His breath stuttered. Came out in a shaky exhale that was almost a moan. His cock, trapped in his jeans, throbbed painfully. He could feel it, hard and aching, pressing against the fabric, desperate for attention. A damp spot was forming at the tip; precome seeping through his boxers, through his jeans, evidence of how badly he wanted this. How badly he wantedhim.
Landen's thumb kept moving.
Circles. Circles. Circles on that tiny patch of skin, driving Adriel slowly out of his mind. His hips shifted, just slightly, seeking friction, seeking something, anything, to ease the ache.
Landen's eyes stayed on his face. Taking in every micro-expression, every flutter of his lashes, every parted breath. He saw everything. Adriel was sure of it. Saw the want, the need, the desperate longing that Adriel had spent years trying to hide.
His thumb kept moving.Circles. Circles. Driving Adriel slowly, inexorably, out of his mind.
Then his hand moved.
It slid beneath the hem of his sweater, slow and deliberate, giving Adriel time to stop him. Time to say no.
Adriel didn't move. Couldn't move. Could barely breathe. He lay there, heart pounding, as Landen's hand crept upward. Palm against his stomach. Fingers spreading. Warmth seeping into skin that hadn't been touched like this in years.
Landen's other hand joined.
Both hands now, beneath his sweater, pushing the fabric up as they went. Inch by inch. Revealing him slowly, like he was unwrapping something precious. The hem crept higher; past his belly button, past the soft swell of his stomach, past his ribs.
Adriel's eyes squeezed shut. He couldn't watch. Couldn't bear to see the moment it happened.
He waited for it.
Braced for it.
His hands fisted in the sheets, knuckles white. His breath came in short, shallow gasps. Every muscle in his body was tense, coiled, ready for the blow.
The sweater bunched around his armpits, exposing his chest. Cool air hit his skin, made him shiver, made his nipples tighten.
Then Landen's lips touched his stomach.
Shock jolted through him, electric, disorienting. He looked down, saw Landen's head bent over his body, lips pressed to the soft swell of his belly.
Landen's lips moved. Pressed another kiss to his stomach, lower this time, just above his belly button. Then another. Another. A trail of soft, reverent kisses across the skin Adriel had always hidden.
He didn't stop. Didn't pull away. Didn't show any sign of disgust or hesitation. His lips kept moving, kept kissing, kept worshiping their way across Adriel's body. Up his stomach. Across his ribs. Over the soft curve of his side.
Adriel's hands unclenched from the sheets as Landen's lips found his chest. Traced a path across it, slow and deliberate, leaving trails of heat everywhere they touched. His tongue darted out, tasted Adriel's skin, made him gasp. Then his mouth closed over one nipple and sucked.
Adriel's whole body arched.
A sound tore out of him; loud and broken. His back came off the bed, pressing his chest harder against Landen's mouth, seeking more. His hand flew to Landen's head, fingers tangling in that soft hair, holding him there.
Landen sucked harder.
His tongue circled the tightened peak, flicked over it, toyed with it. His teeth grazed, just enough to send sparks of pleasure-pain straight to Adriel's cock.
Adriel sobbed.
Landen's hand moved. While his mouth worked his nipple, his hand traveled down Adriel's body. Palm sliding over his stomach, fingers trailing through the soft hair there. Lower. Following the happy trail that disappeared into his jeans.
Adriel's hips jerked.
His cock was so hard it hurt, trapped in his jeans, leaking steadily. He could feel the damp spot growing, could feel the fabric sticking to him, could feel how badly he needed release.
Landen's fingers found the button of his jeans. Undid it. The sound of it coming undone was loud in the quiet room. His hand didn't pause. Found the zipper. Pulled it down.
Adriel held his breath as Landen's hand slipped inside. Past the denim, past the cotton of his boxers, straight to his aching cock. His fingers wrapped around it, warm, sure, and squeezed.