But that one grumpy statement was doing dangerous things to Will’s exhausted brain.
Charlie couldn’t possibly mean that he wanted Will in his clothes as a mark of ownership. As if he wanted Will wrapped in him alone, wanted him cloaked in his scent to ward off any who might think they had a chance at stealing Will from him.
He wasn’t Charlie’s, even if his body could still recall how it felt to be completely owned by him.
“Whatever. It’s not necessary,” Will bit out while stomping on old memories that were adding a flush to his skin.
Charlie grinned. “What are you gonna do? Sleep naked in my bed?”
The burning across his cheeks stretched to the tips of his ears while the little remaining blood not in his face plunged to his groin. “No! I’m not sleeping in here. I can crash on the couch.”
Charlie’s smile never wavered. “I can’t handcuff you to the couch.”
“You’re not handcuffing me, period!”
“You can’t be trusted. You escaped with Ed the last time.”
“Where the hell am I gonna go?”
The more infuriated Will became, the more Charlie’s amusement seemed to grow, but how could he keep calm? His entire world felt like it had been flipped inside out. He was a doctor, and yet people were trying to kill him because they wanted to keep the truth suppressed. The man who’d owned and shattered his heart was standing in front of him, telling him that he’d once worked for the CIA but was now a mercenary.
And in the midst of all this chaos, there was only one thing he was sure of. Only one thing that he wanted.
With a snarl of frustration, Will marched the three steps that separated them and grabbed Charlie’s face with both hands. His former lover didn’t resist as Will pulled him forward, their lips crashing together. The kiss was just as hard and violent as their first one downstairs, but Charlie moaned and his mouth opened, welcoming Will inside. Their lips softened and the kiss slowed to a gentle exploration without losing the biting edge of desperation.
After all this time, how could his kiss be the same? The same hunger, the same need. Kissing Charlie was like coming home.
It wasn’t real. It was all a lie.
But he was so fucking tired, he didn’t want to think about any of that now. Later, when the sun was up and he was stronger.
With the night wrapping them up and his heart aching, Will wanted to pretend for a short time that this was real and that he could have this man.
Will broke off the kiss only because he needed to come up for air. He pulled away from Charlie and stared up at eyes so dark they were nearly black, cringing a little. “Is this where you punch me as payback?”
“No.” Charlie kissed him like he never planned to stop.
11
CHARLIE SANDS
Charlie refused to let this be a mistake. Will was kissing him, clinging to him as if he needed Charlie more than air. He was not going to disappoint him a second time.
The twinge of pain in his jaw was a good reminder to proceed with caution. The sweet man in his arms was more than capable enough of protecting himself.
Tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss while wrapping his arms around Will’s slender frame. Too slender. Why was Will so skinny?
No!
Later.
He’d worry over the man’s well-being and health later. Right now was about making him feel so very good.
Will pressed his body into Charlie’s with a happy whimper, sending the previous thought fluttering off with the wind. They fit so perfectly. Will was made to be in his arms, and that was where he was going to stay from now on.
Pressing his hands into Will’s back, he slowly ran them down, molding their bodies together. A delicious moan rose from Will’s throat. He lifted his mouth and tipped his face toward the ceiling, offering Charlie his fragile throat. So much perfection in a single, stubborn package.
He slipped his fingers under the edge of Will’s shirt and ran them up, sliding across smooth, warm skin. Another wonderful noise escaped Will and he thrust his hips forward, rubbing his hard cock against Charlie’s thigh. Blood rushed to his own dick, leaving him almost light-headed. Little voices were urging him to rip off Will’s clothes and toss him onto the bed, to bend him over and take him hard and fast. He wanted to be buried so fucking deep inside of Will that they could never be separated.
But he was going to take this man slowly. He was going to savor every second of this.
Will wouldn’t know he was stuck with Charlie until it was too damn late.
With one hand pressed to the middle of Will’s back, he slipped the other down to knead an ass cheek while shifting a thigh between Will’s legs. As he expected, Will thrust harder into him as a shiver ran through his body.