Snippet No. 4

"How you doin' with the dissertation, Chief?" Jim leaned across Blair's shoulders, staring at the computer screen.

"I don't want to finish it, Jim," the younger man muttered.

"Why not?"

"Because it puts too many things up in the air." Blair closed his eyes against the light touch of Jim's hand on his shoulder.

Jim moved forward slowly, until he was completely invading Sandburg's personal space. "It's okay," he whispered into Blair's ear. "You don't have to worry about that."

Blair started as the warm air blew across his ear, a long shiver racing all the way down his spine.

"W-why?" he stuttered, cheeks flaming.

"Because there's nothing to worry about," Jim continued in the same low tone, moving his head fractionally closer. His lips grazed the younger man's ear and Blair felt a spark ripple through him. "Nothing has to change," Jim added. "Unless you want it to."

Blair shifted around in his seat and the change in position brought them face-to-face, mouths hovering next to each other's. "What if I want things to change...?"

"That's okay, too," the older man breathed, the warm air a sensuous caress against Blair's fevered lips. "'Cause I'd like them to change..." He raised one hand and slid his fingers through soft curls, curving those fingers so that the back of Blair's head was cradled in his hand. "I'm going to kiss you, Blair...now's the time to tell me if you want me to stop."

Blair raised his eyes to meet Jim's and the older man gave a small growl at the emotions reflected there. They seemed to go on forever, until Jim thought he'd drown in them. The pupils were dilated so wide that all he could see was a velvety black surrounded by a ring of blue. He felt the heat reflecting back at him and raised his other hand to cup the other side of Blair's head, before lowering his mouth to caress the sensual lips in front of him.

He licked lazily across the pouty mouth, his tongue nudging for entry. Blair groaned low in his throat and opened his mouth, flicking his tongue across Jim's. Heat exploded across the older man's senses; heat that screamed "Blair" to him: spicy, like a cinnamon stick, yet not pungent. Warm, like smooth cider heated to barely steaming. Soothing, like a gentle balm. Blair was all of these and more. A deep taste of the warm cavern revealed mingling flavors, different yet the same, all swirling together. Jim growled again and pulled Blair from the chair, up tight against his body, his mouth grinding down on the smaller man's, forcing it open wide, trying to crawl inside.

It was hot and cold; fire and ice. It lasted forever and was over in a moment. Both men forgot to breathe, too busy learning the flavor of the other, learning the new flavor of themselves mixed together. Eventually they drew apart, chests heaving in an effort to pull oxygen into their lungs. Jim stared at Blair, at the lush mouth now wet and swollen from his kiss; at the heat pouring from his partner's eyes.