Ever’s cheeks turned pink, and his lips twitched in a smile he fought to hide. “Then do it. Kiss me. For real.”
“For real?” Arsen asked, a jolt of awareness going straight to his dick.
Ever flushed, looking away. “Not like the other night. But…like how they do in my romance novels.”
Chert.
Arsen had no idea how they kissed in romance novels but he doubted very much it was anything chaste. Was Ever asking him to put his tongue in his mouth? Arsen wasn’t going to survive this. He wasn’t sure Ever would, either. What the fuck was he thinking? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He was grateful Ever had moved a few inches from him because he was losing all sense of rationality.
“Okay,” he heard himself say.
Ever’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
Arsen closed his eyes and nodded, resigned. He was never going to say no to Ever.
Ever.
And it looked like Noah had made sure Ever knew he had the upper hand. The bastard. “Yes, really,” Arsen promised. “But…not right now. Tonight. I only have an hour for lunch, and if I start kissing you, I might never stop.”
Arsen watched as Ever’s pupils blew wide, his lips parting in a quiet gasp at Arsen’s words. He found himself staring at Ever’s open mouth, thinking about things far dirtier than kissing. He shifted in his seat, grateful he still wore his baggy coveralls.
“What do you want to eat for lunch?” he asked, pretending to ignore Ever’s shocked expression.
“Italian,” Ever whispered.
“Good.”
* * *
Arsen’s losing streak continued. Not only had he lost that afternoon’s battle against Ever, he lost every battle in the game until his team angrily kicked him offline, telling him to come back when his head was in the game and not up his ass. But how could his head be anywhere but with Ever, who was curled up on the bed three feet away in plaid pajama pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt, pretending to read his book while he covertly watched Arsen?
The answer was he couldn’t. Arsen had never been so…aware of another human being in his life. It felt like some kind of magnetic force pulling him towards him. No matter what he was doing, Ever was never far from his mind, and getting back to him was his main priority.
Ever looked up from his book as soon as Arsen signed off. He dropped his headphones and walked to the bed. Just the act of walking towards him, knowing what they were about to do, already had Arsen half-hard. This was going to be an exercise in patience like he’d never known. Some kind of hero’s trial.
He sat in front of Ever, criss-crossing his legs. Ever’s tongue darted out to lick over his lower lip, then he marked his page and set his book down, waiting. He looked so…vulnerable, so trusting of Arsen. He didn’t want to fuck up that trust, but he was also desperate to taste him, to touch him.
So, he did.
“If you want me to kiss you, you’re going to have to be closer than this,” Arsen teased, his hands gently sliding under Ever’s knees and dragging him until he was almost in his lap. Ever’s small, delicate hands fisted the fabric at Arsen’s shoulders, and he was breathing heavily like he’d run a marathon. Fuck, he was trembling and they hadn’t even started yet.
“Hi,” Arsen said, pressing his nose against Ever’s for a second, hoping to reassure him somehow. He didn’t want this to be stressful for him.
“Hi,” Ever said, breathless, his minty breath puffing against Arsen’s cheek.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Arsen asked. Ever’s rapid nod made him smile. “Okay, but if you don’t like something—if you get scared, or if I make you uncomfortable—you have to tell me to stop. Okay?”
Ever’s nod was slightly less enthusiastic. “Okay,” he said quietly.
Arsen wasn’t convinced. He took Ever’s chin between thumb and forefinger, gently forcing him to meet his gaze. “I’m serious. I won’t get mad. It won’t hurt my feelings. Just say the word and it stops. I stop. Promise me.”
Ever blinked rapidly then swallowed hard. “Yeah, okay. I promise.”
With that out of the way, Arsen suddenly felt completely out of his element. He’d kissed more than his fair share of people, but it had never meant anything. It had never had any weight to it. It was just…perfunctory. Part of the process to get inside his partner in a far more satisfying way.
But this was important. This meant something, and gazing down at Ever’s wide eyes had his heart in his throat. Arsen traced Ever’s bottom lip with his thumb, his cock jumping at the tiny sound Ever made. Fuck. He couldn’t wait another second. He dipped his head, capturing Ever’s bottom lip between his own, sucking gently. Ever made a happy noise that made Arsen feel feral. He forced himself to pull back—to give Ever a chance to change his mind.
Ever had other ideas. He used Arsen’s sweatshirt to drag him back to him, their lips colliding awkwardly. He was so perfect. Arsen took Ever’s face in his hands, fixing the angle so their mouths fit better, but not daring to break the kiss, trying to ignore his already throbbing cock as Ever’s mouth opened beneath his.
