Page 72 of Gratification in Gluttony

Finally, Jude reached up and high-fived him. “Every time you open your mouth, I never know what to expect.”

“That’s the beauty of Toni, baby. Every moment’s an adventure.” He lunged in and planted a kiss to Jude’s mouth. He didn’t linger there, pecking the tip of the human’s cute, little nose, before settling back on the pillow. “I’ve distracted you enough. Close those pretty eyes, and go to sleep.”

“I still don’t like the idea of you getting home alone.”

“I like you worrying about me.” Toni nuzzled Jude’s nose with his as he closed his eyes too. Just to rest them for a bit. “But I’m a big boy. I’ll be fine.”

Jude hummed, shifting his hand until it bumped Toni’s. Without opening his eyes, Toni slotted his fingers between Jude’s until their hands tangled. Jude’s breath fanned over Toni’s mouth, his heartbeat a slow and steady melody in Toni’s ear. By the time Toni succumbed to sleep, he had the human’s heart-song memorized.

He hadn’t meant tofall asleep, but when a foreign alarm rang through the room, Toni jerked into consciousness with a gasp. He was still on top of the covers, arms chilled from the air-conditioning, but his body was warm thanks to the human currently snuggled into his chest.

Tightening his arms around Jude, Toni pressed his mouth and nose into the wild curls on top of Jude’s head. The fins on his right arm had been flattened against the mattress, and they’d be sore the moment he moved. But he couldn’t bring himself to care as Jude burrowed deeper into his embrace with a sigh.

When the phone alarm sounded again, Jude groaned, and Toni tightened his hold for a moment before sliding his arms away so Jude could roll over and search for the origin of the blasphemous noise.

Without thinking, Toni rolled onto his back, only to hiss when his spinal fin bent against a hard mattress instead of sliding into the slot his own bed had. He sat up with a wince, his crushed right arm fins shrieking in pain as they slowly unfurled.

Okay, he’d have to be more strategic about how he slept in Jude’s bed in the future.Ifhe slept in Jude’s bed in the future?

“Toni?” Jude rubbed his eyes, his curls sticking up in different directions.

“Hey, I think I fell asleep.”

Jude laughed sleepily and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I think you’re right.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay. Sorry for mashing your fins.”

Toni glanced down at the trembling appendages. “They’ll recover. My back however.” He stretched with a groan. “I mean all the offense when I say your mattress sucks.”

“I’m a twenty-six year old college student. Of course, my mattress sucks.” Jude slid out from under the covers and stood, arms reaching for the ceiling as he also stretched.

Not wanting to miss an opportunity to ogle, Toni enjoyed the view of Jude’s smooth back smattered with more freckles. He had two indents above his ass, and the cutest love handles pooching over the band of his pajama pants. Toni imagined his fingers grabbing hold there as Jude rode him.

His dicks liked the image way too much, and he glared down at the constricting jeans pinching his erections at a painful angle. He tried to be subtle as he rearranged, but the quiet snicker behind him communicated that he wasn’t as stealthy as he’d hoped.

“It’s morning,” Toni sniped. “I can’t help it. Plus, you look really good all sleep-rumpled.”

“Glad you’re enjoying the view,” Jude deadpanned as he rifled in his dresser for clean clothes. “Hopefully, I look better than I smell right now.”

“What? You smell amazing. You always smell amazing, which is, like, a mystery of nature or something.”

Clothes in hand, Jude turned and leveled Toni with a bemused smile. “What?”

“C’mere.” Toni motioned him over, taking hold of his wrist when he was close enough. With a tug, he guided Jude to straddle his lap, then he lifted Jude’s arm and pressed his face to the whorls of hair in his armpit.

“What are you doing?” Jude squeaked as Toni inhaled deeply.

Jude smelled less like his shampoo and more like sleep and musk and sweat. But Toni liked it just as much, if not more.

“See? Still smells good.” Dragging his nose along Jude’s collarbones, he ended his exploration in the nape of his neck where his pulse beat wildly. Toni licked him there, and Jude gasped. “We should call in sick.”

“Can’t. I need to shower.” Jude’s breathing was unsteady, and Toni smiled into his neck.

“Need me to wash your back?”

Hot air fanned over Toni’s ear as Jude whispered, “I don’t think I’ll get clean that way.”

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