Underneath

by Maggie Walsh

  Taylor’s eyes took in all of Raffy from head to toe and a smile spread across his lips. “Now that’s how you make an entrance. But I think you’re missing something,” Taylor said, and walked over to Raffy. “A little liner on those amazing eyes of yours, and some gloss on those sinfully plump lips, and Christian will be kneeling at your feet,” Taylor hummed.

  Raffy swallowed hard as he wrung his fingers together. “You…don’t think…I look…” he asked nervously, and shrugged one shoulder.

  “You look fan-fucking-tabulous. Are you kidding me? Your tight little body was made to wear that gorgeous corset. And the heels are to die for. I only wish we were the same size so I could borrow them,” Taylor said as stepped closer to Raffy. “I wonder how that corset would look on me. Oh, and I would love to see Gabriel’s reaction to me in one of those. I bet he would either swallow his tongue or trip over it.” Taylor laughed. “That’s if I ever let him touch me again,” Taylor said in annoyance, and flicked his wrist in the air as he rolled his eyes and turned.

  “Is everything okay, Taylor? Are you and Gabriel okay?” Raffy asked in a panic. He loved his big brother, but he loved Taylor, too. Taylor wasn’t only his brother-in-law, he was his friend, a friend who never seemed to judge him or make fun of him, but accepted him exactly as he was. He didn’t want anything to happen to Taylor and Gabriel, especially if it was something that would take Taylor away.

  “Yeah,” Taylor said, but his voice held a coldness to it that Raffy didn’t like. Taylor walked over to Raffy’s dresser and grabbed his makeup case. He sashayed back over to the bed and sat. He looked at Raffy and patted the spot next to him. Raffy walked over and sat beside him.

  Taylor took out a black liner and turned to Raffy. “Look up, sweetie,” Taylor instructed. Raffy did as he said, and Taylor started to apply the liner under his eyes. They sat in silence as Taylor finished with the liner and then applied some gloss to Raffy’s lips. He dropped his hand and looked at Raffy, admiring his work. “You look hot as hell and good enough to eat,” Taylor said seductively.

  Raffy smiled shyly and looked down. “Thank you, Taylor. For everything.”

  Taylor waved off his comment. “It was nothing, sweetie. A little liner and some gloss,” he said as he put the items back in their case and zipped it up. He stood up and walked back to the dresser.

  “I meant for…not…thinking I was…a…freak. Or for…not…making fun of me,” Raffy said nervously.

  Taylor swung around to face him, his face a mask of pain and horror. “Who has done that to you, sweetie? Tell me and I will rip their gonads off,” Taylor said angrily, and went back to sit next to Raffy.

  Raffy’s eyes went wide at the intensity in Taylor’s voice. “No one here, Taylor. Everyone here has been very nice, very kind,” he said quickly.

  Taylor blew out a breath in relief. “Good. For a minute there I thought I was gonna have to make one of my new brothers a sister.”

  Raffy looked at him in shock for a minute and then burst out laughing. He laughed so hard his stomach hurt and tears ran down his face. He flopped back on the bed and wrapped his arms around his stomach as he continued to laugh.

  Taylor chuckled at him. “Thanks for the encouragement, sweetie, but it wasn’t that funny. That was one of my lamer comments.”

  “No…I just pictured…” He continued to laugh as the tears streamed down his face. “I just pictured…my father…dressed like this…after you turned him into a…woman.” He cracked up again.

  Taylor started to laugh with him. “Well, there’s a man I never had the displeasure of meeting, but if I ever do, I may just castrate him for what he did to all of you. Then we can dress him up like our very own dress-me-up Barbie and parade him around.” Taylor laughed. Raffy only laughed harder at Taylor’s words. They never heard the door open.

  * * * *

  Christian heard the laughter long before he approached his mate’s door, and it made him smile. It wasn’t very often that Raffy laughed, but when he did it was the most beautiful sound Christian had ever heard. It filled his heart with happiness and made him want to join in. Raffy’s laugh was so addictive. He knocked lightly on Raffy’s door, but all he heard was another bout of laughter. Christian opened the door and stepped in. His eyes caught Taylor and his mate, lying in the bed, laughing. Leave it up to Taylor to make my mate laugh like that, he thought, but then froze when his eyes focused on his mate.

  Raffy was dressed in a gold corset that accentuated his beautiful body. A small gold triangle held his impressive cock tight against his body. Christian licked his lips as he remembered having Raffy in his mouth and how incredible he tasted. His eyes went lower and he saw a pair of thigh-high, sheer stockings covering his legs, making them look even sexier. Then he spotted the gold heels and he thought he would come in his pants. The shoes helped make Raffy’s legs look long and sleek. He wanted to feel those legs wrapped around his waist as those heels dug into his back.

  A vision of Raffy wrapping those heels around his neck as he drove into his mate’s tight hole started to fill his thoughts. His cock was straining against his zipper, and he wanted to pull his cock out of his pants and stroke himself as he stared at his gorgeous mate showing off his sexy body for him in that outfit. He growled low in his throat as he thought about Raffy standing up and modeling the hot getup for him.

  Raffy and Taylor both jumped from the sound of the growl coming from the foot of the bed. They found Christian standing there, looking at them with an intense stare.

  “Christian,” Raffy said in a scared whisper. “I-I-I,” he stammered and grabbed a pillow and placed it in front of him to cover himself. He looked down in shame as his face turned red and tears started to flow.

  “Taylor, would you excuse us please?” Christian asked gently. Taylor kissed Raffy’s head and stood. He looked at Christian with a sad smile and left the room.

  Christian walked over to the side of the bed and sat down next to his mate. He fingered the pillow in Raffy’s grasp. “You don’t have to hide from me, mate. Or be ashamed. I won’t judge you, angel,” Christian said tenderly.

  Raffy lifted his head slightly, just enough so he could look at Christian through his lashes. Christian’s face showed no anger or disgust, only worry and concern. Raffy lifted his head a little higher and met Christian’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in a pain-filled voice.

  Christian cupped his cheek. “Why are you sorry, angel? You have done nothing wrong,” Christian asked.

  “Because you got a freak for a mate,” Raffy said sadly, and tried to turn away, but Christian held his chin and wouldn’t let him.

  “Let me tell you something about the so-called freaks you’re talking about. They are usually the most talented people on the face of the earth. Most of your artists, musicians, authors, and celebrities will tell you that they were considered freaks or that they considered themselves to be freaks. So if you are putting yourself in with them, then I can’t wait to discover what talents you have. But if you are putting yourself in the category of freak as something bad or as a self-insult, then you need to stop that way of thinking right now. Tell me, angel, how do these clothes make you feel when you wear them?”

  “I-I like the way they feel against my skin and…” Raffy said nervously.

  “And?” Christian coaxed gently.

  “And, they make me feel…sexy,” Raffy explained shyly, and looked down, ashamed.

  Christian placed a finger under Raffy’s chin and gently lifted his face until their eyes met. “You are an amazing person, Raffy. You are smart and kind. You care about people and their feelings. You are gentle and loving and you are hot as hell no matter what you wear. You could walk around in a burlap sack and I would still see you as the most beautiful man I have ever seen. But…” Christian placed a finger over Raffy’s mouth when he went to interrupt. “But, if these clothes help you to see you the way I see you, as a very sexy man, then I am all for it. I love the way these clothes look on you, but m
ore importantly, I love what is underneath the clothes more. I love the man inside them. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about how you are dressed. The only thing I care about is if you like what you wear and if it makes you happy,” Christian said, and then kissed Raffy softly on the lips.

  Raffy dropped his head and pressed his forehead to Christian’s chest. “I was so afraid you would be disgusted by me,” Raffy said in a shaky voice.

  Christian picked him up and placed Raffy on his lap, straddling him. Christian grabbed Raffy’s face between his hands and stared into his eyes. “I will never be disgusted by you, angel. Never. I love everything about you. And you really do look very, very sexy in this. I almost swallowed my tongue when I first saw you because of how turned on I was with this sexy outfit on my incredibly gorgeous mate.” Christian pressed his lips to his mate’s and kissed him deeply, tenderly. Raffy whimpered against him as he kissed him back. Christian broke the kiss and put his forehead to Raffy’s. “Mmm, you taste as sexy as you look. Tell me, angel, do you have other things like this, or is this it?” Christian asked with a small smirk.

  Raffy smiled back at him. “I bought a few things, but not much.”

  “Well then I think we need to go shopping again and get you whatever you desire. If these undergarments make you happy, then I will buy you the whole damn store, angel,” Christian said.

  Raffy giggled as he lay his head on Christian’s shoulder and then nuzzled his neck. “You don’t have to do that, Christian, but thank you. And thank you for not judging me or thinking there’s something wrong with me.”

  Christian tightened his arms around his mate. “Someone made you feel bad about this, didn’t they?” he asked gently. Raffy nodded his head, but said nothing. “Who was it, sweetheart? Who made you feel like what you like wasn’t important or that you and your feelings weren’t important?”

  “My father,” Raffy whispered, and Christian growled. Raffy ran his hand up Christian’s chest to sooth him. “He caught me wearing a skirt once and called me a disgusting freak. He said I was an abomination just like Gabriel and Castiel and then he beat me. He yelled at me that I wasn’t a woman and he would do whatever he had to do to beat the sissy out of me. It wasn’t long after that that he gave me away,” Raffy said on a sob.

  “Oh, sweetheart, he was so wrong. So, so wrong in everything he said and did to you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with liking the things we do as long as it’s not hurting anyone. If this is what you like to wear, then wear it. If you want to wear a skirt, then that’s fine, too,” Christian said, and kissed the top of his head.

  Raffy pulled back and looked at him in surprise. “Really? You would be okay if once in a while I wanted to wear a skirt?”

  Christian smiled and wiped the tears from his cheek. “If it makes you happy, then it makes me happy. And think of it this way, a skirt gives me easier access to all your goodies,” Christian said with a smile, and wiggled his eyebrows. Raffy bit his bottom lip and giggled as he turned red and ducked his head.

  They sat there for a few minutes, just holding each other as Christian rubbed his hands up and down the smooth leather across Raffy’s back. “So, angel, I actually came in here to ask you a question,” Christian said, breaking the silence.

  Raffy pulled back and looked at him again. “What, Christian?”

  “Well, I know you don’t like to go where there are a lot of people, but there’s a winter festival in the village. There’s snowman making contests and sleigh rides and lots of different food carts, with hot apple cider and popcorn and hot chocolate and roasted chestnuts, and the village is all lit up still from the holidays, and with the fresh snowfall we got last night, it looks like a winter wonderland. It’s…” Raffy covered his lips with his fingers, stopping Christian.

  Raffy gave him a big, bright smile, and Christian melted. “You’re rambling. It’s cute when you ramble.” Raffy giggled. Now it was Christian’s turn to blush.

  “I was just wondering if you would like to go to the festival with me. If you think you’ll be okay. If you don’t think you can do it, it’s okay. I won’t push you,” Christian said.

  “Are you asking me on a date?” Raffy asked, and his eyes lit up.

  “Well, yes, I am.”

  “I would love to. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay, if that’s okay, but I would love to try,” Raffy said.

  Christian gave him a big smile and kissed him quickly. “At any time you want to leave, just say the word and we leave, I promise.”

  “I know, Christian. I trust you. When would you like to go?”

  “Is now okay or would you like to go another time?” Christian asked.

  “I would love to go now. Just let me change into something more appropriate for the cold.”

  “Go ahead, angel, I’ll wait,” Christian said, and released Raffy. Raffy climbed off his lap and stood up. Christian got the full view of his sexy mate and his heart stopped. A pained groan escaped his lips and Raffy raised a brow at him. “I can’t help it, sweetheart, you’re sex on legs.” Raffy giggled shyly, turned away, and started walking to the bathroom. “Oh fuck,” Christian groaned again, and Raffy looked at him over his shoulder. “You’re killing me, mate.” Raffy winked at him and turned away. He sashayed into the bathroom and closed the door. Oh, he did that on purpose, the little minx. Christian laughed at his mate’s antics. “Thank you, fate, for helping him to come out of his shell,” Christian whispered to the empty room.

  * * * *

  “Okay, Adam, I need you to stay here in the closet until I get back. My mate is taking me on a date and I don’t want you getting into the rest of the house while I’m gone,” Raffy said to the cat as he placed him in the closet.

  The cat hissed at him and swiped a paw at Raffy. “I can take care of myself, Raffy. I’ll be fine while you’re gone,” Adam said in Raffy’s mind.

  “I know, Adam. I just want to make sure you’re safe, that’s all,” Raffy answered and closed the closet door. He turned and looked at himself in the mirror one last time, then exited the bathroom. Christian was pacing the floor as he waited for him.

  “Ready,” Raffy said excitedly as he walked back into the bedroom. And he was excited, too. He couldn’t wait to go outside and see all the lights and smell all the different smells and taste all the food Christian had mentioned. But most of all he was excited about going on this date with Christian. He had never been on a date before. They were only something that he read about in books or saw on TV. Christian stopped pacing and turned to look at him. Raffy could see Christian’s eyes heat up when he looked at him. It made him feel good and sexy, knowing he affected his mate.

  “You look amazing, angel. Come on, let’s go,” Christian said, and held out his hand for Raffy to take. Raffy placed his hand in Christian’s and his mate pulled him into his big, strong embrace. “You look good enough to eat, mate,” Christian said as he wrapped his arms around him. Raffy sighed against Christian’s strong chest. He loved being in his mate’s arms. “Did you like your flowers, angel?” Christian asked against his neck. Raffy could hear Christian inhaling his scent.

  “Flowers? What flowers?” Raffy asked in confusion. Christian pulled back and nodded at the nightstand. Raffy turned and looked, and for the first time he realized they were there. “Where did they come from?” Raffy asked, and moved out of Christian’s embrace. He walked over and plucked the card from the roses. He read the card.

  To My Angel,

  I saw these and thought of you. I know their beauty doesn’t even come close to yours. I wanted them to see what true beauty looked like, so I brought them to see you.

  Love, Cristian

  Raffy swiped away the tear that escaped and smiled. His mate was so good to him. He replaced the card, leaned down, and smelled their sweet scent. He pulled back and turned. “They are beautiful, Christian, thank you,” Raffy said shyly.

  Christian stepped in front of him and lightly kissed his lips. “You’re welcome, angel. So
how about that date?” Christian asked quickly to change the subject. He could see that his flowers and note were causing Raffy happiness, but sadness at the same time, and he didn’t want that. It killed him to think that his mate never had anyone in his life to show him even these small gestures of love. He squeezed Raffy’s hand and pulled him from the room.

  * * * *

  Christian and Raffy walked into Raffy’s room, holding hands. Christian stopped and turned Raffy around to face him. “What is it, Christian?” Raffy asked in confusion.

  “I just want to make sure you’re okay, angel. You did so great tonight, Raffy. Even with all those people around you seemed calm and relaxed,” Christian said, and cupped his cheek.

  “I was, Christian. I felt fine. I wasn’t nervous at all once we got there. I thought I was going to disappoint you and need to leave before we even got out of the car, but once I saw all the pretty lights and the snow, and I could smell all that wonderful food, my nerves went away and I just wanted to walk in it and be a part of it, especially with you there with me. I feel safe when you’re around,” Raffy said in excitement, and then smiled shyly at the end.

  Christian smiled back at him. He was so happy that his mate felt safe with him. It was the best present he ever received. “You don’t know how happy that makes me, angel. You are safe with me, always.” Christian leaned in and kissed Raffy’s lips tenderly. Christian felt Raffy’s tongue slide across his lips and he moaned at the pleasure it brought him, knowing that his skittish mate was taking the initiative. He opened for his mate, and Raffy dipped his tongue into Christian’s mouth, tilted his head, and deepened the kiss. Christian slid his hand up the back of Raffy’s shirt so that he could have skin-to-skin contact. He moaned when his fingers brushed against the leather corset hidden beneath his clothes.

  Christian pulled back from the kiss slightly. “You still have your corset on. I need to see you in it again, angel. I want to run my hands and my tongue all over your smooth skin and that sexy corset.” Christian’s voice was all deep and husky. His hands held Raffy more tightly against him and ran up and down his back with urgency.