Ben paced Jonah down the dark corridor to their room, candle in hand. Light flickered on the walls, making their shadows jump. He was breathless with anticipation and nerves, even shy. It felt like their first time, except that had been unquestioningly confident, and this was terrifying.
Jonah bolted the door and turned to him, taking the candlestick. “I want the light. I want to see you.”
Ben nodded, numb. He reached out, and Jonah stepped into his arms. His skin tasted of salt from the sea spray still, and his arms were strong and warm, snaking round Ben’s neck as he hooked a leg round Ben’s hip. Ben grabbed his taut arse, and Jonah hopped up so his legs were wrapped round Ben’s waist, surprisingly light for a second, decidedly heavy after that. Ben grunted and hauled him to the bed, crashing down on top of him to Jonah’s breathless laugh. Then they were kissing wildly, hands everywhere, fumbling at each other’s clothing, kicking off shoes, tangling each other in their efforts, careless of anything but the need for skin.
Jonah’s hand was round his cock now, a possessive grip. “Ben, my Ben. You are, aren’t you?”
“God help me, yes.”
Ben grinned fondly down at the man beneath him. Jonah smiled up. They both said, together, “Will you fuck me?”
“Oh, for—” Ben couldn’t help laughing.
“This is one of many problems we wouldn’t have if we liked women. Me. Please.”
Ben hesitated. He wanted Jonah in him, needed that wonderful sense of completion and claiming that he wasn’t sure he’d dare give anyone else, but he had to make amends for that last time. He kissed Jonah’s brow. “Have it your way. Is there anything we can use?”
Jonah looked smug. “I may have bought some oil.”
“Confident, were you?”
“I’d say hopeful.” Jonah squirmed out from under and went to collect a small bottle and a piece of cloth that he threw on the bed. “Here, sheet protection.”
“You think of everything.”
Jonah glanced round. “I’ve thought a lot about this.”
Ben crouched on the bed, air chilly on his heated skin. Jonah moved to position himself under him. With the candle on the other side of the bed, the telltale white streak in his hair was barely visible. They could have been in the cottage once more. Except that back then Jonah had been a wonderful fantasy. Now he was flawed and struggling and real, and Ben’s hands shook as he reached for the oil. “God, Jay, I need you.”
“Have me.”
They were both silent after that except for hard breathing, and the soft sounds of oiled fingers and kisses, and Jonah’s grunts of effort and moans of encouragement as Ben bore down into him, into tight heat and the clasp of muscular thighs round his ribs and Jonah’s open, gasping mouth.
Ben had meant to take Jonah carefully, cherishing him with gentle strokes, and he did try for about thirty seconds. But Jonah raised a brow, clamped his legs down on Ben’s spine, and shoved forward to meet him, and then it was frantic. Jonah was wrapped round him, using not just his compact muscles but his powers too so that they were both almost lifting off the bed each time he pushed against Ben. Ben clung on, bracing himself, the steadying force to Jonah’s abandonment, holding him close as they picked up the rhythm that neither had forgotten, and pulled Jonah’s mouth to his when the first familiar shudders of pleasure hit his lover’s body. He swallowed Jonah’s cries as he came, sticky on Ben’s belly, taut with pleasure, and hit his own climax a few seconds later, grunting Jonah’s name.
They flopped together on the bed, interlocked and gasping.
“Think that was too loud?” Ben managed after a while. The other bedrooms were upstairs and at the other end of the corridor, and the stone walls were thick, but it wouldn’t do to forget discretion.
“Don’t care. I love you.”
“I love you too, but I like it here.”
“We’re not staying anywhere we can’t fuck,” Jonah said firmly, and Ben drifted off to dreamless sleep in full agreement with that sentiment.
Chapter Thirteen
The next day was hot and dry, perfect to work on the roof. The slipped slates were visible from the ground, and the reason so many of the bedrooms weren’t in use, as the frequent coastal storms blew the rain in and soaked the ceilings. Jonah ensured that none of the Linneys were watching, and went up the outside of the building like a squirrel. He took Ben up from one of the top windows, climbing awkwardly through thick ivy.
The roof needed a lot of repair, but there were plenty of tiles that could be fastened back into place, and the mechanics of it were simple enough. Jonah danced down to the ground to bring up hammer and nails, spare slates and, after two hours in the hot sun, a mug of ale. It tasted very good, and so did Jonah’s mouth on his afterwards, as they sprawled on the sun-heated roof, out of anyone’s sight.