Just Jack (11 page)

“Animated movies.”

Jack cast him a weary look. “Whatever, Walt Junior. So what now?”

Leo breathed in the chilled air and looked up and down the street. He straightened and glanced at Jack. “I guess that depends.”

“On what?”

Great, he wants me to spell it out
. Leo raised his jacket collar, hiding his neck from the cool air. “Would you like to come back to my place? For a coffee or something?” he added quickly. He wished he knew what Jack was thinking as the man simply stared at him. “It’s fine if you need to go.”

“No, no, it’s not that.” Jack seemed unsure. “I was trying to figure out how drunk you are. I wouldn’t want to take advantage.”

“Of me making coffee?” Leo grinned as he watched Jack nervously lick at his lip. “Look, I’ve had fun, and I think you’ve had fun, and I promise I’m only a teeny bit drunk, like merry, like I could totally invite a guy back to my house and not regret it in the morning. Hell, I think I might even remember it too.” He shut up. Seemed he’d lost control over his mouth.

Over the evening, teasing Jack had become his new favorite thing, partly because Jack gave as good as he had gotten. It was kind of nice to have someone to laugh with who seemed on his wavelength, not looking down on him as he sometimes felt Mac had done.

Clearing his throat, Leo asked, “What’s the worst that could happen? It’s coffee.”

Jack glanced down at his hands as he rubbed them together. “Okay, but we make a stop on the way.”

“For what?” Leo quirked an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.

The look Jack shot him had ‘isn’t it obvious?’ written all over it. “Pizza.”

Chapter 11

“Here we are.” Leo showed Jack inside. “Home sweet home.”

Jack blinked as Leo turned on the light in the cream-painted hallway. This was probably a bad idea. Maybe he should make his excuses and leave before Leo did something he might regret.

“Go in.” Leo ushered him farther into the condo. He pushed the door shut behind them with a click.

No escaping now
. Taking a deep breath, Jack headed along the hall, which opened onto a small living/dining area.

“Can I take your coat? Get you a drink?” Leo was behind him asking questions. “Are you cold?”

Jack shook his head. “I’m fine.” He smiled and sat down on the arm of the two-seater couch. “Rented?” he asked.

“No, no. All mine, well, the bank’s until the mortgage is paid. A good few years before that happens.” Leo laughed as he took off his coat. “Did you want anything else to eat?” He rubbed the back of his neck as he stood in front of Jack, clearly looking for something to distract him from the bouts of silence they found themselves slipping into.

“The pizza was enough.” Jack breathed in deeply and looked up at Leo. “Honestly, I’m all good.”

“Cool.” Leo winced at the word and came to sit on the farthest cushion on the couch. “Do you have your own place?” He quickly returned to the previous conversation.

“I rent a room from Abe,” Jack said. It wasn’t so much a lie as an exaggeration. He had stayed at Abe’s now and then, usually for one of two reasons: he had overdone it and needed to rest after a day of tricks and fun, or he was in desperate need of being reminded what it was to be human and to be around people. Despite what he might say or how he acted sometimes, Jack didn’t want to be alone. He didn’t want to be one of the Frosts who woke one day and realized how twisted he had become and how far from human he really was.

When Jack lifted his head, he noted how Leo was studying him. The man was clearly curious about where Jack’s head was at. “Sorry,” Jack said. Now was not the time to get caught up in such thoughts, because right now, he wasn’t alone.

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything?”

Getting to his feet, Jack removed his coat and hung it over the back of the couch. He didn’t answer Leo’s question; instead he examined the tall bookcases either side of the television. “That’s a lot of movies.”

Leo laughed. “It’s an addiction, I think.”

Stepping forward, Jack studied the titles. “How many times have you watched these?”

“I’ve lost count. They’re kind of my go-to movies when I just want something easy to watch.”

“Cartoons and horror flicks.” Jack tilted his head and ran his finger along the spines of the ordered Disney movies. He stopped when he reached the copy of
Tarzan
. “Number thirty-seven.” He read off the number on the spine of the DVD case.

“
Tarzan
,” Leo chimed from behind him.

Jack screwed up his mouth as he moved back through the films. “Twenty-five?”

Leo looked up at the ceiling for a moment and then stated, “
The Black Cauldron
.”

“Nine?”

“That’s cheating. I don’t own that one. It was one of the ones made up of short animations.”

“Fair enough.” Jack cast his gaze over the rows of DVDs. “So, what got you
addicted
to kids’ movies?” He shifted his attention to the second bookcase and the array of models sitting on the higher shelves. Carefully, he picked up what he recognized as Pinocchio. The model was a version of the marionette with the ears and tail of a donkey.

“Him, actually.”

“I thought
Tarzan
was your favorite?”

Leo held out his hand, indicating for Jack to hand him the model. Taking it, Leo smiled. “Yeah, but he was kind of my first.” He laughed as he glanced up at Jack. “I remember it because it’s not about princes and true love’s first kiss, which are great, but a hard thing to live up to.” He pressed his mouth in a line and swallowed, averting his eyes. “I liked that it was about being brave, honest, true, that things can turn out okay even if you are a little naughty. It made me believe in magic and a fair few stars were wished upon. Though the donkey thing?” He held up the model. “That scene scared the crap out of me as a kid.”

Smiling, Jack took the model back and returned him to his position on the bookcase beside his conscience, a model of Jiminy Cricket. “Anything to do with why you work for a toy-making company?” He made his way over to the couch and sat down beside Leo.

“Never thought about that really. Maybe.” His face brightened when he smiled. “Though if I’m honest with you, I’m more in the marketing side of things.”

“And here I was imagining you carving train sets all through December.” Jack grinned as he teased Leo. He rested his elbow on the arm of the couch and gently smoothed the back of his hand over the line of his jaw. He noted the length of his facial hair, one of the few things that had continued to change over time. His mind was drifting, and he scratched at the soft stubble, regaining his focus.

“I’ll have that drink now,” he decided.

“Sure. Coffee? Juice? I think I have some beers in.”

It didn’t really matter what Jack drank, the effect would be the same. “Could I just have a glass of water?”

“Of course.” Leo stood and headed for a door behind them that Jack figured was the kitchen.

With Leo gone, Jack continued his appraisal of the living room. The space, though small, seemed to have plenty crammed into it; the couch divided the room. Tucked into the corner behind him was a round dining table and four chairs. A further unit sat against the wall, between the table and the door to the kitchen. On top of the unit sat an eclectic mix of picture frames, holding photographs of who Jack assumed were Leo’s family: mother, father, sister. Then a collage of pictures of Leo and Mac, some of Ruby and Nathan, and some faces Jack didn’t recognize.

“I’ll need to have a purge.”

Jack glanced at Leo. “What?”

“The pictures.” Leo handed Jack a glass.

“Ah.” Jack nursed the glass to his chest. “You two are definitely over, then?”

Leo gave a slow nod as he sipped the water he’d poured for himself. “Definitely.”

Making a decision, Jack placed his drink on the floor by the side of the couch. “In that case, you won’t mind if I do this.” He held Leo’s gaze for a moment, then leaned forward. Maybe he’d regret it, maybe Leo would push him away in the end, but right then, all Jack wanted to do was to kiss Leo. And he did.

The kiss was gentle, short soft pecks as he waited to see what Leo’s reaction might be. When the rejection he feared never came, he dared to put strength behind the kiss, to press his lips firmly to Leo’s, and to reach out, tracing his fingertips over the skin of Leo’s neck. Jack closed his eyes, focusing on the kiss so as to distract himself from what it was he didn’t feel as he stroked Leo’s neck and ran his fingers through the short curls of his blond hair. Leo was there and solid and kissing him back, but what Jack kept coming back to was how he longed to really
feel
Leo there with him, to feel the warmth of another person.

Maybe Leo sensed Jack’s attention had shifted or maybe he wasn’t as ready as he had claimed to be about moving on, but suddenly his hand was between them as he ended the kiss.

Jack pulled away, allowing Leo to sit back. He waited as Leo downed his glass of water, then mirrored Jack’s earlier move of resting it on the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Jack ventured. “I didn’t mean to—”

“You didn’t?” Leo smiled as he interrupted.

“If you’re not ready. I mean… We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for.”

Leo’s smile widened. “You really are a nice guy.”

“I guess I have my moments.” He reached out, taking Leo’s hands in his. He circled his thumbs over Leo’s skin, noting how Leo visibly shivered from his touch. Abe was always quick to remind him he was a good person despite his trickery. Jack wasn’t so sure. He had hurt people. He’d hurt Leo.

“What’s wrong?”

Jack shook his head. “Nothing.” He met Leo’s eyes, but soon it was Leo who looked away, his gaze seemingly falling to Jack’s mouth. There was a hint of mischief on Leo’s lips as the corner of his mouth curled upward, then he was leaning into Jack’s space. They met in another kiss.

“I’m ready,” Leo whispered against Jack’s lips. He got to his feet, and keeping hold of Jack’s hand, gently pulled on his arm.

Jack rose to his feet. He studied the soft lines of Leo’s face. Though Leo was a good-looking man, it was the youthful innocence about him, a warmth, a sweetness that intrigued Jack. Jack longed to feel like that. He was weary, tired of feeling only bitterness and cold. His hand was still in Leo’s. Tightening his grip, he pulled Leo close. Leo’s eyes brightened with lust and expectation. Well, if Leo was sure, then what the hell, right? He was tired of dwelling on the past. Maybe Abe was right, and he should try living for now, make connections, and let people in.

They met in a firm kiss. Jack ran his free hand over the top of Leo’s arm, massaging his shoulder and gently smoothing his thumb over Leo’s collarbone. Suddenly, Leo had his hand around the back of Jack’s head and threaded his fingers through Jack’s hair. The kiss intensified. Jack closed his eyes, desperate to feel something.

* * * * *

Leo fumbled with the buttons of Jack’s shirt. He sighed into the kiss as he found skin and pushed his hands firmly beneath the material. “Bedroom, yeah?” he said breathlessly, pulling away for a moment.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed.

Grinning, Leo put space between them as he took off his T-shirt. Discarding the item of clothing, he moved in for more kisses, pulling at Jack’s clothes as he encouraged him toward the bedroom.

The moment was hurried and messy. Leo kicked away his shoes before reaching for Jack’s belt. Excitement tightened his chest as he pulled at the waistband of Jack’s dark jeans. His mouth was dry. He hadn’t wanted anyone in a long time like he wanted Jack right then. It felt good. It felt right.

They moved across the condo and into Leo’s bedroom. Together they stumbled through the door. Leo held Jack tight as they both fought for dominance over each other and the kiss. They reached the bed, Leo’s calves hitting the frame as he held desperately to Jack to avoid falling back on the mattress. He closed his eyes, a smile on his lips as Jack kissed a path down the side of his neck. He felt the prickle of Jack’s stubble heating his skin as it brushed against him. Desire shot to the head of his dick. He felt the strain of his erection in the front of his briefs. He wanted Jack to free him from the last of his clothes, to lay him down and show him exactly what moving on felt like.

Leo opened his eyes when Jack stopped kissing him. He looked at Jack, surprised at how bright his eyes seemed. They shone as Jack grinned, and suddenly, Leo found himself toppling backward.

“Okay?” Jack checked.

Leo looked up at him and nodded. Jack stood between his legs and leaned down, unfastening Leo’s fly. Jack’s touch caused goose pimples to rise across Leo’s stomach, and he bit his lip when Jack slid his fingers beneath the waistband of his pants. This was crazy. He didn’t usually do this. He didn’t fall into bed with a guy just like that. He caught his breath as Jack’s touch became rougher, his would-be lover tugging at his pants and underwear. Feeling self-conscious, Leo draped one arm over his stomach, his other he brought up across his chest and gently touched his still heated skin from where Jack had kissed his neck.

Taking a breath, Leo lifted his head from the bed and watched Jack finish undressing. Idly, he twisted a lock of his hair between his finger and thumb as he studied the man standing in front of him. Jack was beautiful. His skin was pale, a milky translucence to it, and yet it suited Jack and complemented his dark coloring.

Low laughter snapped Leo out of his appreciative gaze. Shit, he’d been staring like some lusty teenager. He looked up at the ceiling, aware Jack had joined him on the bed as the mattress dipped.

Jack lay beside him and rested his head in his hand. He didn’t say anything, simply waited, watching Leo.

Leo turned his head and met Jack’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what he expected to see in them, but it was clear Jack wanted him. There was a strange warmth to the otherwise cool blue of Jack’s gaze. Did Jack care about him? Was this about more than just sex?

Relaxing, Leo lowered his arms, then rolled onto his side. He held Jack’s gaze, trying to gauge what Jack expected, what their next move should be. He smiled, propping himself up on his arm as he leaned forward.