Page 12

12

CLOCK WARMING

Nat opened his eyes to find everything in shades of grey. Then, he panicked. Where’s Wanda?

He was about to leap off this—whatever he was lying on—when he looked down.

She was tucked into his side, sleeping soundly. Someone had draped a light blanket over them both.

Nat frowned. I don’t remember falling asleep.

He recognized the worn cobblestones and massive fireplace, though. He was on a couch in Duke’s living room, and before this... He’d been reading Mallie, Teddy, and Wanda a bedtime story. The last thing he remembered was the kids falling asleep around him.

Something moved at the edge of his vision. When Nat jerked around to face the intruder, he found Duke dressed in a pair of boxers.

“Oh,” Nat said, surprised.

Duke frowned. “Did I wake you?”

Nat shook his head. “I woke up a moment before you came in. But this is really awkward because you’re my boss, and you’re almost naked.”

Duke smiled and bit into his banana. “I thought you’d be asleep for longer.”

“What time is it?”

“Four in the morning.”

“Four!?” Nat squawked.

“Do you have somewhere to be?” Duke frowned and stepped closer.

Nat shook his head. “I’ve told my friends where I am. It’s just... You’re my boss. I’m not supposed to stick around in your home.”

“Because you think I might eat you?”

“No, because it’s rude! Your home is your own space, and I have no business being here.”

“You’re helping to watch over Teddy and Mallie. I’ve given you permission to be here.”

“Oh.” Nat blinked rapidly. “I just want to be good at my job. So... That means not overstaying my welcome.”

Duke relaxed—Nat hadn’t even realized he was tense. “I realize that I haven’t made it clear,” Duke said quietly. “You’re always welcome here. Especially on days like today, when you’ve had a very long day.”

“No kidding.” Nat slumped back into the couch, pulling the blanket higher around himself. “But it’s not like I did a lot. I was just on training wheels, getting used to everything.”

“Not true. You’ve been taking over from Hubrie, you helped me unload, and you entertained Teddy and Mallie. As far as I’m concerned, that’s three out of five jobs you’ve helped me with.”

“What about the other two?”

“Shelter and firefighting. You’re not going to be involved in the firefighting,” Duke said dryly. “And I won’t ask you to join us on the shelter visits. You need time off for yourself.”

Nat nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“In case I haven’t said it yet—I’m impressed.”

“With me?”

Duke smiled warmly. “Do you see me talking to anyone else?”

“The person behind me?”

At that, Duke laughed. “You know that’s just going to give you spooky dreams, right?”

Nat made a face. “Damn it. I don’t want spooky dreams!”

Duke hesitated. “Would you like to sleep in a bed, instead of the couch? I have guest rooms. I just didn’t want to move you into a place you hadn’t been before, while you were asleep.”

“Oh.” That was really nice of him. “I—I guess I don’t mind moving. I like soft pillows.” Nat wasn’t even sure why he was saying all that to his boss, but Duke merely set aside his banana, and scooped both Nat and Wanda into his arms. Warmth soaked through Nat’s clothes.

I’m pressed up against his bare chest!

Nat squeaked and flailed. Duke didn’t seem to mind. He made sure Wanda was safely in Nat’s arms, then carried them up the stairs and into a bedroom. There, he deposited Nat and Wanda on the bed.

Nat tried not to whimper at the loss of Duke’s body heat. Instead, he turned his attention to his surroundings.

The guest room was simple, with a closet and a desk, large windows, and…

The bed was huge. Nat stretched his arms above his head and pointed his toes—only then did he manage to touch both ends of the mattress. “Why’s the bed so huge?”

“Not all my guests are small like you,” Duke said dryly. “I found it easier to have oversized beds, than undersized.”

“Is your bed also oversized?” Nat slapped his hands over his mouth. “Aw, crap! I keep doing this.”

Duke laughed quietly. “My bed is just the right size.”

“I’m not thinking about your bed right now.”

The demon raised an eyebrow, his mouth curving into a sinful smirk. “I would offer you half my bed, to help chase away those spooky dreams... Except you don’t want to think about it.”

Nat’s mouth fell open. “Wait. You—You were going to offer me your bed?”

Duke grinned. “What if I was?”

Nat tried not to feel disappointed. “Um, my answer would be different, maybe?”

“What would your answer be, if I were to offer it now?”

Nat blushed. Especially when Duke continued to watch him intently. “I would accept,” he mumbled. “To, uh, chase away the bad dreams. You’re strong enough to make them cower.”

“Things I learn: Flexing my muscles scares away bad dreams.”

“Well, there are some muscles you can flex more than others.” Nat couldn’t help peeking at Duke’s boxers. Duke caught him staring before he could look away. “Damn it,” Nat whined. “You’re supposed to catch me when I’m all cool and on top of things, not when I’m ogling you with a foot in my mouth.”

“I like that you’re looking.” Duke stepped forward with a grin. He wriggled his fingers. “C’mon.”

“Really?” Nat scrunched up his forehead. “You’ve only known me for a day. Well, two, if you count the sample collection.”

“Well, don’t prove me wrong.”

Feeling as though he was in another reality, Nat scooped Wanda into his arms and padded after Duke to his bedroom.

“ You are trusting me a lot, for someone who’s only known me for two days,” Duke said.

Nat chewed his lip. “You just feel safe.”

Duke studied him curiously, eyebrows raised. He didn’t push further, though. Instead, he opened his door and stepped in, waiting for Nat to follow.

Duke’s bedroom was cozy. His bed was huge, with an incredibly plush duvet that made Nat want to jump right in. An old-fashioned cuckoo clock hung on one wall, surrounded by various carved ornaments that belonged on a Yuletide tree.

Come to think of it, the ornament wall was painted a deep green, with sweeping lines throughout that reminded Nat of pine needles.

He stared. “Is that a Yuletide wall? Like, it’s supposed to be a tree, but you put your ornaments on a wall instead?”

“Yes.” Duke grinned with all his teeth. “You’re one of the few people who get it.”

Nat wasn’t going to think about the number of people Duke had invited in here. “You must like Yuletide a lot, to bring it into your bedroom.”

“Well, I’m not having sex with it,” Duke said dryly.

“But you could,” Nat’s mouth said before he could stop it.

Duke’s eyebrows went up. “How?”

Nat cursed his stupid mouth. “Um, there are candy cane dildos.”

“Oh? Have you used one of those?”

“No! Well, only because I don’t have the money to buy one.” Nat’s shoulders slumped. “They’re really pretty, though. They’re clear glass with red stripes twisted around the outside. But... I’ve also seen a Yuletide-tree butt plug.”

His eyebrows still raised, Duke pulled out his phone and began tapping on it. “Huh. I’ve found them both. And I’ve ordered them.”

“Oh, gods.” Nat was not thinking about what Duke might do with those toys. “Do you have something Wanda can sleep in?”

Duke startled. “That’s right. My apologies. I’ll be right back.”

He hurried out of the bedroom, leaving Nat and Wanda alone. Nat tried not to pry. But he couldn’t help staring at the trophies on the far wall, the photos of the night sky next to the bed.

Only the ornament wall felt like something an employee was allowed to look at. Nat stepped closer, admiring the carved owls and turtles, the little wooden dolls that had their limbs connected with string, so if you pulled on one limb, the rest would move along with it.

Nat was admiring the intricate cuckoo clock when Duke entered the bedroom.

“That’s a nice cock,” Nat said. And froze. “Fuck my stupid mouth. Oh, gods, that came out wrong, too.”

Duke’s lips curved. “That is a very nice clock. It was a gift from my grandfather. And your mouth isn’t stupid. I’m enjoying everything that comes out of it.”

“At least it’s coming outside.” Nat sucked in a slow breath, and thumped his head against the wall. “Just shut me up and put me out of my misery.”

Duke snorted. “I won’t do that, but I do have a crib you can borrow.”

He set it up next to the bed, fluffing up its mattress and blanket.

“Why do you have a crib?”

“I fostered some younger children before I got Mallie and Teddy. The older ones don’t get adopted as quickly.”

“Mallie and Teddy seem to like it here,” Nat said honestly. “They really like you.”

Duke beamed, all warm and pleased. More self-consciously, he said, “I’m... thinking about adopting them, actually.”

Nat could’ve melted. “That’s really amazing.”

The demon seemed torn, though. “I hesitate only because I have so many other commitments going on. I want to be a proper dad for them. I want to be around more in their lives. But there are things I need to do: Brimstone Industries belongs to my parents. They trust me to be the CEO. The fire department needs everyone they can get during fire season. And there’s always something that needs to be done at the animal shelter. And, well, it’s bonding time for me and the kids, when we go there.”

Nat nodded. “I’ll try to think of something. But it’s almost 5 AM right now, and we both have to get up early.”

Duke sighed. “Put Wanda in the crib and get into bed.”

Nat blushed and obeyed, rubbing his hands through Wanda’s blanket to leave his scent there.

When he turned, he found Duke stepping out of the attached bathroom, drying his face with a towel. Duke crossed the room in a few strides, climbing under the duvet.

Except the duvet made him look wickedly sinful. It artfully covered Duke from the waist down, giving off the impression that he was completely naked in bed.

“Does the cot, uh, have soundproofing?” Nat asked hoarsely.

Duke lifted an eyebrow. “Yes.”

“Oh. Okay.” Nat blushed and tried not to look at Duke. He fussed with Wanda’s blanket, listening to the rustling sheets behind him.

Duke’s gaze was heavy like a lover’s touch on his back.

Nat steeled his nerves. Then he approached the bed, pausing when he realized how high it was. He had to heave himself onto the mattress, his feet dangling above the floor when he was seated. “This is kind of high.”

“I had it custom made for me,” Duke said placidly. “If you’d like, I could have a step added on your side.”

“That—That implies that I’m going to be here again.”

Duke hummed. “I might need you to watch over the children once in a while. When that happens, I will offer you a place in my bed.”

Nat gulped. “Okay.” He started to get under the covers, only for his work pants to tug uncomfortably around his legs. Nat fumbled open his fly and wriggled out of his pants.

Duke growled.

“Y-yes?” Nat’s heart stuttered.

“I like your ass. There’s so much of it for me to touch. It’s a pity that your underwear is loose and not very flattering.”

Duke reached over, squeezing Nat’s asscheek through his briefs. Nat whimpered.

“Get into bed,” Duke murmured.

Nat lifted the cloud-soft duvet—and realized that Duke had lost his underwear at some point.

He yanked his gaze away, tingling between his legs. “Um.”

Duke grinned and wrapped his arm around Nat’s waist, tugging him closer. And closer. Until they were pressed flush together, his chest against Nat’s back, his legs tangling with Nat’s.

There was only a single layer of clothes between them now.

Actually, not even that. Nat’s underwear only covered his ass. But Duke’s body was longer than his. His hips pressed against the backs of Nat’s thighs, his big, velvety cock nestling between Nat’s legs.

Nat stopped breathing. I need to calm down. I’ve touched his cock before, remember?

But Duke flattened himself against Nat, his hips shifting, his cock dragging heavily against Nat’s leg.

Nat was suddenly hard in his underwear, and not tired at all.

“Sleep,” Duke whispered, turning off the light.

But the dark enhanced Nat’s other senses. Every tiny movement rustled the sheets. His dress shirt clung uncomfortably to his arms—they had been fine in the day, but were now too constricting in bed.

“I need some actual sleep clothes,” Nat mumbled. “Or at the very least, I need to get this shirt off.”

Duke hummed into his hair. He brought his hand up to Nat’s chest, slowly popping the buttons one by one. Nat gulped as Duke’s hand slipped lower, to his belly, following the buttons all the way down to where his shirttails lay over his hard cock.

As he eased the last button out of its hole, Duke’s knuckles brushed Nat’s bulge, sending a whisper of bliss through his nerves. Nat’s breathing hitched.

Duke didn’t comment on it. Instead, he eased the shirt off Nat’s shoulders, and off his body.

And now there was just one last piece of clothing between them, Duke’s bare chest pressed against Nat’s back.

The skin contact felt so good.

“Sleep,” Duke whispered. He wrapped his arm loosely around Nat’s belly.

Which didn’t help, because Nat’s cock had shoved out past his waistband, and it was poking Duke in the arm.

Nat wet his lips. He tried to hold as still as possible, except Duke’s cock thickened against his thighs.

Then his own precum leaked onto Duke’s forearm, and his tip smeared it against Duke’s skin.

Nat closed his eyes, trying to decide if this was Heaven or Hell.

Duke chuckled, a puff of air rushing through Nat’s hair. “Can’t sleep?”

“I’ve never done this before,” Nat admitted to the shadowy room.

“Need help sleeping?”

Nat’s throat went dry. “Maybe.”

Duke’s hand drifted lower, skimming over Nat’s exposed tip. Nat shuddered.

“Is this okay?” Duke murmured.

“Yeah. It feels good.”

“I saw on the kinks list that you wouldn’t mind some cockwarming.”

“Now?” Nat squeaked.

“You keep squirming against me, Nat,” Duke growled. Then he rolled his hips, and his cock pushed thick and hard between Nat’s thighs, so fucking big that Nat moaned. “Is—Is it okay if I tucked this somewhere safe for tonight?”

“Where?” Nat whimpered.

Duke didn’t speak. He eased Nat’s underwear down the curve of his ass, slipping his fingers between Nat’s cheeks. Then they found his wet hole, and circled it lightly. “Here.”

Nat spread his legs.

“Fuck,” Duke breathed. He pulled away. The nightstand drawer thumped. Something crinkled.

When he returned, he pressed his fingers into Nat’s hole, working him open. Nat could only clutch at the duvet and gasp.

Duke withdrew his fingers. The next time he touched between Nat’s cheeks, it was with something slippery and hard. He lined his tip up with Nat’s entrance, and pushed in.

Nat came. He barely managed to catch his cum in his hand, his eyes rolling back when Duke slid blissfully against his prostate. Duke groaned. And he gripped Nat’s hips, pushing in until he was fully seated inside.

Nat couldn’t even breathe; he was so full of cock.

“Sleep,” Duke murmured.

“O-okay,” Nat wheezed.

How the fuck was he supposed to sleep now, when he was still achingly hard, his hole stretched and tingling around Duke?

He tried to hold himself still. But he had to wriggle a little to get comfortable. Just that the movement made Duke slide in and out of him, grinding against his sensitive spot.

Keep still, he told himself. Don’t move, don’t even breathe.

Then he sneezed, his ass shoving back against Duke. Duke’s length ground hard against his prostate; Nat’s precum shot everywhere. Duke hissed.

He waited for Duke to soften. He tried counting the seconds and minutes, because his job was to hold Duke’s cock, and go to sleep.

But Duke stayed hard.

Each time Nat squirmed, Duke moved inside him, sending another jolt of bliss up his spine.

Duke tightened his arm around Nat and pulled him back down his cock. Nat writhed, on the verge of coming again.

He thought maybe Duke might fall asleep. Except Duke rolled his hips, pushing himself deeper. As though he wanted to keep Nat open all night.

Nat shoved his clean hand against his lips, trying to stifle his moan.

“Nat,” Duke growled in his ear. “Sleep.”

“I can’t,” Nat gasped. “You’re so big.”

Duke reached down, finding Nat completely hard. He groaned. “Didn’t you already come?” He released Nat and patted the mattress in front of him, making a sound. “Where’s your cum?”

“In my hand. I’m not supposed to dirty your bed.”

Duke growled louder. He wrapped his hand around Nat’s, bringing it to his lips. Then he licked off Nat’s cum with slow, long strokes of his tongue, over the stumps of Nat’s missing fingers, and he didn’t even stop.

Nat’s heart stuttered. “But—my fingers. They’re missing.”

“This is still you.” Duke dragged his tongue over the stumps again. And he closed his mouth around Nat’s remaining fingers, sucking them clean.

Nat thrashed, his body clenching, precum squirting from his tip.

“Fuck, you like that.” Duke gave a slow thrust. “Sometime soon, I’ll have to suck you off. Taste your cum straight from the source.” He closed his mouth over the side of Nat’s throat and sucked . Nat’s spine arched; Duke sucked harder. “You squeeze so hard around me when you squirm.”

“I can’t stop thinking about your cock,” Nat whimpered.

Duke groaned. He rolled Nat beneath him, before pulling out halfway and fucking in deep.

Nat screamed into his other hand, coming again.

“For the record,” Duke growled between his thrusts. “If I’m going to fill you with my cock—” thrust “—you’re allowed to come—” thrust, thrust “—wherever you want. Especially when you’re—” thrust “—impaled on me.” Thrust, thrust, thrust.

This time, Duke didn’t slow down. He pounded ruthlessly into Nat, over and over until Nat thrashed and came, and came again.

Duke was like a cross between an animal and a machine, hammering so hungrily against Nat’s prostate that Nat’s toes curled. He tried to breathe. Duke wrapped his fist around Nat’s cock and fucked him into that tight channel, so Nat writhed and came hard.

Duke began to thrust faster, his cock swelling, his strokes going short and urgent. He bit lightly on Nat’s shoulder, almost a bonding mark.

For a heartbeat, Nat thought Duke might accidentally bond with him.

But he didn’t.

Duke gripped Nat’s hips and slammed in several times, like he was trying to breed Nat.

Nat came again, clenching, only for Duke to snarl and give a final thrust.

Warmth flooded Nat inside. Something swelled at the base of Duke’s cock—two somethings. A larger round knot right at Duke’s base, and a smaller one just above it. They pressed against Nat’s inner walls, hot and soothing and right.

He’s breeding me, Nat’s come-drunk brain said. I want him to breed me again.

Duke rocked his knots against Nat’s prostate, coaxing a final, shuddering release out of him.

“Sleep now,” Duke said in his ear. “I’ll stop moving.”

“Mm.” Nat’s eyelids drooped. He was out like a light.

* * *

Nat woke up with his eyes feeling like sandpaper. At first, he couldn’t tell what had disrupted his sleep.

Everything was comfortable; the sheets were silky-smooth, and the covers were just the right amount of warm.

Something moved behind—and inside—him.

“Nat?” Duke murmured.

His tone sounded just a little off, so Nat turned. “Hmm?”

“Wanda—Have her eyes always been like that?”