Claimed Before Christmas

strip

9

I strip quickly, keeping Julian’s lean frame right at the edge of the mattress. Once I’m bare, I guide his legs up, opening him completely to me. I line myself up and thrust home into his heat. He’s still so incredibly tight; I keep thinking he’ll adjust, but it’s as if he gets more reactive every time I’m with him. The friction is intense, the sound of our bodies meeting filling the quiet room. “God, Julian. You’re perfect. Tell me who you belong to, baby. I need to know you understand who owns this.”

“You do, Elías. I’m yours.”

I lean down, my mouth finding the line of his shoulder, tasting the salt and heat of his skin. I moan against him and thrust deep, bottoming out. I know we aren't using protection, and the thought of being this connected, of leaving my mark so deeply inside him that he can never wash it away, nearly sends me over the edge. If I claim him like this, there’s no way he won't be mine forever.

“You want me to mark you, don’t you?” The sound of our rhythm bodies clapping against each other gets heavier as he responds to me. “You’re shaking just because I’m talking about claiming you. You want it, don't you? I should probably stop, though,” I grit out, testing him.

He hooks his legs firmly around my waist, locking me in and pulling me even deeper. He reaches out, his fingers tangling in my hair, pulling my face back to his. “Don't you dare stop. I want to feel everything. I want to be full of you.”

“Damn it.” His words are my total undoing. I lean down and capture his mouth in a bruising kiss, thrusting hard one final time. It’s enough to send him over the brink, and I feel him pulsing around me, pulling my release out of me. I grab him by the hips, sliding us further onto the bed but refusing to break the connection. We don’t have much time, and I want to stay inside him for as long as the world allows.

He holds me close, his fingers stroking the back of my neck. I could stay like this forever, but I force myself to stay present. I want to savor these few quiet moments where it's just us—no roles, no rules, no one else to worry about. I press soft kisses to his jaw, petting him gently. I’m still seated deep within him, and I begin to move again, slow and lazy, the frantic urgency from before replaced by a deep, steady hum.

Propping myself up on my elbows, I look down into his clear eyes and brush a dark lock of hair from his forehead.

“Whose are you?”

“Yours, Elías. Always.”

“And who do I belong to?”

He smiles, those dimples flashing clearly. “Me.”

“That’s right. Just you and me. We’ll figure the rest of this out. I know I’ve been acting distant, but it’s not because I didn’t care. I just needed a plan. I still don't have all the answers, but staying away from you isn't an option. We just have to be careful a little while longer. Once I move into my own place, everything gets easier.”

“I’m graduating early in January,” he reminds me softly. “That will change things, too.”

I nod, knowing that milestone is only a few months away. “We just have to watch our step until then.”

He nods in agreement, leaning up to catch my lips. I kiss him back, deepening the contact, and begin to pick up the pace again. I want him one more time before the front door opens.

Julian breaks the kiss, looking at me with a sudden, shy curiosity.

“What’s that look for?”

“Can we... can we try it with me turned away? I want to feel you as deep as possible. I want to make sure you leave as much of yourself behind as you can.”

His words make me surge with a fresh wave of heat. I hate to leave his warmth for even a second, but I pull out and guide him over, helping him find the right position. “Stay like this,” I murmur, “I want you to hold onto every drop.”

He nods against the pillow, and I slide back in, finding him already slick and ready. I take him with a raw intensity, riding the line between passion and possession. I move like an animal, focused entirely on the sensation of being buried inside him. He moans into the fabric of the bed, clearly loving the rougher edge of my touch. I lean down and nip at his shoulder, leaving a fresh mark. I feel him start to tighten around me, and I know he’s there. I thrust in deep and hold it, filling him completely.

Once we both find our breath, I pull back and lie down beside him. I kiss his temple and pull him into my side. He stays exactly as I told him to, quiet and still, letting the energy of what we just did settle between us.

If he wasn't fully mine before, he is now. I’ll make damn sure he’s bound to me in every way the law and the heart allow.

Elías LAVA

Sitting across the dinner table from Julian is incredible. Having Phila and Lanet sitting right there with us is anything but. I reach for the salad tongs at the same time as Julian, and our hands brush. We lock eyes for a split second, and I let my fingers linger over his, feeling his warmth.

“So, Lava, is the new place finally ready tomorrow?”

At the sound of Lanet's voice, Julian jumps slightly and pulls his hand back. I look up to see Phila and Lanet setting the last of the dishes down as we all settle in for the meal. I clear my throat, trying to block out the memory of being upstairs with Julian just an hour ago. We had lost track of time, repeating the cycle until we heard the garage door. I’d left him so full of me that he could barely stand, both of us acting on a silent, desperate hope that this would make our bond permanent.