Page 44 of Charmed By Destiny

But now that he was standing in Richard’s hotel suite, he had to wonder what other forces were at play. Would Luke find out what Gabriel had meant by seeing two souls merge? It was probably a foolish idea to think about it. But the idea had already been planted. And if he had a choice, Luke would’ve immediately signed up to be with Richard.

What kind of heartbreak was Luke setting himself up for? Icy dread squeezed his heart, and he wondered if he was up to discovering the truth. If nothing happened, Luke would have to chalk his evening up to a one-night stand with his boss.

Was he making a monumental mistake by being in Richard’s room? Instead of allowing his hormones to make his decisions, Luke should’ve thought through the possible ending scenarios. Luke needed his job. He liked it, and it paid his bills.

Plus, Luke had no one else now.

There was no way he was returning to the vagabond lifestyle he’d shared with Foxe. Not that his necromancer was speaking to him or would welcome Luke at his side. Was Luke prepared to walk into the office on Monday and act as if he hadn’t been intimate with Richard?

Luke abandoned the idea of turning on the television and returned the remote to its spot next to Richard’s book. Terror consumed him, and he closed his eyes. He sucked in a shaky breath and forced himself to think clearly.

There were two choices. The first was to stay put and wait for Richard to show up. They’d have sex. Luke was under no illusion about why he’d been awkwardly but adorably invited upstairs. They’d either discover they were soulmates or walk away from each other with nothing but memories of what was hopefully an incredible night.

The second option was to run out of the room—to leave the key for Richard to find and drive home. There wouldn’t be another invitation. Richard might not even forgive him for it. Luke had agreed, and it was cowardly to change his mind without an explanation. But if Luke stuck around to have a chat about why he was rejecting Richard, it’d make things worse.

And Luke would have to live with not ever knowing what it felt like to press Richard’s body close. He’d forever be plagued by the question of how Richard would look with pleasure blooming on his stunning face. If destiny had made them soulmates, Luke would be alone for however many years he had left.

Lifting his head toward the ceiling, Luke opened his eyes and smiled. He took another deep breath and allowed his silly fears to wash away. There was no choice. Luke wanted Richard. And there was no way he’d pass up an opportunity to discover if destiny intended more for them than a single night together.

???

It took Richard longer than he’d wanted to get upstairs, and Maribeth and her waggling eyebrows were driving him up the wall. The elevator dinged, and Richard stepped into the hallway. His heart was pounding erratically, his palms were sweaty, and as he treaded slowly to his door, his pants tightened thanks to his hardening cock.

Whether it was right or wrong, Richard intended to have sex with Lucas. If there were regrets, he’d deal with them later. Richard swiped the card over the lock and swung the door open. The television was on, and Lucas had made himself at home.

Lucas looked divine. His sleeves were rolled up, his shirt unbuttoned at the throat, and he was relaxed against a pile of pillows. Their eyes met, and Richard swore electricity arced between them. He wasn’t sure who moved first, but a heartbeat later, he was pressed to a firm male body.

Their lips met, and Richard moaned. Lucas’s tongue swept into his mouth, and Richard clung to the inspirit as he was thoroughly devoured. There was no hesitation in Lucas’s kiss. He tasted divine. Lust consumed Richard. His dick surged painfully into his zipper, but Richard did nothing to ease the situation.

Instead, he twined his arms around Lucas’s neck. A groan escaped him as Lucas cupped his ass in firm hands. It was the most intense, erotic experience of his life. Whatever the future held, at least Richard now understood passion.

“You taste sweeter than you smell,” Lucas murmured as he nibbled Richard’s jaw.

Richard lacked the brain cells to contribute to the conversation. All he cared about was the desire brewing inside him. His fingers crept into the shaggy layers of Lucas’s wavy hair, and he delighted in the rigid cock poking his middle.

Whatever was happening between them, Richard wasn’t alone in his desire. Lucas tugged at Richard’s shirt, and he offered no help—or resistance—as Lucas pulled it off. Taking advantage of the few inches separating them, Richard attacked the buttons on Lucas’s top.

But it was difficult to find his coordination since Lucas was undoing his belt. His knuckles bumped Richard’s length, and he nearly emptied his balls. A squeak escaped him as Lucas tugged his zipper down.

Apparently, Lucas was done with Richard’s fumbling attempts to undress him because the inspirit took over the task of tugging off his shirt. It hit the floor, and Richard stood there concentrating on getting oxygen into his lungs as Lucas furiously undid his own trousers. They fell to his ankles, and he stepped out of them. Richard had seriously underestimated how sexy boxers could be on the right man.

Instead of delighting Richard by removing the plaid undies, Lucas reached for the necromancer’s pants again. Richard helped him and wiggled out of them.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Lucas said, his eyes so dilated Richard could barely make out the pretty gray irises he’d admired for the past three months.

“Huh?”

Lucas looped his fingers in the waistband of Richard’s underwear. “I like your thong.”

“They prevent lines from showing,” Richard babbled as Lucas carefully tugged the black cloth off the necromancer’s straining cock.

“At least I was right about you being beautiful everywhere.”

In a rare moment of shyness, Richard quickly stepped out of his thong and dove onto the bed. He’d barely rolled to face Lucas when the inspirit came down on top of him. As their tongues tangled again, their bodies met, and Richard moaned. Lucas had lost his boxers.

Some instinct had Richard sliding his thighs apart to make room for Lucas as they surged against one another. Their six-inch height difference made it a little tricky to rub their lengths together, but Lucas’s ripped abdominal muscles gave Richard plenty of friction. He pumped his hips, and together they achieved a rhythm that pleased them both.

It was frantic, delightful, and overwhelming. Richard loved every fucking minute of it. Lucas’s musky scent filled his senses. Cupping Lucas’s face in his hands, he allowed the inspirit to take firm control of their kisses. Lucas tasted him fervently, and it brought Richard teetering close to the edge.

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