Page 121 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong

Perian grinned. “I’m glad. Now, would you like it slow and sweet or fast and hard?”

After a moment, Brannal said, “Fast and hard.”

With something like glee, Perian didn’t hold back, withdrawing only to thrust back home at just the right angle, making Brannal moan and curse.

“Perian, please!”

He upped the tempo, thrusts growing frantic as the pleasure increased, knowing they were so close, sure that he could make Brannal come with his cock untouched, he just had to push that little bit harder, and—

Brannal cried out, the sound wrenched from his lips as his orgasm burst from him, his body tightening, making Perian come too.

He collapsed on Brannal’s broad back, losing several minutes to pure bliss.

He roused as he realized this was terrible manners. “Sorry about that.”

“There isdefinitelynothing you need to apologize for,” Brannal assured him, still sounding beautifully sated.

Perian pressed a kiss to the smooth skin of his back. “Thank you. Could I… stay for a little while?”

“You can stay as long as you want,” Brannal said immediately.

“No, I meant—”

“Fill me up,” Brannal finished. “I know. Relax. Stay.”

He lowered them both carefully to the bed, because of course it didn’t matter to his tremendously muscled body if Perian was kind of slumped on top of him. This put Perian with his head pillowed on the top of Brannal’s broad back, and really, there were no downsides here.

Some people really didn’t like this, Perian knew. Once they’d come, they wanted to be separated and done. But Perian had always liked the connection, though he had rarely been able to indulge it before now, with a partner who really wanted him to stay.

He was rising and falling gently with the rhythm of Brannal’s breathing, and he didn’t even realize when it lulled him to sleep.

Perian knew that it wasn’t reasonable to expect every day to be like the days of their holiday, but he had to admit that waking up still inside Brannal, having sex again, and then gettinganothergift—a dagger this time—because Brannal was the best person ever, did feel rather like a pinnacle that it would be hard to beat.

Brannal was amazing, and Perian felt so lucky to have found him—or been found by him, rather. And while he believed Brannal truly didn’t want Perian to run out and buy him gifts to try to match him, he’d like to dosomething.

It hadn’t occurred to him while they were walking the main street to get something for Brannal, he’d only got that blanket for Renny—

Oh!

Inspiration struck, and Perian sat up from the bed. “I’m a little thirsty. I’m going to go ask for something to drink. Do you want anything?”

“I can go,” Brannal immediately offered, because of course he did.

“Fewer layers,” Perian pointed out with a grin, quickly pulling on trousers and a shirt. He no doubt looked entirely sex-tousled, but he was sure that everyone in the inn had worked out what they were up to by now.

He darted down to the kitchen and put his plan in motion, the ever-helpful innkeeper and her partner ready to provide anything Perian and Brannal could possible desire.

He headed back upstairs with tea, water,andale, since he hadn’t been able to decide, and they were abetting him.

Brannal laughed when he saw the array, but they drank most of it as they continued to page through the sex book and consider what they wanted to try next.

Eventually, there was a knock at the door, and Perian called a “come in.” A server bowed and presented a blanket.

“I’ve brought this for you.”

“Thank you,” Perian said, taking it from her, and then turning around to Brannal with a grin as the door closed behind the staffmember.

“Did you ask for another blanket?” Brannal asked, looking in confusion at the bed. “Are you cold?”

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