Heart of the Warrior by Donya Lynne

was really trying to keep his voice down."
    "Look, I’m sorry about that." Ari felt guilty.
    "Fuck, I’ve heard worse shit than that, Ari. I’m used
to it. Although I’m surprised your best friend would talk like that."
    "He doesn’t know."
    Severin took the pizza box and placed it on the counter
before digging out a slice. "Doesn’t know what?"
    "That I’m gay."
    Sev froze. "Say again."
    Ari sighed heavily. "Io doesn’t know I’m gay."
    "Why not?"
    Ari dropped his head back. "It’s complicated, all
right?"
    "Well, uncomplicate it. How the hell does your best
friend not know you’re gay?"
    How did he explain this to Sev when he was only really
beginning to understand it himself?
    "Because until last month…when you and I…well, when we
were together…I wasn’t even fully aware that I was gay, okay?"
    Severin stopped with his slice of pizza halfway to his
mouth, and the two stood and stared at each other in stunned silence.
    "Come again?" Sev lowered the pizza back to the
box. "Is this some kind of joke? Are you fucking around with me, Ari? If
you are, tell me now. I mean, if I’m just some homo-erotic experimentation for
you, let me know, because I don’t think my heart could survive if you—"
    "I'm not playing with you." Ari stepped forward
and placing his hand over Sev's mouth to quiet him. He stared at his fingers
and felt Sev's full lips press against them. Then he locked his gaze to Sev's
and repeated with conviction, "I'm not playing with you. This isn't a
game, a joke, or some homosexual fantasy I want to act out. I don't know why it
took me so long to figure things out, but Sev, when you came here and we did
what we did right in this very spot…I can't explain it, but suddenly I knew. I
knew I had been living a lie. I knew I was gay." He paused and lowered his
hand. "I knew I wanted you and no one else."
    Sev watched without saying a word, and the silence stretched
for what felt like forever.
    "God, Sev, please say something. I'm dying here. I
don't know what to do. I've never been with a male before, but I can't stop
thinking about you. I can't get you out of my mind." He stepped closer and
ran his hands up Sev's chest and inhaled a shaky breath as he felt himself
drift further into Sev's personal space.
    Sev remained stoically still while following Ari with his
gaze.
    Ari closed his eyes as if fighting himself then opened them
and looked back into Sev's.
    "I've never reacted to women the way I react to you. I
just figured something was wrong with me, or that it was normal – as
dysfunctional as it sounds – that I had to fantasize about men to even tolerate
being with females. But then you…." Ari's voice trailed off, and before he
could stop himself, he leaned in and ran his nose up the column of Sev's neck so
that his lips brushed over his skin.
    He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard Sev purr softly as
his body rippled ever so slightly.
    "You came along, Sev. You changed everything. I know
who I am now because of you." Their bodies had slowly come together, and
they stood chest to chest. "I was meant to be with you."
    Sev's head turned into his. Ari felt him exhale more than
heard it as Sev slid his cheek over Ari's hair then dipped his nose against his
scalp. Ari felt like he was being claimed by a giant feline, which was fine by
him. He wanted to be claimed. And Sev made the perfect lion with his mane of
blond hair.
    He stepped back and lifted Sev’s hand to his mouth. Slowly,
he drew his tongue around the tip of Sev’s index finger then sucked it between
his lips, tasting a hint of pepperoni from the pizza Sev had been holding a
moment ago. He moved to his middle finger, then his ring finger, his pinky, and
finally his thumb.
    Sev stared at him, his mouth opened slightly, his gazed
fixed on Ari's mouth like he was hypnotized.
    Ari had never seduced anyone, man or woman, but with Sev it
felt completely natural. In fact, his body was almost commanding him to seduce
Severin. He had never