Chapter 28: Fake Dating, Real Knotting - 5

The private bath was carved into the side of the mountain. Steam rose thick off the surface. Production had set up soft lights and two floating cameras for the "romantic night soak" segment. Julian and Marcus sat opposite each other in the water, robes discarded at the edge, the live feed catching every careful smile.

The director’s voice came through the earpieces. "Closer. Touch each other. Make it look real. We’re wrapping in five."

Marcus slid across the stone seat until their knees touched under the water. His hand settled on Julian’s thigh, high enough to look intimate for the cameras. Julian’s pulse kicked hard. The heat of the spring and the heavy Alpha scent in the steam were already working on him.

"Cut," the director called. "That’s a wrap for tonight. Clear the set. Leave the lights. We’ll do pickups in the morning."

Crew packed up fast. Floating cameras powered down. Voices faded up the stone path. Within minutes the private bath was empty except for the two of them and the soft rush of water over rock.

Marcus didn’t move his hand. "They’re gone."

Julian’s voice came out low. "I know."

Marcus’s fingers slid higher under the water, brushing the inside of Julian’s thigh. "Your scent is thick. Sweeter than usual."

Julian’s breath hitched. "It’s the heat of the water."

"It’s you." Marcus leaned in until their mouths were almost touching. "And I’m done waiting for permission."

He kissed him hard. Water sloshed as Julian surged forward to meet it. Hands gripped slick shoulders. Marcus pulled Julian into his lap so Julian straddled him, chests pressed together under the surface. Their cocks brushed, both already hard.

Marcus’s voice was rough against his lips. "Tell me to stop."

Julian rolled his hips, grinding down. "Don’t you dare."

Marcus reached between them, wrapped a hand around both their cocks, and stroked once under the water. Julian moaned into his mouth. Marcus kept the grip tight and the pace slow, letting the hot water and the friction do the work.

"Need you inside me," Julian whispered. "Now."

Marcus lifted him just enough, lined up, and pulled him down onto his cock in one smooth slide. The water made everything slicker. Julian’s head fell back on a broken sound as he sank all the way down. Marcus’s hands gripped his hips hard, holding him there.

"Fuck," Marcus breathed. "You take me so well like this."

Julian started moving, rising and dropping in a steady rhythm that sent water lapping over the stone edges. Marcus thrust up to meet him, deep and controlled. Steam curled around their shoulders. Every wet slide of Julian’s body down onto his cock punched soft, helpless sounds out of both of them.

Marcus’s hand wrapped around Julian’s cock again, stroking in time with the bounce of his hips. "Come on me. I want to feel it while I’m still in you."

Julian’s rhythm faltered. He came hard, spilling into the water between them, walls clamping tight around Marcus’s cock. The pressure dragged Marcus over right after. He pulled Julian down flush and came with a low growl, flooding him in long, hot pulses that the water couldn’t quite wash away.

They stayed locked together, breathing hard, water still moving gently around them. Marcus’s forehead rested against Julian’s. His hands stroked slow circles over Julian’s lower back.

Julian’s voice was quiet. "We just did that in the middle of a set."

Marcus kissed the corner of his mouth. "And I’d do it again right now if you asked."

Julian’s hips gave a small, testing roll. Marcus was still half-hard inside him.

"Then do it again," Julian said.

Marcus’s smile was dark and pleased. He lifted Julian just enough to start moving once more, slower this time, deeper, the hot spring water turning every thrust into something filthy and perfect while the mountain night stayed quiet around them.

---

The red carpet was already live outside. Flashes. Screaming fans. A full press line waiting. Inside the green room Julian paced in his tailored suit, skin flushed, breath coming too fast. His scent had turned thick and sweet an hour ago. The blockers were useless. Pre-Heat had slammed into him with zero warning.

Marcus locked the door the second he smelled it. "You’re going into Heat."

Julian’s laugh was shaky. "Now? Of all fucking times?"

Marcus’s eyes had gone dark. "Your cycle shifted. Too much of my scent for too long. I triggered it."

Julian crossed the room in three steps and shoved Marcus back against the door. "Then fix it. I can’t walk out there like this. I’ll soak through the suit."

Marcus’s hands gripped his hips hard. "Julian..."

"I can smell how bad you want it." Julian pressed closer, rolling his hips so Marcus felt exactly how hard and wet he already was. "Your control is gone. Stop pretending it isn’t."

Marcus growled low. "Paparazzi are twenty feet away."

"Then be quiet and fuck me." Julian yanked Marcus’s belt open. "Hard. Fast. Before someone knocks."

Marcus spun them and pinned Julian face-first against the locked door. He shoved Julian’s pants and underwear down just far enough, spit into his palm, and pushed in with one deep thrust. Julian’s forehead hit the wood. A broken sound tore out of him. Marcus clapped a hand over his mouth and started fucking him in short, powerful strokes that rocked both of them against the door.

"You’re dripping," Marcus rasped against his ear. "So fucking wet for me already. Heat’s got you desperate."

Julian pushed back into every thrust, muffled moans vibrating against Marcus’s palm. His cock leaked steadily onto the floor. Marcus reached around and stroked him in the same rough rhythm, fist tight, thumb smearing slick over the head.

"Come on my cock," Marcus ordered under his breath. "Do it quiet. Then we walk out there and smile like nothing happened."

Julian’s body locked up fast. He came hard, shaking against the door, spilling over Marcus’s fist in thick pulses. The way he clenched dragged Marcus over right after. Marcus buried himself to the hilt and came with a silent snarl, flooding him deep while his teeth grazed the side of Julian’s neck.

They stayed locked together for three heartbeats, breathing hard. Outside, a producer’s voice called their names. Marcus pulled out slow. Come slid down Julian’s thigh. He fixed Julian’s clothes first, then his own, wiping his hand clean on a towel.

Julian’s voice was wrecked but steady. "This is only going to get worse tonight."

Marcus kissed him once, hard and claiming. "I know. The second we’re done on that carpet, I’m taking you somewhere private and finishing what your body started."

He unlocked the door. They stepped out into the hallway looking camera-ready, the heavy scent of sex and rising Heat buried under cologne and sheer willpower. The red carpet lights hit them full force. Julian’s fingers stayed laced tightly with Marcus’s the entire walk, already counting the minutes until they could disappear again.

---

Marcus bought out the entire wing of the resort by midnight. Production was shut down for three days. No cameras. No crew. No one allowed within fifty feet of their locked suite. Julian’s Heat had hit full force the second the red carpet lights went dark. His scent saturated every room. Sweet. Thick. Demanding.

Marcus carried him straight to the bed and stripped them both. Julian was already writhing, skin burning, thighs slick.

"Need you," Julian panted. "Now. Don’t hold back."

Marcus pushed his legs open and sank in with one deep thrust. Julian cried out and came on the first stroke, clenching hard around him. Marcus fucked him through it, hard and steady, until Julian’s cock twitched and spilled again across his stomach.

"More," Julian begged, voice wrecked. "Don’t stop. Please."

Marcus flipped him onto his hands and knees and drove back in. The new angle dragged another broken moan out of Julian. Marcus gripped his hips and set a relentless pace, skin slapping, the wet sound of Julian’s body taking him filling the room.

"You’re so fucking open for me," Marcus growled. "Heat’s got you dripping down my cock."

Julian pushed back into every thrust. "Harder. Fill me. I need it."

Marcus gave it to him. He reached under and stroked Julian’s cock in tight, fast pulls. Julian came a third time with a shout, shaking so hard his arms gave out. Marcus followed right after, burying himself deep and flooding him in long, heavy pulses.

They barely caught their breath before Julian was grinding back again, still hard, still needy. Marcus pulled out only long enough to roll him onto his back, lift his thighs high, and thrust back in. Face to face this time. Julian’s arms locked around his neck. Their mouths crashed together, messy and open.

"You feel so good," Marcus rasped against his lips. "Taking every inch like you were made for it."

Julian’s nails dug into his shoulders. "Yours. Just yours. Keep going."

Marcus kept the rhythm deep and thorough. Every time Julian came, Marcus stayed inside and kept moving, drawing another orgasm out of him before the last one fully faded. By the fourth time Julian was sobbing with it, cock pulsing weakly between them while Marcus filled him again.

They collapsed together, still joined. Marcus stayed buried deep, kissing the sweat from Julian’s throat, his scent wrapping around them both like a claim.

Julian’s voice was hoarse. "We’re not going back to pretending after this."

Marcus licked over the side of his neck, right where a mark would sit. "No. We’re not."

Julian’s hips gave a weak, instinctive roll. Heat still burned under his skin. Marcus was already hardening inside him again.

"Then don’t stop," Julian whispered. "Not until it’s over."

Marcus kissed him slow and deep and started moving once more, steady and claiming, while the locked suite kept the rest of the world outside for as long as they needed.