Just Jack (12 page)

Jack didn’t react, allowing Leo to take the lead and kiss him.

What was it about this man? Leo brought his hand up and slid his fingers through the back of Jack’s hair, pulling him close as he kissed him. They met in an openmouthed kiss, and Leo couldn’t help the curl of his lips as Jack reciprocated his touch. He sighed as Jack ran his hand up over his thigh and around his waist, pulling him forward until their chests touched. He held Jack’s face as he kissed him passionately, and right then all he could think was how fucking fantastic Jack made him feel.

They stayed lying together for a few moments more, until Jack squeezed Leo’s hip and maneuvered them so Leo was on his back and Jack was above him. Jack draped his leg over Leo’s before making the move to lift himself so he straddled Leo’s legs.

Leo’s erection twitched when Jack rotated his hips as he settled into place over Leo’s thighs. Jack leaned down, seemingly tasting Leo with slow kisses, sucking on Leo’s lip before releasing it with an audible smack. Tenderly, Leo ran his fingers down Jack’s back, tracing the man’s spine until he brushed the soft curve of Jack’s ass.

With a low chuckle, Jack sat back. “So how are we going to do this?” The dance of his fingers over Leo’s chest sent a shiver through Leo like icy sparks.

Lifting his head, Leo looked into Jack’s eyes. The mischief in them was back and brighter than ever. “What do you mean?” He caught his breath when Jack moved his hand downward, catching the head of Leo’s dick. He moistened his lips, pressing them firmly together as Jack grasped his dick.

Jack leaned down and kissed him. “What do you like?”

“I, erm…” Leo’s brain stalled as Jack twisted his hand, thrust down toward his balls. He wasn’t used to questions. Mac and he had fallen into a routine when it came to sex. Mac had always been the one in control.

“Okay.” Jack lifted his leg and carefully positioned himself between Leo’s. He smiled, kissing Leo some more before slipping his hand between them and teasing a path from beneath Leo’s balls and toward his ass. “What if I said I wanted to do bad things to you?”

“Am I about to get robbed?” Leo joked. “Because take anything you want, just not my
Tarzan
DVD.” He cleared his throat as Jack’s touch moved lower. “Oh Christ.”

There was that deep chuckle again as Jack leaned over him and distracted Leo with kisses. “Bedside drawer?” He nudged Leo’s nose with his own.

“Uh-huh,” Leo managed. The knot in his stomach tightened with expectation. “The right.”

Jack jumped up and made for the bedside, leaving Leo free to move up the bed to lie on his pillow. “What do you like?” He closed his eyes. He must sound like a complete idiot. How did Jack manage to sound so damn charming no matter what he said?

“I’m easy.” Jack was grinning when Leo opened his eyes. “Flexible.” Jack sucked on his teeth. “An all-rounder.” Laughing, he shook his head. “Not sure that got any better.”

Still charming, even when flustered.

Jack dropped down on the bed with the supplies. “I tend to just go with what feels right,” he stated. He leaned across Leo to kiss him.

“And now? What feels right?” He looked up at Jack and waited.

With a smile, Jack kissed him again. He didn’t say anything, instead it seemed he wanted to show Leo what was
right
.

In a heady mix of excitement and lust, Jack took control, and Leo happily submitted. Jack kissed him openmouthed and passionately, and Leo lost himself in the flood of emotion, the way Jack touched and pulled at his body in a frenzy of desire and need. Distracted by kisses, Leo was only half-aware as Jack lifted his legs and reached beneath him. With a soft grunt, he nipped at Jack’s lip and pulled him close. Jack pressed against him, edging inside as he began the slow fuck of preparation with his fingers.

The next few moments were rushed and messy. Leo clung desperately to Jack, threading his fingers through Jack’s hair and holding him tightly as he kissed him. He didn’t want to let go. Heated touches and crazy kisses collided around Leo, and he thought he might lose it right then.

With strong arms, Jack lifted him higher, exposing his ass, then in a seamless move Jack was sheathed and inside him. Jack wrapped one of his hands around Leo’s wrist and pressed it firmly to the mattress. His other he used to push Leo’s right thigh higher. He kissed Leo’s leg before leaning over him and thrusting forward. Leo curled his fingers tightly in the bedsheet as he gripped Jack’s shoulder with his free hand.

Fucking hell
. Leo arched his head back as the tender moments of earlier turned to rough and needy. Jack was in control, and Leo felt like the man was igniting every nerve in his body. A delicious shiver passed through him, as he rocked his body, driving Jack harder and deeper.

“Touch yourself,” Jack whispered harshly against Leo’s mouth.

Leo nodded, panting as he reached between them to take his dick in his hand. A few well-timed thrusts and Leo lost it, coming hard. Almost at the same time, Jack came too, his body shuddering as he gripped Leo’s wrist tightly and let out a muted cry.

Breathless, Jack leaned back, shifting awkwardly as he positioned himself to look down at Leo. It was like his eyes were alight, but the way he looked at Leo, there was something cold lurking beneath them.

“Okay?” Leo said, moving his head as he settled on his pillow. He ran his fingers idly over Jack’s chest as he waited for an answer. Jack was staring at him. Was something wrong?

Jack leaned forward and planted a kiss to Leo’s forehead. “We should clean up.” He smiled and gently touched Leo’s cheek.

“Will you stay?” Leo closed his eyes. He shouldn’t have asked.

“Sure.”

Leo opened his eyes as Jack got off the bed. He admired the view as Jack left the room. The man seemed so perfect. With a sigh, Leo lay on his back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He shouldn’t be so curious of Jack’s intentions when he wasn’t sure of his own. Was this just sex? Was this something more? Could it be something more? He hardly knew the man.

Once Jack returned, Leo took his turn in the bathroom.

“Do you have work tomorrow?” Leo asked as he got back into bed.

“Not until late.” Jack had his eyes closed, his hands resting over one another above the bedsheets.

Leo lay beside Jack, taking opportunity of the quiet moment to study the man’s profile.

“It’s rude to stare.” Jack turned his head.

Leo lowered his gaze. “I just…” He took a deep breath, then looked at Jack. “Thank you. For tonight. I had fun.”

Jack rolled onto his side. His gaze dropped to Leo’s mouth before he leaned in to kiss him. “I had fun too,” he said in a soft voice.

The smile that spread across Jack’s lips had Leo’s stomach turning over itself. Jack was so handsome, so sweet and gentlemanly. Leo leaned behind him, switching off the bedside lamp. Settling back down, Leo tried to suppress the jolt of happiness within him as Jack rested a hand on his waist above the covers and kissed him once more.

Jack had to be too good to be true.

Chapter 12

Jack studied the man lying beside him. He smiled as he admired Leo’s long lashes and flushed cheeks in the early morning light. The combination of sex and alcohol had drawn Leo into a deep sleep. Jack wished he could join Leo in slumber, but instead he’d lain quietly for a while, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about what-ifs. Eventually, he had given up torturing himself with memories and thoughts of a future he couldn’t have, and though he felt like some creepy stalker, Jack had spent the last hour simply watching Leo sleep.

Why am I still here?
He chewed on his lip as he looked at Leo. The man looked so happy and content. Jack leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Leo’s forehead. Jack drew his gaze downward over Leo’s body. The man’s legs were wrapped in the tangled bedsheet, the dark purple material loosely draped over the small of his back. Jack breathed in deeply, his eyes never leaving Leo. Narrowing his eyes, Jack raised his hand in front of him. He stared at his pale skin and the deep blue of the veins at his wrist. He reached out, ghosting his fingers across Leo’s shoulder. As if on cue, the fine hairs across Leo’s skin stood to a shivering attention, and Leo stirred, hugging his pillow as he sought warm comfort away from Jack’s cool touch.

Sadness clutched at Jack’s chest. He thought back over his time with Leo and the way the man had made him feel, really feel. “Getting old, Jack,” he told himself. “Imagining things.”

Getting off the bed, he dressed in silence. There was no point in hanging around. He was just the rebound guy after all, or at least that’s what he’d been telling himself for the last hour. The way Leo had looked at him last night had told a different story, but Jack couldn’t think like that. He liked Leo, and that’s why he needed to leave. He didn’t want Leo getting hurt, be that physical hurt or a broken heart when he discovered Jack couldn’t love him back.

Getting ahead of yourself again, Jack
. Love was maybe too strong a word, or maybe it wasn’t. It didn’t matter anyway. No matter how Leo felt about Jack, Jack could never return those feelings.

Briefly, Jack stopped in the doorway of the bedroom and took one last look at Leo. The man was beautiful inside and out, and he deserved someone better than that Mac guy, better than Jack. He deserved someone who could really love him. The urge to kiss Leo one more time struck at Jack’s chest. He couldn’t risk waking Leo and having some beyond awkward conversation about how this couldn’t happen. They were going nowhere. Leo was on the rebound, and clearly Jack had been drawn to Leo and his situation. He just felt sorry for him, right? Sympathized with where Leo could have been heading all because that dick Mac had broken his heart. That was why they had met, so Jack could save Leo from himself, save him from a life like Jack’s of ice and bitterness. With a sad smile, Jack slipped from the room, then the condo, and assured himself Leo was going to be okay.

Snow had fallen overnight. Jack took in a deep breath as he stepped outside the condo building. It was a little after five in the morning, and the air was fresh and chilled. He glanced up at what he figured was Leo’s window. Would Leo even notice Jack had gone? Jack pressed a hand to his chest. But more curiously, Jack began to wonder if he actually cared about whether Leo would miss him or not. Jack couldn’t explain what it was he had felt the last couple of days, but it was unnerving. Did Leo have something to do with it? Was it the fact Jack had pretty much stopped him from turning into a Frost right there in that alley? He looked from the window to the sky. Maybe Mother Nature hadn’t appreciated him interfering. He curled his fingers in the collar of his shirt. Was it possible
she
could do this? End him?

Jack blinked as the wind whipped up around him and leaves were swept from the ground to circle him. Was that supposed to be some kind of answer?

“Very helpful,” he said to the sky. His gaze drifted briefly back to Leo’s window. He should leave, before he fooled himself into thinking he really did care. Pushing his hands into his jacket pockets, he started the long walk toward the club.

* * * * *

With a grunt, Jack slid to the floor and leaned back against the cooler. Stretching out his legs, he pressed the toes of his shoes to the bottom shelf at the back of the bar. He eyed the rows of clean glasses as he removed the cap from the bottle of soda. Resting his head back, Jack took a drink, then closed his eyes. He had spent the morning working on the fairground- and toy-themed ice sculptures for Wednesday’s party at the Silverstorm. He had maybe thrown himself into his work a little too keenly, as now he felt exhausted from having worked to perfectly form and shape the figures in ice.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Jack thought on his plans for the rest of the day. He didn’t feel in the mood for fun and games, so figured his time would be best spent here at the club.

The sound of keys in the door drew Jack’s attention. What the hell time was it? He glanced at his bare wrist, then eyed his pockets in search of his phone. He squinted as the lights flickered on above his head. He didn’t want company right then. He watched the space at the end of the bar, waiting for who he guessed was Abe to walk by.

He had guessed wrong. “Hey,” he said as Misha appeared.

“Holy-fucking-crap-piss.”

Jack looked up at Misha and smirked. The kid looked pale and wide-eyed. “You okay?” he asked.

Misha raised a hand. “I’ll let you know when my heart stops racing.” He took a breath and stepped back to sit on a stool at the bar. “What the hell are you doing back there?” He quirked an eyebrow.

“Taking a break.” Jack got to his feet and rested the open soda on the bar.

“Right,” Misha said. He looked up at Jack. He seemed wary. “Have you been here all night?”

Jack shrugged. “A few hours. Why?”

A smile teased Misha’s mouth. “So you haven’t been home.”

How did Misha figure that?

As if he’d read Jack’s mind, Misha nodded to Jack’s chest. “Last night’s clothes.”

“Oh.” Jack instinctively reached for his collar, buttoning a couple of extra buttons. “Couldn’t sleep. Thought I might as well do something useful with my time.” He waved a hand to behind the bar where the large refrigeration units were. He ran a hand back through his disheveled hair. He must look a mess. “No Abe this morning?”

Shaking his head, Misha rested his elbows on the bar and leaned forward. “He asked if I’d do him a favor. Apparently, his kid puked this morning and Brienna—that’s right, isn’t it? She’s at work. Figured I couldn’t say no if I wanted to keep my job.” The tone of his voice changed as he reached the end of his explanation.

Jack looked at Misha. Was overenthusiasm really such a bad thing? “Look, as far as I’m concerned, the job’s yours.” He relaxed his shoulders. “I don’t see Abe saying anything to the contrary. So, yeah, if you want it, it’s yours.”

Excitement brightened Misha’s face. “Seriously?” He let out an excited squeal and did a muted bounce in his seat. “Thank you, thank you.” He leaned across the bar and caught Jack in a one-armed hug, pulling him forward.