When he returned to the living room, he found the man lying on the couch, eyes closed.
“Hey, Drew? I have your water.”
“Mmm, thanks.” He kept his eyes closed but smiled.
“Do you need some help sitting up?” Oh, he was bad, but he wasn’t about to stop, not when his cock was hard and the man lay all spread out before him like a delicious buffet, waiting to be sampled.
“Sure, yeah.”
A few birds chirped from the branches of the old oak tree outside the window. Drew’s cat, who’d done little more than glare at him, was nowhere to be found. The air stilled as if in anticipation. Ash lowered himself to the couch and slipped his arm around Drew’s shoulders. His weight was negligible as Ash lifted Drew into his lap.
And froze in shock, as Drew opened his eyes and slung his arm around Ash’s shoulder. “Wanna know something weird?” Drew’s lips were close enough that if Ash turned his face, they would touch his.
He swallowed, fighting the unaccustomed urge to press his mouth on Drew’s. “Sure, tell me.”
Drew’s slightly unfocused eyes met his. That sweet, irresistible smile remained on his lips. “When I saw you that night with the waiter, it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen.”
Oh shit.
It took all his strength of will to keep his voice calm and steady. “Really? I’d have thought you’d be shocked.”
Drew chuckled and rubbed his face against Ash’s shoulder. “Nah. Jordan was right. It was hot. You were hot. I came home and jerked off, so I guess I liked it, huh?” The rubbing turned into nuzzling, and Ash’s body couldn’t help but harden under the constant touching. Drew continued to laugh. “A little too much information, huh?” He hiccuped, closed his eyes, and settled back against Ash’s chest with a sigh.
Ash gazed down at the man cuddled in his arms. What the hell was he doing? With shaking fingers, he brushed back those damp, curling dark waves off Drew’s face. Drew’s eyes opened, and though reddened and heavy-lidded, their focus remained steady on his face.
“I’m so lonely.” The green eyes closed, and Drew’s head fell back to rest upon Ash’s shoulder once again. His murmur was almost lost against the blood roaring in Ash’s head. “I don’ think you’re as bad as Jordy says you are. Jus’ lonely too, like me.”
Hell, he couldn’t do this, couldn’t take advantage of a man when he was so drunk. When it came to having sex with men, he’d made mistakes too numerous to keep track of. More likely than not, he could fuck Drew, and they’d both enjoy it. For the first time in Ash’s life, he couldn’t take advantage of the situation. It wasn’t enough. He wanted more.
What the hell was he thinking?
“Why can’t I get you out of my head, Dr. Klein?”
A soft snore rent the air. With regret he looked down at the sleeping man, wishing he could stretch out and join him. For the second time that day he shocked himself. He’d never spent the night with anyone. He’d never spent more than the time it took afterward to zip up his pants and button his shirt with anyone he fucked. A yowl came from the doorway as Drew’s big black-and-white cat stalked into the room. After some growling and warning sounds, the cat jumped on the couch, stretching out at its head, his baleful yellow eyes glaring at Ash as if he knew Ash had taken advantage of the situation.
Watchcat on duty.
All at once, shame flooded though him as Drew turned and settled in his arms. How could he have thought to take advantage of the man? Besides, this cuddling with Drew was kind of nice, now that he thought about it. Another first. He didn’t do cuddling. By this time he would normally be dressed and out the door, the man’s face forgotten.
Now he didn’t want to leave. And that emotion, the flare of protectiveness fucking scared him. Before he knew what he was doing, he touched his lips to his fingers, then pressed them to Drew’s lips.
“Good night, Dr. Klein.”
There was no throw on the couch, and Drew looked so sweet and vulnerable lying there, so Ash took the one from the bedroom and covered the sleeping man. He rubbed his hands over his face and on silent feet left the apartment, the weight of the cat’s evil, accusing stare boring into his back.
Chapter Six
The end of the world had arrived, heralded by a head about to explode like a melon blasted by a bazooka and a churning stomach that would likely never be normal again. Even the gleeful chirping of the birds outside his window grated. Why wasn’t Domino out there making Happy Meals out of them? Drew tried to think of who would be willing to shoot him and put him out of his misery.
What on earth possessed him to drink so much yesterday? He usually never drank more than two beers. Something had goaded him from within, to let loose after all the years of holding himself back. To feel something new and different.
Maybe to feel anything at all.
A nudge to his chin accompanied by a deep, rumbling purr brought him back to the painful reality that it wasn’t only him anymore. Domino relied on him for survival now, and as corny as that might sound, it felt good to be needed by someone, even if that someone had four legs and fur.
“Okay, buddy.” The effort to open his eyes was monumental, involving several aborted attempts and failures. Finally his vision focused, his gaze landing on the large yellow eyes of his cat.
“Meow.” Domino swished his tail and licked his hand with a small raspy tongue.
