“How do you feel?” Tash was halfway inside him, and Brandon wanted more. He wanted the whole of Tash, every piece of him he was willing to give.
“Wonderful,” he answered honestly. “Don’t stop.” There was an inevitability about all of this: the man in his arms, the beat of his blood within his veins, and the perfection of their bodies as they meshed together.
Tash resumed his steady thrusts, and Brandon lifted his legs and gripped Tash’s biceps, digging his fingers into the muscles of Tash’s arms and rocking into Tash’s pelvis. This settled Tash deeper inside of him, sparking a wildly passionate response from his taciturn lover.
“Brandon, God.” Tash began to stroke inside him, sparking licks of fire inside Brandon’s blood. He responded by instinct, pushing up to meet Tash’s downward slides, welcoming the incredible fullness of Tash’s heavy cock inside him. Brandon’s cock began to swell again, his balls aching with need.
Harder and deeper, Tash pounded into him, touching his gland, setting off additional fireworks of electricity inside Brandon. Fascinated, Brandon watched Tash’s cock enter and reenter his body, wanting to capture the moment when he knew his life had changed forever.
Like everything else he did, there was a quiet intensity about Tash as he made love, his concentration solely on Brandon. With a wicked smile, he leaned over and captured Brandon’s lips in a kiss so hard and deep it stole Brandon’s breath, leaving him trembling and shaken. The press of Tash’s lips and the thrust of his rhythmic strokes inside Brandon grew faster and more punishing as Brandon sensed Tash’s imminent orgasm. Their tongues tangled together, and Brandon grabbed on to Tash’s shoulders and wrapped one leg around Tash’s hip, forcing their bodies harder and closer together. Tash cried out and came, pumping hot and deep inside him.
After a moment, Tash collapsed on top of him, their sweat-slick bodies melding together as neither one had the energy to move. A bit shy but wanting to prove to himself how real this was, Brandon ran his hands over Tash’s naked back, smoothing over his shoulders, down his rib cage, until he reached the dip of Tash’s lower back.
Tash’s breathing remained steady, yet Brandon sensed the escalating rhythm of his heart. With a tentative touch, Brandon drew a finger down the crease between Tash’s ass cheeks, silently thrilled when Tash hissed his approval and even shifted a bit to give him better access.
“If you want to play some more, let me get rid of the condom first.” Tash lifted up on his elbows, his eyes soft and sated. He leaned down to place a gentle kiss at the corner of Brandon’s mouth, but Brandon turned his head so that their lips met full on. There was no sense of urgency now, however, as their lovemaking had taken the edge off their previous passion. While Brandon loved the wildness of making love with Tash, he discovered he also loved the quiet aftermath, and wound his arms around Tash’s neck, wishing he could hold on to him forever and keep the demons at bay.
“Hey, don’t worry. I’m not disappearing.” Tash drew back and slid out of Brandon’s body. “I want to get rid of this and clean up a bit, okay?” Brandon’s newly opened passage ached, and he winced and shifted in the bed, hoping Tash wouldn’t notice. Lucky for him, Tash was too busy tying off the condom and dropping it in the wastebasket. Tash left to go to the bathroom located in the corner of the bedroom. Brandon heard water running, then as quickly as he was gone, Tash returned with a warm damp washcloth.
“Here, you’re all sticky and that can’t be comfortable.” He swirled the washcloth over Brandon’s stomach and chest until all the dried residue of his semen had been removed. Though it was a small gesture, for Brandon, who’d never been completely intimate with a lover, it was a big deal. It showed Tash cared. Their eyes held each other’s gaze as Tash continued to wipe him down.
“Thanks,” he whispered, unable to voice fully his thoughts and emotions, somewhat overcome by the enormity of what he’d done. He’d known that eventually he’d have sex, but the need for this man above all others was something Brandon hadn’t expected.
Though he’d been attracted to a few guys in high school, he’d ruthlessly and swiftly squashed those feelings, unwilling to be the subject of beatings, scorn, and ridicule, which was the standard practice in his small community toward anyone who was different. Certainly it was toward homosexuals, who, as he heard muttered in school hallways and bathrooms, had no business being alive. And when he’d been homeless, he’d rather have starved than sell himself for a few dollars. His health wasn’t worth it.
But tonight opened his eyes to what he’d always heard, how magical and beautiful the act of sex could be when it was between two people who cared about one another. And now he also knew that no matter how Tash protested that he didn’t want Brandon or that their age difference was too great, Tash cared about him. Whatever help Tash needed to get over his former lover, Brandon would give.
Watching Tash from beneath lowered lids, Brandon didn’t know when he’d shifted his outlook and decided to risk everything he’d kept secret all these years. But he did know he’d be making a great mistake if he didn’t put aside his own fears and help Tash take a chance at life again.
Brandon wanted to be that chance. Together the two of them would help those kids and help each other.
“What has you so deep in thought, hmm?” Tash lay next to him, and Brandon, enjoying his warmth, turned into his chest. To his delight, Tash slipped his arm around his shoulders to hug him close. Brandon rested his head against Tash.
“Nothing. I was only thinking about stuff.”
“Stuff, huh?” said Tash, his amused voice bringing a smile to Brandon’s lips. “So it would be all right with you, then, if I interrupted you to ask why you’ve been lying to me?”
Chapter Ten
Tash hated to do it this way, especially when he had Brandon all relaxed in his arms. It had been years since he’d held someone after sex, years since he’d experienced the intoxicating pleasure of making love to someone who sent him hurtling off the precipice into a mindless whirlpool of bliss.
He had with Brandon, and it scared him to death. But, as long as it had been since he’d had sex with anyone, he’d recognize a virgin in a moment, and Brandon had been a virgin, of that he had no doubt. When he’d breached Brandon at first, he’d wanted to stop but knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. They were so far gone in the moment; Tash couldn’t ruin the man’s first sexual experience.
And the absolute mind-blowing rush of their lovemaking scared him with its intensity. He’d never been sucked into such a vortex of want and need so deep that the only thing he could think of was this man with his supple young body and trusting eyes urging him on with soft, urgent cries.
But now that they’d come down from their emotional, sexual high, Brandon had some explaining to do. And from the way Brandon stiffened in his arms, Tash knew this wouldn’t be an easy or quick conversation.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
But the hesitation and guarded tone in Brandon’s voice told Tash everything he needed to know. He removed his arm from underneath Brandon and, with regret, moved away from his heat.
“Come on. Don’t lie to me. I can take a lot of things, but not someone lying to me.” He stared off into the deepening shadows in the bedroom. “I had that once before and barely made it through, so tell me.” He focused back on the bed, his gaze sweeping across Brandon’s naked body. Christ, the man was gorgeous. Determined to keep his thoughts on the subject at hand, he focused on Brandon’s face and sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a virgin?”
Was he mistaken, or did a flicker of something like relief flash in Brandon’s eyes? With a defiant tilt to his jaw, Brandon glared at him before sitting up in the bed.
“If I’d told you, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.” A small smile touched his lips. “I’m not going to apologize for that. It was incredible.” Brandon swept his hand across Tash’s chest, gliding down to his abdomen.
Heat pooled in Tash’s groin, but he refused to allow Brandon to whitewash the issue or play duck and glide. “That isn’t the point. Why did you lead me to believe you had experience? Hell.” He shook his head and massaged the back of his neck. “How can you of all people—good-looking, young, and so caring and concerned—howcanyou still be a virgin?”
