Page 55 of Soulmates

The more arrived with the kiss. Like lava running through his body in waves of smothering heat and then the icy blasts of an avalanche. He gasped as another wave of heat hit, almost violent, but painless. So much sensation he hardly knew how to describe it. Every nerve was like a live wire, sparking with nothing touching it at all. And where their bodies met? Fire and ice. Jake sighed into Maddox’s mouth as a wave of ice hit Maddox’s chest. Was Jake feeling the same thing? If it meant he had to stop kissing Jake to find out, he would have to die in ignorance. Nothing could stop him at that moment.

Jake wrapped both arms firmly around Maddox and grabbed him by the ass, sending a jolt of searing heat all the way up his spine and into his brain like his cerebral fluid was now a lake of fire. Or ice. He didn’t know. Jake rolled them, pulling Maddox on top without breaking the kiss.

He wanted to live right there in Jake’s arms, their tongues sweeping each other’s mouths, their breaths coming fast, their bodies pressed so tightly together that nothing could pull them apart.

He forced air in and out of his nose with an occasional gasp as the waves of hot and cold washed over him. Judging by Jake’s responses, he felt the same or similar. Jake panted for breath with Maddox, and Maddox was filled with the scent of Jake, which Maddox suddenly recognized to be sandalwood. Jake wasn’t one to stick with a single shampoo, more of a grab the one on sale kind of guy—he was like that with all hygiene products, so he never smelled the same. Nothing like Maddox’s orange shampoo, which he knew Jake loved because he caught him smelling it one day. But now, there it was. A deep, woodsy scent. Sandalwood for sure. It fit Jake somehow. He was so strong and so powerful yet beautiful too. Maddox thought he might get addicted now that he could smell it.

Jake let go and sunk both hands into Maddox’s hair. He massaged Maddox’s scalp, sending shivers down his body as Maddox kept kissing and kissing and kissing Jake. Jake gave Maddox’s head a little tug, and Maddox moaned and pressed his lips hard against Jake’s before diving back in, all tongue and teeth. But Jake pulled again, and Maddox realized Jake was trying to get his attention. He let Jake lean his head back enough to look into Jake’s eyes, dilated and beautiful, almost black in the fading light.

Almost black, but not, because Jake’s pupils were reflecting the bright gold shine of Maddox’s eyes back at him. Maddox hadn’t really seen his eyes or understood what everyone was talking about until just then. He stared into Jake’s eyes, mesmerized.

“Gods, Maddy.” Jake was panting wildly.

“I know. Me too.”

“You are…”

“I am?”

“Everything.”

Maddox tried to attack Jake’s mouth again but was stopped by the firm grip on his hair. A grip that made Maddox’s eyes roll back in his head and sent chills of pleasure through his whole body.

“We will be talking about that later, but right now, it’s getting dark, and I don’t want to get lost out here overnight.”

“It’s not that dark,” Maddox pointed out and smiled at Jake. “Look around.”

Jake did and stared at what Maddox had seen out of the corner of his eye when Jake pulled them apart. Fireflies. They were covering the ground.

Jake looked all around them, even tilting his head back, catching Maddox once again when Maddox tried to dive for Jake’s throat. “Ugh,” Maddox said. “You’re being zero fun right now.”

“They’re on the ground. Why are they on the ground?”

“They aren’t that common, but there are fireflies that live on the ground and don’t fly. I bet they came out because of us. Because of the exchange or because we’ll always attract them. See how they aren’t winking on and off? These don’t. They just glow kind of blue-green. Why are we talking? We should kiss more.”

Jake laughed. “Trust me, I want to, but I’d like to do it in a bed. Maybe after rinsing off all this swamp…goo…dirt?”

“Muck,” Maddox said. “And yeah, I guess that would be nice.”

A bed sounded especially nice, Maddox thought. And now that their hands were free, and they didn’t have an ax over their heads, the things they could do in a bed. Shit. If Jake wanted that. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe it was too soon.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I just…you said bed, and I had…thoughts. And I didn’t know if my thoughts and your thoughts are the same, and I don’t want to assume. And I don’t even know what you like. And why have we never talked about this?”

“Maddox.” Jake gave him a tiny hair-pull shake.

Maddox’s eyes rolled back in head. “Gods, you have to stop doing that.”

“I am never going to stop doing that.” Jake smiled up at him, brilliant and bright. “Whatever it is you want to do in a bed we share, I am more than willing to try. I want to have everything with you. Always. I don’t think I could ever stop wanting you. It’s pulling at me even now. And we’re touching.”

“Yes, which is why we should be kissing.”

“Babe, despite the fireflies, which are both cool and creepy, it is dark and we need to get back. I don’t know how far we’re in or how to get back.”

“I know how to get back.”

“Wait, how can you know that?”

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