Page 26 of Haunted Mediation
“Please,” Leon breathed, and James pressed their lips together again.
It felt like their two hundredth kiss, not their second. Leon met every brush of James’ lips and press of his tongue. As James tangled his other hand in Leon’s hair, Leon grabbed James’ hips.
James had never let himself imagine how this might feel. He’d stared at Leon’s hands for months but always stopped himself from picturing how they might grip his sides and pull him in tight. Every time Leon smirked at him or quirked his lips,James always came up short of guessing what his mouth would taste like.
A fall harvest. That’s what he tasted like. A delicious combination of spice and oranges, and the turning of seasons. His hair felt like a cashmere sweater, and the warmth of his body under James’ was like drinking hot cocoa after playing in piles of leaves.
James’ entire body was tingling, which probably meant something about oxygen and breathing, but he didn’t care. He could have stayed there on the hard floor, dirt and debris digging into the knees of his dress pants, forever.
Leon’s hands were now completely steady as he pulled James in closer. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much closer he could go without climbing onto Leon’s lap. He would do that in a heartbeat if only?—
Someone cleared their throat behind them. James turned to see the nurse standing in an open doorway that must have been hidden behind the surgical suite curtain.
“Sorry to interrupt. Super glad you’re feeling better, but we do have to ask you to either take the emergency exit hallway or head into the next room,” she said, her voice pleasant but no nonsense.
“Of course,” James said, and he stood up on shaky legs, taking a moment to steady himself before offering Leon his hand.
He accepted the help and entwined their fingers together. James turned to go, but Leon held him back.
“How many more rooms are there?” Leon asked the nurse.
“There are two more. They’re nothing compared to this one, but if you’re not feeling up for it you can take this hallway all the way out to the exit.”
James turned back to look at Leon. “I could do two more rooms, but only if you want to,” James said.
“They’re vampire and sea monster themed,” she offered.
“I say we finish it off,” Leon said, a grin curling the side of his kiss-reddened lips.
“There’s a small hallway between this room and the next. You have a minute or two to collect yourself in there if you need it.”
They both thanked her as they made their way out of the cursed—blessed?—room.
They didn’t make it very far past the door. Pretty much as soon as they crossed the threshold, Leon pulled James to the side of the connecting hallway. He wheeled James around until his back brushed against the wall, and Leon stepped into his space.
Before James could raise his own questioning eyebrow, Leon smirked at him.
“Baby? Really?”
It took James a second to understand what he was asking, then heat scorched across his face. “You weren’t even breathing,” James huffed. “How do you remember that?”
Leon laughed softly, and for the first time in the haunted house, he was the one who rested his weight against James. “You stared into my eyes and called me ‘baby.’ There’s not a chance in hell I would forget that, darlin’.”
James caught his bottom lip between his front teeth and looked down at his dirt crusted shoes—only to have Leon cup the side of his face and lift his head up. He ran his thumb over James’ bottom lip, coaxing him to let go of it.
“What—”
“I’ve wanted to do that every time you’ve bit your lip for almost six months,” Leon said.
Goosebumps broke out across James’ arms. “Oh god…”
“Is that a good ‘oh god?’”
“Definitely a good ‘oh god.’”
James felt the weight of Leon’s gaze on his mouth, but neither of them made a move to close the distance between them.
“You’re not a burden,” Leon said.
