Chapter 13
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
Dante had almost talked himself out of returning to Shannon’s room three times while brushing his teeth, but in the end he gave in because he wanted to and because he might never get the chance again. He didn’t want his entire life to be a string of meaningless and unforgettable encounters.
He showered and padded back through the house, turning off the lights and making sure the door was locked as he went. It felt odd to be sleeping in the guest room. Should he have invited Shannon to his room instead?
It had taken him over six months to move from his childhood room to the master bedroom because it had felt wrong. Shannon was still in the bathroom. Did he get into bed and make himself comfortable?
Standing around and waiting didn’t seem right either, so he slid into bed, hoping that Shannon didn’t have a preferred side. If he did, Dante would move because he didn’t.
He lay there feeling more than a little uncomfortable, mostly because he’d never spent the night with another man.
With anyone.
Shannon stepped out of the bathroom, naked, a smile forming on his lips. “I’m glad you came back.”
Instead of sharing his fears, Dante flipped back the sheets in what he hoped was a welcoming manner. “Why wouldn’t I?”
Shannon’s eyebrow lifted ever so slightly, but he kept his mouth closed and flicked off the bathroom light, leaving them in darkness. He got into bed next to Dante and somehow found his lips in the dark. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to maul you in your sleep.”
Dante could think of worse things happening in his sleep. “I might like that.”
Shannon gave a soft laugh and lay back on his own pillow. “There’s plenty of time.”
Was there? What happened when Shannon moved out? He needed to gulp down all this experience before it disappeared.
He hadn’t had the nightmares in several years, and while he didn’t remember falling asleep, he jolted upright awake and alert and confused about where he was. He sat there breathing hard, terrified of something that he had no real recollection of, only what he’d been told.
It only took a couple of heartbeats for him to remember he was in the guest bedroom and that he wasn’t alone.
He glanced at Shannon, and while he couldn’t read his expression in the dark, his eyes were open.
“I’m fine,” Dante said, mostly to reassure himself.
“Obviously. I was debating if I needed to fling myself out of bed.”
“I woke up confused, that’s all, not violent, and it hasn’t happened in years.” Which was why he hadn’t said anything.
“Good to know. I occasionally get nightmares, but they’re the kind where I can hear someone screaming, and I’m covered in blood. Very dramatic, very Lady Macbeth. But if I ever get up and take a shower in the middle of the night that’s why.”
“Great, we’re both fucked.” He lay back down, knowing that it would take a while for him to go back to sleep because his body was convinced he was still in danger.
“Yeah. Fun times. Big spoon or little spoon?”
It took a couple of heartbeats for Dante to process the words. “Big…I think.”
Shannon rolled over, and Dante moved closer, looping his arm over Shannon’s waist. After a second, Shannon closed the polite gap Dante had left between their bodies as if he expected to be more tightly held.
Dante breathed in the scent of his skin and listened as his breathing became soft and even. It felt as though he blinked and it was daylight, and he was still holding Shannon rather too close to him. He carefully inched back, putting a little space between his waking dick and Shannon’s butt.
“The idea is to make the most of it, not run away.” Shannon rolled over to face him and hooked a leg over Dante’s thigh, leaving no doubt about what he was hoping for.
“I wasn’t running.” He had totally been running because he wasn’t sure about the etiquette of grinding his dick against someone else’s ass first thing in the morning. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
“I’ve been awake for a while, but I didn’t want to get up. I was enjoying being curled up next to you.” His fingers brushed over Dante’s dick in the softest of touches. “But since we’re both here…unless you have somewhere to be?”
There was nowhere else he wanted to be. “I think I can make time.”
He did not want to get used to this. Yet at the same time he didn’t want to miss out on whatever this was. Shannon’s hand wrapped around both of them and stroked lazily like he was in no hurry.
It was torture. He was so used to looking over his shoulder and rushing that this leisurely pace felt like danger. His heartbeat quickened, and he was tempted to push Shannon onto his back and speed things up. Shannon smeared pre-cum over the head of Dante’s dick.
Dante groaned. “You are killing me.”
“Uh-huh.” Shannon kissed him and licked along his jaw and down his neck. “No one is going to catch us.”
He hated that he was so transparent. “I know.”
Logically, everything was fine. Better than fine. He actually liked the guy he was in bed with; Shannon wasn’t the nearest convenient body.
Shannon’s teeth raked over his shoulder, drawing a shudder. He bit a little harder, then kissed it better. “There won’t be a mark.”
“Leave a mark.” The words fell off his tongue before his brain had a chance to veto them.
Shannon didn’t ask questions. He kissed along his collarbone then bit just beneath, sucking until heat bloomed.
Dante groaned as it shot straight to his balls in a release he couldn’t contain.
Shannon’s hand didn’t stop as he used Dante’s cum to slick each stroke.
His lips parted as he glanced down. Dante flicked the sheets back so they both had a better view.
That was all it took for Shannon to finish.
He released their dicks and wiped his hand on the sheets. “Looks like I need to do laundry.”
“If you do that, I’ll make pancakes.”
“Deal. I bought some strawberries yesterday.”
“Perfect.” Dante kissed him. He wasn’t talking about the berries.