Taylor bit back a grin, scissoring his legs through the water. “You think I’ll need more than the SIG to keep you back?”
“Funny,” Will said. “I mean, do you have a condom with you?”
He was serious. Taylor stilled. All at once his heart was pounding very fast. He managed to keep his tone lazy as he asked, “Is this a trick question?”
Will said slowly, “Well, we could get it out of our system.”
It took Taylor a moment to absorb that one.
Finally he managed, “Gee, and they say romance is dead.”
“You want to, right? That’s what you said. That’s what it was all about, right?”
Taylor’s eyes narrowed. “It wasn’t just about fucking.”
“No?” Will’s smile was cynical.
“No.”
Will moved next to Taylor on the rock bench, put a wet hand on Taylor’s shoulder, tugging him over. A warm, possessive handprint breaking apart in tiny drops, rolling down Taylor’s skin; it had no power over him — yet he let himself be drawn into Will’s arms.
Chapter Four
“I don’t know about this,” Taylor said gruffly.
Which was kind of funny considering how hard he’d pushed for it on one notable occasion.
And even funnier considering how his body was already reacting to the proximity of Will’s.
Will’s muscular arms felt good about him; the last time he had held Taylor this tight they had been fighting for real, and Taylor had wanted to kill him. But now Will’s arms felt friendly, familiar, and although he was asking for something Taylor wasn’t sure he could give, he felt no need to fight, to force his release.
Will asked, “You want it, don’t you?”
The words came out a little aggressively, and Taylor considered him for a moment. “Yeah.”
“Well?”
“Well, what? This is kind of a sudden change of heart, isn’t it?”
“I never said I didn’t find you attractive. In fact, I said I did find you attractive. I just didn’t think it was a good idea for us.”
“Because we partners. And because we’re friends.”
“That’s right.” Will’s gaze was cool and a little hard. “But you disagree. And who am I to argue? Maybe you’re right.”
Taylor’s brows drew together.
“I’ll tell you one thing,” Will said. “Ever since that night I haven’t been able to get the idea out of my head. I want you.” His big hand slid over Taylor’s flat belly, fingertips reaching. Taylor’s cock was already stiff and swollen, anticipating that touch. “And you sure as hell want me.”
Yeah, there was no hiding that fact. Taylor bit his lip as Will’s hand fastened around his cock, trying to withhold the revealing groan threatening to tear out of his chest. Just…that felt so good. Just Will’s hand on him. But he forced himself to try to think.
“And what happens afterward? Are you going to regret it? Maybe blame me?”
As though in answer, Will’s hand pumped him — just once — down and up, fist brushing Taylor’s belly and then sliding up to the sensitive glans. Taylor shuddered all over. “Will…”
Will’s hands were moving over him, and instinctively Taylor cooperated, rising and letting himself be positioned between Will’s powerful thighs. He could feel Will’s half-erect cock nudging his backside as Will’s arms around his waist drew him back. And the sad thing was it felt…good having this taken out of his hands. What did that say about him? But he’d been wanting it — yearning for it — for so long…
“Listen,” Will said, his breath warm and steamy against Taylor’s ear, “we already know each other, care about each other. This isn’t going to change that, but I think it might settle something once and for all. For both of us.”
Taylor was silent. He could feel Will watching him, waiting.
“You really think I’m just curious about what it would be like with you?” he asked finally.
“I think you want me. I think we’ve established I want you too,” Will said. “But, sure, I think there’s an element of curiosity in it, and I think if we take care of that…we’ll be able to get back to business.”
Taylor chuckled, although there wasn’t a lot of humor in it. “Either you don’t have a lot of faith in yourself or you’re seriously underestimating my charms.” He put his hands over Will’s wrists, feeling the muscles move in Will’s forearms.
Will said soberly, as though he were paying Taylor a compliment, “I know the partnership, the friendship means more to you than…this.”
“That’s easy to say when we haven’t done this yet.”
Will chuckled, his breath tickling the back of Taylor’s neck. “But we’re going to,” he said. Beneath Taylor’s hands, Will’s arms were hard, muscular bands around Taylor’s waist, holding him close, but Taylor knew if he wanted free he could have it in a minute. Will was crowding him, yeah, but he wasn’t going to force him. Taylor could still say no. And if he had any sense at all, that’s what he’d do because Will really had no clue what he was talking about.
But Taylor didn’t push away. Instead he leaned back into Will’s arms, resting his head against Will’s broad shoulder and tipping his face up at the sullen sky. He could feel Will’s surprise, feel his grip change instantly to support, automatically offering Taylor harbor. And it was surprisingly relaxing to…acquiesce just this much. To yield to the combined pressure of Will’s desire and his own. Will’s arms cradled him, his strength reassuring rather than challenging, while Taylor tried to decide whether he wanted to take this to the next level.
Oh, there was no question that he wanted to. But he didn’t want to take this at the expense of further damaging his relationship with Will. And that could so easily happen, regardless of what Will said now — because Will wasn’t looking at this realistically. Which was kind of funny, considering the fact that Will believed himself to be the practical, hardheaded one. But right now he was letting his other head rule.
“I didn’t
