The twitching of Sammy’s mouth told Dre he was making fun of him. “Wonderful. I’ve graduated from heating blanket to microwave. I wonder when I’ll be something awesome?”
Sammy pretended to think about this for a moment. “You mean like game console level? I don’t know. Depends on what other hidden talents you have. Besides, microwaves are valuable kitchen appliances. Did you know that the American engineer Percy Spencer invented the microwave after World War II? The first countertop microwave was sold in 1967, and since then, they’ve become a standard appliance in home kitchens.”
“Fascinating, mo grah thu. I bow to your knowledge about something as important as a box for reheating food.” Dre chuckled.
“Hey.” Sammy slapped him lightly on the arm. “The technology behind it is quite complicated.”
“Yes, mo grah thu. Now let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Still grumbling, Sammy let Dre pull him down on the couch. He took the remote control, searched for A Fish Called Wanda in his media archive and let it play in the background. They ate their meal in companionable silence. Dre was glad Sammy left him most of the meat lovers pizza and more than half of the four cheeses. To show his gratitude, he only ate half of his panna cotta, leaving the rest to Sammy. After they had eaten, they snuggled on the couch, watching as John Cleese convinced Jamie Lee Curtis to be his. When the credits started to roll, Dre nuzzled Sammy’s neck.
“Do you want to talk about what happened today?”
Sammy kissed Dre on the lips. “No. Tomorrow. Tonight, I want to do some exploring. Not all the way, mind you, but I want to get…uhm, acquainted with your body. Is that okay?”
Dre couldn’t stand the insecurity in Sammy’s voice. His lover should never feel hesitant about voicing his needs. “I would love to do that, mo grah thu.”
The beautiful smile on Sammy’s face almost blinded Dre. “Then let’s go.” Sammy rose from the couch, taking the cartons and cutlery from their meal with him. On their way to Sammy’s bedroom, they put them on the kitchen counter. Dre followed Sammy’s lead, ogling his perfect butt, which moved smoothly under the jeans. He couldn’t wait to see his man naked for the first time. For all the kissing and groping they had already done, neither had yet taken off their clothes in the company of the other.
Chapter Eight
Sammy’s heart hammered against his ribs. For the first time in his life, he was taking another person, a man, to his bedroom. And not just any man… A demon, who happened to be his potential true mate. Sammy wondered briefly how his life could have changed so dramatically in the course of less than a week. It was great, though. And for the first time since his parents had died, Sammy felt the sadness lifting that had permeated his entire being. Dre was like a ray of sunshine in his overcast life, and if he didn’t stop with the strange weather metaphors, he would probably start crying.
Sammy stopped in front of his bedroom door. Dre’s presence behind him was sure and warm and strong. With trembling fingers, Sammy opened the door and switched on the light before he stepped through. Dre whistled softly behind him.
“Beautiful.”
Sammy smiled. “Thank you.” The bedroom was the place he was proudest of, right after the shop. The heart of the space was doubtless the bed. Slightly bigger than a king size, the headrest was two foot six inches high, made from black steel that formed an elaborate flower pattern that ran along the sides of the bed to the foot. There, the steel ‘grew’ into two bedposts that looked like trees, whose branches shadowed half of the bed. Sammy had draped a silken cloth in a light green color over them, creating the feeling as if the bed were indeed under a canopy. Sammy flicked the light switches next to the door, shutting off the main light and activating the dozens of tiny pin lights attached to the steel branches. Every time Sammy saw his beautiful bed, he thanked the genius artist who had designed it.
“It feels as if we’re standing in a clearing, complete with fireflies and everything.” Dre sounded reverent.
“Exactly the mood I was going for.” Sammy looked at the dark green, thick carpet, the walls that were painted in various shades of green flowing into each other and the two dressers made from solid oak. The bedsheet was white, the duvet cover a light orange that always reminded Sammy of the setting sun. “It’s my sanctuary.”
Dre pulled Sammy close. Without Sammy saying it out loud, Dre seemed to understand what he wanted to tell him—that he was the first person Sammy had ever brought there.
“I’m honored, mo grah thu.”
Dre turned him around in his arms and they started kissing. It still felt strange, kissing somebody as beautiful as Dre. Sammy thought he would never tire of the little electric tingle between them whenever their tongues met. And the heat… Dre was always warm, making Sammy feel everything from sheltered to cozy to passionate, depending on the mood. Their kiss deepened and went from playful to scorching within heartbeats. Sammy clung to Dre’s strong body, trying to get as close to him as possible until he felt Dre’s hands sliding under his T-shirt. Without hesitation, Sammy leaned back a bit, moving his arms over his head to help Dre with getting the fabric off him. Not wanting to be the only one naked, Sammy started tugging at Dre’s shirt, though there was no chance he could pull it over his head. Dre was simply too tall. Grinning, Dre grabbed the collar of the shirt and dragged it off.
Their naked torsos met, skin gliding over skin. Sammy marveled at how soft Dre felt, even though his scales were clearly visible. They were small, like a snake’s, and easily overlooked because of the intricate silver patterns on the deep red surface. Sammy started following one of the many swirls that started on Dre’s chest and lead him down to where the waistband stopped his exploration. Sammy’s hand hovered over the button of Dre’s jeans. He looked up to silently ask for permission and gasped when he met Dre’s deep red gaze. It seemed as if the demon was very much on board with the idea of getting naked. With a boldness fueled by both lust and curiosity, Sammy opened the button, worked the zipper down and started sliding the denim over Dre’s narrow hips. Dre had gone commando and his thick, large cock sprang free the moment the fly gaped apart.
Sammy made a sound in the back of his throat that was equal parts arousal, appreciation and fear. He had read enough gay romance to know the human anus was capable of astounding feats, though when he looked at what Dre had to offer, he wondered if it would be enough. At the same time, he felt his inner muscles clench in anticipation. It was confusing enough for Sammy to hesitate. Dre stroked his shoulders.
“Everything okay?”
He sounded a bit worried and very turned on. Sammy shook his head.
“Yes. No. I mean…you’re huge!” He hadn’t meant to sound quite so…woozy, but Dre’s sheer presence did strange things to his head and ability to think clearly.
Dre chuckled. “That’s why we’re taking things slow, mo grah thu. And thank you, by the way.”
Sammy looked up in time to see Dre wink at him. He felt immediately at ease, winking back with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Dre helped him get the jeans down to his ankles. He stepped out of them before he got rid of his socks as well. Then Dre looked expectantly at Sammy, who suddenly felt very shy. Dre was such a fine man with muscular thighs and toenails that were pointed like claws. For a brief moment, Sammy wondered why Dre’s socks didn’t have holes in them, but when Dre started working his zipper down after he had opened the button without Sammy noticing it, he could only gasp and hold on to Dre’s lower arms for support. Once his pants were gone as well, Dre lifted him up and placed him on the bed. They lay there, stretched out next to each other, and Sammy didn’t know what to do. He was curious about Dre’s body, wanted to touch him everywhere, follow the swirls of his tattoos, that maybe, hopefully, would someday show on his skin as well, but he didn’t know where to begin. Dre’s very erect, very large cock seemed like an obvious place, though Sammy didn’t want to appear shallow.