I walk out, and Jared sits up so fast he nearly launches Patches across the room. His eyes travel slowly from my feet to my face, lingering on the way the jacket fits across my shoulders.
“Felix.” His voice comes out rougher than usual.
“Too much?” I start to turn back, but he’s on his feet, crossing to me.
“No. God, no. You look…” He reaches out, running his hand down the velvet sleeve. “This is who you are, not those other suits.”
“People will stare.” I hate how small my voice sounds.
“People will stare because you look incredible.” His fingers find mine. “Let them stare.”
My chest goes tight at the look on his face. “You really think I should wear this?”
“I think you should wear whatever you want. But if you’re asking my opinion…” His eyes do another slow sweep that makes my skin heat. “The purple. Definitely the purple.”
I look at myself in the mirror, at this ridiculous, gorgeous suit that I never thought I’d be brave enough to wear again. Jared’s behind me, looking at me like I’m something spectacular.
“The purple it is.”
“Come here,” Jared says, pulling me against him to kiss me. His tongue slides against mine, and I forget about the suit, about tomorrow, about everything except his hands sliding down my sides.
“This needs to come off,” he murmurs, fingers working at my jacket buttons.
“Careful!” I catch his wrists. “You can’t just manhandle velvet.”
“I’m trying to manhandle you, not the velvet.”
“The velvet is attached to me.” I ease the jacket off slowly. “It needs to be hung immediately, or it’ll crease.”
Jared flops back on my bed with a groan. “You’re seriously doing garment care right now?”
“Would you rather I think about wrinkles the entire time we’re having sex?” I find the padded hanger and hang up the jacket. “Because I will. I’ll be lying there thinking about permanent creases.”
“I take offense that you don’t think I could distract you from contemplating wrinkles.” Jared props himself up on his elbows, watching me as I remove my trousers and fuss to make sure they’re hung correctly. “You’re taking forever on purpose.”
“Quality clothing deserves quality treatment.” I brush imaginary lint off the pants before placing them carefully in the closet. “Besides, anticipation is supposed to be sexy.”
“You know what else is sexy? You, up against me, naked.” He’s already removed his shirt and pants and is lying sprawled against my pillows like he owns the place—which, honestly, he might as well with how often he’s here—looking unfairly gorgeous in just his boxers.
“Patience is a virtue.” But I’m grinning as I start unbuttoning my shirt, deliberately going slower than necessary just to watch him suffer.
I take my sweet time with each button, watching his eyes track my fingers. By button three, he’s making impatient noises. By button five, he’s threatening to rip it off me. By the last button, he’s already sitting up and reaching for me.
“Finally,” he mutters, pulling me down onto the bed with him. His grip on my waist is firm enough that I half-fall, laughing, onto the mattress. “You’re a menace.”
“You love it.”
I’m straddling him now, my hands braced on either side of his head. His hair is already messed up from the pillows, sticking up at angles, making him look younger. I love seeing Jared like this, boyish and relaxed and laughing, without the weight of all the things that usually burden him.
“I’m just happy you’re finally done with the buttons.” He grabs my wrists. His thumbs press into my pulse points where I know he can feel my heart racing. “No more clothing that requires careful handling. From now on, you only wear tearaway pants like strippers.”
“Very classy. That suggestion really fits with the whole paramedic hero vibe you’ve got going.” I shift my weight slightly so I brush against his cock, just enough to make him inhale sharply.
“Heroes can appreciate convenient clothing removal. It’s practical.”
His fingers are already working their way down my stomach, making it hard for me to concentrate.
“Nothing about this is practical,” I manage to say. “We were supposed to be picking out an outfit, and now look where we are.”
