus hitting perfect harmonies at his touch.

I sat back to give him some room but grabbed his hand and made eye contact with him. Those brown eyes widened when I licked up his palm and placed his hand back on my cock. He began to pump me and his slickened hand felt amazing. I leaned back, bracing my hands on his thighs behind me.

"Feels so good, Mal. Keep going."

Malachi sat up straighter and continued to work me with such determination, it would have been laughable if I wasn't so close to the edge. He squeezed around my base, making me gasp, holding back my orgasm. I sat panting, at his complete mercy. When he started moving again, tension built up, and no amount of pressure would be able to hold it back. I let out a shout as the orgasm exploded out of me, coating Malachi's hand and chest. I gripped his thighs hard enough I half-worried about leaving bruises, but I couldn't bring myself to care as I panted and Mal worked the rest of my cum from my oversensitive dick.

When his hand left me, I whimpered. He tugged me gently forward until I collapsed against his chest, my release sticking between us. That was fine. It could glue us together for all I cared. Because stuck with him was exactly where I wanted to be.

Mal's finger gently played in my hair and we both lay there, wordless and content for a while. I could feel his heartbeat start to slow beneath my ear as he relaxed under me. After a few minutes, the conversation we'd had before snuck back in, and a mix of emotions rushed into my mind. But at the forefront was gratitude, and with it…something deeper that made my magic swirl around my heart.

"Thank you for trying to look for me. That means more than you can know."

Malachi kissed the top of my head. "I'm sorry I didn't find you, but I wanted to. I wanted you . I have every day of my life."

"I wanted you too, Mal. Still do. And we're here now. That's what matters."

His arms tightened around me as if he wanted to hold on and never let go. I would let him, too. I would happily stay right there in the comfort and strength of him. And we did. For a while. Malachi eventually got up and used the washroom, returning with a damp cloth to clean us up. We decided to forgo the rest of our clothing, and he climbed under the blanket with me this time. I fell asleep curled up beside him, with his body spooned against mine and his arm over my chest. I'd never felt more at peace or rested as easily as I did with him that night. That peace left as quickly as it came, though, when I was awakened before dawn.

Malachi

In the aftermath of the bliss I'd experienced with Florian, and the wonder of his mouth on me, and seeing him come undone by my hand, I woke in the middle of the night. As I held him, I couldn't help but think back to what he'd told me. How much I didn't understand about what happened. And how powerless it made me feel.

If I wasn't able to help the person that mattered the most to me, how could I possibly make a difference for the lives of the people who would be entrusted into my care and leadership? What did I have to offer?

All of the confidence I'd felt during the party with Florian at my side suddenly abated as doubt and uncertainty crashed into me. What kind of king would I be? How could I possibly lead a nation? And who would follow me if they knew I'd been unable to help the boy I loved. The man I loved, because that was one thing I didn't have any doubt about.

That blooming curiosity and infatuation I'd had with him back then had only grown stronger. Especially now, having seen his beautiful heart and holding him in my arms. I loved him fully and completely. I might not know everything there was to know about him or his life, but I knew I wanted him with me and could learn more as we went along.

I held him, clutching him tight to me. Florian was the only thing that made sense. I tried to focus on him, but the weight of the upcoming transition of power pressed in on me, too strong to fight. The anxiety and stress that I'd felt since the announcement came back in full force. As I wrestled with my thoughts, I began to feel strange. It felt as if something was crawling under my skin and clawing at me from the inside.

It worked its way up my body until even my mind felt itchy, my thoughts unclear. While it was a relief not to be churning thoughts in my head over and over, I could no longer seem to hold onto anything in my mind. I felt like I was sinking deep into myself, unable to grasp onto anything. Sinking. Sinking. And the only thing I could connect to was the man beside me. I knew him, even if I didn't know myself.