Rayne smiled slightly in answer, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I would only leave you behind if it meant saving your life,” Eno admitted on a heavy sigh. “Caelan needs you alive. Far more than he needs me or Drayce.”
“Eno—”
“I’m serious. There are plenty of soldiers out there who can fight for him, but there is no one else with your brain who can help him get his throne back. Who can help him save Erya.”
Licking his lips, Rayne met his gaze and held it for a second before asking, “What if I need you?”
Eno’s grin returned. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that I’m not planning to go anywhere.” He snagged one more kiss. He couldn’t help himself. Reluctantly, he released Rayne, leaving him leaning against the tile. Turning, he adjusted the water, only somewhat surprised to find that it was still warm, but it wasn’t likely to stay that way for long. He picked up the soap and quickly applied it to a soft cloth.
When Rayne tried to reach for it, Eno batted his hands away. Oh, no. He was taking care of Rayne. It was likely to be his only chance in the world to do it, and he was going to enjoy it while he could.
A soft sigh slipped from Rayne’s lips, and he dropped his head back, eyes closed as he handed himself over to Eno’s ministrations. He gently soaped up every bit of skin he found, washing away dirt, blood, and semen until Rayne’s pale skin shone like new.
“What are we doing?” Rayne whispered.
“If you don’t know what we’re doing, maybe you’re not as smart as I thought,” Eno teased, evading the question. Rayne cracked open an eye, and there was so much warning in that dark expression that Eno nearly laughed out loud. But he couldn’t. It was a fair question. “I don’t know, Rayne. Maybe this is it. Just this night and it never happens again.”
Just saying those words made his heart feel like it was tearing in half. He didn’t want it to be one night. They’d danced around each other for years. Countless shared looks, tiny bits of flirting, building to the point where Eno felt that Rayne was thoroughly dug into his brain. At long last, he’d gotten a taste of Rayne and he didn’t want to give it up yet.
“I don’t want it to be just tonight.”
Pride and something else he couldn’t quite name rose in Eno’s chest, nearly suffocating him. There was no waver, no give in Rayne’s voice. Only hard resolve. He wanted Eno, and Eno loved it.
“I want more too, but now is a bad time to ask for more. If I have my way, there’s going to be a lot more of this in the future.”
Rayne nodded, seeming to relax. “Then we figure it out in the future.”
Was it really that easy? Had they been avoiding this attraction for no reason? It almost seemed silly.
“But…we can’t let this interfere with our duty,” Rayne started slowly, his eyes locked on Eno’s face. “Cael, Eyra, they need to come first. Especially right now. I’m afraid of being distracted. Of worrying about you when I should be worried about the Empire.”
“Our duties are the same, and this isn’t going to interfere with our duty. We won’t let it.” He paused and smiled at Rayne, loving the way those crisp green eyes watched him. “And you have nothing to worry about with me. This is where I want to be.”
Pulling Rayne close, Eno wrapped his arms around him, sliding the soapy cloth up his back and over his perfect ass. Eno wanted that future so fucking much. There was no way he’d ever get tired of feeling Rayne in his arms, of seeing his stern looks, or hearing that strangled laugh like he’d been too surprised to stop it.
He dropped the cloth at Rayne’s feet and smoothed his slick fingers over one cheek, then down his crack. He couldn’t stop himself as he rubbed a finger over his hole, pushing inside. Rayne made a soft noise as he pressed his face into Eno’s shoulder.
Eno immediately froze. “Hurt?”
“Some, but don’t stop.”
Eno withdrew his finger to just the tip and pressed in to the knuckle. “I can’t help myself. I love how you feel. Love the sounds you make.”
Another sound broke from Rayne’s throat, and Eno thought it might have been his name. He grabbed the tube of ointment and spread more on his fingers before pushing two deep into his ass.
“Can you come again?” Eno gritted out.
“I don’t know,” Rayne gasped. He lifted his face, eyes wide and expression wild. “But I want to. Oh gods, I want to. Please.”
“You will. I’m going to wring every last drop of cum out of you. It’s mine,” he snarled. He kissed him roughly. Rayne moaned into his mouth, clinging to him.