Page 27 of Midnight Pleasure

"Thank you," he said quietly, the words feeling odd in his mouth.

Bitsy nodded, a tiny smile gracing her mouth. "Make sure you use it wisely."

Bitsy turned for the door, but paused before leaving, a gleam of almost mischief in her eyes. "Oh, and by the way, Brently's lost all access to his trust fund. That hotel and restaurant he built? He's got to keep running them. Can't think of a more deserving sort, can you?"

Ares chuckled, and with that small comment, some of the tightness within his chest lessened. "Yeah. It really does make me smile."

Six Months Later

The wedding day at last arrived, perfumed by a softly glow of the afternoon. Wildflowers had been used as decorations in the barn, the expressive colors as vibrant as one could imagine, touching the place with life and warmth. The townspeople had massed, joyfully expectant, their very countenances expectant, to witness the union of two men who had become part and parcel of their community.

Apollo waited at the altar. He was dressed in a fitted tuxedo looking quite handsome. His heart throbbed against the excitement and nervousness as he walked down the aisle. Adjusting the collar of his shirt. He could not divorce the feeling of the rough cloth against his warm skin from the journey that had brought him there. Their barn, once a symbol of particularly and perseverance, now stood for love, a love that bore a higher price and was all the more precious for it.

Their eyes met for that single moment, and everything else blurred away. There were just the two of them standing there, at a threshold that opened out into a new chapter in their lives.

As he uttered his wedding vows, Ares spoke with conviction, his voice strong. Apollo's love had redeemed him to finally accept who he was. No shadows haunted Ares anymore. He was free now to move into the future with love, trust, and an unbreakable bond between them.

The ceremony itself was understated, but it said it all. There was an outburst of applause and cheers in the barn when they sealed their kiss with their vows. The town celebrated with them, hope and promise pure and new for the two in front of all of them. Holding hands as they walked down the center of the barn, Ares felt wholly complete in a way he'd never known before.

Ares rocked back a bit, a devilish smirk upon his lips as he gazed down at Apollo. "You know, for a man who loves to be in control, you really are patient. What happened?"

Apollo's gaze darkened with humor, his hands tightening on Ares's hips to guide him into a slow dance, deliberate grind. "Patience isn't the issue. I'm just enjoying watching you struggle to drive me nuts. It's cute."

Ares chuckled, felt himself grow even lazier in movement, more teasing. "Cute? I really don't think that's the word you've been trying to come up with."

"Oh, I'm sure of it." Apollo's voice was a low, dangerous rumble, his gaze fixed on Ares's lips. "You're putting on quite the show, but we both know who controls here."

Ares grinned wickedly and leaned in close, speaking in a husky voice close to Apollo's ear, "We do?" He murmured; the challenge was clear in his voice. "Because it seems to me that you are the one who's been holding back. What are you waiting for? Permission?”

His eyes shone with intent; Ares didn't pause before obliging with a withdrawal that was archly slow. He took up a lazy circuit of Apollo, each purposeful step he made toward his husband granting him the chance to admire those splendidly strong lines of muscle that defined Apollo's form. It was electric in the air, tension wrapping around them thicker than anything, and yet Ares continued to trail his fingertips lightly down Apollo's shoulders, down his arms, relishing those tensed muscles beneath his hands.

Apollo watched every one of Ares's movements with a knowing smile lingering on his face. He was usually the one in control, but allowing Ares a turn in the driver's seat really shifted the balance and added a delectable thrill to their dynamic.

His eyes glittered with mischief as he circled Apollo, the dangling leather strap in his hand promising a whole lot more. The air was charged with tension, thick and electric, so it seemed that he could feel it sizzle while he moved around Apollo. His hands slid lower to gather his husband's wrists, and with a deft twist, he brought them together to secure them by the strap. He drew it tight enough to hold Apollo in place, but not so he was uncomfortable. The gesture was deliberate, controlled, and laced with an undercurrent of desire.

He closed the distance with his breath warm against Apollo's ear. "Is this what you wanted? To see what it's like to be at my mercy?"

Apollo's smirk deepened, but his wrists twisted but remained secured by his magic. There was no fear in his eyes—only dark amusement that sent a thrill through Ares.

"Watch yourself, Ares. You're playing a dangerous game."

"Maybe," Ares said, kissing the nape of Apollo's neck and savoring it, the warmth of his skin, the power thrumming through his veins. The heady rush of having Apollo, this strong commanding man, momentarily at his whim, was intoxicating. "But it's a game I'm enjoying."

The l was an emblem, a playful taunt that acknowledged, yet defied, the norm between them. He knew this moment was borrowed, knew submission from Apollo was given, not taken, and that alone increased the thrill. With his wrists bound together, Apollo still managed to put on that air of quiet, dignified bearing that said so much and was so attractive to Ares.

Ares tightened, pulling tight just enough on the strap to get Apollo to hiss at the momentary bite of pain, which sent a thrill through him—a rush of power. He came closer, his voice low and teasing as he murmured against Apollo's ear, "I could keep you like this for as long as I want. Make you wait, make you beg. But something in me tells that you'd turn the tables on me the very second I let go."

He was already there, not waiting for permission, just the brush of lips along the line of Apollo's jaw tasting the heat of skin. He ran his tongue, slow and deliberate, along the sharp edge of Apollo's jaw, feeling the stutter of a shiver that rippled down through his husband's body. Small, but there; it was an undeniable reaction, a small trembling that he allowed himself to relish with satisfaction.

Apollo's breath hitched, but he didn't pull back. Instead, he swallowed, a subtle gesture that worked well with the way he was tilting his head as if asking Ares to go on, his eyes dark with the challenge and the desire both. Even now, with his wrists a bound offering and his control momentarily surrendered, Apollo still exuded that quiet command, and Ares wanted to push further to see just how far he could go.

Apollo's voice had roughened to an amused growl despite the sizzle of heat and the need that seemed relentless between them, like a living thing that would never be quenched.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Ares smirked, dropping another kiss onto the curve of Apollo's jaw. "Immensely. But I'm guessing you are too, even if you won't admit it."

Apollo's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. "Maybe I am. But remember, Ares… I always get the last word."

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