But was that what he wanted?
He tapped the stack of documents Phil had produced for him to sign, running a finger over the pen that lay across it. “This sounds like an amazing opportunity.”
His uncle smiled. “I’m sorry it took me so long to see what you were trying to say.”
Avery nodded. And leaned back in his chair. “I’m going to need some time to think about this.”
* * *
“And so now I have to decide if I want to buy the firm or start looking for somewhere to live in Atlanta.” Avery panted. His cheeks were flushed.
Linc pulled him close, letting the silence settle around them. He didn’t have a good answer. On the one hand, Avery wanted to fit in somewhere so badly. This town had been his home for a long time. On the other hand, while Seacroft was imperfect, moving somewhere new would have its own problems.
“Did you talk to Wanda?” Linc asked.
Avery nodded. “Mostly. I didn’t tell her everything, but she knows leaving the firm is complicated because it’s family. She said she needs an answer by the end of the week.”
Which was technically tomorrow, but pointing that out wouldn’t wipe the miserable look off Avery’s face.
They were both still half-dressed, with Linc in his jeans but no shirt, while Avery’s shirt was unbuttoned and his pants undone but still on. It turned out Linc had a thing for Avery in his professional look. Making him come in his office clothes felt dirty and so tempting.
“What do you think I should do?” Avery asked.
Linc held himself still, though he wanted to squirm away. “I think you should do what feels right.”
Avery’s hand trailed over the front of Linc’s jeans, where he was semi-hard because he couldn’tnotbe aroused when they were this close.
“This feels right,” Avery said.
And it did. So right. It seemed impossible that they were the same age, or very nearly anyway. Avery had such big questions and had been so few places, while Linc had made his own decisions a long time ago. Keep enough distance to feel safe, no matter what it cost. Except, in keeping that distance from his family, he’d stepped right into Avery’s path. A collision like this was bound to happen; he’d known he’d finally meet someone, or even stay somewhere long enough to make friends and think about settling down.
He rolled his hips as Avery slipped his hand under Linc’s waistband.
“Feels good?” He trailed a line of kisses between Linc’s nipples.
“Yeah.” He shimmied out of his jeans while Avery continued to stroke him.
“If I lived in Atlanta, I wouldn’t be able to do this as often.”
Linc bit his lip as images filled his mind. “Yeah, but imagine the reunion sex when I came to visit.”
Avery swiped his thumb across Linc’s slit, spreading pre-come over the sensitive head of his cock. “Are you saying it’ll get boring if I stay in Seacroft?”
Boring? “Never.” Not when he had miles of freckled skin to lick and kiss, when Avery’s perfect long cock was there for him to suck, and his tight round ass was there for Linc to ruin.
“But it would be pretty good, right?”
“What?”
Avery smiled at him, lower lip caught between his teeth. “The reunion sex. We’d be on our own there. No one to bother us. Just you and me, living our lives. That would be pretty cool—oh!” He arched as Linc sucked him deep into his mouth.
But, as his nose brushed over the curling hairs at Avery’s groin, the image stuck. A fresh start. A bright apartment that was both of theirs. Avery’s face full of expectation when Linc got off his shift, or sleepy pleasure first thing in the morning. He was so caught up—in the breathless way Avery said Linc’s name as he pulled him up to kiss him, and what having that every day in a place just for them would be like—he didn’t hear the drawer opening and closing. Or maybe Avery kept the lube stashed under his pillow for easy access. Instead, the only warning Linc had was the quiet click of the cap before Avery’s palm closed around him.
“Oh, fuck.” He bucked as the friction melted away, leaving only slick warmth.
“If we lived in separate cities, this wouldn’t be my hand.” Avery tugged one of Linc’s nipples between his teeth. “You’d have to do it yourself. I don’t know if you’d like that.”
It wouldn’t be as good. Not by a mile. But the separation would be short-lived. Linc couldn’t be the reason Avery chose to stay or go. But if Avery went to Atlanta, Linc would be looking for a new job as soon as possible so he could follow him.
