Painted On My Heart

“Really? Why’s that?” Kellus asked.

“We’re opening a location in each of Arik’s sites. We just signed the contracts, starting with his new location in Coronado.”

“Congratulations. That’s great, Gage.” Kellus left the circle of his arm to extend a glass in salute of Gage. Arik was slower, but he did participate in the clinking of glasses. Although he and Gage hadn’t discussed this, he had a feeling he knew what was next.

“Thank you. Part of the success we’ve had is because of you.”

“No way,” Kellus gasped doubtingly, interrupting him.

“Absolute truth. I want you to be our grand opening show.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. It’ll take some work to ship. You’ll have to be there at the opening, but I figure you’d be there already because of him.” Gage pointed to Arik.

“I like to think he figured that out correctly,” Arik said, cupping a hand around Kel’s neck, leaning in to playfully kiss his cheek. Kellus grinned, then sat there quietly. Arik knew Kellus had issues with traveling before John’s accident, but surely that was resolved now.

“Are you adding galleries to the current resorts?” Kellus asked.

“Absolutely. Not right away, but next year we’ll begin working on the existing resorts, opening studios as space allows. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

Kellus nodded. “That’d be great. I’ll do it. Wilder, Inc. sent an email about their mural in the entry of their corporate office. I’ll need to make room for that, but yeah, thank you. It’s a good opportunity. I did well there.”

“I didn’t know about Wilder,” Arik said, bumping him in the shoulder. He lifted his glass in toast of Kellus. His guy needed some good news in his life.

“It hasn’t been the first thought on my mind. They contacted me a few weeks ago. I bid on it, and they accepted yesterday.” Kellus lifted his glass, tapping it against Arik’s.

He kept the smile etched on his face and drank to Kellus’s success, secretly wondering what else Kellus hadn’t told him. Those were big accomplishments, worth celebrating. His eyes went to Trent who stared directly at him, concern clear in his intense gaze.

~?~

The comforting heat and weight of Kellus’s body draped across his had Arik waking in the best of moods. He blinked his eyes, trying to clear his sleepy focus. The first signs of morning light crept in around the edges of the curtains. He should get up and make coffee. Kellus had wanted to get an early start on his projects today, but Arik wasn’t ready to start the day. Having Kellus pressed against him felt way too good. He wanted to stay just like that for as long as he could.

Kellus’s head rested perfectly on his chest, and that feeling of comfort wasn’t something he would give up so quickly. Yes, he was a selfish man where Kellus Hardin was concerned. Arik lowered his head and inhaled deeply, drawing Kellus’s scent into his lungs as he listened to his lover. His soft, even breaths, and heavy, relaxed limbs confirmed Kel was still sleeping peacefully.

Kellus shifted against him and murmured something he couldn’t quite make out. He lowered his face and softly kissed the top of Kellus’s head, careful not to disturb his sleeping beauty. The guy definitely needed rest. Kellus had been working himself to the bone.

He loved Kellus. There was no denying his feelings. In such a short time, Kellus had become his world. He couldn’t explain how he knew this man was the one, but he did. Arik had felt the soul-searing connection from the first time their eyes had locked. He pressed his lips against Kellus’s forehead and kissed him. Smiling when his lover started to stir.

The warmth of Kellus’s thigh shifted slowly over his cock. All his thoughts centered immediately on the delicious heaviness of that naked thigh resting on his now-waking dick. He squirmed, moving his hips under the weight, and shifted his position just enough that, unfortunately for him, his cock noticed. He rubbed his hand across Kellus’s thigh, the soft hairs brushing against his palm.

Kel’s warm body pressed against him, and his lover’s soft cock rested against his outer thigh. Arik wanted nothing more than to take advantage of their closeness. He was in the most terrible of dilemmas at the moment, something he found happened more often than not where Kellus was concerned. Wake his exhausted lover or let him sleep? The flex of Kellus’s hips was the only noticeable sign he was waking. Maybe he wouldn’t have to make that decision after all.

Arik knew the exact moment Kellus woke. His breathing changed, his hips flexed, and his flaccid cock started to plump, growing firmer against his hip. His own cock twitched in response.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” He growled, arching his hips to grind his morning erection against the inside of Kel’s firm thigh.

“Morning,” Kel returned, angling his face for a kiss. Arik happily obliged.