Chapter 6
“When can you start work on the wall?”
Harrison took his eyes from the road long enough to glance at Jeremy with raised eyebrows. “I haven’t even given you the quote yet. What if you decide you don’t want to go ahead with it?”
“After all the work we put in tonight to make it brilliant?” He threw his arms up in a show of enthusiasm. “It’s too late to turn back now. Besides, I’ve already fallen for the idea.” Something in Jeremy’s tone made Harrison turn to look at him once more. Their gazes met and held. Jeremy was talking about more than a few splashes of paint on a wall. “I can’t seem to help myself,” he added with a secretive smile.
Turning back to the road, Harrison took a moment to collect himself. Hope crowded his chest, making it difficult to breathe. Or maybe that was the anxiety that came crashing along behind, telling him this was too good to be true. Jeremy liked him now, but only because he didn’t really know him yet. Didn’t know how damaged he was. How he would ruin everything.
After a few minutes, when he could trust himself to speak without his voice cracking, he said, “You’re a terrible negotiator.”
Jeremy burst out laughing. “I suppose you’re right. I’m not normally such a push over but, then again, it depends on who’s doing the pushing.”
They made plans for Harrison to come to the store after work two days later. His day job meant he could only work at the store after hours, which was perfect for Jeremy because the work wouldn’t affect his customers. The two of them getting to spend more time alone together was an added bonus.
Before long they pulled into Jeremy’s driveway and Harrison cut the engine. “I’ll walk you to your door,” he said as he pushed the car door open.
Jeremy gave him an amused smirk. “How chivalrous of you.”
Harrison put a hand on his chest as he replied, “I’m a true gentleman, you know.”
“I never doubted it for a second.” Taking him by the hand, Jeremy turned to walk backward in front of him as they approached the door of the ground floor apartment. “You know, if you’d like you can walk me all the way to my bedroom.”
They stopped in front of the door, and Harrison lifted Jeremy’s hand high so he could coil that arm around the back of his neck. The movement brought their bodies up against each other. “It’s a tempting offer, but…” He stopped there, unable to actually say no to something he wanted so badly.
Jeremy’s gaze fell and he gave a dramatic sigh. “But,” he continued where Harrison had left off, “you’re not going to take me up on it.”
Harrison slowly shook his head. There were only so many rules he could break before he started putting himself at risk of a relapse and if he wanted to make this work, he couldn’t allow that to happen. “I can’t stay. It’s getting late and I have to work tomorrow.” The pout that appeared on Jeremy’s face was adorable and Harrison’s arms tightened around him.
“I can offer you a comfortable bed,” Jeremy said, leering at him. “Can’t guarantee you’ll get much sleep though.”
One corner of Harrison’s mouth lifted. “And therein lies the problem.”
“At least come inside long enough for a proper kiss good night,” Jeremy suggested. “I really want to kiss you again, but I’d rather not give the neighbours a show.”
Harrison licked his lips at the thought of tasting this man one more time, and when Jeremy did the same, all resistance crumbled. “Open the door.”
That blinding smile appeared on Jeremy face as he turned to slide the key into the lock—the one that hit Harrison in the solar plexus every time. The door swung open and Harrison followed him inside, closing it behind them.
Jeremy dropped his bag before turning around, and Harrison caught his face between his hands. He plunged his tongue deep into Jeremy’s mouth. It was hot and wet and oh so eager to give as well as receive. Wanting more, Harrison took hold of Jeremy’s suspenders and the shirt beneath, fisting the material in his hands as he urged Jeremy back against a nearby wall.
His erection throbbed painfully and he pressed his body against Jeremy’s, groaning in relief when Jeremy’s own hardness rubbed against his.
Jeremy’s hands slid down over his back, then continued lower. Pulling him close, Jeremy curled his hips forward in a gentle thrusting motion. “Oh, fuck.” The curse left Jeremy’s mouth on a sigh as his head dropped back against the wall. “Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” he asked. “Even an hour. I can totally work with an hour.”
Harrison licked a wet path up the side of Jeremy’s throat before kissing a line along his jaw. “I would love to, but I need to clock eight hours in bed.”
“Eight hours?” Jeremy’s hands traced the lines of his back. “Is that like a rule?”
“Something like that.” Exactly like that. “Sleep deprivation is bad for you.” He tugged on Jeremy’s shirt as he spoke, dragging it upward before slipping his hands underneath. “It impairs your ability to regulate your emotions,” he flattened his palms against Jeremy’s stomach, felt the muscles there tighten, “and to read emotions in others.”
Jeremy laughed, and the husky sound made Harrison’s body pulse with desire. “I don’t think you’re having any trouble reading me right now.”
“Because I’m so well-rested,” Harrison murmured, which made Jeremy laugh again.
Sliding his palms upward, Harrison ran his fingers over the twin points of Jeremy’s nipples, making him gasp as his back arched. “It also makes it harder to solve problems creatively and, worst of all,” he made his way back down to the button on the front of Jeremy’s pants, “it ruins your impulse control.” A few deft movements and Jeremy’s pants were undone, though they were still held up by the ever-present suspenders.
Harrison stood back for a moment, one hand holding Jeremy’s shirt up out of the way so he could properly take in the view. All the way from Jeremy’s expressive face, down over the heaving chest, to the defined abdominals that twitched in pleasure when Harrison ran the fingertips of his free hand over them. The head of Jeremy’s erection poked out from the top of his boxer shorts and Harrison’s lips parted at the sight.
