Chapter 17 #2
Soren stirs beside me, yawning big and wide. Seeing him so soft and vulnerable fills me with a protective urge I haven’t felt in years. I nestle closer and pull him into my arms. He sighs, nuzzling into my chest. “Morning, you.”
I chuckle and plant a kiss in his mussed hair. “Morning. Sleep well?”
He hums a yes. “Wonder why…” His hands slide down my shoulders and palm my ass. A different kind of hunger awakens as I shift my hips against his. Soren moans softly, teeth pinching my nipple and pulling lightly. Desire shivers down my spine. Licking my palm, I take us both in hand and stroke.
“Fuck,” Soren whispers, rocking his hips into my fist. His hardening cock grinds against mine, making my eyes roll back. All thoughts of food fly out of my head as I devote all my attention to pleasuring Soren, squeezing us from root to tip, thrusting hard against him.
When we kiss, it’s sloppy with teeth and tongue, only lasting seconds before Soren tips back his head, a groan punching from his chest. His seed spills over my fist and cock, and I use it to stroke us faster. Pleasure tightens my balls and makes my toes curl as I thrust faster against his cock.
Soren kisses me hard just as my release slams into me, muffling what would have been a shout that could have woken the whole building, I’m sure. His lips never leave mine as I shudder through the sweet bliss of my release. When we finally part, we’re both gasping, lips swollen and hot.
My hand is drenched in our seed, and I don’t hesitate to rub it into my skin. Soren frowns at me. “Uh. What are you doing?”
“Making sure I smell like you. I don’t want to forget last night, or this morning.”
Soren chuckles. “You know, we’re doing this again, right?”
“Are we?” It pleases me beyond measure to hear him say that.
“Many, many times if I have my way,” Soren says, voice low and gravelly. “I’d stay in bed all day with you if I could.” Rolling over, he fumbles around for his phone and turns it on. His eyes widen. “Oh shit.”
My shoulders stiffen. “What is it?”
“I slept in!” He practically rolls out of bed. “Gotta shower, eat, and go to work.”
Throwing off the blankets, I follow him. “I’ll join you.”
Soren grabs a couple of towels from the closet and wraps one around his waist before handing the other to me. He steps out into the living room and freezes, making me walk into him.
“Hey, Gramps.”
My heart drops into my stomach. Fergus sits at the table, a plate of sandwiches in front of him. They smell like ham and cheese and gods, I am starving—no, focus, Lyall!
“Good morning. Sleep well?” Fergus's voice is light, casual even, but there’s no way he can’t smell the sweat and sex on our bodies. And, oh gods, there’s the mess all over my stomach and chest.
Kill me now.
“I, uh—we didn’t—we were just—”
Soren steps on my toe, making me bite back a curse. “Going to shower and head to work. So we’ll just be leaving now.”
“Grab a sandwich before you both leave, please. Ham and Swiss, grilled to perfection if I say so myself.”
“My favorite,” Soren says, laughing nervously. He tugs on my hand. “We’ll see you in a sec.”
I can’t read Fergus’s expression. He seems calm and doesn’t smell angry, but he could have a shield in place that dampens his scent.
“Oh my god,” Soren groans, hiding his face in his hands the second we’re behind the bathroom door. “We might as well have just fucked in front of him. Why not!”
“He’s an old man, Soren. I’m certain he’s no monk.”
Soren snorts. “My granddad’s had sex. I didn’t need to know that. Thanks. That mental image really helps.”
I clap his shoulder. “Happy to help!”
From his exaggerated sigh, I don’t think he was being serious.
We shower, towel ourselves off, and then throw on our clothes. Soren’s shirt is inside out, his cheeks flushed as he finger-combs his hair into something orderly.
“Relax.” I kiss his neck.
Soren exhales slowly. “I’m so relaxed.”
I take his hand and together we go to join Fergus for breakfast. He smiles and hands us each a plate. I take a big bite to avoid talking, groaning as the sweet flavor of pork and melted cheese explodes on my tongue.
I clear my plate far too quickly, not giving myself any time to decide what I should say. I settle on what feels easiest. “Thank you for the food.”
“Of course. If I’d known we were having a guest, I’d have prepared more.”
Soren clears his throat. “Well, Lyall’s going to be here a lot from now on.”
I look down at my plate to hide my massive smile. I love how certain he sounds, the subtle challenge in his words. Soren wants me in his life. He’s choosing me.
“I see.” Fergus smiles, though it seems fake to my eyes. “Then I’ll have to make more sandwiches next time.”
“Peanut bubber and jelly?” I ask hopefully.
Soren snorts beside me.
“As much peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as you like.”
I like the sound of that.
Soren takes away our plates. “Lyall, I’m gonna use the bathroom. Then we’re going.”
“Sure.”
Soren leaves, and I find myself alone with Fergus. He studies me in silence, like I’m a fascinating insect. One he’d like to crush, or one he’d leave alone? I find a thread in the tablecloth to pull on. Why must words always fail me when I need them?
“What are your intentions with my grandson, wolf?”
I tense, not liking the suspicion lacing his every word. Looking up, I refuse to shy away from his narrowed gaze. I’m not going anywhere. Soren’s grandfather needs to accept that. “The only intentions I have are to make him feel happy and loved.”
“In this timeline, or yours?”
I’d give anything for Soren to be able to meet my family, but I know how that would end. “Here. He has a life in this time. Friends and family and a job. I’m not taking him away from that.”
Fergus tilts his head. “You would choose a life here, in this time?”
“I will choose him. I will always choose him. In the past, the present, the future, in any way he will have me.”
We were made for each other. In every lifetime, I would find Soren and fall in love with him. My love for him has no limits, no sense of time or distance. It’s as much a part of me as the heart that beats in my chest.
“I’m never letting him go again, so you’d best get used to seeing me around.”
“Again?” Fergus repeats, eyes narrowing.
I can’t fight my wince. Shit. I didn’t mean to say that.
Fergus leans forward, arms braced on the table. “What happened to Soren, wolf? Did you hurt him?”
My lips curl. “I would cut off my hand before I laid a finger on him in anger.”
“Then what happened? Why is he here?”
“Don’t you know?”
“I was assigned to care for him. The why of it was confidential, even to me. I suppose the Council worried that if I knew his past life, I would want to tell him. So they withheld that information.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “It isn’t your business. All you need to know is that the past will never repeat itself.”
“Does Soren know?”
“About what?” I snap.
“That you let him go.”
I bite my tongue. Anger heats my face. I despise the accusatory tone in his voice. “Not yet.”
“Why not?”
I take a deep breath. “I’m getting there.”
“He deserves to know the truth, wolf. Don’t keep it from him.”
I laugh, the sound coarse as sand in my throat. “You’re in no position to lecture me on secrets.”
He arches a brow. “I could say the same for you about keeping secrets from him.”
“I will tell him when he’s ready. It’s been hard enough learning what became of his family. I don’t want to overwhelm him.”
I hate the bitter taste in my mouth. It tastes a lot like lies.
The truth is that I have no idea how Soren will react when he finds out that I chose to let him go.
Even if Past Soren had insisted that I stay with my family, it’s always felt like an excuse I used to avoid fighting for us like I should have.
The Soren I knew had learned the agony of losing his own family, and he hadn’t wished that upon me.
The Soren I know now has known abandonment and heartache.
I’ve only just convinced him I would never hurt him like the others.
When he finds out why we were separated, will he understand? Or will it only hurt him more?
“Lyall, ready to go?” Soren closes the bathroom door behind him. His face has a pleasant shine to it, and he’s trimmed his stubble a hair shorter.
“Aye, love.” I force myself to smile as I rise to meet him. He kisses me, tasting of crisp, cool mint. Soren laces our fingers together and lifts our hands in a wave.
“See you later, Gramps.”
“Have a good day. Both of you.” Fergus smiles, but his gaze never strays from mine.
He’s watching, waiting for me to ruin everything.