“You do that,” Jago said. Corbin started walking again and Jago leaned over his shoulder as they exited the kitchen. “And don’t wait for us to eat dinner!”
Zach laughed. “I hadn’t expected you to make it, don’t worry. You know where the fridge is if you get hungry.”
Corbin knew exactly where Jago’s room was, and that didn’t surprise Jago one bit. He clung to his mate like a monkey and chuckled against Corbin’s ear as he walked down the hallway. “You know, you shouldn’t say stuff like that to people.”
“Stuff like what?” Corbin asked as he pushed open the door to Jago’s room.
“People don’t usually like hearing about your sex life. It’s private.”
Corbin closed the door with his foot and locked it. He stood there, Jago still in his arms, a small frown on his face. “But Keenan and Nysys always talk about sex.”
Jago had become somewhat friends with those two, and it didn’t surprise him. “They’re special cases.”
“How do I know when to talk about it, then?”
Jago slid his legs down Corbin’s body and he smiled when Corbin shivered. “Just don’t talk about it unless it’s with me or with someone you know very well. Maybe not even then.”
Corbin put his hands on Jago’s hips and nodded. “All right. So I can talk about sex with you?”
“You can talk about anything with me. Do you want to talk about it?” Not that Jago particularly wanted to talk, but if that was what Corbin needed, he’d do it happily.
“No. I know how it works.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I was trained for that too.”
* * * *
Corbin saw Jago’s eyes widen and he knew he’d said something he shouldn’t have.
“I thought you’d never done this,” Jago said.
“I haven’t.”
“But you just said you were trained to do it.”
“I was. Master made me watch videos, but I never got to the practice part.”
“Why were you trained to have sex?” Jago asked, the happiness gone from his eyes.
“I shouldn’t have told you,” Corbin told him.
“No, no. It’s good. You can tell me anything, Corbin. Really.”
“But now you’re not happy anymore.”
“It’s not what you said that made me sad.”
Corbin cocked his head. “What was it, then?”
Jago bit on his lower lip. “Just the fact that they were going to use you that way, too. I hate that.”
Corbin wasn’t sure he understood, but he could see Jago was upset at the idea, and he didn’t like it. Jago should never be upset. “I swear I never touched anyone that way.”
“But you would have.”
“If I hadn’t been caught, if I’d stayed with my master, maybe. It was part of what was expected of me.”
“To do whatever you had to do to succeed in your missions.”
“Yes.”
Corbin wasn’t sure what more he could do or say to get Jago to smile again. He’d told the truth, and it hadn’t had a good result. Maybe he shouldn’t tell Jago about his past anymore, not when it made Jago sad.
“But now you don’t have to go on missions anymore,” Jago said.
“I don’t know.”
Jago sat heavily on the bed and Corbin hesitated. Did Jago expect him to sit next to him, or should he go?
Jago patted the bed next to him and Corbin sat, relieved at not having to try to guess.
“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Jago asked. “You’re not an assassin for the company anymore, and you’re not an enforcer.”
“Not right now.”
Jago narrowed his eyes. “But?”
“But it’s the only thing I’m good at. As much as I appreciate Kameron trying to give me a normal life, it really is a pity to waste all the years I’ve been trained.”
“No one cares about that, Corbin.”
“I do.” Corbin looked at his hand, suddenly unable to look at Jago. “After everything I’ve done, I need to give back. I’ve killed many people, and I didn’t even realize how wrong that was until six months ago.”
Jago sighed by Corbin’s side, then a hand appeared in Corbin’s vision and took his. “How about we talk about this another time? I don’t know about you, but I was kinda looking forward to mating with you, and now I feel like I messed it up.”
“You didn’t. I did. I shouldn’t have told you about my training.”
Jago cupped Corbin’s cheek and firmly turned his face so that they could look at each other. How was it that Corbin had faced guns and torture and had never felt fear, but Jago’s touch and the look in his eyes were enough to make Corbin’s heart beat faster and to make him afraid to lose his mate?
“I’m going to say this again, and I want you to really listen to me, okay?” Jago said. He waited until Corbin nodded to continue. “You can talk to me about anything you want. Your training, what you did, even the people you killed. I’m not saying it’ll be easy to hear, but I know you had to do those things and that you didn’t know any different back then. Things are different now, and I think we need to talk to make sure we understand each other, especially since you have... difficulties in understanding my gestures and quirks, and you hardly ever talk about what you’re feeling.”
“All right.”
Jago smiled. “Great. Now can we forget about the company and training? I’m not sure you’re still in the mood for anything, but we could talk, and—I don’t know—cuddle or something.”
“I’m still in the mood.”
Jago laughed. “God, don’t change too much, please. I love how honest you are, even if it’s mostly because you don’t know how not to be.”
Corbin leaned forward and kissed Jago, stopping him from saying anything more. He kissed Jago in a slow melding of their mouths. This was nothing like what Corbin had been taught. He remembered the words of his trainers, the videos. That had been cold and clinical. This... this was heat and want, and it made Corbin want to strip naked and lose himself in Jago. He never wanted to lose Jago, ever.
He started to pull Jago against him, but a hand on his chest stopped him. Jago’s eyes twinkled as he leaned away and quickly discarded his T-shirt. Corbin held his breath, releasing it only once Jago’s chest was exposed. Jago was beautiful.
It wasn’t something Corbin thought about often. He hadn’t been raised to see beauty and to experience pleasure, and sometimes it scared him. He knew it would be easy to lose himself in it, but somehow, he wasn’t as afraid when Jago was with him.
Jago reached for Corbin’s T-short and Corbin helped him pull it off his upper body. Now they were both shirtless, and Jago reached for Corbin again. Corbin went willingly and kissed Jago. Jago’s chest was smooth and warm, and Corbin hesitantly reached for it. He knew some men liked to have their nipples touched, but he didn’t know if Jago was one of those men.
He pressed his palm over Jago’s heart and felt his mate’s heartbeat quickening. It pounded under his palm, and Corbin wanted to do more, to make Jago’s heart beat even faster—for him, only for him.
He moved away and looked into Jago’s dark eyes. His pupils were almost gone, swallowed by his dilated irises, and Corbin felt a thrill at the idea that he was the one doing this. He was the one making Jago want. He might not be have experience, but Jago didn’t seem to mind.
They kissed again, and Corbin groaned. Jago stopped kissing him, but he didn’t move away. “You okay?” he asked in a husky voice.
Corbin swallowed. “Yes. I... I wasn’t expecting this.”
“This?”
“The intimacy. It’s... I’ve been taught it’s a weakness to want this, a flaw, and that I should deny myself.”
“Are you going to?” Jago asked in a whisper.
“No. I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. I’ve never wanted someone like I want you, but I haven’t been able of thinkin
g of anything else ever since I met you.”
Jago smiled and reached up. He pressed his fingers against the skin of Corbin’s nape, and Corbin bent to kiss him again. He felt hungry, like he couldn’t get enough of Jago. He’d never felt anything like this, and he wanted more.
Corbin twisted and pushed Jago onto the bed, and Jago went with it without protesting. Corbin felt Jago’s lips curl in a smile against his own as he settled on top of his mate. Their chests pressed together and Corbin felt a hardness mirroring his own press against his thigh. Jago wanted him as much as he wanted Jago.
He knew it was time to get the rest of their clothes off, but he wasn’t sure he was right. What if he got it wrong? What if it pulled Jago out of the mood?
Jago buried a hand in Corbin’s hair and pulled gently. “You think too much. What do you want, babe?”
“Babe?” Corbin croaked, almost not recognizing his voice.
“Babe, baby, honey, sweetheart. I can call you whatever you want me to. Or I can stick with Corbin if you’d rather not have a pet name. Not everyone likes it.”
“I do.”
Jago slid his hands down Corbin’s back, then around his waist, and quickly opened Corbin’s jeans. “Babe it is, then.” He pushed Corbin’s jeans down his hips, making a strangled noise when Corbin’s dick popped out.
“No underwear?”
“No.”
“We’ll... talk about it later. Now, can you push up a bit? I need to peel these off you.”
“Only if I can take yours off, too.”
Jago chuckled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Corbin rolled onto his back and pushed his hips up while Jago went to work on his shorts. Corbin shoved his jeans down his legs, his hard cock bobbing as he moved. He threw them off the side of the bed just in time, because Jago was on him again, kissing him and biting at his lips.
Corbin reached down, not knowing what to expect, but needing to find out. He wrapped his hand around Jago’s dick and Jago made a chocked noise. A sensual thrill, something he’d never experienced, ran through Corbin, and he moved his hand up and down, experimenting with speed and strength.
Jago groaned and pushed down against Corbin. Corbin couldn’t move as easily anymore, so he rolled them over. Jago pressed his mouth against Corbin’s neck, driving him mad with his tongue as he explored.
Then he felt a hand against his own bare cock, wrapping and squeezing, and pleasure unfurled in his groin. It was nothing he’d ever felt before, not even when he’d touched himself the few times he’d felt the need to do so. He knew what coming felt like, and he knew he was about to do just that if they didn’t slow things down.
Corbin rolled to his side and took in a shaking breath. Jago mirrored his position and they faced each other, their touch gentler now, less urgent. They indulged in a long moment of shared caresses, of kissing and touching as they learned each other’s bodies.
Jago groaned when Corbin touched his cock again, but instead of moving closer, he rolled away. Corbin frowned and tried to think about what he did wrong, but Jago rolled toward him again, a plastic bottle in his hand. He held it out to Corbin and Corbin took it gingerly.
He knew what it was, of course he did, and he knew what Jago expected him to do with it. Jago smiled encouragingly and hooked a leg over Corbin’s hip. He kissed Corbin’s shoulder, his neck, and Corbin opened the bottle. He squeezed lube on his fingers and put the bottle behind Jago.
Jago moved even closer and their dicks bumped against each other. Corbin gritted his teeth. He moved his hand around Jago and followed the curve of his mate’s ass, slipping a finger between the cheeks.
Corbin smiled when he found what he was looking for. He touched Jago’s hole gently, surprised at the way the tiny opening moved at his touch. He pushed more firmly and his finger slid inside.
Corbin froze, but Jago hummed in pleasure and kissed his throat. “Come on, babe. Do it.”
Corbin knew his hand was trembling as he opened his mate to take him in, and he found that he didn’t care about the show of weakness. Jago would never exploit it, would never use it to hurt him.
He had three fingers inside Jago when Jago sighed and moved onto his back, pulling Corbin along. Corbin’s fingers slipped out of Jago and Corbin settled on top of his mate, waiting.
“Get inside me, Corbin. Make love to me. Claim me.”
He opened his legs even wider and wrapped them around Corbin’s waist. The head of Corbin’s cock slid against Jago’s slicked opening, and it took only a gentle pressure for it to pop inside. Corbin pushed and slid in completely, gasping for breath when he bottomed out.
Jago felt so good wrapped around him, his body shaking and shuddering under Corbin’s as Corbin moved and pumped into him. Corbin had never felt anything so glorious, so perfect. He’d never imagined there could be a pleasure so great, like the one he was feeling now. He’d never imagined he could ever feel anything like this, and he never wanted it to end.
Chapter Four
Corbin was moving inside Jago carefully, like he was afraid he might break him. It made Jago want to hug him close and tell him he was fine, that he could take it, that he wasn’t going to break, no matter what Corbin might think. But he let Corbin move the way he wanted to. He let Corbin feel his first time being inside another man, knowing it meant more for him than just losing his virginity.
Jago buried his face against Corbin’s neck and clutched at his shoulders. Corbin’s rhythm faltered. “Am I hurting you?” he croaked.
Jago shook his head and kissing the warm skin in front of him. “No. Not at all. You’re making me feel so much, Corbin. You’re almost making me feel like it’s my first time. Like it’s forever.”
Corbin leaned away just enough that they could look at each other. “It is.”
“Yeah. Forever.”
Jago reached up and skimmed a finger along Corbin’s upper lip. He could feel his own gums tingling and he knew his fangs were there, ready for him to bite into Corbin’s neck. He didn’t know if Corbin had them, though, so he gently peeled away Corbin’s upper lip from his teeth.
Jago smiled and poked the gleaming fang. “They dropped.”
Corbin thrust harder in him, as if the sensation of Jago’s finger on his fang somehow aroused him, and Jago moaned. Corbin pumped his hips, and Jago pressed his head in the pillow and rolled it to the side. He knew Corbin wouldn’t be able to resist the invitation of his exposed neck.
Corbin gave one last push and stilled. He moved down at the same time, as fast as a shifter, and bit on Jago’s neck. Jago screamed and dug his nails in Corbin’s shoulders as his cock spasmed between them.
He pulled Corbin closer and blindly bit down on the warm flesh just in front of him. Corbin jerked in Jago’s hold and sucked harder on the wound he’d just made. Jago sucked and Corbin’s blood filled his mouth. He drank it down and Corbin convulsed, his hips pressing harder against Jago as the connection flared between them.
Corbin’s emotions assaulted Jago and he closed his eyes as he tried to absorb them. He could feel how amazed Corbin was, how surprised and sated he felt. And under those emotions, there was affection—for Jago. Jago swallowed and licked the wound in Corbin’s neck clean. He couldn’t quite believe he meant so much for Corbin already. Yes, he’d hoped for it, prayed for it, even, but he hadn’t thought Corbin could already care.
Corbin sagged on top of him and Jago squeaked. Corbin chuckled and rolled to his side, taking Jago with him. His cock slipped out of Jago’s ass and Jago winced, but the small flare of pain was nothing next to the pleasure of having Corbin pull him into his arms, of cuddling him.
Jago ran the tip of his finger along Corbin’s chest and down his stomach, spreading the cooling seed he’d left there. He sighed. “We should clean up.”
Corbin hummed. “All right.”
He sat up and Jago started to get up, but Corbin held a hand up. He reached down and came back up with his discarded
T-shirt in hand. He used it to clean Jago’s stomach. Jago saw Corbin hesitate, then Corbin slowly moved his hand lower. He cleaned Jago’s soft dick, then went even lower, and Jago opened his legs.
Corbin’s eyes snapped to Jago’s face and Jago smiled at him. “Thank you.”
Corbin flushed and quickly finished cleaning Jago before cleaning himself up and throwing the T-shirt on the floor. He settled back on the bed, and Jago moved closer to him again, leaning his cheek on Corbin’s shoulder. “You do realize that you’ll have to go home without a shirt on, right?”
Corbin shrugged. “It’s dark, and I can make it so that no one sees me.”
“Or you could stay here and sleep with me tonight.”
“I can?”
Jago propped his head on his elbow and looked down at Corbin. The mark on his neck stood out, still red and irritated, and Jago felt a pang of pride and need go through him. His dick twitched and he rolled his eyes at it before concentrating on Corbin again. “Of course you can. We’re mates. We’re mated.”
Gosh, Jago still felt giddy with it. Corbin looked a lot calmer, though, but Jago could feel how contented he felt.
“So we have to live together,” Corbin declared.
“If you want to, yes, but we don’t have to.”
“No?”
Jago reached out and stroked one finger down Corbin’s cheek. Corbin closed his eyes and Jago felt their connection vibrate, almost like a purr. “No. It’s up to you.”
Corbin opened his eyes again. “I want to be close to you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. I never had a choice to make, but I know I want to make this one.”
Corbin reached up and tangled his fingers in Jago’s hair. He used his hold to pull Jago’s head down and kiss him.
Jago moved away before they got lost in each other. “So you want to live with me?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Corbin cocked his head in question.
Jago explained their choices. “We can stay in Craig’s guest room. I wouldn’t mind it, but it might make things awkward, considering he’s my best friend and his mate kinda hates me. Or you could move in here with me. Third option is choosing one of the houses Kameron built on pack territory.”
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