Page 31 of Holiday Wishes and Tentacle Dreams

Jake’s voice cracked, and he worried he might not hold it together. He clutched at the angel, who stared up at him with a haughty, pretentious expression.

“They were beautiful. The window theme was family, and there were all these scenes of celebrating, going sledding with everyone, that sort of thing. I wanted to get an ornament, so we went inside. The Christmas stuff is all up on the ninth floor. The old wooden escalators were so cool.”

Jake shook his head, then turned to Doren, who wore an uncertain expression. He hated the doubt that he saw in Doren’seyes. He very much wanted Doren to feel secure in this new relationship. Doren had been so good to him, and Jake didn’t want to cause them any pain.

“It’s not that I want to be back with Phil,” Jake continued. “I don’t. It’s just…it was a total shock, you know? We had a whole life together, and he packed it all up when I was out of the house and stole it out from under me. This angel is like that. It’s something I still treasure, but it hurts to know someone you love is capable of that level of callous disregard.”

Jake was frozen in place, with the angel in his hand. He didn’t want it on the tree. No reminders of his old relationship. But he couldn’t seem to let it go.

A warm hand pressed to his, taking the angel from him. Doren swept the topper up onto the mantel of the fireplace, positioning it artfully amongst the greenery.

“Why don’t we leave it nestled there, in a place of honor? You and I can scour the shops for a new tree topper tomorrow. Does that sound good?”

Jake nodded, tears springing once again to his eyes, but he ignored them as he moved to kiss Doren. There was nothing easy or relaxed about this. No, this was a hungry kiss, an intense kiss. The kiss of someone who’d been starved for affection and connection.

Doren froze for a brief moment, then jumped in to give as good as they got. Their hands snaked around Jake’s waist, grabbing his ass cheeks in a firm grasp. Jake gasped at the touch, even as Doren’s tongue darted into his mouth.

His knees went weak at the assault of sensation. They’d made out before, but that had been cautious, as if Doren was worried Jake might break.

Perhaps it wasn’t an unreasonable concern, but Jake was all in now, and he appreciated Doren could sense that. He didn’t want gentle. He wanted to be owned.

Doren’s tongue searched and tasted every inch of Jake’s mouth. Jake hummed even as he wrapped his lips around it, sucking on Doren’s tongue obscenely. Doren’s eyes widened, but they didn’t let up, allowing Jake to suckle and squeeze.

Finally, Doren’s tongue retreated, and Jake let out an overwhelmed sigh.

“Fuck.”

“I know, sweetheart.” Doren smiled, but there was a hint of the shark as the bright light of aggression and hunger shone in their eyes. The mild, soothing Doren was gone, and in their place was something almost feral.

Jake fucking loved it.

“Take what you need,” Jake whispered, and Doren actuallygrowled. Jake’s dick went from half-mast to painfully hard as Doren’s teeth scraped along Jake’s neck, making him squirm and whine as tingles shot through his body. Jake couldn’t move, only able to luxuriate in the overwhelming wave of sensations.

The sensation of Doren’s fingers tugging on his t-shirt shocked him back into reality.

“Wait.” A spike of sadness and shame burst in Jake, and he was suddenly very warm.

“What?” Doren asked, a frown marring his sweet face.

“I…you’ve seen me shirtless before, but I know I’m not anyone’s ideal. You’re so incredibly hot, but I?—”

“What are youtalkingabout?” Doren asked, and for the first time there was anger in their eyes. Not only that, but Doren cast aside their normally heightened language for directness. “You areperfect, you’re adorable and hot as hell, and you won’t convince me otherwise.”

Their fingers were up under his t-shirt now, roaming over his sensitive skin. “Everything about you is exactly what I want. Your curves, the muscles underneath them, your belly, the fine hair covering it all. You are the sexiest person I’ve ever met.”

Jake couldn’t keep the skepticism from showing on his face, but it melted away as the naked truth shone from Doren’s eyes. They weren’t lying. Doren knew what they wanted. They wantedhim.

Nodding, he allowed Doren to slip the t-shirt over his head, followed by Doren ditching their own. Jake gasped as Doren ran their hands over his stomach, bringing their fingers to rest on his large pecs.

Jake rested his palms on Doren’s hips, trying to ground himself as Doren enveloped his left nipple in their soft lips. His knees wobbled as Doren sucked, doing his best to keep himself steady as Doren flicked his tongue back and forth over his hardened nub.

Then they bit down. Hard.

Jake screamed, gripping Doren’s shoulders so as not to collapse, the mix of pain and pleasure creating an explosion of light and sensation in his brain. He didn’t want Doren to stop, but he wasn’t sure if he could take much more.

Doren let go of Jake’s nipple, tweaking the other with his fingers as Jake twitched in their arms.

“Are you okay, my sweet?”