Chapter 9

Touching Gaige had been a mistake. It pushed Alec’s control over the edge. Worse, it snapped his resolve in two.

His desk sat right there in the corner, twenty feet away, but it may as well have been a mile. He should get right back to work. Plunge into distribution channels and figuring out what Gaige was really doing in that conference room today. What mission Seth sent him on. But Alec’s usual concentration abandoned him. Work was the last thing on his mind.

He stared at the man who’d tipped his world sideways in less than a day. No one had that effect on him. He didn’t allow it. Show an interest, have sex—fine. But it had always been easy for him to walk away if he didn’t have the time. If he didn’t trust someone, he threw up a wall. He sure as hell didn’t invite the guy into his bed.

He’d learned about loyalty and trust from his father. As in, what not to do. The old man schemed, happy to sacrifice his family and the business for a few bucks. And when he was done, his brother—Alec’s uncle—took a turn.

Alec had been digging through the ruins ever since. In business, he’d learned to keep his close circle very tight. His brothers and a few others, and even then he was careful. In his personal life he’d learned…to not really have one. Keep sex as sex and ignore the bullshit that tripped people up and had them making stupid choices.

Those lessons, the vows he’d made to himself as he rebuilt everything, seemed to abandon him when Gaige stormed into his life. Alec had no idea why this guy, or what it was about Gaige that made Alec break down the carefully constructed walls he’d put up. Hell, he’d had yogurt in his life a lot longer than Gaige but something about this one guy made Alec bend the rules.

Even as he thought it, Gaige was right there, stealing Alec’s focus. Looking like six feet of hot-and-ready action. Tomorrow he’d go back to worrying about the lying and the sneaking around. Tonight he needed Gaige’s hands on him.

Alec surrendered to the inexplicable. “Take your shirt off.”

Gaige hesitated but the look in his eyes didn’t show confusion. No, he was drawing this out. Making every second last, and it was pure sensual torture for Alec. The burning energy inside him strained for release. His head buzzed with the need for more.

When Gaige’s fingers slipped to the hem of his shirt, Alec had to fight the urge to knock them aside and tear the material off. Keeping his hands fisted in tight balls, he watched Gaige’s striptease. The slow reveal of tight stomach muscles as he peeled off an inch of shirt at a time.

Forget six pack. Gaige blew right past that number. He was lean and fit with a sprinkling of dark hair over his chest and a thin line that ran down the center then stopped.

Alec wanted to lick it. Those arms, as sleek as Alec imagined, and a collarbone that begged for his teeth. He should fucking run because this guy, from the geeky tech job to the brains to the smartass comments to that body checked every box for Alec. If his dick could do backflips, it would.

Somehow he had to create strength out of nothing and hold on. Attempt to stay sane while the world as he knew it and depended on it caved in around him.

He could not let Gaige get the upper hand.

Alec thought about skipping the kiss-before-the-action and keeping this purely physical. Nothing that could be misinterpreted. But his body had other ideas. Before his brain could come up with the right defensive move, he lowered his head. Just a fraction, but that’s all it took.

Gaige dove in. His hand slipped behind Alec’s neck, those demanding fingers in a sexy grip tight on the back of his neck. He pulled Alec in, letting their bodies fall and balance against each other.

Their mouths met. Lips parted and heat sparked between them in a kiss that shot through Alec. Hot and full, searching and wild. The kiss crushed every doubt and had his hands lifting to grab on to the sides of Gaige’s waist.

Heat poured off Gaige as Alec’s palms toured over his bare skin. Their legs tangled. Gaige’s fingers slipped through Alec’s hair.

The kiss didn’t linger or tease. It devoured. Their mouths pressed and grew more intense, more insistent, as need churned inside Alec. In desperation, he turned his head in search of air, but Gaige found his mouth again, breathing life right into him.

Heavy gasps knocked inside Alec’s lungs. He could hear panting and small noises that sounded like groaning. All of it came from him. The wanting, the diving in. Being pulled under.

He broke off the kiss and rested his forehead against Gaige’s this time. The small distance didn’t ease the pounding need to push on. “Shit.”

“I guess we found something else you’re good at.” Gaige’s amusement seeped into his voice between harsh gulping breaths.

“Okay, so we’re compatible on kissing.” Alec wasn’t sure how he found the ability to speak, but he got the words out there. “Good to know.”

“I wonder what other skills we have in common.” Gaige’s lips skimmed over Alec’s cheek. “We should probably keep testing it to see.”

With every word, Gaige’s voice dipped low, sounding like a mix of sex and good scotch. Stubble rubbed over stubble until the hypnotizing friction jolted through Alec. But Alec wanted more than a standing make-out session…and he hated that weakness. His brain screamed with the need to throw Gaige on the bed and fuck him long and hard. Slide into him and hear him beg for more.

The kick hit so hard that he tried to pull back, but his body refused to listen. His common sense ticked to a shutdown along with his ability to call this off.

“Be sure.” That’s all he could get out and even those few words stole most of his energy.

With steady fingers, Gaige reached for Alec’s hand. Dragged it right down to the front of Gaige’s boxers, over his growing bulge. Their eyes met as his palm closed over the back of Alec’s. “I’m sure.”

Heat seared Alec through the thin cotton material. His fingers melded to Gaige’s length, cupping him. Caressing as he outlined every impressive inch. One squeeze and Gaige was thick and hard in Alec’s palm.

“We can do whatever you want. You lead.” Gaige’s fingers massaged Alec’s neck. His mouth traveled over Alec’s face to his cheek, then to that spot by the back of his ear that made him tremble. Finally to his mouth.

This kiss, slower and more searching, rumbled through Alec. Gaige’s mouth danced across Alec’s, at times light and then deeper. With the back and forth lick of a tongue over his bottom lip, Gaige reeled him in. It was a seduction, pure and simple.

And now Alec wanted more.

He slipped his hand under the waistband of Gaige’s boxers. Brushed his fingers over bare skin. Kept going until he held Gaige’s cock in his palm and felt it twitch. “I’m going to jerk you off. I want you to come on me, over my hand.”

“Fuck, yes.”

The craving took over. Alec ran his thumb along the thick vein running down Gaige’s length. He was thick and full, so smooth and hard in Alec’s fingers. When he flicked his thumb over Gaige’s tip, Gaige’s whole body jerked.

“Do it.” Desperation filled Gaige’s deep voice now. “Harder.”

Gaige did some touching of his own. He smoothed his hands up and down Alec’s arms and leaned in. It was as if he couldn’t get close enough. With every pump of Alec’s hand, Gaige’s breathing grew more labored until it came out in rough, choppy pants against Alec’s cheek.

Through it all, Alec’s hand kept moving. A drop of wetness formed on Gaige’s tip. But that wasn’t enough for Alec. He wanted Gaige wrecked.

Shoving the elastic down on Gaige’s boxers, Alec freed his hand from the material. When Gaige started to protest, Alec swooped in for another kiss. This one blinding, the kind that had breath sputtering and brain cells misfiring. One that blocked out every other thought and sound.

“Trust me.” Alec quickly spit in his hand, giving him the lubricant he needed.

He kept supplies in the bathroom for when he went out, but he couldn’t break their bodies apart or wait long enough to get there. But this worked. He pumped his hand up and down. Squeezed and tightened until Gaige’s mouth dropped open.

“Damn,” he said on a moan.

“That’s what you need.” Alec had to admit he needed it, too. The feel of skin against skin. The sensation of being surrounded and touched. The kissing. Hell, all of it.

“God, yes.”

Alec pushed Gaige’s boxers fully out of the way with his free hand. The material dropped to Gaige’s upper thighs and hung there. Seeing that body, firm and lean, trailing his hands all over him, squeezing his erection, it touched off something heated and frantic inside of Alec. Something he’d tamped down for months and pretended didn’t exist except in those rare times he had a break and could let his body go. But here, with a man he barely knew, the sensations came roaring back.

Alec pumped his hand faster, working up and down on Gaige. His fingers tightened. The slick wetness eased some of that delicious friction.

He bit down on Gaige’s pronounced collarbone and felt him jump. Licking the tiny wound, Alec tasted the sweat on Gaige’s skin. Knew Gaige was so close to careening over the edge and vowed to send him there.

With one hand on Gaige’s cock, Alec slid the other around to touch Gaige’s ass. Caressed the firm cheek before slipping a finger down the slim crease.

Gaige lost it then. He didn’t shout or yell, but his body froze. Just for a second every part of him tightened and stilled. Then his hips bucked. His breathing hitched as he tightened his hold on Alec’s arms and came.

The spurt of wetness shot into Alec’s hand. Then another. Gaige leaned in, letting Alec shoulder his weight. His body grew heavier until his hips finally stopped moving.

“Damn,” Gaige whispered.

Harsh breaths still thundered in Alec’s ear but it took another second for them to break apart. When it finally happened, he glanced down their bodies. He hadn’t let go of Gaige. His hand still cradled him. It took another second for him to pull back and even then he didn’t go far. He turned to the sink and squirted soap into his fist. Washed his hands while Gaige stood there, half dazed and swaying slightly.

Inhaling, Alec tried to bring the night back into clear focus. He handed a towel to Gaige. “You okay?”

“I only came down here for food.”

Alec couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Are you sorry you made another choice?”

That seemed to snap Gaige out of his stupor. “No. Screw food.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“What about you?” Gaige reached down and tugged up his boxers. He did a shitty job because they still hung half off his hips and below the line of dark hair at the top of his pelvis.

Alec knew he wasn’t in much better shape. He still had his clothes on but his erection tented his lounge pants. Heat surged through him and he had to bite back a round of begging to go next.

Since he wanted to fuck Gaige, be inside him, Alec kept quiet. Touching Gaige had rocked him. The need spiraling inside him had him turned around and confused. He always controlled this moment. He enjoyed and took pleasure, but he could walk away. Right now, he doubted his legs would hold him if he tried to move.

“Go sit on your bed.” Gaige’s rough voice didn’t leave any room for confusion.

The bed. A houseguest. Alec never mixed the two. Starting now scared the piss out of him.

Gaige sighed. “I can get on my knees here, but it would be more comfortable over there on the carpet.”

Alec’s mind picked that moment to go blank. “What?”

“My mouth.” Gaige ran his hand down Alec’s arm until their hands met. “On you.” Their fingers entwined and Gaige didn’t let go.

He tugged Alec away from the sink. Had him partway across the floor before Alec’s brain clicked on again. “You mean a blow job.”

Gaige smiled. “Don’t worry. You’re not my first.”

The change in Gaige happened that fast. There was something about the way his eyes lit up and that sexy grin highlighted his full mouth that had Alec’s head spinning again. The idea of Gaige’s lips wrapped around him…sweet hell.

Before he could say anything or shout yes, Gaige pushed him onto the edge of the bed and dropped to his knees. Almost in slow motion, he spread Alec’s thighs and kneeled between them.

Gaige reached for the top of Alec’s pants and pulled them down. Took the briefs along, leaving Alec naked from the waist down. “You have one job.”

Not to fucking pass out. “What is it?”

Gaige pushed on Alec’s chest. “Lean back and enjoy.”

“Warning here. I’m not going to last long.” Not something he’d normally admit, but he couldn’t fight the truth this time.

“Do you want me to draw it out?” Gaige sounded far too excited about that idea. “Because I totally will.”

“I need you to suck me off. Now.” Alec wanted to reach for him, but grabbed on to the comforter on either side of him instead.

“Done.”

That was the last word Alec heard. It echoed through his head as he dropped back against the mattress. Then Gaige’s hands smoothed down his cock and cupped his balls. The touching, the hot tongue…Alec tried to silently count backward from ten to draw out the pleasure, but he was too far gone. He’d never make it to zero.

Gaige did not disappoint. His hands caressed. That warm mouth slid and sucked. He licked down Alec’s length until his hips lifted off the bed. And when he took Alec farther down his throat, swallowed Alec to the base of his cock, Alec closed his eyes and let the pleasure crash over him.

He’d made a silent vow not to reach out, but his hand slipped into Gaige’s hair. The pressure building inside had Alec opening his eyes again. He stared down and watched Gaige’s head bob up and down. Saw his lips and the wetness glistening on his mouth. Gaige so focused, so into it. It was the sexiest thing Alec had ever seen.

But still Alec held on. His thighs strained and his muscles ached from the force of holding back. When Gaige glanced up, hit Alec with an intense stare from those clear blue eyes, Alec’s body let loose. He watched Gaige suck him, saw that face. Combined with the tight fit in his mouth, it proved too much.

The revving in his body broke free and he came. His hips shifted and his hand grabbed for Gaige’s shoulders. Fingernails dug into Gaige’s skin. None of it stopped him. He lay there, taking it all, sucking Alec until his body ran dry.

His body pressed back into the mattress and his arms fell to his sides. His muscles were heavy and he couldn’t find the energy or the will to move them. For a few seconds Alec just lay there. He stared up at the ceiling and the pipes left over from the house’s industrial days.

“Damn.” Alec meant to shout the word but it came out on a long groan.

The mattress dipped beside him as Gaige kneeled on the bed. He didn’t try to lie down or crawl up higher. He stopped right next to Alec’s hip. “I’m thinking we both needed that.”

Alec hated to admit that truth. Hell, his body still ran hot and his mind raced with the other things he wanted to try with Gaige. But he shut it all off. He had to stay in control here. “I should get back to work.”

Instead of getting offended or shooting back a response, Gaige laughed. “I’m pretty sure you just dismissed me.”

The lightness in his voice eased some of the tension running through Alec. This, the joking after sex, the comfort, it was all new to him. He knew he was perfectly capable of fucking it up, but part of him wanted this sense of being able to say anything to last for a few minutes at least.

“Do you want a hug?” he joked.

Gaige’s eyebrow rose. “It is tempting to say yes just to see you panic.”

“I’m not really the panic type.” Although on this one subject Alec hadn’t really tested the theory.

“Or the hugging type.”

The mood stayed calm. Alec waited for an accusing tone to appear but Gaige seemed content to sit there and banter. Still, Alec needed one thing to be clear. He sat up until he could balance his upper body on his elbows. “Look, if you’re thinking we’ll…I don’t know, date. It’s not going to happen.”

Gaige laughed. Like, almost doubled-over laughed. It took a few seconds for him to gain control again. “You should see the look on your face.”

Because Alec had no idea what was happening. “I’m not interested in attachments or emotions.”

It seemed smart to state that. For convenience or not, they were living together after all, and Alec had every intention of moving on to sex as soon as he made sure his defenses were in check against this guy.

“Wow.” Gaige shook his head. “You are a specific type.”

The words sliced right through Alec, separating him from what he intended to say, when almost nothing else had the power to do that. “What the hell does that mean?”

“The whole I’m-an-island thing. You’re an expert.”

“Did you think the blow job would mean—”

“Stop.” Gaige stood up then and stared at Alec from the side of the big bed. “I was joking. I’m not looking for a boyfriend, Alec. It’s the last thing I want, actually.”

For some reason that last part stuck in Alec’s head. It sent his mind racing off into investigative mode. “Why?”

“My point is, if you want sex without strings, hot, dirty, against the counter, in the shower—whatever…” Gaige shrugged. “I’m fine with that.”

Fucking hell. Alec could see all of it. He wanted to try every last position. “You’re making me sorry we stopped at the blow job.”

“Why did you?”

“To see if we’re compatible.” That wasn’t really it, but they’d shared enough tonight. The pounding need that had started in his gut and hammered through all of him finally had died down. This strange compulsion to drop his rules and grab something—someone—he wanted still lingered, and that made Alec pull back and reassess. “And I think it’s pretty clear we’ll do fine.”

“Good, then you can get back to work.” Gaige winked. “I’m going to bed. Alone…well, me and the cashews.”

Alec felt the room tilt back again. This he could handle. This made sense to him. “You’re obsessed with food.”

“Next time, feed me before we get naked and you’ll be amazed how much energy I have.”

Alec intended to do just that.