For a heady second I just drink him in. This man. I was with him.
I lower my cheek to his shoulder, brush my mouth over his damp skin. The motion gives him chills. Something in my belly tightens.
“You okay?” It sounds rough.
He shifts onto his side. I get the briefest glimpse of his mouth curving, feel the warm heat of his heavy-lidded gaze. Then he’s wrapping me against him…his arm squeezing so my cheek presses against his damp throat. I can hear his heartbeat, fast and steady.
His arm flexes around my back, and I hear him swallow. “I’m good,” he rumbles. “Are you?”
I nod.
His lips brush over my hair. Then his leg wedges between mine. I feel his chest expand as he takes in a deep breath, blows it out. He chuckles, hoarse. “That was crazy. Felt amazing.” His hand strokes my back, gentle fingers tracing ridges of muscle. “You all good, my man?”
My throat is so tight I can barely breathe. I bite my cheek until it stings, and take a deep, slow breath. “Yeah.”
This is the only time you’ll ever do this. Make it count, Luke.
I inhale again, filling my head with his scent. I kiss his chest…because I can. His fingers stroke my nape. Then his fingertips are rubbing. He knows where to put the pressure. Everywhere he touches screams with pleasure-pain.
Despite myself, I let a groan out.
“Sore there?” Rough whisper.
I swallow. He rubs, and I drag another big breath in.
His voice is soft and gentle as his fingers rub me. “How much are you home, dude?”
“All together…travel like three and a half, four months out of the year.”
“So you’re kind of tired, huh?”
Always. It’s the price of my work. One of them.
“You a pretty peaceful flyer?”
I drag in a deep, unsteady breath as his hand moves down my shoulder. He rubs at a spot that’s tender, so it hurts and feels good. So good, I can’t answer at first. “Not at all,” I manage with a laugh.
I feel his chest move on a silent chuckle. “Well, shit.” He hugs me closer with one arm as his hand keeps rubbing my sore shoulder. He hits a spot that makes me moan.
I can hear his smile as he says, “College acupressure, baby. A-plus student right here.”
I swallow as my eyelids grow heavy. “Feels good.”
His hand keeps working, and my eyelids sag shut. I tell myself don’t fall asleep. I’ve been wanting this for months, and this is all I’m going to get of him. Gotta hold me over for a long time…* * *Strong arms pull me closer…wrap me up against his warm chest. Vance. I know it’s him because he feels good. I let sleep tug me back under.
Hands in my hair…his lips on my forehead. I lift my eyelids open, see his Adam’s apple. His throat. Smells good.
I’m hard.
He shifts closer, and my face presses against his soft shirt. He’s rubbing my hair. I want to push my dick against him. I let myself go back under…
Sometime later, his voice pushes through the ether. “Somebody’s a sleepyhead.”
I blink up to find him smiling. His hair’s damp. His nice Vance eyes are bright and teasing. I shut my eyes…tighten my grip. I’m holding onto him…one arm around his waist, the other locked around his back. I realize our legs are intertwined and my heart beats off-rhythm. “Fell asleep.” My voice is rough with sleep. His hand cradles my head to his chest.
“I was debating when to get you up. But this feels so damn good. Are you a snuggler?”
My chest feels heavy. Like something’s pushing on it.
“No.” I draw my arms back to myself and shut my eyes. Just one more second. Then I roll onto my back. I drape an arm over my eyes. The air feels cold without him. I inhale and feel my body coming back…my normal heart beats faster as I look over at him. He’s looking at me.
“Glad you got some Zs.” His mouth is soft and curving. I sit up and stare at the wall.
Keep it steady. Not gonna lose my grip. I get up off the bed. When my feet touch the floor, I snatch a strained breath into my lungs.
“Hey—”
“I’ve gotta go.” I scoop my boxer-briefs off the rug. Step into them. I’m still halfway hard. With my back to him, I fist my erection—hard enough to hurt. My heart starts racing as I tell him, “This was just a one-time thing.” I suck a breath in through my nose. I’ve got my back to him—so he can’t see my face. I swallow hard and shut my eyes. “A mistake.”
My throat cinches on the word. I grasp my shorts with rubber hands and somehow pull them on. I think I feel his eyes burn into my back. I wait for his anger, for some clap-back. When it doesn’t come, I feel a wash of cold panic that leaves me fuzzy at the edges. Gotta do this, I tell myself. Can’t stay.