River woke with a disoriented start and took in the late afternoon hour before falling back against his pillows with a curse.
He’d promised to be there for Ash, and he wasn’t. He’d been called away during the night to the delivery of twin foals. Had been up to his elbows in horse placenta as he steered the young safely into the world. It was dawn when he’d arrived home, showered, and slumped to bed.
“Ash?” He ducked into the guest room to find it unsurprisingly empty. Did he think the guy would wait for him all day? He called Ash’s phone, but no answer.
He tried Ben’s next. “All flustered there, River?”
“I let him down.”
“I believe a lot of people have let that guy down,” Ben said. “You are not one of them.”
River swallowed a sudden lump.
Thankfully, Ben kept talking. “He got the keys and I dropped him off at Silver Pines this morning.”
Really? “He opened?”
“Either that or cleaned all day.”
River thanked Ben. He rushed a shower to clear the sleep off him, yanked on some clothes, and burned rubber to Silver Pines.
He expected to find Ash nervously pottering behind the counter. But no. He was standing on a chair reading aloud to a dozen kindergarten kids gathered at his feet. The weekly reading! River had completely forgotten.
And look at Ash, the natural. Going solo.
Kids and a few parents gazed with wide eyes and little claps as Ash jovially recited a Scandinavian fairytale. He gestured widely and made up mean voices for the villains, confident ones for the heroes.
The scene filled his chest with a warm laugh. River snuck behind Ash, leaned against a shelf at an inconspicuous angle, and admired.
He wouldn’t have Ash between the sheets.
But by God, he’d have him as a friend.
* * *
Ash finished the fairytale with a flourish. A success, he thought.
The clapping of little hands hinted at that too.
He’d panicked when the first kids had run in ahead of their exhausted parents. He’d never been so happy to find Lester’s children’s book section. He might not be versed in more serious literature, but he’d read his fair share of kid’s stories.
A throwback to when his mom had thrown him out and he’d begun reading to young Danielle. He enjoyed performing over-the-top retellings of stories. It was fun, pure and simple.
It also felt like he was establishing a connection with his grandfather.
Something they both loved doing.
Kids stood up from the floor, swarming his feet. He answered questions, balancing on the slightly uneven chair.
“Will you be here next week?”
“Will you be here every day?”
“Wish we could have two stories.”
“You look like Lester. Was he your granddad?”
He almost toppled at the last question. A hand cupped his hip and another the chairback, steadying him.
He caught his breath at River beside him, playfully shaking his head. “One of these days, you’ll fall again.”
Again? Who said he’d stopped since the last time?
He banished the stray thought, and hurried down from the chair.
* * *
After closing time, River helped medicate Chucky with those calming hands of his. Finished, he perched on Lester’s couch with clasped hands.
Ash petted Chucky near the coffee table. Exhilaration pulsed through him. He’d had fun today. Ran Silver Pines completely on his own. Tasted the life that could be his.
It made him want to celebrate and immediately tell the suits that he’d changed his mind.
Except Danielle.
This week was more about vacationing from his real life than choosing a life that benefitted mostly him.
Chucky meowed under the squeeze of his hand. He let go, and she scampered to River’s lap.
She enjoyed having River touch her, pet her, hold her . . .
“So,” River said.
“So,” Ash confirmed.
What happened now?
They both opened their mouths to speak, when Ash’s phone rang. He answered Danielle’s call. Accidentally on speaker phone.
“I scaled a thirty-two-foot telephone pole. It’s as close to pole dancing as I ever want to get to in my life.”
“Glad to hear it,” Ash said, while River laughed.
“Am I on speaker?”
“Yeah, can’t figure. Stupid phone. River’s with me.”
“Hey, River!” Danielle said.
“Space camp sounds adventurous,” River said.
Ash gave up on figuring out which button to press to keep the call private. “What’s up? Missing me?”
“As much as you are me.”
“You poor thing. You should come back home.”
Danielle laughed. “I’ll be home soon enough. Days are flying by. Tonight is an evening off for the advanced group. Lila wants to catch a movie but I’m kind of out of money?”
Ash clamped up. He had barely anything in his account. Nothing in his wallet.
“I mean, I can borrow twenty from Lila, but I’ll need to pay her back as soon as I’m home. Will we have that?”
“I took the week sick. It’s unpaid. Haven’t agreed to selling Silver Pines, either . . .”
“Oh, right,” Danielle said. “No problem. I have this awesome chapter on 3D printing, anyway!”
River caught his gaze and held it. His hand flew to the phone and he spoke into it. “Your brother will have the cash to give back to Lila.”
“Really?” she asked, excited.
“Really?” Ash asked River, soft as a whisper.
River gently placed Chucky onto the cushion beside him, withdrew his wallet and took out some notes. Quietly, just for him. “I promised I would pay you for taking time off. I meant it.”
Ash mouthed, “Thank you.”
Into the phone, River spoke to his sister. “Go to your movie, Danielle. Have fun.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Make sure my brother has fun too. Get him drunk. He’s never had the chance. But also, take care of him.”
River ended the call. “Looks like you have no choice, Ash. It’s two against one. Tonight you’re having fun with me.”
Ash pushed to his feet and moved in front of River. He took River’s offered money and slid it into his pocket. “I have a choice, River. It’s three against none. Let the fun begin.”
* * *
On the way to River’s, they made a pit stop at a liquor store. River bought a bottle of Talisker, and Ash gripped it between his thighs in the passenger seat, playing with the neck of the bottle. River ogled him like he was being obscenely dirty.
Ash stilled his fingers at the tip. “Is the plan really to intoxicate me?”
He tried tamping down the urge to be lustfully reckless by focusing on fun in light of their friendship.
Tried to tell himself he was in control.
But he didn’t want to be.
River snuck another look at his thigh-clenched bottle, and Ash cocked his hips, angling the bottle.
He needed one single night of thoughtless fun. This was both thoughtless and fun.
“You don’t get drunk on Talisker,” River rasped. “You savor it.”
“No pounding it down?” Ash asked not-so-innocently.
River’s eyes narrowed, and his fingers flexed around the wheel. “I love whiskey you can pound down. But sometimes you need something special. Need to experience a whiskey’s unique taste.”
Ash wasn’t sure which one sounded better. “We should have bought both kinds.”
River shook his head and laughed, and boy did the laugh sound dirty. “I didn’t think you were a whiskey drinker at all.”
“I’m not. At least, I haven’t tried.” He glanced at River. “Maybe teach me and I’ll find out?”
River didn’t answer. Not until they arrived back at his place. Not until—thanks to Ben and Landon yelling in the living room—they were upstairs, hovering in the hall between their two rooms.
River reached for the bottle, gripping the neck below Ash’s hand. Their skin pressed, River’s warm against his cool. Electricity surged through him when River looked him steadily in the eye. “You might not like the taste.”
Ash’s breath hitched. “I’ll never know if I don’t try.”
God, he wanted to try.
* * *
Ash looked at River like a man desperate to leave responsibility at the door and give in to his body.
Ash allowed himself so little, and River instinctively knew he had to give this to him.
He tried to warn his body of the danger. Tried to make himself stop and send Ash to the guest room.
He should do better than break Lester’s promise. Should know better than to give himself over to a curious man who had made it more than clear he wanted an escape from his wearying life. Was only looking to binge-fuck while he had the chance.
Lester wouldn’t want him to . . .
Goddammit, River should stop this.
He couldn’t.
He slipped a hand around Ash’s waist and pulled him tight. The bottle pressed between their chests. River’s thighs meshed to Ash’s, their hard crotches mashing together with needy friction.
He forced away all thoughts of Ash’s curiosity and focused on the need fizzing between them.
River had to taste him.
Ash gulped, and River cradled his jaw, searching his eyes. Quickly finding that pleading desperation.
Their breaths tangled, warm, soft, quivering with tangy desire. River spoke against his lips, “My room.”
He knotted his fingers in Ash’s hand and pulled him into his room. He dumped the bottle of Talisker into the lap of Patchy McCuddles on the armchair next to the door. Crowded Ash with his larger frame against the wall. His arm snuck to the right as he dimmed the lights. Warm, ambient light outlined Ash’s high cheekbones in amber.
Ash slid his palm up River’s chest, stopping when his middle finger hit his clavicle.
River waited. No pressure pushed him away. Just breath shuddered against his neck.
If Ash wanted to have fun with a guy, River would take the chance to show him the possibilities. Nothing sugar-coated and cheap, but real, raw, sensual.
* * *
Ash gulped as River sank his tight body against his. Their trapped cocks bumped together.
Ash curled his hand into River’s shirt and urged him closer still. It would be easy to slide his tongue against that dark bottom lip. Easy to lock into a fast and furious kiss.
If Ash couldn’t hold himself back from chasing after the feel of River against him, he’d at least keep from kissing. Kisses were the gateway to the heart. Ash wouldn’t be fool enough to give that key away to have it tossed in his face.
Before their lips touched, Ash tilted his head and River’s lips grazed Ash’s jaw.
* * *
The gentle grit of half-day beard brushed over River’s lips, and Ash’s body rocked against him with a shocked gasp that tickled through his ear.
The surprised, rough sound of it stoked River’s arousal. God, he shook to have this man in his bed. For an hour. For the whole night. For—
He scraped his teeth at the base of Ash’s neck in a pseudo bite. The most vulnerable place there, at his jugular. Vulnerable, like Ash was in his arms, giving in to him with whole-hearted trust.
Vulnerable, like River was in Ash’s hold.
He pulled back. Ash’s gaze clasped onto his with a hot, give me more smile. His cock urged him forward against him, seeking pressure. Begging to be touched, squeezed, sucked.
The man was driving him insane.
River reached for the hem of Ash’s shirt and drew it over his head. Ash shoved up his in return and they were grabbing at their zips and drawing off the jeans.
River’s cock sprang mercifully free of his boxers. The cotton slipped and clung at his ankles.
Thumbs hooked at his hips, Ash stopped peeling his pants off, gaping at River’s cock. River swiveled his hips, and wrapped a hand around his shaft. He gave it a languid pull.
Ash’s eyes flared with sex, and he shoved off his underwear. River kicked away the bunched material at their feet.
There was so much of Ash to admire. His shapely chest, tapering to narrow hips, the dusting of light hairs over his chest, the darker treasure trail leading to a tight patch of pubic hair. And his cock. It pointed right at River like he was the only thing it ever wanted.
It might have been a lie, but it was one River responded to.
River pulled Ash to him, Ash’s cock prodding gently against his balls. His hands stroked across Ash’s skin, scoping his body to convince himself this was real. Ash lay naked in his arms.
Ash licked his neck, one wet line that tingled when he pulled away. His voice rasped. “Please.”
Somehow they made it to the bed. River crawled over Ash. Ash, who eye-fucked River slowly, hand-working his thick shaft. So debauched. So beautifully wild with need.
Skin met arousal-flushed skin, and River covered every inch of Ash’s long, sculpted limbs.
Ash moved his needy, inexperienced hands over River’s shoulder blades, wild to experience more of him. His heart drummed against River’s. The base of his jaw twitched before every groan.
River nibbled the base of Ash ear. “What do you want?”
“Y-your mouth.”
River smiled against Ash’s skin and lifted onto his hands and knees, moving down Ash inch by inch.
The sweet, musky scent of his warm skin made River lightheaded. He flicked his tongue against the puckered nipple on his tight pec.
Ash groaned, arching into his mouth, begging for more.
River grazed his teeth over the tip, River’s cock straining in the air, where he held himself in agonizing check.
“Do you like this?” He pinched Ash’s left nipple, sucking on his right.
The responding buck had air shifting over his balls.
“Fuck. I want you. I need—”
River needed no further begging.
He moved down and curled his tongue around the blunt head of Ash’s cock. Ash tasted of salt. His girth deliciously rubbed over River’s tongue, pushing against the back of his mouth.
Ash grabbed the rungs on the headboard behind him and thrust up, seeking more of what River was offering.
Ash might never have been with a man and his heart might not be in it, but his body knew what it wanted.
River grasped the tight globes of Ash’s ass and steered his thrusts. He glanced up. Ash’s eyes never left River’s mouth. He watched River take his cock, and lust flooded into his bucking hips. River moaned.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” Ash said, between pants.
Ash’s slick cock pistoned deep into River’s mouth, the head hitting deep in his throat.
“I want more. I want—”
River slid his fingers down Ash’s crack, eliciting the filthiest moan. River almost came at the sound of it.
River nudged his entrance again, spurring Ash into quick, erratic fucks.
River’s cock pulsed as he imagined burying himself balls deep in that beautiful clenching ass.
“River.” Ash’s warning came late to his tongue. His cock surged into River’s mouth as he shot his load.
River ached inside and out. His cock strained, begged for release. His heart thumped wildly at the sound of his name on Ash’s tongue.
Usually, he held out a long time, teasing his partner senseless. This time he craved release.
He shuffled forward between Ash’s legs and gripped his pulsing cock.
Ash watched with half-lidded eyes as River worked himself. Ash bit his lip, rising onto his elbows, clenching his thighs around River’s legs, encouraging him.
“Come on me,” he said.
That husky growl threw River over the edge and he unleashed over Ash’s navel. Ash’s stomach quivered at the touch.
And if the release weren’t powerful enough, Ash cinched it by looking right into his eyes with a soft smile.