Page 16 of Treasure and Tarot (Echoes of Secret Springs #1)

Chapter

Thirteen

T he hotel was quiet now; the crew bedded down for the night, Abby having a sleepover with Law and Iago, of all people. Mason had decamped to Iago’s room, and he and Sebastian had gone to his for a nightcap.

Which was perfect after the way Bastian had told Abby to call him Papa. He needed to be alone with his omega for a bit.

“Thanks for trusting the crew with Abby,” he told Sebastian.

“As if I had a choice,” Bastian said. “She was determined. Law knew her song.”

“This is true.” Colton chuckled. “That made her so happy. Mason will end up in there sleeping on the floor.”

“You think?”

“Yep. He’ll be worried that those two won’t take care of her well enough.”

“They’re good guys, though, right? You trust them.” Bastian poured them both a glass of wine.

“I do. I trust them with my life sometimes, so I would definitely trust them with Abby. And Iago might not have a lot of kid experience, but Law has, like, twelve nieces and nephews.”

“Wow. Wow! Seriously?”

“Yep. He’s one of five.” Colton pulled Sebastian over to sit on the little settee, knowing it was too small for the two of them, but he didn’t think Bastian was ready for the bed.

Hopefully the yet was more than implied.

“That’s amazing.” Sebastian snuggled next to him, clinking their glasses together. “Cheers.”

“Cheers, baby. So how are you feeling?”

Sebastian paused, obviously not just going to give him a pat answer. “Worried about my house. Not about anyone harming it. Just that I won’t be able to go back. But this is good. You. Me. Wine.”

He nodded. “I think so too. I really do. I missed you so much.”

“Yeah, I hear you. I missed you too. I tried my best, you know? To do everything right.”

“Sebastian.” He reached up with his free hand to cup Sebastian’s cheek in his hand.

“You have raised an amazing daughter. You’ve kept your house, even when it was damn near impossible.

And not only that, you have a mentally demanding job.

You’re amazing. Don’t you think you’re not good enough at anything. ”

“I want—Are you going to be mad if I kiss you?” Sebastian’s eyes were huge, so pretty, so fascinating. How could he possibly be angry at his omega for wanting what he needed so bad?

“No. Not unless we dump wine, and then I would laugh.” He took the wineglasses and put them on the table that sat nearby. “Kiss away, baby.”

Sebastian laughed softly, but he flowed right onto Colton’s lap and pressed their mouths together, arms going around his neck.

Colton moaned, his body reacting so fast it left him breathless. Of course, he’d been half hard since they’d walked into his room, so maybe it wasn’t that quick. Bastian just did it for him.

Bastian had never been a shy lover. And that hadn’t changed, obviously, with the passage of time and the birth of their daughter.

Bastian pushed close as that sweet tongue slipped between his lips, tasting him, absolutely unafraid. His belly tightened, and he fought the urge to just drag Bastian to bed, a la a caveman.

Bastian was in charge of this. He deserved that control.

He couldn’t resist the desire to push his fingers into the heavy mass of ebony curls, shake them loose from the leather tie that held them.

Fuck, he loved this man with all his heart. Still. Even when he’d thought Sebastian had just ghosted him, the thought of seeing Sebastian again had kept him going.

And now? Now he was back to wanting it all. The house, even with all the damn steps. The white picket fence. The family to take on his adventures.

Sebastian could work from anywhere.

Bastian bit his lip. “Focus.”

“I am. On you. On how much I want you.”

“Good.” Sebastian rested their foreheads together, focused on him. “I’m scared that I’m being an idiot, but—you do it for me. Seriously. You are my person, Colton, and I don’t know how to make myself stop feeling that way.”

“So don’t. You have my word, I will never let you feel deserted again. I never intended to do it before.” And he would fall on a sword before he hurt that little girl.

That little girl who had called him Papa.

“I know. I do. Kiss me again? Please?” Sebastian’s lips were soft and hot, begging him for a deep, wild connection, which he happily gave. There was nothing on earth that would make him happier than to bury himself in Bastian, to get lost in his omega and prove his need and his desire.

So, he kissed those swollen lips, letting his hands roam, learning all of Sebastian’s planes and contours. He wanted to know every difference, catalog everything.

Bastian seemed to feel the same way, because he started with the tiny scars on Colton’s right temple, made by rock shrapnel from the cave-in.

“Poor face. It’s a little hot, though, you know? It makes you seem mysterious.” It didn’t sound silly at all when Bastian said it either. “I’m hard, and that’s all your fault, you know that?”

He dared to slide his fingers down Bastian’s belly, loving the way it rippled and jerked under his fingers. That long, slender cock waited for him, hard and wanting his touch.

“Are you wet for me too, baby?” he asked, his whole body on fire all of a sudden. He wasn’t sure he could pull the stand-and-lift maneuver like he used to, not all at the same time. But he could rise and tug Sebastian to his feet, and then to the bed.

“I am.” Sebastian was honest with him, straightforward, and that gaze tightened. “This is real. But…we have to use protection. I can’t catch pregnant now. Do you have any condoms?”

“I do.” Colton understood completely. They had so much to learn about one another. To relearn. “Or we don’t have to do that. We can just touch each other. We can stroke off. We can use our mouths. I want to see you. I want to be with you. I can wait.”

Bastian reached up, cupped his jaw, eyes filling with tears.

“See. I knew what my heart was telling me. I couldn’t believe that you had just…

I couldn’t believe that you could just walk away from me, that you didn’t care about our baby.

I couldn’t believe that I’d fallen in love with someone who would be so awful. ”

“You didn’t. Every single word I’ve ever told you was true.

If you didn’t hear it from me, then it doesn’t count.

Those people.” He shook his head. He was so damn angry at his folks.

“They’re owned by money, and they don’t count.

I swear to you, I will follow your lead.

” Colton would do anything for this man. “We don’t have to do anything.”

“I want to do things. Lots of things. Can we go to bed? I mean… It’s not.

I mean…” Bastian stopped, took a deep breath, and began to chuckle at himself, shaking his head.

“Look, I want you. You want me. I’m not a virgin, as you’re well aware, and neither are you.

I’m on birth control, but if you use a condom, then that makes sure.

I’m not ready to be pregnant again. I just want to make sure.

The next time I get pregnant, I want it to happen because we meant to. ”

He nodded. That was more than reasonable, and he knew it.

Hell, he agreed with it. “I get you. I understand. Also, I’m totally with you on this.

Make no mistake, I want to seduce you. I want to work myself into your life, but I’m willing to take it at your speed.

You were the one that was ill-used, so I want to make sure you’re going to be okay, every step of the way. You have my word.”

Bastian was quiet for a few endless seconds, then he nodded. “Every step, hmm?” Bastian smiled at him, the expression wicked.

“Yes, lover. You’re driving.”

Sebastian put one hand on his cock, fingers tracing the shaft through his jeans. “Oh, does this mean I get to play with your gear shift?”

He growled under his breath, the sound instinctive. “It does. Do you remember how?”

“You know I do.” Bastian carefully worked his jeans and belt open, tugging his cock out of his boxer briefs. “Let’s see if I can move this out of first into second gear.”

Colton was going to die. He was simply going to expire, right here and now, at the firm touch to his heavy prick.

“Uhn. Baby. You’re moving me into high gear right now. Like—well not zero, but maybe thirty miles an hour to racing speed.” His hips rocked back and forth.

Sebastian laughed softly. “I think you still have a fine engine.”

“I think I still have plenty of power.” Hell, his knot was already happy to go.

He moaned, his hips rising and falling when Sebastian stroked him, and Sebastian licked his lips, watching him carefully. “Can we stretch out?”

“Can I get you naked first?”

“God, yes.” Sebastian let him tug and pull and get those clothes off, baring his omega to his gaze and his hands. And he just stood there for a long moment, staring.

“So beautiful.”

Sebastian gave him a sweet grin. “I’m just me.”

“And that’s always been wonderful as far as I’m concerned.” He took the rest of his clothes off too, and he pulled the covers back so he and Sebastian could get in the bed and get close. His leg thanked him for it, because all that tension was making his muscles ache.

“Are you okay, love?” Sebastian asked him, so in tune with his little signals.

“My leg stiffens up sometimes when I get tense. And you give me the sexual kind of that stuff.”

“I can tell.” Sebastian stroked his cock but then rested that warm hand on his scars. Not rubbing, just sharing his heat.

“Mmm. Thank you, baby.”

“I hate that you hurt so much, but I’m glad you’re here with me.”

That open heart Sebastian had made him humble. “I’m glad to be here. I missed you.” He bent to take Sebastian’s lips, the kiss going on and on, because they would break for air and then dive back in.

By the time they were ready to move on to kissing other parts, he was panting, his balls drawing up tight. “What do you want, baby?” he asked.

“You. In me. Do you have?—”