Like a Lover (8 page)

“Yeah,
okay,” Rupert muttered between kisses. He licked over Josh’s lip ring and into
the plush heat of his mouth. Then he gripped Josh’s thighs and grunted as he
stood, thighs straining at the effort as he took Josh with him.

Josh clung
to him like a monkey and chuckled into the kiss. “Impressive,” he said. “You
must do some good lifting at the gym.”

Rupert
carried him inside, and they carried on kissing as he made his way to the door
of his bedroom.

“Ouch.”
Josh yelped. “Door handle.”

Rupert’s
arms were aching now, but he managed to get Josh over to the bed before he
dropped him. Josh bounced on the mattress, legs akimbo, and laughing as he
rubbed his hip. “That’s gonna bruise.”

“Sorry.”
Rupert grinned. “These things are always so much more romantic in the movies
than in real life.”

“Romantic?”
Josh raised his eyebrows.

Rupert’s
cheeks heated. It was a stupid word to have used in this context. “Whatever.”
He lowered himself over Josh and kissed him as a distraction.

It worked.
There wasn’t much talking for a while as they got swept up in the heat of the
moment. Rupert took his time, undressing Josh and himself between deep, searing
kisses that stole his breath.

Finally
they were naked, lying on their sides facing each other. Josh circled Rupert’s
cock with his hand and tugged gently, teasingly, making Rupert moan with
frustration. “What do you want this evening?” Josh asked. “My hand, my mouth,
my arse?”

Rupert
suddenly realised they hadn't discussed how many hours Josh would stay, and
also—with a flash of shame—that he hadn’t paid Josh in advance
tonight as he usually would. Maybe Josh hadn’t wanted to ask him for it? But
now didn’t feel like the right time to bring it up, not when they were both
naked and horny. Josh obviously trusted Rupert to pay him later.

Josh’s lips
were already wet from their kisses, and he licked them again as he waited for
Rupert’s answer. The teasing sweep of his tongue helped Rupert decide. “Your
mouth,” he said huskily. “I want your mouth on me.” He was about to roll over
to get a condom from the drawer by the bed, but Josh was already wriggling
down. He sucked Rupert into the slick heat of his mouth before Rupert could
protest.

“Fuck,” he
groaned, sliding his fingers into Josh’s silky dark hair. “Oh God, that feels
good… but don’t you want a condom?”

Josh shook
his head, still sucking. He hummed, pulling off for a moment to meet Rupert’s
eyes and say. “Do I need one?”

Rupert
shook his head.

“Well,
then. I want to do it like this.” He parted his lips and took Rupert back
inside, his gaze still fixed on Rupert, watching as Rupert cursed, his fingers
tightening in Josh’s hair.

He took
Rupert deep in long, slow strokes. The head of Rupert’s cock bumped the back of
his throat each time. Josh stroked Rupert’s balls with his other hand, his
careful fingers squeezing and tugging, then reaching back farther to stroke
Rupert’s perineum. Instinctively, Rupert lifted his leg, putting it on Josh’s
shoulder to allow him access.

Josh looked
up at him again, eyebrows raised as if in question as he hummed around Rupert’s
cock.

“Fuck,
yes
.” Rupert’s voice was high and
embarrassingly close to a whimper as Josh circled his hole with a dry
fingertip. It burned as Josh slipped it in, just a little, but Rupert opened
for him anyway, pushing greedily against the intrusion.

Josh pulled
off again to ask, “Lube?”

“I’ll get
it.” Rupert rolled onto his back to reach into the drawer. “Here.”

Josh moved
between Rupert’s thighs now and pushed his knees until they were bent, feet
flat on the bed. He took the bottle and teased Rupert for a moment, pressing
kisses to his thighs and taint, licking his balls, until Rupert made a
strangled sound of protest.

“Please,
Josh.”

And then
Josh’s fingers were back, slick with lube now. As he slid one into Rupert, he
sucked on Rupert’s cock again. The dual sensation made Rupert cry out,
clutching at the sheets as Josh added another finger. The stretch was almost
too much, but he wanted it. It had been a while since he’d fingered himself,
longer still since he’d been fucked. He imagined how Josh’s cock would feel
inside him, how Josh would look fucking him, and suddenly he knew that was what
he wanted tonight. Not Josh’s hand, not his mouth, not his arse. He wanted his
cock. But with Josh’s fingers moving inside him and that gorgeous mouth sucking
on him so perfectly, he was close already.

“Stop,” he
managed.

Josh froze.
With his fingers still inside Rupert, he let Rupert’s cock slip from his mouth.
“Sorry. Is this too much? I thought you wanted—”

“No. I do.”
He swallowed. But… I want you to fuck me.”

Surprise
registered on Josh’s face, but then his lips curved into a smile so sweet and
sexy it made Rupert’s cock jerk. “Yeah?”

“Only if
you want?” Rupert said. “You don’t have to.” He didn’t want Josh to feel he had
to do anything just because Rupert was paying him. He wanted Josh to
want
it, like he did.

“Oh yeah. I
definitely want to fuck you. Now?”

“Yes.”
Rupert wasn’t sure he was prepped enough, but he couldn’t wait. He needed Josh
inside him.

“Okay.”

While Josh
rolled a condom on and made himself slick, Rupert reached down and tentatively
thrust two fingers into himself, spreading them and working himself open a
little more.

“Fuck, you
look good like that,” Josh said.

Rupert
snapped his gaze up to Josh’s face. Josh was watching him intently, toying with
the ring in his lip with his tongue. Rupert’s cock flexed with a pulse of
arousal from Josh’s words, leaking precome into the hair on his belly. He
spread his legs a little wider and pushed his fingers deeper, giving Josh a
show.

Josh
smoothed his hands down the strong muscles of Rupert’s thighs. “You ready for
me?”

“Uh-huh.”
Rupert withdrew his fingers and let Josh move in to take their place. He bit
back a moan as Josh deliberately slid the tip of his cock slowly back and forth
over Rupert’s hole. “Come
on
, Josh.”

Josh gave
it to him, pushing in smoothly and lowering his body to cover Rupert’s as he
did so. Rupert moaned and arched up to meet him, pulling Josh down for a messy,
desperate kiss as their bodies moved together and found a rhythm. Josh rocked
into him slowly and carefully. Rupert was grateful for his patience, because it
hurt at first. The pain was right on the edge of what he could stand, but he
didn’t want to ask Josh to stop. He parted his lips, deepening the kiss and
moaning as Josh rolled his hips, pushing in a little deeper. Gradually the pain
morphed into bone-deep pleasure, spiralling out from his centre and lighting up
his whole body. Everything was warm skin, sensation, and perfect pressure
inside him as Josh fucked him harder and faster. Josh broke the kiss to sit
back a little. He pushed Rupert’s knees up, changing the angle to make it even
better. Josh’s cheeks had flushed pink, and he bit his lip, brow furrowed with
concentration. He was so beautiful.

“Fuck,”
Rupert grunted as Josh rubbed his prostate just right, every thrust sending
sparks of sensation through him.

“You gonna
come soon?” Josh panted. Sweat gleamed on his skin.

“Think so.”
Rupert reached down to jerk himself off.

“Thank
fuck
.”

Rupert
huffed out a breathless laugh that turned into a groan at the tight slide of
his hand. “God, yeah….” Just a few more strokes were all he needed before he
came, his body locking tight at the blinding pleasure of it. He was dimly aware
of Josh gasping out his name, his rhythm faltering as he fucked in hard one
last time and stilled, shuddering over Rupert as he came too.

Josh’s arms
gave out and he flopped forwards, his face buried in Rupert’s neck as their
ragged breathing settled.

Rupert put
his arms around Josh and held him tight—maybe too tight, but he couldn’t
bring himself to loosen his grip. He didn’t trust himself to speak in case
something stupid came out. This was too much. His feelings were overwhelming,
and he was terrified of giving himself away.

Eventually
Josh made a muffled sound of protest and pushed up, so Rupert had to let him
go, but Josh didn’t move far. He just rolled onto his back beside Rupert to
pull off the condom.

“Bin?” He
sounded exhausted.

Rupert
plucked the condom from his fingers. “I’ll deal with it.”

When he
came back from the bathroom, Josh was curled on his side, eyes closed and
breathing deeply. Rupert slipped into the bed behind him and pressed a cautious
kiss to the star tattoo at the top of his spine.

“Josh?” he
whispered.

No
response.

Rupert
wondered whether he should wake him. But Josh had been studying hard all week.
He needed sleep. This way he’d get more rest than if Rupert sent him home, plus
having Josh in his bed all night was more than Rupert could resist. So he
turned out the light and curled his body carefully around Josh, bare skin
against bare skin. Josh stirred when Rupert put a hand lightly on his hip, but
only to snuggle closer, and then he was still again.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Josh
drifted slowly into consciousness. Warm and comfortable with the scent of
something—or someone—familiar surrounding him, he came to realise
he was still in Rupert’s bed. He lay unmoving, cataloguing the sounds of the
seagulls outside, the morning sunshine filtering in around the edges of the
blinds, and the soft huff of Rupert’s breath where he lay sprawled on his back
beside Josh. Josh had his arm thrown over Rupert’s chest, and it moved gently
with each rise and fall of Rupert’s ribs. He shifted his hand a fraction and
felt the tickle of hair against his palm.

Josh lifted
his head from where it had somehow nestled into Rupert’s armpit in the night
and squinted at Rupert’s face in the half-light. He looked serene. Deeply
asleep with his lips slightly parted, Rupert didn’t even stir as Josh shifted
up onto his elbow. Josh leaned over and pressed a kiss to Rupert’s cheek; soft
stubble tickled his lips as he breathed in Rupert’s scent. Josh smiled, a warm
rush of affection flooding him. He knew it was dangerous to let himself feel
it, but he couldn’t tamp it down. He’d crossed so many lines with Rupert
already, but he was past caring. Like an out-of-control car with the brake
cable cut, he was hurtling headlong into unknown territory, and all he could do
was hang on and ride it out, hoping the damage at the end wouldn’t be too
disastrous.

Fuck it
.

Josh slid
down the bed, taking the covers part of the way with him. He leaned over
Rupert’s groin and kissed his cock where it lay soft, but plump. His mouth watered
in anticipation, and he kissed it again, using his tongue on the soft skin
until it began to firm up. Josh guided Rupert’s cock into his mouth, sucking as
it hardened and thickened. Rupert finally stirred and muttered, “Josh?”

“Mm-hmm,”
Josh replied, his mouth too full for words.

Rupert
grunted and slid a hand into Josh’s hair, stroking his scalp lightly. “’S
good.”

Josh
carried on sucking, tasting sweet saltiness as Rupert got harder still. Focused
on making Rupert feel good, he was only dimly aware of his own erection at
first. But Josh’s arousal became more pressing as Rupert’s breathing thickened
and another burst of salty precome bloomed on his tongue. He reached down to
stroke himself, not trying to come but easing the ache, gripping and sliding his
hand lazily as he sucked.

“I’m
getting close,” Rupert warned him.

Josh
considered pulling off, and maybe it was reckless and stupid, but he wanted to
feel Rupert come in his mouth. He wanted Rupert inside him in every way he
could have him. He trusted Rupert. He didn’t know what Rupert thought about it,
but he wasn’t just a client to Josh, not anymore. He took Rupert deep, sucking
hard and greedily until Rupert climaxed with a hoarse groan, hips flexing up as
he filled Josh’s mouth with his come. Josh carried on sucking for a little
longer, more gently, and then finally pulled away to swallow. He licked his
lips and grinned at Rupert, who guided him up the bed for a kiss.

Josh’s dick
poked Rupert in the leg, and he took the hint, wrapping his hand around it and
stroking. Josh straddled him, fucking into the grip of Rupert’s hand as he
kissed him. It was a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss and Josh knew Rupert would be
able to taste the last traces of his release that still lingered. Josh came
without breaking the kiss. Rupert’s tongue in his mouth stifled his moan of
pleasure as he spilled over Rupert’s fist, making a mess between them.

Slowly the
kiss turned gentler, less desperate, the hunger replaced by sweet affection and
teasing nips and brushes of lips. At last, Josh pushed up on his hands and
looked down at Rupert, who smiled back, lazy and sated. Rupert’s red curls were
a wild tangle on the white pillowcase. The soft expression on his face made
Josh’s heart flip hopefully.

“Good
morning,” Josh said, his voice rough from sleep and deep-throating.

“Morning.”
Rupert brought a hand up and pushed Josh’s hair out of his eyes. “That was a
fun way to wake up.”

“I aim to
please,” Josh said lightly.

The light
in Rupert’s expression went out as though a switch had been flipped. Josh’s own
smile faded as he realised he’d somehow said the wrong thing. He was about to
try and smooth it over, but Rupert spoke first.

“Are you
hungry?” He patted Josh’s hip, encouraging him to move so he could slide out
from underneath him. Rupert turned away, his back to Josh as he picked up his
discarded shirt from the day before and wiped Josh’s come off his hand and
stomach.

“I guess.”

“Go and
clean up. I’ll get the kettle on and see what food I’ve got. Do you want tea or
coffee?” There was a cold formality to his tone that made anxiety churn in
Josh’s stomach. He stared at the broad expanse of Rupert’s back, tension in
every line of muscle. The intimacy from before was all gone. What had he done
wrong?

“Coffee,
please,” Josh said unhappily, wishing he could turn the clock back five minutes
and start this conversation over.

Josh picked
up his clothes and took them to the bathroom. When he emerged, he went to find
Rupert in the kitchen.

“Coffee’s
in the pot,” Rupert said. “There’s milk in the fridge and sugar by the kettle.”
He still sounded brusque, but was more cheerful again. He avoided Josh’s eyes,
though, busying himself with pulling ingredients out of the fridge and
assembling them on the worktop. “Is an omelette okay with you? I’ve got ham and
cheese I can put in it, and some mushrooms, I think.” He rummaged at the back
of the fridge again. “Yes, mushrooms too.”

“Sounds
great, thanks. Need any help?”

“No, I can
manage.”

Josh poured
his coffee and sat on a stool at the breakfast bar that divided the kitchen
from the living area. Rupert was efficient, chopping and frying, whisking and
grating. Josh was impressed at his level of activity, considering it was still
pretty early on a Sunday morning. He wasn’t a morning person, and he was still
unsettled by the slightly frosty atmosphere between them. His brain wasn’t
awake enough to attempt small talk, so he watched in silence, enjoying the way
Rupert’s arse jiggled in his sweatpants as he whisked the eggs.

They ate
out on the balcony. It was a beautiful morning, still cool, but full of the
promise of summer heat later in the day.

“I wish I
didn’t have exams to revise for,” Josh said. “It’s going to be a perfect day,
and I’ll be stuck indoors studying again.”

“How many
more exams have you got?”

“Only
three. Monday, Thursday, and then my last one on Friday morning. I can’t wait.
I need a break from the books.”

“What are
your plans for the summer?” Rupert asked.

“Nothing
much. I’m staying in Plymouth, working as usual. My housemates will be around
some of the time, so I’ll have company.”

“You’re not
going on holiday at all?”

“No.” Josh
had considered it. Dani had tried to persuade him to go for a week in Ibiza
with her boyfriend and some of their mates. But Josh didn’t want to blow a few
hundred quid on it. He didn’t mind chaperoning drunken people around sometimes,
but for that many nights in a row, it would get old fast. “What about you? You
going away?”

Rupert
shook his head. “No. I suppose if I get the urge, I might book something at
short notice, or maybe go and visit some friends.”

When they’d
finished eating, Rupert offered Josh more coffee, but he declined.

“No, I’m
going to have to make a move soon. Get home and start on my revision. But
thanks for breakfast. It was great.” He stood and picked up his plate, then
reached for Rupert’s too. “Let me help clear up before I go, though.”

Rupert
followed him to the kitchen and stacked things in the dishwasher while Josh
washed the omelette pan. Washing up done, Josh gathered his things and sat on
the sofa to put on his shoes.

“How much
do I owe you?” Rupert asked.

Josh
snapped his head up to meet Rupert’s gaze. His heart lurched. He’d forgotten
Rupert was supposed to pay him. Rupert stood in front of him with his wallet in
his hand.

“Um… I
don’t know. Just call it an hour, for last night?” Josh barely managed to make
the words sound normal around the uncomfortable lump growing in his throat.

“But you’ve
been here all night.”

The lump
turned bitter, acid spreading through Josh’s veins.

“For fuck’s
sake, Rupert. I’m not charging you for sleeping next to me.” His voice came out
sharp, betraying his hurt and anger. He took a deep breath to steady himself.
This wasn’t Rupert’s fault. Josh had never told Rupert this was anything other
than a normal client relationship for him. He only had himself to blame for
things getting awkward now. He should never have agreed to spend time with
Rupert that wasn’t on the clock. “An hour for last night is fine.”

“But you….
We did stuff again this morning.” Rupert frowned, his face flushed. “I don’t
want to take advantage of you.”

“You’re
not. Look… I sucked your cock this morning because I wanted to, okay? Think of
it as a freebie. Pro boner, if you will.” Josh forced a grin, trying to sound
convincingly amused by his own joke, but probably failing if the unhappy
expression on Rupert’s face was anything to go by. “Newsflash: I’ve
occasionally been known to have sex with people for reasons other than cold,
hard cash.” He stood, ready to leave. He wanted out of this situation before he
gave himself away.

“Okay. I’m
sorry.”

“Don’t
worry about it.”

Rupert
opened his wallet and counted out some notes. “This is for last night, then.”
He stepped forward, offering them to Josh.

Josh stared
at the money for a moment, hesitating. He didn’t want it, but it was easier to
take it than to explain.

“Thanks.”
He took the cash and shoved it into his pocket. “And thanks for dinner and
breakfast too.”

“You’re
welcome.”

They stood
facing each other, just a short distance apart, but it felt like a million
miles. Josh remembered the easy intimacy of last night, the happiness he’d felt
on waking up this morning, and wondered where the fuck it had all gone wrong.
Maybe the closeness was all an illusion and Josh only saw it because he wanted
to believe it was there. With Rupert’s money burning a hole in his pocket, he
felt more like a whore than he ever had in nearly two years of selling his
body.

“Okay, I’d
better go. Bye, Rupert.”

Josh turned
before Rupert could reach for him. If Rupert touched him, he was afraid he’d
shatter like glass and fall apart into fractured pieces.

Rupert saw
him to the door, but he must have sensed the mood because he made no move to
hug or kiss Josh goodbye.

“Good luck
with the rest of your exams.” He added, “I’ll call you,” as Josh walked down
the corridor to the lift.

Josh didn’t
answer, and as the lift doors slid open, he heard Rupert’s door bang shut.

Josh felt
sick as he walked home. The blue sky and sunshine did nothing to lift his
spirits. All they did was highlight his own black mood. Back at the house he
bypassed the sound of voices in the living room and went straight up the
stairs, heading for his room on the top floor.

On the
first floor landing, he nearly ran into Jez, coming out of the bathroom dressed
in a pair of boxers. He had love bites all over his chest and wore the slightly
dazed expression and flushed cheeks of someone who’d recently come.

He grinned
at Josh. “Hi, mate. Good night?”

“Not bad,”
Josh replied, ducking away from Jez’s gaze and trying to get past him. He
wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

Jez
frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just
tired.”

Jez didn’t
look convinced.

“Jez! Hurry
up and come back to bed,” Mac called from Jez’s room.

Jez put his
hand on Josh’s arm. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine.
But your boyfriend needs you. Don’t keep him waiting.” Josh managed a grin as
he squeezed past Jez, but his heart twisted with envy for what Jez and Mac had
together. It must be nice to have a boyfriend to snuggle with on a Sunday
morning.

In his room
Josh spread out his books and revision notes and tried to focus, but his mind
kept wandering. When he found himself staring out of the window for the
umpteenth time, he sighed heavily and forced himself to look back at the words
on the page. He read them, but they could have been Greek for all the sense
they made to him today. He needed to concentrate. The exams this year went
towards his final degree. He was
not
going to fuck them up because of Rupert. He got a notepad and a pen and started
writing things down, forcing his brain to process the words by rewriting his
revision notes.