I shoved my food on the side table and got to my feet. Gotta go. Work. Then I tossed my phone on the bed and booked it to the app bay.
Dreams would have to wait. Right now reality was calling, and she waited for no one.
THE SUN WAS deceptive as I walked out to my bike the next morning. There was a bitter chill in the air that felt like snow was coming. I unfastened my helmet from the back of my bike and saw Brumm wave from across the lot. I waved back, climbed on, pulled out of the station’s parking lot, and settled in and enjoyed the ride.
Last night had been pretty quiet, which I wouldn’t complain about, but it had given me nothing but time to think about Ryan.
It was strange. I didn’t usually look forward to seeing anyone ever. I’d had too many disappointments in my life to feel I could rely on someone to stick around. But as I turned into our apartment building’s garage, I found myself looking forward to seeing Ryan.
As I made my way down the hall to our apartment, I thought about all the reasons I shouldn’t do this. But I shoved them aside, knowing nothing other than Ryan saying no was going to stop me from having him this morning.
When I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. It was just a little past nine, and I wasn’t sure why, but I’d expected to see Ryan up and about. He was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he’d decided to go out after all.
I shrugged out of my jacket and tossed it over the arm of the loveseat, and when I walked past the coffee table and spotted his keys, I was happy to realize he was definitely home.
With the bathroom door slightly ajar, I knew he wasn’t in there, so the only place that left was his room. I started down the hall, but when I got to his door, I spotted a note.
You said you wouldn’t end up in my bed, so I decided to sleep somewhere else. Come find me. I’ll be waiting.
Fuck. My dick throbbed as I turned. When I stepped back in the living room, I spotted it: a tie hanging over the handle of my shut bedroom door. I’d completely missed that. But all I could think was that I sure hoped Ryan liked my bed, because I wasn’t letting him out of it anytime soon.
Chapter 25
Ryan
THIS WAS A gamble. One I’d been second-guessing all night. But when I crawled into Jameson’s bed this morning, I’d decided it was now or never to really put myself out there. After all, what better way to get his attention than being in his bed when he got home, right? So that was exactly where I was when I heard the front door open and close at around nine a.m.
I glanced down at myself a final time, making sure everything was the way I wanted it for maximum impact, then listened carefully as Jameson’s boots made their way across the living room and faded in the distance.
He was looking for me. My cock hardened and a smile crossed my face, as I realized I’d been right on the money.
After our night together on the couch and the flirty texts back and forth, I’d hoped—no, prayed—that Jameson wouldn’t change his mind. He’d seemed interested in more, but with him, you never knew. One minute he was smiling, and the next minute, not so much. So I’d gambled.
I placed one foot on the comforter and lounged back against his headboard. The door slowly opened.
He was still dressed in his work uniform. I drank in the blue pants and shirt that molded to Jameson’s fit body.
It’s now or never… “Good morning.”
Jameson said nothing, his gaze traveling up over my black suit pants, which I’d left undone to show a peek of the briefs beneath. Then he zeroed in on the only other thing I wore, the extra-special accessory I’d added for him this morning. I hooked my thumbs behind my suspenders and stroked.
“It is now. You get lost, GQ?”
I ran my thumb up the narrow strip of material. “No. Just thought I’d test out this room, this bed. You know, since you’re so adamant about only sleeping here.”
“That has nothing to do with sleeping. So if that’s why you’re here, you really should get out of my bed.”
“Is that what you want?”
Jameson drew his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. “What do you think?”
What did I think? I was lucky I could think anything with him standing there naked from the waist up. Yes, I’d seen him this way before, but that had been different. He’d been sick, and I was able to detach myself so I could look after him.
There was no detaching here. No compartmentalizing. This time I got to look at him the way I wanted, and he looked unbelievable.
I’d known Jameson was built—he had to be, considering the job he did—but wow. Every single muscle was so well defined. From his arms, to his pecs, to the ridges of his tight abdomen. It made me want to tongue every groove I could see, and then go looking for more.
He had a smattering of short, dark hair across his chest that tapered down the center of his body. Jameson flicked open the button of his pants, toed off his boots, and reached for his zipper. As he pushed the material from his hips, I sucked in a breath. Any thoughts in my head vanished.
Jesus, he was sexy. The black briefs outlined his erection, giving me a glimpse of what I’d had my hand wrapped around last night. With as hard and long as he was, the material barely covered him.
“GQ?”
“Hmm?” I dragged my eyes up to his.
“Get over here.”
I got to my knees and moved to the end of the bed. Jameson reached out and, just like that night in the bar, slipped his finger under one of my suspenders.
“These are so fucking hot.” As he stroked up and down the material, I reached into my pants to palm myself. “So pretentious and uptight. They make me want mess you the fuck up.”
I sucked in a deep breath as the flames in Jameson’s eyes licked over my skin. “So mess me up.”
“You sure about that?”
Damn right I was. “You told me that first night that I was too soft for you.” I took Jameson’s hand and drew it down to my open pants. “There’s nothing soft about me now.”
Jameson’s jaw twitched as he curled his fingers around me, and I moaned at the toe-curling pleasure of finally having his hands on me.
“Be sure, GQ.”
I pressed my hand over the top of his and rocked my hips forward. “I’m sure. I want this. I want you.”
A flash of desire lit Jameson’s eyes, then he gripped the back of my neck and took my mouth in a blistering kiss. He shoved his tongue between my lips as though it belonged there.
His fingers tightened around my hard-on as he destroyed my mouth, and I slid my hands around his waist to slip them inside the back of his briefs. When my fingers came into contact with his naked skin, Jameson groaned.
I squeezed his ass, and using him as an anchor I began to roll my hips forward, then Jameson whispered against my lips, “Stand up on the bed.”
My breathing was coming fast now, my body on high alert. I quickly moved to my feet. In this position my open pants and covered erection were front and center, and Jameson licked his lips as he drew me to the edge of the bed.
With only inches between us now, he leaned forward, drew his tongue up the taut skin of my abdomen, and flicked the tip across my navel. I moaned and threaded my fingers through his hair, as he ran his hands around to the front of my pants and parted the material.