Page 51 of Phoenix

“I know.” He didn’t know what Tor was doing when he wasn’t standing right in front of him. He didn’t know when he’d see him again after he left. He didn’t know why Tor refused to talk to him about any of it. He didn’t know a lot of things. But he knew that if anyone hated their situation more than he did, it was Tor. At least Jule had stability, a career, the ability to see their family when he wanted, a path toward some sort of future.

“Things will change soon,” Tor said quietly.

“What does that mean?”

Tor drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It means I need a little more time. I promise you, Jule, just a little more, and then we can do whatever you want.”

That sounded more like a dream than a promise, but he was willing to dream with Tor. “Okay.” He slid his arm around Tor’s back, wove his fingers through his hair, and pressed his face to his neck. “I trust you, Tori.”

He had been having sex with Tor for half his life, so he hadn’t considered the possibility of them doing something new. But that night, they came together in a different way, a slower, quieter way. Instead of clawing at clothes and skin and banging up against walls, they walked to the bedroom in silence, fingers twisted together. The table lamp cast a soft warm glow, matching the mood. By silent agreement, they stopped beside the bed and faced one another, eyes meeting and holding. Slowly, Tor reached his hands over his head and pulled off his own shirt. At the same time, Jule tucked his thumbs into his waistband and pushed down his sweats. One article of clothing at a time, they undressed themselves until they were naked, still standing in the same spot, still looking at each other.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are, Julie?” Flowery words weren’t their thing. Tor had told him he was hot, told him he wanted him, told him he made him hard. “Because you are.” They were standing close enough that he could feel Tor’s breath ghosting over him as he spoke, but they weren’t touching. “Your body is a work of art, big and muscular. When your hair’s a little longer, like it is now, I can see all the chestnut tones woven together. Your lips destroy me. So soft and juicy. That fucking jaw is carved from stone. And your eyes. God damn, Jule, your eyes. The brown can darken and strike fear in people or it can calm to this warm, rich shade, and when the light hits them just right, the gold parts shine. I used to have trouble concentrating at school sometimes because I couldn’t look away from you, couldn’t think about anything except how gorgeous you were. And you’ve gotten even more beautiful as we’ve gotten older. You are so fucking gorgeous that I don’t know how you’re real.”

Jule’s throat felt too raw to speak. He crawled onto his bed, lay on his back, and spread his legs, making room for Tor between them.

Accepting his unspoken invitation, Tor eased onto him and caressed his face. “I will always protect you, Jule.”

That wasn’t something Jule doubted. Tor had always protected the family. With no functional parents around, the Dunworthy boys had raised one another, and even as the youngest, Tor had done his part, had taken care of his older brothers.

“I’m not fragile,” Jule reminded him.

“No, definitely not fragile.” Tor gazed down at him, his smile soft. He moved a few strands of hair off Jule’s forehead. “Precious.”

He hadn’t expected Tor Dunworthy to slay him with words instead of fists, but a single word in that voice with those eyes peering into his soul stole his breath more than any punch.

After a few quiet seconds, Jule rocked his hips, grinding his erection against Tor’s. “You feel so good on top of me.”

“Mmm hmm.” Tor trailed one hand down Jule’s torso until he reached his thigh, then he lifted it, rolled his lower body, and dragged his cockhead down Jule’s channel.

Jule trembled from head to toe. “Yes.” He pressed his face against Tor’s hair and breathed him in. That scent set him on fire with desire and calmed him with safety.

“I’m going to take care of you,” Tor vowed. He skimmed his hands up Jule’s arms and raised them above his head. “I won’t let you down.”

“You could never let me down.” He never had, not really. The situation they were forced into was frustrating beyond measure, but Tor wasn’t responsible for what his father had done, what his father could still do. The older he got, the more Jule realized that Tor was trapped, even more so than Jule. “And you’ve always taken care of me.” He wouldn’t have gotten through school without Tor. He still sometimes struggled to manage his anger, but when they were kids, it was a wild thing that took over before he could think and stop it. Tor had always been able to recognize it, avert it, shield it from people who wouldn’t understand. He folded both legs up and dropped his knees to the sides. “Get in me, Tori.”

Tor grinned. He lightly dragged his fingertips from Jule’s raised hands, down his arms, and past his pits. “Soon.” He nuzzled the base of Jule’s neck and trailed wet kisses across his clavicle and over to his nipple, which he flicked with his tongue and then suckled into his mouth.

“Fuck,” Jule moaned and arched his back. “That’s so good.”

When Jule was sore in the best way, Tor shifted his attention to the other nipple, rubbing, pinching, and then sucking it into his warm mouth. Eyes closed, he gave himself over to Tor and lost himself in the sensation.

“Those sounds you’re making are killing me.” Tor’s voice was hoarse. He licked a path from Jule’s chest, down his ribs, across his waist, and over to his dick. “And the way you smell.” Tor pressed his nose against Jule’s sac and inhaled deeply. “Fuck.” He rubbed his cheek up and down Jule’s cock.

He opened his eyes when Tor swiped his tongue over the head, not wanting to miss the view. “Going to suck me, Tori?”

“Fuck, yes.” Tor covered his glans with his mouth and pulled it in. “Mmm.” He licked his way down Jule’s shaft to his balls and mouthed each of them in turn before returning to his cock and sucking him deep.

“God damn.” Jule clutched each side of the pillow and thrust his hips. “Your fucking mouth.”

Tor kept working him over with that mouth, sucking his dick, licking his sac, and then lowering down and licking his crease and pucker.

“Love when you eat my ass,” Jule rasped.

“Love doing it.” Flattening his tongue, Tor lapped at the sensitive skin until Jule was wet with his saliva. He focused on his hole, probing, penetrating, and moaning.

“If you want to fuck me, you need to get your dick in me now because I’m about to fucking lose it.”

With a chuckle and another wiggle of his tongue, Tor rose to his knees and reached for the nightstand.