The world exploded. Rhys smelled of beer and mint and cologne. His lips were rough and unyielding, his jaw scraping Jevon’s face, and Jevon’s whole body caught alight.
But too soon, it was over. Rhys pulled back, his eyes wide, and panic seized Jevon’s chest. Fear of rejection roared in his ears like a gathering storm and he willed himself to walk away first. But he couldn’t.I want this.I need this. Please, let it be real.
“Fuck it.” Rhys tightened his grip on Jevon’s hand and yanked him outside. He pushed Jevon against a cool brick wall and kissed him again.
Jevon gasped.This is madness.It seemed like mere moments ago that he’d been disparaging men who apparently couldn’t wait until they got home, and now he was snogging Rhys in a grotty alleyway.How did this happen?
As they kissed again, over and over, he had no idea, and the will to care evaporated. He slid a hand under Rhys’s jacket, roaming the hard flesh there, then grasped Rhys’s bearded jaw. The contact grounded him as Rhys bruised his lips, but did nothing to calm the inferno raging in his blood. Heat pooled in his groin. Tension fought the constraint of his tight jeans and a desperate moan escaped him.
A rumbling groan shuddered through Rhys too. He kissed Jevon one more time, then broke away, dropping his head onto Jevon’s shoulder, breathing heavily. “Wow. I only meant to ask you if you wanted to get some cans and watchMatch of the Day.”
Jevon swallowed, his heart kicking the shit out of his ribcage. “Sorry.”
Rhys chuckled darkly. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Whatdidyou mean?”
Rhys pressed harder against Jevon, the dark sweatpants he wore doing nothing to hide the bulge inside. “I’ve been trying really hard not to do things like this.”
“Kiss blokes?”
“Pick up blokes in bars.”
“Oh.” Having spent most of the last year trying to find the courage to do just that, Jevon didn’t know what to say. Disappointment warred with relief. Rhys was the bones of every fantasy he’d ever had, but his confidence and poise were terrifying.I don’t know how to be with a man like this.
Rhys sighed and knocked his head on Jevon’s shoulder. The outline of his cock against Jevon’s thigh was distracting—consuming—but Jevon forced himself to meet his gaze as he traced Jevon’s lips with the tip of his finger. “My brain’s imploding,” Rhys whispered. “But I’m not an axe murderer either. Come home with me... please?”
Two
It took Jevon all of three seconds to decide to go home with Rhys. Nerves still raged in his gut, but the ever-rising booze buzz made them easier to ignore as Rhys kept hold of his hand.
They wove through the busy London streets. No one glanced their way, but Jevon felt their connection like a giant neon sign and kept his head down, not looking up until they reached a converted apartment block.
Rhys fumbled with his keys, laughing at himself as he dropped them multiple times. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m not usually such a twat.”
A slightly hysterical chuckle burst out of Jevon. “It’s okay. I’ve made a living at being a bit of a twat.”
Rhys shot him a quizzical glance, but the door swung open before Jevon could explain himself.
He followed Rhys inside and up a utilitarian staircase. “You don’t use the lifts?”
“Nah. I like my food too much.”
Made sense, though from behind, Jevon couldn’t see what Rhys had to worry about. His legs were long and lean and led up to a perfectly round arse that begged to be touched, kissed, bitten... fucked—
Jesus.Had tequila always made him this horny?
Rhys’s flat was on the third floor. He unlocked the door and beckoned Jevon inside, flipping the lights on to reveal a tidy studio apartment. “The sofa folds out to a king-size bed.”
“Okay.” Jevon gulped, cold sweat beading the back of his neck. Was he really going to do this? Hook up with a bloke so gorgeous it was hard to believe he was real?What if—
“Hey.” Rhys appeared in front of Jevon and snapped his fingers. “We don’t have to do anything if you’re not feeling it. Things got heavy at the pub, but I meant it when I asked you back for a drink and some TV footie. I’ve got a wicked bottle of Grey Goose, and I genuinely enjoy your company.”
Jevon swallowed thickly again. “I don’t know how you figure that when we’ve only spent ten minutes chatting, but it’s not—it’s just—” Justwhat? Was he really drunk enough to reveal something so personal to a man he’d just met? “I—uh—haven’t done this much.”
“Ah.” Understanding dawned on Rhys’s face. “And here’s me laying it all out like a professional or some shit?”
Another nervous chuckle escaped Jevon. “I didn’t thinkthat.”
