“Sorry about the wait.” Jaime returned from picking up the dirty laundry he’d left on the floor to find Tyler lingering in the section devoted to video game-based movies. “Find anything interesting?”
“Do you actually watch these?” Tyler asked.
Jaime nodded. “Of course. They’re awesomely bad.”
“I’ll take your word on that,” Tyler said as he wrapped his arms around Jaime’s waist and pulled the man close.
“You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy Johnny Cage’s defeat of Goro.” Jaime swayed his hips against Tyler’s. They hadn’t come here to watch movies after all. “Or Sonya snapping Kano’s neck.”
Tyler shook his head and laughed. He pulled Jaime closer and kissed the man. Tyler’s lips captured Jaime’s with a gentle but urgent pressure. Jaime moaned in response and undulated his hips.
“We never got a chance to spar tonight,” Jaime whispered in Tyler’s ear after he’d left a trail of kisses along the line of Tyler’s jaw.
“I couldn’t wait to get you alone.”
“And now you have me.” Jaime pulled back just enough to look into Tyler’s eyes as Tyler thrust his growing erection against Jaime’s. His body reacted as much to the feel of Tyler’s arousal as the hunger in the man’s eyes.
“I want to taste you.” Tyler pulled open the button fly of Jaime’s pants in a smooth motion he’d perfected after weeks of getting Jaime undressed.
Jaime was amazed at how into it all Tyler had gotten. He pulled his shirt over his head as Tyler knelt and unzipped Jaime’s pants. He was as aggressive and tender as any man Jaime had ever been with. No wonder Jaime couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so turned on by the simplest acts of affection. Tyler held Jaime’s gaze as his fingers traced a line down the ridges of Jaime’s taut stomach. Jaime’s muscles flexed in anticipation as Tyler neared his navel.
Then a gurgling sound rumbled from Jaime’s stomach. The last recording session had run late. Jaime had barely made it to class on time. With the workout and excitement of another evening with Tyler, he had completely forgotten to eat.
“Sorry.” Jaime smiled sheepishly. “Even my stomach is hungry for you.”
“That sounds more like hunger for food. Did you eat?”
Jaime shrugged.
Tyler stood and tapped the tip of Jaime’s nose. “I can wait until you’ve eaten before I maul you.”
Jaime frowned. “I’m not sure I have anything in the kitchen. I usually eat out.”
“You’ve got to have something.”
Jaime hadn’t gone grocery shopping in weeks. Another rumble from his stomach and Tyler was practically dragging him into the kitchen in search of food.
“You weren’t kidding.” Tyler closed the fridge door to half a case of imported beer and an impressive assortment of condiments. The cupboards had yielded even less promising nourishment.
“I can just order something later.” Jaime snuggled up to Tyler. “Now where were we?”
“What about the freezer?” Tyler opened the door to see one lone box of frozen pizza amid empty ice trays and frozen drink mixes. Jaime had more alcohol in his apartment than food. “I don’t want you passing out on me.”
“But it will take time to cook.”
Tyler scanned the box. “I think I can keep my hands off of you long enough to cook a frozen pizza and eat it.”
Jaime pouted, even though it was sweet Tyler was worried about him.
Tyler turned on the oven and started the pizza before they headed back to the living room. “How about a movie?”
“This is my favorite bad movie,” Jaime said as he put in the DVD of Doom. “It’s even got scenes straight out of the first person shooter viewpoint. You’ll love it.”
“If you say so.” Tyler looked doubtful, but he still smiled so warmly it made Jaime weak.
Tyler stretched out along the short couch as Jaime loaded the DVD.
As soon as the movie started, Jaime plopped down in the armchair ninety degrees from the couch. If they were going to watch a movie, Jaime would need some distance between them or they would end up in the bedroom.
“Do I stink or something?” Tyler asked.
“What?”
“Come here.” Tyler gestured for Jaime to join him on the couch.
Jaime wasn’t much for holding hands or snuggling, but Tyler was the kind of man who seemed to love expressing affection. Jaime’s cheeks burned. With a shy smile on his lips, he slowly made his way over to Tyler.
“You sure that isn’t too friendly?” Jaime asked as he stood beside the couch.
No matter how many times they were together, Jaime always felt like he needed to make sure he wasn’t making Tyler uncomfortable. He knew their boundaries in the bedroom and outside the privacy of their time alone, but it was that middle ground that worried him. When did they stop being casual sex partners and just became partners? As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was getting used to being with Tyler. When they were together, nothing else mattered.
Tyler grabbed Jaime’s hand and pulled the man onto the couch to sit between his legs. With Jaime’s back on Tyler’s chest, he felt Tyler wrap an arm around him and nip at his earlobe. It was all so wonderful, Jaime felt a little sad knowing it would have to end at some point. When Tyler’s experiment was done, Jaime would be alone again. He let out a sigh as he relaxed into Tyler’s arms.
“Isn’t this better?” Tyler asked.
Jaime knew Tyler was going to break his heart, but he still couldn’t help himself.
“Perfect.”
* * * *
The rest of the evening was spent on the couch eating pizza and watching movies. Sometime during the evening, Tyler fell asleep and woke to the soft sounds of Jaime snoring. The sky was gray with the approach of the morning sun. The realization that he and Jaime had spent their first night together without making out sent a rush of panic through him. Only the weight of Jaime against him kept Tyler from moving. He didn’t dare wake Jaime up. Then Tyler would have to explain what
