by Jaime Samms
“I figured that out, love.” I smiled at my own stupidity, but it was tense, and I saw the worry in his eyes. “I was mad because I should never ‘ave doubted ye, because I couldn't help feeling completely, out-of-control furious that you would let him see yer arse.”
His brow knotted with his frown.
“Can I help it if I'm insanely jealous?”
“Possessive is sweet. Jealous...”
“Isn't. I know, and I'm sorry.” I ran my hand through his hair, watching his expression, watching the uncertainty flit about in his eyes. “I won't doubt ye again, Ian.”
He nodded. “It was...” He swallowed hard, and I realized there was something other than the issue of me trusting him going on in his head.
“Was what?”
“You.” All his limbs tightened around me, and he curled up against me. “I almost lost you.”
Stupid accident caused by a stupid misunderstanding I could have prevented by simply asking. “I'm sorry.” Ian had never been much for tears. Anger usually replaced them, but now he shook in my arms and clung, and there was nothing I could do but hold on and whisper my apologies, knowing this release had been a long time coming for him.
Slowly, though, the trembling subsided, and he settled back into the mattress where he gazed up at me, that look in his eyes that went way beyond lust.
“Twice.”
“Twice what?”
“I've bottomed twice.”
That was a surprise. He'd never pretended to be anything but the lusty, vigorous guy I'd been with for almost two years now. I'd assumed his enthusiasm for topping me stemmed from my own desire to be on the receiving end. I studied him. “Twice.”
“Well.” He wiggled a bit, trying to get more comfortable, and his cock slid delicately along mine, sending a shiver through me. “Not twice. Two guys. Once in secondary school. Gave my virginity to the love of my life.”
“Guessing that didn't work out how ye expected.”
“No. He was my shining star of discovery. I was his experiment. I was in love, he was curious. And horny. Last time I checked, he was married in Omaha with six kids.”
“I'm sorry to hear that, Ian. Ye must have been devastated.”
He shrugged a little and laughed. “I was. But time heals, you know?”
“Oh.” I kissed his forehead and brushed a bit of longish hair away from his cheek. “I know. So does the love of a good man.”
His grin about blinded me at that proximity. He was so easy to please sometimes, it almost seemed impossible I should be so lucky.
“And the second guy?”
“College.” This time, he didn't recall with the same sense of life lessons learned. A soft frown marred his expression again. “Peter. Beautiful man. Fantastic—”
“Ian.”
“Heh. Well, he was.”
“But he broke your heart, so I'm not required to like him.”
“Actually, I think I broke his. We really were in love.”
I suddenly did not need to hear any more, but when I tried to get up, he hung on.
“I thought he was the best thing ever.”
“But?” I knew I sounded harsh. He just soothed me, a hand running over my back and fingers playing through my hair; something he'd done for hours on end when I was in too much pain to eat or sleep or be alive. I closed my eyes against those memories. That was behind us.
“I couldn't stay in the closet with him. I didn't want to. I guess I didn't love him enough.”
We stayed quiet a long time, his fingers running through my hair, his gaze a long way off.
“Only twice?” I watched his face flicker through his past, watched his eyes come back and focus on me.
He nodded. “Twice.”
“Why?”
His little shrug was so understated compared to the explanation that followed. “I never fell in love again.” His body shifted, his hips raised, and he tightened his legs around mine. “Until now. Until you.”
I lifted my head to see him better. He was watching me intently. “So...”
“Third time's the charm, right?” His smile could have melted even me Da.
“That's—” I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried again. “Yeah. So they say.”
“Will you fuck me, David?”
“Oh, aye. And then some, Ian McVeigh.” I bent to kiss him, deep and long, falling completely into him.
Oh, aye. And then some.
* * *
Visit www.loveyoudivine.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.