“I can’t help how I feel. You expect to kiss me like that and just let it go? There was something there, Sven. We have something between us. Don’t you want to explore it?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Geoffrey let go of his water and threw his arms up. “You and your short, cryptic responses. You’re driving me crazy. Why doesn’t it matter? Can you honestly tell me that all your kisses with other men felt like that? Do you not get that this thing? With us?” He waved his fingers back and forth between them. “It’s big. We have insane chemistry.”
“We can’t fuck, Geoffrey.” He raised the bottle to his mouth.
“Why? Afraid you won’t fit?”
Sven choked, spitting water onto the table. He mumbled something under his breath and rose to grab paper towels.
Geoffrey followed and got right up into the man’s face. Well, as close as he could get because even on his toes, he couldn’t quite reach. “I know I’m built…” He stroked his hand down Sven’s chest because it was impossible to keep his hands off him. “…smaller. And you seem to have an aversion to that for some reason—”
Sven grabbed his hand, stopping it. “Geoffrey, it’s not an aversion.”
“Well, it’s something stopping us from seeing where this could go. Aren’t you at all curious? Think of all the ways we can get creative.” He grinned and loved it when Sven’s green gaze dropped to his lips. “How much fun is that going to be?”
“Going to be? This is not happening.” He put his hands on Geoffrey’s arms. “You speak as if it’s a done deal.”
“Because it is.” Determination knotted Geoffrey’s gut. “You want me. I can tell. And I want you. More than I’ve ever wanted anyone.”
Green eyes narrowed. “I heard all about how hard you pursued Dr. Frost.”
Geoffrey shrugged. “I did want him, I won’t lie. But I never expected anything other than a hookup or two with him and a lot of that was about satisfying some curiosity.”
“And wanting to get with me isn’t? You keep talking about our size difference. Is that what attracts you to me?”
“Partly, yes. I won’t lie about that either. You heard my friends—”
He let go. “Those people aren’t your friends.”
“Okay, those acquaintances told you flat out I like my men big. I do. I’ve always been attracted to larger men, but look at me. It’s not hard to be bigger than me. And you, well, you’re bigger than…well, most everyone.” Geoffrey chuckled. “And yes, I want to use your body like my own personal jungle gym, but that’s not all we have between us. I like you, Sven. A lot. I want to know more about you.”
If he hadn’t been staring so hard, he wouldn’t have caught it—the flare of nostrils when he said personal jungle gym. Sven liked that idea. A lot.
The punch of lust that hit Geoffrey then turned his plan for flirtation into one for full-on persuasion. He had to get Sven into his bed and it was partly out of curiosity, yes, but it felt bigger than that somehow. He’d never felt this kind of connection with anyone. “Sven, I may look small and I may have this ridiculous, young-looking face, but I assure you, I’m a grown man.”
“I know you’re a grown man, Geoffrey.” He frowned. “And there is nothing ridiculous about your face. You’re stunning and you know it.”
Oh, that was new. Nobody had called him that before. He heard pretty a lot and it didn’t bother him—not really. But the reverent note in Sven’s voice showed him the man really meant it. He stroked both palms over Sven’s stomach, then up to his arms. He doubted he could get both hands around those biceps. “I can take anything you dish out. I want to take anything you dish out.”
“Stop it.” Sven took Geoffrey’s hands off him, but he didn’t let go.
Geoffrey threaded their fingers together, loving the slight slump in Sven’s wide shoulders. He was getting through. “You like me.”
Sven closed his eyes and sighed. “Liking you isn’t the problem here.”
“So, it’s what? Your job? You can’t give me that crap. Rowe lives with an employee and his COO hooked up with a client. So is the job the only thing holding you back?”
“No, I mean yes.” He shook his head slightly, never taking his gaze off Geoffrey’s face. “We’re not supposed to fraternize with the clients.”
“Is that what we would do?” Geoffrey let go of his hands and stepped closer, shivering when all that heat seeped into him. “Fraternize? Sounds fun.” He took another step and couldn’t help the small moan when he came into contact with Sven’s body. “You said no first. What’s really holding you back?”
And that question must have been too much because Sven put his hands on Geoffrey’s shoulders and pushed him back. “You’re right. It’s not just the job. I have my reasons, so this isn’t happening. That kiss…it was a mistake. I was just relieved to find you were okay.” He leaned down, staring hard into Geoffrey’s eyes. “I don’t want you like that.”