Free Stone Rose by Megan Derr Page A

the time he reached Midori's cock, it was half-hard. Culebra licked the head and then sucked it in—right as a hand landed in his hair, gripping it firmly but not too lightly, and Midori let out a loud, very much awake groan.
    Pleasure warmed Culebra to hear and feel such evidence of Midori's satisfaction. He bent to his task in earnest, the feel and taste of a cock in his mouth nearly as pleasant as the ache from their earlier fucking.
    It didn't take long for Midori to come, and despite the ache in his jaw Culebra swallowed everything, licking away a few stray traces after pulling back. He gave a breathless yelp when he was abruptly shoved down on the bed, Midori's mouth dropping over his own cock so suddenly that Culebra couldn't hold back a shout.
    He came within minutes, and it was several minutes more before he could gather the breath to speak. "We should ring for food, I feel."
    Midori laughed, and Culebra felt the rush of cold air as he climbed out of bed.  He listened as Midori padded across the room to the bell pull, and then to the thunk of wood being added to the fire followed by the spark and crackle as Midori stoked the flames. "Cold at all?" Midori asked.
    "Not at the moment," Culebra said, and he slowly found the edge of the bed. He slid out of it and walked toward the fire, feet just brushing against the smooth, almost-hot coils of Ruisenor. "Hello, beauty," he said softly.
    She replied with a soft hiss and rubbed against his leg, but did not stir from her position. Culebra smiled faintly. He felt Midori pressed up behind him and warm lips kiss his shoulder. "You're beautiful in firelight, Culebra."
    "No doubt you are as well," Culebra replied, unable to keep the wistfulness from his voice.
    Another kiss to his shoulder and then one behind his ear. "I have never been called ugly, it's true, but I am very much plain cotton to your silk."
    Culebra swallowed at the description, the care it spoke of that Midori had thought of one he would understand. "I do not believe you." He turned around and slipped his arms around Midori's waist, pushed up on his toes to kiss him—
    And froze at the knock on the door. He withdrew with a soft sigh and went to the foot of his bed, feeling out the dressing robe he had left there. Out in the sitting room, a servant had left what smelled like quite a bit of food. Culebra could not sort out all the flavors, though he did pick out the spicy fish soup he loved.
    "I love this rice, the yellow of it," Midori said as he sat down. "Saffron is the spice, I think, that makes it so."
    "The paella, you mean," Culebra said, humming in pleasure as he enjoyed a spoonful of broth that immediately made his lips tingle. "Very good, but this soup is my favorite."
    Midori made a soft noise of agreement, and Culebra listened as he uncorked a bottle of wine and poured it into two glasses. He pressed one into Culebra's hand.
    Culebra happily took a sip, enjoy the contrast of the sweet wine against the spicy soup. He went back to the soup, taking several bits before dabbing at his lips with a napkin and saying, "So you and your companions are here for several months, if I recall correctly. You should take a tour of some parts of Piedre while you are here."
    "Only if you attend me, highness. Unless, of course, you do not enjoy such things."
    "They're difficult, but it's far more difficult traveling abroad," Culebra said wryly. "However, it's harder to protect me beyond the palace, and I do not like to endanger other lives more than I must simply by existing."
    Midori said nothing and Culebra tensed—but then a hand covered his own, squeezing lightly. "You're very brave and very kind," Midori said quietly.
    The words hurt, because Granito and Dario had often said the very same thing in nearly that very same tone. Culebra gave a rough, shaky laugh. "Not so kind and not so brave. My desire to travel and be away from home cost me one lover, and without him I was not enough to keep the other. Killed one,