a Lout and a Prince

Part 14

Alberu was weak. Plain and simple.

He had a million good reasons to end things with Cale Henituse and not a single good reason to proceed. Even when he allowed himself to think romantically rather than logistically, there was still absolutely no version of this relationship that ended well.

He absolutely could not reveal himself to Cale and what was the alternative? Seeing Cale forever under the false pretense of being an attendant named Bob? With the ethically dubious nature of their relationship being based upon lies and more lies.

The sensible thing was to pull away before he was drawn in any further. Before the depth of their feelings drowned them.

That, of course, would require that Alberu was capable of treading water at all.

Bob sought out Cale's lips in another urgent kiss as they met yet again on his terrace, smiling as Cale wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into the privacy of his bedroom.

Cale returned his smile, pulling away from the kiss to nuzzle his face against Alberu's neck. He nipped the skin playfully, a reminder that yes Cale did bite and yes Alberu was struggling very hard to control himself when Cale chose to. "You're late." Cale complained, it was a familiar complaint.

"We didn't agree to meet tonight." Alberu countered.

"But I wanted to see you hours ago."

Shit. Alberu hugged the precious and bratty punk close and buried his face into the crook of his neck.

Letting go and ending things was the correct course of action.

Alberu was a weak fool and he couldn't let go, not for all the best reasons in the world.

"...I did too." He confessed, leaving a chaste kiss at the base of Cale's neck and feeling the shiver that ran down his spine.

Cale was sensitive there. It was all of Alberu's broken self control not to take immediate advantage of that fact and see if he could make the lout moan.

And his conscience wanted him to break it off altogether? When he was barely restraining himself from taking more? It was a laughable ask.

Cale's fingers tangled with his hair and Cale arched his neck invitingly.

Fuck–they should meet somewhere else. The privacy that Cale's bedroom offered invited a sort of intimacy that Alberu couldn't resist.

He kissed Cale's neck again, holding the man flush against him as Cale let out a sharp breath. Alberu was quite tempted to take matters a step farther when there was a curt knock at the door.

"Young master Cale." An elderly voice called out. "Are you quite alright? This Ron heard a strange sound."

Bullshit. Alberu could curse. There was hardly a single noise in the room. If he didn't know better, he would think that the benign old butler interrupted them on purpose. He had an unerring timing for knocking just as Alberu's restraint was about ready to snap.

Cale pulled away gently and Alberu watched as his expression changed from one of easy-going happiness into a thuggish sneer, perfect to portray the emotion of his words. "For the last fucking time, Ron! I don't want to be disturbed!"

Perhaps the old butler was a mischievous old fox because he replied with. "Would you like some lemon tea, young master Cale? To help you sleep."

Cale responded by throwing something breakable at the door and the pair of them listened to the butler retreat, surely to retrieve the tea that Cale did not want.