Page 42 of From the Noblest Motives
When Shudder laughed, it was his normal laugh, full of sunlight and mischief instead of the thin, brittle excuse for one he'd had the last couple of days. "I do. But he's right, you know. Watching the Blaze Unwrapping is one of the best parts."
"Yeah?" Blaze locked the bedroom door and leaned back against it. He had to take a moment to drink in the sight on the bed; they were so gorgeous together. So lovely he felt his heart cracking. His crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat so his voice wouldn't shake. "Why's that?"
Damien stroked his fingers down Shudder's arm, and Blaze couldn't tear his gaze away. "It's the underwear surprise, don't you think?"
"Yes. Oh, definitely." Shudder gave a serious nod and said in a stage whisper, "Underwear Surprise is my favorite."
Heat rose up Blaze's cheeks, but the shine in their eyes, the way Shudder's tongue darted out to lick his lower lip, reassured him they weren't making fun. He considered a moment. While he hadn't gotten dressed that morning thinking to please anyone in particular, that day's choice was a decent enough one.
All right. We're doing this.
He took a seat in the chair by the door first, undid his laces, and took off his boots and socks. Not sexy yet, but they still watched avidly, Shudder nestling his head on Damien's shoulder. Blaze got up and unwound the holster from around his thigh slowly, suppressing a grin when Damien's lips parted. He had no idea why gun striptease turned Damien on, but everyone had their own buttons.
One after the other, he draped his holsters neatly over the back of the chair so he wouldn't set off Damien's straightening compulsions. Shudder was nuzzling under Damien's ear, so Blaze waited until he had their full attention again before slowly peeling off his T-shirt. While it was disconcerting having both of them so focused on him, he couldn't deny the ego boost. He folded his shirt and placed it on the chair, too.
"Killing us over here," Shudder said in a plaintive voice.
"Still no patience. Just when I think maybe you grew up a little."
Shudder stuck out his tongue, and Blaze couldn't help laughing. Surprisingly, Damien chuckled too, until Blaze undid his fly and let his jeans fall under the weight of keys and ammo in his pockets.
"Oh. Blaze," Damien whispered, his expression thunderstruck.
His reactions to Blaze's underwear choices had been one of the first clues that Damien had been interested. More than interested. For a while, when they'd traveled together the first time, Blaze had made conscious choices—not according to how he felt that day, but rather what he thought might please Damien.
Today's choice wouldn't have been on his list, but apparently, Damien liked it a whole fucking lot. Not one of Blaze's more extravagant pieces, this one was a pair of tiny boxer briefs made of feather-patterned stretch lace in lapis blue that barely covered his ass. Damien made a little twirling motion with his finger, and Blaze spread his arms out to his sides and turned slowly. The hums of appreciation when he turned his back warmed his insides from his balls on up.
He lifted both arms to flex and struck a pose as he tightened his glutes. "You want them on or off?"
"On." The desperate, needy moan was barely recognizable as Damien's voice. "Please."
Blaze turned and stalked toward the bed, hoping he wasn't blushing too hard under their rapt attention.
"How do you look bigger with your clothes off?" Shudder murmured.
"Unlike some people…" Blaze stretched out on his side and poked Shudder's shoulder. "I'm not allergic to working out."
"Not fair. I've been a little busy."
Blaze kissed the side of Shudder's crewcut head. "That's okay. I've always liked long and lanky."
"Great. Now I'm a stork."
"You're not fluffy enough."
Damien made that strangled sound that served as his laugh. "Blaze, stop. You're not helping." He turned Shudder's head toward him and gave him a slow, gentle kiss that made Blaze wonder if his head was steaming. "You're beautiful. Grow your hair out. Keep it short. Still beautiful."
"I have no idea what you just said," Shudder replied in a breathless whisper, "but I'd like another one of those."
With a tiny quirk of a smile, Damien took one of Blaze's hands and guided it under Shudder's T-shirt while he leaned in for another kiss, this one more heated, more committed, with a lot more tongue. Blaze stroked along Shudder's ribs, then had to take a moment to adjust his badly bent erection in its lace confinement.
Damien lifted his head and leaned across Shudder to kiss Blaze next, the press of his lips sending shocks of pleasure through Blaze's core. He moaned into the kiss as Damien's tongue thrust in and he caressed the lace on Blaze's hip.
"How do you want us?" Blaze tried for a seductive tone when Damien pulled away, but he just sounded out of breath.
"Hmm." Damien hiked Shudder's shirt up farther. "More naked first."
What followed was a scramble of hands and limbs getting Shudder and Damien out of their clothes. Shudder hesitated at pulling his hat off, but after a heavy sigh, he did.
