When the Dead Speak, Bailey Bradford [new ebook reader .TXT] 📗

Sev let his eyes drift nearly shut, willing everything down except the need to fuck. He could handle keeping this on a physical level. That was one thing he knew how to do, to work his body, focus on the pleasure he could give his lover and, in doing so, himself as well. Sharing that was familiar and he was damned good at it. Sev sent Laine a look intended to melt the man on the spot, to stop his brain and kick-start his long, lean body into high gear, backing up his message with a writhing move and greedy hands. Only…it didn’t seem to work.

A low growl vibrated in Laine’s chest, his lips curling down and his eyes narrowing with displeasure. Sev found his wrists gripped bruisingly in Laine’s big hands, then jerked up and pinned together above his head. That Laine could subdue him so easily set something needy free in Sev even as it shook him, inside and out—and, God, he was now only using one hand to lock Sev’s wrists in place. One very big, calloused hand. Laine’s other equally rough hand gripped Sev’s jaw, fingers digging deep enough to fire off a pleasant ache.

“No games, baby. No hiding behind your little safety net, no locking me out and keeping me at a distance.” Laine’s eyes pinned Sev as surely as his hand did, the gray softening and heating to a silver that swirled with things Sev wanted but was terrified to reach for, to accept. Sev felt hypnotised by that molten color, sucked in by the promises offered. His heartbeat sped up in a moment of panic, his breath skittering as Sev fought to find the familiar ground he’d always stood on—fucking because it felt good, because it was all any man had ever expected, too often all he thought he was good for.

Laine’s hand tightened on his wrists, the grinding pain of bone on bone shattering Sev’s attempt to gather his reserves. The hand gripping Sev’s jaw tightened as well, Laine’s wrist flicking so that Sev was forced to shake his head to give in to the pressure exerted by his lover’s hand.

“I said no. No more, Severo. You’re gonna look at me, see me and feel me. I’m not just another fuck.” Laine caught Sev’s lower lip between his teeth, tugging and nipping until Sev shook with desire, his body arching up and his mind unable to fully concentrate on formulating a plan to keep him safe.

Any last-second bid to seal some part of himself away failed as Laine bit hard enough to sting, making Sev’s eyes pop wide open when he’d thought to hide behind his lids. The second those steely eyes locked onto his, every bit of the urge to protect himself died an instant death, and that warm, flickering something he’d seen in Laine’s gaze moments ago seemed to slip into him and fill him, soaking into places Sev had refused to acknowledge, desires and hopes he’d shoved ruthlessly away.

“That’s it, just like that.” Laine’s lips brushed softly against Sev’s tormented ones, the words spoken into the swollen flesh. “I’m not demanding anything you don’t want to give, baby. You just didn’t know you wanted to give it—until now. To me.”

Laine’s tongue slicked over Sev’s lips, the tip parting them for a languorous kiss that left him breathless, panting and wanting more. He didn’t even catch on to the fact that his wrists had been released until his back was bowing as his nipples were plucked, squeezed and tugged, sending spirals of heat straight to his balls. Sev couldn’t have held back his groan had his life depended on it. A sweet lethargy filled him, but he forced his arms up and embraced his lover. The feel of smooth, hard flesh, the rippling muscles of Laine’s back under his hands dragged another needy sound from Sev.

Time seemed to stop as every part of Sev’s body was licked, kissed, or caressed—sometimes all three. His body hummed with passion, his dick was painfully hard, and while all the foreplay had been extraordinary, he craved Laine inside him.

“Please, please Laine.” It wasn’t the first time those words had been dragged from Sev’s lips this morning, so he added, “I need you.” And Laine listened, opening a condom package and covering his cock before applying lube. He hitched Sev’s legs up over his shoulders and slid his knees under Sev until his opening was kissing the tip of Laine’s cock. Without being told, Sev kept his eyes locked with Laine’s as Laine pressed in and filled him slowly. He watched the emotions flicker across Laine’s face, darken the gray of the man’s eyes until they looked like tarnished silver, and knew this was something other than the two of them fucking, scratching an itch, just as last night had been different. As Laine lowered himself over Sev, Sev’s breath hitched as he pushed away the remaining fear of this—giving himself over, trusting this man to keep him safe in every way.

Sev offered his lips to his lover and moaned as his mouth was plundered, devastated and owned. Sev gave it up, his control and fears, everything he’d held back and everything he’d hidden from. The kiss gentled and thrusts of tongue were matched by Laine’s hips as Sev clung to his lover, hands holding on to Laine’s broad back despite the sweat slicking his skin. It was beautiful, tender and sweet, but Sev needed more. His balls were nearly cramping, his dick steadily leaking. He needed to come.

As if he knew Sev’s thoughts, Laine’s kiss again turned nearly brutal, the sting of teeth on Sev’s bottom lip felt so perfect. Laine tightened his arms around Sev and buried his face in Sev’s neck, sucking strongly as his hips began pumping a frantic beat. Sev tried to meet Laine’s thrusts, but the man’s weight held him down, forcing Sev to submit to Laine’s rhythm. Frustrated,