“I dont let you do anything, Zane,” Ty answered, voice low and dry. His fingers slid into Zanes hair. “But Id really love it if you stayed.”

Zane tipped his head to one side. “As long as you want.” Amusement flashed through Tys eyes. “Youre practically groveling.” Zane hummed in agreement. “Is it working?”

“I am finding you oddly attractive,” Ty deadpanned.

“What can I do to make myself irresistibly attractive?”

Ty glanced up like he was pondering the question. Then he started shaking his head. “No, too many memories of horrible puns.” Zane huffed, feeling a little more of the tension in the air ease. He almost threw back a flippant answer, but instead he said, “Ill give them up, if you want.”

“No you wont,” Ty said with a bark of laughter.

“Id try,” Zane insisted, lowering his arms to curl them around Tys waist.

Ty rolled his eyes again, grinning now and shaking his head in exasperation. “Christ, Zane, just kiss me already.” Zane did, thankfully, earnestly, letting it soak in that Ty had forgiven him. The unresolved danger still hung over their heads, but for now, Zane had Ty in his arms and wasnt being sent away or left behind.

Ty seemed willing to cooperate, returning the languid kiss as his hands moved under Zanes jacket. It didnt last nearly long enough before he pulled away and patted Zanes hip. “Let me make a phone call, okay?”

Zane nodded and let go, though reluctantly, as Ty sidestepped away from him, going around the counter to the corner of the kitchen where he kept his phone charger. He unplugged the cell phone and turned it on, then dialed and watched Zane as he waited for an answer. It was hard to read Tys expression, and Zane suffered a moments uncertainty, struck with the feeling that he still needed to make amends for something.

Tys conversation was short. “Hey, man. I need to bail on you today.” He looked down as he spoke. “No, everythings fine. I just need to take care of something. Ill catch up with you later, okay? Okay. Bye.”

When he ended the call, he plugged the phone back in, then leaned on the counter to look at Zane expectantly.

Zane resisted the urge to fidget. “Should I… be apologizing again?”

Ty shook his head. “Deuce,” he explained without looking away. “Hes been in town for some shrink thing.” Though Zane was surprised and pleased to hear that Tys brother was in town, he didnt really care at that exact moment. “I dont want to talk about your brother,” he managed to get out, though not quite evenly.

“No?” Ty asked innocently. Finally, that flash of mischief appeared in his eyes. True to form, he was enjoying these last moments of Zanes torture for revenge. He forgave easily, but he didnt exactly forget. “I just cleared my whole day, Garrett. What do you want to talk about?”

Zane knew he was being needled. “Baby,” he pleaded. “Oh, youre pitiful. Fine,” Ty muttered, rolling his eyes as he made his way around the counter. “Let me go find some pants,” he said. He patted Zanes hip on the way to the stairs.

Zane followed close behind, reaching out to pluck at the towel as they climbed the stairs. “You dont need pants,” Zane said, starting to smile. “In fact, you dont even need this.”

Ty turned to look down at him, standing naked on the steps, unruffled. He raised one eyebrow, obviously trying not to smile. “Is that so?”

“That is so,” Zane acknowledged, stopping and smoothing his palm over Tys ass before patting it and nodding up the stairs. Ty huffed at him stubbornly. “Fine. Im sick of weird furniture imprints on my ass, anyway,” he said with a crooked, impish smile. He turned and headed up the steps as he spoke. “There are still people who would like very much to kill us, you know. And co-workers randomly dropping by to make sure were alive.”

Zane shook his head as he followed Ty. “Right now all I care about is you.” Ty stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to look down at him. He stayed there until Zane was just a step below him. “You should try saying that more often.”

Zane looked up to meet his eyes seriously. “I will.” Ty reached out to tug on his hair, then turned and headed for the bedroom. Zane took that as approval of what hed said and smiled, then followed right behind him, not stopping until he stood on the threshold. Leaning there, he watched the lithe flow of his lovers body as Ty yanked the curtains on the balcony doors closed and then turned to Zane in the dimmed room, wearing that smile of his again. Zane figured it could either bode well for him… or very well for him. With a smirk of his own, he knelt and started unlacing one of his boots.

Ty moved around the bed, messing with the covers, digging into the bedside drawer. He certainly didnt have any clothes to get rid of, and Zane caught himself watching instead of unlacing. He jerked one boot off and tossed it aside, then switched knees and started on the other. Maybe hed wear his cross-trainers and start driving the truck a little more, once he got it back, instead of riding the Valkyrie and wearing boots. He knew Ty would approve. Zane glanced up, and Ty raised an eyebrow at him. He was standing beside the bed, waiting patiently. So patiently, in fact, that it was almost suspicious.

Distracted by watching him, Zane slowed as he pulled off the other boot and let it thump to the carpet. “What?”

Ty shook his head. “Just waiting for you, Christmas.” Instead of getting up, Zane waved Ty over. “Cmere.” The bed was handy—Ty could sit and be somewhat in one place, and Zane was on his knees and would be able to touch and watch all he wanted. If Ty cooperated.

Ty moved to stand in front of him and ran one hand into Zanes hair affectionately. Zane smiled and reached up to slide his hands around the backs of Tys thighs. “You watched over me for over a week. Why dont you let me pay attention to you for a while?”

Ty cocked his head and looked down at Zane in bemusement. “I was imagining less talking and more being tackled to the bed when we came up here,” he said wryly as he twirled a lock of Zanes hair around his finger. “Whatd you have in mind?”

Zane decided hed rather show than tell. Still grasping Tys legs, he leaned forward and licked a long swath up Tys inner thigh, dragging his tongue along the side of Tys cock to the soft skin in the crease of his leg.

Tys hand tightened in his hair, and he made a soft whuffing sound as his body tensed. Encouraged, Zane dropped his head and repeated the movement on the other side, this time angling further between Tys legs and nosing against him gently. He heard Ty catch his breath, and it helped bolster the nerves fluttering in his stomach. This was the first time hed ever attempted this. When Tys hand tightened further in his hair, Zane could tell that he was trying desperately to hold still.

Zane tried not to smile. “Want to sit down?” he asked, glancing up the length of Tys body as he mouthed along the side of Tys thickening erection. Ty nodded jerkily, but he didnt move. “I promise I wont stop,” Zane said as he leaned back before pushing slightly at Tys hips. The bed was just two small steps behind him.

Ty took one big step back and sat down heavily. His trademark grin was long gone. Zane thought he might have caught a glimmer of concern in Tys eyes, but it was hard to tell. Apparently Ty—or Tys body, at least—approved of Zanes choice of attentions: he was rock hard, and there was a slight tremor to his hands.

“Relax,” Zane said as he shifted to kneel between Tys knees. “You dont need to do this,” Ty whispered to him with a shake of his head. Zane propped one arm across Tys knee and met his eyes. “I want to,” he said simply. And he did. Hed thought about it several times, and it had turned into almost something of a craving. A craving that now got Zane hard whenever he thought of it. He wanted to be on his knees for Ty.

Ty lay back on his elbows, his eyes still locked on Zanes. Zane took care not to break that eye contact as he lowered his head, took Ty in hand, and licked around the swollen head of Tys cock, slow and deliberate. His stomach cramped with a jumble of nerves and need and desire and excitement.

Ty caught his breath and lifted his chin, his eyes drifting shut. Zane could feel the muscles in his thighs tense as he tried to restrain his movements. Zane used his free hand to stroke along Tys leg and up his belly as he closed his mouth over Ty and suckled tentatively. Ty seemed a lot bigger when he was between Zanes lips. It was an odd feeling, the head of Ty's cock on his tongue. But he liked it. He liked the way it filled his mouth and the way the skin was soft against his lips. He even liked the way he could taste Ty leaking onto the tip of his tongue.

Tys hand slid into his hair again, his fist tightening but not actually moving Zanes head. It was reassuring, and Zane settled in to figure out what he could and couldnt handle, what he liked, and most importantly, what made Ty shudder under his hands. It was warm and wet and more than a mouthful, and the sensation of Ty twitching on his tongue almost did Zane in. Feeling Tys reactions had Zane so aroused that he was hurting, and he dropped one hand to unbutton his jeans for some relief.

Ty cursed under his breath, lifting his hips just slightly as he writhed. Zane groaned in reaction and clutched at himself as he moved his other hand to splay over Tys abdomen, riding the movements.

“Fuck, Zane,” Ty gasped, his voice strained. The muscles under Zanes palm tightened as Ty moved again. He might have been doing everything he could not to move his hips, but it was becoming obvious that it was a losing battle.

Zane pulled off of Ty and had to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. “Go ahead and move. Im not going to let you choke me,” he added before wrapping his hand around the shaft of Tys cock and using his mouth to cover the head. He could taste Ty more now, that odd spiciness on his tongue, and he moaned. He thought he might like it if Ty came in his mouth, but he wasnt that brave. Yet. Ty echoed the sound he made, slightly more desperate. He reached down to grasp at Zane with his other hand, his fingers dragging against Zanes shoulder as he lifted his hips off the bed. Zane looked up to see him—Zane wanted to see it, wanted to see all of it.

Ty had his head back on the bed, his chin jutting upward as his lips parted on a groan. Every muscle in his body was tense. He breathed out sharply and looked down at Zane when he felt him move. He reached down and pressed his palm against Zanes cheek.

Zane turned his face into Tys hand, rubbing, and after another few moments, he slowly let Ty slide out of his mouth and then licked his lips as he started pumping his fist over Tys cock, just how he knew Ty liked.

Ty groaned plaintively and grabbed Zanes hair again, yanking his head back as he sat up. “Come here,” he said, his voice low and gruff. Zane let go of him and pushed himself up with a wince, unfolded from the floor, and crawled carefully up over his lover.

Tys hands slid up his sides, under his shirt, pushing it up as his callused hands dragged along Zanes skin. He was watching Zanes face unerringly, his lips still parted as if anticipating a kiss. It was more than Zane wanted to resist. He leaned down to kiss Ty slowly and thoroughly as he pressed his groin against Tys hard-muscled thigh. The pressure forced another groan out of Zane, and he gasped against Tys lips.

Ty pulled at his shirt, trying to get it off him but reluctant to break the kiss. He growled in frustration. “Get this off,” he ordered as he pushed at Zanes jeans. “I told you to stop wearing so many damn clothes.”

Zane huffed and crawled backward off Ty and the bed just long enough to yank his shirt off and shove his jeans and briefs down. Then he was right back on top of Ty, hot skin snagging and tugging all over.

Ty wrapped around him, the slide of their bodies so familiar and natural. He hummed against the kiss, rewarding Zane with a grateful sigh. Zane moaned happily. It felt so good. Hed been growing more accustomed to the buoyant happiness, the sheer… contentment that spread through him whenever he was close to Ty—sex or not. And every touch made Zane that much more determined to never let go.

“Baby,” he breathed. “I need you.” “I know,” Ty murmured. He kissed Zane messily while one hand fumbled around beside them on the bed, seeking that little tube of lubricant hed gotten out earlier.

Zane took several slow, deep breaths, trying to calm down. He wasnt sure if he had a lot of time or almost none before he lost control. He groaned and dropped his forehead to Tys shoulder. Tys arms wrapped around him, and then he began pushing Zane sideways, trying to roll them over as he muttered something incoherent. Zane let the momentum move him and landed on the mattress on his side, legs tangling with Tys.

“Fuck,” Zane bit off as their cocks slid together, and he was ready to grab hold right then and there and jack them until he and Ty came screaming. Ty did reach between them, his fingers sliding over them before he gripped Zanes hip as Zane sucked in a sharp breath. Ty tossed his leg over Zanes thigh, flexing his hips.

“Were not going to make it to the lube, are we?” Ty asked in a rough, amused voice as he pressed his nose to Zanes and let their lips drag together.

“Round two,” Zane promised as he dragged his fingers down Tys chest to palm his lovers cock. “Please,” he begged as he hitched himself closer.

Ty groaned against his lips and kissed him again. He worked one hand under Zanes neck, curling it around to pull Zane closer. The other hand slid between their bodies again, fingers stroking, palm sliding up and down Zane and between his legs. Zane shivered as he touched Ty the same way, and the electricity of Tys touch spidered through him, making him twitch and gasp as he stiffened, right on the edge.

“Come on, baby,” Ty rasped at him, kissing him hastily as he jacked him harder. A yell wrenched its way out of Zane before he could bite it back. The sudden contact of Tys hard body against his aching cock was too much to handle, and Zane curled his fists against Tys back and cried out wordlessly as he spurted into Tys hand. Ty continued relentlessly, stroking him as his fingers dragged against Zanes abs. Zane barely registered it when Ty pushed him to his back, kissing him just as enthusiastically. He tried to kiss, too, but he was shaking too hard to hold his hands still.