“No… wait,” he said, catching Alex as he tried to get back up.  Instead of grabbing at him, Andreas used a gentle, open hand placed against the center of Alex’s chest to halt him.  “Not just yet.  I want to do something first.”<br/><br/>Without further explanation, he drew Alex into a kiss.  It wasn’t as needy as he wanted it to be.  Andreas was still in the mindset of keeping things sweet and slow as if he was dealing with a delicate virgin.  With as pretty as Alex was, with as careful as he had to treat that body mottled with varying colours of bruises, and as fragile as the boy’s mind must have been right then, he might as well have been.<br/><br/>“Lay back and relax,” he instructed.  He pulled his own towel free and tossed it off beside the bed.  “I’m not going to hurt you.  You’re not even in any condition for what I really want.”  His hands traced along the curve of Alex’s ribs, following them around to his side, then back over his flat stomach.  “What I really want is to make love to you right now,” he admitted, leaning down to place a single, precious kiss to the man’s chest.  “What I want is to erase every unwanted touch and make you forget them.  What I want is to make you mine.  But I can’t do that until you’re healed.  What I can do is give you pleasure.  Would you like that?” he asked, moving up to press his lips against Alex’s.  “Can I taste you tonight, Alex?”