Page 89 of Soar

“You’re close,” Gregori panted out.

“Yeah. Are you?”

“Yeah.”

Gregori put a hand to himself immediately, jerking off in the same timing as Salem’s thrusts.

The sight of it triggered Salem and sent him immediately over the edge. He pounded into that hot ass once more and thencame so hard he felt vertigo. Only his grip on Gregori’s thighs kept him upright. He felt Gregori clench around him, heard the sound he only made as he came, and knew Gregori was right there with him.

Making love with him was always so perfect. Good thing for Salem he got to do it for several more centuries. Decades didn’t seem like enough time.

He ended up kneeling again, head pillowed on Gregori’s thigh, utterly relaxed and loath to move. He should, though. He should clean them both up. Salem just needed a second. Maybe a minute to get his wind back, his brain unscrambled from the ridiculously hot sex, and his coordination rebooted. Right now he had none of that.

“Salem?”

“Hmmm?”

“You dead?”

“Still breathing, promise.”

With a groan, he pulled himself up off the ground. That was to say, he got as far as sitting on the edge of the bed and then all willpower and motivation to move any farther died. To hell with it, this was what magic was for. He used the cleanup spell with a wave of his hand and then flopped down next to Gregori.

Who immediately pulled him in closer, cuddling as he was wont to do. This time, Salem had no problem with it.

“I feel like you’ve been trying to tell me something all evening. Mind putting it into words for me?”

And the man claimed he wasn’t a telepath. Well, Salem should say this aloud, though.

He propped himself up a little so he could look Gregori directly in the face as he spoke. It just felt right to do so.

“Look. This is hard for me to say, so just listen. I still don’t believe in soulmates, or fate, or any of that. But. Ichooseto be your mate. I—” He gulped. Come on, courage, don’t fail now. “Ilove you a lot. More than I ever have any other person. For you, I think I can be anything. Screw destiny, my choice is you.”

Gregori snatched him in close, kissing him hot and hard, his joy nearly vibrating through his skin. “I love you.”

“I know.” He found the courage to say it again, and for some reason, it felt easier this time. Less panic inducing. “I love you too. I know it took me a while to catch up with you, but I’m confident in this now.”

“That’s all I need,” Gregori said against his mouth. “I’m so full of joy I feel like I’m about to explode.”

“Don’t, I’m not cleaning it up. Also, I can’t do this anymore. You gave me space to think. I’ve done my thinking and I know precisely what I need. I need student loans paid off, a fully equipped clinic, nightly cuddles, someone to make sure I eat, regular sex, and do not ever give me space again or I’ll smack you.”

Gregori’s lips parted in absolute delight. “Then…?”

“I’m not leaving you again. If you’ll just say the word, I’ll move back in with you tomorrow?—”

Gregori snatched him up in a tighter hug. Or he tried. They were practically glued together as it was. “Word.”

“You smartass, I didn’t mean it literally.”

The hug tightened a little. “I mean it. I don’t want space from you, either.”

“Good.” Such a relief to be on the same page. “Then, lesson learned, let’s not repeat this. Now. What do you need from me?”

“You.”

“I’m being serious, fav.”

“What does fav stand for?”

---