Wordlessly, I set my duffle bag down next to his backpack and step up behind him, slipping my arms around his waist. He’s still stiff, but he leans back into me, closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath.
“This is so... much,” he breathes, and then he turns around in my arms, letting his head drop to my shoulder. “I hope I don’t screw up—”
“No,” I cut in, and I let my hand rub up his back slowly. “No, you’re not going to. You’re amazing, and tomorrow is going to show Vera that.”
He feels so tense and tight, even as he nods and at least pretends he hears what I’m saying. My hands find his hips, and he straightens up and lifts his eyes. I smile softly and lean in to kiss him, a brief touch at first.
He wants more; I can feel it as he presses himself up against me and opens his mouth and swipes his tongue along my lowerlip. He wants more, and I do too. But I want to take care of him tonight. More than anything, I want to help him feel relaxed and comfortable and loved. So I flex my fingers into his hips and push him back slightly, breaking the kiss. He grumbles, but I shake my head and laugh lightly.
“Here, sit.” I guide him back to sit on the bed, and then I kneel in front of him and reach up to touch the sling holding his left arm. “Let me help you take this off?”
When he nods, I help him, slowly undoing the Velcro of the strap that goes around his neck and then lowering the sling itself. He shrugs his shoulder with a grimace, as if testing out how it feels. I know it’s not nearly as painful for him anymore—nothing like it was almost a month ago, when the injury first happened, or three weeks ago, when his asshole ex-stepfather attacked him at the library. And thankfully, the injury has responded well to the conservative treatment his doctor and physical therapist recommended. But I’m still careful nonetheless.
“Okay?” I ask.
“Yeah. Stiff, but I’m fine. Thank you...” He trails off, shaking his head like he wants to say something more. When he doesn’t, I settle my hands on his thighs, squeeze gently, and then let my fingers trace upward until I reach the waistband of his slacks.
“How about a quick shower, and then we can go to bed?” I suggest. “Unless you needed something to eat or anything first?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, the snacks on the plane were enough. Um... a shower sounds good, though.”
“It soundsreallygood, right?” I wiggle my eyebrows at him, trying to be silly, and it’s enough to get me a semi-annoyed grin and a light shove.
“You’re just horny,” he says, and he rolls his eyes at me as I shift both of my hands back to his thighs to keep myself balanced. “Wasn’t last night enough for you? All that getting up close andpersonal with my ass? You seemed to enjoy yourself, if I recall.”
Blood rushes to my cock at the reminder. Last night... Fuck, last night was incredible—fingering him for the first time. Hearing him gasp and moan when I curled my fingers up and found that perfect spot. Then sucking him dry when he came.
“You seemed to enjoy yourself too,” I counter, lifting my eyes.
He’s smirking now, and he leans forward and runs his fingers up my arms. “I did. It was fucking amazing.”
My skin tingles where he’s touching me, and my heart’s hammering. I groan again, letting my hands inch back up to his waistband. He stops me, his hands covering mine.
“Hmm, you know,” he says, his fingers teasing along the backs of my hands and then up my forearms and back down again, “Iamkinda tired. It’s late. And tomorrow’s a big day.”
I’m still new to all of this, but he sureseemslike he’s deliberately taunting me. His touch is playful, and his eyes are shining. But the last thing I want is to read the situation incorrectly. So I quietly agree. “It is late, and tomorrow is important.”
I hold his gaze, trying to figure out exactly what he wants. When his lips quirk up into a crooked, silly smile and his hands push mine down to the top of his thighs, I’m pretty sure I have my answer. I let my fingers brush along the length of the bulge in his slacks, and he groans, his cock throbbing in its confinement.
“Well, if you’re too tired...” I trail off with a shrug and start to move my hand away, but he stops me, tightening his hands on mine. He pushes one hand inward more until I’m cupping his hard cock through his pants.
“Mm-hmm. Yeah. Too tired,” he mumbles, and then he groans and screws his eyes shut. “Jesus fuck,” he hisses, and with another groan, he adds, “I mean, oh, wow, yeah, I’m... just so tired.”
I laugh, glad I know exactly how he’sreallyfeeling now, and then I bend down, because I just can’t stand not to, and nuzzle myface into his groin. “We should sleep, then,” I say, stroking his dick as I press my lips against him and inhale deeply. “So you can rest.”
“Uh-huh. Yeah. God, holy... fuck,” he breathes, both of his hands now threading through my hair.
“Mmm, although, if you’re too tired”—I run my lips along his length, humming as I go—“maybe you need help getting ready for bed.”
His dick throbs against my lips, and he chokes out, “Yeah. Yeah, I might.”
I shift slightly, resume stroking him with my hand, and then press a kiss to his inner thigh, letting my other hand run up to tug lightly on his shirt. “I can do that. Undress you. Help you shower. Wash you. Thoroughly.”
At my last word, he moans, a low, rough sound that makes my cock pulse, and then he says, “Th-thoroughly, huh?”
“Yep. Gotta be clean.” I kiss his thigh again and tighten my grip on him through his pants. He mumbles another couple of curse words under his breath, and I chuckle against him. “How does that sound?”
He nods quickly, and I grin up at him, then start undressing him. I move slowly and carefully, teasing him with every touch while also making sure I don’t hurt his shoulder. His polo shirt comes off, followed by his belt, his shoes and socks, and his slacks. My fingers trail all along his skin, up his calves, brushing the insides of his thighs. By the time I’m inching under the bottom hem of his boxer briefs, he’s gone quiet, his eyes closed lightly and his breathing controlled and deep.
