Chapter 86: Swept Away

Darius couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

The words hung in the air between them, soft and terrifying and impossibly sweet. ’You can kiss me if you want.’ Basil had actually said it. His lips, still parted from the lingering warmth of their previous touch, looked unbearably soft and inviting.

Was he actually giving him permission to take his mouth, right here, right now? This was not a dream, right? Everything was moving at a blinding speed, shaking the very foundation of the restraint Darius thought he had built.

All the feelings he had been trying not to think about threatened to break free and consume him entirely. The flicker of uncertainty in Basil’s eyes made Darius’s heart tighten. He didn’t like that look in his prince’s eyes. Basil was trying to appear calm, but Darius could see it in his eyes, the vulnerability and fear of rejection.

He never wanted Basil to doubt himself, not for a single second, and he wanted to erase that fear with his own lips. So he did the only thing that made sense. He leaned down, closing the remaining distance to press his lips firmly against Basil’s. The first touch was gentle, a question asked with warm lips, testing the waters before plunging into the depth of what lay between them. A quiet, helpless moan escaped Basil’s throat directly into Darius’s mouth, a sound that shattered whatever self-control Darius had left.

He deepened the kiss instantly, slanting his lips over Basil’s, tasting the sweet, intoxicating warmth he had visualized and dreamed about during endless, sleepless nights. Reality proved a thousand times better than any fantasy. Darius tangled one hand into Basil’s dark hair, anchoring him close, while his other arm held them steady on the bed. Basil responded as if he had been starved for this very moment, sliding his arms around Darius’s shoulders and pulling him closer without an ounce of hesitation.

Darius still found it hard to believe he was actually kissing his prince, but as Basil’s lips parted for him, offering complete surrender, any lingering disbelief melted away. Darius gently bit Basil’s lower lip, and Basil let out another tiny, helpless sound that sent a shock down Darius’s spine. He deepened the kiss further, tilting his head, pressing closer, learning the shape of Basil’s mouth with slow, reverent strokes of his tongue. Basil tasted like sweet warmth and desire, like something Darius knew he’d crave forever now. Their tongues clashed in feverish hunger, sliding together as if they’d been doing this their whole lives. The room filled with the quiet, breathless sounds of their kisses. Darius felt the heat of Basil’s hands coming up to grip his shoulders, not pushing, just holding on tight.

They kissed until the need for air became a physical ache, until their lungs burned and their lips were swollen. Darius broke first, gasping, his forehead pressed to Basil’s. Their breath mingled in the narrow space between them, both of them panting, chests rising and falling together. He could feel Basil’s heart hammering through his thin linen shirt, or maybe that was his own. He couldn’t tell anymore. Basil’s eyes fluttered open.

They were dark, glassy, his cheeks flushed a deep rose. He looked completely undone, breathless, gorgeous. He looked like every forbidden thought Darius had ever tried, and failed, to suppress. "I can’t believe this is happening," Darius whispered, his voice rough, almost broken. He shifted, one arm braced beside Basil’s head, the other still cradling his jaw like he was made of glass. "Can I kiss you more?" Basil didn’t speak. He just nodded.

Once, then again, his lips parting as if they already missed the taste of Darius.

That small nod undid something in Darius’s chest, snapping the last thread of his restraint. He leaned in again, this time rougher, hungrier, a kiss full of everything he’d kept leashed for so long. Basil moaned into his mouth, louder this time, and Darius swallowed the sound greedily.

His hands moved now, restless, sliding down Basil’s chest, feeling the heat of his body through his shirt. He felt the shiver that ran through Basil when his fingers found the hem and slipped beneath, touching the hot skin of his stomach.

Basil arched into him, a wordless plea. Darius groaned and left Basil’s lips, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses along his jaw, then lower. His mouth found Basil’s neck, and he didn’t hesitate. He licked, kissed, bit gently at the sensitive skin below his ear. Basil gasped, his fingers digging into Darius’s shoulders. His hips bucked just slightly, an involuntary response that made Darius’s blood run even hotter.

He mapped Basil’s throat with his lips and teeth, every sound Basil made going straight to his core. He sucked lightly at the base of his neck, where his pulse beat wild and fast. Basil let out another low, uninhibited moan, completely surrendering to the sensation, his fingers knotting into the fabric of Darius’s shirt, his head falling back, baring more of himself.

Darius took the invitation, kissing a path to his collarbone, nudging the collar of his shirt aside to reach more skin. Basil was trembling now, pliant and wanting beneath him. Darius’s own body ached with how much more he wanted, needed. His lips had just found the hollow of Basil’s throat when a sudden, sharp knock echoed from the heavy wooden doors of the suite.

"Your Highness? Your lunch is here," a maid’s voice called out, clear and professional through the wood, shattering the spell instantly.

Basil’s eyes flew open, wide with alarm as reality crashed back in. With a sudden burst of panicked strength, he shoved Darius off him and onto the mattress just as another knock sounded from the door. Darius tumbled sideways onto the pillows, lying on his back beside him and staring at the ceilings. His heart was slamming against his ribs, though a triumphant grin remained plastered across his face. He could still taste Basil on his tongue. His body was still humming, every nerve lit up with unspent energy.

Basil sat up rapidly, running a trembling hand through his tousled hair and smoothing down his rumpled shirt as he frantically cleared his hazy thoughts. He took two deep, steadying breaths to regain his composure before swinging his legs over the side of the mattress and making his way toward the entrance.

Darius sat up too, slower, dragging a hand down his own face. His skin felt feverish. His lips were tingling, swollen from kissing. He tried to fix his clothes, smoothing the wrinkled fabric and running shaky fingers through his hair. It was useless. He looked as wrecked as he felt, yet the ridiculous grin refused to leave his face as he watched Basil open the door.

Two palace maids stood outside, a silver service cart positioned between them.