Chapter 17
Lyall
Despite the unsettling start to our outing, the rest of our day together was pure bliss. Soren showed me his favorite parts of the city, from Central Park to the Museum of Natural History. Our day concluded with a feast of burgers and French fries.
With our bellies comfortably full, I accompany Soren to his apartment. “Today was an adventure like no other. Thank you.”
He lights up when he smiles. “Think I’ve earned a kiss.”
I sigh heavily. “If I must.” We’ve kissed so many times today, and yet when it comes to Soren, I’ll always want more.
He laughs when I tug him into my arms. When his smiling mouth takes mine, a heady rush sweeps through my body. I part our lips so our tongues can tangle, moaning into his mouth at the taste of him. He shifts his hips against mine, his stiffening cock rubbing against my hip.
“Come upstairs?” Soren offers, his voice breathy and low.
My heart swoops. “What’s upstairs?”
“Me. You. Naked, if you want.”
Gods, I thought he’d never ask. Kissing him, touching him—it’s not enough. I need him close, all barriers between our bodies cast aside. “Lead the way.”
He grabs his keys. “My granddad is probably asleep by now, but we should still be quiet.”
I press myself against his back, desperate for closeness. I rock against his ass, sucking a kiss into the nape of his neck. “No promises. Will he be angry if he sees us together?”
“That’s his problem,” Soren says, taking my hand and leading me inside. “I couldn’t care less what he thinks of you. We’re together, and if he doesn’t like it, too bad.” His fierce defense of our relationship only makes me love him more.
Once we’re inside his quiet, dimly lit apartment, Soren leads me to his bedroom. His grandfather isn’t anywhere in sight, and I can detect faint snoring from the room down the hall from Soren’s. “Asleep,” I confirm.
“Thank fuck.” Soren shoves my chest, pushing me back against the door.
He takes my mouth in a demanding kiss, teeth nipping my lips until they’re hot and tingling. I open for him, and our tongues tangle until my lungs burn for air. We part, gasping, and make quick work of our clothes. Coats, sweaters, jeans, and boots pile at our feet.
Soren leans in for another kiss, but my hand on his chest stops him. “Hold a moment.” My throat thickens unexpectedly. “I want to look at you.”
Soren’s mouth quirks. “Be my guest.” He steps back until he’s at arm’s length but holds my hands so we’re still touching.
It’s been years since we were naked together.
The Soren I grew up with had a body fit for battle.
He’s different now, his stomach soft where it was once hard, his chest and arms once thick and strong.
The way he looks suits the man he is now.
Familiar yet different. Once that caused me worry, but now that fear has disappeared.
After all these years, we’re together again.
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper, closing the distance between us. I wrap my arms around him and tuck my face into the curve of his neck, breathing in his scent. It’s never changed, even when so much else has. Nothing could change the fact that we were meant for each other.
“I’ve missed you.” The words are a choked confession as I squeeze him, rubbing my hands up and down his back.
He’s here. He’s in my arms. After all this time. I never want to lose him again.
Soren holds me tight, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “It’s weird but… so did I. For so long, something was missing from my life and I think—I think it was you.”
His words warm my heart. His soul yearned for mine, even if his mind couldn’t remember why.
He’s still mine, my mate, in every way that counts.
When our lips collide this time, the rough desperation has mellowed into something else. Soren kisses me deeply, slowly, like we have all night, all of our lives, to do nothing else.
So much has changed as we’ve grown from boys to men, lovers to strangers, but we’ve found our way back to each other. This time I’m never letting him go. Not again.
The mattress creaks beneath us as we fall into bed, the sheets soft and cool. Soren kneels between my thighs, eyes dark as he looks me over from head to toe. From the hunger in his eyes, it feels like I’m a feast ripe for devouring.
Inch by inch, he kisses his way down my body. His lips burn like a flame against my skin, and although all we’ve done is kiss, my cock is so hard it aches. It’s been too long. I’ve wanted him, needed him, with such desperation.
“Wanna suck you,” Soren says, kissing my hip. “Let me?”
I bite my lip so I don’t beg for just that. “Do whatever you want, love. I’m yours.”
The first swipe of his tongue over my sensitive skin has me arching off the bed with a soundless groan.
I grab at the sheets, bunching them in my fists.
When he sucks on my crown, I see bloody stars.
Gods, I thought I remembered how good his mouth felt around me.
Nothing compares to having him in bed with me again.
Soren worships every inch of me, sucking me deep into the perfect heat of his throat. Every swipe of his tongue has me writhing. I try to stave off my release, but it’s a fight I’m losing. He makes me feel too good, and it’s been too long since I’ve lain with him.
“Close.” I gasp out the word as my balls tighten. I don’t want this to end. “Come here.” Soren pulls off my cock, leaving me wet and throbbing for release. Grabbing his arms, I haul him up my body until he’s resting atop me. “Want you close. Just like this.”
When we kiss, I taste myself on his tongue. I buck against him, making us both groan as our cocks rub together.
“Fuck, Lyall. Do that again,” Soren says, panting against my mouth.
I take his mouth hungrily, swallowing his moans and gasps as we grind against each other.
The friction tips me over the edge, and his name spills from my lips.
My seed smears our chests and stomachs as Soren thrusts against me, faster and faster, until he’s muffling his shout against my neck, spilling hot and wet between us.
We’ll smell like each other for hours, even after we’ve washed ourselves clean.
We catch our breath in the quiet. Our hearts settle and our breathing slows, but Soren never lets go of me. I could lie here in his arms until Ragnarok. When Soren lifts his head at last and our eyes meet, I chuckle at the look of awe on his face. “Enjoy yourself?”
“Nah. No way. I’ve had better,” Soren says, his chest bucking against mine when he laughs.
I snort, giving his ass a slap. “The seed painted on my stomach tells a very different story.”
“Shit. That’s gonna suck to clean off if it dries. Stay here. I’ll get a towel.” Soren plants a hearty kiss on my collarbone, then swings his legs out of bed.
I stretch out with a groan, every limb loose and tingling. Gods, it’s been an age since I felt so good, so at peace.
When Soren returns, he brings a bottle of water and a cloth. Once we’re as clean as we can get, we lie close and take turns sipping from the bottle. Soren rests his cheek on my shoulder. “Today was great.”
I nuzzle my nose into his hair. “Aye, it was. Do you mind if I stay here for the night? I don’t wish to leave you anytime soon.”
He shrugs. “I guess.” When I catch his eye, he grins. “Was hoping you’d ask.”
When our lips meet, it’s tender and slow. I wind my arms around his waist and close my eyes. The gentle touch of his lips and the warmth of his body against mine guide me toward sleep.
“I love you,” I whisper. Soren’s breath catches. No doubt to him, it’s too soon to hear. For me, it feels as natural as breathing. “Does that scare you?” I open my eyes and find him wide-eyed and blinking fast.
“No. Yes. A lot,” he admits.
“Why?” I brush sweat-damp hair from his forehead.
Soren looks away. “’Cause every time someone’s told me that, they’ve left. So I’ve learned not to trust it.”
My chest tightens. “Trust me.” I take his hand and guide his trembling fingers to my lips. “There is nowhere in this world I would rather be than at your side.”
Soren blinks fast, his heart racing in my ears. “I want to believe that. I just… I don’t know how.”
“You don’t have to do anything, Soren. I’ll prove it to you by showing up every day. Until there isn’t a doubt in your mind that there’s no one else in this world for me but you.”
“You really mean that? But how could you know for sure?”
I don’t know how to tell him that the Norns themselves brought us together. “We’re… destined for each other, Soren.”
He furrows his brow. “I don’t believe in soulmates.”
“Understandable. You felt the same way once. It wasn’t until you shifted and caught my scent that you understood what we were to each other.”
“I don’t get it.”
“You realized that we were mates. My people call bonds like ours fated. We are each other’s perfect match, Soren. Made for each other. It’s why none of your relationships have lasted.”
“Because they weren’t you…” Soren whispers.
I don’t like how deeply he’s frowning. “We should rest. You can ask me all your questions in the morning.”
“No you don’t.” Before I can roll onto my side, Soren straddles me and sits on my thighs. “You can’t just drop some big bombshell about soulmates and expect me to just go to bed.”
I sigh, wincing when he thunks his forehead against mine. “Very well. What do you want to know?”
Me and my big mouth…
The pair of us stayed up late into the night, discussing fated mates, destiny, and other such philosophical topics that made my head hurt. Still, Soren went to sleep more relaxed than when the discussion started, so I must have done something right.
In the morning my growling stomach wakes me. If we were in my time, I’d spring out of bed, shift, and go hunting to feed my mate. I doubt the neighborhood would appreciate my hunting the local pigeon population, however.