“You are so far off the mark. So far off the fucking mark. And clueless.” A laugh erupted from Noah before he could stop it. One of those self-mocking ones that share more than you want someone to hear. Rowe was no dummy and he went still.
“Noah?” he asked, voice suddenly hoarse.
“Seeing a little more now, Ward? Why do you think that night happened?” He tucked his hair behind his ear, suddenly wishing he’d had a little less to drink earlier. He was putting too many cards on the table too fast. He’d get burned on this hand, but it was too late to back down now. He sighed, then met green eyes with a pointed look. “No, I didn’t go after many pretty boys back then. I went out and found any damn tattooed redhead who would let me put my hands on him. Is that what you wanted to hear?” He stepped right up to Rowe’s face. “But this wasn’t about me; this was about you. It’s been nearly a year and the Rowe I know never went this long without. I know you’re heartbroken and I even get it. Fuck, I can’t even imagine the pain you’ve been feeling and my heart aches for you. From everything you ever told me about her, your wife sounded pretty damn perfect.”
“I don’t want to talk about her. I can’t talk about her.” Rowe grabbed a handful of his shirt. “Explain the redhead remark.”
Noah shoved his hands off. “Fuck, no.”
“You wanted me back then? More than just that one night? Why didn’t you tell me?”
His eyes flew open wide. “Tell you? And risk destroying our friendship?”
“It wouldn’t have.”
“How can you be so sure? Back then you were a straight man who really didn’t want to face that he just might be bi. If I’d given you an inkling of the desire I felt then, you would have backed off in a big, damn hurry. And first and foremost, I like you. Really like you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had and I don’t want to mess that up.”
“You don’t know that it would have messed anything up. You don’t know everything about me—don’t know that I would have run.”
“You did run! After that night, you fucking ran and I was sure I lost us.”
“I didn’t run! I-I-I just needed some time to think. I hadn’t expected…”
This time, Noah went still, afraid to move because it felt as if the entire world was falling away beneath his feet. Rowe had dropped a massive bomb and his brain had locked up, unwilling to try to unravel all the possibilities both past and present. He narrowed his eyes. “Explain.”
That mutinous, stubborn expression that sent all Noah’s blood south came over Rowe’s face. “You. Explain. First.”
And in that moment, Noah suddenly didn’t give a shit. They’d managed to keep a friendship alive long distance for thirteen damn years so if one kiss could change that, they didn’t deserve to have friendship. He reached out and slid his hand around the back of Rowe’s neck and yanked him close. Without another word, he slammed his mouth over Rowe’s.###
Shock froze every muscle in Rowe’s body. Noah didn’t push for entry into his mouth at first, merely pressed his lips against Rowe’s. Several impressions hit him at once. Noah’s lips were softer than he remembered, but still firm and…holy shit, pliable. He smelled faintly of spicy cologne, sweat, and whiskey. And that heady peppermint he’d smelled earlier—from his shampoo. The mix was surprisingly appealing to his senses and made him step closer to the delicious heat coming off his very…very masculine body. Hard muscles instead of soft breasts met his chest and there was just so much heat. Rowe hadn’t been this close to another body in so long, he sucked in a breath of shock. And awe.
Noah felt good.
Damn good.
The lust that swept through him made his heart pound, his balls draw up, and his blood flow south.
Noah’s tongue touched his bottom lip and before he could stop it, a soft moan came from his throat. The noise worked like a green light to Noah, who clutched him close and pushed his tongue fully into Rowe’s mouth. He met that hot slide with a stroke of his own, shock curling his toes into the carpet.
Noah groaned and clenched his fingers in Rowe’s hair, pulling him even closer, kissing him even deeper.
Holy shit, holy shit ran in a continuous refrain in Rowe’s mind as he had to fight the urge to push the man to the floor and crawl on top of him. It was just like before—the heat, the desire, the incredible urge to rip off all their clothes to get skin on skin. He realized he held Noah’s hips hard and when the other man thrust against him, he felt the hard ridge of dick.