shifted where you sat. Guilty. This was what Mater meant when she’d said it was a deep, dark secret.
“I don’t want to talk about it, especially not to you.”
“Why not to me? I’m a very good listener.” I kept my tone sympathetic. My subject had to trust I wouldn’t harm them with their secrets. With you, I didn’t have to fake it.
“I don’t want you to fear me.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I trailed my hand down your arm, grabbed your hand, and squeezed. “I could never fear you, Henri. I love you.”
Your shoulders, which had been stiff with tension, loosened a little, and your posture relaxed.
“I love you too, Vincent.”
We’d said those words to each other countless times before, but this time, it didn’t feel like familial love. And your skin where I stroked it… I’d never touched you like this before, so why did it feel so natural and right? Should I use this opportunity to find out how you really felt about me? Would that be so wrong?
“Do you want to kiss me?” I held my breath and waited for your response. My nipples hardened and brushed against the fabric of my t-shirt. My bathing suit grew tighter around my crotch.
“I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?” I asked innocently. Mater told me a long time ago that I had to let go of my guilt over using my powers, but some part of me still knew it was wrong, especially to do this to you.
“Because…” You drifted off and seemed about to look away. With one quick gesture of my hand, I directed your eyes back to mine.
“I think about you all the time,” I said quietly. “I dream about us too.” Without blinking, I very carefully placed the palm of your hand against my mouth and kissed it, then slid it along my cheek until you were cupping my face. A vision came to me of us doing just this, only I was looking up at you from on my knees. My dreams were confusing my reality.
“Is it because we’re brothers?” I asked.
“No,” you said softly. No? I’d thought that was your major hang-up. It had always been mine, at least.
“Do you think I’m too young?”
“Yes. And you don’t know…” You drifted off again. Your eyebrows drew together in an expression of pain and longing.
“Don’t know what, Henri?”
You sighed forlornly, so I placed your hand flat against my chest and shivered from the contact of your warm palm against my sensitive nipple. Your eyes flicked down for only a second. I ignored my guilty conscience. You wanted this. I saw the hunger in your eyes and smelled it in the air. I was only helping you let your guard down a little. I was giving you permission.
I stepped forward and leaned down until our faces were just inches apart. I placed both your hands on my hips. They were so big they practically encircled me. It felt so right, like your hands belonged there.
“You can kiss me if you want,” I said softly. I stared at your mouth and willed you to close the distance between us.
“Vincent.” You said my name in such a graveled tone that it vibrated through me, sending sparks up and down my spine. Lust pooled in the pit of my stomach, and blood rushed to the surface of my skin. And my cock… I wanted you to touch it. You leaned closer with your lips parted, and I closed my eyes.
“Vincent.”
One sharp command, and my seduction was broken. I whirled around to see Papa in the doorway, a fiery look on his face.
“It was me,” I said. I glanced back to see your confusion. You squinted at your hands still gripping my hips, then slowly removed them and closed them into fists. Your body stiffened, and you refused to look at me. Shit.
“Go back to your party,” Papa ordered in a low, stern voice.
I snuck one more glance at you and immediately regretted it. You looked… wounded. Betrayed. And then your expression hardened. Your anger encircled me like a chokehold. You were furious.
“I’m sorry,” I said weakly. “I… ”
I had no excuse, so I fled the room. How badly had I fucked up? Would you ever forgive me?
But in the sunshine, surrounded by my friends and loud music, my guilt was chased away by a rush of exhilaration.
You wanted me too.
11
Henri
“He’s come into his powers,” Xavier said quietly.
The room was thick with tension. The smell of your skin clung to