Page 15 of Once Upon A Valentine
“I won’t touch you while you kiss me.” Bran shifted slightly on his lap, no doubt trying to adjust his erection without drawing attention to it. “I’ll control myself but I won’t try to take control of the kiss.”
“Good. That’s a good start.” Julian praised softly, raising his own hands to cup Bran’s handsome, chiseled face. “Now, ask me to kiss you like it’s our first kiss, because this is what our first kiss should have been.”
Bran made a small noise in the back of his throat, “Please, Jules, kiss me.”
Julian pulled Bran’s head down at the same time he tipped his own up and he took the luscious mouth he’d dreamed of for years with his own. He swore he could taste the words, the plea, on Bran’s lips. Soft and slow, he rubbed their lips together in a delicious, teasing friction and held Bran exactly how he wanted him as he deepened the kiss. He slid his tongue along the seam of Bran’s lips and the other man parted for him, groaning as Julian’s tongue slid inside and stroked deep.
Bran kissed him back, moving his lips and tongue and even his teeth as Julian kissed him again and again and again. He felt rather than saw Bran’s hands fist in the cloth of the couch on either side of his shoulders. The move made his cock ache behind the fly of his jeans. He loved the power that came with knowing this man wanted to touch him so badly but was choosing to grip the couch as if his life depended on it instead simply because he had told him to.
Julian slipped a hand down and around Bran’s hips, cupping his ass and pulling him closer as he slid his own hips forward. He growled when Bran whimpered lightly. Yes. This was what he wanted. This man, the sexiest man he’d ever met, holding firm to his control even as Julian tried every trick in the book to make him break. He canted his hips again, rubbing his hard length against the bulge in Bran’s pants and earning a slight flex of Bran’s hips in return. Julian waited to see if Bran would give in to temptation and roll his body to get more of the delicious friction and when he didn’t, when every muscle in his body seemed to tighten but he only held himself in place and let Julian suck on his tongue, he let go of all his doubts.
This man was everything. He was beautiful and strong and capable. He was smart and funny and generous. He was powerful too, though Julian suspected he had no idea just how much of it he wielded. But that was okay, because Julian would show him. He would teach him that letting someone else care for him wasn’t weak but one of the strongest things he could do.
Loving someone and letting them love you in return was the strongest thing in the world.
Julian moved his hands back to Bran’s face and slowly pried their lips apart, “Bran…”
The other man was breathing hard, panting even. His eyes were glassy and his lips were swollen from Julian’s kisses. It took him a moment to meet Julian’s gaze and when he did, he looked absolutely shellshocked.
Julian ran his thumb over Bran’s cheek, adoring the way he turned his head slightly to get more of the open affection, “I’d like to take you to bed now.”
“Yes.” Bran’s voice was hoarse but he nodded quickly. “Please, Jules. I…”
“I know.” He pressed a soft kiss to Bran’s jaw, “I know.”
He could have wrapped his arms around Bran and picked him up. He could have let Bran cling to him as he carried him to the bedroom. But he wanted Bran to make the conscious decision so he slowly untangled them and pushed until Bran got to his feet. Julian followed him up and kissed him again as he took his hand. Bran knit their fingers together, squeezing hard, as if he needed the reassurance, and Julian squeezed in return.
He turned towards his bedroom and Bran followed without a second of hesitation.
Chapter Six
Bran was trembling. He was actually trembling. Trembling like a teenage boy that had never been touched before, because that’s what it felt like now that Julian had kissed him. Like all the kisses before that one had been nothing, meant nothing, because that kiss had exposed something deep inside of him that he’d only barely begun to accept was there.
He didn’t just want this. He needed it. With every fiber of his being he needed Julian to take control of his body, to let his mind stop thinking so damn much, to just feel good and trust that no matter what happened next, Julian would be right there with him.
Julian’s hand in his was soft but firm. He didn’t rush. He took calm, measured steps, leading Bran into the bedroom and then stopping them at the foot of the bed.
Bran wanted to look around. He’d never been in Julian’s home before and he wanted to take it in. He wanted to know more about this man that captivated and surprised him. But he couldn’t take his gaze off Julian as he put himself in front of Bran and began to peel the buttons of Bran’s shirt slowly open.
“If I do anything you don’t like…” His voice was barely above a rough whisper.
“You won’t.” Bran cut him off.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Branson.”
Bran’s heart kicked at the velvet promise of those words and he shook his head, “You won’t.”
“If you want something.” Julian continued, reaching down to the last button on his shirt and then pushing it off Bran’s shoulders, “All you have to do is ask.”
Bran swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat, “I want you to kiss me again.”
“Mmm. That’s a good start.”
Julian cupped his face between his hands and pressed his lips against Bran’s softly. Too softly. Too sweet and gentle. Bran felt like a live wire had been activated inside his body and he was going to vibrate apart if he didn’t get more from this man. He tried to take the kiss deeper, licking his tongue along the seam of Julian’s lips, but Julian only tightened his hold on Bran’s head and pulled away.
“You’re not in control here, Branson. Remember that.”
Bran let out a shuddering breath and in the next moment Julian’s lips were on his again. He shivered as Julian’s tongue probed at his lips and then delved inside, tasting him slowly, intimately, exploring every inch of him as if he had all the time in the world. Bran felt as though his insides were melting and he could do nothing to stop it, nothing but take everything Julian was offering.
