Page 29 of Doubts of the Egoist
The deep-brown eyes focused, and the mist of arousal in their depths dispersed a fraction. The teeth unclenched, releasing Yugo’s finger. Kuon licked his lips and gulped. “Yugo, I really—”
“I didn’t say enough,” Yugo drawled, fighting back a grin.
Kuon’s eyes narrowed. Leather bit into Yugo’s neck as the belt tightened, forcing him to collapse on Kuon’s wet back. Kuon turned his head, and the dilated, haunted pupils fixed on Yugo as a sinister voice washed his cheek with a faint scent of mint. “But I sayenough. Tell me now, if there are any cameras in this bathroom, or I swear to God, I’ll drown you in this very bathtub.”
A laugh broke free, but the leash tightening around Yugo’s throat cut it short. With the merriment bubbling somewhere in his windpipe, he managed to choke out, “Yes, three.”
Kuon paled, but the noose loosened. “Where?”
“So demanding.” Yugo chuckled and reached up to rub the back of his neck, but he answered anyway, “In the wall lamp next to the mirror, above the window, and the third one—” Yugopaused to nibble at Kuon’s earlobe, “—is staring right at us from behind, recording everything. It’s built into the ceiling light.”
Kuon’s face lost color, but his eyes blazed with flames to immolate Yugo alive. He elbowed back; the impact knocked a strained huff out of Yugo’s mouth.
“I can’t believe it. When were you going to tell me? How many cameras are in the bedroom?”
Rubbing his aching ribs, Yugo fought for breath, choking on his laughter. He missed the angry flames dancing in Kuon’s dark eyes, the indignation in his voice, and the spectrum of emotions flashing across his handsome face too fast to catalog. He missed it so much that he couldn’t stop himself from teasing the man even more.
“Six.”
“Six? For fuck’s sake!” Kuon slapped the water with his palm, hung his head, and took a calming breath. His powerful back expanded, as he held his breath, then slowly deflated, releasing the air with a softHSSSSS. He whirled. His right hook caused Yugo to duck aside and slam back into the water, creating ripples. Wet fingers pulled at the short chestnut hair. “Why? I don’t get it. What’s wrong with you? For how long? All this time? Even before? Everything?”
Kuon’s ragged, disjointed questions and furious expression triggered another laughing fit. Yugo wiped his running eye with the back of his wet hand, unable to breathe, then squeezed out the words, “Simon says—”
With a “shut up” and a quick lift of his palm, Kuon cut him short. Silent seconds dripped off the clock, water off Kuon’s fingers. Realizing he got trapped in zugzwang[2], Kuon watched him with caution, then shrugged as determination sharpened hischeekbones. “That’s it. I’m going to murder you.”
“Relax, you psycho. It’s not a big deal,” Yugo snorted, shuffling away, each movement shredding the thin foam from the body wash that had formed around his hips.
CHAPTER 9
Mischief poured outof Yugo in waves of rollicking laughter as he slapped another swat away from his face. “So disheartening. I’m hurt. Here I thought you had feelings for me.”
Kuon flexed his shoulders, cracked his neck, and tried to look as intimidating as possible while standing on his knees in the faintly bubbling bathtub. It was especially hard to do, as he burned with a maddening mix of deranged desires.
Gah, I don’t know what I want to do more, fuck him or kill him. Maybe both? At least both would solve all my problems.Kuon shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind, then rubbed his face with both hands.
“Feelings? Who the hell are you to talk about feelings? You recorded me using the toilet, having sex, and preparing myself for… God, I don’t know what could be worse. It’s not just fucked up, it’s a—” Kuon drew in a sharp breath, unable to say the wordbetrayal,even though it burned on his tongue because it seemed so damned final, clad in sounds. He ended with a punch to Yugo’s chest and the words, “Whatever… You’re dead anyway.”
Not even trying to play fair, Kuon plunged the edge of his palm into the top layer of water, sending a bristly wave toward Yugo. Shielding from the splash with a raised forearm, Yugo shrank back. Kuon lunged, the water hindering his movements as he threw short jabs into the rippling torso. The liquid onslaught didn’t stop Yugo from dodging the combo with easy grace and an annoying grin. He ducked away, letting the blows rip through the air. For someone dressed in several layers andkneeling in a square bathtub, he moved inappropriately fast.
“You look ridiculous with a hard-on.” Yugo pointed to Kuon’s groin.
“Whose fault is that?” Kuon feigned a right cross, driving his left fist under Yugo’s ribs. Water splashed on the floor. With a huff, the dressed man shuffled aside.
Trying and failing to make his expression repentant, Yugo raised one palm while rubbing his ribs with the other. “Let me take responsibility for it.”
Kuon went for another attack, but his balance was off in the slippery tub. Water spilled over. His body swayed, nearly toppling into the water, but a strong arm steadied him.
“Huh?” The second Kuon regained his balance, the room blurred as his arm was yanked up and back. He blinked, finding his face hurtling toward the bathtub lip. To avoid the collision, he threw his free hand forward and grabbed the edge, steadying himself an inch away.
“Enough. If you’re not careful, you might get water in your eyes,” Yugo whispered, as his hips pressed against Kuon’s ass from behind. “I can’t let that happen. Stop fighting me, or I’ll make you stop.”
Yugo leaned over him to kiss his nape, tracing his shoulder with the tip of his tongue. His free hand outlined Kuon’s abs and snaked into his boxers to lightly stroke his painfully hard cock with the back of his middle finger. Up and down, to the frenulum and back to the balls.
Kuon tried to break free from the grip, gentle lips, and oh-so-distracting hand. “Stop.”
“Come on, it’s not a big deal.” Yugo’s voice lost itscheerfulness, and his hand stopped teasing.
“For you! You’re still dressed. And it’s not you who would be…” Kuon froze with open mouth, struggling with the crude words stuck behind his vocal cords.Begging to be fucked? Spreading your legs? Taking the female role?Everything sounded awful in his head. He groaned and tried to kick Yugo in the shin, but to no avail. “Argh!”
