Page 48 of Gratification in Gluttony

“Transitioning,” Jude whispered with a smile playing at his mouth.

Toni’s face warmed. “Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to say it wrong.”

Taking his hand in his much smaller, warmer one, Jude tentatively linked their fingers. “I know. It’s okay.”

Toni stared down at their linked hands and swallowed thickly. “As you can see, I’m not smart like you. I don’t know all the right words—”

“That doesn’t make you stupid,” Jude said, brows drawing down sternly. “You’re communicating with me in a second language because I don’t know yours, and you think I’m gonna judge you for getting some words wrong?”

“I don’t know, you’re intimidating, okay?”

At that, Jude laughed loudly. “You’re intimidated by me? You’re a big, scary demon who could probably eat me, and you thinkI’mintimidating?”

With a waggle of his brows, Toni purred, “I’ll only eat you with your express permission, and only in ways you’ll enjoy.”

“Shh, people can hear you!” Jude hissed, glancing around at the people on the tram.

“So?”

Face flushed, Jude gaped up at him. “You really don’t care what people think, do you?”

“Strangers? No.Mypeople? Of course.” Toni dragged a thumb across the crest of Jude’s cheek. “I care about what you think.”

Jude shook his head, chuckling under his breath. “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

“What can I say? Toni’s one of a kind, baby!” Toni lifted their twined fingers and pressed a quick peck to the back of Jude’s hand. Then he glanced up and saw their stop coming up. “Oh, we’re gonna miss our stop!”

Reaching over Jude, he pressed the stop button, and the driver braked a little too hard to be comfortable. “Sorry,” Toni said to the other tram riders as he and Jude stood. “Deepest apologies. I got lost in his eyes; couldn’t help it. He’s very sexy.”

“Oh my god, shut up!” Jude pinched Toni’s bicep fin, bringing a rather undignified noise from Toni’s throat.

“Unholy shit, you should definitely do that later,” he groaned.

“Toni!” Jude screeched, both of them bursting into laughter as they stumbled off the tram. “You can’t just say that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you just can’t!”

As the tram rumbled off, Toni backed Jude up until he had the human pinned to a light post. “Not good enough.”

Jude’s heart was racing, and Toni decided it was his new favorite sound. He tilted his head, dragging his nose down the length of Jude’s. They shared breath for a moment before Jude placed the flat of his palm on Toni’s chest and pushed.

“Stop,” he said.

And Toni straightened immediately, giving Jude space to gasp in a breath. “Okay.” He traced the splotchy color on Jude’s cheeks with a finger. “I think I’m gonna be partial to this color on your skin.”

“Asshole,” Jude huffed. “That was way over the thirty-four percent flirting margin.”

Toni made a face. “We could raise the margin, if it makes you feel better.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Thank you,” Toni preened.

“What if I didn’t mean it as a compliment?”

“I’m choosing to take it as one anyway.” Crowding into Jude space once more, Toni cupped the sides of his neck, using his thumbs to tilt his head up. “Am I allowed to kiss you now?”

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