Page 52 of Captivated (Salvation #3)

Chapter Forty-Five

Zeeb watched Nate toe off his boots, focused on the task as if he were disarming something delicate and dangerous.

I know what he’s doing. He’s trying not to think about what’s coming.

Zeeb recalled his first time. Clara—that was her name—and she’d been a waitress. Older than him, and patient enough to put up with his fumblings.

Lord, I was nervous.

Except Zeeb hadn’t been carrying a quarter of the baggage Nate was.

Not gonna rush him. Zeeb smiled. Not that I can at the moment.

“What’s funny?”

He chuckled. “I’m lying here contemplating what I wanna do with you, and it just smacked me in the face that I’m not in a position to do an awful lot.”

Move the wrong way? Pain.

Tense up? Pain.

Then there was the way Nate breathed, like a man about to step out of a plane into open sky. Zeeb’s heart hammered so hard it echoed in his ears.

“Then it looks as if I’m in charge.” Nate’s voice shook a little.

“So what do you want to do first?”

Nate sat beside him on the bed, his cheeks tinged with red. “I’ve only ever imagined this stuff. I don’t… I might get it wrong.”

Another chuckle rolled out of him. “There is no wrong.” Zeeb brought his hand to Nate’s nape. “It’s okay to touch.” He brushed his fingers along Nate’s cheek. “You tell me what you need. I’ll listen.”

Nate sighed, and their lips met in a lingering sweet kiss. His hands rested on Zeeb’s waist, just above his belt. Zeeb could feel the tremor in those fingers.

“This okay?” Nate asked.

Zeeb nodded. “Yeah.”

And it was, so okay it almost hurt.

Nate leaned in and kissed him again, only it was different this time. Longer. Slower, as though they were learning each other by taste, not wanting to skip past the wonder of it.

Zeeb wanted to savor every second.

When they broke the kiss, Zeeb gestured to his shirt. “You wanna help me outta this?”

Nate smiled. “Of course.” He popped the buttons free, taking care as he eased the garment over Zeeb’s shoulder. The discomfort had ebbed a little, thanks to the pills. Nate stared at Zeeb’s bare chest, and Zeeb curled his fingers around Nate’s wrist, drawing his hand to Zeeb’s nipple.

“Give it a little tweak,” he suggested. “I love that.”

Nate took the taut little nub between finger and thumb, and Zeeb stifled a moan.

Then it hit him.

There was no one to hear them, but Nate needed to see the effect he had on him.

He let the sound out, his eyes closed. “Just like that.”

“I keep thinking you’re going to disappear,” Nate murmured.

Zeeb opened his eyes. “I’ve been beat up, kicked, used as a punching bag, and I’m still here.” He grinned. “You think a night with you is going to scare me off?”

Nate laughed. “I’m glad,” he said. Then he went back to exploring Zeeb’s chest, playing with his nipples.

Zeeb let out a sigh of pleasure. “Do I get to touch too?”

Nate’s breathing hitched. “Yes.” He removed his shirt, revealing his chest with its scant covering of hair. He glanced at it. “I keep waiting for more hair to grow there, only it doesn’t.” He chuckled. “I think I have more on my face than I do on my chest.”

“Some guys are smooth-skinned.” Zeeb cackled. “I got hair enough for both of us.” He shifted across the bed, making space. “Lie here.”

Nate joined him, and a heartbeat later they explored each other’s bare skin with a touch that felt almost reverent.

Nate’s warm chest was under Zeeb’s palm, his belly beneath Nate’s fingertips, both of them moving as though they’d discovered a language they’d been born to speak but never allowed to learn.

“I couldn’t believe how hairy you were the first time I saw you. And every time since then.”

Zeeb laughed. “So I guess the question is… are you into hairy guys?”

“I’m into you, so the answer must be yes.”

Damn, that made Zeeb feel awesome.

Nate stilled his hands. “I want more,” he whispered.

Zeeb kissed his throat, his shoulder, his chest. “We’ve got time.

All night if you want.” He didn’t want to lie still, but he had no choice.

Nate didn’t seem to mind, however. He stroked and kissed, his breath stuttering into the air, and with each passing minute his hesitation and vulnerability gave way to something fierce and beautiful.

Nate rolled on top of him, his face inches from Zeeb’s, and Zeeb’s breath caught to see his calm expression and the shine in his eyes, to feel the confidence in each touch, to hear his moan as he took Zeeb’s nipple between his lips and Zeeb’s answering groan of pleasure.

This was trust.

Instinct.

The joy of watching Nate finally, finally giving in to his desires, his needs, lit a fire in Zeeb he didn’t think would go out for the rest of the night.

Nate rocked a little, then stilled. “Oh.” His lips parted.

Zeeb nodded. “You feel that?” His dick was like a steel rod in his jeans, and Nate’s was equally hard.

He nodded. “Can’t really miss it.”

“Ditto.” Zeeb shuddered out a breath. “Anything you’d like to try?”

Nate widened his eyes. “Can I?”

He chuckled. “Have at it.”

“But what if I do it wrong?”

Zeeb curved his hand around Nate’s cheek. “Sweetheart, there is no such thing as a bad hand job—or a blow job, if it comes to that.”

That hitch was delicious.

Nate sat up, his hands trembling as he unfastened Zeeb’s belt. He brushed his fingers over the denim-covered bulge, and Zeeb shivered. Nate’s eyes sparkled.

“You’re so hard,” he whispered.

Zeeb couldn’t resist. “About time you saw it at its best, not reduced to a cocktail weenie because of cold water.” He held his breath as Nate freed the button, then lowered the zipper, just enough to reveal the fuzz nestled above his cock.

For once, he was glad he’d gone commando.

“Take ’em off.” Zeeb’s voice sounded rough to his own ears.

Nate lowered the zipper the rest of the way, then grasped the waistband and gave a gentle tug. The soft catch in his breath when Zeeb’s cock sprang free, rising into the air, only served to make him harder. Nate pulled his jeans down and off, and at last he was naked.

Zeeb spread his legs. “Get between ’em.”

Nate inserted his body between Zeeb’s thighs, his weight on his elbows. He gazed at Zeeb’s shaft that bobbed and jerked.

“You can touch it.”

Zeeb steeled himself for that first sensual contact.

I’ve waited a long time for this.

Nate stared at the thick, heavy cock, veined and flushed, and below it the wrinkled sac that begged to be touched. He let its weight rest in his hand, then gave the head a tentative lick before glancing at Zeeb as if to ask if he was doing it right.

Zeeb nodded, and Nate gave it another lick, chuckling as the shaft jerked away from him. He enclosed the head with his mouth, warming to the feeling of that solid flesh on his tongue.

Zeeb’s hand was in his hair, stroking it. “You’re doing great,” he murmured.

Nate smiled. “No such thing as a bad blow job, remember?” He wrapped his hand around its girth, then alternated between kissing the head and sucking it, Zeeb’s low moans punctuating each drag of his tongue over the taut, shiny skin.

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. I might’ve lied.” Zeeb’s eyes rolled back as Nate gave his dick another hard suck. “There’s always the possibility someone isn’t too careful with their teeth.” He shuddered. “Except I don’t even wanna think about that, not when my cock is in your mouth.”

Nate froze. “I haven’t hurt you, have I?”

Zeeb gaped at him. “Course you haven’t. But it feels too much like tempting fate, so forget I mentioned it.”

Nate smiled. “Forget what?” He rubbed Zeeb’s shaft with his thumb.

Another shiver rippled through him. “Do you like it?”

Nate paused and flicked his gaze to Zeeb’s face. He smiled. “More than like.” He laughed when Zeeb’s cock jerked out of his hand, almost as if it was dancing to music Nate couldn’t hear. He laughed again. “You’re doing that on purpose.”

Zeeb snickered. “Who, me? Nah. It’s got a life of its own.” He sighed as Nate gave another hard suck. “Damn. You’re good at that.” He cupped Nate’s chin. “Can… can you take a little more?”

“I can try.” He got on all fours, one hand on Zeeb’s balls, the other fumbling with the button on his own jeans.

“That’s it, touch yourself.” Then Zeeb gasped as Nate slid more of his shaft between his lips, not even halfway but clearly enough to make Zeeb shudder. Nate took a little more, his own cock freed from his jeans, warm and solid in his hand.

It didn’t feel wrong. Or sinful.

Nate had never felt so alive .

What swept through him was the realization that he loved having his mouth filled with a hard dick. A line from a song suddenly echoed in his mind, and he wanted to laugh and cry all at the same time.

The counselors, Dr. Keller, Mr. Thomas… they’d all been wrong.

I was born this way.

He smiled to himself. Lady Gaga is a better therapist than the rest of them put together.

“Fuck, Nate, you’re drivin’ me close to the edge.” Zeeb’s hoarse voice filled the air, his fingers tugging Nate’s hair.

Nate took him a little deeper, his lips sliding up and down the slick veined shaft, Zeeb’s balls in his palm, his own dick harder than he’d ever known.

“Dammit, I wanna move and I can’t,” Zeeb said with a soft whine.

Nate’s heartbeat raced. This is Zeeb’s first time too. That knowledge solidified his goal. I want to make him come. Suddenly, that mattered more to Nate than chasing his own orgasm.

He locked gazes with Zeeb before teasing the slit with his tongue.

“Oh my fucking God,” Zeeb croaked.

He worked Zeeb’s shaft, sucking and licking the head, until constant whimpers poured from Zeeb’s lips. Zeeb’s eyes never left his, his body shaking, and Nate knew they were almost there. He gave Zeeb’s sac a little tug and licked a path from the root to the head.

Then Zeeb pulled his dick free as warmth coated Nate’s lips. Zeeb gripped his shaft, his breathing ragged as he pulsed cum onto his stomach, his legs trembling.

Nate knelt up, gave his cock three quick tugs, and his own cum mingled with Zeeb’s, mini shocks jolting through him, his chest heaving.

When he was spent, he collapsed onto the bed at Zeeb’s side, breathless and exhilarated.

He leaned over and Zeeb cradled the back of his head, drawing him into a long, fevered kiss, both of them shuddering.

At last Zeeb broke the kiss. “Fuck. You really do like that, don’tcha?”

Nate chuckled. “What gave it away? Although… My confidence took a bit of a beating when you mentioned…. You know.”

“I said forget it!”

Nate mimed zipping his lips. He felt amazing, as if he was floating on air.

Then he tensed, waiting for the self-recrimination to start, for that voice in his head to yell at him, to scream the words Nate had endured for all those years.

Silence.

Blessed silence.

Tears pricked his eyes, spilling onto his cheeks, and lightness suffused him.

“Hey.” Zeeb put his arm around him and held him close. “I gotcha.”

Nate raised his chin and kissed Zeeb fervently, pouring into it all the relief, elation and sheer unadulterated joy that flooded through him.

Zeeb stroked his hair. “You okay?”

Nate shivered. “I just won a battle.”

Zeeb blinked. “And there I was, thinking you just blew me. I must’ve missed all the fighting. Who exactly was the enemy?”

He huffed. “Myself. My past. Everything they made me believe.” Nate wiped his cheeks with his hand. “I didn’t think it would feel like this,” he murmured, his breathing uneven.

“Like what?”

Nate closed his eyes. “Like being home.”

Zeeb kissed his hair and held him tighter. “Welcome to my world. And it’s good to have you here.” He chuckled. “And next time let’s see if we can do this when I’m not the only one who’s naked.”