Chapter Sixteen

"You won't let me die," Stef said with such conviction Brandon could almost believe him.

Brandon pulled him close, resting his tired forehead on Stef's shoulder. "This sucks." Sucks. A word that so completely underestimated the depth of Brandon's feelings it almost made him laugh.

"Come on." Stef tugged Brandon's hands. "I know what will distract you."

"What?" Brandon couldn't afford to be distracted, but he sure did want to be.

Wordlessly, Stef pulled him in for a surprise kiss.

Yes. That.

With something like relief coursing through him, Brandon shoved Stef roughly toward the bed. Stef squeaked, but when his mouth opened to say something, Brandon kissed it shut. This man, with his temper and his crazy laugh and his tight body, felt closer to perfect than anyone Brandon had ever met.

They were the best kind of opposites, and if they had half a chance, each could make the other better. Brandon wasn't generally given to purple prose, but Stef made him want to give a song like All of Me his best John Legend imitation. He couldn't let Stef act as bait for the wraith.

He. Could. Not.

Brandon growled, nipping Stef's lower lip. That seemed to flip some switch because suddenly Stef was everywhere, his hands in Brandon's hair, his legs wrapped around Brandon's hips. Their cocks were in close enough proximity to rub against each other, hard flesh trapped in denim.

"How do you want me?" Stef murmured, his lips moving against Brandon's throat. Brandon scratched Stef's rough jaw, rubbing the flat of his thumb against Stef's lower lip. Stef caught the tip between his teeth, then sucked it into his mouth.

Warm. Wet. Brandon almost lost it right there. "Can I fuck you?" He managed to get the words out while gasping for breath.

Stef teased Brandon's thumb with his tongue, nodding in a way that probably meant yes. Still, Brandon had to be sure. He pulled his hand away. "Tell me."

"Yeah. There's lube in my bag."

"I can beat that. I've got a condom and lube in my pocket."

Stef exhaled a shivery breath. "Clothes off, then."

Brandon rose and started shucking clothes. When he came back to the bed, Stef was naked and for a moment, all Brandon could do was look. Stef was wiry, compact, with a scattering of dark hair across his chest and a darker pleasure trail down his belly. His uncut dick lay thick across his thigh, dark curls at its base.

Stef didn't seem to mind the inspection. In fact, he ran a hand down his chest, taking his dick in hand and stroking it.

Brandon couldn't get to him fast enough.

He flopped forward, covering Stef's naked body with his own. "How do you like it?"

Stef cupped his face with both hands. "Just like this."

He wrapped his legs around Brandon, strong thighs pulling him tight. Brandon gave him a fierce kiss while reaching down to work a hand between their bodies. He reached Stef's cock and gave it a rub, then went further.

Stef's balls were full and warm, and Brandon took some time teasing the velvety flesh between his fingertips. Stef groaned, breaking their kiss, and Brandon took the opportunity to move to one of Stef's nipples, nipping and licking, all the while listening for what made Stef sing.

Stef's legs relaxed, their loosening, and Brandon slid to the side, propped on one elbow. That gave him access to all of Stef's body, and he took full advantage of the situation. Brandon stroked Stef's dick and teased his balls in turn, latched onto one nipple with his lips. Stef started to pant, and Brandon took that as a sign to go further.

He stroked Stef's perineum, the soft skin between his balls and his asshole. Rimming his hole with light touches, Brandon worked just the tip of his finger in.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," Stef murmured, widening his legs to give Brandon better access.

"You are so gorgeous." Brandon spoke right in Stef's ear, making him shiver. They needed the lube, and they needed it now.

As much as he hated leaving, Brandon made it to his jeans and back in record time. He snatched up a pillow and scooted it under Stef's hips. The man lay quiet, following Brandon's lead. Only the gleam in his eyes hinted at his pleasure.

And Brandon took his time. He traced the line where Stef's legs joined his hips, blowing on the skin to make goose bumps rise. Stef's dick lay against his belly, and every so often Brandon would reach over and give it a stroke.

In turn, Stef rubbed his thumb over the head of Brandon's cock.

"It turns me on so bad when you do that." Brandon almost didn't recognize that husky voice as his.

"Then I'll have to keep doing it." Stef grinned. That grin grew wider when Brandon traced Stef's hole with a lubed finger. "Do it." The words came out as a whine.

"Don't have to tell me twice." Brandon slid his finger into Stef's body, a steady intrusion that made Stef arch his back, his eyes closed.

"Someday I want to do this with a dildo," Brandon said slowly, watching for Stef's reaction. A quick breath said he was on the right track. "Or maybe a plug. Would you wear a plug for me?"

"Yeah." Stef's breathy voice made Brandon smile.

He kept up a steady in and out with his finger, never taking his gaze away from Stef's beautiful face. "I'll take you out to dinner, and both of us will know you've got a secret."

Fuck's sake. Who is this babbling fool?Brandon didn't talk sweet, he didn't ramble, and he most assuredly didn't make plans that far in advance.

Getting past the wraith had to happen first, and that was a very high bar.

The wraith. The knowledge came close to flattening his hard-on, but Stef saved him.

"Jesus." Stef wrapped his fingers around the base of Brandon's cock and gave it a stroke. "Get in there. I'm not going to last."

Stef's demand dragged Brandon out of his memories and into the present. Acting was easier than thinking, so he suited up and emptied the lube packet on his dick. With a hand on each of Stef's thighs, he lined himself up.

"Now," Stef whined, and Brandon had to laugh. He did as he was told, though, and nudged the head of his cock into Stef's body.

He would have taken it slow, but Stef gripped his hips and pulled. Brandon plunged in, his brain whiting out at the sudden onset of warmth and pressure.

"Fucking amazing," he gasped. He propped himself on his elbows, and Stef wrapped his legs around him. "This okay?" he whispered.

Stef's grin warmed him deep down. "Better than okay, but you weigh a fucking ton. Move your ass."

Brandon flexed his hips, nearly pulling out, then drove himself deeper. Stef's head rocked back, his eyes closed, but his smile never faded.

Brandon set a steady rhythm, hanging onto his orgasm by his fingernails. "You like it harder?"

Stef grunted, so Brandon picked up the pace. Pleasure began to build, spiraling from the small of his back to his balls. He wasn't going to last much longer. The muscles in his arms and shoulders bunched. Stef stiffened, cried out. Come spurted from his cock, painting Brandon's belly.

"Almost there," he gasped. He clenched his jaw to keep back the scream of pleasure threatening to burst from his soul. "Oh fuck. Oh fuck. I'm coming."

And he was, riding the wave of bliss from its peak to the warm, soft center.

Sweat ran down the sides of his face and he couldn't do much besides breathe, his forehead resting on Stef's shoulder. His dick softened, still inside Stef. He really should get rid of the condom, but, "I might never move again," he whispered.

"'S okay by me." Stef sounded drunk. Grinning, Brandon nipped his shoulder, and Stef laughed.

"I've wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you."

Stef laughed. "As flattering as that is, we've known each other less than a week, so…"

"Shut up." Brandon lowered himself so they lay belly to belly. His cock slid out of Stef's body.

"You're sticky," Stef murmured into his hair.

"I'm a man, and I sweat like a man."

Stef laughed, and Brandon laughed, and they simply lay together, basking in the moment. With Stef in his arms, in as safe a place as they could find, Brandon almost blurted out the story. He could have. Stef would listen, and Brandon knew he'd be sympathetic. Knew it the way he knew his own name or Stef's spicy, herbal scent.

Knew it like he knew the sun would rise tomorrow and he'd better be ready.

Still, forcing the words out would take more effort than he currently had energy for. Instead of sharing his darkest secret, he held Stef in his arms and listened to his lovers's deep and even breathing. He'd have to tell Stef, and probably soon, but for now, Brandon milked the moment for everything he could. He wasn't wasting time. If anything, this feeling of closeness gave him added incentive to find a way out of his clusterfuck.