Falling Bundle (9 page)

He knocked on the door.

There was no answer. He waited patiently. All his anger had burned out; there was no impatience left.

In the end, Arjen answered. He looked Max over and sighed. “You need to go home, Max.”

“Please don’t send me away.” It came out a cracked whisper. Max could barely feel the rain. “Please.”

Arjen hesitated.

At the last hour, Max managed to get out the words. They tumbled out jerkily at first, then with growing force, the torrent finally unleashed. “Arjen, I’m so sorry. So sorry. I’ve been such an idiot. I should never have hurt you—you deserve so much more. I’ve tried to tough it out, but I can’t take this any more, it’s killing me. Every time you push me away it feels like you’ve stabbed me. All I want is you. All I think about is you. When I wake up in the morning I’m already missing you. I miss the way you used to trust me, the way you used to smile at me. I hate that I could have had that if I hadn’t been so scared. So scared that I couldn’t say… I couldn’t say that I’m…” His voice splintered on those last inescapable words. “I’m in love with you. I’m sorry. That’s all I can say.”

Arjen stared at him. Speechless. In the silence that followed there was only the drumming of the rain.

“You
what?”
Arjen finally managed to say. “You—did you mean that?”

“Yes. Every word.” His hands clenched into fists. He was numb with the terror that Arjen would send him away once and for all.

“And you really—”

“I love you.” It was easier to say the second time. He had no doubts about it at all; it had the ring of certain truth. “I’m sorry. I’m crazy about you, I always have been. I should have told you from the beginning. I was just scared that you’d laugh at me, scared that you’d leave me. I thought if I hurt you you’d go away and I wouldn’t have all these feelings any more. But it didn’t work. I only wanted you more. I love you. I want to prove it to you.”

“And if…” Arjen had to swallow hard. “If—if I wanted that too, you wouldn’t make me leave again?”

A tiny spark of hope lit inside as Max dared to think that Arjen might give him another chance. “No. Never.” He meant every word.

“You’re sure? You wouldn’t change your mind?” Arjen reached up to cup Max’s face, his palm warm against his cheek. His fingertips trembled.

Max leaned helplessly into his touch, craving more. “I’m sure. I’m so sure.” Arjen looked up at him like nothing else existed in the world, like he was the only star in the sky. The spark of hope kindled to a flame, then to a blaze. “Can I—?”

“Please.” Arjen made it sound like a prayer.

It was the only permission he needed. Max pounced on him instantly; he crushed Arjen against him and captured his mouth with all the pent-up desperation of the last few weeks. Arjen made such a sweet sound as he wrapped his arms around Max’s neck. God, Max needed this so badly. He could barely believe that Arjen was in his arms. He had been dying to touch him like this, to stroke his face, to whisper all those secrets between kisses. “I love you. Christ, I love you. Please never leave me.” He pulled Arjen into a fierce hug, clutching so tight he feared he must be hurting him. Arjen clutched him right back. “Thank God.” Max kissed him again, full of sweet relief.

Arjen slipped his hand into his, and Max nearly burst with happiness. He had spent so long craving that simple gesture of trust and affection. “I wanted you to be mine since the first time I saw you,” Arjen whispered to him. “I always wanted you.”

“Can I stay the night?” Max curved his whole body around him, wanting to encompass him and shield him from the world.

Arjen half smiled, breathless, gripping so tight, as though Max might escape him. “Stay forever.”

“Okay.” Max pressed his forehead against his, his smile so wide it threatened to crack something. “I missed having you sleeping next to me.”

“You can have it every night.” Arjen smiled up at him, tentatively glowing. “Let me take you to bed.”

“Yes.” Max followed him; he would have followed him anywhere.

At last he was welcomed into the warmth of Arjen’s room. Arjen turned to him with a shy smile that Max had never seen before. “You’re dripping.”

Max looked down at the rapidly spreading puddle of rain around him. He laughed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Arjen leaned into him, heedless of his drenched coat, took him by the back of the neck and kissed him slowly as he worked on undressing Max. He was so delightfully warm, his mouth so hot, that Max swayed into him in pure yearning; Max felt like he was chilled to the bone and only Arjen could heat him back up. Arjen undressed him with his clever hands, then took over when Max fumbled to undress him too. “Shower.” Arjen tugged him along.

The shock of the hot water against his chilled skin made Max gasp. He was frozen inside and the ice was finally cracking apart. The water poured over them both, scalding, the shower rapidly filling with clouds of steam.

It felt so fucking good just being here. Max took his beloved by the chin and kissed him until Arjen was helpless in his arms. Max revelled in this moment, in having the privilege of touching him. He slid to his knees and took Arjen deep into his mouth.

Arjen’s head banged back against the shower tiles as he groaned. Max pushed a finger into him and made him gasp, teased his sweet spot and made him moan aloud. Arjen was so hot for him it was unbearable, all that lean muscle eagerly waiting for him. Max rubbed firmly against his sweet spot at the same time as he sucked hard.

Arjen came with a cry, his fingers tightening in Max’s hair. Max let him rock into his mouth, riding Max’s finger, chasing the last ripples of pleasure.

It was more than he could stand to have Arjen slick and ready for him in the steamy shower. Max lifted him easily, braced him against the tiles, pressing into him. Arjen kept making these intoxicating little sounds as Max slowly, slowly sheathed himself in him; the clench of his body was at once tight and yielding. Finally fully inside him, Max let go a tormented groan into the sweet plane of his throat. It should be illegal for one man to be so slippery, so needy. Arjen squeezed around him so tight that Max saw stars and it took all his self-control not to come inside him that instant.

No. He was going to enjoy every moment of this and he’d make Arjen come again before he finally let go. He began to rock into Arjen, setting a steady rhythm.

Arjen began to pant, then to whimper as his pleasure built again. The hammering of the water against the tiles drowned out the sounds he was making. Max pinned his wrists above his head with one hand as he kept driving into him; Arjen arched into him, utterly abandoned in Max’s arms. “Please, Max, that’s so good.” He buried his face in Max’s shoulder.

“Course it is,” Max murmured in his ear. “Because you’re mine.”

“Yes.” Arjen smiled against his shoulder. Their fingers twined together above his head.

“And because I love you.” Max pressed a kiss to his temple and kept steadily thrusting.

“Mmm.” Arjen’s eyes fluttered shut as he fought for control. He was biting his lip; Max dipped his head and captured that tempting lower lip for himself, bit it gently, teasing it with his teeth. “Oh,” Arjen said on a sigh. His clear satisfaction fed a part of Max that had been starving far too long. It had been so long since Arjen had trusted him that Max had forgotten what pure magic it was: how generous his affection, how open his body, how keen his desire to please.

Arjen pulled against Max’s grip on his wrists. “I need… I…”

“I like it when you’re incoherent. It’s cute.” Max shifted his grip on his ass, bracing him against the wall to slide deeper.

The new angle must have hit home even better, because Arjen was starting to cry out, pleading with him, squirming in his arms. He must be very close to the edge; he was starting to tighten up in that telltale way that threatened to tip Max over too. “Max. Please. Please!”

Max wrapped a slippery hand around his cock and tightened his grip as he slammed home. Arjen came for him unbelievably hard, his whole body tautening, squeezing tight around Max. Max lost his breath in a growl of sheer hunger and he couldn’t think any more, he could only pin Arjen against the shower tiles and drive deep as he followed Arjen over the edge. The force of his climax shook him to the core. Shudders of pleasure ripped through him and he had to muffle his cry against Arjen’s shoulder.

Afterward he was so, so glad to be able to hold Arjen the way he wanted, keeping him in his arms where Max needed him. Craved him. Arjen was trembling against him, his breath coming in gasps. Max couldn’t stop whispering to him, the words spilling out. “That was so good, Arjen, you’re so good. I love you. You’re mine.”

“Gah.” Arjen just turned his face into Max’s shoulder.

Max turned his cheek against the top of his head, stroking his hair. It felt so good to have Arjen wrapped in his arms. He was never letting go. “You’re safe with me. You’re safe.”

“I know.” Arjen snuggled closer.

Max’s throat closed and for a second he could barely breathe. He needed this complete trust so badly.

He slipped out of his body as gently as he could, cleaned him up, then coaxed him out of the shower. Arjen kept holding onto him, leaning into him, as though the world was unsteady around him: as though he had been as profoundly shaken as Max. Max got a soft towel and rubbed him down, then himself, and led him to bed.

Arjen no sooner slipped under the covers than he pressed himself back into Max. Max kissed his temple, his cheek, brimming over with warmth and happiness. The soft glow of the lamp turned everything to gold. He smiled, and felt the curve of Arjen’s mouth at the corner of his. “Sleepy?”

“Exhausted.” Arjen laid his head on Max’s shoulder.

“That’s a shame,” Max murmured in his ear. “Because it would take me a long, long time to make you come again. And you’d enjoy every minute.”

“You wear me out,” Arjen said, his eyes still closed, but his smile slowly deepened.

“Let me persuade you.” Max stroked his sensitive inner thigh.

Arjen caught his breath, shifted slightly beneath him, the first sign that Max was sparking his interest. “You can’t possibly want to fuck me again so soon.”

Max ran a finger up and down his crease. Arjen squirmed. “You’re right. I’m tired. But I think we can find something else to fuck you with. Can’t we?”

Predictably, Arjen reddened. Max grinned. He delved into Arjen’s bedside drawer and as expected found a dildo. “You are wicked, Arjen. You just couldn’t manage without something inside you, could you.”

“How did you guess?” Arjen was definitely blushing.

Max laughed. “Remember the first time I used one on you? The time I turned you over my knee and spanked you? You liked being fucked with a dildo way too much. Of course you would have bought one.” He leaned off the edge of the bed and rummaged in their discarded clothes to find his belt, which he duly looped around Arjen’s wrists and pulled tight to tie his hands to the bed frame.

“Max.” Arjen tugged at his bonds.

“Less?” Max teased him with the dildo, running it along his inner thigh, rubbing it into his crease, not quite touching his pucker. Arjen fidgeted. “Or more?”

“Max!” Arjen pulled harder, spreading his legs wider. “More.”

“It’s more fun when I use it on you, isn’t it? Much more fun than using it on yourself.” Max pressed the dildo into his still-slick body. Arjen arched up into it, his thighs parting reflexively, his body one taut curve. Max pushed it in only to drag it back out, making sure to brush the spot that made Arjen groan loudly. “You need this, don’t you. Need the size of it in you.”

“Not as big as you.” Arjen was biting his lip, his body flexing delightfully beneath Max’s hungry eyes.

Max chuckled. “Isn’t it?”

“No. I like the way you stretch me open.” Arjen was panting now, his bound hands clenched. His teeth were set in his lower lip. He twisted under Max’s hands, trying to offer his body for the dildo. “Please.”

“It’s going to take me ages to be ready to fuck you again,” said Max with great satisfaction. “And I’m going to spend the whole time tormenting you.” Again he pushed it in, again he dragged it out. Arjen’s hands tightened into fists and his breathing got faster. “Playing with that little place inside you that gets you so hot. Until you’re begging me to let you come.” Max pressed it in deliberately.

Arjen’s voice went up a notch. “Ah! Max!”

Max grinned.

It did indeed take a full half hour for Max to recover sufficiently to fuck Arjen again. By that time Arjen was out of his mind with need, spread out and squirming on the bedcovers, teased so relentlessly that he would have let anyone do anything to him. Max drew that dildo out of him one last time, taking his time, and shifted to take its place between Arjen’s legs. “Please!” Arjen begged him, his voice cracking. His face was flushed, his dark hair sticking to his temples. “Max, God, I need—ah!”

His voice soared as Max thrust powerfully into him. Arjen clenched tight around Max, his back arching as he pressed himself up into him, his eyes screwing shut. That exquisite grip was so intense that Max growled his hunger, his possessiveness. His fingers dug bruisingly hard into Arjen’s thighs. “You’re mine,” Max told him, his voice so rough it barely sounded human. “All mine.” He began to rock into him.