“Once I heard what this was about, it was an easy decision. Kellus is special to us,” she said, her arms crossed over her chest as she began to shiver. “Don’t mind me. I’m always cold.”
When Kellus’s downcast gaze lifted toward him, he got that jolt of desire he normally did from that look. His eyes sparkled as he kept his head bent. The smile Kellus had increased as he studied his handsome artist. At some point today, Kellus had trimmed his beard, and he looked amazing. The long strands of Kellus’s hair had fallen forward, curving around his cheek, tucking under at his jaw. His hand itched to be the one to push it back off his handsome face. Kellus stepped toward him, moving out of the office with Arik, the smile he had earlier still lighting his eyes.
“You two can go out the back way. The front’s all locked up,” she said, pointing them in the opposite direction from where they’d entered.
At the end of the hall, Arik pushed open the outside door then looked back. Paula, still leaning against the doorframe of her office, lifted a hand and waved goodbye. The time of year had it already dark outside and they’d parked in the farthest back lot. Arik slung his jacket over his shoulder and reached down for Kellus’s hand as they walked toward the car.
“What do you think?”
“I’m still nervous,” Kellus said, looking over at him, then down at their joined hands. He was slower but did thread his fingers with Arik’s.
“Of course you are. That honorable trait is one of the things I like most about you, but I’m not worried and neither should you.”
“I still want us to be safe with everything, because the slightest risk is too much,” Kellus answered, matching him long stride for long stride as they ate up the distance of the parking lot.
“That’s fine. You can use a condom when you’re in my ass if that’s what you want to do,” Arik replied, leaving no question he wanted Kellus inside him. Kellus stumbled, but Arik held on tight, chuckling at his guy’s reaction.
“Arik…” Kellus started, slowing his pace, which wasn’t in his plan either. Arik kept going, dragging Kellus along with him.
“Nope. She found in my favor and supported that argument with factual documentation. You aren’t getting out of it. I love to bottom, and I want a relationship where we share everything.”
Arik released Kellus’s hand and reached inside his slacks for the key fob to unlock the car doors. He clicked the button and rounded the front of the sports car. Arik slid inside the driver’s seat and waited for Kellus to enter. He quickly scanned the parking lot. They were parked in the darkest corner. Perfect for what he had in mind. When he decided he could possibly get away with his plan, he lifted the steering wheel, then reached for the controls to push his seat backward as far as it would go before looking over at Kellus.
Arik wanted this so bad. He’d been fantasizing about it for too long. Instead of saying anything to Kellus, because his guy would surely fight him, Arik turned in his seat. “I want us to have a mutually fulfilling relationship, Kellus. We’ll be safe. You wouldn’t have it any other way, but you have to stop fighting me at every turn.”
The overhead light dimmed, and the dark shadows dancing across the car added to the allure of the moment as Kellus’s gaze slid to his mouth. Arik licked his lips and moved to within inches of Kel’s face. Mindful that sudden movements might spook his handsome guy, he lifted his hand and slid it across Kellus’s perfectly trimmed bearded cheek before moving it down his jaw and palming the back of his neck. When Kellus’s gaze raised to his, Arik got the full impact of Kellus laid bare. The emotion in his eyes, the way he fought to keep himself together. It was more than just the sex and HIV, Kellus had been broken and needed to be shown he was special—that he deserved to be happy and have someone love him.
“I won’t ever hurt you. You’re too special to me.”
Kellus’s expressive eyes became hooded, reflecting desire as his fingers tangled in Arik’s hair then drew him closer. Kellus’s lips trembled as they pressed against his. Goddamn, his guy was such a turn on. Arik deepened the kiss and felt the moment Kellus gave in to his feelings and melted against him.
“I need to taste you, Kel,” he mumbled against his lips before sliding his tongue back inside. He smoothed his hand over Kellus’s hard-on, rubbing back and forth with the heel of his palm. He licked at Kellus’s lips as he moved to the button on Kellus’s jeans and coaxed it open. He was slower to lower the zipper, but managed to get it down without any resistance from Kel.