Ronan tossed aside his jacket and pulled off his tie. It landed somewhere over his shoulder. Aiden didn’t see where. He couldn’t take his eyes off Ronan’s face.
“Are you sure about this?” Ronan asked in a low, rough voice.
A harsh laugh ripped from Aiden’s lips. “I’ve been sure since we were teenagers. I think I’ve been asked to wait long enough.”
Ronan slid his arms around Aiden’s waist, but he pulled away when Aiden moved in to kiss him again. Aiden’s brow furrowed. “I wanted to be sure because once I have you, I’m never letting you go again. This isn’t some fling for me.” Ronan lowered his head to brush his nose to Aiden’s cheek. “I know you’re still getting over the loss of your Julianna. I will move as slowly as you need me to, but I swear that movement will always be forward. I want you to be mine forever.”
Closing his eyes against the sting of tears, Aiden nodded. “That’s what I want too. We’ll figure the rest out later. Just want you with me.”
The kiss was slower this time. Aiden fell into learning and exploring the man he hadn’t seen in so long but was sure he knew as well as he knew himself. Questing fingers steadily removed his tie and plucked at buttons until his shirt fell away as if by magic. Aiden’s fingers stumbled over Ronan’s clothes until they both hissed at finally feeling skin on skin. He knew this body against his. He’d watched Ronan moving, fighting, washing, and even fucking when they were human, but he’d never felt his flesh and muscle pressed to him. Not like this.
Aiden’s hands roamed down Ronan’s back to cup both ass cheeks, holding him prisoner as Aiden rolled his hips, grinding their dicks together through far too much material. Ronan broke off their kiss on a loud groan.
“Jesus fuck, Aiden. That should be illegal,” he muttered. “I will never forgive you if you make me come in my damn pants.”
Moving his lips along Ronan’s jaw, he lightly nibbled on his neck as Ronan tilted his head to the side. “And how would you prefer to come?”
“With you deep inside me,” Ronan gritted out. His fingers tangled in Aiden’s hair and grabbed his hip, as if he were trying hold as much of Aiden against him as possible.
Aiden hummed and licked across Ronan’s shoulder. “Then we should finish getting these clothes out of our way.” And yet they continued to kiss and hold each other tight for another several minutes. He couldn’t get himself to release Ronan. They’d never been this close before. Life and time and fate had kept ripping them apart. If they stopped, would something new present itself to destroy this moment?
Ronan chuckled and finally put his hands on Aiden’s shoulders, pushing him to place some distance between them. A chill of cold seemed to sweep over him where Ronan’s warm flesh had been just a moment ago. “Not going anywhere. Nothing could possibly stop us right now.”
“I have children,” Aiden said flatly.
Ronan snorted. “You have grown children, and if they don’t want a very graphic show involving their father, then they will stay away.”
“True.” Aiden attacked his pants, shoving them off along with his briefs. He tugged at his socks while watching Ronan struggling to keep his balance as he undressed as well.
“On the bed,” Aiden ordered the second Ronan was naked.
Grinning like a fool, Ronan climbed across the bed, giving Aiden a perfect view of a delectable ass and long, muscular legs. His friend shoved at blankets and moved pillows until he had made himself a proper mound to lay on like some pampered prince. Or maybe he was just arranging himself like a delicious meal. Aiden was ready to devour all of him.
Aiden paused at the nightstand and pulled out a bottle of lube he’d discovered there, likely thanks to Ethan, but had never used. His eyes roamed over the man spread out while he removed the protective plastic wrapper. A dark covering of hair on his chest, with several bare spots from old scars. An enticing trail led down from his belly button to a neatly trimmed thatch of hair around his beautiful cock. Thick, muscular thighs tapered to strong calves and large feet. Everything about him managed to be both new and familiar.
Dropping the lube on the bed, Aiden climbed onto the mattress, positioning himself between Ronan’s thighs. He was dying to be inside of him, to feel all of Ronan, but he didn’t want to rush this. Wanted to savor every moment, every feeling.
He ran his hands up Ronan’s legs, loving the tickle of the hair along his palms before stopping to knead tense muscles in his thighs. The fingers of his left hand stopped at feeling the raised scar under his fingertips.