Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“You can kick my ass later. Just let me have my way now.” Connelly dropped Azariah on the mattress so he bounced with a curse.
“Oh, you’re totally getting your ass kicked,” Azariah growled, staring up at him through his messy mop of hair.
Connelly flicked the locks away. He missed the long mane, but the new cut was sassy and cute. Even if Azariah decided not to grow it back, Connelly would still love the way it felt in his fingers.
“That’s not much of a threat considering how much I enjoy it when you get rough.”
Azariah bit his lip and Connelly knew they were both thinking of the same thing. Guilt still shaded Azariah’s face at the memory, but there was a hint of pleasure there too and that was what Connelly latched on to. He straddled Azariah’s hips, savoring the way Azariah’s cock nestled in the crack of his ass and the drag of it as he rolled his hips.
“Connelly,” Azariah breathed. His hands gripped Connelly’s hips tight and he thrust his pelvis up. “Shit. That feels so fucking good.”
“It will feel better once you’re inside me.” Connelly leaned forward so he could kiss Azariah again, biting his full bottom lip even as he continued his slow grind.
They were both too far gone to waste time with all this foreplay, but it was nice being able to take his time.
“I want that so fucking much,” Azariah said on a gasp. “But not this time.”
Connelly stopped his movements and met Azariah’s dark gaze. “You sure?” He’d been thinking that maybe it was still too soon after his assault, that Azariah might never want to bottom again. It hadn’t mattered, Connelly didn’t care how they made love as long as they could find pleasure with each other.
“I need to feel you filling me.” Azariah’s fingers tightened in Connelly’s hair and pulled until they were so close their noses touched. “Will you give me the stars again, Hot Fudge?”
“Oh, baby, I’ll give you the whole fucking galaxy.” This time their kiss was wild and edging on frantic.
* * *
There was no talking after that. They were both too lost in the pleasure of their lovemaking to do much more than breathe. Connelly did as he promised and made the night light up with a billion glittering points of light. Z barely held on to reality as he fell apart in his lover’s arms.
Afterward, they wrapped themselves together and didn’t let go. Skin sweaty from their exertion, bodies loose from their release, they didn’t move for several minutes. And Z didn’t care one bit.
He’d never been more comfortable than he was in that moment with Connelly’s legs trapping his against the bed, and his strong arms squeezing him tight. He rubbed his nose against Connelly’s chest hairs and then pressed a kiss above his nipple.
“I’m so glad you ran into me that day,” Connelly said into his hair.
“I didn’t run into you, you fucking railroaded me.”
Connelly’s chuckle vibrated his chest and, because they were so close, Z’s too. “If you say so.”
“Hot Fudge?”
“Yeah?”
“Why didn’t you tell me about your investigation?”
Connelly’s arms loosened just enough so Z could lift his head. “I didn’t want you involved. I tried everything to keep you out of it.”
“Which was impossible.”
“And stupid.”
“We need to trust each other.”
“I know.”
“Forgiveness doesn’t come easy for me.”
“I know that too. I’m sorrier than you’ll ever know that I broke your trust. I plan on doing everything I can to earn it back. I’ll never keep anything from you again. You have my word.”
“You can’t fix everything. You shouldn’t have done what you did, but I understand why you thought you had to.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“You lay me bare, Azariah. I...” Connelly sighed and closed his eyes, lips pressed in a tight line.
Z knew what Connelly wanted to say and he wanted to say it too but he wasn’t sure he was strong enough yet to take that leap.
“It’s crazy that we’ve only known each other for two weeks,” Connelly said after a moment’s silence.
“Not so crazy. I feel like I’ve known you forever.”
“Same here, even though there’s so much more I want to learn. What’s your favorite color?”
“Stupid question.”
Another rumbled chuckle that tickled Z’s cheek. “Black?”
“Duh. What’s yours?”
“Now? Definitely black, like your hair and your eyes.”
“And my humor?”
“Nah, I’d say that’s more of a bright turquoise.”
Z tickled Connelly’s ribs until he squirmed. “Nothing about me is bright.”
“I don’t know, the way you shine sometimes blinds me.”
Z stopped the torture and tucked his face into the hollow where Connelly’s shoulder met his neck. “Why do you have to say things like that? I don’t know how to deal with it.”
“That’s exactly why.” Connelly rolled until Z was on his back staring up into his hazel eyes. “I know it’s probably too soon. I know you’ll probably fight it, but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you just how brilliant you are.”