Page 32 of Toren

“If you want to wait, even after⁠—”

Toren cut him off, “I don’t.”

Andrew licked his lips, the importance of the promise they were making to each other not lost on him. There was an excitement about it, but everything they did sexually had an edge to it, and Andrew didn’t think official monogamy would change any of that.

“There’s, uhm, there’s a club in LA some of my brothers go to. Shit, when I say it like that, it makes it sound really creepy.” He scrubbed a hand down his face, cheeks warm to the touch.

“Rapture,” Toren said simply.

“You know it?”

He shrugged casually. “I haven’t been there a lot, but a friend of mine has started going more often. The one who found you on One Night Stand.”

“Oh, that makes…no, that doesn’t make sense. That’s cool? Is that cool?” He laughed nervously. “I don’t know what to say when you find out someone you know goes to a BDSM club on the reg.”

Toren laughed at that, a broad smile splitting his face that had Andrew so overwhelmed there was nothing he could do besides lean forward and kiss Toren until he was smiling just as widely. They broke apart for air, Toren’s eyes sparkling in the dim light of Andrew’s living room.

“Are you asking me to come to a BDSM club with you?” Toren asked, teeth digging into his lower lip. “I know about it, but I don’t necessarily think I’m⁠—”

Andrew raised a hand to stop him. “It’s not always the way you’re thinking. There’s a lot more than just…” he trailed off, not finding the words.

“I’ll go with you,” Toren said so he didn’t have to keep looking. “I think I’d do pretty much anything with you. If you asked.”

“Would you have a late-night snack with me?” Andrew asked. “And then let me take you to bed?”

It was the only thing in the world Andrew wanted—to feed Toren and lay him down, kiss every inch of him, inside and out.

Toren grabbed his hand, brushed his lips across Andrew’s knuckles. “I’d love to.”

CHAPTER 11

Toren

Three weeks passed in a haze of sweaty weekends and late-night phone calls, and there was no indication the relationship between Toren and Andrew was anywhere near cooling down.

Toren woke up on Saturday morning, blinking the ceiling of a hotel room into focus. Andrew had made plans to see his brothers for dinner Friday night and had invited Toren along to make a weekend of it. Friday night sent Andrew off with his brothers, Toren off to grab a drink with Riggs. His relationship with Ev’s husband was still tentative, but both of them were trying. After that, he and Andrew had planned to have a lazy afternoon, a night out at Rapture, and then head home Sunday morning to get back into the swing of things for work on Monday.

Andrew was beside him, curled into a ball with his face buried in Toren’s armpit. He’d come back to the hotel late from dinner the night before, tasting like bourbon and ice cream, and he’d kissed Toren like he was air. They’d fucked against the door of the hotel room, Toren’s knee hiked over Andrew’s arm while Andrew drilled into him with enough force to make Toren’s teeth chatter.

They still hadn’t gone bare.

The test results had come in weeks before, clear for both of them, but the first night with their heads pressed together, Andrew set his phone down on his thigh and made an unhappy sound in the back of his throat.

“It’s still not safe to fuck you raw,” he said sadly.

“What?”

“I just want to be sure.” Andrew shoved his phone out of the way. “Some stuff takes longer to show up. I’m trying to be responsible.”

Toren wanted to argue, but he appreciated the concern. They had both gone to the clinic on Thursday, the second round of testing hopefully enough to make Andrew feel safe about forgoing condoms. Toren woke up with a clear health panel in his email and the hope Andrew had one to match. He kissed the top of Andrew’s head, smiling into his hair when Andrew drew in a deep breath, nose pressed against Toren’s skin.

“Are you awake?”

“Barely.”

“Do you want coffee?” Toren asked.

“I think I might die without it.”