STORY EXCERPT

From a spot on his bed, Tom could peruse his domain. Here he was master and commander, ruler of all! Hmm, he should add some color. Tom grabbed the edge of his fluffy comforter and rolled over across the bed, cocooning himself. He really liked this little apartment. It had everything he needed, and it kept him warm and safe.

Tom turned his face toward the door when a knock sounded. He wanted to enjoy his little corner of bliss town alone, but someone always came crashing. Based solely on the musical pattern of the wraps, Tom knew exactly who was at the door trying to be cute. “Come in,” he called from inside his human burrito.

The door opened slowly, and Ash peered around the edge. “Are you sure? Would you rather I stay in the hall or maybe you’d like to throw something at me?”

Tom ground his teeth together. He wasn’t going to take the bait. Ash acted like a preteen with a crush. Pulling hair meant I love you, and taunting meant marry me. “I’m very comfortable wrapped up here, so I won’t be pulling my arms out to throw anything.”

Ash entered the room all the way before quietly shutting the door. He scanned the small area. “I don’t know what you have left that you could throw at me.”

“Don’t tempt me to get the fruit from the fridge. What do you want anyway?”

Tom turned his head away from Ash. He could see Ash’s skin darkening across his cheekbones. If he could ignore the beast that stirred beneath the surface of Ash’s skin, Tom might be able to have a conversation with him. Not looking at him, also allowed him to forget how handsome Ash was when he was in his human form.

“I wanted to know if you were going to go to work in the kitchen.”

“Why? Have I missed days, been late, given you any reason to think I would suddenly shirk my responsibility?” Tom snapped his head toward Ash and glared while waiting for an answer.

Ash looked down. “No, I was just curious if you were scheduled.”

“Maybe you should go be curious somewhere else.”

Instead of leaving like Tom wanted, Ash stepped closer toward Tom’s bed. Tom wished this were simpler. That Ash was any other man than Ash. Even another gargoyle would be easier. He could deal with anyone other than Ash. With someone else there was no constant reminder of Tom’s attacks. “I would rather stay here.”

Tom turned away trying to hide Ash’s image from his sight. Ash’s attractiveness caused conflict for Tom, wanting someone as a man knowing he wasn’t really a man underneath. “I’ve noticed.”

“You don’t usually seem to mind.” Ash scooted close enough that Tom felt the bed move from Ash’s touch against the mattress’s edge.

“Is that why I’m always telling you to leave? Because I don’t mind?”

Tom turned to glare at Ash once more. He was starting to think that glaring was the only way he looked at Ash. Ash chuckled. “You sleep better when I’m here.”

“Do you have to bring that up? It’s weird and stupid, and I don’t understand it. But I need sleep, so I ignore it.”

Tom intensified his glare and opened his mouth to protest as Ash sat down on the edge of his bed. Instead of railing him, which Ash would have ignored any way, Tom just huffed out his frustration.

“You know, I can explain to you why that is, but I don’t want it to frighten you.”

“I’m not a scared puppy. I don’t know why you’re coddling me and acting all bizarre-o.” Tom flapped inside his cocoon. He wished he was free so he could do something really dramatic. He wasn’t sure what, but it would be awesome.

“Don’t ignore my desire to explain it to you.”

Tom smacked his head into the mattress beneath him. Once, twice, and a third time. He looked back at Ash. Nope, he was still sitting there. Apparently head smacking was not on equal level to shoe clicking when it came to wish granting. Tom had a feeling he knew where Ash was headed with this conversation. Between Ash watching him sleep and some comments Preston had accidentally dropped, Tom had figured that Ash thought they were aeternii. He would dodge this conversation like a ball in gym class.

“Well, this has been fun, but I have to get to work. Earn my keep and all that.”

Tom rolled out of his burrito , but in doing so, he brought himself closer to Ash. Ash loomed over Tom’s upturned face. Ash’s head was shadowed from above. Tom’s heart stuttered being so close to the friar. Ash lifted his hand and for a moment, Tom thought Ash would stroke his face. But Ash held his hand, hovering, then placed it gently on the mattress next to Tom’s head.

“Tom?”

Tom swallowed before answering. His mouth was suddenly dry, and he needed to move the muscles and ensure they worked. “Yes?”

“Would it be so terribly bad? I know I’ve muddled our relationship in the past, but we could be great.”

“I’m no one’s aeternus, Ash. I’m sorry.” Tom slid down the bed before quickly standing and rushing from his room. He had to leave before he let Ash remove any more bricks from the wall he so carefully constructed in his life.

ADULT EXCERPT

Tom pulled Ash’s hands down and wrapped them around his body. Ash leaned his head forward until it rested on Tom’s shoulder. He needed this contact. To be held and to hold. His body ached for not having someone here that he could lean on physically and mentally. As Ash’s body uncoiled and loosened leaning into Tom more, Tom pushed his ass backward reminding Ash of why they had come to his room.

Ash slid his hands lower until he could hold Tom’s hips steady. He pushed himself forward knowing that his actions were tying his body to respond only ever to Tom’s touch. Tom was the sexiest man Ash had ever seen, and he was glad to be bonded to him.

Ash felt his cock grow from the pressure against Tom’s body. He pulled Tom backward and wrapped his arm around Tom’s chest clasping him against his larger frame. With his other hand he slowly slid it toward the center of Tom’s body. Ash’s hand grazed over the thick shaft, and he clutched it through Tom’s jeans.

Tom hissed and squirmed, pressing back into Ash yet up into his hand, as well. Ash kissed along Tom’s neck and continued to stroke his aeternus. He wanted to slowly explore every inch of the man, but Tom had other plans.

Tom freed himself and spun away from Ash. In one swift move, he had his shirt over his head and to the floor while toeing off his shoes. Ash had kicked off his sandals when he entered his apartment. He had very little to remove, only wearing shorts under his robes. He had rushed to Tom after a quick shower.

“Ash, get naked. Now.”

Ash dropped his robes over Tom’s shirt and walked forward. He wanted to undress his man. He scooped Tom into his arms and took him to his bed. He sat Tom on the edge and leaned over him, kissing and pushing him downward until he was prone on the mattress. Tom pressed upward on Ash’s chest, and Ash backed away, thinking maybe this was too much for Tom. Tom lifted his hips and shimmied out of the dark denim.

“I wanted to do that.”

“You can still take off my boxers.” Tom had his thumbs tucked into the waistband and was pushing them slowly downward. If Tom’s swollen cock head wasn’t tangled in the elastic waist, he would have them down already.

Ash stilled Tom’s hands, lifting them away from his boxers and moving them until they lay above his head. “Don’t rush me. I want to remember every moment of tonight.”

Ash stared down at his aeternus. Tom’s skin was darkening from the blood rushing through his body, his chest rising and falling. A smattering of dark hair littered his chest forming the crown of a tree across his pecs. The hair continued downward like a trunk until it disappeared beneath the band of his boxers. Ash groaned wanting to follow the trunk to its roots.

Gently, Ash slid his hand across Tom’s stomach and upward following the hair. Tom’s skin quivered over his taut muscles. Tom’s peach-colored nipples hardened to a point. Ash pinched one, and Tom groaned.

“I should have pierced them,” he mumbled as his eyes rolled backward.

Ash flicked his thumb over the bud. “You still can,” he whispered as he leaned in to kiss the man.

Ash’s pried Tom’s mouth open with the force of his lips and tongue. Once he finally gained entrance, Tom grabbed Ash’s face with his hands and slipped one leg between Ash’s legs. He pressed his midsection up against Ash’s body. Ash could feel him thickening behind the thin fabric of his boxers. Ash responded by sliding his body against Tom in the same seductive sway.

Ash stood from the bed and removed his shorts. Tom had propped himself up, his arms bent at the elbows. His eyes were wide and lust-filled. Ash grabbed his cock and stroked it while Tom watched. Ash’s cock spilled pre-cum as he stroked, his skin was hot, and his member heavy in his hand. He released it only so he could replace it with Tom’s.

Ash grabbed the waist on Tom’s briefs and lifted them away from his body before pulling them downward. Tom’s erection was raised, his shaft curving upward. The head was dark and crimson. Ash gripped the base and slid his hand loosely over the flesh. Tom’s hips raised quickly following the motion.

With a few tugs, Tom’s cock started to leak steadily. A perfect sphere bubbled up and slid down the helmet traveling near a large vein. Ash’s eyes hungrily ate up the hedonistic sight. His mouth watered for a taste of everything Tom was giving him.

Ash bent, his tongue already pointed toward the treat. He found the drop and followed it back to its source, sucking Tom’s dick into his mouth. Tom’s grasp was tight in Ash’s hair. Ash dropped his face down, plunging more of Tom’s body into his mouth. He lavished the member with his tongue and sucked all the juices from it that he could.

When he pulled off of the dick, Tom was panting. One leg was splayed open, and the other had its foot resting near his ass. Saliva had trickled down into the bend of Tom’s leg and down further still. Ash slid his hand over the skin of the splayed leg. He brushed against the grain of the hair, enjoying the coarse sound it made. He stilled at the bend of the hip, tracing his thumb along the crease.

Ash knew what to do next. But he also knew what he wanted to do, which was everything. He crawled over Tom and reached under his pillow. He had started leaving his bottle of lube there since meeting his aeternus. If not, he would have rubbed himself raw in the last two months.