Page 22 of Seductive Architect (Grunts of Vanguard #2)

He let go, stepping into the room. It’d take me days to explain everything on the wall.

Hudson reached out, touching his photo, following the red string.

When he reached Senator McAfee, he froze.

There’d be a lot of note cards added before the end of the night.

The senator, being a super villain, was trying to break into Synergy, which was another piece of the puzzle.

“I have a question,” he asked.

“Ask away,” I said. I joined him, eyeing the connection between Hudson, Synergy, and the senator.

Hudson pulled the red pushpin out of his photo, holding it in front of my face. “You couldn’t find a better picture?”

“I could have used the one from your dating profile.”

He grinned. “You saw that, huh?”

“I prefer the ones where you’re smiling.” His ID photo might be low quality, but I thought it did a good job of summing him up. When he didn’t say anything, my cheeks turned red, fearing I would embarrass myself.

“Okay, run me through everything.”

“The wall?”

He nodded. “You’re not the only one who wants answers.”

I glanced down, expecting the swelling in my chest to break through my ribs.

Did the human heart really grow in moments of admiration?

I’d have to look that up when I was alone.

I expected a smart-ass comment, not for him willing to dive into these hidden realities.

First, I’d have to explain my system, then my color coding, and the weird cyphers I used for each fact. Or …

I reached for his hand, my pinky brushing against his knuckles. Without turning his head, his hand moved, clasping mine. I didn’t know what was going through his head, but I wanted him to know I’d be here if he needed me. It was the least I could do after blowing up his existence.

“Okay. It all started with an illegal wiretap…”

I shot upright. Jumping out of bed, I flicked my wrist. The gauntlets appeared, already humming as they powered up. It’d be a couple of days until I could repair the suit, but I wasn’t sleeping without protection.

“Who’s there?”

When I glanced down, I noticed the briefs.

I never slept in clothes. It took a moment before I remembered falling asleep on the couch with Hudson.

He carried me to bed as if I weighed nothing and stripped me down.

When he turned to leave, I mumbled about flannel PJs in my bottom drawer and to get into bed.

There wasn’t an impression in bed, and I couldn’t remember if he had climbed in before I fell asleep.

“Hudson?” My eyes narrowed. “Something’s not right.”

I checked the clock on my nightstand. Midnight. The one on my dresser said the same thing, although it was always six minutes ahead. I turned and checked the window and found the toothpick I had wedged in place was missing. Everything looked as I remembered, but… not.

“Where am I?” My jailers had done a good job, but the devil was in the details. “Show yourself.”

I waited for the door to blow open as Hudson burst in, but seconds turned to minutes.

No movement. The air tasted… off. Licking my lips, I couldn’t put my finger on it…

bitter? My eyes narrowed, and I summoned that part of me that housed my technopathy.

White noise… no… the fast-moving hum of code.

Narrowing my eyes, I reached out, trying to communicate.

“It’s not real,” I mumbled. I could almost see the code making up the room.

“You are gifted.” I couldn’t be sure if I heard the voice with my ears or if it spoke directly to my abilities. “I couldn’t think of another way to speak with you.”

Glancing at the bed, I found a mirror of myself curled up. Behind him… me… Hudson snored loud enough to wake the dead. He fidgeted in his sleep, burying his face against the back of my neck. That felt real. The surrounding room reminded me of when I plugged into virtual reality.

“You’re him,” I said. “Hudson.”

“Someday.” I lowered the gauntlet as somebody stepped out of the wall. He had the same dimensions as Hudson, but I could see the swirling yellow code. It moved so fast it could be mistaken for his skin. “You’re not like other people.”

“I could say the same about you.”

“Too true.” There was no face, but I imagined he grinned. “He’s beginning to understand. The safeguards they put in place are deteriorating.”

“Who?”

He stepped forward, his legs passing through the mirage of the bed. “I need your help.” I had been impressed with Connie and her ability to evolve, but her code didn’t come anywhere near this level of sophistication. Hudson’s artificial intelligence was more and less than artificial.

“What can I do?” He stood just out of reach. His face turned, studying the phantoms lying entwined in bed. Whatever this was, part of me wished I were awake in bed, feeling Hudson pressed against my back.

“Help us remember.”

His hand almost glowed as he held it up to my cheek.

The tips of his fingers grazed my skin, and my powers went into overdrive.

I couldn’t hear it as much as feel it, like tiny bolts of electricity snapping against my skin.

I leaned my cheek into his palm, brushing against the hair of my beard.

The more skin he touched, the more I could feel the whispers travel along my skin.

Hudson had my senses going berserk, and yet… I wanted more.

The glow faded as he stepped around behind me.

His hand slid down to my chest, tapping to the rhythm of my heart.

At some point, his hand vanished… no… merged.

I had always said I preferred machines, but as my muscles relaxed, it took on a new meaning.

His body pressed against my back, arm wrapped around me?—

My eyes snapped open to the dark. For a second, I wasn’t sure which reality I’d landed in.

The glow and hum faded into genuine warmth, the weight of Hudson behind me.

The hand resting on my chest shifted. Hudson had pressed against my back while he gave my neck soft kisses.

Not a dream, just another version of the here and now.

It’d explain the erection trying to tear its way out of my briefs.

“Are you awake?” I whispered.

Foolish question. He didn’t stop kissing my neck.

Though after he shifted his hips, grinding his cock against my ass, I almost didn’t notice.

The hum of code had returned to a dull roar, and I was left wondering if I had a conversation with Hudson’s subconscious.

Awake or asleep, I wanted him touching me.

Sliding a hand down my side, I let it slip behind my back, fumbling with the tie on his PJs.

The kissing slowed, but he didn’t speak.

He moved enough to give me room to operate.

Once I untied the knot, I reached inside, liberating his cock from the flannel.

He let out a sigh as I squeezed the shaft.

I wanted to ask him if he wanted another entry for his book of firsts.

I spoke with my actions. Letting go of his cock, I grabbed the bottle on my nightstand, the silicone slick between my fingers.

When I grabbed his cock, hand sliding up and down his shaft, his hand tightened on my chest. His kisses turned erratic as a moan escaped his belly.

I let go, applying more lube. This time, I slid my hand down the back of my briefs, leaving my cheeks wet.

I did my best to pull down my briefs before wiggling back.

Awkward angles didn’t stop his cock from sliding down the crack of my ass.

Instinct took over, and his hips rutted against my backside.

It had been a while since I bottomed, and I worried my lust overrode my common sense.

“Slow,” I whispered.

He muttered an incoherent reply.

Before, I assumed Hudson led life as a straight man, and I had been his first male encounter.

Now, I knew he had never been with another person.

I almost considered stopping and suggesting it needed to be special, something worthy of his book.

As he held me in place, gently rocking his hips, I didn’t want it to stop.

If he wanted the human experience, a quickie in the middle of night was about as human as it got.

I gripped his hip, holding him still for a moment. As soon as I did, he returned to kissing my neck, his hand drifting up and down my body, brushing against the hair on my stomach. I grabbed his cock, shifting slightly… shifting more… a little more…

“Holy shit,” I gasped.

The moment his cock made contact with my hole, I wanted him shoved inside me.

I resisted… barely. I kept a hand on his hip to prevent his eagerness from making me regret my decision.

To my surprise, Hudson slowed, careful as he applied pressure.

If I didn’t know better, I’d have sworn he had done this before.

“Okay?” he whispered.

In the dark, I nodded before clutching his hand.

I pulled him tight, his chest pressed against my back.

While he focused on his gentle rocking, I could almost hear the code whispering sweet nothings.

Is this how telepaths felt around people?

If I concentrated, would I catch glimpses of his thoughts?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t focus on my powers as his cock slid deeper.

I squeezed his hand, my moaning going up in volume. He repeated the same soft rocking, taking his time as he loosened my hole. Tight. Warm. Hot. Full. My brain went on the fritz as I tried to put into words an indescribable sensation. All I knew was that I wanted him inside me.

My body relaxed, and I didn’t waste time pushing back. When my ass pressed against the flannel, Hudson moaned, his hand tightening. I let out a yelp as he went from strong man to superhuman strength. He froze. I moved his hand to my hip and squeezed his cock.

Hudson got the picture and started with short jabs.

What he lacked in finesse, he made up for with vigor.

I growled as he railed me like a desperate teen.

It might have been his first time, but it’d be a ride I wouldn’t forget.

We could expand his skill set later. For now, I let him have at my ass however he wanted.

When his hand slid under the elastic of my briefs, I had to grab his wrist. “I’ll come,” I said. As much as I wanted to blow my load, it’d mean the ride would be over. I didn’t want it to end, not yet.

He ignored my request and gripped my cock.

Holding firm, he didn’t stroke me, just held it as his cock slid in and out of me.

As his tempo picked up pace, his cock thickened, and I turned my head, groaning into the pillow.

It wasn’t the feeling of a cock inside me, not entirely.

Hudson, this gorgeous man with a goofy smile, checked off a long list of boxes.

I thought I’d help him find his humanity, but the more I craved his touch, I wondered if that went both ways.

Come .

It wasn’t a request. Hudson growled in my ear, burying himself.

As he pulsed, his cock thickened, and I growled into the pillow.

Bucking my hips, I fucked myself on his cock while he bred me.

Every time I pushed forward, his grip tightened.

It only took a few strokes before my toes curled and muscles tensed.

When I tightened, Hudson panted, kissing the spot behind my ear.

My body convulsed as the orgasm tore through my body.

The front of my briefs turned wet, covering Hudson’s hand.

He held firm as I shook. He didn’t move as my breaths went from ragged to steady.

The ache already set in as I rolled away from him.

I gasped as he slid out and then couldn’t stop laughing.

“Are you okay?”

We had reached a decision moment. Did we stay in bed, me covered in cum, his cock hanging out of his PJs, or did we wake up enough for the shower? Each option had merits, and mentally, I had already made a pro and con list. The only thing that mattered, adding to Hudson’s growing list.

“Ever taken a shower with a guy?”

I could feel his head shaking behind me.

“Let’s scratch that off the list.” As I tried to roll away, his hand, in all its slipperiness, held me firm. Okay, I wouldn’t technically call this a downside to dating somebody with super strength, but I knew I was at his whim.

“It can wait till morning,” he whispered.

He continued kissing my neck, and my body reacted, my cock growing hard again. If he wanted to stay in bed, I’d deal with the laundry tomorrow. I wiggled back, his package still nestled against my ass.

It only took a minute before his breathing turned shallow.

I expected my brain to go into overdrive, analyzing every moment.

Instead, I closed my eyes and savored the warmth along my shoulder as Hudson exhaled.

Tonight might have been a series of firsts to add to his book.

For me, it was the first time I felt this connected to another person. I didn’t hate it.

Goodnight .