Chapter 53 Lex #2
I sent a quick prayer to Fate that it was the latter rather than the former; something just felt so right being with Peytor. Like he was the missing piece in our puzzle, the connection that would make us whole once more, despite our individual broken parts.
“For accepting me. Wanting me for . . . this. For you. As part of the quad.” There was a completely foreign honeyed warmth to his voice, and I turned myself completely until I was balancing on my elbow, facing Peytor.
Our fingers were still interlaced, and I squeezed once in recognition of his openness.
My gaze canvased his face, noting the relaxation, the openness, and even a spark of hope. Like it all could be right after all.
“You don’t have to thank me for that, Peytor,” I admonished with no real heat.
Peytor shrugged loosely, the muscles in his neck and shoulders bunching with the movement and drawing my eyes down his unabashedly naked figure.
Gods, he’s attractive.
“Lex?”
“Hmm?” I tore my eyes from his chest, finding a twinkle of mirth and heat in his steel irises.
“Did you hear what I said?”
I shook my head with a light laugh. I hadn’t felt this free in . . . weeks. Months. Maybe even years.
Gods, it felt good to laugh.
“You can’t blame me for being distracted, Peytor. Not when you look like this. Not when you’ve told me I get to fuck this for the rest of my life.”
Peytor’s soft cock twitched slightly at my words as a faint blush coated his cheeks. With another chuckle, I leaned down and pressed my lips to each of his cheekbones before giving him a hot, searing kiss that spoke of all the things I wanted to do to him, of what he meant to me.
I pulled back when his tongue began to tangle with mine, his hands moving to my hips as he hauled me on top of his body. The tip of his hard cock brushed against my ass, and I groaned deeply as I felt my own erection pulsing between the hard planes of our stomachs.
“Fuck.” I reluctantly pulled away, leaning my forehead against his. Our breaths mingled for a moment while I played with the soft hairs that fell against his face. Peytor sighed deeply, his fingers flexing against my waist.
“You never have to thank me for desiring you, Peytor. Love isn’t transactional—it’s not owed or bought. It’s given, and deservedly given in this case.”
I felt Peytor smile against my mouth.
“Love, hmm?”
I rolled off him with a scoff, attempting to cover my embarrassment for letting that word slip through my lips.
“Hey.” Peytor tightened his grip and hauled me back down on top of him. I sat straight this time, looking down at him along the planes of my torso. “We said we’d be honest, right?”
I nodded my head once, too embarrassed to actually open my mouth.
“Then I love you, too, Lex.”
Peytor said it so flippantly, like we’d been saying it for years.
“Peytor—”
He cut me off with a finger against my lips, which I playfully nipped before he withdrew it with a smile.
“I love how you treat your Bonded. I love how loyal you are. I love how you defend what’s yours and opened up your heart and home for another person you easily could have seen as competition.
I’ve watched you for a while, Lex, and it’s difficult not to fall in love with someone with a heart like yours. ”
I didn’t know what to say or how to respond. Clearly, my initial assumptions about Peytor and his emotions were far off base.
“I admire you, Lex. And that admiration very quickly turns into love. How could it not? Itanya never stopped talking about how you made her laugh . . .” he trailed off with a shake of his head.
“I was jealous and more than a little pissed, thinking she’d replaced me with you.
But watching you interact with my girls?
I knew you would only help them. I just had to figure out how to get past my own shit. ”
“I’m glad that you did,” I said immediately, running my hand down his jaw, my skin getting caught in the stubble that was quickly becoming a short beard. It looked good on him, distinguished, even.
“Me too,” he said with a smile that lit his whole face.
I responded in kind before bending slightly to touch his lips to mine once more in a chaste kiss.
The mention of Itanya, while sweet and comforting, destroyed my afterglow completely as my mind instantly flew back to the maps and charts on my desk.
“Would you like some help? Maybe a fresh pair of eyes?” Peytor asked, hope painted on his face.
I could say no, should say no and implore him to comfort Folami.
But it was clear he needed this, needed to feel helpful and wanted.
Plus, it really could help to have a second set of eyes on the information.
“I’d be honored,” I told him truthfully, climbing off his body before helping him up from the floor. He winced slightly, and I turned sympathetically toward him.
“Sore?”
“A little,” Peytor mumbled, gripping the back of his neck as a flush worked its way over his skin.
“No need to be embarrassed,” I placated, turning to search for something that would clean us both up. There were a few discarded blankets next to the cot I’d set up in here, and I tossed one to him before using a second to quickly wipe down my dick and legs.
Peytor hissed as he cleaned between his legs and cheeks.
“Just wait until you take Ilyas,” I said with a wicked grin and a wink. Peytor visibly paled and swallowed audibly, his eyes widened in alarm.
“Yeah, I think it’s going to be a while before I do that,” he said before adding “if ever” so quietly I almost couldn’t hear.
I laughed long and loud, my head thrown back to the ceiling. Peytor’s blanket landed on my face, muffling my mirth.