“I had my dick inside you twice last night, Tyler. How much closer could we get?”
It took Marcus many minutes of deep, persuasive kisses to rid Tyler of his confusion. When he pulled away though, the ground under his feet reeled, and Marcus needed a moment to compose himself.
They remained standing close; Tyler’s hands rested on his shoulders while he clasped Tyler around his hips. He nuzzled Tyler’s ear, then pleaded with him.
“Come on; you have to help me out here. They’re all coupled up, and the last thing I want is to listen to them be all disgustingly loving and happy.”
An amused glint lit Tyler’s eyes. “And you hate that, huh?”
“Bet that sweet ass of yours I do.” He gave Tyler’s ass a squeeze for effect, and the light in Tyler’s eyes smoldered.
“If you want me to come, you’d better get your hands off my ass.”
Marcus’s lips curved up in a grin as he popped open the button of Tyler’s jeans and drew them down.
“I definitely want you to come; in every way possible,” he said, and sank to his knees, uncaring of how late he might be to meet Zach and Julian.
*
The argument overTyler’s living conditions resurfaced on the way to the restaurant and started with the doorman hailing them a cab.
Tyler nudged Marcus. “Tell him we don’t need a cab. We can take the train.”
Hopefully Tyler was kidding; Marcus couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on the subway. “Hell no. I don’t take the train. That’s what cabs are for.”
But Tyler wouldn’t back down, and by his narrowed eyes and the mutinous set of his jaw, Marcus could tell the argument meant more than a ride on a train.
“I don’t need to travel by cabs everywhere. I’m used to taking the train. Plus,”—Tyler took a deep breath then exhaled—“you can’t keep paying for me for everything. I’m not your charity case.”
“It’s what I’m used to. I’m not forcing it down your throat.”
“But you are. You’re so used to it that you don’t even notice anymore.” Becoming red-faced, Tyler gestured with his hands. “But I’m not into being dominated or bullied by anyone, no matter how large their checkbook.”
Normally so calm and unruffled, Tyler’s blowup surprised Marcus. Remaining silent, he studied Tyler’s angry face. There’d never been anyone Marcus had ever been with who cared how much money he spent. If he took them to dinner, he’d always pay, and inevitably his date would order the most expensive item on the menu. Perhaps they thought it was their payment for having sex; in truth, Marcus never cared enough to find out.
Tyler’s sense of self-worth and fierce independence were a welcome change from the men he knew used him as much as he used them. And Tyler’s viewpoint wasn’t coming from a selfish place. Marcus enjoyed their battle of wills. Tyler’s reluctance to accept his help forced Marcus to change his outlook on certain aspects of his own life and, strangely, didn’t send him running in the opposite direction as it usually did if the men he took to his bed tried to bend him to their desires.
“So,” he said mildly after Tyler had stopped talking. “You want to start taking the subway. I can do that, I suppose.”
He didn’t know whether to laugh or be offended at Tyler’s skeptical gaze, but he waved off the doorman’s assistance and began walking.
“Let’s go. We’re already late.”
Tyler laughed and pulled his arm. “First of all, if we’re late, it’s all your fault.” His eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and Marcus’s breath caught at the wave of desire sweeping through him. How wrong he’d been to think one-time sex with Tyler would end his lust. Even with his body heavy and sated from the sex they’d had right before leaving the apartment, Marcus wanted him again. He’d never had the urge to kiss someone as he did Tyler right now. And since he never held back on what he wanted, he took Tyler’s face between his hands and kissed him hard, imprinting Tyler’s laughter on his lips.
“Second,” said Tyler after they’d stopped kissing, “you’re going the wrong way. The subway station is behind us.”
Lighter than he’d been in years, Marcus took off running down the block. “What are you waiting for?”
Tyler caught up easily, and they raced down the steps to the sound of the oncoming train. Since Marcus didn’t have a train pass, he borrowed Tyler’s, and they slipped in right before the doors closed.
It had been years since he’d been on the subway, but it wasn’t the dirty, overheated mess from years past. Then again, it was only three stops to where they got off.
“See? That wasn’t so bad,” said Tyler.
“It wasn’t horrible.”
They entered the restaurant, and Marcus spotted Steph, who waved to him and pointed to the table, already occupied by his friends who were on their first round of mimosas.
