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

knowing…” He shrugged and chuckled softly. “Other than a few curious looks, Rich and Matt didn’t seem to care. Gives me hope that maybe me being gay won’t be so hard for everyone else to accept.”

“Mmm.” Sev was afraid it wouldn’t be that easy, but the two men had seemed happy for Laine more than anything else. “Maybe, though I suspect there will be some people who aren’t quite so open-minded.” Sev slid his hand around to the back of Laine’s belt and fingered the spot where Laine’s handcuffs had been dangling earlier. He’d had all day to plan, but now he had Laine alone, Sev couldn’t quell the fear that he might be overstepping his boundaries with this man. Or blowing those boundaries into a million pieces. He stepped in front of Laine and pressed up against him, writhing before he could stop himself. Laine’s attention shifted from the tail lights to Sev, arms wrapping around Sev’s lower back. His eyes dilated rapidly so that only a fine ring of silver showed as he focused on Sev.

“Do you trust me?” Sev breathed the words against Laine’s lips, the fingers of one hand still toying with the back of Laine’s belt. Laine stilled, his big body tensing as he looked down at Sev. A trickle of fear slithered up Sev’s spine—maybe he shouldn’t have asked. He might not like the answer. Don’t ask questions you might not want to hear the answer to, remember that in the future.

The edges of Laine’s lips tipped up and he nudged his cock against Sev’s belly. “Yes.”

One word, three letters, yet it held so much power and promise. Sev cupped the back of Laine’s neck with one hand and pulled him down for the kiss Sev needed more than his next breath. He licked Laine’s lips, slipping his tongue inside when Laine opened for him, just opened, handing over control of the kiss to Sev. A shudder shook them both as Sev’s tongue stroked over the roof of Laine’s mouth, then twined and slid against Laine’s. Sev explored every inch of his lover’s mouth, every tooth and hollow as he pressed into Laine. Laine’s arms tightened around him, lifting and holding him so close Sev could feel Laine’s heartbeat, the pulse of his cock. Sev gentled the kiss and nipped Laine’s lower lip before turning his head away just enough to speak.

“Let me?” Sev didn’t want to explain what he wanted, or why he needed Laine’s agreement without an explanation. He hoped, yet still was surprised when Laine didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.” There it was again, that one, small, powerful word. Sev pushed and Laine loosened his grip, allowing Sev to take one of his thick wrists and lead them both inside. He thought Zeke and Brendon might have said something as they walked by the living room, but Sev didn’t notice. Right now, he couldn’t think about anything other than Laine’s implicit trust and what, exactly, it could mean that Laine didn’t hesitate to hand over control to him.

Once they were in the guest room, Sev positioned Laine beside the bed then walked back to shut and lock their door. He turned and met Laine’s gaze, the need and trust in those dark eyes nearly knocking Sev on his butt. How could a look make him weak, yet fill him with a rush of power at the same time?

Sev tucked his hands in his back pockets and stood in the doorway, soaking in every detail of his lover. From the tips of his booted feet to the top of his thick dark hair, the man was pure perfection. Long, muscled legs, lean hips, tight, taut abs and chiseled chest—and broad, strong shoulders that could carry responsibilities too many other people would shirk.

By the time Sev had brought his gaze to the pulse pounding in his lover’s corded neck, his hands were itching to touch. He strode over to Laine and tugged on the hem of Laine’s T-shirt, humming his approval when Laine reached for the edge and pulled the shirt off, tossing it aside. Sev ran his hands over the expanse of bare skin, reveling in the hard muscles and light smattering of hair that tickled his palms. It seemed that everywhere he stroked was followed by a twitch of the flesh under his hands as Laine’s breaths became shaky.

Sev flicked his tongue over a taut nipple, grunting and pushing Laine’s hands away when he would have held Sev to him. Laine let his hands drop to his sides as Sev sucked the hard bud into his mouth, his teeth scraping over the tasty bit again and again. Sev licked his way to the other nipple, bringing a hand up to continue the sensual onslaught he’d begun on the first nipple. The shudder that ripped through Laine almost dislodged Sev from the nub of flesh he was tonguing, so he bit down, pinching the other nipple with his fingers, rolling it hard between his thumb and forefinger.

A raspy groan tore from Laine, his hips thrusting to grind against Sev in a display of need that filled him with a sense of power. That he could do this to his big, strong lover, could reduce him to a shuddering, moaning mass of need with a few touches, was a heady realization, threatening to demolish Sev’s plans in favor of finding immediate release.

And that would not do. Laine may very well trust him—Sev was almost certain he did—but Sev was smart enough to know that control was vital to Laine and not something he’d hand over with any sort of regularity. If he didn’t act on Laine’s capitulation now, he might not get another chance for a long while.

Sev stepped back, admiring the saliva-slicked nipples, so hard and dark from Sev’s attentions. He trailed a finger down the soft fuzz bisecting Laine’s abs, smiling when Laine sucked in a breath as though the slight touch carried an electrical current. When his finger brushed over the fastening at