Page 73 of Love Lives

Aldrich followed him over the edge soon after, breathing in deeply as he spilled his seed over Remy's stomach, feeling utterly sated. In his mind, this couldn't have gone any better.

After a moment, he slid off Remy, disposed of the condom and fell onto the bed next to the mortal. The bed wasn't large, but Aldrich didn't mind. Far from it. He didn't need space. Draping one arm across Remy's chest--which was still moving up and down a bit faster than usual--he rested his head in the crook between Remy's neck and his shoulder.

"You gonna go to sleep there?" Remy asked.

"We've already established that you don't want me to leave."

Remy's chest vibrated as he chuckled. "You really are Velcro."

"Don’t knock on Velcro. It was a fantastic invention."

Remy's eyes drifted closed. "Were you around for that?"

"Maybe." Aldrich let his own lids fall shut too. This was a good, comfortable place to be, and after the day he'd had, a nap would be perfect.

"I guess I'm selfish," Remy said softly. "For wanting you to stay."

"You're selfish, I'm a killer." Aldrich opened his eyes again to give Remy a crooked smile. "We make a good team."

Remy huffed, but he couldn't quite hide the smile on his own lips. "Do you ever take anything seriously?"

"I'm taking this very seriously."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely." To be fair, Aldrich wasn't really sure what he was getting himself into when he said that. He was simply letting his mouth run away with him, the way he so often did. He kind of liked the result, though. The expression his words sparked on Remy's face. A sort of cautious smile that seemed to take over Remy’s face in spite of Remy’s best intentions to suppress it. It was adorable. Remy seemed to hate it though, swiftly hiding his face in the pillow. “You’re cute,” Aldrich said.

“Cute is for girls,” Remy protested. “If I’m cute then you’re…” He thought, studying Aldrich’s face. “Darling.”

“Darling? Were you born in the 19thcentury or was I?”

Remy grinned. “You kind of are, though. The brown really works for you,” he said with a glance at Aldrich’s hair.

It was only then that Aldrich realized he hadn't put his charms back in place yet.

"I could keep it."

"You don't have to. Maybe just in the bedroom."

"If that’s what you want." It was hardly the oddest kink he'd ever complied with.

Instead of responding, Remy kissed him again. It was a long, deep kiss, and even though Aldrich had only just gotten off a few minutes ago, he enjoyed it. Enjoyed the way Remy's mouth tasted, enjoyed the way Remy's tongue sliding against his reminded him of what they had just done... And more than anything, he enjoyed knowing that there would be a next time.

He shouldn't have wanted a next time. He should be done. But the truth was that he was far from done.

Remy fell asleep soon after their kiss ended. Aldrich stayed up for a little while, watching him. What was it about this mortal? He'd asked himself this question many times, but he could never come up with a good answer.

Remy sighed in his dreams, and then he let out a soft moan. Aldrich smirked, feeling very, very pleased with himself for giving the mortal exciting dreams. His good mood evaporated, though, when Remy murmured a name that wasn't his.

Cyril.

Who the hell was Cyril? And what the fuck was he doing in Remy's dreams?

Aldrich had heard the name before somewhere, he was sure of it. Was it one of Remy's friends? One of his coworkers at that fancy French restaurant? No, that wasn't it. Aldrich's brows furrowed as he thought.

Whoever Cyril was, Aldrich wanted toendhim.

Chapter Twenty-Eight