“Maybe that was because I didn’t want to talk to you.”
“Come home with me.” There was a pleading note to Adam’s voice. “I need to talk to you.”
“Did you call off the bet?”
Silence.
“Fuck this,” Jared said and reached up to pull the window closed.
“Jared, seriously. Please.”
It was the first time Adam had ever said “please” in Jared’s presence. The word made Jared stop short. He still closed the window, but pulled on thick socks and his Timberland boots, and grabbed his phone and keys, stashing them in the pocket of his hoodie before heading downstairs.
Adam sat in his car, engine running, looking at Jared as though the world was about to end. Wondering what on earth he was doing, Jared got in, shut the door, and yanked his seatbelt on as Adam pulled away.
Adam’s bed.
They were both still dressed, Adam in the white designer clothes and Jared in his pajamas, lying side by side, not touching. Adam had barely said two words as he’d navigated the dark streets between Jared’s place and his own, watching the road carefully. He was likely still drunk, and even though he’d pay off any cop who dared to give him a DUI, it was easier to avoid those situations altogether rather than risking it.
Jared had kicked off the Tims before lying down, and it was warm in the room, warm enough for him to want to strip out of the sweater, too. With a start, Jared sat up, pulled the sweater off over his head, tugged his T-shirt down, and lay back. The movement seemed to spark something in Adam, who turned to look at him.
“I never meant for this to happen.”
“That’s a fucking stupid thing to say,” Jared said. “Of course you did. You set it up.”
“No,” Adam said softly. “I don’t mean the bet.”
“What, then?”
“I never meant to feel something for you.”
Jared sighed and turned his head, facing the ceiling rather than Adam’s intense eyes. “Like fuck you do.”
Adam made a sharp sound in the back of his throat. “I’ve never said that to anyone before,” he said, sounding annoyed. “Never in my whole life.”
“So what now?” Jared asked. “We pick up where we left off? Become the New Harbor power couple?”
“I don’t know,” Adam admitted. “I don’t know. I need tonight, Jared. Let me have that first.”
It took a few moments for Jared to process that. These sheets were soft under his fingertips, the expensive Egyptian cotton silky smooth. It was strangely comforting to be back here. The humiliation, anger, and rejection burned low in his stomach, not the sharp pain of earlier in the evening, but still there. Still throbbing away.
On impulse, Jared rolled onto his side to face Adam, cupped his face in his hand, and lowered himself into a slow, sure kiss. It took Adam less than a second to wrap himself in Jared’s embrace, returning the kiss hungrily and nuzzling into Jared’s lips. They pushed each other gently back and forth, exchanging hungry kisses.
Jared stole under the hem of Adam’s expensive sweater, seeking out the warm, slightly sweaty flesh beneath. Adam’s stomach was toned and tight, a light dusting of hair leading down to the waistband of his pants. Jared pushed the sweater up, up, up until they had to break apart for Adam to pull it off completely.
From there, Jared took things to a level they hadn’t gotten to before. Sure, they’d made out with fewer clothes on than this, but not with the same intent of going somewhere. This was leading to a thing that had remained elusive so far.
Adam’s skin tasted of sweat, the bitter tang of cologne, and a heady spice that was all male sweetness. Licking over hard collarbones, the thick, tight muscle of his neck, to tight, puckered nipples, Jared applied himself to the task of learning this body. He wanted to know what made Adam gasp and moan, where it felt good, what temperature the skin was when he rubbed his cheek over it.
“Jared,” Adam said, and then they were struggling out of the rest of their clothes. T-shirts, pants, socks all went flying in one direction or another until Jared found himself pinned to the bed under Adam’s body, wearing nothing more than his boxers.
They were both breathing hard, faces only inches apart as Adam’s strong biceps strained. Not that Jared was struggling. Adam ran his hands down Jared’s arms, gently gripped his wrists, then maneuvered those wrists over Jared’s head, pinning them there.
Then he lowered his lips and took them into new territory.
By some unspoken agreement, cocks had stayed out of their nighttime fumbling so far. Bare chests and kissing was one thing, touching each other below the belt was another. It almost felt like intruding on a really good, really solid friendship.
Now Jared knew the truth, knew what was behind Adam’s advances, he was less worried about ruining their friendship. He rocked his hips up experimentally as they deepened the kiss, finding his cock rubbed against Adam’s nicely. Despite being the taller of the two, Jared’s height came from his long legs, and their lips, chests, bellies, and groins lined up neatly when they were lying on top of each other.
Jared pulled back from the kiss and grinned up at Adam. The rain started then, a slow, familiar drum against the glass. Adam blinked slowly, returned the shy smile, and ducked back into the kiss. Kissing was safe. They knew this.
Sensing Adam’s reluctance, Jared drew his knees up and wrapped his legs around Adam’s waist, using his strong thigh muscles to draw him down. Adam grunted softly and licked Jared’s neck, nibbled down to take Jared’s nipple between his teeth. While Adam teased and pulled on it, Jared rocked their hips together, imitating a thrusting motion.
Fucking. That was where this was headed.
Without breaking contact between them, Jared reached down and tugged at the waistband of Adam’s black Calvins, using his feet and the flexibility in his hips to push them down
