Chapter 23
Hayden
Idon’t remember having spent an entire day in bed since summer vacations during high school. Life had felt arduous and slow since then, something always to do, someone to impress, and some job that needed to be secured. But today was different. For the first time in years, I felt like I was actually celebrating the holidays and taking it easy instead of running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
Of course, having Diego in bed with me made it easy to resist the pull of the outside world. Here in my little apartment, it was just us and nobody else. Outside the air was cold, frost still clung to the windows, and clouds were gathering in the western sky. Down at the diner people were coming and going, and preparations for the Christmas Eve party were nearly complete.
All of that felt like a distant dream as Diego ran his fingers over my skin, kissing every inch of my body as if he were trying to memorize it.
“You have a freckle right here,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my collarbone. “And here.” His mouth moved to my shoulder. “And here.” Down to my chest.
I sighed, sinking deeper into the mattress as Diego’s exploration continued. The weight of his body pressed me down, warm and solid and real. His beard tickled my skin as he moved lower, tracking a path between freckles only he seemed to notice.
“Are you planning to kiss every freckle?” I asked, my voice husky. “Because we might be here for days.”
Diego looked up at me, those dark eyes gleaming with mischief. “That’s the plan. Got somewhere better to be?”
I ran my fingers through his hair, still marveling that I could touch him like this. “No. Nowhere better at all.”
He smiled against my stomach, continuing his journey southward. When his mouth reached my hipbone, I couldn’t help but arch up slightly, seeking more. Diego chuckled, his breath hot against my skin.
“Impatient,” he teased, nipping gently at my inner thigh.
“Can you blame me?” I gasped as his tongue traced dangerously close to where I wanted him most.
The slow build was exquisite torture. Each kiss, each touch was deliberate, unhurried. Diego moved with the confidence of a man who knew exactly what he was doing, and the tenderness of someone who cared deeply about the pleasure he was giving.
When his mouth finally closed around my cock, I nearly came off the bed. My hands fisted in the sheets as heat surged through me. Nothing had ever felt so good, so right. The sight of him between my legs, those strong hands holding my thighs apart, was almost too much to bear. I could’ve lived in that moment forever.
“Diego,” I moaned, unable to form more coherent thoughts.
He hummed in response, the vibration sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body. Even after a whole day of sex and cuddling, I was getting close embarrassingly fast, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Not when his tongue was doing things that made my toes curl and my vision blur at the edges.
Just as I was about to topple over the edge, Diego pulled back,crawling up my body with predatory grace. His eyes were dark and wanting, his lips wet and swollen.
“Not yet,” he murmured, capturing my mouth in a searing kiss. I could taste myself on his tongue, and something about that was wildly erotic. “I want to be inside you when you cum.”
The raw need in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I nodded, already reaching for the lube on the nightstand. But then I stopped, my hand finding only the bottle.
“Uh-oh,” I said, feeling my heart sink with disappointment. “We’re out of condoms.”
“We went through a box that fast?” Diego seemed surprised and maybe a bit proud of himself. “I thought five would get us through a day at least.”
“Apparently not,” I sighed.
Diego lifted his gaze, searching my eyes. “If you’re cool with it, we don’t have to use them.”
The thought sent a bolt of lightning through my body and straight to my cock. “I… uh… I mean…” I couldn’t seem to find the right words.
“I’m negative on everything,” he said, seeing through my stammering. “And I haven’t hooked up with anyone in months.”
“Oh.” I always thought Diego was far more sexually active than I was. I figured that’s why he was prepared, and why he wanted to use protection. I swallowed hard. “I… uh… I’m negative too,” I replied at last. “By the time I left California, it had been like… six months since I’d done anything?”
“Six months?!” Diego gasped. “Jesus Christ! You take a vow of chastity or something?”
“Tommy was...” I hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed. “He wasn’t really interested in sex with me toward the end. Always had excuses or was too tired. I found out later he was just sleeping with his co-star.”
Diego’s face darkened, and he pulled me closer. “His loss. My gain.”
