CHAPTER THREE
Riggs dimmed the overhead light and ran his hand down the front of Thomas' starched white shirt. The texture was stiff and crisp, and Riggs couldn't wait to feel the heated flesh beneath. The bowtie was not a clip-on; he had tied it, and that just seemed to make him even more adorable.
Riggs pulled on it, and it untied, dropping down against his chest. Slowly, he took it and removed it from around his neck and laid it on the table to his right.
Then he unbuttoned the top two buttons of that pristine white shirt and nuzzled his face against the warm, damp flesh.
His sweat smelled of lilacs, as did his breath, and the scent was stirring in Riggs' mind, giving him lustful and exciting ideas.
"You taste so good, Thomas." He spoke, fanning his breath against Thomas' throat. The shiver was immediate and was followed by a salacious moan. Riggs chuckled softly and then took his lips in another ravenous embrace, plumbing the depths of pleasure that was both sharp and soothing.
Thomas was reaching for him, touching him, tentative but persistent. His hands were lovely, so soft and peaceful. His touch made everything definite and acute. It was real. This was real. They were building a connection that would hold them close and would carry them forever.
Riggs skimmed his hand down the front of Thomas's shirt, and his fingers slipped underneath the waistband of his pants.
With a deft flick of his fingers, the pants were open, and he'd pushed the shirt aside.
Thomas was not fighting him and actively engaged, thrusting his hips toward him, allowing his hand to slip ever lower.
Thomas was hard and pulsing in his hand. The moment he held him was the moment he lost all restraint. Thomas moaned, and his breathing became rapid, and Riggs stroked him, pushing the pants and briefs out of his way, baring that throbbing beauty to his touch and his hungry gaze.
Riggs held his gaze for several seconds, hard and yet still tender.
There was a question in their depths, and Thomas nodded almost imperceptibly, but it was clear.
Riggs had his answer, and he dropped to one knee.
Thomas's hands moved to his shoulders, and his gaze bounced from the ceiling to the wall and down to Riggs, where he knelt before him.
He looked up at Thomas, slipped out his tongue to slowly circle the head, and saw the way Thomas parted his lips and panted, his chest rising and falling, and his eyes closed on the sensations that swamped him.
His own arousal flared at the sensual vision before him, but he kept his focus on his beloved, giving him an experience he would not forget.
Thomas' fingers dug into his shoulders as he took his cock down his throat, massaging and embracing the hot, velvety, hardness.
He held the base with his right hand pressing and stimulating while he stroked himself with his left hand.
His jeans hung open, and his cock was hard as a rock, aching for more, aching for satisfaction.
He needed gratification and the satisfaction that only his beloved could give him.
The room hummed with the desire radiating off them, and time stood still as Riggs brought him to completion. He took him to the base and swallowed him down and then held tight when Thomas trembled and jerked and exploded with stream after stream filling him with his hot essence.
Riggs greedily took it all, not losing a drop.
He felt the sudden rejuvenating thrill as his body responded to his beloved’s taste and substance.
It was a wonder and a marvel, and he couldn’t wait to do it again.
Thomas lay with his back against the wall and his head rolling side to side as his body came down from the explosive high.
Thomas caught his breath and opened his eyes, looking down at Riggs, who was licking him clean and slowly standing up.
He still had his hand around his cock, giving it a few strokes, and Thomas responded immediately.
His eager response was a surprise, but a very welcome surprise.
Thomas dropped to his knees and quickly took Riggs in hand, stroking him several times before taking him down his throat.
Riggs was not a small man, but Thomas managed him well, taking what he could handle and stroking the remaining with a tight, moist grip. Riggs closed his eyes as the excitement began to build, then opened them to stare down at his gorgeous, beloved.
The feelings rushing him were myriad and wild, out of control, and the best feeling in this world. The pressure on his cock was sending dizzying pleasure through his system, and Thomas continued focused with a quiet intensity that turned Riggs on like nothing ever had before.
His cock was engorged and throbbing painfully, and he'd never wanted anyone this much in his life.
His beloved, his perfect match, his forever, the concept and the reality crashed into him as Thomas pushed him over the edge.
His balls tightened and tingled in the base of his spine before a groan tight and visceral escaped with pleasure spiking through him, and then came hard and fast.
Thomas kept up taking it in and stroking him raw until the sensitivity had him gasping for breath and breaking the contact. He popped out of Thomas' mouth, and he took a step back, looking down at those large, blue-gray eyes, pert nose, and plump red lips. Riggs felt his passion rising once again.
"You're beautiful, Thomas." He said the first thing that came to mind as he watched his beloved flushed with pleasure and satisfaction.
Thomas smiled, and it was a true, intimate gesture that went straight to Riggs' heart.
Riggs gave him his hand and helped him back to his feet.
He then tucked himself back into his jeans with Thomas attempting to help; it seemed like he wanted to touch, needed to touch.
Riggs had no problem with Thomas touching him as much as he wanted. He gloried in Thomas' touch.
Thomas finished tucking Riggs in and fastened his jeans and then ran the palm of his hand over the growing bulge and smiled again. "This was amazing." He spoke very softly and glanced up at Riggs, the need still there in his eyes.
Riggs quickly pulled him in for another greedy kiss.
Riggs was feeling insatiable, like he would never get enough of this man, that his touch and his taste and his heart would forever rule him.
His need for Thomas went from interest to desire to a raging need in the course of a few hours.
Riggs was about to ask him back to his apartment when there came an insistent pounding on the door.
When he entered with Thomas, he had locked the door, not wanting anyone to walk in on them.
Now, as someone kept pounding and jiggling the handle, he was glad he had taken that precaution.
Thomas stepped back and straightened his shirt, tucking it into his pants and stuffing his tie into his pocket.
He nodded to Riggs, and he opened the door.
Standing there was the one Thomas had referred to as Jeremy, who looked irritated and impatient. Riggs looked down at him disparagingly, and the man had the good sense to school his features. "Are you okay, Thomas?" He said, avoiding looking at Riggs.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Thomas did not explain further.
Jeremy moved past Riggs and over to where Thomas stood a few feet away.
"I'm leaving; the others have already gone.
I'll give you a ride home." It felt off, but Riggs lacked the authority to stop him.
Their relationship had begun, but it still had a way to go before he was allowed any rights or opinions.
"Okay, you go ahead, and I'll meet you out front," Thomas stated, and Jeremy paused.
"I think you should come with me now." He said, then looked over at Riggs, then quickly looked away.
"Okay." Thomas started moving, and Jeremy led the way. He walked past Riggs and out of the room. Thomas paused at the door and looked up at Riggs. Riggs touched his cheek and tucked a card with his number on it into Thomas's back pocket.
“Call me.” He said. Thomas nodded and then fell into step with Jeremy.
Riggs didn’t try to stop him; it wasn't his place, and it wasn't the time.
Thomas was unsure that came through very clear, but he also had that look that signaled the awakening, so he was going to have a lot on his mind this evening as the world of the supernatural began to open to him.
Their contact had started the awakening that takes place between vampire and beloved following their first intimate interaction.
The reality of the supernatural and authentic identities will begin to filter through, showing him what really existed in the world and around him.
He would give him this night, but Riggs planned on contacting him tomorrow.
Thomas would need him near as he worked through his new understandings and the fantastic revelations that lay before him.
He stepped out of the backroom and back into the bar area.
Errol was there, his eyes watching him, and then he stepped up close.
"If you want to follow him, go ahead. I can handle things here.
" He offered after seeing Thomas leave with Jeremy.
Riggs looked over to where the others had been seated, and they were gone.
"They left in quite a huff when you disappeared with Thomas.
" Errol smiled. "The older one who had his eye on you was especially pissed.
" He laughed. "Thomas should have stayed. " He said more seriously and somberly.
“The awareness has begun. I need to give him space.” Riggs said, but his heart was raging with him to hunt down his beloved.
"Whatever you need, just let me know," Errol stated and went back to pouring drinks. Riggs tried to keep his mind on business, but it was a struggle. At just after midnight, he received the call he'd been anxiously waiting for.
Thomas left the club with Jeremy, not that he wanted to, but he didn't know how to handle what was happening, and leaving seemed to be the best option.
Now he regretted it to his bones. He slid into the passenger seat of Jeremy's car, and everything felt off.
The air was charged with something negative and angry, and Thomas was not in the mood to deal with it.
He didn't owe Jeremy anything, and certainly not an explanation.
"You humiliated Dr. Ferris." He stated in a harsh and angry tone.
"I brought you there to be noticed, not to rub his face in the dirt.
You've destroyed any chance you had at an internship.
" Normally, this would have had Thomas in a terrible anxious state, but sitting there listening to him blather on only annoyed him.
"I was the one humiliated, and honestly, I couldn't care less about Dr. Ferris right now." Jeremy swung around to stare at him for a second. Jeremy was clearly surprised by his response.
"He has a lot of clout at the museum; his family is a major donor. They are number two on the donor list, so anything he wants, he gets."
"Who's number one on the donor list?" Thomas didn't care, but he also didn't care to hear about Ferris's clout.
"I don't know, some local businessman." Jeremy shook his head, irritated that Thomas wasn't taking this as seriously as he thought he should. "You just fucked your entire career for a quicky in the backroom with some barroom Romeo." Thomas laughed.
"My chances at the museum were fucked anyway.
Ferris has hated me since the day he first laid eyes on me.
I wasn't going to get anywhere; he spent all his time planning my next humiliation and my final demise, no doubt.
" Thomas laughed again. "The backroom with Riggs was worth whatever I have to pay.
I would not change a thing." He turned and smiled at Jeremy.
"At least he stood up for me and stood with me, that's more than I can say for anyone else at the table. "
“What did you expect?” He snapped back. “Dr. Ferris would have crucified us all. We couldn’t do anything except sit there and watch.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I expected.” Thomas wasn’t sure where this newfound sarcastic confidence was coming from, but he liked it.
They pulled up in front of Thomas' apartment building, and Thomas got out. Jeremy stopped him by grabbing his upper arm. "What are you going to do?"
“I don’t know. I’ll think about it tomorrow.”
"We couldn't help you, Thomas. You have to understand that."
“You and your family have considerable influence, and we both know Dr. Ferris would not have attacked you.” Thomas wanted to get that out there.
“My life is not free or easy. I have to toe the family line and answer to others." He sounded desperate for Thomas to understand, but it just sounded weak and whiny to Thomas's ears.
"Sure, whatever." Thomas pulled away and closed the door. He felt Jeremy's eyes on him as he walked inside his apartment building, but he did not give him the satisfaction of turning around.
Looking for an internship elsewhere had been a consideration, but it was now seeming like his only path forward.
He'd think about all that tomorrow or the next day.
Right now, his head and heart were filled to bursting with uncontrolled thoughts and dreams about a bartender named Riggs.
It wasn't what he should be doing, but it was what he wanted to do, and he so rarely did what he wanted.
The visions that had played in his head since their delicious intimacy there in that shrouded backroom were amazing and alarming.
He was seeing things that made no sense but also made perfect sense.
It was as if his mind was trying to catch up to a new reality, but it was coming at him too fast. He entered his apartment and hung his jacket on the back of a chair before going to the kitchen for a bottle of water.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, he took a long swallow and then closed his eyes.
Riggs' face came to him instantly, and the feelings it stirred were fierce.
So much was fighting for attention in his head, but the only thing that he could not push away was Riggs.
He didn't want to push him away; he hadn't wanted to leave.
It was all due to pressure that he should not have succumbed to.
The night had been wonderful. He couldn't think of a better word because wonderful describes the feelings, the location, and the man so perfectly.
He took another swallow of water and then set it aside.
Taking the card from his pocket, he flipped it around in his fingers, looking at it for a few seconds before pulling out his cell phone. He needed to talk to Riggs.