Page 99 of Vespertine

Nicky closed his eyes and hung his head. He absently tracedthe outline of Jasper’s nipple, and Jasper bit his lip. “Yeah, I guess we canbe miserable later,” Nicky said.

Jasper laughed. “So fatalistic.”

“I know, it’s charming.”

The only light in the hallway was a stark beam from the moonbut Jasper saw everything with the clarity of an overexposed photograph. Nickywas right, he should be panicking, but he wasn’t. He felt utterly calmand…right. He rubbed Nicky’s shoulders and noticed an unusual heat rise fromhis skin.

“Are you sunburned?” Jasper whispered.

Nicky gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Maybe a bit. Mom’s gotaloe around here somewhere.” He lifted his head. “What about you?” His teethglinted white in the dusky hallway. “You must be burned too, wearing nothingbut robes all year ‘round.”

“Me?” Jasper grinned and stepped closer until he could smellthe silt and sweet sweat on Nicky’s skin. “I’m hot all over.”

A startled laugh burst out of Nicky’s mouth. “Damn right youare.”

Slowly Jasper tugged Nicky’s wet underwear down. It gotstuck on his hardening penis, and Jasper carefully worked him loose. “Join me?”he asked, then stepped into the guest bathroom and out of his underpants.Behind him Nicky made a soft noise, and then Jasper had the water running fullblast.

Chapter Eighteen

“YOUARESUNBURNED,” NICKYSAID,touching Jasper’s stomach softly.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jasper could see their bodiesin the mirror outlined by the sharp bathroom light. He was a little taller thanNicky, but softer, and his shoulders and chest glowed pink with the burn hecould feel setting into his skin.

Next to him, Nicky was a tight wire of bone, muscle, and flesh,still too thin, but heart-stoppingly beautiful. He touched Nicky’s rosy nose,sweeping his fingers over his cheeks. “So are you.”

Nicky trailed his hand south, but Jasper turned away, hiscock going hard instantly like he hadn’t already come that day, and climbedinto the spacious shower. When Nicky didn’t follow, he reached out and tookhold of his hands, drawing him into the warmth and seclusion under the fall ofthe warm water.

Nicky leaned against the wall, his head falling back and hiseyes dropping shut. Jasper let the water rinse away the worst of the dirt andsand as he admired Nicky’s body. His nipples were peaked, light brown nubsagainst his chest, and his defined abs trailed down to sharp oblique. Next tothe elephant and balloons tattoo, his cock was flushed but not hard, with amushroom-shaped head that made Jasper’s mouth fill with saliva.

“Getting an eyeful?” Nicky asked.

Jasper’s skin prickled as the heat rushed to his face. “You’rebeautiful.”

Nicky lips quirked into a half-smile. “You’re fucking hot.”

They were surrounded by steam in no time, and when Nickyopened his eyes, meeting Jasper’s gaze with a sultry-blue, flirtatious stare,Jasper pulled Nicky against him, wet pubic hair scratching against Jasper’shardening cock.

“It’s like we never stopped doing this,” Jasper whispered. Theintimacy came to him so easily now, despite his earlier hesitation. It feltshivery-good, like he was caught in a dream with no consequences, only sweetness,humming arousal, and exhausted bliss.

“Just like getting on a bike.”

Jasper laughed and ran his hands over Nicky’s body, over thecanvas of scars and art, then tweaked one of Nicky’s nipples.

“Hnn.” Nicky curved away, thenpressed closer to Jasper. He flashed his eyes up under dark lashes.

“Oh, you still like that, do you? What about this?” Heclosed his mouth around Nicky’s left earlobe and sucked. Nicky went half-limpin his arms, squirming against Jasper. Wet skin slid across wet skin.

“Ah, fuck, not fair,” Nicky gasped. He reached between themand grasped Jasper’s balls firmly, and Jasper couldn’t stop the keening noisethat came out of his mouth. “I have a good memory too, Father Jazz.” Nicky grinnedas if the tables had been turned. “And I remember that you used to fucking loveit when I—” he put his mouth to Jasper’s ear “—licked your sweet little hole.”

“Nicky!” Jasper’s knees nearly buckled, and Nicky used themoment to push Jasper under the hot spray.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get it nice and clean first.”

Jasper’s toes curled against the slippery tiles. “You can’ttalk like that.” He gasped and sputtered around a mouthful of water. Nickyshivered when the hot water hit him, and his cheeks began to turn pink as helooked down meaningfully.

“I can’t? You don’t seem to mind so much.” Nicky grippedJasper’s hard cock, and Jasper’s knees went weak all over again. “Or maybe youwant me to just do it, not talk about it. See if you still like it?”

“I think I’ll fall,” he whispered as his belly gave asquirmy lurch.