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But I knew that wasn’t strictly true.It wasn’t only my Drake who longed for Avery’s touch.

I longed for it, too.

Even now, I wanted to go back to bed with him.Wanted to wrap my arms around him and feel his skin against mine—wanted to hold him and be held by him as I breathed in his scent.I wanted to wake him with a kiss and look into his eyes as I took his mouth with mine, wanted to feel his hands in my hair and all over my body as we lost ourselves in each other…

I had never wanted anything more badly in my life and my Drake had nothing to do with it—he was sleeping.

I pushed these thoughts away.None of that was true—itcouldn’tbe true.All my life I’d been raised to believe how wrong it was for two males to be together.I couldn’t be a man-lover.

Could I?

I was still struggling with that question when I at last closed my eyes and fell back into an exhausted slumber.

20

AVERY

Iwoke up the next morning feeling cold and stiff and uncomfortable.Frowning, I looked down at myself with blurry eyes.Well, no wonder I was cold!I wasn’t even under the covers and it got chilly in the dungeon at night.Also, why had I gone to sleep with my trousers on?They were unfastened, as though I had meant to pull them down but…

Wait—I’m not the one who unfastened them!

Suddenly I remembered Saint’s hands on my body, stroking and touching, telling me he wanted—no,neededto be inside me…

Oh Goddess—we hadn’t donethathad we?

No, I remembered, as more of the night before came back to me.But we had certainly done…other things.I touched my fingertips to the spot between my eyebrows and felt an answering tingle.Oh yes, we had donemorethan enough.

“Good morning.”The low, rough voice to my left made me turn my head.I saw Saint sitting on the side of his bed with his elbows resting on his knees.He was looking down at the flagstone floor between our beds, not meeting my eyes.

“Uh, good morning?”I said, not sure if it reallywasa good morning or not.It certainly didn’t look like my roommate was having one—he had yet to look up at me and make any kind of eye contact.“Saint?”I asked.“Are you okay?”

He gave a short, barking laugh that had no humor in it at all.

“You’re askingmethat?After the way I treated you last night?”

“Youwerekind of rough,” I said cautiously.“But your Drake?—”

“I can’t blame my Drake for everything!”Finally, he looked up.His eyes were his own—obsidian black, I saw.But they didn’t look happy.“Look at what I did to you, Avery,” he said, gesturing at me.“I held you down and Marked you—I made you mine even though you didn’twantto be.”

Ah—so that was the problem.We had Marked each other in a very obvious and visible way and two malesneverMarked each other.He was probably regretting that decision right about now—wondering what everyone was going to think of him once they saw my Mark on him and his Mark on me.

“Look,” I said reasonably.“It’s not like we’re Blood-Bonded—Marks aren’t permanent.If you want to remove them before anyone sees?—”

“No.The Marks stay,” he said, surprising me.“Iwanteveryone to know you are mine and I am yours.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

“Saint—” I began, rubbing the side of my neck.“Ouch!”I winced as my fingers touched an extremely tender spot.Abruptly, I remembered how he had bitten and sucked my neck the night before.

His eyes traveled to where my fingers were gingerly exploring the tender place.

“Another sin to add to my account,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Well, if you don’t want us to remove the Marks, you can atleastheal this,” I suggested, pointing to my neck.“I know you can—you healed worse after Juan punched me.”

But he shook his head, surprising me again.

“No.That mark stays as well.”