Stealing West by Jamie Craig

made him seem older, often enough for Thomas to forget he wasn't even twenty-five yet. Thomas sat back patiently, waiting for Leon to either make the connection, or drive Thomas out of the room to follow through on his promise.
    He hoped for the former.
    He saw the instant Leon understood what Thomas had been aiming for. His brows unknotted, and he licked his lips.
    “When is it you want me to demonstrate it?” Leon paused for only a moment before adding, “Sir.”
    “From now on. Whenever you talk to me.” Thomas's words were even, despite the way his throat clenched. He wanted to at least appear distant, like he was just a little bit above all of this, but he doubted he was capable of pretending that Leon wasn't having a very powerful effect on him for very long. “Understand?”
    Heat reddened Leon's skin, creeping upward to his ears. “Yes, sir.”
    “Good.”
    Thomas reached for one of the clean washrags and swirled it in the water between Leon's thighs. He created a good froth with the bar of soap, and then gently pushed Leon's head back, exposing his throat. His touch was gentle, but he let the rough material scrape across the sensitive bruises, applying just enough pressure to make Leon twitch.
    As Thomas moved the rag downward, Leon closed his eyes. His hands gripped the side of the tub, staying well out of the way, but every time Thomas added a little more pressure, his cock jumped beneath the water and a soft moan escaped his lips. More than once, he swiped his tongue across them, and the way they glistened in the seconds afterward made Thomas yearn to know how they tasted.
    Leon never said a word until Thomas grasped his hard length, pulled the foreskin back, and exposed the scratched tip. Then he hissed when the rag went over it, swearing under his breath.
    “I've never wanted it like we've been doing it, sir,” he said, his voice ragged. He didn't open his eyes. “In fact, I've never let a guy have my ass more than once before. I never thought it was what I wanted.”
    Thomas rested his brow against his arm, his breath caught in his throat, grateful Leon still had his eyes closed. He continued dragging the cloth up and down Leon's length, washing him, caressing him, teasing the sensitive, raw skin.
    “I've never...”
    Thomas bit the side of his mouth, unsure of how to finish the sentence. He had done so much with Leon he had never considered with another person, including the thorough cleansing of his body. He skimmed his fingers over Leon's bushy, rough beard. It needed to be cleaned, too, except ... he wanted to feel Leon's smooth cheek against his thighs and along his erection.
    “I'm going to shave you.”
    Leon simply nodded. It was a little disconcerting having him so obedient, and though Thomas missed some of the smart remarks, this subdued version left him just as hard, because he knew Leon was doing it as evidence of yielding to his command. It was better this way right now, too. He didn't need distractions while he had a straight razor at the man's throat.
    Thomas repositioned his stool so he sat behind Leon's head. He ignored the brush in favor of working the soap into the beard with his fingers, massaging the bruised skin until Leon's skin vibrated from his constant moans. Without the beard, the blooming colors would be even more vivid. No hiding them away.
    And yet, Leon had acquiesced to this request, too. Without a single argument.
    Thomas was no barber, and he didn't have much experience shaving other men, but his hand remained steady as he brought the razor to Leon's jawline. His mouth watered more with each patch of skin he revealed. Leon remained perfectly still, his throat exposed, his posture relaxed. Despite the rapid fluttering of his pulse, he seemed perfectly at ease. Like it wouldn't even occur to him that Thomas would hurt him—which was fine, because Thomas didn't want to hurt him.
    He wanted to mark him. He wanted to tie him to the bed and pound into his ass again. He