Chapter Sixteen
At some point in the last few minutes, Flynn had started stroking the back of Zach’s neck.
They were both sitting on the couch, with the TV on for background noise, mostly ignoring each other. Flynn had his laptop open and seemed to be working on it one-handed, and Zach had been playing games on his phone, mentally exhausted by his longest school day for the week.
He was glad he had Flynn to come to after. Two long classesandstudio time between them was a lot to handle, and by the time he got to the end, it was nice to finish up the day with a friendly face who was eager to make dinner for him.
One day, he’d have to repay the favor. Flynn couldn’t doallthe cooking in this relationship.
Zach shivered as Flynn touched himjustright, his fingers brushing against a sensitive spot on the back of his neck. A coil of arousal tightened in the pit of his stomach, the gesture unmistakable, at least to Zach’s mind.
This felt like the very first tentative step toward foreplay, and Zach was inclined to enjoy it, but he probably needed to let Flynn know that. Otherwise, he risked him backing off.
A soft sigh escaped him at the thought, which was a start.
Flynn glanced over at him furtively, as though he was afraid of being caught doing it. He was blushing already—it didn’t take much for his pale cheeks to light up pink, even with what passed for a summer tan in Boston making him look a little healthier than Zach had seen in photos.
“Feels good,” Zach said softly.
“Yeah?” Flynn asked, his fingers not pausing for a moment.
“Yeah,” Zach agreed, shifting a little closer to him and setting his phone aside. He let his head fall back and closed his eyes, figuring that might make things a little easier for Flynn as he started to explore this.
Yesterday had been nice. Zach had never felt so understood, socared forby another man as he did by Flynn. Basking in that feeling had been incredible.
Now, he wanted more. He wanted all of Flynn, everything he was willing to give, and he wouldn’t be satisfied until he got it.
Flynn’s hand shifted so the pad of his thumb was stroking up and down Zach’s neck, slow and rhythmic, every touch sending another little spark of pleasure rolling along Zach’s spine, settling in his gut.
He wanted Flynn’s hands on him more than anything else in the world right now.
“Do you want…” Flynn began, and then trailed off, obviously not sure how to continue.
“Probably,” Zach answered, because that was true. He would have done more or less whatever Flynn asked for. He would havelikedit, because he wanted Flynn. All of him. Whatever he was willing to give.
Flynn laughed nervously. “Okay, yeah, I’m being dumb about this.”
“You’re not,” Zach finally turned to look at him, even at the risk that he’d take his hand away. He didn’t, but the stroking stopped. “It’s okay to be unsure.”
“Can I kiss you again?” Flynn asked, his voice so soft Zach had to strain to hear it.
A soft, needy noise escaped Zach’s throat as he imagined a repeat of the tender, comforting kiss from yesterday. He watched Flynn move his laptop hopefully, setting it aside in preparation.
Zach had never seen him so vulnerable. Soopen.
He doubted a lot of people got to see him like this. Deep down, under all his seeming confidence, Flynn was just as scared and needy and desperate to be loved as anyone else. The difference was that he didn’t feel like he could let it show.
To Flynn, someone was alwaysneedier.
Zach pounced, a surge of confidence lifting him off the couch and onto Flynn’s lap, his weight settling heavily enough to make Flynn grunt under him. Not that he really seemed to mind, his eyes already dark with arousal, pupils wide, lips parted in anticipation.
They crashed into each other, a moan welling up in Zach’s chest as he finally made contact with Flynn, a full day of anticipation leaving him too eager to stop now.
Flynn’s hands settled on his thighs, fingers tensing and digging into them like a cat kneading a blanket, sliding up just a little way, stopping short of grabbing Zach’s ass like they so clearly wanted to.
Zach shuffled forward so he was pressed against Flynn, chest-to-chest, and reached down to move one hand firmly onto his ass.
Flynn gasped into his mouth, his fingers tightening reflexively, making Zach rock his hips in response.
