A swoop of desire fills Rowan’s belly as he fucks into Mal in deep, slow thrusts. A breathy sigh greets every thrust as his hips press hard into Mal’s ass. Mal hikes his leg higher, gripping under his knee to open himself more to Rowan, allowing him to slip impossibly deeper inside.

They move together, hitches of hips and breath as Rowan slides in and out of Mal’s heat. He chases his pleasure, clutching on to Mal for dear life, as if he’ll vanish if Rowan doesn’t hold him tightly enough.

“Fuck! There…,” Mal moans.

Rowan obliges him, alternating grinding against his spot and pistoning into him, turning him into a moaning mess in his arms. It’s like his hips have a mind of their own as he fucks him, Mal clenching around him eagerly and with abandon. He’s sucking him in deeper, deeper, undoubtedly bruising his ass as he drops his leg and reaches back to pull Rowan closer.

The position is good—incredible, even—hitting deep and hard and letting Rowan feel Mal’s muscular back pressed firmly against his chest. But it’s been too long since he’s seen his face. Too long since he kissed his lips.

“Mal, turn over. Wanna see your face.”

Rowan pulls out and they swap positions, Mal on his back with Rowan nestled in between his legs.

He can’t look anywhere but Mal’s face as he slides back in, watching that perfect mouth part in pleasure. Fully seated, he dips down, catching Mal’s bottom lip between his own, tugging gently with his teeth.

He keeps the pace slow, drawing whimpers from Mal’s lips as he kisses him deep. And fuck, it’s all so perfect, so warm and filling and fulfilling that he can’t help the words that escape him.

“Fuck, I love you,” Rowan whispers against his lips, hips moving on their own as his body fills with emotion.

He hadn’t meant to say it, but weeks—hell, months—of keeping it to himself has felt like a lifetime.

Mal gasps, a sweet little hiccup of a sound that Rowan’s going to remember for the rest of his life. He pulls Rowan down for a kiss that’s mind-blowingly tender, and feels more than hears Mal whisper, “I love you too.”

Rowan shudders into the kiss, eyes squeezed tightly closed as his chest constricts and his breath leaves his lungs in a whoosh. He wants to breathe in the residual oxygen from Mal’s exhalations so he can say that a part of him has been inside every single one of his cells.