Every Shade by Nora Phoenix

7

AJ waited until he heard the shower run in the master bathroom before he entered Las’s bedroom. He smiled at the sparse decorations, his smile widening when he spotted the mattress on the floor. Right, the bed still had to be put together. He’d make sure to get that done today.

After, though. After he’d taken his time with Las. If there had ever been a man who deserved to be treated like a prince, every inch of his body lavished with adoration, it was this gentle giant of a man. He towered over AJ, but his heart was just as big…and so fragile.

AJ had spotted it in his eyes, the mortification when he’d admitted he hadn’t prepped. It had been on the tip of AJ’s tongue to say he didn’t care. Hell, he could’ve easily wiped him clean a bit beforehand, but he’d felt this was something Las needed to do, something that would cause him embarrassment if he didn’t. And since sex was already something slightly stressful for him, AJ had understood.

In a way, it was sweet, him wanting to make sure he was fresh and clean for AJ. He just hoped that the time apart wouldn’t make Las reconsider. Then again, he didn’t want it to be a heat-of-the-moment decision either. It had to be something Las really wanted, and if a few minutes on his own made him doubt that, it wasn’t the right step. Yet.

After grabbing a few packets of lube and a condom from his wallet and taking off his clothes, he installed himself on Las’s bed. The temperature had finally come down to a reasonable seventy-four degrees now that the AC had been on for a while. He smiled as he thought about poor clueless Las, suffering in the heat.

It endeared Las to him, Las’s sweet clumsiness. It triggered deep protective instincts in AJ that had lain dormant for a long time. He loved how Las made him feel, like he was so much more man than he’d ever been before, as caveman-like as that might sound.

The door from the master bathroom opened, and AJ turned his head. Las stood in the doorway, a dark blue towel wrapped around his waist. His chest hair was still damp, water meandering down his torso in rivulets. His hair was a spiky mess, which showed he hadn’t checked himself in the mirror. It all spoke of eagerness, a haste to get back to AJ.

“Hi, sweetheart,” AJ said, letting his eyes roam Las’s body.

“I’m ready,” Las said, the words barely audible, then cleared his throat. “I’m ready.”

AJ let out a hum of approval, then slowly fisted his cock. Las’s eyes widened as he caught the movement, then fixated on AJ’s deliberate strokes. A low sound flew from his lips, one that had AJ smiling. “See something you like?”

“God, yes,” Las said, surprising AJ.

“Show me.” He pointed at the towel. “Show me yourself, baby.”

A flash of insecurity clouded Las’s eyes before he steeled himself and unflipped the towel’s loose knot, letting the towel glide to the floor. God, he was beautiful, a furry tower of a man, sheer male perfection from his broad, hairy chest to his round stomach, his meaty thighs, and his rather impressive cock jutting out from a nest of dark hair. His balls hung low and heavy, and AJ regretted he wouldn’t be able to smell their unique musk since Las had just showered.

AJ had the perfect viewpoint from the mattress on the floor, able to appreciate every detail of the man’s body. “Mmm, you’re perfect,” he purred, letting his eyes feast on Las’s body. “I wanna shoot you sometime to capture how beautiful you are in a picture. I’d blow up that picture, hang it on my bedroom wall, and jerk off to it every night.”

Las blinked a few times, then laughed. “That’s got to be the strangest compliment I’ve ever received. Thank you, I guess? For being deemed worthy of becoming your wanking fodder?”

AJ grinned, then motioned with a single finger for Las to climb onto the bed. A small shudder went through his body and then he obeyed, sinking to his knees on the mattress. He scooted over to lie down next to AJ, facing him. His knees bumped into AJ’s, and their cocks brushed up against each other before he stilled, his eyes carefully meeting AJ’s.

“Hi,” he said.

AJ suppressed a smile. God, he was cute. “Hi.”

Las kissed the tip of his nose, an oddly intimate gesture that made his heart do a little jump. God, he was in so much trouble with this man. Las made him feel all the things, so much more than he was supposed to with a hookup. Then again, this had stopped being uncomplicated sex, hadn’t it?

“Do you still want to continue?”

Las’s face tightened slightly. “Do you?”

So insecure. So vulnerable. AJ wanted to bubble wrap him. “God, yes. But I want to make sure this is what you want.”

Las’s face relaxed, those green eyes radiating trust. “Please.”

AJ was on him before he’d even finished sounding out the last letter, capturing the sound with his mouth as he rolled on top of him. Las let out a surprised groan that AJ swallowed as he invaded his mouth. How sweet Las tasted, how eagerly he followed AJ’s lead. He kissed Las until they were both panting, then started his descent. His hands roamed that perfect body, the smooth planes of skin, the soft curves. Strokes and caresses were followed by nibbles and licks, and he quickly discovered Las loved it when he used his teeth a little.

Las’s cock was a thing of beauty, so hard and leaking for him. AJ breathed him in, nuzzling his balls, happy when he could still detect a little of Las’s own smell. A big drop of fluid pearled at the tip of Las’s cock, and AJ swiped it with his thumb, then held it out to Las to taste before he could even think about it. Las didn’t hesitate but opened his mouth and sucked in AJ’s thumb. The sucking sound he made, the eager look in his eyes as he swallowed AJ’s thumb, shot straight to AJ’s cock.

“And you said you were bad at oral?” he groaned, pushing his thumb in deeper. “Look at you, baby…”

Las moaned around his thumb, his eyes meeting AJ’s. It was almost like a porn scene, except it was real, and AJ was so fucking hard.

With regret, he pulled his thumb back. How he wanted to feast on Las’s body, but it would have to wait until next time. Because there would be a next time. One time would not be enough with this man. He’d already snuck under AJ’s skin, into his blood, his heart.

He kissed Las softly, then ripped open a packet of lube and spread some onto his fingers. Las’s cheeks flushed, and AJ’s insides went mushy again. He didn’t dally, sensing that would only make Las more nervous, but instead found his entrance and gently pressed with his index finger. Las tensed up, then audibly breathed out and bore down as AJ pushed inside.

“That’s it, baby. Relax and breathe for me.”

Las’s eyes lit up, and AJ felt the tension in his muscles release. Words. Las needed words, which made sense, since he was an author. And so AJ kept talking to him, encouraging him and praising him as he worked him open.

“Are you ready for me?” he asked as he had three fingers deep inside Las.

Las nodded, his cheeks flushed and his eyes glazed over. “Please.”

Was there a more beautiful word in the English language?