in front of him, Michael stared at the broad chest visible through the holes in the fabric. Holy God, was that a…
“Are you wearing a ring in your left nipple?”
His friend’s grin would’ve charmed the devil. “You like it?”
He gaped like a landed trout. The man’s whole outfit screamed,
“When did you get your nipple pierced? You’ve never worn one of those when we’ve gone swimming.” He’d sure as hell remember that, of all things.
“I had it done years ago.” He shrugged. “I don’t wear it all the time, and normally the only people who see it are the ones I fuck.”
The image of Bastian with his shirt off, back arched in ecstasy, the little ring glinting wickedly on his chest, slammed him hard, left him aroused. Shaken. And royally pissed to think of some random hookup getting his or her claws into Bastian.
Michael cleared his throat. “Ready to go? Katrina’s expecting us.”
“After you.”
He climbed in and scooted into the far corner, grateful for the cool, dark interior that hid his steely erection. Needed to get laid again, that was all. Take the edge off, forget about this forbidden craving that dogged him night and day. Only he’d be with friends and playing escort to Katrina, so he couldn’t very well sneak off for some action. Or he could, but it wouldn’t be right.
“The driver know where she lives?”
He glanced at Bastian, careful to keep his hands covering his lap. “Yeah, I told him. I went by her place the other night to chew her out for the glitch in the new pinhole camera.”
“What was the verdict on that?”
“Turns out it wasn’t anything she had control over — defective batch of microchips.” He chuckled at a sudden memory.
“What?” Bastian eyed him curiously.
“You should have seen her, facing me down. She didn’t take any shit from me, just gave it right back.”
His friend lifted a brow. “Most of our toughest agents wouldn’t oppose you.”
“She could teach them a thing or two. Got right in my face, told me to fire her if her work wasn’t good enough. She was…”
“Stunning? Glorious?”
“Jesus, yes.” He sighed, sinking even farther into the plush seat. “Do you have any idea how much it turns me on when someone gives to me as good as they get? No fear, no hesitation? God, what an aphrodisiac.”
“Is that what it takes? Wish I’d known that long ago.” Green eyes glittered in the darkness. A solid, warm body slid close.
“Bastian…”
Strong fingers cupped his face and full, sensual lips descended on his before he could draw a breath to protest. Shock froze him in place as his mouth was taken in a fierce kiss, but when the other man’s tongue swept inside, demanding, tasting—
His brain went on the fritz and his entire body melted. Simply opened to the kiss, to the delicious sensations flooding his limbs. How could he feel drugged, yet light enough to fly out the window? The weight pressing into his felt so damned good, so right. Expensive cologne teased his nose, a heady combination of spice and man, and he wanted more.
Without his permission, a needy sound, something like a whimper, escaped his throat, but he was far too lost to be embarrassed. Clinging to Bastian’s shoulders, he returned the kiss with months of pent-up passion, loosed the part of his soul he’d kept prisoner in the darkness. It was almost too much, too big, that empty space being filled with light.
Bastian broke the kiss first and moved downward, nibbling his throat. Each small bite made him desperate for more contact, and he wasn’t aware he’d arched his back and spread his legs until Bastian laughed in a low, seductive rumble and eased to the floorboards to kneel between his thighs. The man pushed up his shirt and splayed a big hand over his flat stomach, caressing. Then the hand moved lower, palmed the erection straining in his jeans. Rubbed the proof of the feelings he wanted so badly to deny, if his tongue hadn’t been stuck to the roof of his mouth.
“Tell me to stop,” his friend murmured.
He shook his head, unable to say the word. The one syllable that would prevent his life from being changed forever — if it hadn’t already.
His jeans were unbuttoned, zipper lowered. No underwear was present to impede progress, and hungry eyes flashed to his before his jeans were tugged to his hips, cock and balls freed. His only coherent thought was gratitude that the driver had discreetly raised the privacy glass… And then that clever tongue bathed the head of his cock.
“See us? This is me giving to you, and this is you loving every second of it. Let yourself go and experience how good we can be together.”
That hot mouth engulfed his shaft, swallowed him into a moist tunnel. Easy, deep-throating him all the way to the base. He gasped, electrified to the core. Jacking his hips, he grabbed a handful of golden hair and started to move.
“Bastian,” he whispered. “Oh, God.”
Staring at his cock sliding in and out of his friend’s sexy mouth, he was fascinated and horrified by turns. It felt so freaking
Groaning, he thrust harder as Bastian’s free hand rolled his balls. “Yes! Fucking eat my cock. Whatever you want. God, yes, please…”
Never anything like this. Couldn’t possibly get any better. Or so he thought, until a finger crept behind his balls, parted his ass cheeks. When the pad of the finger began to gently massage his hole, he detonated like a bomb.
“Ahh, fuck! Yes!”
His eyes rolled back in his head and he shot wave after wave of cum deep into the willing throat. Bastian swallowed, working his shaft, wringing every drop from him, greedily sucking him down. Eventually, the aftershocks waned and his softened cock was released. As he came down from the high, a single kiss was placed on the inside of his thigh, a loving gesture that touched something deep inside him. And left him scrambling to deny it.
“I–I—Jesus,” he muttered, avoiding his friend’s knowing gaze. Briskly, he tugged up his jeans and tucked himself away.
“Look at me.” He did, though it wasn’t easy. Bastian still knelt on the floor, hands on Michael’s thighs. “There’s nothing wrong with what we did. Hell, this has been building for a long time, and we both enjoyed it.”
“This?” His voice sounded strangled.
“Us. You know I love you, and now—”
“Wait. Hold on.” With his brain fully engaged again, common sense kicked in. What had he done? And with his best friend, no less? “There is no
Hurt welled in those incredible eyes, stabbing Michael in the heart. Bastian got back into his seat and was silent for a few minutes, gazing out the window at the city.
Almost too quietly to be heard, he said, “You tell yourself that if it helps you sleep better at night. And when you stop running, I’ll be here. Just like I always have been.”
The words haunted him the rest of the drive to Katrina’s condo. Run? That was such bullshit. He hadn’t said no to what happened, but he hadn’t asked for it, either.
No. He didn’t prefer men, and if Bastian had been waiting for him to fall in love or some crap? That was his problem, not Michael’s.
The car slowed, and he noticed they’d arrived. Katrina was waiting outside, and Bastian opened the door for her. Smiling, she climbed in and brushed her wild red hair over one shoulder.
