The muscles in his ass reflexively tightened and Cort shouted, his thrusts becoming jerky, seconds before heat flooded Grey’s channel. Another shockwave rippled through Grey and he whimpered. It was as if his body was trying to orgasm again at just the idea of Cort coming inside of him.
With a groan, Cort released Grey’s legs and collapsed half on top of him, both of them desperately panting for air. Grey blinked a few times, trying to will the blood to his brain as darkness crowded the edges of his vision. There were only a couple of frantic heartbeats of panic, but even that was too much. He was utterly drained.
Grey turned his head to find Cort’s face mostly smashed into the pillow, his eyes closed and lips parted as he struggled to catch his breath.
“Dear God. I think I’m dead. That…that killed me,” Cort said.
Reaching over, Grey wiped some sweat from Cort’s temple and let his fingers continue down across his cheek to his jaw and then along his strong throat. When he turned his gaze up to Cort’s face, his lover was watching him with a question in his eyes.
“What are you thinking?” Cort asked.
“That when I look at you, it all seems new. But when I touch you and close my eyes, you’re so familiar. Like I’ve known you for years.”
Cort smiled, relaxing even more. “What you see and what you feel will get into alignment soon enough. I promise. Your brain is trying to get memories to match up to your eyes.”
“If sex helps with that, I’m willing to keep trying until my brain catches up.”
Cort laughed and wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in close so that their chests were pressed together. They kissed, still smiling, so that it was more a bumping of teeth and noses, but Grey loved it. He loved everything with this man. Every moment. Every touch. Every laugh.
“Your willingness to make such a sacrifice is admirable.”
A lazy smile tugged at Grey’s lips. “Well, it is the code of the Weavers. Duty, loyalty, sacrifice.”
“Are sexy, stubborn Soul Weavers standard-issue too?”
Grey hummed so low he was practically purring. “Stubborn, yes. But I wasn’t sexy until you came along.”
“I don’t make you sexy. You were always sexy. I was just smart enough to stake my claim first.”
Grey laughed and shifted enough in the bed that Cort’s softened cock slid free of his body. A little sigh escaped him, and Cort’s arm tightened around his waist as if he hadn’t wanted to lose that connection either.
“Let me get a towel before we get stuck together,” Grey offered.
“Good. I don’t think I can stand up long enough for a shower,” Cort replied with a sigh. Grey chuckled as he got out of the bed and walked to the bathroom on shaky legs. “How are you even walking around?”
“Stubborn, remember?” Grey called out over his shoulder from the bathroom. He wet a washcloth and winced as the cold water touched his skin, unwilling to wait for the water to warm up for himself. When he was clean, the water was at least lukewarm as he wet a towel for Cort.
Returning to the bedroom, he knocked Cort’s hands away and washed off the man himself. “Let me. You spent a lot of time taking care of me. I want to take care of you for once.”
“You were fun to care for. Always scowling and grumpy.”
“I was a pain in the ass,” Grey mumbled, tossing the towel on the floor.
Cort caught his wrist, holding it until Grey met his gaze. “You were an independent man learning to let other people help him. And when I was done helping, you were always grateful.”
Grey’s smile returned and Cort released him. Pausing only long enough to turn off the overhead light, he hesitated at the bathroom, unwilling to turn off the light.
“What’s wrong?” Cort asked.
“Do you mind if I leave this light on? The idea of waking up to complete darkness makes me nervous. Like I’ve lost my vision again.”
“Yes, honey. That’s perfectly fine with me.” Those warm words were like an embrace, hugging him tight.
Grey climbed back into bed, and Cort settled the blankets around them before he pulled Grey tight against him again. He was exhausted and the feeling of Cort holding him, his heart beating under Grey’s ear, left him wanting to fall asleep, but it was hard to keep his eyes closed.
“Grey?” Cort said when he was sure his man had been nearly asleep.
“Yes?”
“This soul mates thing? You said you can see it. See a red ribbon. What’s it look like?”
Grey smiled and pressed a kiss to Cort’s chest. “It reminds me of a thick red ribbon that shines like satin in the light. The kind of ribbon you might find wrapped around a Christmas gift. But it’s surprisingly strong. I was just thinking earlier that it also reminds me of those thick ropes you might see on a suspension bridge. Nothing is going to break through it. Not a sword or a chainsaw. Not even magic.”