Magnus

I opened my mouth and snapped it shut again for the fourth time. Lachlan's fingers continued their smooth glide across his keyboard and I wondered whether he had noticed I was struggling with my words or if he was really that caught up in his work.

I licked my lips and tried again. "Lachlan?"

His typing stopped immediately, which made me think he had been paying attention to me, after all, and just had the grace not to call me out before I was ready to talk. He put his laptop on his desk and turned his chair to face me. "Yes?"

"I, um... I wondered if you wanted to try something."

He looked intrigued, but only mildly. Which meant he hadn't caught the direction of my thoughts in the past few days, ever since I decided this was something I wanted to try. Because if he had any idea of what I wanted to propose, he would probably look a little more upset.

See, I knew how Lachlan felt about bottoming. One night when we traded stories – me of my fantasies and him of his exploits – he'd mentioned having bottomed once ever and decided it wasn't for him.

Was it arrogant if I thought I could make it feel good for him? Probably, especially since the only experience I had was in my mind, and the knowledge of what I liked when he was inside me.

But I really, really wanted to try. Just once. I just wanted to know what it was like.

Lachlan's eyes went soft and he put on a smile that made my chest ache, it was so tender. "Go on and ask," he said gently, in the kind of tone you would use to soothe a while animal.

His soft treatment relaxed me enough to get out the words. "Could I top you?" As soon as I said it, I squeezed my eyes shut. It was too stressful to see his reaction. But I didn't turn off my bond sense, and I could feel that he wasn't at all upset by my words. In fact, he seemed a little... amused? What about this was funny to him?

I opened my eyes to see and saw him smiling fondly at me. His smile widened and he said, "Sure, Magnus."

Wait... really?

It couldn't be that easy. Not after I spent days – days! – worrying about his reaction. In fact, I felt a little put out that I'd gone to all this trouble worrying for nothing.

"What?" I asked, as if I'd misheard him. I knew I'd heard right, but I was having a hard time believing it could be so simple.

He rolled his eyes, though he was still smiling. "Magnus, did you really think I was going to say no?"

Um, yeah, kinda.

He shook his head and continued, "After how generous you've been to me with your body, how could I refuse you this? Besides, this is the only way you'll ever get to try topping, since I know you won't be doing it with anyone else. I figured you'd ask eventually."

"But..." He might have broken my brain, because I really was too flummoxed to string together a cohesive list of all the reasons this conversation was shocking to me.

Lachlan waited for a few long moments before giving up on me saying anything. He turned back to his laptop. I watched him save the file he was working on, then close it out and shut down. "Just give me ten minutes, okay?" he said.

"Um," was my brilliant response.

Lachlan smiled again and kissed my cheek before heading for the bathroom.

I stared at the closed door until the shower started running and I realized he must be planning on this happening now. I wasn't ready! I needed time to prepare. I had way more research to do about how to make this feel good for him. I didn't think I could stand it if he didn't enjoy himself. And he definitely wouldn't want me to try again if I didn't do a good job, right?

Right.

I pulled out my phone and opened a search browser. "How to make anal feel good," I typed. I scanned the results quickly, looking for the most reliable-looking website. It surprised me, but a lot of the top results were from magazines geared toward women. I shook my head at myself for that. Women like butt stuff, too, Magnus, I chided myself. And they weren't the only ones who read those kinds of magazines.

Not like I'd know from experience or anything.

I picked a random article, and a lot of the advice was completely useless to me. The next one was much the same. Mostly, they encouraged being very comfortable with your partner, having good communication, and going slow. I sighed and threw my phone down on the bed, but then the shower stopped and I scrambled to pick it up again to get in some last-second studying. Maybe I just hadn't found the right website? Surely, there must be something useful online.

Only, the phone went flying across the room in my scramble, bouncing a few times on the carpet before sliding under my dresser. I chased after it and had my arm wedged under the furniture, groping blindly for my phone, when Lachlan entered. He had a towel slung low over his hips and he looked incredible, and here I was fumbling my way through life. Again.

I saw his surprise when I wasn't on the bed like he expected, and when his eyes landed on me, he laughed. "You okay?" he asked. He didn't sound very concerned, but I couldn't fault him for that. This kind of thing was too common an occurrence for him to get worked up every time it happened.

I found my phone and held it up triumphantly. "Great!"

Only, it was still unlocked and Lachlan read what was up on the screen. I blushed and put down my phone, and waited for some kind of laughing response from him... but I didn't get one. Instead, he joined me by my dresser and kissed me. He took his time, stroking my tongue with his and gently pulling my hips against his own. I was just starting to get really into it even though his towel was making my pants damp when Lachlan pulled away and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"You don't need to worry so much," he said. His eyes were tender on mine, and when I looked into them, all my anxiety melted away.

The trouble was that when I glanced toward the bed, all his comfort faded.

Lachlan took my hand and guided me gently to the bed. He kissed me again, slow and deep, and tenderly peeled up my shirt. We separated so I could take it off the rest of the way, and then his lips were back on mine while he opened my pants. We stopped again so I could pull them down, then I eyed his towel. It was tenting in the front and it made him look so sexy that I really regretted, for a moment, that it had to come off.

But taking it off was really, really satisfying, so I wasn't too upset when we were both completely bare. We watched each other for a few seconds before Lachlan smiled and held out his hands to the sides like he was presenting himself. "So, how do you want me?"

That was when this became real to me.

My mouth watered and I felt myself straining. My whole body was so eager for him. My mind raced with images of all the ways I could take him, old fantasies and new mixing together and making me dizzyingly hard.

"Lay down," I said. My words were awkwardly formed as I spoke around my lengthened canines. Lachlan's brows raised – I didn't usually get this level of turned on, not before we'd really done anything – and he quickly laid on the bed.

I clambered up, too, leaning over him to grab some lube from the nightstand. Lachlan's eyes followed my every movement. He looked totally unconcerned, like there wasn't a thought in his mind that he might not enjoy this.

"I can hear you overthinking," he said, smiling up at me.

"Sorry."

I eyed my mate, spread out before me like a buffet. I wasn't sure where to start. There was too much I wanted to do to him.

I must have taken too long, because Lachlan propped himself up on his elbows to lean up and kiss me. I perched myself over his body and started grinding on him while we kissed, letting our precum serve as our only lubricant for now. The sensation of sliding over him made my head spin and I forgot to be nervous. If this was all we did tonight, I could be satisfied with that.

But an image of Lachlan writhing and moaning while I thrust into him formed in my mind, and I wanted him. I wanted him like I wanted air, and even if grinding was amazing and wonderful and definitely something we should do more of, that wasn't what tonight was about.

I pulled away to slick up my fingers while Lachlan watched, still looking completely unconcerned by what I was planning to do to him. I hoped I could prove myself worthy of his faith in me.

If there was anything that would make Lachlan balk, I thought it would be when I gently coated his hole in lube, then pressed a finger slowly inside of him. His eyes drifted shut, but he still looked unbothered. In fact, if I had to describe his expression, the best word would be peaceful. So I added another finger.

While I worked to prepare him to take me, I alternated between watching Lachlan's expression and kissing and sucking every inch of skin I could reach. He was going to have some marks on his neck later, but they'd fade quickly enough and judging from how he moved when I made them, he really liked it.

I knew how long it took to prep myself, but maybe there was something to be said for my body being used to this treatment. Lachlan's wasn't, and he probably didn't have the knack of tensing and relaxing himself in the right ways to make this feel as good as possible.

"Are you ready?" I asked, and I caught the first glimpse of nerves from him. He quickly smoothed out his expression and nodded. But he didn't actually say yes, so I went back to work with my fingers, angling and twisting while I searched for his prostate.

"No," Lachlan said, and I froze for a heartbroken second before quickly, but carefully, withdrawing my fingers.

"Sorry!" My heart pounded and I had never regretted anything as much as I regretted starting this whole thing. I never meant to make him uncomfortable!

Lachlan shook his head and he curled himself up to cup my face. "That's not what I meant. I just meant, I want to save the pleasure for when you're inside me."

"But-"

"I'm ready," he said, and I felt his certainty through our bond. He really meant it.

I felt hot with nerves and excitement, and I was glad my hands were away from him because they were shaking. I kissed him to give myself a moment, and slicked myself up before pulling away.

I needed to see Lachlan for this part.

But when I was poised to enter him, another wave of uncertainty hit me. Lachlan was laying back again, but he reached up to stroke my abdomen – the highest he could reach like this – and said, "Magnus, you're getting too worked up. You know what you're doing. Think about your favorite things when I'm inside you. Show them to me. I want to feel what you feel."

And with those words, my nerves disappeared for good. This wasn't just Lachlan indulging me; it was a way for us to grow closer. And I really liked the idea of showing him all the different ways he'd made me feel incredible.

I pressed into him, and oh my God, was it better than a hand. He was warm and tight around me, and my eyes actually rolled up into my head for a second because he just felt that good. "Lach-"

I couldn't even get out his whole name.

"Mmm," he answered, and I came back down to Earth. His eyes were squeezed shut and I froze. Had I hurt him? "Just give me a minute," he said.

When he finally opened his eyes, his pupils were blown out and he thrust up into me. Lachlan hissed and gritted his teeth. His muscles quivered, making my mouth water. "Magnus, I swear, if you don't move," he said, sounding angrier than he felt. Thank goodness for our bond, since I could feel through it that he was just feeling impatient and turned on.

Experimentally, I withdrew almost all the way and thrust back in. Lachlan hissed again and sank his lengthened teeth into his lip. A tiny bead of blood formed, but he ignored it.

"Magnus," Lachlan groaned. "You're right on it."

Oh. Oh!

I thrust again, earning a whimper. So I started going faster... and faster... and faster. The bed pounded against the wall, my balls drew up, and I was in serious danger of spilling myself into him before he finished.

In a flash of inspiration, I hooked my arms under Lachlan's knees and pulled up his lower half to change our angle.

"Mmm!" Lachlan groaned again, and his arm flew up to cover his eyes. His whole body strained under me, casting his muscles into relief. He was perfect. So beautiful.

I felt the first spasm of my release coming on. "Lach!"

I couldn't hold it back, so it was pretty lucky that he cried out and came untouched. Since I was holding up his legs, I couldn't help him, but it was even better this way, since I got to watch Lachan's free hand wrap around himself while he rode out his orgasm. If I hadn't already been on the brink, that would have finished me for sure. As I pumped my release into my mate, his muscles squeezed around me. I think I almost blacked out, but managed to hang on.

When it was all over, I stared down at Lachlan with wide eyes, and he stared up at me. After a few long moments, he broke out into a smile and I burst out laughing.

"That was amazing!" I cheered.

He laughed, too. "It was," he agreed, sending a thrill through my chest.

He liked it!

"So we can do it again sometime?" I asked eagerly. My arms were tired, so I let his legs go and slowly pulled out of him. It was squidgy and weird-feeling, now that I was flaccid again.

I should have just waited, since Lachlan's next words made me hard all over again.

"We can do it again tonight."

We grinned at each other and started all over again.