Page 40 of Devoted

But not tonight. Tonight was for us.

When there was a minute to go before the time I’d said I’d call, I sat on my bed and made myself comfortable. A small bottle of lube was within easy reach. I wasn’t under any illusions about where this was going to end. Normally it didn’t take more than a simple flirtatious comment from Sam to have me reaching for my cock as soon as we hung up.

Putting the earbuds in, I hit call.

Sam answered after a single ring. “Hi.”

“Hi, Sam.” I loved the way his name tasted in my mouth.Sam.“How are you doing?”

“Umm…a little nervous.” He chuckled. “Not sure why, I’m not usually. Then again, usually the bloke is in the same room as me.”

God, what I wouldn’t have given to be in his room right then. To be able to see if his pupils were blown with arousal. To learn how he might shiver if I ran my hand over his leg. To hear how his breath might hitch when I did something he liked.

Well, hopefully I’d be able to experience the last one at least. “Don’t be nervous. I’ve got you. I might not be there, but that doesn’t mean I’m not in charge. I’m going to tell you what to do.How to get yourself off exactly as I’d do it if I were there. Does that sound okay to you?”

“Okay?” he said breathily. “It sounds perfect.”

“Good,” I growled. “Are you on your bed?”

“No, I’m on my desk chair. Do you want me to move?”

I bit my lip, palming myself through my shorts. “No, baby. I want you to stay right there.”

There was that hitch of breath I’d been hoping for.

“Baby?”

“Is that okay?” I asked.

“No one’s ever called me that before.”

That wasn’t an answer. “Is it okay if I call you that tonight?”

“It sounds perfect.” It was the exact same response as earlier, but it made something in my chest start to ache with a yearning to be able to call him that all the time. A need to see him, to trace his features.

A pull.

I froze as the realisation hit me. Was this what Micah and Nox had been describing? Was this the pull?

Was Sam my mate?

“Zeke? Can you hear me?”

Sam’s question made me realise it wasn’t the first time he’d spoken. “Sorry, baby. My mind slipped for a moment.”

“We can do this another time, if you like. Or not at all. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or anything. Oh my god, did I pressure you into doing this? I’m the worst. I can’t believe this?—”

I sat bolt upright, forcing all thoughts of mates out of my mind. Sam was spiralling. Regardless of what he was to me, right now, he was mine. Mine to comfort. Mine to reassure. “Stop. Sam, you’ve done nothing.”

He gave a small whimper. “Are you sure?”

“Positive, baby. I’m sorry I lost focus for a second. Believe me, it wasn’t because of you.” Well, not because of anything he’ddone, anyway. “The last thing I feel right now is uncomfortable, unless we’re counting being uncomfortably hard, that is.”

Sam laughed, and something in me relaxed at the sound. “I had that problem too. Up until a minute ago, anyway.”

“We’ll get you back there. But first, let me be clear. You’re not pressuring me into anything. I was the one who suggested this, remember? If anything, I should be checking that this is somethingyouwant.”

“It is,” he said quickly. “More than anything.”

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