The Other Side of Here - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,108
I wasn’t even thinking about that.”
Sebastion cocked his head to the side. “So what’s wrong?”
“It’s just,” Xan said with a shrug, and he shuffled one foot, kicking his jeans aside. “We rarely do this. You know…me and you. And I get why, but um…”
Something flared in Sebastion’s eyes, almost like hurt, and even maybe a little guilt. “Oh, my darling,” he breathed out, then tugged him close and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. “I’m such an asshole.”
“No,” Xan started, but Sebastion kissed him quiet.
“Yes. I love our time alone, and I know we don’t get it often. Luca’s there, and it just makes sense to have it be the three of us. I’ll do better, I swear it.”
Xan sniffed and shook his head, not wanting to admit that maybe it was a small issue, and maybe he had needed Sebastion to see it without him pointing it out so directly. “I love you. You know that, right?”
Sebastion’s eyes went soft, and his hands cupping Xan’s face gentled. “I love you beyond all words.” He didn’t say anything else as he finished undressing, then pulled Xan under the spray. It was just shy of too hot, but the stream helped unknot his muscles, and Xan quickly pulled the soap down so he could get to work on his boyfriend’s tense body.
He loved the way he could draw quiet moans from the man. The way he could get Sebastion to lean in to his touch, to chase it when he pulled back. He loved that he could use subtle motions to work him up until he had Xan pressed against the wall, devouring his mouth while his wet, soapy hand began moving furiously over his cock.
“I want to see you come,” Sebastion said.
“Not going to be a problem,” Xan answered from behind a groan. His fingers dug into Sebastion’s hips, and he fucked into the circle of his hand, toppling into his orgasm. He came with a soft cry that was caught in Sebastion’s mouth, against the press of his tongue as he shoved his own cock against the cut of Xan’s hip and began to get himself off.
Pleasure zinged up his spine from it, even as his dick softened, and Sebastion let him go. He lost himself in the sensation of the other man clinging tight and releasing the pains of the day in Xan’s arms.
He lasted a little bit longer than the younger man, but not much. He came with a very soft cry, his come hitting the wall behind them, and he dropped his forehead to Xan’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
Xan brushed his fingers through Sebastion’s wet hair, then urged him back under the water so he could get him cleaned up. They traded lazy kisses between rinsing and didn’t stay far from each other as they got out, dried off, then dressed in sweats for dinner.
They found Luca setting the coffee table with wine and the tray of spanakopita, cushions all around, and a few blankets. When Sebastion’s eyes fell on the food, they instantly watered, and Luca caught him before he could lose control of his emotions.
“This is so fucking stupid,” Sebastion said as he settled on the floor between both men. “It’s fucking dinner.”
“You know it’s not just the dinner,” Luca chided as he filled Sebastion’s plate.
The older man sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “This isn’t even the first time this has happened. I think I’m just…” He licked his lips and shrugged. “I’m getting old.”
“Fifty-four is hardly old,” Luca said, pressing a kiss to the side of his husband’s neck. “You can complain when you’re ninety-six and finally having trouble keeping an erection.”
“You’re an ass,” Sebastion shot back, but he was smiling again, and Xan felt a little flutter in his chest. He watched as the older man took a bite, watched his eyes close for a second, and the smallest grin to touch the edges of his mouth. “You have her recipe.”
Luca beamed like the actual sun was rising behind his eyes. “I did okay?”
Sebastion snorted, then finished off the little triangle before he tugged Luca in for a kiss. “More than okay. It’s…you’re perfect. You’re both so fucking perfect.”
“Tell him that later,” Xan said primly as he filled his own plate, “when he’s driving us out of the bed with his spinach farts.”
“You’d endure it,” Luca said with a sniff. “Because you both fucking love me.”
Xan grinned across the space between them, and their hands met in the middle, and it felt real. “Yeah,” he said, and he took a moment to meet both their gazes. “I really, really do.”
The End
Acknowledgments
I wanted to acknowledge the ARC readers who first got their hands on copies of The Other Side of Here—and in particular, those who reached out to me via DM to share their own experiences with situations like Xan and Sebastion. It took me fourteen long years to find the courage to write this story with the nuance and care that it deserved. But even after this long, I still have days where I struggle with my past, and this book brought up old memories that were hard to face.
So to everyone out there still holding the weight of their own world on their shoulders, please know that I see you. That there is hope. That you are brave, no matter what stage of the journey you are in. As Xan would say, ‘Here is the start , and all the rest is where you were meant to end up.’
You’re not alone.
Love Always,
EM
Coming Soon
Pre-Order the debut of EM Lindsey writing Paranormal Romance as Ariel Millar in their first book of a new trilogy, Carpe Noctem.
Kor:
As an Alpha of the First War, the only thing I had ever known was battle.
Captured, bound, and unable to see, I wasn’t the sort of Alpha to give up without a fight.
Escape turned out to be the easy part, but coping with everything else threatened to drop me to my knees. Learning that my injuries were permanent made me question my abilities as an Alpha, but when my Wolf wanted to bond with the human who had been brought in along with me, I started to question my sanity. Never mind that I had no time for a mate, there was no way the resistance would follow a blind Alpha with a human as his bonded. Still, they had little choice. More of our people were going missing every day, and it was starting to look like the corruption was going all the way to the top.
Misha:
I never believed the madness of my father would one day turn on me.
Held prisoner in a genetic lab, rescue came at the hands of a Wolf, and the promise that they could figure out what sort of experiments my father was working on me. The pain was overwhelming, and it wasn’t until I saw glowing orange eyes in the mirror that I realized what was happening. I was turned. I was an abomination, and unlikely to survive.
And I might have welcomed death if it hadn’t been for the blind Alpha whose soul wrapped around mine. When his lips called me his, I knew I had to fight. There was a war looming, and mistrust everywhere we turned, but I knew if anyone could protect his people and end the suffering of both humans and Wolves, it was the one who called me mate.
Cold Hard Ground is the first book in a Dystopian MM Werewolf trilogy featuring A/B/O hierarchy with no mpreg, mild violence, and a happily ever after.
Afterword
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E.M. Lindsey can be found their reader group, Lindsey’s Liaison where you can enjoy Teaser Tuesdays, WIP Wednesdays, and memes galore. And finally, for the most up to date access on new releases, follow them on Bookbub.
Also by E.M. Lindsey
Broken Chains:
Book One: Tidal Wave
Book Two: Backfire
Book Three: Broken Wings
Baum’s Boxing:
Book One: Below the Belt
Book Two: Fortune and Fate
Book Three: Fringe Contender
Breaking the Rules:
Book One: Renegades
Book Two: Temptation
Book Three: Forsaken
Irons and Works:
The Complete Series With Bonus Content
Book One: Free Hand
(In German)
Book Two: Blank Canvas
(In German)
Book Three: American Traditional
(In German)
Book Four: Bio-Mechanical
Book Five: Stick-and-Poke
Book Six: Scarification
To Touch the Light- An Irons and Works Holiday novel
Love Beyond Measure
The Edge of Heaven
Love In Slow Motion
Magnum Opus Series:
Verismo
Staccato
Stand-Alone Novels:
Like Water Catching Fire
Forget-Me-Not
Heartbeat Repeating
Paranormal Romance as Ariel Millar
Carpe Noctem:
Book One: Cold Hard Ground
About the Author
E.M. Lindsey is a non-binary, MM Romance author who lives on the East Coast of the United States. When they're not working, EM is spending time on the beach, kayaking, swimming, and playing with their dogs.