Page 28 of Dead Air
“My soul?” Niall was touched and overjoyed to know that Cenn valued what was inside of him, not his face or his body because looks were deceiving and faded. But… “Is it just my soul or is there anything else…” He traced the collar of Cenn’s T-shirt coyly.
“You delight me, Niall. You are witty and honest, and you are wonderfully filthy,” Cenn said in an enthralling rumble.
“I can’t help it around you,” he complained and pulled Cenn’s collar so he could peek under it. “Do you have to be sohot?”
“Would you like me to take this off?” Cenn asked, leaning back and untucking his shirt, receiving an enthusiastic nod from Niall. He chuckled as he whisked the shirt over his head and tossed it over Niall’s shoulder. “You can touch. You can doanything you want. I created this for you and I don’t have to pretend to be a gentleman anymore.”
“You created this for me?” Niall was unable to hide his wonder as his nails scraped through the hairs on Cenn’s chest and traced his tattoos.
“I studied you so I could learn how to make you happy, to give you the things you desire most. You wanted a hot lumberdaddy who would split you like a dirty little log and that’s what you got.”
His scream was equal parts shock and horror and Niall felt like his face was on fire as he covered it. “You heard that?” he cried in a muffled whimper.
“Stop that.” Cenn caught Niall’s wrists and lowered them, ducking to see his eyes. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve seen a lot of shameful and profane behavior in my time and your desires are perfectly healthy and natural. Exceedingly natural,” he added with a wave around them. “But even if they weren’t, it would be impossible to offend me.”
“I see…” Niall bit into his lip as he pondered his next move. He was deeply troubled by who and what Cenn was and the things he had done. But he was moved, knowing that Cenn truly understood and wanted Niall for who he was on the inside. He was also aroused and consumed by all the possibilities. “All of this was created for me?” His hands glided lower, his fingertips trailing along the waist of Cenn’s pants. He paused, frowning. “What about you? What do you want?”
Cenn groaned as he hooked a finger under Niall’s chin, pulling him closer for another drugging kiss. “I want to do the same things to your soul that you want me to do to your body,” he said, causing Niall’s frown to deepen.
“Does that feel…the same?”
“In a way, I suppose. Possibly better,” he mused and another groan wafted from Cenn as he pecked at Niall’s lips. “This is likekissing a petal that’s been warmed in the sun. You taste fresh and sweet and your lips are so soft, like the rest of you.”
“But it feels good?” Niall felt drunk and anxious, desperate to feel Cenn’s hands on his body and to touch and taste every inch of Cenn.
“Itfeels…I feel what you’re feeling when I’m close to you. I can hear your thoughts and feel your nerves humming and flaring when I’m touching you. I feel your pleasure and your soul is radiant when you find your release andthatis as close to heaven as a demon can get.”
“And I was right, we’ve done this before. Many times,” he said and Cenn hesitated, watching Niall closely before nodding.
“You were so tempting, I couldn’t resist, and I wanted to please you. I couldn’t do that when we were together during the day. But I waited until we had met and you wanted me.”
“I knew those dreams were too vivid.” Niall wondered why he wasn’t scandalized and appalled.
“Because youliked it,” Cenn answered in a seductive whisper, causing Niall’s cheeks to burn and he hid his face. “Don’t be embarrassed, my love.” Smoke seeped from Cenn’s skin, curling around Niall and rolling across the floor. “You bloom for me like a moonflower when you’re sleeping and I touch you. You’re so beautiful and I am your servant, your dreams are my commands and there is nothing I would deny you.”
“How can you be sure it’s what I really want if I’m asleep?”
Cenn’s face twisted. “Violating your will would hurt and sicken me because I’d feel it too.”
“I knew it!” Niall clicked his teeth at Cenn. “All that talk about why you couldn’t kiss me and wanting arm candy and a life was a trick. You don’t mean it when you call me your love.”
“I do in a way, as much as I’m capable of meaning it and it doesn’t have to be a trick. I told you, I’ll be as real as you want meto be. I’ll get a job as a biologist at Georgetown and find us the perfect home in the country and we can adopt as many dogs and cats as you want.”
“But that would be a great big lie. My whole life would be fake.”
“Most lives are. You won’t find many people who aren’t hiding something. Some pretend to be more confident or competent than they really are and some people pretend they aren’t twisted sickos while living perfectly normal-appearing existences. Why shouldn’t you have a piece of the dream, your own version of the ideal life? You’ve done more than your share and paid more dues than most.”
For a moment, Niall saw a beautiful life in a cozy yet modest home in the country, the dogs, and the husband with an admirable job. But Niall also understood that Cenn would be taking that job and that cozy home from another man who also had dreams of a family and a beautiful life in the country.
He shook his head. “I’m good with this for now and if I decide I’m ready to leave my cabin and return to the real world, I’ll let you know. I don’t want to live another lie or hide more than I already have. Don’t change my path for me, Cenn. I’ll find my own way.”
“You cannot comprehend how magnificent you are, my sweet Niall,” Cenn growled as he cradled Niall’s cheek. Smoke curled around Cenn’s hand and Niall’s throat and caressed his lips, creating a cascade of goosebumps. “Or all that I would sacrifice and destroy to keep you safe and happy.”
“Don’t do any of that.” Niall sucked on Cenn’s lip, marveling at how real it felt and tasted. He toyed with the button on Cenn’s fly, debating how depraved he wanted the evening to get. “Would it be wrong if I ripped these off like it’s Christmas morning?”
“No need.” Cenn snapped his fingers and his cargo pants were gone and he was completely naked. And hard.
“Oh, gosh!” Niall jumped and looked away reflexively, unaccustomed to being this close to another naked body. When he was awake, a weak voice at the back of his brain reminded him. Niall was glad that a tiny part of it was still working. “The sleeping thing is fine but don’t alter my consciousness in any way when I’m meant to be awake, okay?” he said with a quick glance to see if Cenn was listening and yelped when he realized his clothes were gone too. “How’d—?” he started and gasped when Cenn’s fingers trailed over his clavicle, leaving a wisp of smoke in their wake.
