Chapter Eighteen
Deke stayed curled around his boy until hunger drove him to the kitchen. He knew Bryan was going to wake up hungry, too, so he grabbed two steaks and took them out to the grill, throwing them on. Most of his attention was on the house, on any noises he could hear from his boy. Lord, he had it bad. And he’d nearly lost it by leaving. The damage he might have done by accidentally triggering the bond, then going away, still nagged at him.
Still, he felt stronger than he ever had. He felt the bond ringing between them now and he wanted to cement it. He wanted Bryan to feel that same surety. They really should go swimming together in the ocean again, fly through the water and the sky. But for now, making love in the pool would do.
He had to find a bigger plug for his baby, too. Something to do more than keep his seed where it belonged. He’d have to go through his things. The small one had been in his bag with his clothes, but the others he had were packed in boxes. Maybe they could do some online shopping together. Get Bryan involved in choosing what they got.
Grinning madly, he flipped the steaks, and took a moment to appreciate the fact that he had found his soul mate. That this was real. Not perfect yet, but real.
He heard Bryan begin to move around, heard the shower running. He grunted and frowned a little. How could coming to see him not be at the top of Bryan’s list? His soul mate was still having trouble believing in him. It wasn’t as real to Bryan as it was to him. Was this all down to the time they’d missed so soon after the bond had been initiated? Was he doing enough for Bryan?
He headed toward the bedroom when the water turned off again, going to the en suite.
Bryan was toweling off, looked up at him with a smile. “Hey.”
“Hey. You showered.” Without him.
“The salt was eating my skin a little. It was itchy. I had to rinse off.”
“You should have come gotten me. I would have shared.” He opened his arms, wanting his boy in them.
“I just jumped in and out.” Bryan came right to him. Thank the Goddess.
He hugged Bryan, pulling the beautiful body in close, and took a deep breath.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s not easy at the moment, to be away from you.” The spectre of what had happened to his brother Mark, losing his soul mate, was there now. He couldn’t imagine that happening to him and Bryan. Well, the problem was that he could, especially with the missteps he’d made and it scared him.
“Oh. Well, you didn’t. I’m right here.”
“I know. And I have you. Next time let me know you’re awake and we can share. I made food.” Which was going to get overcooked if he didn’t go rescue it.
“Thank you. I’m starving.”
He took Bryan’s hand and headed out. It wasn’t that he didn’t think Bryan would be right behind him regardless, it was more of a compulsion. Bryan drew circles on his palm with one thumb, lazy circles that went ’round and ‘round. Deke hummed happily, feeling connected and more settled now that they were together again.
He did let go of Bryan’s hand as they went out on the deck, grabbing the tongs and pulling the steaks off the grill. They were thick enough they were probably okay. Maybe a little more cooked than he preferred, but not hammered.
“Smells good. I usually take them more done, but these smell delicious.”
“A little searing on either side is more than enough.” There was a time when Deke would fire the outsides and eat it that way. Way back when a dragon could roam the forests relatively unscathed.
“I’m not usually...” Bryan started eating, obviously ravenous.
“It’s the bond, baby. You’ll get used to it.” He didn’t know how long the need to eat was going to last—Shae certainly still seemed to eat at least twice as much as one would expect him to. The magic seemed to burn through them, make the metabolism insane.
“What exactly am I getting used to?” Bryan asked after putting away half his steak.
“Your body is changing. You’re becoming more robust, as suits a dragon’s mate. You won’t age anymore and will live as long as I do, which as far as any of us know is forever.”
“I can’t even conceive of how long forever is.”
Yeah, Deke could see that. He’d never had any other concept to work from so it was easy. “You’ll get used to it. Eventually you’ll stop worrying about getting old and dying and just accept the new reality.”
Bryan didn’t look convinced, and Deke knew it was one of those things that only time could prove to his soulmate. He moved on to the other big change.
There’s also this.
“I’m not sure I like having you in my head.”
He stared. How could Bryan not? “It makes it easier for us, both of us.”
“I’m still not sure it’s real,” Bryan admitted. “Any of it. What if I wake up and I’m back...there.”
“You’re not. I promise. I’m right here with you and I’m real.” He held Bryan’s gaze, worried again that this was his fault. If he was making the right moves Bryan wouldn’t be so worried, right?
What if he couldn’t fix this?
He pushed that thought away. He had to. For his sake, and for Bryan’s. He would have to be strong, to keep loving Bryan and proving that he was real, that they were real.
“I want to believe it,” Bryan told him, body leaning toward him, eyes earnest.
“That’s half the battle.” It was better than Bryan not wanting this and he would do everything he could to make it right
In the meantime, he could still feel the pool calling to them, and he thought it would be a good place to be real with Bryan, to help Bryan believe. They both loved the water.
Come to the pool, Deke. I itch.
He loved that Bryan was on the same wavelength. For all that there might be some things that weren’t quite right with the bond, there was much more that was exactly how it should be.
Taking Bryan in his arms, he jumped into the deep end of the pool, bringing their mouths together as they went under the water. He kissed Bryan for a long time before they floated up, their heads coming out so they could draw air into their lungs.
He grabbed Bryan’s thighs, encouraging Bryan to put his legs around his waist. Bryan climbed him easily, lips finding his throat, hot and soft. Groaning, he tilted his head back, giving Bryan more skin to work with.
He could feel Bryan’s pleasure as the water and his loving worked its magic. He could feel the way that his baby was focused and becoming more and more aroused. That spurred his own arousal and he put his head back and roared. This was his soul mate.
Bryan gazed at him. “Listen to you. Loud man.”
“You make me loud. You make me want to shout to the world.”
“You want people to know.”
“I want everyone to know. I am so very proud of you.”
Bryan blushed, but he could feel the satisfaction his words gave Bryan.
He squeezed Bryan, their cocks bumping, hot in the cold water. Bryan cuddled in, lining them up, legs squeezing as he rocked them together.
“Yeah. Got you. Fucking have you. Always will.” He would never abandon Bryan, or leave him floundering in a hospital. Or anywhere.
“Good thing I have a pool.”
“Of course you have a pool. You were made for me.”
“Was I? Are you sure?” Bryan began to nibble.
“Absolutely...sure.” He took a deep breath, Bryan’s gentle bites going straight to his cock.
Bryan hummed, bit at his skin, and those toothy kisses made him grab Bryan’s ass.
“My stunning baby boy.” He let a finger slip into Bryan’s crack and rub against his boy’s hole.
“Obsessed with my poor ass.”
“I am. But it’s not poor, it’s not poor at all.” He nuzzled against Bryan’s ear. “I’m going to find fat, heavy plugs for this pretty hole. Dildos for you to ride.”
Bryan gasped.
Deke continued, “Yeah, that’s right. Plugs and dildos are for more than just keeping my seed in. And they come way bigger than the one we’ve been using.” He rubbed Bryan’s hole, tapped it. “I’m not going to leave you alone. At all. Ever.” He pressed a little harder against Bryan’s entrance. “I’m going to make this a source of pleasure so big you think you’ll go out of your mind.”
“I’m already out of my mind.”
Deke shook his head. Damn it, that had been a poor choice of words on his part. “Only in a good way, baby.”
“But...”
“Shh. No buts. I only meant the pleasure will be like nothing you’ve ever experienced. You’re not crazy, baby. Not for a second.”
Bryan searched his eyes and he could feel Bryan’s yearning to believe him. Bryan wanted his words to be true.
“I will keep telling you until you believe it.” He had to trust that if he nurtured the bond, it would do its work and Bryan would believe. It was all he had.
He brought their mouths together, taking a hard kiss as he slipped a finger into Bryan’s body. Hole slightly swollen, it nonetheless opened easily for him and he soon added another finger, then another.
Pulling back from the kiss, he searched Bryan’s face. This is real.
“Maybe.”
He growled at Bryan’s reply. It is.
Maybe. “If I’m crazy of course you’re going to tell me it’s real—you’re a part of my delusion.”
He had to remind Bryan how real he was.
He sent all three fingers deep, hitting Bryan’s gland. Crying out, Bryan arched against him, cock sliding on his abs. He worked the little gland mercilessly. Nothing this good could be Bryan’s imagination. He was real. They were real.
He pulled his fingers out and tilted Bryan’s ass. Then he pressed in, pushing into the intense heat.
Bryan’s face went lax and his boy began to move, riding him in short, sharp thrusts.
It was stunning, how his baby looked like this, all need and pleasure. Bryan couldn’t deny this.
Holding onto the edge of the pool, he worked with Bryan, pumping into that beautiful heat. He slammed in hard, the water splashing all around them. It was glorious, wet and wild and what they both required. He kept the rhythm going, filling his baby over and over. Real. This was real. He was real.
Deke could feel Bryan’s pleasure. He could feel it inside him, rolling through him like it was his own. Together their passion spun, growing, damn near out of control. He was surprised the water was only rocking with them, that they weren’t causing a tsunami.
A storm began to gather, the thunder rumbling through the air. He looked up, surprised at the dark clouds, as the way the wind was blowing all around them.
Bryan frowned, moving with him now. “Come on.”
“Shh. I’ve got you.” He took a kiss, thrusting in harder. Bryan was his and he had him. Forever.
“Got me.” Bryan’s body jerked, going tighter, gripping him hard enough he gasped.
He held Bryan’s gaze as he continued to thrust, watching the clouds reflected in his baby’s eyes.
“Are you doing this?” Bryan asked.
“I think it’s our passion.” He pushed in harder, giving Bryan everything he had.
He must have hit Bryan’s gland, because his boy threw his head back and screamed.
Yes! He kept it right there, banging up into Bryan’s gland over and over, a roar building in his chest. This was his soul mate to love and care for. His to guard and to keep safe and happy.
And they were real.
The storm broke, rain slamming down, driving against them. It drove him on, too, spurring him to go faster, to push harder. It wasn’t going to be much longer.
This storm belonged to them, their love wilder and stronger than it could ever be.
“Coming, baby. You’d better come for me right now.”
“Soon. Soon.”
“Uh-huh.” Lightning split the sky, thunder following immediately, and Deke roared, come shooting out of him and into Bryan.
Bryan’s orgasm followed right behind, the shudders enough to make him dizzy.
Deke held on, staying buried deep inside of his baby.
“The storm.” Bryan’s moan was almost lost in the wind.
“I’ll keep you safe.” He held on to Bryan, stayed buried. He had no reason to fear. None. They were real and Bryan couldn’t deny them. Not forever.