Lucien shrugged. “It could be the attraction we feel. He did say it wasn’t like the normal mate line. That it’s faded and tangled.”
“Or it could mean more,” Calder whispered. “Because the desire I have for you is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. It’s…” Calder hesitated. He licked his lips, wondering if he was about to destroy everything. “It’s the same with Gio.”
Lucien stared at him for several long moments, then took the few steps needed to close the space between them. “Being with Gio means doing things like this.”
He tugged Calder’s body close to his and slanted his mouth over Calder’s. Shock froze Calder for a moment before pure, raw lust shot through him. His hands immediately went to that bare chest and he ran his fingers through the smattering of hair there, feeling the hard pecs under his palms. Lucien slid his tongue into Calder’s mouth, a sensual wet slide that made Calder’s knees weak. He met that slide, twining his tongue with Lucien’s.
Big hands smoothed down and squeezed his ass. Calder moaned, pressing his groin on Lucien’s thigh. In a hot second, he’d be humping that leg.
Lucien brought his hands up to Calder’s head and turned it so he could kiss under his ear. He kissed his neck before coming up to his mouth and sliding his tongue back inside. Fuck, the man could kiss. Calder sucked on his tongue. Lucien’s groan vibrated against him and Calder dug his fingers into his chest, then wrapped his arms around Lucien’s neck.
The kiss went on and on, and both men were panting hard when Lucien finally pulled away.
Calder dropped his arms, staring up at Lucien, knowing he looked bemused and full of desire. As hot as all that was, his mind was screaming that it would have been hotter if Gio had been right there to watch them. It was as if he were a missing piece.
Lucien’s eyes were at half-mast as he stared back. His lips were swollen and soft-looking. Calder wanted to take him to that messy bed and make it even messier.
Lucien gently touched his cheek. “I could so easily become attached to you, and it scares me to death.”
“Because you don’t do repeats?”
“Because one day we’re going to find our soul mates; then there will be no more of this.”
“Yes, if it means keeping my brothers safe, stopping the pestilents and saving the world, then yes.” Calder took a deep breath, unable to take his eyes off Lucien. “But it’s going to hurt, isn’t it?”
Lucien was silent for several long moments. He sighed. “Yeah, Calder, I think this is going to hurt us both. Possibly even Gio, and he’s very open about how he feels. Right now, it might only be sex to him, but what if he gets attached too?”
“I want him. Want you, too. We don’t know if we’ll ever find our soul mates and hell, Grey did say there was something between us. Who knows? Maybe we’re supposed to be together.”
“With Gio?”
“He just…fits. And come on, you have to admit that night was damn hot.”
Lucien’s lips quirked. “That was sex, Calder. This soul-mate business is forever. You know that.”
Calder sucked on his bottom lip for a second. It still tingled from Lucien’s kiss. “Yeah, but wouldn’t you want to have amazing sex with your soul mate?”
“True, and I wouldn’t mind a repeat at all.” He glanced at the bed, then back at Calder, and the heat in that gaze made Calder catch his breath.
He held it in a moment before letting it out in one fell swoop. “I want to wait for Gio, though part of me also wants to crawl into that bed with you.”
“You’d be welcome. More than.”
Calder shook his head. “We need more time to think, and I need to go to my room or I’ll be changing my mind.”
But he didn’t move. He wanted one more kiss. Reaching out, he ran his hand down Lucien’s chest, drawn to the silky skin and hair. Lucien brought his hand up and held Calder’s, then tugged him in close so their chests pressed together. Calder hissed at the contact and couldn’t stop himself from rubbing on Lucien, his nipples sensitive as they rasped through Lucien’s chest hair.
“I think you want to stay,” Lucien murmured, bringing his lips to Calder’s jaw. He dropped light kisses along it before finally moving to his mouth.
Calder opened for him and was once again swept under by a wave of lust. They slid their tongues together. Calder’s cock throbbed with interest. He rubbed it against Lucien and felt the man’s low groan in his mouth. Lucien reached between them and cupped Calder’s erection, stroking him. Calder whimpered, flat-out whimpered, and came up on his toes to deepen the kiss. At this rate, he was going to come in his sweats.