Ethan finished brushing his teeth and spat in the sink, his eyes avoiding his flushed reflection in the mirror. He looked around the small bathroom, his pulse pounding steadily in his veins. Joe’s grooming products lined a couple of narrow shelves and his bath towel was draped across the heated rails next to the shower.

The room smelled of Joe. In fact, Joe’s entire flat smelled of him.

Ethan closed his eyes and dropped his forehead against the mirror as he recalled the possessive look in Joe’s eyes and his commanding tone when he’d ordered Ethan to grab a bag and come stay at his place.

Though Ethan had wanted to protest that this was a step too far, even he had to concede that what had happened had unnerved him.

That the stalker had been so close to them, watching them as they shared an intimate kiss, sent another shudder through Ethan.

He splashed water on his face, dried himself on the guest towel Joe had given him, and exited the bathroom. Four steps brought him to the living area and the couch Joe was preparing for him.

“It’s a bit lumpy, but I think you’ll be okay,” Joe said, dropping a pair of pillows on top of a blanket.

He’d changed into gray-checkered pajama bottoms and a dark blue T-shirt.

Ethan swallowed as he glanced at Joe’s muscled arms.

“Thanks,” he murmured with a nod.

An hour later and Ethan was still nowhere near falling asleep. He’d tossed and turned, his mind filled with everything that had happened that day—from the amazing date he and Joe had shared and their thrilling kiss, to the terror that had filled him when Joe had vanished into the night after Ethan’s stalker.

The minutes had felt like hours as Ethan waited, stomach twisting while he glanced repeatedly at his cell, wondering whether to call the cops but knowing they wouldn’t be able to do anything unless Joe caught the guy. Ethan’s feet had taken him to the door several times, his entire body eager and straining to give chase. Frustration had gnawed at him when he’d realized he wouldn’t be a match for the giant figure who’d been stalking him, however fit and strong he was. Panic had twisted through Ethan at the thought that Joe might not be able to fight his stalker off either.

Ethan wanted nothing more than for the man who’d filled his life with fear to be stopped. But he could never forgive himself if Joe got hurt in the process.

Ethan twisted on the couch again, the springs moving and digging into his hip. He stared at the open doorway of the dark bedroom ten feet away, sighed, and rolled onto his back.

Shadows suddenly shifted on his right. He looked around, alarmed, and saw Joe walk out of his bedroom.

“If I hear those goddamn springs creak one more time,” Joe muttered as he crossed the floor to the couch.

Ethan stared up at him in the gloom. “What are you—”

Ethan’s breath left his lips in a whoosh in the next instant, his sentence cut off mid flow as Joe lifted him in his arms and tossed him unceremoniously over his shoulder. Joe ignored Ethan’s incoherent protests and headed back into his bedroom.

Ethan gasped when Joe dropped him on his bed and climbed in after him. Joe tucked Ethan’s head in the crook of his right elbow, wrapped his left arm around Ethan’s chest as he rolled him on his side to face the window, and nudged his knees behind Ethan’s, spooning him.

Ethan’s heart hammered in his chest, the sound so loud he wondered if Joe could hear it and feel it against his arm. The scent of the man holding him and the large body pressed so intimately against his overwhelmed his senses, robbing him of the ability to speak. Heat flooded Ethan’s cheeks in the next instant.

“Joe?” he breathed.

“Yeah?” Joe muttered, the rumble of his voice vibrating against Ethan’s back and sending a shiver down his spine.

Ethan swallowed.

“Is that a stick in your pants?”

Joe sighed.

“Shut up and sleep, you little cocktease.”

Ethan stifled a groan.

Sure, like that’s gonna happen with your dick against my ass.

* * *

Joe blinked groggily.

Soft light bathed his bedroom, the curtains at the windows muting the sun’s rays to an orange glow. He rubbed a hand across his face where he lay on his back and glanced at his watch.

It was eight in the morning.

Joe became aware of a weight pressing down on him and looked south. His breath caught in his throat.

Ethan was sleeping with his head tucked against Joe’s chest, his right arm flung carelessly across Joe’s body while his right leg rode high across Joe’s thighs. Joe’s pulse picked up as he stared at the bartender’s gorgeous face. Ethan’s long eyelashes rested against his creamy skin, the cocky mouth that usually challenged Joe relaxed in sleep and parted on soft, slow breaths.

Shit, he’s even sexy when he’s out cold.

Joe carefully folded his arms behind his head and settled down to watch Ethan sleep, a warm feeling slowly filling his chest as he gazed at the blond head moving gently with each rise and fall of his rib cage. He refused to analyze the emotion yet again, unwilling to give it a name, knowing that doing so would jeopardize the walls he’d built around his heart.

* * *

Ethan stirred, his mind fuzzy with sleep. He buried his face in the pillow and was snuggling into it when he realized it was hard, warm, and very much alive. He stiffened, his eyes slamming open. Ethan looked up and locked gaze with Joe where the latter lay watching him with an amused expression.

Ethan opened and closed his mouth soundlessly, mortification rendering him speechless when he registered the wanton way he was sprawled across Joe’s body.

“Sleep well?” Joe drawled.

Ethan cleared his throat and nodded before carefully rolling off him.

Joe’s arms snaked around Ethan’s waist.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

He tugged. Ethan gasped when he suddenly found himself completely on top of Joe.

Oh God.

Heat shot through Ethan at the feel of all the lines and angles of Joe’s hard body pressed against him.

Joe grinned and brought his head up. Air locked in Ethan’s throat when Joe stopped an inch from his mouth, his breaths sending tingles through Ethan as they washed across his lips, the expression in his hazel eyes taunting Ethan. Daring him. Ethan moaned and leaned down to press his mouth against Joe’s.

A loud rumble erupted from somewhere between them.

Joe blinked before bursting out laughing.

“Shit.” Ethan closed his eyes briefly and groaned, embarrassed at his stomach’s untimely interruption. Joe’s body shook beneath him as he chortled. “It’s not funny,” Ethan muttered. He pushed up to straddle Joe.

The new position stopped Joe short. His eyes darkened as he watched Ethan above him. He sat up, one hand rising to Ethan’s back to pull him in, need flashing across his face as he brought his mouth up to kiss Ethan.

Another rumble boomed from the pit of Ethan’s stomach.

He covered his face with his hands. “For fuck’s sake.”

Joe collapsed against him, his head dropping against Ethan’s chest, his laughter echoing around the bedroom.