Page 167 of Captivated

Chapter Forty-Five

Zeeb watchedNate toe off his boots, focused on the task as if he were disarming something delicate and dangerous.

I know what he’s doing. He’s trying not to think about what’s coming.

Zeeb recalled his first time. Clara—that was her name—and she’d been a waitress. Older than him, and patient enough to put up with his fumblings.

Lord, I was nervous.

Except Zeeb hadn’t been carrying a quarter of the baggage Nate was.

Not gonna rush him.Zeeb smiled.Not that I can at the moment.

“What’s funny?”

He chuckled. “I’m lying here contemplating what I wanna do with you, and it just smacked me in the face that I’m not in a position to do an awful lot.”

Move the wrong way? Pain.

Tense up? Pain.

Then there was the way Nate breathed, like a man about to step out of a plane into open sky. Zeeb’s heart hammered so hard it echoed in his ears.

“Then it looks as if I’m in charge.” Nate’s voice shook a little.

“So what do you want to do first?”

Nate sat beside him on the bed, his cheeks tinged with red. “I’ve only ever imagined this stuff. I don’t… I might get it wrong.”

Another chuckle rolled out of him. “Thereisno wrong.” Zeeb brought his hand to Nate’s nape. “It’s okay to touch.” He brushed his fingers along Nate’s cheek. “You tell me what you need. I’ll listen.”

Nate sighed, and their lips met in a lingering sweet kiss. His hands rested on Zeeb’s waist, just above his belt. Zeeb could feel the tremor in those fingers.

“This okay?” Nate asked.

Zeeb nodded. “Yeah.”

And it was, so okay it almost hurt.

Nate leaned in and kissed him again, only it was different this time. Longer. Slower, as though they were learning each other by taste, not wanting to skip past the wonder of it.

Zeeb wanted to savor every second.

When they broke the kiss, Zeeb gestured to his shirt. “You wanna help me outta this?”

Nate smiled. “Of course.” He popped the buttons free, taking care as he eased the garment over Zeeb’s shoulder. The discomfort had ebbed a little, thanks to the pills. Nate stared at Zeeb’s bare chest, and Zeeb curled his fingers around Nate’s wrist, drawing his hand to Zeeb’s nipple.

“Give it a little tweak,” he suggested. “I love that.”

Nate took the taut little nub between finger and thumb, and Zeeb stifled a moan.

Then it hit him.

There was no one to hear them, but Nate needed to see the effect he had on him.

He let the sound out, his eyes closed. “Just like that.”

“I keep thinking you’re going to disappear,” Nate murmured.

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