Mitch looked up over the rim of his coffee cup at Jonah. It was hard to believe they were really sitting together talking in person after all this time.

Jonah still looked just as good as ever. Just like Mitch remembered him.

No, not just as good.

Better than ever.

“I’ll be honest,” Mitch said. “It’s been so long that I didn’t know if you’d even still want to come here with me.”

Jonah’s eyes went wide, then laughed. “I know it’s not really funny, but… I was worried about the same thing. It’s just… you never know, right?”

Mitch grinned, wondering why he’d ever doubted how strong their feelings had been. Of course the friendship they had could withstand a little break in communicating. They were both busy. They both had lives, and they were both old enough to understand that.

But damn, it felt good to know for sure.

“You’re exactly right,” Mitch agreed. “But I should have known it was a sign when we saw each other at Rocket. I mean, what are the chances that we’re both back here at the same time after both being gone all these years? It’s like…”

“Like it was meant to be,” Jonah finished for him. “Like kismet. Fate.”

Mitch didn’t normally do all of that woo woo fate stuff, but he had to admit that it was a hell of a coincidence, at the very least.

Besides, being around Jonah had always made Mitch start to believe in things he normally wouldn’t have.

“So what have I missed?” Mitch asked. “Doesn’t seem like a lot has changed around town—this place is still here, and Rocket…”

“I don’t know, to be honest. I just got back in town myself.” Jonah shrugged. “From what I’ve seen, though, there’s definitely more options for shopping now. And takeout. There’s a Chinese place just outside of town that I’ve been meaning to try. But I’m pretty sure Grind and Rocket are always going to be fixtures in Hidden Creek.”

Mitch nodded. Maybe it felt like things hadn’t changed much because he had only visited their old hangouts so far. Sitting at Grind for hours and drinking too much coffee had been the thing to do when they’d been in school. The same with late night greasy breakfast at Rocket. But now that Jonah had pointed it out, there were some new places that had popped up in town, as well as plenty of diverse new faces.

Sitting there with Jonah, it might have been easy to forget that so much time had passed. Jonah still looked fresh-faced and his green eyes still sparkled exactly the same way Mitch remembered from high school. But they had both changed in other, subtle ways, and so had Hidden Creek.

“So you’re back in town with Pop?” Mitch asked, taking another drink. He didn’t want the conversation to get too heavy—at least not until they’d had time to get reacquainted, but Jonah’s grandpa had always felt like family to Mitch, and had always treated him that way. He’d always seemed so big and imposing when they were kids, but there was no denying that the old man was starting to show his age. “Is he doing okay?”

“He’s not getting around as well as he used to,” Jonah answered, his easy smile dimming a little. “He’s always trying to do too much, and it’s really interfered with his recovery from the hip replacement. He’s flat-out refused to have in-home care, so I decided I’d use my vacation time at work to come down here and to hopefully convince him that having a little help around the house isn’t such an awful thing.” Jonah sighed. “I’m pretty sure he understands that’s why I’m here, but as long as we can both say it’s just an extended visit he seems okay with letting me help out for now.”

“Sounds like he’s keeping you on your toes. Not that I would have expected anything less,” Mitch said, feeling relieved that there was apparently nothing more serious going on. Along with Rocket and Grind, Pop Riley was another Hidden Creek fixture that couldn’t be replaced.

“It’s definitely a balancing act to make sure I’m there when he needs me but to also respect his space and independence—two things he happens to be very protective of. But anyway, how about you?” Jonah asked. “What’s been going on in your life lately? I assume that you being here means you’re done with the Marines?”

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Mitch nodded slowly, taking another drink. “I always assumed I’d be in the Corps for life, but then I fucked up my knee and they sent me packing. Now I’m sort of at a loss. I needed that kind of structure and stability and sense of belonging in my life. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks feeling kind of aimless. Things are starting to look up, though. I’ve got the house and some job prospects, plus enough money in savings to get me through at least a few months.”

“It’s good that things are looking up,” Jonah said, smiling. “And maybe you can at least enjoy sleeping in and taking it easy until you start something new. You definitely deserve good things in your life. And at least your dad seems to be, um… supportive.”

Mitch shrugged and bit back a sarcastic remark. They both knew that the word supportive was a bit of a stretch, even if Mitch’s dad was being uncharacteristically helpful at the moment. Not that he had anything to lose by helping Mitch with the house. Sure, he had co-signed for the bank loan, but Mitch had been the one to come up with the deposit and Mitch was the one making the payments. In the end, his dad still got to say he was helping and Mitch got his own place, so they were both pretty happy with the arrangement.

“He’s come through for me with this deal on the house,” Mitch said, as diplomatically as possible. “I’m hesitant to say it, but maybe he’s even mellowing a bit in his old age.”

Jonah pressed his lips together and Mitch thought for a moment that he might have more to say on the subject, but the cloud over his features only lasted a moment before his green eyes started to light up again.

“So it sounds like you’re really putting down roots here?” Jonah asked. “I mean, just with the house, though, right? It’s not like you’ve made long-term plans like… getting married, or um, engaged… have you?”

Mitch felt the corners of his mouth turn up as he tried not to smile. He knew exactly where Jonah was going with that line of not-so-subtle questioning. And Mitch was more than happy to answer truthfully.

“Nope. Nothing like that on the horizon for me.” Mitch finally couldn’t hold back a grin. “Why do you ask? Did you want to hang out while we’re both in town? You could come over later if you want, you know. After we leave here.”

Now Mitch was the one who was being completely transparent, and he knew it as soon as the words left his mouth. He couldn’t help it, though. Being around Jonah—seeing the way his expressive features still gave every single one of his thoughts away—made Mitch remember just how much fun they used to have together.

Both clothed and otherwise. Not that he needed too much of a reminder.

It had pretty much been the only thing on Mitch’s mind from the moment he’d made eye contact with Jonah at Rocket until now, several hours later.

“I, um… I hadn’t really thought about it too much,” Jonah said, even though the delicious shade of pink that was spreading from his chest over his whole face told a different story. “But I mean… if you want me to, then, um… okay?”

When the last word came out as more of a squeak, Mitch knew for sure they were both on the same page. Even without hearing it in Jonah’s voice, Mitch could see it in his eyes.

They were still into each other. That hadn’t changed at all.

Thank God.

Coming back to Hidden Creek was turning out to be one of the best decisions Mitch ever made.

And this was only the first week.

“Here we are,” Mitch unlocked the front door and pushed it open, ushering Jonah inside. “I know it doesn’t look like much right now, but I think the place really has some potential. I’ve got big plans for it, and nothing but time right now.”

Mitch watched as Jonah walked in ahead of him, following Jonah’s gaze as he scanned the barely furnished living and dining rooms.

“It’s not nearly as bad as you made it sound,” he said. “I expected to see scaffolding and ladders and tarps and stuff.”

Mitch laughed. “Well, no… it’s not quite that bad. It’s habitable, at least. But it does need a lot of work and a lot of love to make it look the way I’d like.”

“I guess I’m still trying to get used to the idea of you putting down roots here.” Jonah gave him an inquisitive look. “Weren’t you the one who told me once that you couldn’t ever see yourself settling down in one place?”

Jonah was looking at him like he was skeptical. And okay, so maybe Mitch hadn’t really ever had roots before to know for sure… but it sounded nice. And it felt nice, too. At least for now.

His dad, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather had all made their careers in the military, so it was just a given in the Davis household that they’d end up moving every few years. The longest he could remember staying in one place was during high school when they moved to Hidden Creek.

So when Mitch thought about home, this was the first place that came to mind. Plus this was where Jonah lived—the best friend and only love Mitch had ever known.

“I thought you might be… excited… about the idea of me being close by again,” Mitch said, taking a step closer to Jonah and reaching out to tilt his head up slightly.

Jesus, even after all these years, there was something about Jonah that took Mitch’s breath away. He was pretty—not a word Mitch was used to applying to a man, but it was really the only word to describe his soft, creamy skin, his sandy brown hair that always seemed to catch the sunlight just right and was falling down over his eyes in a way that was the perfect balance between messy and sexy.

Altogether, it was a look that only Jonah could pull off, but he did it so well it was mesmerizing. Jonah was the first and only man Mitch had messed around with, and now that they were back in the same town, he hoped they could pick back up where they had left off, at least until Jonah had to leave again.

“It does sound, um,” Jonah swallowed hard, his breath hitching in his throat. “Exciting.”

Mitch traced a finger gently down Jonah’s throat, dipping down and playing along his collar, loving the way it made Jonah suck in a sharp breath and look up at him with those beautiful sparkling eyes.

Fuck.

Mitch had wanted to draw this out, to tease a little bit before giving in and doing what he’d been thinking about nonstop up to this point.

But he couldn’t.

Couldn’t stop. Couldn’t wait. Couldn’t pretend any longer that he didn’t want Jonah naked and in his arms.

Right. Now.

“I’ve missed you,” Mitch said, his own voice barely above a whisper as he moved his hands down Jonah’s meticulously pressed polo, then lifting it up over his head, exposing that sexy, delicious expanse of chest that was still almost as smooth as Mitch remembered and quickly turning from creamy white to dusky pink. “Do you have any idea how many nights I’ve laid awake thinking of the things we used to do together?”

Jonah nibbled at his lip and nodded, wide-eyed. “Y-yeah… I, um, think I can relate to that, ah—”

He gasped as Mitch lowered his head and kissed Jonah’s neck, moving to that irresistible spot at the base of his throat where Mitch could see and feel Jonah’s pulse fluttering wildly.

Damn, how had he gone ten years without this?

How had he gone ten minutes?

“You still like that?” Mitch asked, smiling against Jonah’s skin as he continued his trail of kisses down to let his teeth graze across one of those pale, pink, dime-size nipples. “And this?”

“Oh my God… Mitch… yes, oh God.” Jonah’s fingers raked across Mitch’s back, pulling him closer and lifting his shirt as Mitch lapped and sucked and teased from one nipple to the other. Mitch paused for just a moment to raise up and shrug out of his shirt, then went back to work, trying to pull as many of those little gasps and moans as he could from Jonah.

He could have stayed just like that for hours, could have been perfectly happy just knowing Jonah was making those sexy sounds because of the things Mitch was doing to him.

Mitch’s cock had other plans, though, and was currently trying its best to burst out the front of his jeans.

As if Jonah could read his mind, he reached down and palmed Mitch through his pants, both of them moaning at the same time as Mitch’s cock pulsed against his hand.

“That’s it,” Mitch growled, rubbing himself against Jonah’s palm as his own hands moved down to the waistband of Jonah’s jeans, making quick work of the button and zipper before shoving them down around Jonah’s thighs, nearly mesmerized by the sight of Jonah’s cock as it sprang free and slapped against his stomach. “Fuck, Jonah… so fucking beautiful.”

“I want you naked, too,” Jonah panted, looking up at Mitch with pupils blown and face flushed with desire. “Please, Mitch… I’ve wanted this for… forever.”

Mitch didn’t waste any time giving Jonah what he wanted. Once they were both naked, Mitch reached out and pulled Jonah close, loving the way Jonah’s body fit so perfectly against his own, as if it had been made specifically for that purpose.

“I’ve wanted it, too,” Mitch said, kissing the top of Jonah’s head as he reached down to cup that perfect little ass. “Wanted you, Jonah. So fucking bad.”

Jonah whimpered as he ground his hips against Mitch’s, his hot breath coming in short bursts against Mitch’s skin as Mitch kneaded and caressed that soft, smooth ass.

“Do you remember—ah,” Jonah choked on the word as Mitch’s fingers teased down his crack and around his tight hole. “Do you remember what we used to do?” he asked, the words tumbling out as he tried to climb up Mitch’s body right there in the living room. “How we used to come? Together?”

“Of course I do,” Mitch answered, his voice sounding deep and gravelly to his own ears. “How could I forget, when it felt so fucking good?” Mitch pulled back just enough to kiss Jonah on the forehead, then backed up further and took his hand. “Come with me to the bedroom. Let’s see if we can still make that happen.”

Mitch had no doubt at all that they could. Hell, he was already so close that the only problem would be holding off until Jonah was ready.

“Oh, you have a bed,” Jonah said, wasting no time climbing up onto the mattress and lying back on his elbows as Mitch straddled his legs. “I mean… I was going to be okay doing this on the floor. But a bed is good.”

Mitch laughed. “I really must have made this place sound like a cave, huh?” He shook his head as he scooted closer until his cock was rubbing against Jonah’s, immediately bringing his attention back to the task at hand. “Fuck, this is going to be so hot.”

As soon as Mitch wrapped a hand around both of their cocks, Jonah let out a low, loud, porn-worthy moan and tossed his head back. Mitch reached out with his free hand, running it down Jonah’s toned chest as he stroked faster, the friction of their cocks rubbing together making Mitch’s hips jerk involuntarily.

“Oh my God, Mitch,” Jonah panted. “This is… even better… than I remembered.”

Mitch wouldn’t have believed it would be possible to get better or hotter than the memories he had of their time together, but Jonah was right. This was fucking amazing.

“You’ve got my cock so hard, babe,” Mitch groaned. “I could come just watching you right now.”

“Not yet.” Jonah raised his head and found Mitch’s gaze. “I want you to kiss me while we’re coming. I want to feel every part of you against me.”

Jesus fuck, did Jonah even know how sexy he was when he said things like that? It was enough to push Mitch to the very limit.

Mitch stroked faster, harder as he wrapped an arm around Jonah’s torso and pulled him in close. Jonah’s hands were moving over Mitch’s body, exploring and groping, caressing and scratching.

And when their lips finally met, it was sensory overload.

Tasting Jonah’s mouth brought back every good memory Mitch had ever had. It was like Christmas mixed with his birthday mixed with sex and it was intoxicating as hell.

Jonah’s hands gripped Mitch’s biceps and Mitch leaned back to look into his eyes. “Are you ready, Jonah? Are you gonna come with me, babe?”

“So ready,” he nodded frantically. “Kiss me, Mitch. Please.”

It was all Mitch needed to hear.

He captured Jonah’s mouth again, probing insistently with his tongue as Jonah’s hips bucked and he slammed himself against Mitch’s fist.

Mitch felt his balls tighten and his climax begin to surge through him just as Jonah moaned into his mouth and the first hot jets exploded over Mitch’s fist.

First Jonah, then Mitch, then both of them together, until Mitch’s abs were streaked pearly white.

Slowly, gently, their lips parted and Jonah smiled up at him as his whole body melted in Mitch’s arms. Mitch eased him back against the pillow, then rolled over onto the bed next to him, still keeping their arms and legs entwined.

Of all the things Mitch had missed about being home in Hidden Creek, there was one that stood head and shoulders above the rest, one that had seldom been far from his mind even when he’d been on the other side of the world.

One that he was so glad to have back in his arms.

Back in his bed.

Back in his life.

Jonah.