“That’s good, because I need you too.” The words slipped out before he could stop them. Need. He’d never needed anyone. Wanted, yes. Desired, certainly. But need? Staring into Drew’s eyes, he sensed the decades-old wall he’d built around himself begin to crumble. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad person after all, if someone like Drew could care about him. Maybe Mr. Frank was right.
He took Drew’s hand and pressed a quick kiss to his palm. “Let’s go back now and see how your grandmother is doing.”
Drew held on to his hand for a moment, then squeezed it. “Yes. Then I think we need to talk.” Their eyes locked, and Ash nodded.
“Agreed.”
They returned to the ICU area. Mike had his arms wrapped around Rachel while Jordan sat, talking quietly with Keith. Rachel broke away from Mike’s embrace.
“They told us to go home now and come back in the morning. If anything happens, they’ll call us immediately.” Her gaze returned to the windowed room where Ash saw Esther being attended to by several nurses. “I hate leaving her here all alone, though.” Her eyes welled with tears, and her lip quivered. At that moment she looked like a lost little girl.
Drew hugged her. “She’s getting the best care possible, and I’m only ten minutes away. We won’t be any good to her tomorrow if we can’t stay awake because we were up all night watching her sleep.”
Rachel nodded. “You’re right. Then we should go. It’s already after midnight.”
They traipsed to the elevator, and it whisked them down to the main level. The doors opened to the sultry night air, and surprisingly, the avenue still buzzed with activity. Strains of jazz music drifted out of the doorway of the bar across the street, its winking neon lights announcing that twenty different kinds of beer were to be found within. A crowd of rowdy teens spilled onto the sidewalk outside the diner on the corner.
Rachel and Mike hurried away to their car. Jordan looked as though he had something to say, but Keith pulled him away, leaving him and Drew standing on the sidewalk.
“Come on. My car is this way.” Drew started walking up the block.
Ash hurried after him, thoughts bumping furiously around in his mind. What next? He’d never had this happen before; sex was always easy to find. This had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with his mind and his heart. Shit. He was in way over his head.
They climbed into the car, and Drew began to drive. Ash studied Drew’s long-fingered hands on the steering wheel and thought how they would feel wrapped around his cock. He shifted in his seat. Damn, he couldn’t ever remember being this desperate to have a man. “Will you come home with me?” His voice croaked, rusty and dry.
Drew didn’t answer. He continued to drive until they pulled up on a familiar street. He parked, then shut off the engine. Ash’s breath caught in his throat as they faced each other.
“No, I won’t. You’re coming home with me.” Drew reached across the seat, his hand extended. Without any hesitation, Ash took it and gave a gentle squeeze, then opened his door and got out. Together they walked to Drew’s building, neither speaking.
It was dark here, the leafy oak trees creating a canopy, arching over both sides of the narrow street. They blocked out the night sky, allowing mere glimmers of luminous moonlight to filter in between its branches. Ash held back, looking upward toward the sky.
“It’s so peaceful here, so safe. One could almost believe nothing bad happens in the world when you stand here.”
Drew touched his shoulder. “Come. Let’s go upstairs.”
He followed Drew, desire building with every step. By the time they’d reached Drew’s door, Ash’s heightened arousal had him trembling from restraint. Finally the door opened, and he pushed Drew inside. With a rough intensity that surprised him, Ash pressed Drew against the wall. He grasped Drew’s hips, eager to feel his hardness against his own arousal.
“I want you,” Ash gasped as he licked and nuzzled Drew’s throat. “But you need to tell me.”
Drew bucked his hips against Ash, his heavy arousal evident even through his jeans. “Tell you what?”
“That you want me. Tell me you want this, want me in your bed, in your body.” Ash bit down on Drew’s shoulder while thrusting his cock into Drew’s groin, and was rewarded with a deep moan.
“God, yes. Fuck it, Ash. I want you so badly it’s killing me. I was dying inside being without you these past months.” Drew’s lips against Ash’s cheek brushed soft and warm, his breath gusting sweet. “I’m tired of worrying about what everyone thinks I should be. I only know even when I was with Shelly, I was still lonely. And all I could think of was you.”
Ash could barely recognize his own voice, hoarse from desire and need. “I haven’t been with anyone since I met you. No one. I want you so fucking bad, baby, my head is goin’ to explode.” He pulled Drew against him. “Put your arms around my neck and hold on.”
Drew wound his arms around Ash’s neck. Ash picked him up, and Drew wrapped his legs around Ash’s waist, their cocks nestling together. “I’m taking you to bed and not letting go of you until the mornin’.”
Ash walked through the apartment holding Drew tight while kissing his neck and whispering in his ear. “I love that sexy Southern accent that comes out when you’re excited.” Drew kissed Ash’s ear. “It’s such a turn-on.”
Finally reaching the bedroom, Ash dropped Drew on the bed and pulled off his shirt. Drew’s pale skin almost glowed in the moonlit room. Ash made short work of his own shirt, pants, and boxers, until he stood naked and fully aroused in front of Drew, who stopped undressing to stare.
“I remember in your apartment how you took me in your mouth.” Drew’s fingers clasped his erection, his eyes bright with desire. “I want to do that for you.” He licked his lips and dropped to his knees. Ash almost came on the spot. When the sweet, wet warmth of Drew’s mouth closed over the head of Ash’s cock, sliding down, grazing the sensitive underside with his teeth, he whimpered.
“Fuck, Drew. I’m gonna come in your mouth if you don’ stop.”
Drew licked and swirled his tongue all around his shaft, running the tip of his tongue hard along the sensitive underside. While one hand gently pumped him, the other tickled his balls, teasing the sensitive skin.
