What We May be (8 page)

That’s what he wanted. The more time he spent with Jared, the more he hoped Jared wanted it, too.

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Jared’s apartment was both what he expected and completely surprising. Where Rick’s was a tidy mess, Jared’s was an explosion. Of color, of furniture, of items he’d either collected while he was modeling or raided from Goodwill stores. The couch was a futon buried in overstuffed pillows, each one a different brilliant fabric. Rick wanted nothing more than to sink into it with Jared sprawled atop him. Some of the material looked like it might be prickly, but there were velvets and satins amongst the mix, and one touch said they were stuffed with feathers instead of foam or those annoying beans that were supposed to be so good for the circulation.

Ladder bookcases hid one entire wall, their shelves laden 68

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with framed photos, miniature statues, and paperbacks. One was dedicated completely to candlesticks. When Rick glanced at Jared in curiosity, the other man just shrugged.

“It’s a thing. I collect them.” He picked up a remote and aimed it at a stereo system in the corner, nearly hidden by a carved wine rack with only a single bottle of wine in it. Talk radio came on, a male DJ talking briefly about the economic crisis around the world, before Jared switched it over to a CD.

Rick smiled as the soft male voice emanated from the speakers. “I don’t remember telling you how I went to see James Taylor last summer.”

“You didn’t. I just like him. And you lucky son of a bitch.

Was he great?”

“Fantastic. A lot of covers, but that’s what he’s recording these days, so I can’t fault the guy.” He reached for Jared’s wrist and pulled him closer. “Come here.”

Jared moved willingly into Rick’s larger frame. His arm slid around Rick’s waist, aligning their hips, and the definite bulge of his erection rubbed against Rick’s own. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to sit there all night without really touching you?” he murmured.

“I think I’ve got some clue.”

Their mouths came together in unison, almost sweet in comparison to the hunger boiling through Rick. He loved the shape of Jared’s lips. The tiny dip along the upper always made his mouth water. He traced it with the tip of his tongue, grateful Jared stood still so he could appreciate it. As their breath mingled, he tightened his hold and guided both of them 69

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back to the couch.

He groaned as soon as the cushions molded around them.

“You do love your comforts, don’t you?” Jared teased.

“If it’s soft and warms me up, hell yeah.”

Jared shifted until he was half lying on top of Rick, the other half propped up in order to gaze down at him. “And you’re sure you want me? I lean toward the bony side, you know.”

“Pillows beneath me…” Rick yanked until Jared was exactly as he’d fantasized earlier, though it succeeded in kicking several of the cushions to the floor. “You on top.

That’s about as perfect a world as I can imagine.”

Jared’s eyes warmed. He bent his head to kiss Rick again, still tender, still gentle. Rick parted to his careful probe, allowing their tongues to touch, dance away, then touch again.

There was no rush. No need to hurry. They had all the time in the world to savor each other, to make up for the hours they’d spent at the bar unable to do anything more than hold hands beneath the table. They had done greedy hunger the first time they’d come together. Here, in Jared’s plush surroundings, it was only right to glut on what they truly desired.

He slid a hand beneath Jared’s shirt, unerringly finding his waistband and pushing his fingers under the denim. Jared squirmed at the first touch along his crack, and his breath came faster along Rick’s lips. He didn’t abandon their slow kisses, though. If anything, it prompted Jared to coil an arm around the top of Rick’s head and cling to him even closer.

Over and over, Rick stroked the warm valley at the top of 70

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Jared’s ass. The jeans had given him fantasies all night. Both times Jared had gone to the bathroom, Rick had stared at his tight ass until it had disappeared from view. Then when he’d returned, Rick had all but stared at the bulge in his crotch, as well. Jared’s body drove him completely around the bend, enough so that he had jerked off in the shower to memories of it twice just since their first date.

Jared reached down with his free hand and squeezed Rick’s covered cock. It rested heavily against his hip, the elastic from his underwear digging into the tip, but Jared’s touch dragged it across Rick’s skin, slicking him along the way.

“We could move this to the bedroom if you want,” Jared offered between kisses.

Rick shook his head. “If you don’t mind fucking around on your couch, I’d rather stay here.”

“Works for me.” Another kiss. A bite along his lower lip.

“Though I’ll have to get up sometime to get the lube and condoms.”

“Or you stay here and we suck each other off. Don’t need lube for that.”

Jared smiled against his mouth. “Is that what you want?”

The only thing Rick knew for sure was that he didn’t want to lose the warm weight pinning him down. With a growl, he cupped the back of Jared’s head and pulled his mouth back down, pressing a kiss harder than its predecessors to his lips.

“I want you not to stop,” he muttered.

“My pleasure.”

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Now, they deepened the caresses, searching out the other’s heat with each delve of their tongues. Rick used his strength to keep Jared from moving any more, but they kept the tempo of their kisses slow.
Make it last. Make him wait.
Even if it drove him insane having to wait for more himself.

He lost time even as he gained heat. His flesh rose in tangible degrees, creeping up the back of his neck, along his arms, all the way to his fingertips. Jared didn’t struggle against his lead, which was a little surprising considering how forceful he’d been the first time they’d been together. But one thing he’d learned about their preferences. They both loved to kiss.

Spending minutes upon minutes lost in the other’s mouth ranked pretty high on their lists of favorite things to do.

It didn’t take long for Rick’s hand to slide farther into Jared’s jeans. He explored over the firm flesh before returning to the valley between the cheeks, stroking up and down along the crease in tempo with their kisses. The first time he brushed over Jared’s hole, Jared jerked hard in his arms, their mouths momentarily separating as he gasped for breath.

“How do you feel about fucking me?” Jared said.

Rick drowned in his eyes. “I don’t want to move.”

“Who said anything about moving?”

The implication canted Rick’s mouth, and he caressed the opening yet again. “You want to ride my cock?”

“Oh, fuck, yeah.”

He could do that. He might prefer to bottom, but there was no denying the appeal of having Jared rise and fall above him.

He wouldn’t have to lose Jared’s weight or the softness of the 72

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pillows around him, either. It was a win/win situation for both of them.

Reluctantly, he pulled his hand free and slapped Jared’s bottom. “Go get the lube and condoms then. And be quick about it.”

With a brilliant smile, Jared bounded up, all energy returned in spite of their languorous kissing. “If you get naked while I’m gone, there won’t be a reason to have to get up again,” he reminded before making a dash down the hall for what Rick presumed was the bedroom.

Jared had a point. An excellent point. Rick stripped in record time, dropping his clothes onto a beanbag in the corner.

He was just tossing his shoes over to join them when Jared returned, wearing only a hard-on and a smile.

He dropped the condoms onto the floor next to the couch and pushed Rick back into the cushions. Straddling his hips, he trapped Rick’s cock against his stomach and braced his hands on Rick’s chest. His fingers curled into the hair, pulling it hard enough for Rick to feel it like hundreds of needles pricking at his skin. When he grunted, Jared only smiled more broadly.

“As much as I love clothes, if you never put another stitch on, you would be doing me and the world a favor,” Jared said.

“I swear, you’ve got the hottest body I’ve ever seen.”

Pleasure radiated through him, though he was pretty sure he was blushing from the compliment. “My clients might have a thing or two to say about that.”

Jared circled a flat nipple with the broad of his thumb.

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“Your clients are idiots then.” Unwinding his fingers, he smoothed upward to Rick’s shoulders, then down to his biceps, massaging the hard muscles. “Hell, I’d hire you to walk around naked here every day, if I thought you’d let me do it.”

Rick cupped Jared’s ass. “You wouldn’t have to pay me for that.”

“I’m sure we could work it out in trade.”

“Probably.”

He was content to lie there while Jared continued to explore. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a lover who appreciated him as much as Jared did. Not an inch of his upper body was left untouched, and where Jared could reach with his mouth, kisses burned trails as hot as the ones his fingers left behind.

When Jared’s mouth was level with his again, both men paused.

“I’ve mentioned I love your mouth, haven’t I?” Rick said.

“It might have come up once or twice.” Jared licked along the stubble already sprouting on Rick’s jaw. The harsh rasp sent shivers straight down to his cock. “You want me to use it on you now?”

Rick tightened his arms around Jared. “No. No moving from here.”

Jared chuckled. “I think I’m going to have to buy more pillows for my bed if you’re going to react like this.”

“There is no such thing as too many pillows.” Rick paused as Jared’s implication sank in. “So I guess I haven’t blown my 74

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chances at more dates by dragging you to see a country-western band, huh?”

“Absolutely not. I had fun tonight.” His mouth came back to Rick’s, his tongue now tracing Rick’s lower lip. “But I might make a condition about what our next date is.”

“Like what?”

“You be my date for the fashion show I’m getting ready for.”

The request surprised him. He must have stiffened or reacted somehow, because Jared stopped his oral quest and pulled back enough to meet his gaze.

“You don’t have a problem with that, do you?” he asked carefully.

“No, I’m just…I didn’t expect that.” He smiled. “You mocked my T-shirts, remember?”

“Ah, but I also told you how fabulous you looked in it, too.

Which proves you know how to dress yourself, if not anybody else.”

Rick couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re crazy.”

“That doesn’t sound like yes.”

“Fine, then yes. As long as it works with my schedule.”

Jared immediately relaxed, though he didn’t return to kissing Rick, an absence he was all too aware of. “I’ll make it work. If I have to go out and hire someone else to take over your clients for the day.”

The sentiment shot straight through him. “You’re definitely crazy,” he said gruffly. He tightened his grip and buried his face in Jared’s neck. The musky scent of his skin 75

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only heightened Rick’s euphoria. “I’ve got to get you ready for fucking, you know.”

“Did you have something in mind?”

“Yeah.” His mind made up, he ran one more stroke over Jared’s butt and let him go. “You got to eat my ass last time.

Now it’s my turn.”

The other man’s sharp intake of breath was all Rick needed to hear to know he wanted it as bad as Rick did. The heat disappeared, as did the weight, but then Jared had turned around and was straddling his face, one foot on the floor, the other on the pillow next to Rick’s head.

The hot skin of Jared’s inner thighs was only inches from Rick’s cheeks, penning him in. Rick turned his head to skim his lips along the tight muscle, while his hands grasped Jared’s ass and parted the flesh. It took every ounce of control he possessed not to yank Jared down to his mouth. He had to hold perfectly still as Jared slowly lowered his hips, stopping only when Rick’s nose brushed against him.

“Make sure you get your tongue in there all the way,”

Jared rasped. “I plan on taking every inch of that cock of yours.”

Rick moaned in agreement. He licked along the sweaty skin, the hair tickling his lips, all the way to the clenching ring. His fingers tightened, but as white as the tips got, Jared’s pale perfect skin was even more so. Rick fought the urge to find ways to mark it every time they were together. Not to cause Jared pain, but to make the canvas his, to remind Jared of the time they spent together.

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Jared fisted his cock, pulling his balls up tighter to give Rick more room. “Where’s that hot mouth?” he taunted.

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.”

“Oh, I’ll keep it,” Rick muttered. He tugged just enough to pull Jared down a few more inches, his lips sealing over the small opening.

Moans of pleasure came from both their throats. Jared’s balls kept slapping against Rick’s chin as he dove into the man’s ass, alternately pushing his tongue past the ring and licking across it. His nose pressed into Jared’s skin. He couldn’t breathe very deeply, but that didn’t matter. He would rather feast on Jared’s body. It deserved to be worshiped, Jared’s claims about Rick notwithstanding.

“That’s it,” Jared coaxed. “Fuck me with your tongue.”

Each command came with a grind against Rick’s mouth, another flex of muscles as Jared yanked at his cock. His words got coarser, dirtier with each probe into his ass, his breathing audible even where Rick was practically smothered by his body. When Jared suddenly tilted forward, almost pulling away, Rick jerked him back, lifting his head in order to fasten his mouth again over the now slick hole. That impulse stifled his scream when Jared grabbed his erection and started pumping it in rhythm with Rick’s tongue.