Cass smirks back. “And aren’t you glad I do?”
JJ buries his face in his hands again. Is he intentionally trying to be adorable? Because it’sworking.“What do you even have in there?”
“Let’s see…” Cass feels around. “Condoms, lube, pillows, blankets, candles, handcuffs, ropes?—”
“Okay, I think that’s enough,” JJ says hastily. “We’re not using those last two today, are we?”
“Not unless youreallywant to,” Cass says, and he grins at JJ’s unimpressed look. “No. No bondage today. But…” He flicks his wrist. The blanket flutters out and spreads itself neatly over the grass, followed by a handful of pillows. “This might be more comfortable.”
JJ smiles. “Okay,” he says, and he crawls over to the blanket, eases himself down on top?—
And immediately grabs one corner and rolls over with it, wrapping himself into a little cocoon. “Oh, this blanket issofluffy. I might just want to take a nap instead.”
Cass rolls his eyes, trying to tug it away. “JJ.”
“Nope. Naptime.”
“Julian—”The two of them end up wrestling over it, laughing all the while, until Cass manages to pull it out of JJ’s hands. JJ overbalances and flops onto his stomach, Cass accidentally tumbles down on top of him?—
Deliberately, Cass presses his weight down, rocking his hips. “You know, I could definitely get behind this position, too.”
JJ’s breath stutters. “Cass?—”
Cass grabs JJ’s chin with one hand, turning his head to the side to kiss him again. JJ’s mouth is deeper this time,hungrier,and the low whine in his throat when Cass licks his way into his mouth sends heat spiking straight down past Cass’s belly. JJ twists around onto his back, twining his fingers into Cass’s hair and wrapping his legs around Cass’s waist and?—
“You sure you’ve never done this before, lackey?” Cass murmurs.
JJ’s laugh is shaky. “No, but—but I’ve wanted to. With you. I’ve thought about it a lot over the past few weeks, about doing this with you, and about what I’d like, and about what you’d maybe like, too. And—and I thought about how I’d want to touch you, and how I’d want you to touch me.”
The words streak through Cass like lightning, setting his nerves on fire and making his body stand up and pay attention. He pulls back the slightest bit, tipping JJ’s chin up to look into his eyes. “Tell me everything.”
So he does.
“Oh, you weresoright,” Cass says, snuggling deeper into his and JJ’s blanket cocoon. “This blanket isamazing.”
“Told you,” JJ says smugly, cinching his arm more firmly around Cass’s shoulders.
Cass’s soft laugh vibrates straight into JJ’s chest. He’s curled up against JJ’s side with his head resting on JJ’s shoulder and his arm and leg wrapped around JJ like he never wants to let go.
Since JJ never wants to leave, he considers it an excellent arrangement. He lets his eyes slide closed, relaxing into the warmth of the fluffy blanket and the heat of Cass pressed up against him. The outside air is cool on his exposed skin, but right now, it’s hard to feel anything except drowsy and satiated and content.
Emphasis on the “drowsy.” Cass may have been overwhelmingly patient and understanding, guiding JJ’s hands to where he wanted to be touched and making JJ see stars in return, but it was also clear that he knewexactlywhat he wanted. He expertly chipped through JJ’s defenses, turned him into a trembling mess within minutes, dragged out their pleasure until JJ was begging for release?—
It was nothing like JJ expected, but somehow, it was still perfect in every way.
Not to mention the fact that Cassius Chin, the fearsome demon who accidentally started World War I, is a top-notch cuddler. JJ wonders what else he doesn’t know about Cass.
He can’t wait to learn. Quietly, he clears his throat. “So this wasn’t a one-time thing, right?”
Cass scoffs, not even opening his eyes. “Please. I’m already mentally planning our wedding. I think Obie has some pull at that pancake house with the chapel in Las Vegas, so we could probably have the ceremony for free. You like pancakes, right?”
A startled grin jumps onto JJ’s face. Logically, he knows that Cass is joking, and logically, he knows that it’s much too soon to even think about marriage, but?—
But there’s something about the idea of being Cass’s husband that makes JJ feel like he can fly. “I do like pancakes,” he agrees. “How about the honeymoon?”
“I know the broad strokes. Probably a beach somewhere. But we’ll have to pick an all-inclusive resort with room service, because, ah…” His fingertips trail teasingly down JJ’s belly. “I doubt we’ll be leaving the bedroom much.”
JJ shivers. “I think I like that idea.”
