Better late than never! Here are some of my favorite bits and pieces of this chapter:
Then Tano’s hands were on him once more, warm and strong, kneading him like bread. Thinking of Tano baking relaxed him further, and he sighed, most of him limp with submission, part of him hard with fiery need. Aroused but content, Remin let Tano have his way with him, satisfied to spend an infinite amount of time being the dough under Tano’s expert hands.
I love how food and sex and Tano have all become so enmeshed in Remin's head. Food and sex have always been so important to Remin and it's so awesome that Tano fits right in there.
“I want to be whatever you want me to be,” Tano said. “Whatever you’ll let me be.”
Remin had never thought that someone outside of his brothers would understand him so well. If Kudorin had wanted him to be reckless and risk-taking and bold in enjoying men again, then he hoped that Kudorin would love this. “Stay with me tonight. Go get a change of clothes and anything else you’ll need.”
And yet he has no idea he's falling in love. Remin's utter lack of self-awareness is starting to get kind of alarming.
Tall, athletic, handsome, his open shirt revealing a gorgeously masculine body, brown eyes focused entirely on Remin, his smile both happy and humble, Tano looked like the perfect Anorian, like a sexual fantasy, like a gift from the gods delivered directly to Remin’s door.
Closing the door in Tano’s face, Remin turned his back, walking away. Shit, shit, fuck. He wasn’t ready for this. What was he going to do with Tano in his bedroom? No, what wasn’t he going to do with Tano in his bedroom? Letting Tano into his apartment was a direct invitation to disgrace, ruination, and the destruction of his role as royal high priest.
Behind him, the door opened. “With all of the love and respect in the world, Prince Remin, you’re being foolish.”
It was irritating, that Tano kept assuming that he knew better than Remin did. Irritating, that he kept being correct.
Is it just me or did Tano kind of sound like he was channeling Xio Voe for a moment? And I love that Tano just opened the door and came in. He's such a lovely combination of humble and confident.
“I wish that you would never stop touching me.”
Tano’s voice was soft, as if he didn’t want to make the confession. “I don’t ever want to stop touching you.”
Closing his eyes, Remin tightened his arms around Tano, a moan escaping through clenched teeth as he felt the stiffening hardness of Tano’s dick against his thigh. “What are we doing?” His words were tight, whispered.
“I’m helping you,” Tano whispered, holding onto him.
Then, “What am I doing?”
Tano’s whisper was steady, sure. “Letting me.”
Best moment in the chapter, hands down.
Great chapter. It was even better for me because I read it as part of a reread from shortly before the first festival Remin and Tano hung out together. I love rereading like that because it reminds me that while the chapter-a-week thing is fun, it is much easier to see the pacing when reading in one fell swoop. It feels like they've been dancing around each other forever, but for them it's been only two weeks since then and now, between beginning their friendship and getting truly intimate.
