Alaric's hands were steady, yet Julian could feel the slight tremor in the Duke's fingers. He didn't rush. Instead, he mapped Julian's body with his palms as if he were memorizing a battlefield he intended to defend forever.
Julian felt every single movement of the Duke's hand, and his body reacted accordingly.
"You're trembling," Alaric murmured, his voice a low, vibrating hum against Julian's skin.
He didn't pull away. Instead, he used his weight to pin Julian in place, his thighs caging Julian's hips with the immovable strength of the North.
He was agonizingly patient during the process. He used his mouth to distract Julian, his kisses growing more demanding, his tongue slick and possessive against his skin, while his fingers worked with a blunt, honest determination, slowly moving down until he brushed the skin of Julian's erection.
"Ahhh!" Julian whimpered, quickly placing his hand over his mouth to hide his moans.
