“Her familiar doesn’t show up until volume two.” Rusty stretched, then sat beside Gem, back to the headboard.
Pouting, Gem wrapped several arms around Rusty’s and crossed his feet at the ankles. “Well, I guess I have to keep reading then.”
“You don’t have to,” Rusty started, but Gem was already shaking his head.
“No, I want to. It’s really good. The story is entertaining, your characters are really relatable, and the art is grungy but beautiful.” Gem leaned down to nuzzle his cheek. “You should be really proud.”
Face hot with pleasure, Rusty smiled at his lap. “Thanks, Gem.”
“I just can’t believe I know someone who’s internet-famous. I’m honestly super jealous.”
Rusty snorted. “I’m not internet-famous.”
“You have, like, ten thousand followers! That’s a lot. Honestly, you could make bank if you put your stuff behind a paywall.”
“I do it because I like it, not to make money,” Rusty said.
“Still, I think people would pay for it, as they should. It’s amazing.” At Rusty’s eye-roll, Gem clicked his tongue and flicked Rusty’s ear. “Don’t give me attitude. I know talent when I see it, and you, Rusty Róisyn, are talented. In fact, I wanna commission you for something.”
Judging from Gem’s feral smile, Rusty didn’t think he wanted to know. “Oh gods, you’re gonna make me draw dicks aren’t you?”
“Our dicks,” Gem said with a waggle of his brows. “You should draw you doing me over the back of my couch. So hot.”
“I’m not drawing porn,” Rusty said, and Gem pouted again.
“Why not? That would be so sexy. You could make it my hatchday gift.”
“I already got you hatchday gifts.”
“Yeah, but it’s not actually my hatchday yet,” Gem reasoned. “So on the day itself, you could give me a card, and on the inside, is a super sexy picture of you doing me from behind.”
Unable to stop it, Rusty barked out a laugh. “I’m not drawing us fucking.”
“You’re no fun.” After rummaging in his pocket, Gem checked his phone and frowned. “Ugh, it’s getting late. I should head home.”
They’d spent almost the entire weekend together, yet Rusty’s heart still sank at the prospect of Gem leaving. “You can stay the night, if you want,” he offered, trying not to sound too hopeful.
“I would, but I don’t have any clean clothes. And I really need an actual shower. I can’t go to work tomorrow smelling like your jizz.” They both laughed at that, and Gem ran a hand through his dark curls. “I mean, I have to show some professionalism now that I’m going to be a manager, and coming to work smelling like splooge is probably not a great first step.”
“Probably not.” Rusty traced the red swirls on Gem’s thigh, nerves cramping in his stomach at the thought of work the next day. “So, uh, about work…”
Gem stiffened beside him, which made him even more nervous. “Right. Work. we should probably talk about…”
“Yeah, we probably should,” Rusty said when Gem drifted off.
“Yeah,” Gem agreed, several hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “I mean, it’s the responsible, adult thing to do.”
“Totally.” Rusty nodded, and Gem bobbed his head too, blowing a slow, loud raspberry. “Or…”
“Or?” Gem prompted, peeking at him from the corner of his eyes.
“We could make out instead?” Rusty suggested, and Gem’s eyes widened.
“I love that plan!” he said, and Rusty grinned as he scrambled into Gem’s lap and covered Gem’s surprised snicker with his mouth.
Gem looped his arms around him, kissing him back exuberantly, and Rusty sank his fingers into Gem’s soft hair. He sucked Gem’s lower lip into his mouth and nibbled on it, bringing a whimper from the Araknis. Grinning, Rusty did it again, and Gem shuddered.
As they kissed, Rusty lost himself to the sweetness of Gem’s lips and the smoothness of his fuzzy skin, to his breathy sighs and wandering hands. There was heat and sweat, but there was no rush to these kisses. They kissed like they had all the time in the world, and Rusty indulged. It was decadent and luxurious, and he wanted to stuff himself full.
