His cock was hard against Jason’s body, heat and slickness between them, as he moved—small, restless shifts that made both of them shudder. The sound he made wasn’t words, just breath and need, and Jason stroked warm skin, trailing his fingers down the small of his back. Riley’s breath hitched, and the next movement was sharper, more desperate. He swore softly, once, and then went still, shaking with it as wetness spilled on Jason’s skin, face buried in his neck.
Then he relaxed on top of Jason, his heart pounding against Jason’s as he gave a short, breathless laugh. “Didn’t plan on that,” he murmured against Jason’s skin.
Jason didn’t care about the wetness and stickiness between them. He didn’t care aboutanythingexcept Riley. He held him tight, his face buried in Riley’s short blond hair.
He suddenly realized he was snuffling Riley, his wolf coming unbidden to the surface. He stopped, because that might freak out a non-shifter. But that didn’t stop him wanting to mark every part of Riley with his scent, wanting Riley all over him, to draw Riley’s scent so deep inside him that it became part of him.
Riley let out a small sound, not quite a laugh, and nuzzled against Jason’s neck in return. “That okay?” he murmured. Not just about the sex, Jason thought, but about all of it.
Jason tightened his arms in answer.
“You smell amazing,” Riley said quietly. “Like the woods after rain.” He huffed a soft breath. “That’s weird, right?”
“No,” Jason said. “Not weird.” Not at all. It made him feel wanted.
Chapter Eleven
RILEY
Riley hadn’t come that fast in—hell, he couldn’t remember when. The rush of it still buzzed through his muscles, a hot, dizzy hum that left him breathless and a little stunned. Jason’s skin was still slick against his, the smell of him everywhere. He hadn’t meant for it to happen like that, but something about Jason had short-circuited everything.
Not what he’d expected. Not at all. It shouldn’t feel like home, the way Jason’s fingers brushed his jaw. But it did.
This wasn’t how hookups went. Hookups didn’t make him feel wanted, not past the moment when they’d both gotten off. Yet the way Jason had reached blindly for Riley as he’d gasped out his climax—that did.
His heartbeat was still a little fast when he levered himself off Jason to lie beside him instead of squashing him. And then he slid his arm across Jason’s chest, because for an instant Jason hadlooked worried as he’d moved, as if he were leaving. God, no. Riley wasn’t going anywhere until he’d recovered fromthat.
Okay, it had been a while since he’d last had sex, but that still didn’t account for just how good it had been, given that they hadn’t reallydoneanything. Almost dangerously good, because it had left him craving more. If he were actually to fuck Jason? It might just kill him. Be worth it, though.
He flopped onto his back, staring at the ceiling. His body still thrummed, and he realized how much he liked having Jason’s warmth pressing lightly against his side. Usually, either he or the other guy would be getting dressed right about now, and leaving. He should be.
But Riley didn’t feel that urge. Jason was comfortable. Easy. Not something Riley was used to or something he should want, but kind of nice all the same.
Unlike this damn motel. Staring up at the ceiling, he noticed for the first time the large brown water stain. “God, this place is a real shithole.”
Jason stiffened beside him. “It’s not much, but Mrs. Carmichael’s tried to keep it going,” he said reproachfully. “Her husband ran out on her. She’s done the best she can.”
Riley needed to watch his mouth. Evidently, his opinion of the people he’d met so far in this town was very different from Jason’s.
“Must have been tough for her,” he said, hoping to soothe Jason.
“From all I’ve heard, she’s better off without him,” Jason said. “He kept cheating on her.”
He stilled for an instant before moving away from Riley slightly. When Riley turned his head to look at him, Jason was watching him closely, eyes painfully earnest on Riley’s face. “I never asked—are you with someone?”
Rileyblinked. What the hell kind of question was that? Heshouldhave saidIt’s none of your damn business. What hedidsay took him by surprise. “You think I’m a cheater?”
“No!” Jason dropped his gaze and his cheeks darkened. “It’s just—I just realized, we don’t know anything about one another. Not really. And some people have open relationships, and that—that would be fine.”
Except from the misery in his voice, it evidently wouldn’t be fine.
God, Riley hoped Jason didn’t think this was turning into something. Because it wasn’t. It couldn’t be.
Wanting someone was fine, but needing someone—that was dangerous. He’d learned that the hard way, first from his dad, then from every friend, every guy, every casting director who wanted him to be better, brighter,more.
So no, this wasn’t a love story.
Except maybe for the part of him that already wanted to keep Jason safe from everything. Including Riley himself.
