“Then we don’t stop. Which is going to be a hell of a lot easier.” He opened his arms. “Can I hold you?”
“God, yes.” Mark stepped forward, pressing flush against him. Delaney’s heart turned over when he felt the fine tremor running through the other man’s body, and wrapped his arms securely around his mate. Their lips met, and this time Mark’s tongue slipped into his mouth, licking hotly against the sensitive inner flesh of his lips. He wanted to howl with pure happiness. Mine. All mine.
The height difference meant that Mark’s erection bumped against Delaney’s balls in a delicious tease, rubbing against him through two layers of cloth. “God, I hope you know what you’re doing,” Mark muttered. “I am totally clueless here.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a pretty good idea.” Delaney hadn’t been to bed with another man for some time, but he was confident he still remembered the basic principles. “Let’s get in bed.”
Instead of sliding into bed, Mark tightened his grip, pulling Delaney off balance and tumbling them both to the mattress. They both laughed as they bounced, and Mark attacked Delaney’s clothing with relish, almost yanking the buttons off his Oxford shirt. “Off, get this off,” he chanted.
“All right, all right.” Delaney popped the remaining buttons, peeling out of the shirt and tossing it away. Shoes and pants followed, and he relaxed back on his elbows as Mark pulled off his boxer briefs, letting his cock thump back against his belly. “You like?”
“Yeah.” Mark’s eyes were dark again, and he reached for Delaney’s cock, then hesitated. “Uh....”
“Touch it. Just like you’d touch yourself.”
Mark did, wrapping his hand under the plump mushroom head and squeezing softly. Delaney let his head drop back and groaned. His mate’s hand began to stroke up and down, stoking what was already a blaze into a Yosemite-sized inferno.
The familiar pressure built up in Delaney’s balls, and he grabbed Mark’s wrist. “Babe, stop,” he panted. “I’m gonna blow.”
“So blow. We’ve got all night.”
“You sexy sonofabitch.” He flipped over, rolling Mark onto his back. “I want to do it inside you. If I don’t, my head’s going to explode.”
A flicker of apprehension crossed Mark’s face, and Delaney kissed him quickly. “I meant it when I said we’ll take it slow. You say stop, I stop.”
Biting his lip, Mark nodded. Delaney grabbed one of the pillows at the head of the bed and pushed it under the smaller man’s ass to lift it, before rooting inside the bedside table’s drawer. “I know I left some here—aha.” He rolled back with a bottle of lube.
One of Mark’s eyebrows went up as he eyed the container. “Condoms?”
“Shifters are immune to human disease, and I can smell that you’re healthy anyway, plus you just took a shower so everything’s clean. Also, I meant it when I said I had to come inside you. It’s part of the mating bond. First things first, though.” He tossed the supplies on the bed and moved until he was kneeling between Mark’s spread legs, arranging them so that they rested over his own thighs. Delaney stroked his cock, gathering up pearls of precome on his fingertip. Reaching between Mark’s thighs, he pressed his slick finger against the dark pink hole there. He could feel the tiny iris twitch against the pad of his finger, then dilate just a bit.
Mark hissed at the sensation. “I think you’re supposed to use lube?” he said, sounding slightly panicked.
“I will, trust me. But this will help.” Delaney pressed until the muscle opened a bit more, then slid his fingertip inside his mate. Slick, moist heat greeted him, and his cock throbbed in anticipation.
Mark’s breath caught, then expended in a low, ragged sigh as Delaney’s fingertip slid in further. “God, that’s good,” he said, slurring slightly. “Why does that feel so good?”
“Lots of nerve endings. Ass play can be amazing if it’s done right.” Delaney grabbed the lube and popped the cap, dribbling a stream of thick fluid over Mark’s crease and working it into his hole. He slid his finger deeper, searching.
Mark suddenly arched off the bed and let out a noise that could only be called a wail. “Oh God, what—fuck!” he gasped. “What is that?”
Delaney grinned. “Prostate. Glad you like it. Means you’re gonna love this.”
He started playing with the small knot of tissue, gently stroking it, then rubbing circles into it. Mark writhed on his finger, babbling and clutching at the blanket. After a bit Delaney slid in a second finger, wrapping his free hand around Mark’s cock and stroking it to take his mate’s mind off the stretching burn. It didn’t seem to faze Mark; in fact, the additional finger only increased his wriggling and pleading.
Carefully, Delaney added a third finger, eyeing the pink rim dilating and stretching around his fingers. For someone who wasn’t gay, it seemed that his mate was a born bottom. Good. Last thing I want to do is hurt him when I fuck him into the mattress tonight. And this week. Well, month. Rest of our lives, really.
****
Mark closed his eyes and shivered at the electric thrum of pleasure radiating from the fingers in his ass. “Why doesn’t this hurt?” he panted. “This should hurt, I know it should.”
“My precome,” Delaney said, pulling his fingers out. Mark was appalled at the whimper he made at the sudden emptiness. “It helps your muscles relax. Your body needs mine, just as much as I need you, and now all your muscles are easing, letting me in.”
“Fuck.” Mark pressed his head back into his pillow as Delaney scootched closer. Something larger than fingers pressed against Mark’s hole. There was a moment of burning pressure, and he sucked in air.
Delaney backed off, then tried again. “Push back against me.”
Mark did, feeling the pressure build to the point of pain. He pushed back again, and gasped when the head of Delaney’s cock popped inside him. “Ah!”
The other man froze. “Am I hurting you?”
“Uh, no.” And to his surprise, that was the truth. “It just burns a little. Wow.”
“Yeah, wow is right. Shit, you feel amazing.” Delaney stroked his thighs, cupping his hands over Mark’s hipbones. “I won’t move until you tell me I can.”
Mark nodded, focused on his ass. The burn had already started to subside and he felt stretched, but in a weirdly good way. And God, there was this need growing inside him, the need for Delaney to be buried balls deep inside him.
He wrapped his legs around Delaney’s waist, crossing his ankles over the shifter’s spine. “I think you can go a little deeper.”
Delaney obeyed, easing forward. Every amazing inch that sank inside him felt better than the one before, and Mark wriggled a little when Delaney hesitated, pushing down with his heels until the shifter bottomed out. His leaking cock was caged between their bellies, slipping against sweaty skin and adding its own slick pleasure.
Delaney stared down at him, pupils blown black with desire. “Fuck, you feel so good, babe. Tight and hot, like you’re made for me. Tell me it’s good for you, too.”
Mark blushed. He felt incredibly full and stretched, but it was a fantastic fullness, satisfying that deep craving in him. “Yeah. It’s like I always needed you inside me. I just didn’t know it until now. God, it’s amazing.” He ran his hands up Delaney’s back, feeling the play of muscles under the other man’s skin. “I don’t believe I’m saying this, but —fuck me? Please?”
Delaney leaned closer, sucking at Mark’s mouth in a wet, hungry kiss. “With pleasure.”
****
Delaney pulled out until he was barely inside Mark, then thrust back in. The combination of pressure and friction lit up his nervous system like a fireworks display, and he moaned at the feeling, so tight and hot around his aching dick.
Mark’s hands clutched at his shoulders, the human’s head rolling from side to side as he panted with pleasure. “Yes, fuck me harder, oh God please—”
Delaney had no intention of disappointing his mate. He started rolling his hips, feeling his balls
slap against Mark’s ass on the bottom of each thrust. The world narrowed down to their two bodies and the places where they met—lips, chests, bellies, groins. Hands roamed, clutching, caressing, stroking. Hot breath in each other’s faces, words like more and please and harder whispered to each other in between gasps, moans, and growls.
Delaney watched in rapture as a deep red flush crept up over Mark’s abs to his chest, then to his neck and face. He could feel the other man’s orgasm building alongside his own, pleasure gushing back and forth between them like a blood tide.
Instinct took over. Canines extending, he bit into the meaty part of Mark’s shoulder. Mark screamed, pressing closer against him. The salty, smoky taste of his mate’s blood flooded Delaney’s mouth, and his eyes rolled back in bliss. The mating bond snapped into place, iron-hard and indestructible. He would always be able to track Mark from smell alone, know how he felt, even what he was thinking if his mate permitted it.
Coming almost seemed secondary next to the mating bond, but he still felt it build in his balls before his cock went rigid and he roared out in orgasm. His semen gouted deep inside Mark, triggering the man’s own orgasm, and he felt warm wetness splash up between their bellies as Mark’s inner muscles convulsed, milking him.
Replete, he sank onto his mate’s body, wet with sweat and smelling like salt, musk, and semen. Sniffing deeply, he locked each individual scent into memory where he could savor them. Mine. Mine. All mine, my mate.
Mark raised his sweaty head, eyes still glassy and blissed out. “What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything.” Delaney paused. “Wait, what did you hear?”
“Something about mine, my mate.”
A thrill ran through him. Mated shifters could mentally communicate with each other, but he wasn’t sure if that ability extended to a human/shifter mating. He concentrated. Can you hear me now?
Mark stared at him. “Yes. Holy God.” He blinked, then grinned. “Can all shifters do this?”
“Just the mated ones. Try thinking at me.”
Mark’s face screwed up with effort. You’re heavy came through, dim but understandable.
“Oops, sorry.” Delaney slid out of his body, stretching out on the bed. “That clinches it, babe. We were made for each other.”
“Apparently.” Mark lowered his legs, wincing. “Ow. Did I mention that you’re big?”
Come on, Smith, time to be a good mate. Still buzzing happily with their new bond, Delaney rolled out of bed and padded to the bathroom for a quick wash. He came back with a warm, damp washcloth and proceeded to clean Mark up, to his mate’s embarrassed objections.
I can wipe my own ass, you know.
Shut up and let me do this, all right? Delaney eyed the firm curves under his hand, and the tawny skin leading to a slightly puffy-looking hole. Next time, he promised himself, he’d put Mark on his stomach and feast on that tender skin until the other man begged for mercy.
Tossing the washcloth onto the nightstand, Delaney curled around Mark, nuzzling the sweaty curls at the nape of his neck. “Just checking —you’re not quitting Trickster or anything now, are you?”
Mark shifted. “No, why?” He twisted so that he could look at Delaney. “Do you want me to?”
“Hell no. I was just thinking that we could carpool.” And fuck in the office, but we can talk about that later.
Mark relaxed. “Oh. Yeah, okay. But doesn’t this break fraternization rules or something?”
“Nope. That’s the nice thing about working for a shifter-owned company. We have special work clauses for mates. Besides, if you left now Scott would skin me, what with the Lone Star release coming up.”
“Hm. And I like your skin where it is, so I’d better not go anywhere.”
Delaney smiled into Mark’s curls. “Sounds like a plan to me.”
Chapter Six
Mark woke up to the warmth of morning sunshine on his face. Squinting, he tried to turn, over and found himself snuggling into Delaney’s chest.
The events of the previous night drifted through his mind, and he grinned against his new boyfriend’s—no, mate, call him what he is—skin. He could feel the pleasant aches that came after a night of really good sex, although the one in his ass was a bit sharper than he would have liked.
“Sorry,” Delaney mumbled, throwing an arm around him. “Won’t do that again for a day or two.”
Mark remembered that the shifter could hear his thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea of someone, even Delaney, being able to read his mind.
Delaney raised his head, sleepy brown eyes opening and slowly focusing on Mark. “What’s wrong?” he mumbled.
“I just remembered that you can read my mind. It’s a little —well, scary.”
“Oh. No, babe, I can’t read your mind. I can hear it if you think directly at me, yeah, but I can’t tell what else you’re thinking.” He leaned over and kissed Mark’s forehead. “Don’t worry. Your head is your own. I can’t get in there without your permission.”
“But you just heard me think about my ass hurting.”
The shifter chuckled. “I heard you hiss when you moved. It wasn’t hard to figure out why.” This time he kissed Mark on the mouth. “Which is fine. There’s plenty of other things we can do.”
Mark felt his morning wood perk up at that. “Oh, really? Like what?”
“Mm, ever heard of frottage?”
“Sounds French. Is it dirty?”
“Only if you do it right.” Delaney reached out and grabbed the lube bottle they’d left on the nightstand. “Allow me to demonstrate, monsieur.”
****
After a set of deliciously messy orgasms, they reluctantly headed to the shower. “We better hurry up and get into work,” Mark said, rinsing himself under the spray. “We’re late as it is.”
“I should get the week off,” the shifter grumbled, licking drops of water off Mark’s shoulders. “Scott took a week and a half off when he mated Carmen.”
“You just came back from vacation yesterday.” It struck Mark that he had met Delaney less than twenty-four hours ago. This time yesterday, he had woken up thinking about the day’s work tasks, what was going to happen on that week’s episode of Agents of SHIELD, and whether he could talk Caren into dinner and a movie.
Caren. Guilt pricked him. He had to call her. Worse, he had to break up with her. Although in retrospect, he wondered, was it really such a bad thing? She was gorgeous, yes, and it would have been nice to sleep with her at least once. But she could be awfully distant at times, and he was getting a little tired of being held at arm’s length. It’s probably better for the both of us. She can find another workaholic executive, and they can raise ulcers together.
Delaney shut off the shower and started toweling them both off. “Did you say something, babe?”
“Nothing.” Mark pulled in him for a quick kiss. “We need to get moving, don’t we?”
“Rank hath its privileges. We get in when we get in.” Delaney smirked. “Besides, I believe you were promised breakfast.”
Mark’s stomach rumbled, and he gave in. “I think you said something about pancakes?”
Delaney squeezed his ass. “Two buttermilk pancake stacks, coming up.”
****
The moment he and Delaney walked into the office, Aimee sniffed, then beamed at the two of them. “Aw, congratulations! That’s so romantic,” she said with a big grin. “But shouldn’t you two be home boffing each other stupid?”
Mark spluttered in shock, but Delaney just leaned on the receptionist’s desk and chuckled. “Most of Trickster’s permanent employee roster, including Aimee here, is made up of coyote shifters,” he said. “It’s why Scott and I decided to name the company Trickster Tech.”
Aimee nodded. “Scott’s our pack leader, what we call an Alpha.” She glared over her shoulder at the executive office corridor. “And if he dragged you in during your bonding time, I’m gonna bite him right on the ass on our next run.”
/> “It’s okay, Aims,” Delaney said. “We’ll take some time off after the Lone Star release. Speaking of our glorious leader, is he in yet?”
“He’s running late, and you’ve got a conference call with that new startup in Richardson in five minutes.”
“Okay.” Delaney turned to Mark with a smile that made Mark’s heart glow. “Come get me at lunch and I’ll introduce you around.”
“But I already know most of the people in Engineering,” Mark pointed out.
“Yeah, but you need to be properly introduced as Del’s mate to all the Tricksters,” Aimee cut in. “It’s customary —we need to know who’s in the inner circle, so to speak.”
Over the next few days, Mark learned the private hierarchy behind the public company structure. Instead of occupying the no-man’s-land of contractors, he was very close to the top of the heap as Delaney’s mate. People who had smiled politely at him in the hallways now greeted him with genuine warmth, congratulating him and Delaney on their mating. There were a few raised eyebrows when Delaney explained that Mark was human, but on the whole the Trickster shifters seemed to accept him without question.
Aimee had a lot of fun in particular, razzing him about landing Trickster Tech’s most eligible bachelor and commenting in luridly explicit detail about their sex life. When he let it slip that he knew Morse code, the former Army Signal Corps officer took advantage of that and started sending hilariously dirty messages to his phone by selectively pressing the inside line button in a pattern of dots and dashes, usually during web-based team meetings. Mark had to fight to keep a straight face for the webcam while in his peripheral vision his phone blithely flashed rude messages about trapezes, lube, and blowup sheep dolls.
And then there was the sex with Delaney. Hot, bone-melting, amazingly powerful sex in bed, the shower, the kitchen, his apartment, Delaney’s hot tub, Delaney’s office, and one particularly memorable late night blowjob in Mark’s cubicle. To his private delight his mate had no problems with switching things up, kneeling on the edge of the bed one night and waggling the world’s most perfect bubble butt at him. Mark was happy to comply, and the memory of sinking into that hot, silken squeeze as Delaney moaned still made his cock twitch.
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