IT WAS probably wrong of Trask to find Felipe’s moods entertaining. Mercurial was the only way to describe him. He danced from one emotion to another. He supposed some might find it exhausting or live in fear of Felipe’s flashfire temper, but those darker moods of his were like summer storms. They swept in, made a ruckus, and then it was all sunshine again. Trask didn’t mind getting a little wet during the process. Not when he had the pleasure of seeing Felipe’s smile beam again.
Now Trask, his moods usually involved a long week of leaden skies that threatened rain that never came. One wasn’t necessarily better than the other; it was just interesting to watch how people operated in their own ways.
And Felipe was endlessly fascinating.
Something had sent him into a whirlwind, and Trask had learned the last time not to let the man chew on it for too long. So he poked at him, drawing Felipe’s thoughts on the house out, teasing him into a few smiles as he considered his next move. He knew Felipe expected they would go back to Trask’s place after they shut the Den down, but Trask was thinking he ought to give Felipe a surprise. Felipe sure shocked him in the past, so it was time to turn the tables.
He could hear Felipe in the back, talking to Lady and Sophie as Trask shoved the bank envelopes into the safe. Felipe had been of immense help. He’d brought back dinner from a local deli along with his sulks. He finished straightening and reorganizing the front without complaint. He’d even racked up a considerable sale when he’d talked a guy into a Sisters of Battle set for his daughter, who had discovered a shared love of war gaming. He left with two squads, painting supplies, and kits for scenery, plus a little something extra for himself.
Trask imagined that family’s Christmas afternoon was going to be spent putting minis together. Trask hadn’t done that in a long time. He didn’t have the room at home to work on miniatures, and he kept getting interrupted at work. He could have some space set aside in the new house for hobbies like that if he bought it. War gaming took up space.
He finished locking up, taking extra care to be sure the door was secure, and dimmed the lights in the front of the store. He put some holiday music on and went to join his wayward lover. Felipe was sprawled out on the floor, snickering as Sophie kept trying to grab his Santa hat. He’d fend her off, then pretend to look the other way as she snuck back up on him. Trask hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and leaned against the entryway to watch. Felipe was so full of life, living every moment to the fullest. He definitely had taught Trask a few things, like the difference between being cautious and being stagnant.
If the price was right and the inspection came through, Trask was buying that house. No more waiting for the perfect time. There was no such thing. He had the stability and the need for a new place. Time to just go with it.
Just watching him, seeing the way Felipe’s face lit up when he laughed, made Trask’s chest tighten. He might not be able to identify exactly what Felipe was to him, but he knew it was important. He knew he wanted this relationship to last, and he was more than willing to put in the effort to make it work.
“Hey there, imp,” Trask said, and those velvet-dark, laughing eyes turned on him. Felipe pushed himself up to a sitting position and yelped as Sophie took advantage of his distraction and pulled off the Santa hat. Trask laughed as she ran toward her dog bed with her prize. “You’re not going to be seeing that in one piece again.”
Felipe stuck his tongue out at him. “Glad to be your personal jester.”
Trask walked over and held out his hand to help Felipe up. “You okay?” he asked, cupping Felipe’s jaw. “You seem a little all over the place today.”
Felipe gave him a careless shrug. “The holidays usually have me up and down.”
“I thought that was supposed to be my thing,” Trask murmured, lightly nipping Felipe’s lush lower lip before turning his attention to the tempting curve of Felipe’s neck.
“You don’t get a monopoly on it.” Felipe slid his arms around Trask’s neck and pressed closer. “Just so much going on. Finished my finals, which were a nightmare. Have this thing going on with Abby. That’s still weirding me out some. And then there’s us.”
“Sounds like all good things.” Trask rubbed his hand over Felipe’s back. The heat of him, his scent and nearness had Trask’s head spinning. All day long he’d been thinking of having Felipe alone, been counting down the minutes, and now that it was here, he wanted to linger over the sweetness of the moment.
“Trask… what do you think of us?” Felipe asked in a low, hesitant voice. “Together I mean.”
Trask lifted his head and looked into Felipe’s hazy eyes as his heart squeezed in a tender way. “Us? I think we’re pretty damn special together.”
Felipe’s eyes softened and lit up with that inner warmth that always seemed to spread to include Trask. “For real?”
“Yeah.” Trask smiled slowly and touched his forehead to Felipe’s. “Thank you for fixating your attention on me and luring me out of my little bubble.”
“Thank you for letting me.” Felipe’s gaze hinted at a vulnerability that he rarely showed. “Do you love me?” he asked in a low voice.
It seemed to Trask that Felipe was letting him look right into that sweet soul of his, and it took his breath away that Felipe trusted him with this, with him. His throat tightened as he brushed his knuckles across Felipe’s jaw. “Do kittens cause havoc?” It was such a dumbass way to respond, but it seemed the only response he was capable of right now. There weren’t words to describe how he felt, not words that Trask could form, and he felt like he was screwing the moment up.
“That is such a Trask answer.” Felipe chuckled as his eyes lit up again. Trask’s worry eased. Felipe understood him, understood what he meant. “’Cause I really, really love you,” Felipe said, peppering Trask’s lips with soft kisses.
Trask’s pounding heart calmed as he drew Felipe in and deepened the kiss. “Those words, you, are the best gifts I’ve ever received.” Right then he did feel like the Tin Man when he realized he had a heart the whole time.
Felipe sighed and melted closer. They held each other as Trask enjoyed one of the rare times that Felipe was still. Trask had discovered he enjoyed cuddling, but he only got to indulge in the mornings when Felipe hadn’t quite woken up yet or just before they both drifted off to sleep. All too soon, Felipe stirred and began to pull back.
Trask kissed the warm spot under Felipe’s ear, just to keep him near a moment longer. “Are you going to show me what you’re wearing underneath those jeans of yours?”
“Maybe I’m not in the mood to indulge in one of your lurid fantasies.” Felipe wiggled his way out of Trask’s embrace with a light laugh.
“Maybe I’m in the mood to indulge one of yours.” Trask caught him around the waist as Felipe turned away, and nuzzled the back of his neck. He felt Felipe’s slight shiver and smiled. “Didn’t you say I could pounce all over you until I was satisfied?”
“Only if the offer was tempting enough,” Felipe replied in a breathless voice. He twisted and gave Trask his catlike smile. “What are you offering?”
Trask walked him toward the gaming table that Felipe had tried to seduce him on more than once. “To give you that battle scream you’ve been begging for.”
Felipe let out a soft moan, his body going pliant. “For real? Now? Don’t tease me, Tin Man.”
“Yeah, you’ve had the idea planted in my head for months, and I’ve been obsessed with what you’re wearing underneath your clothes all damn day.” Trask tightened his arms around Felipe and kissed him deeply. “Bend over, imp. Let me play with you.”
With another low moan, Felipe obeyed, bracing himself on his arms as he folded over. Reverently, Trask knelt behind him and ran his hands over Felipe’s ass and thighs. This was better than opening a Christmas present.
Felipe looked over his shoulder, his eyes bright with held-in laughter, and wiggled his ass. “Would you be disappointed if I was naked underneath?”
“Only a fool would be disappointed.” Trask flipped open the button of Felipe’s jeans and skimmed down the zipper. He slid his fingers inside, felt the lace, and his cock hardened in response. Slowly he inched down Felipe’s jeans, revealing the scarlet web of flowers with emerald-green-tipped leaves. “Oh God, Felipe, you don’t do anything halfway, do you?”
Sheer black stockings encased his legs, with the sexiest damn tiny scarlet bow on the back of each thigh. Barely breathing, Trask slid his hands up Felipe’s legs to where the lower curve of his ass peeked out from the lacy edge. With a groan, he pressed his cheek against the fabric and breathed in the scent of Felipe’s arousal as his hands continued to skim up and down, fingering the edges of the garters and panties.
“You okay back there?” Felipe asked with a laugh in his voice. “Now I’m really glad I stopped off at home to change before coming here.”
“I’m discovering fetishes I didn’t know I had.” Trask knelt back on his heels. “Who would’ve thought I had a kinky side.”
“Untapped depths, my love.” Felipe shimmied the rest of the way out of his jeans and toed off his shoes. “I hope this table of yours is sturdy.”
Trask had to taste every damn inch of him. He leaned forward, grasping Felipe’s thighs as he tongued around each garter, licked along the lacy edge of Felipe’s panties. The skin between his thighs was so warm, scorching to the touch as Trask pressed his hand up. Felipe’s breath hitched on a soft moan.
Trask palmed the firm globes of his ass, drinking in the sexy sight of the way the lace clung to his skin, making it seem even fuller, and the musky male scent of him. He slid his finger along the cleft, edged it under the lace. “I’m going to make you whimper for me this time, imp.”
Felipe glanced over his shoulder and wiggled his ass again. “Good luck with that.” He slid his hands down to grip his own ass. “All I have to do is touch myself while you’re watching and you’re putty in my hands.”
Trask did have a fondness for watching Felipe. He oozed confidence and sex. He was turning Trask into an unapologetic voyeur. He wasn’t about to spar with words anymore. Felipe could easily hold an argument all night long. He’d just show him with actions that he was serious. Trask kissed his clever fingers, then took advantage of the fact that Felipe was leaving himself wide open. He eased aside his panties and teased his tongue along the exposed cleft.
“Oh fuck,” Felipe said in the tones of a man who knew he was screwed and didn’t give one damn. Trask laid his hands over Felipe’s, spreading him wider as he thrust his tongue deeper until he felt the ridge of Felipe’s puckered hole. Felipe moaned with a sound of surrender that Trask hadn’t heard in his voice before. Trask wanted to hear more of it and lingered, teasing Felipe, stretching him with his fingers until he was panting and pushing back with soft little whimpers.
Trask stood up with a feeling of triumph and fished the small tube of lube and a condom out of his pocket. He’d felt a little naughty for having them there waiting all day, but when it came to his imp, Trask always wanted to be prepared. “Whimpers sound good on you, Felipe.”
Felipe looked over his shoulder, his eyes glinting wickedly. “Somebody has been thinking of this. Very naughty.”
“So says the man who tempted me with texts and wore this getup.” Trask lightly slapped his ass, and Felipe gave him an unrepentant grin. Then his gaze went hot, and he spread his legs more and jutted his ass out.
“Don’t make me wait any longer.”
This was a temptation that didn’t worry Trask. He palmed Felipe’s ass again, then picked him up and sat him on the edge of the table. “I want to watch your face. I want to be able to do this.” He caught the nape of Felipe’s neck and kissed him hungrily.
Felipe groaned and kissed him back, his fingers fumbling with Trask’s button and fly. He cupped Trask’s cock and squeezed it with a muffled wicked sound against Trask’s lips. Trask caught the edge of the table as his knees threatened to buckle under the wave of lust. Felipe chuckled throatily. “You may have made me whimper, but I can bring you to your knees.”
“You already did.” Trask extricated himself before Felipe got any other ideas and slipped the condom and lube on. “When I was worshipping that fine ass of yours.”
Felipe preened as he lay back and draped his legs over Trask’s chest. “My fine ass wants to feel your cock, and if you don’t—” He broke off with a groan as Trask eased his way into Felipe’s warm and willing body. He felt so good, and Trask half closed his eyes as he savored the feel of him. Felipe pulled his shirt up and ran his hands over his chest, his lips parted in an expression of pleasure that made Trask hungry for more. He braced his hands on either side of Felipe and thrust into him again.
Felipe gasped, wiggling underneath him, gripping Trask’s arms. “More,” he groaned, clenching around him.
Trask obeyed, his heart pounding, and with every snap of his hips, every time he buried himself deeply into Felipe, his lover demanded more in a voice that Trask was helpless to resist.
Trask eased Felipe’s legs down around his waist so he could lean over him. Felipe gripped him with his strong thighs like he didn’t want to let Trask go. Trask kissed his throat and jaw, murmuring tenderly, words that didn’t make sense when strung together, but expressed how Felipe made him feel. He knew Felipe would understand him.
Felipe caught his hands in Trask’s hair. “I love you.” He kissed Trask with a greedy moan.
“Me too,” Trask replied when Felipe finally freed him enough so he could speak again. He never felt about anyone the way he did Felipe. He’d come close. He’d seen the edges of it, but he’d always pulled back and never let himself fall. With Felipe, he didn’t even see that edge coming, and it filled him with an indescribable joy that it had been Felipe. He was worth the wait.
“More,” Felipe gasped, arching against him. As they gripped each other’s hands, white-knuckled, Trask pounded into him with lust and love and sweet aching need until they both tumbled over the edge and Felipe gave that wild battle cry he’d promised.
Trask would never look at the damned gaming table the same way again.
Felipe went limp, his arms and legs sliding from Trask’s body. Trask stayed right where he was, his heart starting to slow as he held on to Felipe. “I think that changed my outlook on life,” he murmured, and Felipe laughed out loud.
“That’s some transcendental sex,” he said and nipped Trask’s ear.
Trask lifted his head and smiled down at Felipe, flushed and warm, his eyes half-lidded with a sated, sexy look. “No, it’s just you.” He slid his hand through Felipe’s dark curls. “You’re transcendental. You’ve got me hooked, Felipe, so don’t go anywhere, okay?”
Felipe lifted up on his hands and brushed his mouth over Trask’s. “That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.”
Trask wrapped his arms around Felipe and nested his chin on his head. He had him, now he just needed to figure out a way to keep him. Because he never wanted Felipe to have to choose between his family and Trask. He’d never make him. He just hoped it wouldn’t come down to having to pull back and slow down a bit, because he loved this ride that Felipe had him on. It was one he could see staying on for life.