“Mine,” Gage rasped, aiming for Ulric’s prostate over and over. Ulric writhed and bucked beneath him. He ground hard against that one spot, all the way until Ulric choked on his moan.
Then he stroked Ulric’s cock, firm and forceful, hitting every nerve until Ulric’s eyes rolled back and he came and came and came, great spurts of white that streaked all over his chest, onto his neck and his face, his body clenching so hard around Gage that Gage came inside him, violent and unexpected.
Right after, Gage withdrew, flopping next to Ulric on the bed. Then he gathered Ulric against himself, just catching his breath.
Ulric pulled off his come-streaked glasses, slinging his arm across his face. “Fuuuck.”
Gage smiled and kissed him. “You can still talk? Means I didn’t do a good job.”
“That was...” Ulric tipped his head back, a low growl rumbling from his throat. “Damn.”
“Never had anything like that?” Gage kissed him again.
Ulric shook his head. Gage felt a surge of pride. He’d been Ulric’s first for something. And that meant a lot.
“That’s how you should be treated,” Gage murmured.
“I swear I was gonna murder you.” Ulric narrowed his eyes. “I wanted to fucking come already.”
“Yeah, and you were so damn hot when you did that.” Gage snuggled against him. “I love when you get all fierce-alpha on me.”
Ulric stiffened.
“What did I say?” Gage frowned, thinking back. “You don’t like being told you’re hot?”
Ulric looked uncomfortable. “You said the L-word. I hope you didn’t mean it.”
Oh. Gage rubbed his mouth. Had he meant it? “I don’t know.”
“I’m going to have a shower,” Ulric muttered, rolling away.
Gage caught him around the middle, pulling him back. “Stay for a bit,” he murmured. “I like having you in my bed.”
Ulric snuffled, looking down as though he hadn’t realized where he was. And Gage marked him again, trailing his pine scent down Ulric’s body. “I like when you wear my scent, too,” he added.
Ulric swallowed. “This isn’t a payment, is it? Tonight.”
“No.” Gage smiled, wrapping himself around Ulric. “That was freely given, babe. I don’t expect anything in return. All I wanted was your company.”
Ulric flushed pink; Gage’s heart missed a beat. “I’m not a babe.”
“You’re one to me.”
“But isn’t that what you call omegas?”
“Nah.” Gage kissed his nape. “It’s what I call someone I really like.”
Then he kissed Ulric again, just breathing in that honey oak scent. Ulric sighed, finally relaxing, burying his face against the mattress. They stayed like that for a while, Gage stroking Ulric’s side, holding him in a loose hug. That wasn’t a payment, either.
“I can’t give you a family,” Ulric mumbled into the mattress. “I’m just...”
“You’re perfect,” Gage whispered.
He looked at Ulric’s flushed cheek, and his pink ear. Something in his chest tugged. It felt as though he was falling and falling, and he didn’t know when he would hit the ground, or if he ever would.
Being with Ulric made him feel that way. Gage tried not to think about why, or the possible consequences this had.
So he buried the feeling, pretending that everything was the same as before. He didn’t know how to deal with relationships. His life was still surrounded by bills he couldn’t pay off.
He tucked his face against Ulric, and imagined that Ulric was the only thing that mattered.
18
You’re Dating An Alpha?
Ulric should’ve known that Gage’s brother would be just as beautiful as he was.
Wilkie Frost was an omega in his early twenties, a slender young thing that Ulric’s parents would’ve wanted him to marry in a heartbeat. That was all Ulric could think about as Gage helped Wilkie move first a mattress, then a bed frame upstairs.
When they were almost done with the moving, Gage joined Ulric in the kitchen, pulling a chair over to the island counter. “Did something happen?” Gage asked, stroking Ulric’s back. “You look sad.”
Ulric shrugged. “Sometimes I wish I was normal. Like everyone else.”
Gage huffed. “Yeah, same here.”
“You?” Ulric tried not to roll his eyes. “You’d win like, ten beauty pageants in a row.”
Gage smiled wryly. “And then what?”
“And then you’d get everything in the world.”
“Doesn’t always work that way.”
That, Ulric found hard to believe. “It doesn’t?”
Gage leaned into him, all pine and fresh sweat scent. “I’m living in your fancy house because I’m broke, Ulric.”
There were two ways to look at that. One, Gage wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t broke. Two, Ulric had invited Gage to live here precisely because he’d been a sucker for Gage’s looks. He was still a sucker for Gage’s face, and now, his hands, too. Along with everything else about Gage.
Either way, both trains of thought were pretty depressing.
“I think I’ve just upset you more.” Gage winced. “What did I say wrong?”
“Nothing.” Ulric left his seat, heading to the fridge.
“Hey.”
“I told you, it’s nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me, babe.” Gage caught Ulric’s arm, turning him around. And he pressed Ulric lightly against the fridge, leaning in so his lips brushed Ulric’s cheek.
Ulric stopped breathing. He still couldn’t believe it, every time Gage kissed him. “Is this a—”
“Not a payment.” Gage leaned in, pressing their mouths together. Pleasure hummed through Ulric’s nerves. “Mm. You always taste good.”
Ulric’s face heated up. “We’re just—just friends.”
“Yeah.” Gage kissed him deeper, and Ulric’s knees grew weak.
Sometimes, he wondered if Gage minded his fumbling kisses. Gage kissed like a pro. But when they kissed, instead of mentioning Ulric’s lack of experience, Gage only cupped Ulric’s face and fitted their mouths more snugly together. Ulric hadn’t the confidence to initiate this with him.
Gage found him hot, though. As crazy as it was, Ulric believed that now. Gage liked hugging him.
Actually, maybe Gage liked kissing him, too.
Ulric broke the kiss, his heart pattering. “Why?”
Warmth filled Gage’s smile. “Because. You need a reason?”
“Everything has a reason.” That was the basis in Ulric’s data analysis. Hell, it was his job to find out why the numbers worked the way they did.
Gage pressed their foreheads together, bumping into Ulric’s glasses. “Do you not want me living here because I’m broke?”
Ulric’s
