Kimberly Gardner

Now available at MLR Press

Copyright 2010 by Kimberly Gardner, all rights reserved.

Vinn went over to the box and lifted the lid. “Look, are they weird looking, or what?”

Julien looked and felt the stirring of a nearly forgotten pleasure. He picked up one of the small globes. It was cool in his palm. He held it up. “They’re called Moros.”

“Moros? You’ve seen these before?”

“Indeed. They’re blood oranges and I’ve eaten them.”

“I thought–”

“Not in a very long time, Vincent. But I have tasted their flesh.” With his thumbnail, Julien split the skin of the fruit and pulled the halves apart. The air was immediately filled with the rich tangy scent of citrus, so sweet it was nearly painful to breathe, or maybe that was the memory.

Vinn’s stared down at the fruit. “It looks almost black, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” Julien separated a slice of the orange. Held it out. Juice ran through his fingers and over the back of his hand. The urge to lick it away, to taste that sparkling sweetness was almost irresistible. But instead he held it to Vinn’s lips. “Taste.”

Vinn hesitated only a moment then he opened his mouth and took the fruit from Julien’s fingers. He bit down, his eyes drifting closed on a moan of the purest appreciation.

“Mmm. Oh man.”

“You like?”

“Oh man. That freakin rocks.” He swallowed. “Can I have some more?”

Julien chuckled. “As much as you want, my love.”

But when he offered the rest of the fruit, Vinn shook his head. “Will you peel it for me and … you know.” His cheeks flushed. “It’s sort of sexy, you feeding it to me like that. That’s how I want to eat it, from your hand. Can we do that?”

Julien felt something inside him shift as Vinn’s gaze met his. “We can do that. But first, take off your clothes. I want you naked.”

Vinn let out a long, slow breath. “Okay.”

As he began to undress, his gaze stayed on Julien’s face, never wavering.

He’s watching me watch him, Julien thought and felt that funny shift inside him again. Vinn had from the first showed no fear of him. Even after he knew what Julien was, he had never hesitated to look him in the eye, never shown the least revulsion at the coolness of his touch. In short, had never shown him anything less than the desire and affection of a lover. And perhaps that had made the difference.

Vinn kicked free of his jeans and stood before Julien, naked and aroused, his cock jutting long and thick and dark with blood from its nest of pale curls. The scent of healthy, young male mixed with the tang of citrus. It filled Julien’s head and made him quite nearly giddy.

“How do you want me?” Vinn whispered.

“On the bed,” Julien replied. “Lie back and I’ll feed you.”

Vinn lay back on the futon, his upper body propped on pillows.

Julien reclined beside him. He separated another section of orange and held it out. Vinn opened his mouth and Julien slipped the fruit between his lover’s lips. But rather than take it, Vinn bit in. Juice spilled over his lips and over Julien’s fingers. It dripped down Vinn’s chin and onto his bare chest.

Gods be damned, Julien thought and lowered his head. With his tongue he followed the trail of juice down Vinn’s chest until it was lost in the trail of pale hairs that bisected his flat belly. The taste was as sweet as he remembered and Julien had to close his eyes, so strong was the memory of the last time he’d tasted such sweetness.

He trailed kisses back up Vinn’s torso, over his collarbone, up the long line of his throat to his lips, where he lingered and savored.

Vinn moaned into Julien’s mouth. Arms and legs wrapped around him and the young man clung, his erection pushing against Julien’s abdomen. Vinn humped against him, needy little whimpers bleeding from his lips. His fingers plunged into Julien’s hair and fisted there.

It was Julien who broke the kiss. Leaning back, he put space between them. “Easy now. You’ll be coming before I ever get inside you.”

“I can’t help it.” Vinn’s breath came in little pants. “It’s just so fucking hot.”

“What is?”

“Me and you. Being naked when you’re still fully dressed. It feels like … I don’t know, like you could do whatever you want to me and I’d let you.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to say to me, Vincent.”

“I don’t care. I’m not afraid of you.” Vinn wrapped himself around Julien once more. “You get me so hot, so horny, I can’t think. It’s never been like that before, not with anybody else.”

Julien closed his eyes.

Damn it. Just damn it.

“What? What did I say?”

“Nothing. It’s all right. Just … it’s nothing.”

Vinn was looking at him, studying him with those pale blue eyes that seemed to gaze right through Julien. They would have pierced his soul if he’d had one.

“You fed tonight,” Vinn said.

“I did, at the mall before I came to you.”

“So you can fuck me, right?”

“Yes.” Julien wrapped his fingers around Vinn’s cock. The flesh was hot to the touch, the pulse beating against  his fingertips clawed at Julien’s control. He gave the hot hard length a stroke. “Or if you’d rather I could–”

“No.” Vinn covered Julien’s hand with his. “I want your cock up my ass. I want you to fuck me hard and deep. I want you to use your teeth and make me come.”