Page 17 of Once Upon A Valentine
He started to reach for Julian to pull him forward, to force him inside, but again, before he could get his arms around the man, Julian moved. His hips jerked forward, pressing the head of his cock through the tight ring of muscle in Bran’s ass. At the same time his upper body came forward and his hands locked on Bran’s wrists, holding him against the bed again. Belatedly Bran realized he’d broken his promise not to move his arms but the thought flitted away again as quickly as it came because if this was what he got for breaking the rules then so be it.
Julian’s long body stretched over him, holding him in place as he pressed forward deeper and deeper. Bran strangled a cry as pain and pleasure collided in a burning heat that radiated from his ass to his cock. He struggled against Julian’s grip on his arms, wanting to get a hand around his cock, but he couldn’t get free. And then, as Julian began to rock against him, pushing and pulling as he fucked in and out of him, Bran forgot all about his own cock, his mind and body focusing solely on the one in his ass that was steadfastly pounding out every doubt, every fear, every mistake he’d ever made and replacing it with the sure and solid knowledge that for the first time in his life he was right where he was supposed to be.
He wasn’t sure who pressed their lips to the others but the next thing he knew Julian was kissing him and he could taste the salt of tears. His brain tried to balk, to question why Julian was crying, but in the next breath he heard Julian’s hushed whisper against his lips, telling him that it was okay, that he was okay, that Bran could trust him, that he would take care of him and he realized it wasn’t Julian that was crying. It was him.
He clung to the man that was tearing him apart and putting him back together all at the same time. Julian wanted nothing but to take care of him, to love him, and Bran needed love and understanding, acceptance and a chance at peace, more than he’d ever realized. He gave himself up in that moment. Not just his body but his heart and soul. Julian had been right. Bran was his now. All of him.
He rocked his hips up, meeting Julian’s thrusts and trying to give back some of the overwhelming pleasure that Julian was giving him. He squeezed his ass and Julian hissed a breath, his motion stuttering momentarily before he regained his composure and began to pump again, harder this time. Deeper. Faster. Until they were both panting and making raw, animalistic noises and the sound of flesh against flesh was loud in the big room.
“Bran. Fuck. Bran.”
The sound of his name coming in harsh exhalations from Julian’s beautiful mouth told him the other man was close to coming and he basked in the knowledge that he’d made him come undone. Julian’s dark hair was sweaty and matted to his head. His cheeks red with exertion. His lips were swollen from their kisses and his eyes were dark with pleasure. Bran had done that to him, done that for him.
“Jules.” He gasped as white-hot pleasure shivered down his spine and his balls drew up.
He was going to come. Without Julian even touching his cock, he was going to come. That had never happened to him. He hadn’t even known it was possible.
“Come for me.” Julian’s words were thick and lust-fueled, a deep, throaty order that Bran’s body followed as if it were a commandment.
Climax hit him like a freight train busting through a brick wall and he cried out as he felt Julian’s answering bellow a moment before the man shuddered, his cock spasming inside of Bran’s tight channel. Darkness covered Bran’s vision and he floated away on the sea of ecstasy that washed over him. He was sinking then, falling, and it was only Julian’s hard, warm body against his that managed to pull him back up like a lifeline, making him gasp for air.
“Jules.” He breathed as the other man shifted, having collapsed atop him.
“Shh.” Julian soothed, rubbing his cheek against Bran’s chest. “Shh, just relax. I’ve got you.”
Bran closed his eyes again and let go. He knew he could because Julian had him. He was safe. He was warm. He was loved. And he’d never felt more whole in his entire life than he did in that moment. Before he drifted to sleep, he promised himself that he would never, ever, let this man go because he was the missing piece that finally made Bran whole.
Chapter Seven
Julian had never felt more comfortable, warm and at ease as he did in this moment. His sheets were soft against his naked skin and Bran’s body against his radiated heat. He was curled up on his side, his head tucked against Bran’s shoulder. He traced patterns across his lover’s beautiful chest as they caught their breath after another hot round of morning sex.
Bran groaned and shifted beneath him, “I think you should wake me up like that every morning.”
Julian chuckled and kissed his chest as he continued to run his fingers over Bran’s heated skin. His own cock was still hard, pressed between them, but he ignored it for now. He’d woken up before the alarm this morning and seeing Bran next to him had stirred something needy deep inside him that couldn’t be ignored. He’d decided to wake him up with a blowjob and Bran’s reaction when he’d come awake to find his cock in Julian’s mouth had been one of the best sights of his life. He would be happy to wake Bran up every day, just like that, but instead of telling him so he smiled against his chest.
“If you expected it all the time, it wouldn’t mean as much.”
“Mmm, I’d have to disagree with you there. Anytime I get to be with you means everything to me.” Bran leaned down to kiss the top of Julian’s head.
Julian hid his face because he wasn’t sure what his expression would be saying about Bran’s admission. He loved when Bran said things like that. It made his heart ache with love for the man that spent his nights in Julian’s bed and his days running through Julian’s head.
It had been two months since that disastrous engagement dinner. Two months since that life-changing Valentine’s Day when Bran had showed up at his apartment unannounced. Two months since Bran had turned himself over to Julian’s care and made him the happiest man in the world.
Bran had slipped himself into Julian’s life so easily it felt as though he’d been a piece of the puzzle all along.
They spent almost every night together. They went out to dinner, movies, shows and concerts. They had incredible, amazing, mind-blowing sex and they talked well into the night about everything from what they’d eaten for lunch to their past relationships.
Julian loved every second he got to spend with Bran. His life finally felt like it was complete when he had the other man beside him. They were a perfect pair. Bran fulfilled every need Julian had and he knew Bran must have felt the same way because he’d so easily fallen into the routine of letting Julian take care of the smallest things in his life for him. Julian soothed something inside of Bran that had been begging for someone to rein him in. He was still the same smart-mouthed, arrogant, charming man that Julian had always known but his rougher edges were wearing down, slowly but surely.
Julian had tried not to push too hard, too fast. He’d started with small things. Making sure Bran ate better and drank water and went to the gym were easy changes for both of them to accept. He’d even been going with Bran to AA meetings since he’d decided to stop drinking. But there was a much bigger concern that he hadn’t been able to shake for weeks and he knew that ultimately it would make or break this relationship they were building.
He licked his lips nervously, hating that he was going to break the comfortable moment but knowing that he had to ask while all of Bran’s guards were down.
“Bran?”
“Hmm?” His voice was rough, as though he’d almost fallen back asleep.
“Have you given any thought to what it is that you want for your life, for the future I mean?”
