Thomas laughed, then released his seatbelt. “Leave my carry-on, we’ll get it later.”
“You got it.” Rhys locked his truck and set the alarm, and then he hustled Thomas inside. “Before we go upstairs, I made a change that I’d like you to see. Maybe it’ll help prove I meant what I said.”
He led Thomas over to the gas log fireplace and pointed to the mantle, which had been barren when Thomas was here last. Now there were two framed photos on it. One was of Rhys and Andy on their wedding day, taken while they were saying their vows. The other was of Rhys and Thomas, a posed shot taken by Viv the night of the cookout because, as she put it, “they looked so cute together, she couldn’t stand it.”
Thomas reached out to touch the picture of the two of them. He knew what Rhys was trying to say with the photos, and he flung his arms around Rhys and held him tightly. “Thank you. I’m honored.”
Rhys wrapped his arms around Thomas and stroked his back gently. “No matter how things turned out between us, I wanted to celebrate the memories, not run from them.”
“I’m glad,” Thomas replied. He pulled back so he could look up at Rhys. “I have to admit I wasn’t completely truthful about why I agreed to the original deception. I wasn’t just doing it as a friend. I was hoping to worm my way into your affections for real. I’d almost given up on you ever being attracted to me, but I was determined to give it one last try. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I can’t say I do,” Rhys said, chuckling. “It all worked out in the end.”
“Good. Because I’ve got a couple of years of fantasies featuring you that I want to act out.” Thomas slid his hands down to Rhys’s ass and groped it. “The first and foremost of which is you pinning me down and fucking me through the mattress.”
Rhys’s eyes darkened with desire, and the growl returned to his voice. “I like the sound of that fantasy too. Let’s get upstairs and start making your dreams come true.”
Thomas shivered in pleasure. “Yes. Now.” He grabbed Rhys’s hand and pulled him toward the stairs. “I’ve waited a long time for this already, and I’m not waiting another minute.”
Once they were upstairs, Rhys led him into the master bedroom, where the covers of the king-sized bed were already turned back, and a box of condoms and a bottle of lube waited on the nightstand.
“I was prepared for the worst but hoping for the best,” Rhys said with a sheepish smile.
“Looks like you prepared for the best, too,” Thomas replied, giving Rhys a playful swat on the ass. “All right, big guy, what’s your pleasure? Do you want to undress me, or do you want me to give you a show?”
“I want to undress you,” Rhys said, reaching for the hem of Thomas’s sweater to pull it up and off. “All I’ve gotten to see are glimpses. I want the full picture.”
Thomas raised his arms obligingly, letting Rhys strip it off over his head. Then he shook his hair back over his shoulders and gave Rhys a heated smile. “You’ll get to see things no one has seen in a long time.”
Rhys let out an amused little snort. “So will you. Let’s hope people who say it’s like riding a bicycle are right,” he said as he trailed his fingertips down the length of Thomas’s bare chest.
“In your case, it’s more like riding a motorcycle,” Thomas replied, his voice a little breathless as his skin came to life beneath the warm trail of Rhys’s fingers. “I like to be touched and stroked, as you know.”
“Mm… Yes, I do.” Rhys slid his fingers into Thomas’s hair until he had the back of Thomas’s head cradled in his palm. Then he clenched his fingers into a fist and tugged lightly. “What about that?”
Thomas gasped, reaching out to grasp Rhys’s shoulders to remain upright as desire made him go weak in the knees. “God, yes! More, Rhys!”
With a wicked little smile, Rhys tilted Thomas’s head to one side and nuzzled Thomas’s throat, the rasp of his stubbled cheek leaving a pleasant burn on Thomas’s skin in its wake. Thomas closed his eyes, molding his body against Rhys’s and tilting his head back. “Feels so good.”
Rhys nuzzled and nipped his way to Thomas’s ear, and he spent some time tracing its shape with his tongue. He kept his hand securely in Thomas’s hair, and he slid his free arm around Thomas’s waist, offering support and stability. Thomas felt completely safe in Rhys’s strong arms, so he gave himself over to the pleasure of Rhys’s mouth on his skin, moaning as the stroking of Rhys’s tongue threatened to melt him where he stood.
Releasing his grip on Thomas’s hair, Rhys peppered the curve of Thomas’s neck and along his shoulder with kisses, and then he slowly lowered himself to his knees. He flattened his palms against Thomas’s chest and slid them down so he could tease Thomas’s nipples with his thumbs, flicking them lightly.
“Do you like that too?” he asked, gazing up at Thomas intently.
“Yes!” Thomas put his hands on Rhys’s shoulders to steady himself, and he smiled down at Rhys, giving a shiver of anticipation. “You’re in a very promising position down there. I’m eager to find out what else you want to kiss and nibble.”
“I’ve got a couple of ideas,” Rhys said, trailing his fingers down Thomas’s stomach to the waistband of his jeans. “We need to get rid of these first, though.”
Thomas cocked his hip and smiled beguilingly. “Help yourself.”
With a throaty chuckle, Rhys unfastened the fly of Thomas’s jeans and tugged them down. “Slip off your shoes, and we’ll get these off.”
Obeying quickly, Thomas toed-off his loafers, kicking them back toward the bed. He was eager for Rhys to bare him completely, and he couldn’t wait to feel Rhys’s touch on every part of his body. Rhys helped him shimmy out of his jeans, and then Rhys eased his fingers into the waistband of Thomas’s black boxer-briefs. He lapped playfully at Thomas’s navel as he eased the boxer-briefs down slowly.
“Looks like I’ve got your interest,” Rhys said with a little smirk as Thomas’s cock bobbed free, already hard.
Thomas moaned. “I’m definitely interested,” he admitted. It had been a long time since he’d felt so aroused, and he hoped he wasn’t about to go off like a horny teenager before they got to the best part. “Almost too interested.”
