Chapter Four

IT SEEMED ONLY a short time later that Christian opened his eyes, sweaty from the naked body twined around his. God, Dani felt perfect, his chin snug on Christian’s shoulder, warm dick against his thigh. Dani still slept and Christian glanced at the bedside clock, surprised he’d been out of it for nearly two hours. His stomach rumbled on cue, reminding him he hadn’t had breakfast.

Oddly reluctant to move, he peered down at Dani. Fine blond hair caressed a pale cheek, caught in long dark lashes. Rosy lips parted on an indrawn breath, making Christian hunger for a taste. An unexpected feeling of possessiveness came over him, and he pulled Dani a little closer. Who would he be when he woke up? His sweet self or the more masculine man he’d glimpsed once, when a waiter had snubbed him? Dani had balled his hand into a fist, gray eyes flashing, showing Christian he could take care of himself.

He tenderly brushed the hair from Dani’s face. “Who will you be?” He was excited to find out. And wouldn’t it be amazing to have that privilege every morning? Or even moment to moment, depending on Dani’s mood? The sting of jealousy at the thought of someone else experiencing it surprised him.

Why had Dani been out in the cold this morning? Christian’s thoughts kept returning to that question. Abruptly restless, he eased out from under Dani and crossed the semidark room to the short hallway leading to the living area. Going to the table by the front door, he hesitated only a second before pulling open Dani’s burlap sack. He blinked, puzzled. Candles?

Opening the bag farther, he pulled out two multicolored pillars, about six inches tall. There were half a dozen more and several tattered matchbooks still in the sack. Christian didn’t know much about candles, but they seemed to be of good quality.

He widened his eyes in sudden realization and shame. He’d seen Dani before. Many times. The Little Match Girl, they called him, a lone fairy sitting on a street corner downtown, huddled in ragged clothing against the cold. He had a single candle lit, others on the bare cement beside him. Christian hardly gave him a glance, crossing the street to avoid walking near him.

His heart twisted. How many others had done that, leaving Dani to walk home chilled and hungry, without money for dinner?

“Seen enough?”

He jumped at the voice at his elbow and turned guiltily. There was nothing soft about Dani now. His lips were pressed tight, eyes flashing, body held rigid. Christian took a step back, not out of fear, but because Dani was amazing looking, so vibrant. To think he might have lost him to the cold the night before…

Sudden realization that they were both naked in the empty apartment struck him, and he couldn’t help raking his gaze down the sleek body to a very nice cock, already half-erect. Dani sucked in a breath and then took a step to close the distance between them, capturing Christian’s lips in a demanding kiss. Christian gave in willingly, tongues tangling, tasting and teasing until they were both fighting for breath, cocks crushed and rutting against each other.

With a last nip on Christian’s lower lip, Dani licked down his neck, pausing to suck enthusiastically on a nipple, sharp teeth sparking pleasure to Christian’s already aching dick. Dani slid down his body, nibbling, taking his time until Christian moaned with frustration.

“Please, Dani,” he begged, unconsciously pushing his hips forward. A wicked chuckle came in reply, making his pulse leap with glee. He was going to enjoy every minute of the time Dani gave him. He lowered his gaze, put his hand out to caress the silky blond head working its way downward. Dani kissed his palm then quickly turned back and licked the head of Christian’s dick, making him jump.

“Fuck.” Christian wished he was leaning against something as his knees went weak. He watched intently as Dani’s plump lips folded over his cock, drawing him into the wet, sucking heat of his mouth. He wasn’t going to last. It had been too long since a clever tongue had been on him, and Dani knew what he was doing.

“Sweetheart,” he murmured as the familiar, pleasurable ache built toward release. He threaded his fingers in Dani’s hair, tilted his head slightly back, wanting to see his eyes. His breath whooshed out. Christ! Hurt and sadness and bone-deep loneliness were betrayed in that unguarded look, and then Dani jerked his head down. Christian tried to pull back, not wanting to come like this, but Dani bit him and his orgasm burst out, making him stumble. Light-headed, he fought the bliss attacking his senses, but Dani was already on his feet.

“Wait,” Christian called, voice thick as he caught his breath, and stumbled after him as Dani raced for the bedroom. By the time he reached the door, Dani was pulling on his tattered pants, shirt clutched in his hand. Shit. Christian had meant to loan him some clothes from his slimmer roommate.

He leaned on the doorframe, arms crossed on his chest. “What’s going on?”

Dani didn’t look at him, drawing his shirt over his head. “What do you mean? I got out of the cold, you get to brag to your friends you fucked the match girl. Guess we both got what we wanted.” His voice was angry, bitter, making Christian wince.

“You think that’s what’s going on here?”

“What else?”

Dani’s shoulders suddenly slumped, and he sat on the edge of the bed, a small dejected figure. It hurt to see him like that, and Christian crossed over to sit beside him. After hesitating only a second, he picked up Dani’s hand, twining their fingers together.

“We’ve been seeing each other every night for a while now, Dani. I thought we were becoming friends?”

Dani’s breath was ragged. “I was afraid to think that,” he confessed in a rough whisper, eyes on the floor. “Most guys are content to fuck me, but I don’t know why they bother. I never see them again. Or they ignore me.”

“I know why,” Christian told him gently, touching his face with his free hand, drawing his gaze. “You’re beautiful, Dani. But more than that, even at your softest times, you have that don’t-fuck-with-me attitude that’s intensely attractive. Sexy.” Unable to help himself, he brushed his thumb over Dani’s full bottom lip and groaned. “I dream about your mouth,” he admitted and laughed a little. “That sounds creepy, but I can’t help it.”

Christian’s pulse jumped when a smile ghosted across Dani’s face.

“I dream about you too,” Dani said, pretty color in his face. He leaned against Christian’s shoulder. Untangling their fingers, he skimmed them over Christian’s chest then followed the wisps of hair to his growing erection. “Do you want to know what I dream about?” he asked coyly, circling the crown with a hard nail.

“Yes,” Christian said on a husky breath.

Dani gave him a wicked smile. “This,” he confessed and pressed those gorgeous, sweet-tasting lips to his. Pushing him back on the bed, Dani pulled his shirt off and straddled him. Christian thought his heart would pound out of his chest when Dani undid his own pants. Then he fished out his cock, and lust scorched through Christian when he held it to Christian’s mouth for a taste.