The door finally opened, and they stumbled inside. The house felt different without Eli’s presence—quieter, more intimate. Luke had barely kicked the door closed before Noah turned in his arms, pressing him against it.
“Hi,” Noah breathed, close enough that Luke could feel the word against his lips.
“Hi, yourself.” Luke’s hands found their way under Noah’s shirt, seeking warm skin. “Been wanting to kiss you all night.”
Noah’s smile was brief before their lips met. The kiss was different from their usual rushed encounters—slower, deeper, and full of promise. Luke lost himself in it, in the way Noah’s body fit against his, in how right everything felt.
“Upstairs?” Noah murmured against his mouth. “Or do you want to give my neighbors more of a show?”
Luke laughed, already following Noah toward the stairs. “Lead the way. Pretty sure we’ve scandalized Mrs. Patterson enough for one lifetime.”
As they climbed the stairs, trading kisses and touches, Luke felt something shift between them. This wasn’t just about physical release anymore. This was about connection, about choosing each other, about building something that could last.
Noah pulled Luke into his bedroom, both of them stumbling slightly in their eagerness. Moonlight spilled through windows Luke had repaired, casting everything in soft shadows. The sight of Noah’s bed—neatly made despite him saying he’d been rushed this morning—made Luke’s pulse race with memory and anticipation.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Noah murmured, drawing Luke back against his chest. His lips found that sensitive spot behind Luke’s ear. “Stay with me.”
Luke got the impression Noah wasn’t inviting him to spend the night. That much was a given. He needed to know Luke wasn’t going to get scared and run. That might have been a concern in the past, but he was hooked. There wasn’t a chance he was going anywhere.
“Always here with you.” Luke turned in Noah’s arms, needing to see his face. “I’m just processing how much has changed. How much I want this. Want you.”
Noah’s smile was soft in the darkness. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Luke traced Noah’s jaw, memorizing the feel of stubble under his fingers. “You and Eli have changed everything for me. And that should terrify me, but it doesn’t anymore.”
“It doesn’t?” Noah’s hands settled on Luke’s hips, grounding him.
“No.” The admission felt like freedom. “For the first time in my life, I’m not scared of wanting more. Of letting myself have this. Part of what freaks me out so much is how easy it was to fall in love with you.”
Noah’s kiss was gentle, full of promise. “Good. Because I’m falling for you too. I want everything with you. And I get how you’re feeling because if anyone had told me you’d be the man I can’t imagine my life without, there’d have been no doubt they were a few fries short of a Happy Meal.”
“Hey now, what’s that supposed to mean?” Luke scoffed, even though he knew what Noah was saying. In many ways, they were polar opposites. Luke felt the same way. When they were teens, being with Noah was purely a fantasy, nothing that would ever come true.
Instead of answering, Noah curled his fingers around the back of Luke’s neck, pulling him in for a firm, claiming kiss.
Luke lost himself in the kiss, in the way Noah’s hands moved over him with increasing urgency. Each touch felt like coming home, like pieces clicking into place. And when Noah began backing them toward the bed, Luke went willingly, eagerly, ready for whatever came next.
Moonlight painted patterns across Noah’s skin as Luke helped him out of his shirt. Every revealed inch felt precious, worth savoring. Gone was their usual urgency, replaced by something deeper, more meaningful.
“You’re beautiful,” Luke whispered, pressing kisses along Noah’s collarbone. “Inside and out.”
Noah’s hands tangled in Luke’s hair, guiding him up for another kiss. “Look who’s talking.” His fingers made quick work of Luke’s buttons. “Been wanting to get you alone all night.”
“Yeah?” Luke smiled against Noah’s mouth. “Tell me what else you’ve been wanting.”
Instead of answering, Noah pulled him toward the bed. They fell together onto cool sheets, limbs tangling as they sought closer contact. Luke lost himself in the feel of Noah’s skin against his, in shared breaths and wandering hands.
“Want you,” Noah murmured between kisses. “Need to feel you.”
Luke’s heart raced at the raw honesty in Noah’s voice. This wasn’t just desire—this was trust, vulnerability, and choosing to be fully present with each other. And as Noah’s hands moved lower, stoking the fire building between them, Luke gave himself over to it completely. He pulled back slightly to meet Noah’s gaze, their eyes locked in a heated exchange.
“I want that too,” Luke whispered back. “Whatever it is you need.”
Noah’s hand found its way to Luke’s chest, gripping his shoulders tightly. “I need you.” He paused, his voice barely above a whisper. “To be inside me. I don’t know if that’s something you’d even be interested in, but I’d like to know what you feel when I’m making love to you.”
Luke felt a rush of excitement mixed with apprehension at the request. It wasn’t that Luke never topped, but it wasn’t something he usually preferred. Maybe that was selfish of him, but he loved the feeling of being stretched, of a strong body pinning him to the bed as they fucked. Because that’s what he did. Luke had nevermade loveto anyone before.
Sex until this point had been about the release, but with Noah, it was the connection he craved. He nodded, his heart pounding. “I can do that,” he said, his voice steady despite the butterflies.
