When the meeting ended, Aaron headed out to his car and for a while behind the steering wheel. He wrote a text to Vance several times, but each time, he deleted it. Each attempt didn’t feel sincere enough, and he didn’t want to make Vance feel like he was antagonizing him. He cared too much about him to let him feel something like that.

Finally, Aaron found the right words to say. He read his text over several times to make sure he didn’t regret it, then sent it off to Vance.

Hey. I’m done with my meeting. Do you wanna come over?

To his surprise, he got a reply almost right away.

I’m set up at home. You wanna come to my place instead? It’s on Hayfield. You know the apartments right near the downtown core, the ones that used to have gargoyles on top when we were kids? That’s where I’m living now. 4B.

I’ll head over. Thanks for inviting me.

Aaron saw that the message was read, but he didn’t see Vance typing a reply. It’d only been a few hours since they’d last seen each other, but Aaron had no idea what to expect when he arrived. Vance didn’t want to leave his place, which must have meant he wasn’t feeling very good about himself. Aaron couldn’t think of a time, even back when they were kids, when Vance had wanted to stay in.

He had to be up to something serious.

The worry tightening in his chest wasn’t right. Maybe Teddy was right—maybe he had to be more careful with his heart. Aaron let out a slow breath and tried to push the feeling aside, but he couldn’t. He cared for Vance. He was in over his head, but he couldn’t stop now—Vance was expecting him to show up, and no matter how he tried to feel otherwise, Aaron was worried about him. He had to make sure Vance knew that he didn’t hate him.

Aaron started the car and left the quiet parking lot outside the town hall. He was almost spitting distance from the apartments Vance had described, but he felt better driving, especially since he was leaving from what very well might become a full-time, permanent position. Even if it was unlikely, he didn’t want to attract any suspicion. He’d worked too hard for this job to let his reputation be put into question.

Aaron took the drive slow. He knew where the Hayfield apartments were, but he needed some time to figure out what he was going to say. Aaron wasn’t sure if Vance was upset at him for what he’d said before, or if there was something else going on. He assumed that Vance wouldn’t invite him over if he had bad feelings, but Aaron couldn’t be certain about that. In moments like these, it felt like Vance belonged to a different species. His time in Los Angeles had set him apart, and now Aaron couldn’t figure out what was going on inside his head no matter how much he wanted to.

“Just keep your cool,” Aaron mumbled to himself, eyes set on the road. He turned off Hayfield and onto the small street leading to the back alley behind the apartments. There was temporary parking there. “He’s just Vance. It’s not like you’re expecting anything from him. Just… go in there and get it done.”

Aaron parked. He locked his car and headed for the apartment, nerves twitching. 4B wasn’t all that hard to find, and he knocked at the door, then waited. A metal bar on the other side of the door slid, and a lock clicked. Vance opened the door.

“Hey,” Vance said. “You want to come inside?”

“Sure. Thanks.” Aaron entered, and Vance closed the door behind him. He was astonished to see that the apartment was neatly kept and well organized. The furniture was sparse, but it was of high quality, and all of it matched. “I didn’t know you were into home decorating.”

“I’m a man of many surprises,” Vance said with a soft chuckle. “It’s not really a big thing… I just like things to match, and I have the money to make sure they do, so it’s not a big deal to get it done.”

“It’s not just the furniture… the way you’ve set it all up is nice,” Aaron said. “It feels very organic and open.”

“Probably because I got rid of most of my stuff before I left LA.” Vance laughed this time. “But, thank you. I’ll accept the compliment.”

“I should have brought you something,” Aaron said softly. He continued to survey the apartment from where he stood, feeling a little more embarrassed about the state of his house. “You brought me wine, after all. I should have returned the favor.”

Vance moved, and before Aaron could figure out where he was going, Vance had drawn him into his arms. He leaned close so he could whisper in Aaron’s ear, “You’ve already brought me something—yourself.”

Vance’s lips brushed against the lobe of his ear, then planted a hot kiss on the back of Aaron’s jaw. Aaron sucked in a breath and grabbed onto the front of Vance’s shirt, holding it tight. “V-Vance…”

Vance didn’t reply. His hands slipped around Aaron’s waist to his ass, and he squeezed. While he did, he pulled Aaron forward so that their groins were flush. Aaron felt the outline of Vance’s hardened cock, and excitement shot through him knowing that Vance was already hard for him. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips against the hollow of Vance’s neck, grinding his hips as his own erection grew.

“You fucking inspire me,” Vance whispered hot in his ear. “I need to feel you again. I need to know your body.”

Aaron’s hips continued to move. He was almost fully hard, and his arousal had shot sky-high. All he could manage in response was a simple, “Yes.”

Vance squeezed his ass one last time, pulling him closer as his hips moved in a hypnotic wave that almost had Aaron coming on the spot. He’d reached full mast, and he was ready. There were no voices in his head telling him that this was a bad idea, and no troubling feelings of guilt or doubt that muddied his emotion. In that moment, he wanted Vance. It was as simple as that.

Vance took him by the hand and led him through the small apartment to his bedroom. The bed took up most of the space, but Aaron didn’t care how big the room was, so long as Vance was inside of it. Vance took him to the bedside, then released his hand, stripping off his shirt in one agile movement that Aaron would have sworn he had to rehearse. He tossed the shirt aside, then undid the button of his jeans and the zip beneath. In moments, he was naked, and Aaron marveled in the majesty of his body, paralyzed by the sight of him.

Vance’s cock was thick and swollen for him. His body was toned and tight, and he was muscular enough that he had a solid build. The hair around the base of his cock was darker than the hair on his head, but still lighter than Aaron’s. It had been maintained. Aaron couldn’t remember if it had been that way the last time or not—he’d been too wrapped up in what they were doing to notice Vance’s body, and he regretted that now. Vance was jaw-dropping, and it was hard to believe that he was bringing Aaron to bed again, even after he’d already ended the chase.

Vance approached. He undid the buttons of Aaron’s shirt one by one, then tossed it aside. Both of them were silent, but Aaron’s racing heart rushed in his ears and drowned out the ambient nothing.

Vance’s hands dipped down, and before he undid Aaron’s belt and undid his fly, he groped Aaron through his pants, causing Aaron to shiver. Vance’s hands were firm, and they knew what they wanted. He traced Aaron’s cock, tightening in intervals that left Aaron breathless. When at last he stopped and removed Aaron’s pants and the boxer-briefs beneath, Aaron was entranced. He sat on the bed willingly and let Vance push him back. He was Vance’s now. His brain had rewired itself for pleasure, and he could think of nothing else.

Vance’s lips found his, not desperate, but overwhelming in their sweetness. Aaron gasped against his lips and returned his passion in kind. He barely noticed what was happening anymore. His pounding heart was his only anchor, and even it was aligned with Vance.

“I’m going to make it so you never want to leave this bed,” Vance whispered against his lips. Aaron felt their bodies shift, but he barely knew what was going on. His head was swimming. “I’m going to ruin you for other men. You’re never going to want anyone but me ever again.”

Two slick fingers pushed against his hole.

When did Vance open the lube? When did he reach for it? I’m so wrapped up in him I didn’t even notice…

“You deserve this and so much more,” Vance whispered. He kissed him again, his touch more scorching than before, and pushed his fingers into Aaron’s body. Aaron moaned into his kiss and tensed, but it wasn’t enough to stop Vance from pushing deeper. His lubricated fingers prepared Aaron, and as Aaron adjusted to them, he rocked his hips and tried to sink them deeper. Vance had blinded him with want, and he wasn’t going to deny himself. He couldn’t. “I’m going to make you feel better than you’ve ever felt before.”

Aaron was slick, and Vance withdrew. He focused on kissing Aaron again, distracting him from what was going on, but his efforts didn’t amount to much. As soon as he pressed his cock against Aaron’s entrance, Aaron couldn’t think of anything else.

“A-Are you wearing a condom?” Aaron asked breathlessly.

“I am, baby. Do you want me not to be?”

“N-No, please, keep it on.” The thought of Vance pushing into him unprotected made Aaron hot as hell, but he wasn’t ready for that yet. They were still only casually having sex. Aaron needed boundaries. “As long as it’s on, it’s okay.”

Vance pushed a little deeper. The head of his cock sank into Aaron, and Aaron squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think of the most unarousing things he could. Feeling Vance inside of him like this, sinking in inch by inch so Aaron knew all of him, had him right on the edge of orgasm.

Vance pushed the tip of his cock in and out, teasing Aaron with it.

“If you change your mind, baby, all you have to do is tell me. If it’s what you want, it’s what I want.”

“I will,” Aaron said. He sucked in a breath that did nothing to fix the ache in his lungs. “Fuck me.”

“No,” Vance whispered.

The word was so shocking that Aaron opened his eyes and lifted his head. Vance was smiling at him, just a hint of his cocky self peeking through.

“What?” Aaron asked.

“We’re not fucking today,” Vance whispered. Then he kissed Aaron, shutting them both up, and pushed deeper into his body.