Something a lot like a laugh, but quicker and breathier escaped him, when Roman responded. His heart was thudding loudly, too loudly, in his chest, and the heated (and nearly nonexistent) space between them made his blood boil and rush with every pounding beat. Pleased sparks shot along his spine as Roman bared more of his neck to him, and he continued to trail his lips along the all-too-familiar territory, marking it, remembering it. “Keep it that way.” He whispered his request, as Roman’s breath hitched. Shivering softly to himself, he became determined to pull more of those reactions out of him. His fingertips danced along the waistband of Roman’s jeans, aching to tear them down, itching to drop lower, but he wanted this to last. Yes, Charlie wanted to savor these moments with Roman, because he knew — all too well — how easily they could end, and he wasn’t willing to waste any time he was given by rushing it all away so fast. Living in the moment had always been something he’d lived by, and this was no exception. Especially not while Roman was underneath him, could potentially bare himself to him, give himself to him, because there was nothing else that Charlie wanted right now. It had been too long since they’d completely torn each other open, come undone in the other’s presence. Charlie had been good at distracting himself, naturally — the others he’d been with throughout his life had been just barely enough to keep Roman off of his mind long enough to enjoy it, but it had been enough one way or the other. And when it came to people like Max or Aria, they’d been more than just simply distractions, because they’d manage to find their own way into Charlie’s heart — the way that wasn’t through his libido. But still, none of them had been like Roman. Roman, who had managed to leave invisible marks, prints, branding Charlie as his ever since that very first night, before Charlie was sure what it even meant to love someone. This was everything he’d been craving, what he wanted, what he needed, and he found himself almost numb at the thought that this was real,this was happening again, except he didn’t have to play pretend to get through it. He didn’t have to pretend like it meant something, or tell himself that it didn’t, because there was no use in denying it anymore when Roman was willing to let Charlie in and occupy his very own space in Roman’s heart. He felt like crying, but for a different reason than all of the others in his life. His fingers curled into Roman’s shirt, and he tugged at it, harshly. “Off.” He demanded, his teeth sinking into his brother’s pulse point.
