His blush inks pink all over his body. Never has he been with a man who took his time, who admired him like this. His previous husband surely had never. He had been greedy and handsy and adored Alecto hard for certain but so much of their lovemaking had been solely for Nathaniel's pleasure, nothing more. He had his way with his wife when he wanted, and how he wanted, using their marriage as an excuse for his behavior and carelessness, and if anything, Alecto learned quickly how to look after himself after the fact (so to speak. And it's not that the sex had always been bad. Nathaniel was a very capable lover, just very narrow minded and not all that creative. Alecto was used to accommodating his man in one position and one position only and that became dull very quickly. There was once he actually nodded off, and thankfully Nathaniel had been too drunk to notice or care).

But now there's Joshua. Joshua who is touching him like he's made of gold and light. Joshua who is kissing down his body as if he wanted to worship and remember every curve and bend. Joshua who was telling him he's beautiful, filling Alecto's chest with a big feeling he hasn't felt in a very long time.

Alecto's hands move slowly into Joshua's hair, smoothing the gold strands. "You're sweet," he says, gently, and means it. You're so good to me. You see me. You're not like the others.

He's not sure what might happen next, though his hips sway lightly up, subconsciously yearning for contact. Alecto has never seen a man in such a position before, below him. If anything, Alecto is the one used to being there, used to offering his mouth and throat, a man's hand against the back of his head, so -