Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

James pulled Eli's car into the garage. It would be a little while before his truck was repaired, so the brothers would have to share. Parker planned to pick Eli up from work later because walking home at night didn't seem like a great idea. He'd take Eli back to his house, which meant Sebastian and James were on their own.

James faced Sebastian as he turned off the car. "The meeting went well."

Sebastian shrugged. He'd cried in front of a group of people and hadn't been able to make eye contact while talking, but it hadn't gone terribly. "Guess so."

They climbed out of the car, and James popped the trunk. "Here, I grabbed some stuff at Storm House this morning." James had transferred a couple of boxes from his truck before it was towed. They each grabbed one. "Let's take them upstairs."

Sebastian followed James through the house and up to James's bedroom. Sebastian set his box on the floor, the top flaps falling open to reveal the clothes he'd ordered for James. He smiled.

James set the other box on a chair in the corner. " This one is yours."

Sebastian maneuvered around the bed. "Thanks." He opened the box to find an assortment of his clothing.

James began putting the things from his box away in the closet. "I can make space in a drawer for you if you want."

Sebastian unearthed a book from beneath his clothes. It had been on the nightstand in his bedroom. James grabbing it for him was sweet, and so was his offer of a permanent drawer in his room, but Sebastian didn't need to be any more attached to James than he already was. "No need to clear out a drawer for me," he made himself say.

James paused. "Oh, okay."

Sebastian turned away and continued to riffle through his box. He shouldn't be unpacking when he needed to be looking for his own place to live. Something pink caught his eye and he bit back a laugh. Thoughts of getting some space from James fled his mind. "James, what are these?" He spun to face James, the fuzzy handcuffs dangling from a finger.

James went bright red. "You know what they are."

"Yes." Sebastian smiled wickedly. He loved flustering James. "But I gave them to you. Why are they in my box?"

James scowled, but his cheeks didn't lose any of their color. "I'm giving them back." He turned to face the closet and hung up the shirt he was holding. James made it so easy to tease him. He was way too bashful for a guy who fucked like a stud.

Sebastian stalked closer, and James avoided looking at him. The poor guy was having trouble getting his next shirt on its hanger.

Seeing the effect he had on James gave Sebastian a rush of confidence. It reminded him that he was still playful and deviant and not defined by his new insecurities. Not everything about him had changed since leaving Storm House. He could still be the same man who took pleasure in seeing James squirm, the guy who took what he wanted and said to hell with the risks.

"Why'd you pack the handcuffs, James?" he taunted .

A muscle in James's jaw ticked. "I don't know. They were in my room with the clothes, and I threw them in a box."

"Uh-huh." Sebastian dangled them in front of James's face. James glared at him. "You're sure you didn't pack them because you want to cuff me to your bed?"

James went even redder, the color tinging his ears. "Seems like you're the one who wants that."

Sebastian gave a careless shrug like he wasn't interested. He swore disappointment flashed across James's face. He lowered the cuffs and stepped closer, whispering in James's ear, "You can tell me what you actually want. It's okay."

James swallowed. There was such a long pause that Sebastian wondered if James wouldn't say anything, but then he whispered, "Maybe it isn't you I want cuffed to the bed."

Sebastian sucked in a breath. He'd assumed James would keep grumbling and deflecting. The fact that he hadn't meant he trusted Sebastian a great deal, and Sebastian loved that. He liked shocking James out of his shell and giving him room to indulge his desires.

"Do you want me to restrain you, James? Do you want to lie there and take what I give you?"

James dropped the shirt in his hands. "Yes," he said, voice hoarse. "Please, Sebastian."

Sebastian pulled him into a kiss. He took James's mouth roughly, stealing his gasping breaths, and felt like himself again. Sebastian wasn't lost when he was in James's arms. He knew who he was.

He was a survivor, someone who seized good things without hesitation and found things to live for even when he had nothing. The sexual relationship he'd had with James at Storm House had been mind-blowing. Sebastian had had nothing to lose and nothing to offer a man like James while he'd been imprisoned, yet he'd still been confident in what he wanted. He'd taken it without considering the risks or the possibility of rejection .

James was his dream partner, and he finally had him. He couldn't let fear get him now. Sebastian was the kind of man who could reach for things even when on the edge of despair. He could still be that man. He could still drive James wild and enjoy everything they gave each other, even if he felt on the cusp of losing it all. Even if he felt lost sometimes. His life wasn't out of his control in the way it had been before, so why couldn't he take more of the things he wanted and make them his?

Sebastian needed to take charge. He needed to sort out his life and be honest with James. While kissing the man, he felt like he could. He could stop keeping secrets. There was a sliver of hope that he could keep one good thing in his life.

He wouldn't be himself if he didn't at least try to make this last.

"Strip and get on the bed," Sebastian ordered once he was able to pry his lips from James.

James whimpered but complied. His eagerness was on full display as he shoved his clothes carelessly off his body. Being wanted that much made Sebastian's head spin. He watched, not touching his own clothes, and couldn't help thinking how lucky he was in so many ways, even when so much was still going wrong.

When James was lying on the bed, completely naked and erect, Sebastian approached. He trailed the handcuffs up James's stomach and across his chest. James panted, lying still and waiting.

"You're really into this," Sebastian observed, his mischievous grin on full display.

"Isn't that a good thing?" James tried to huff like he wanted Sebastian to think he was annoyed, but the sound was desperate.

"Of course." Sebastian set the cuffs on James's chest and began taking off his clothes. "I'm just wondering why you spent so much energy pretending you weren't instead of asking for what you wanted. "

James's gaze tracked Sebastian's movements as he undressed. "I'm not as bold as you."

Sebastian liked that James thought he was bold, especially after all his recent displays to the contrary. "I think you are." Sebastian climbed onto the bed, naked. "When you remember you don't have to be afraid of what you want."

James pulled Sebastian down on top of him, the cuffs crushed between them. "I don't know if I'll ever not be afraid. But I'll always risk facing those fears for you."

If that wasn't the boldest thing Sebastian had ever heard, then he didn't know what was. But Sebastian loved to push. He loved the extreme reactions he got from James because it reminded him that this thing between them was real. "Then risk it and tell me exactly what you want. I promise it'll be worth it."

James closed his eyes. Sebastian let him take the moment he needed. "I want you to cuff me to the headboard and use me. Get yourself off on me. Do what you want with me. You decide. Anything that makes you feel good. I want to be whatever you need."

Sebastian forgot to breathe for a second. His dick was hard and leaking against James's stomach.

Maybe the reason James held back was because when he didn't, he was soul-baringly honest. His words didn't just sound dirty. They sounded like a deep, exposing need. His request didn't seem like a whim or mindless dirty talk. He wasn't saying it to provoke a reaction in Sebastian, as Sebastian often did to him. It was real and meaningful, and Sebastian wanted desperately to fulfill all of James's fantasies.

"You want me to use you?" Sebastian stroked James's cheek, and he opened his eyes. "I think I can do that."

James huffed. "Fuck, you're hot when you're smug."

Sebastian preened. "You always think I'm hot."

James shrugged beneath him. "Sounds about right."

Sebastian kissed him, then sat up, settling on James's lap. He rolled his hips, rubbing James's hard cock between his ass cheeks. James groaned, his hands finding Sebastian's hips. "No, none of that." Sebastian grabbed James's hands and stretched them above his head. He arranged the pillows beneath James, then looped the cuffs around a rung in the headboard.

He secured James's wrists, and James gave them a little tug. His breathing picked up, his face red and eyes bright with excitement. Sebastian went back to rolling his hips. He ran his hands up James's chest, tracing his muscles. This was way too fun. He felt spoiled and was already addicted to the needy way James was looking at him, tracking all his movements.

"You want this to be about me getting myself off?" Sebastian asked as he worked James's cock, feeling the tantalizing slide up and down his crease and over his hole.

"Yes." James's arms jerked like he was trying to reach for Sebastian.

"You sure you don't want me to spoil you? I could lick you all over so perfectly with you laid out like this."

James groaned. "I don't need to be spoiled. But if licking me is what you want, then please."

If James didn't want to be spoiled, he had to know Sebastian would choose to tease him. And maybe that was the other reason James held back and grumbled when Sebastian purposely scandalized him. James liked being teased, maybe even enjoyed the thrill of being shocked and scandalized.

Sebastian climbed off James, and he whimpered, the cuffs clinking as he tried to follow.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes wide.

Sebastian opened the bedside table drawer. "Nowhere. I'm just getting what I need." He grabbed the lube and a condom. Back on the bed, Sebastian straddled James's lap, facing his feet. The only bad thing about this plan was he wouldn't be able to see James's reaction.

"What are you doing?" James panted, breathless .

"If I'm going to get myself off on you, I need to prep." Sebastian lubed his fingers and reached behind himself. He leaned forward, bracing himself, and canted his hips back to give James a good view as he massaged his rim.

"Fuck." There was the sound of James trying to move his arms again.

Sebastian pushed a finger inside his hole. Displaying himself like this made his face hot with a burning blush, but the way James moaned as he watched Sebastian finger himself made Sebastian feel invincible. He felt sexy and confident. Like he could do anything.

Sebastian made a desperate sound as he added a second finger. Knowing James was watching made playing with himself so much hotter than when he'd been on his own. He looked down between his legs to see James's hard cock pressed against his inner thigh, the tip slick with precum. Sebastian's own cock leaked, begging for attention, but he refused to touch himself just yet.

Sebastian withdrew his fingers to get more lube.

"No, don't stop," James pleaded from behind him.

"Don't worry," Sebastian said in what was supposed to be a teasing tone but came out more comforting than anything. He slipped two fingers back inside himself and rocked back as he stretched his hole.

James's hips twitched beneath Sebastian as he tried to find friction. Sebastian wasn't giving it to him. James let out a frustrated noise. Sebastian wondered if he'd had enough of the show, but James moaned, "Fuck yourself, Sebastian. Yeah, just like that. Add another finger."

Sebastian whined as his cock leaked. He buried three fingers deep in his ass.

"You've got such a pretty little hole."

James saying things like that was almost enough to make Sebastian come without touching his dick. He withdrew his fingers and spun around. James had his bottom lip trapped between his teeth, sweat lining his brow. He looked flushed and a bit wild-eyed. He was perfect.

"I think you liked that more than I did," Sebastian said, even though he wasn't sure it was true. He'd liked making a spectacle of himself for James.

"Maybe," James responded, more coy than Sebastian thought the guy was capable of. "But you really need to fuck me now."

"Do I?" Sebastian swept back his hair and grinned. "I thought this was about me?"

James blinked in shock. "Please?"

Sebastian leaned forward and kissed James, who accepted his mouth hungrily. Just as the kiss turned fevered and desperate, Sebastian pulled back. He soaked up the pleading moan of protest James made like it was a drug. Sebastian was just as desperate, so he wasted no time rolling the condom onto James's straining erection and slathering it with lube.

He lined himself up and sank down.

"Oh fuck." James bucked his hips, his cock hitting Sebastian's prostate as he surged upward.

Sebastian gave a shout of pleasure that turned into a moan as he settled firmly onto James's lap. He braced his hands against James's chest and rolled his hips, losing himself in the feeling of fullness. "You feel so good inside me, James."

Something about not being able to return Sebastian's touch seemed to make James feral. His gaze was laser-focused on Sebastian rather than hazy with lust. His mouth dropped open in a low moan and his biceps flexed as he gripped the rails of the headboard.

Sebastian rode James hard, bouncing on his cock, hitting that perfect angle that made his eyes flutter closed with pleasure. His own dick bounced between them, slapping against James's abs.

"Don't stop, Sebastian." James bucked his hips as Sebastian bore down, burying himself deep. "You're so fucking gorgeous riding me."

Sebastian whimpered. He felt gorgeous and spoiled rotten. He couldn't believe he had James to do whatever he wanted with and wondered if anything could be better than this. How had he gotten so lucky that this stoic man had chosen to shower him with his emotions, to give him affection and praise?

Sebastian took his cock in his hand and stroked it. James's attention zeroed in on the rough way Sebastian handled himself. "Do you like this, James?" Sebastian continued riding him hard and jerking himself. "Do you like watching me fuck myself on you, pleasuring myself?"

"Yes." James's answer was strangled. "Yes, Sebastian. Fuck."

Their eyes locked, and Sebastian almost came, but he wasn't ready. He abandoned his cock and released the safety latches on the handcuffs.

The instant James was free, he surged forward, sitting up but not dislodging Sebastian from his lap. James's arms wrapped around Sebastian, one hand snaking up the back of his neck to bury itself in his hair. Their mouths crashed together as James thrust up, fucking Sebastian, who met every movement with one of his own. Sebastian clung to James's shoulders. Nothing felt better than their bodies pressed together, except maybe the way James's whole body shuddered as he came.

"Sebastian, Sebastian, fuck me, sweetheart," he murmured as he thrust through his release.

Sebastian sobbed with how good it felt to be back in James's arms. As hot as using him was, Sebastian always wanted to be touched. He needed to be held. It was a desperate desire he wasn't sure he'd ever overcome. He loved to tease and play, but he needed delicate things too. He needed softness, to feel cared for, to be called sweetheart, and James seemed to know that. It was something Sebastian couldn't take for himself, so James gave it to him .

Without breaking their kiss, James took hold of Sebastian's dick, slick with precum and lube, and stroked in firm, unfaltering motions. Sebastian moaned into James's mouth as his orgasm crashed through him, his arms tight around James's neck.

James pulled Sebastian down onto the bed and held him. They were sweaty and smeared with Sebastian's release, but Sebastian had never been so content or comfortable.

"I hope that gave you what you needed," James whispered in his ear.

"It did." Sebastian hugged James tighter. "You always take care of me, James."

"And you take care of me," he murmured back. "That was even better than the fantasies I had."

Sebastian smiled against James's neck. He had this man, had seduced him, and seemed to have won his heart. Sebastian hoped like hell he could keep James. But if that's what he wanted, he had a lot of work to do.