Jonah looked out the window as Mitch drove him back to Pop’s house and tried to ignore the heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Earlier, at the restaurant, it had felt like the night could keep going on forever, like they had all the time in the world.

Now, though, it was coming to an end before Jonah was even close to being ready.

He looked over at Mitch and could see his own heavy thoughts, his own sadness reflected in Mitch’s eyes.

“I’m not ready for the night to be over,” Jonah said, finally giving voice to his emotions. “I thought maybe it wouldn’t be so hard, but I’m just… not ready.”

“I know, babe,” Mitch said, his voice tight and quiet. They came to a stop at a red light and he reached for Jonah’s hand to give it a gentle squeeze. “I’ve been fooling myself all weekend into thinking that we would somehow have more time, and now I keep having to remind myself that this really is it… you really do have to go back to New York tomorrow.”

Jonah nodded. As usual, they were on exactly the same page. As usual, he barely even needed to say anything for Mitch to understand.

And as usual, Jonah found himself wondering if giving up all of this was worth it, if it would ever be worth it.

“Take me back to your house tonight,” Jonah said, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could even think. “Please, Mitch.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, but Mitch was already turning off the main road that would have taken them to Pop’s house. “I don’t want you to do anything that you’re not certain about…”

“I’m sure,” Jonah nodded. “This is exactly what I want.”

He had zero doubts. This was how he wanted to spend the rest of the night.

With Mitch.

At Mitch’s house.

In Mitch’s bed.

“Just so you know, it’s still kind of a wreck in there,” Mitch said as they pulled up in front of his house a few short minutes later. “I mean, the water is gone, and there’s new carpet in the front of the house, but I haven’t really spent any time trying to put things back the way we had them after we finished decorating the other night…”

Jonah looked over at him and grinned as he stepped out of the truck. “If you think I’m going to be paying any attention to your kitchen accessories or sofa throw pillows tonight, you’re in for a surprise.”

Even though Jonah was joking—well, sort of joking—he could still see the heat flash in Mitch’s eyes as he spoke. Yeah, if they made it to the couch, it wouldn’t be to admire the color scheme.

Mitch came around the front of the vehicle and ushered Jonah inside the house, putting a hand at the small of Jonah’s back that sent an electric jolt through his body. Even through all the layers of clothes that were between them, Jonah couldn’t get enough of his touch.

Being close to Mitch was enough to overload every single one of Jonah’s senses. Then, once they were finally inside with the door closed and locked behind them, Mitch took Jonah into his arms and captured Jonah’s mouth, probing insistently and urgently with his tongue as his hands raced to get under Jonah’s clothes.

“Yes,” Jonah panted, breaking away to shrug out of his shirt and strip off his pants in record time. “Need you… naked…”

He could barely concentrate on anything except the urge—the primal need—inside him. Being with Mitch was always sensual and sexy and so much more than just sex, but tonight it was also about needing to connect on a level that couldn’t be accomplished with just words, or with kisses, or even a touch.

“I need you inside me,” Jonah said, voicing his thoughts and not even giving a damn that saying something like that would normally be enough to make him blush at least a little. “I need it now. Fast. Please, Mitch.”

“Oh, fuck, babe,” Mitch groaned, nearly falling over in his rush to get undressed. “You’re killing me here. Are you—are you sure?”

Jonah nodded. “Yes, God yes.”

He didn’t want to spend any more time talking, though. He needed this to happen, needed it with an urgency that was so overwhelming he couldn’t have put it into words if he’d tried.

“Okay,” Mitch said, taking Jonah’s hand and leading him through the house to his bedroom. “Fuck, I’ve wanted this for so damn long.”

He stopped in front of the bed and took a step back. Jonah could feel Mitch’s eyes roaming over his whole body, making his cock throb against the fabric of his boxer briefs—the last scrap of fabric that stood between him and Mitch.

As if Mitch had read his mind, he reached out and pulled Jonah’s underwear down, freeing his cock and watching as it bobbed into view, straining and pulsing with every beat of Jonah’s heart.

“So beautiful,” Mitch murmured, dropping to his knees and swallowing Jonah’s cock to the hilt.

“Oh my God,” Jonah moaned, threading his fingers through Mitch’s hair.

He was already so turned on that he could have come a half-dozen times by now, but he wasn’t about to let himself go until he got what he wanted.

And even though this was good—really, really good—it wasn’t the skin-on-skin friction that Jonah needed to feel. It wasn’t enough to satisfy the hunger inside him.

“Mitch,” Jonah panted, having trouble focusing on words with Mitch’s warm mouth around his cock. “God, Mitch… I need… oh, damn…”

“Tell me what you need, babe,” Mitch rocked back on his heels and looked up into Jonah’s eyes. “Anything. Just tell me.”

“It feels so nice,” Jonah took a deep breath as he tugged at Mitch’s shoulders to get him at eye level again. “So, so nice… but… I need you to fuck me now. Please.”

He didn’t care that he was begging. Didn’t care that he might sound needy or demanding or selfish.

Jonah trusted that Mitch would see through all of that to what it really was—the absolute need to feel close to him in a way that simply couldn’t be achieved otherwise.

“Get on the bed,” Mitch ordered, giving Jonah’s ass a playful swat as he turned to climb onto the mattress. “I’m gonna make you feel so good, babe.”

Jonah’s cock throbbed as he climbed onto all fours, his eyes tracking Mitch as he moved to the bedside table, watching the way his muscles bunched and flexed as he quickly pulled out a condom and lube to suit up.

Mitch grinned, but shook his head. “No,” he said, unrolling the condom over his shaft and then coating it with lube. “Get on your back. I want to look into your eyes while I’m inside you.”

Jonah quickly rolled over onto his back as Mitch came around to the foot of the bed and lifted Jonah’s legs, propping them against Mitch’s shoulders as he stepped closer.

“Yeah, just like this,” Mitch whispered, his slick fingers rubbing and teasing along Jonah’s crack until they found Jonah’s entrance.

“Oh God, hurry, Mitch,” Jonah whimpered, raising his hips to give better access as Mitch’s fingers circled his hole, dipping in and then back out again over and over until Jonah thought his cock might actually explode.

“I’ve gotta get you ready, babe,” Mitch said, grinning as he finally sunk a finger in deep. “I already know I’m gonna love every second of this, but I want to make sure you love it just as much.”

Jonah appreciated the thought—appreciated it even more when Mitch slowly added a second finger and began to stretch his tight opening.

Still, Jonah wanted more. He wanted Mitch’s cock, and if it hurt a little at first, that was okay. It would be the best kind of pain, the kind that would only serve to heighten the pleasure that was sure to follow.

“Please, Mitch,” Jonah nodded. “I’m ready. Just… please… now…”

Mitch took his fingers away, leaving Jonah feeling empty and even more needy. When Mitch finally—finally—pressed the head of his cock against Jonah’s hole, Jonah moaned and pushed back against it, gasping as it slid past the tight ring of muscle.

“That’s it, babe,” Mitch pressed forward slowly and gently. “I’ve got you, Jonah.”

Jonah closed his eyes. He could feel Mitch’s hands on his body, roaming up and down his chest and abs as he buried inch after thick inch deep inside Jonah’s ass. “Oh God, yes…” Jonah panted, wrapping his fists in the bed sheets as Mitch’s hands moved down to his cock, slowly stroking Jonah in time with each thrust of his hips.

“Is this… what you… wanted, babe?” Mitch groaned, punctuating each word with a thrust and a stroke. “What you… needed?”

Jonah opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was another low, loud moan followed by a needy little whimper as Mitch’s cock brushed up against his prostate and sent a wave of heat rolling through his body.

“That’s right,” Mitch growled. “So… fucking… sexy.”

“Deeper,” Jonah panted. “Harder.”

Mitch responded by sliding all the way in, until Jonah could feel the prickly hairs at the base of Mitch’s cock against his ass. Then he pulled nearly all the way out and slid in again, making Jonah cry out in pleasure.

“Open your eyes, babe,” Mitch said. “Look at me while I fuck you, Jonah. I want to see those beautiful eyes when I come.”

Jonah’s eyelids fluttered open, his blurred vision taking a moment to clear as he lifted his head and tried to focus on Mitch’s face.

“Keep going,” Jonah said, breathless as Mitch pounded him. “Keep fucking me while you stroke me… I’m so close…”

Mitch thrust harder, pounding Jonah’s ass and stroking his cock until the only sounds in the room were their loud moans and bodies slamming against each other.

“”I want you to come for me, babe,” Mitch ground out through gritted teeth. “Are you ready?”

Jonah nodded. “So ready… please, Mitch… yes.”

“Come for me, Jonah. Come… now.”

It was all the encouragement Jonah needed, and he felt Mitch’s cock swell as Jonah’s own orgasm overtook him. He looked down to see those first hot jets spill over Mitch’s fist as he stroked Jonah’s cock, at the same time Mitch moaned and cried out, filling Jonah with his own climax before lowering himself on top of Jonah and capturing his mouth in a long, satisfied kiss.

“Mitch,” Jonah said, breathlessly smiling up at the sexy man on top of him as he broke away from their kiss. “That was… God…”

“Was it what you needed?”

“So much,” Jonah nodded. “I want to lie here with you for a while now, but… then I want to do it again. Slower. And again. I don’t even want to sleep tonight.”

Mitch grinned and kissed him again. “I think you might be the death of me, Jonah Riley. But I’ll never say no to you.”

Jonah mirrored Mitch’s smile and closed his eyes as Mitch rolled over next to him on the bed. He’d just rest for a little while, just long enough to bask in Mitch’s arms.

But he wanted Mitch inside him again—and all night long. He wanted to remember this night for a long time, forever, just in case he didn’t make it back to Hidden Creek for a while.

Or just in case Mitch moved away again.

Just… in case.

The sun was just starting to come up over the horizon as Mitch’s truck pulled into the driveway of Pop’s house. Jonah looked over from the passenger seat and tried to smile, but couldn’t.

As far as he was concerned, there was nothing about today that he could be happy about.

“Are you sure you don’t want to head over to Rocket for some lunch later?” Mitch asked, a hopeful note in his voice. “Or… something?”

Jonah shook his head. “I would, but I think Pop will probably want to go there in a little while—it’s sort of our thing when I’m in town. You’re welcome to join us if you want, though. I could text you—”

“No,” Mitch sighed, then reached over to take Jonah’s hand. “I mean… thank you. But you and Pop should have that time to yourselves. Besides, I’m sure I’ve taken up more than my share of your time already.”

Then why does it always feel like we never have enough time together?

But Jonah didn’t voice the thought out loud. He finally managed a faint smile and leaned over for a quick kiss.

“I want to say I’ll be able to come back soon, but…” Jonah’s voice trailed off. He knew that was what he wanted to do, but he also knew he couldn’t make that promise right now. Not with everything he had to organize back in New York.

“I’d like it if you could,” Mitch said. “Or maybe I can come visit you sometime.”

“Anytime,” Jonah said, meaning it.

Jonah knew that they were both just trying to make each other feel better, though. He could see in Mitch’s eyes that he was just as uncertain about their future as Jonah was.

Now they were both just prolonging the inevitable, sitting in silence as they gave each other the same sad look.

Jonah was the first to break the silence. “I should go.”

Mitch nodded. “I know.”

Jonah watched as Mitch got out of the truck and walked over to the passenger side to open Jonah’s door.

“You’ve spoiled me while I’ve been here,” Jonah said, stepping down out of the truck. “I’m not going to know what to do when I have to start opening my own doors again.”

Mitch grinned and pulled Jonah close. “You deserve to be spoiled.”

Without waiting for a response, Mitch kissed Jonah, hard and long and so insistently that Jonah forgot for a moment that they were standing in the middle of Pop’s driveway in broad daylight.

Well… broad sunrise.

That didn’t even matter to him, though.

Nothing else mattered in that moment.

When Jonah felt Mitch’s lips against his, the whole world narrowed to just the two of them. And then, too quickly, it was over.

Mitch’s hands roamed up and down Jonah’s back one more time and then he stepped away.

“Goodbye, babe,” Mitch said, his voice cracking on the last word. “It’s been a hell of a great time.”

“It’s been perfect,” Jonah said. “I’ll see you soon.”

Without another word, Mitch climbed back into his truck and pulled out of the driveway with one last wave.

And then… he was gone.

Jonah was alone at Pop’s house, the same way he’d been a couple of weeks before when he first came back to Hidden Creek.

This time was different, though. When he’d arrived, he’d been full of nostalgia but so sure of where his life was going and how to get there.

Now, nothing made sense anymore and he was leaving with a broken heart.

Several hours had passed between the time Jonah had watched Mitch drive away and the time Pop was ready to go have lunch.

Jonah had somehow managed to wait until he was in the shower before he had started to cry, but even now—dressed and in the car on the way to Rocket with Pop—he felt like holding back the tears was going to be the thing he would be struggling with all day.

He wasn’t ready to leave.

He didn’t want to leave.

He was having a really, really hard time reminding himself what he was even going back for.

“I can see that your heart is hurting,” Pop said, giving Jonah a sympathetic look from the passenger seat as they drove through town. “And I wish there was something I could say or do to make things better for you.”

“Thanks, Pop,” Jonah sighed. “I know you would, and I love you for that. I don’t even know how it gets better, though. Easier, maybe, with time… but better?” Jonah shrugged. “I just don’t know.”

And sure, that might just be his emotions making things seem impossible or overly-dramatic in the moment, but Jonah meant the words he said. He really wasn’t sure how to get over Mitch, or how to pretend like he hadn’t already spent a lifetime hoping things might actually work out between the two of them.

But it hadn’t happened yet, and Jonah was seriously starting to wonder how long he could keep that dream alive.

“They say there’s only one thing you can do when you’re going through hell,” Pop said, his voice sounding uncharacteristically shaky as they pulled into the parking lot of Rocket. “All you can do is keep going. Keep going until you get through it.”

Jonah nodded, realizing for the first time that he wasn’t the only one who probably felt like the dream was coming to an end. There was Mitch, of course, who almost certainly shared that view. But then there was Pop.

He had always been the biggest cheerleader for Jonah and Mitch when they were younger. And now, Jonah could see that Pop really had set his hopes on things working out between them. He already thought of Mitch as part of the family—he had just been waiting for Jonah to make it official.

“You’re right,” Jonah said, finally looking over as he parked the car and turned off the ignition. “That is all I can—are you okay, Pop?”

It only took a glance to see that something wasn’t right.

Pop had a pained expression on his face and winced as he took a breath, but still nodded his head as he opened the car door and unbuckled his seatbelt. “I’m… I’ll be fine, it’s just a…”

Jonah didn’t wait for Pop to finish talking. He wasn’t going to let Pop try to stand up and get out of the car before finding out what in the hell was going on.

By the time Pop had stuck a leg out and his foot reached the ground, Jonah had rushed around the car to be at his side, reaching down to steady him.

“Let’s take it easy for a second, Pop,” Jonah said, trying to sound like he wasn’t completely panicked on the inside. “I can take you back home if you’re not feeling well… and we’re just down the street from the hospital.”

Pop shook his head as he reached for Jonah’s hand, and Jonah’s nerves weren’t helped at all when he noticed how clammy Pop’s skin was to the touch. A light sheen of perspiration had even broken out across Pop’s forehead.

“I’m… I’m okay,” Pop insisted as he struggled to pull himself out of the car with Jonah’s help. “I’m just feeling a little—oh, God.”

He fell back against the seat and clutched at his chest as all the color drained from his face. Jonah stared for a split-second in wide-eyed terror as the strongest man he had ever known seemed to crumple right in front of his eyes.

“No, no no no,” Jonah fished his phone from his pocket, then dropped to his knees next to Pop, wanting to comfort him but afraid to make any sudden movements as he dialed 911. “Pop, it’s going to be okay. Do you hear me? This is going to be okay. You’re okay.”

Even as he rattled off the symptoms to the dispatcher on the other end of the line while Pop struggled to breathe, Jonah knew this was not okay.

This was bad.

Very, very bad.

The ambulance had to hurry.

Pop had to make it.

The alternative was unthinkable.

But as Jonah stayed there with Pop, feeling more helpless and afraid than he’d ever been before, the unthinkable seemed to be happening.