me. Before I should have.”
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Before… oh. God, it seemed a century ago that Lindsay had been angry at Dane, angry at him for
something as trivial as fooling around with Kristan.
“Oh.” Lindsay blinked a sudden welling of tears away and moved to kiss Dane as he slid his slick
fingers into himself this time. “That’s a long time.”
“It’ll just get longer.” Dane’s hands were all over him, touching him like Dane was claiming him.
Lindsay’s hand was shaking as he guided Dane into him; his whole body was full of a flood of
emotion. He whimpered and Dane stroked his hair, making soothing noises. “I’m okay,” Lindsay managed
to say. “I am, I am…”
God, he was more than okay, he was perfect. Alive and wanted and real.
Dane leaned up, effortlessly pulling himself to almost sitting, and kissed Lindsay on the mouth. “I’m
proud of you.”
Lindsay sucked in a breath, surprised by the praise. “Th-thank you,” he managed, licking at Dane’s
mouth like the words might’ve left some residue he could taste there.
“You rescued me,” Dane pointed out, wrapping his arms around Lindsay and kissing him back. “You
didn’t panic. You saved us. Saved me. Your magic worked.” He brushed a kiss over Lindsay’s lips. “You
made me proud. I still am.”
Dane was proud of him.
“Thank you. I’m glad I wasn’t too late.” Lindsay let Dane’s pride and affection wash away the worry
that he could’ve gotten there too late, that Dane could’ve died for good this time. He moved again, rocking his hips to let Dane’s cock slide in and out of his body.
“Lindsay…” It was little more than a groan, and Dane shuddered under him. He was always so
composed in bed, at least until now. Whatever Lindsay was doing—maybe just being himself—he was
driving Dane crazy.
“You sound so good like that.” Lindsay could hear how much Dane wanted him, and it was
incredible.
Dane wasn’t one to be passive, but he let Lindsay have him. Like this, Lindsay could see his face; it
was overwhelming how much he could see, and how much it mattered to him.
Lindsay got lost in the way Dane responded to him, listening for every moan and growl, feeling for
each arch of Dane’s back into his touches. Making Dane feel good was its own reward, and Lindsay
worked for it. “Tell me what you need?”
“You. Just you.” Dane opened his eyes, focusing on Lindsay. “Just fuck me. I want to see you, want
to hear you. You are so beautiful.”
“You can have all of that.” Lindsay’s words trailed off into a moan as he wrapped one hand around
his cock and stroked himself. Dane could have all of that, and more.
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Precome slicked Lindsay’s hand, easing the way as he stroked himself. His breath came faster with
every pull, and he fucked himself on Dane’s cock, rolling his hips to get it in deep. His hand moved faster, his body moved harder, until he was shouting Dane’s name and coming all over his hand and Dane’s chest.
Dane was growling softly under his breath, still moving. “Don’t stop.” It sounded as close to begging
as Lindsay had ever heard him. His breath was broken by desperate hitches and he writhed until his back
came up off the bed and his hands dug into Lindsay’s hips, slamming him down and holding him tight.
Then he was coming, and Lindsay soaked up the sound of his name in Dane’s gasping, pleasure-drunk
voice.
Eventually, Dane managed to muster up a tender smile that was exactly what Lindsay wanted to see.
He shifted to cradle Lindsay against him, snuggling down until they ended up nestled in the sheets, still entwined as close as humanly possibly. “Sleep.”
Lindsay woke up already humming with contentment. He was cuddled up against Dane, warm and
safe, and Dane was nuzzling in his hair. The sun was creeping between the broken clouds and through the
window into Dane’s little garret room. It was perfect. “Mmm. Morning?” Lindsay lifted his head, blinking
at Dane with a soft smile.
“Morning,” Dane said, laughing quietly. “We’re still here.” It was a victory, just that they were still
here together. He ducked his head to nudge at Lindsay’s cheek, hunting for a kiss.
Lindsay rubbed his cheek against Dane’s and pulled back to brush his lips over Dane’s. “It’s a good
morning, then.” He kissed Dane again, soft and sweet.
They were still kissing when a knock came at the door. Dane’s head jerked up, his body went tense,
and a growl rattled in his chest.
Lindsay stifled his own nervousness and reached up to cup Dane’s cheek in his hand. “We’re at
home,” he reminded Dane. No one would hurt them here. He hoped.
Dane grumbled at that and got out of bed to pull on a pair of jeans that were folded on a chair by the
bed. Lindsay hadn’t seen it last night, but it was so Dane that the jeans were there with a pair of boots on the floor by the chair and a shirt folded over the back. There was an old, dark coat hanging on the back of the door. Of course. In case Dane wanted to go out the window instead of getting his coat in the front hall.
Lindsay was filled with a wash of tender affection for his eccentric lover.
“Wait,” Dane snapped, when the knock came again. The tone made Lindsay feel safer—there was no
chance Dane was talking to him that way.
Dane offered Lindsay the shirt from the chair and Lindsay wriggled into it. He didn’t have to undo
anything to get it on, and it came to his thighs when he smoothed it down. His hands were lost in it, so he pushed the cuffs up. He tugged the blankets around himself again and sat up against the pillows, giving
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Dane a smile. He wasn’t ashamed of being nearly naked, or of being marked with the reminders of their
sex.
“All ready now,” he said. Dane pressed a kiss to Lindsay’s forehead and went to answer the door.
“I thought you might be hungry.” It was Vivian’s voice. “And I wanted to speak to you. Cyrus said
you would be awake.” Dane checked over his shoulder one more time before letting her into the room.
“Good morning, dear,” she said to Lindsay. She was carrying a tray laden with food, a newspaper propped
up against the coffee carafe.
“What do you want?” Dane leaned against his desk, arms crossed over his chest, and watched her with
more suspicion than Lindsay thought she deserved.
“Aside from bringing you breakfast,” Vivian said as she put the tray on the chair by the bed, “I came
to give you my apologies.” When she straightened, she clasped her hands and gave Lindsay a bow. “I am
sorry for failing you both.”
Lindsay felt a shock of concern and then a rush of awkwardness. He wasn’t used to anyone
apologizing to him. “You didn’t…” he began.
“She did,” Dane said flatly. “What happened?” Lindsay hadn’t seen him look so dire about anyone
but Ezqel or Jonas.
“I miscalculated,” Vivian said simply. She faced Dane’s anger without flinching. “I thought Moore
would be controlling the girl. She’s more of a free agent than I ever expected Moore to allow. She must
have found Jonas on her own, but I have no idea how she knew you would be in New York when you
were.”
“She had other people with her,” Lindsay blurted out. The memory of the twin mages and their hands