Page 17 of Inevitably Yves

“He never made love to me, Yves. He isn’t capable of love. He never was.”

I nod, recalling those intimate moments. “I still remember the first time your lips touched mine. If Hadrian’s kiss rebirthed my soul, yours revived my joy.”

Damiano smiles. “All the gods, Yves, look at us. In spite of everything, here we are. Together as we always should have been.”

“And if fate is kind, I pray we will never part. I couldn’t take it a second time.”

“I couldn’t either.” His eyes flicker behind me to the bed. “Your room is everything a king’s should be.”

Scoffing, I shake my head. “I am no king.”

“You’re still humble, I see, but is this not a kingdom you’ve created? An empire, at least. All your success hasn’t changed that about you.”

“I have my moments. My heart is full of pride for the family I’m so fortunate to have. I chose wisely, except for one.”

“I want to know about that one. I want to know everything that’s happened since we parted.”

“I want to know about your life too.”

Damiano grins. “Well, lucky for us, we have all the time in the world. Even with the threat of our maker looming, we have eternity.”

“I wish I shared your hubris, but we have to be realistic. He’s the only living being truly capable of destroying us. He wouldn’t kill us, Damiano. He’d do far worse.”

His grin fades as he nods. “A problem for the morning, my love. The night, this night, is ours, no matter what comes next.” He leans close to kiss my cheek. “Have your tastes changed over the centuries?”

“Not for you. You may take everything I have. I willingly give it to you.”

Just saying the words lights up my nerve endings in a way I haven’t experienced in ages, perhaps since the last time Damiano touched me.

“You still feel safe with me?” he asks.

“Of course. My soul is content in your arms.”

Damiano smiles as he steps back enough to put a bit of space between us. He unbuttons my shirt, and as my flesh is revealed, his eyes glow with desire.

“Still my favorite color,” I whisper. “Your eyes. So beautiful. Magical even.”

“We are magic, Yves. We shouldn’t even exist, but we do. We shouldn’t be able to love, but we do. We shouldn’t be so stunning, but we are. We’re monsters underneath it all, but somehow, we are beautiful.” He rubs my bare chest. “Do you know why?”

I shake my head, entranced by his lustful gaze. “Tell me.”

“Because despite everything he did to us, despite what the world has done, despite our ugliest parts, we still seek the beauty this existence offers.”

“Yes,” I whisper, leaning close to taste his kiss again.

He dodges me, smiling. “Sit on the bed, Yves.”

I do as I’m told, my stomach fluttering. “No one tells me what to do. No one even tries.”

“But you crave it,” he says, removing his own shirt. “You pine for the feeling of letting it all go and just giving in to pleasure.”

I nod.

“You never felt safe enough,” he says as his slacks drop. “Not even with your brothers, who I expect were lovers at first.”

“Yes.” My eyes roam over the smooth, muscular plains of his body. “I shouldn’t be surprised by your everlasting beauty, and yet I am staggered.”

With a brilliant smile, he slinks toward me, stepping between my legs when he reaches me. “Says the most perfect creation in existence. Hadrian is a lot of things, but he can never be taken to task over his eye for the exquisite.”

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