Chapter Fourteen

 

 

ADAM’S hand shook as he shaved, and he nearly nicked his nose. Get it together. Nothing’s changed. But everything had changed, and he was leaving tomorrow. And in just a half an hour, Jonah would be coming. To his room. And there was nowhere to go. No distractions. No work. Just the two of them. Alone.

“Join me for dinner tonight?” Adam had said after they’d both decided they were too tired to stay in town and eat. “On the down-low. My room? I’ve only used the balcony once. It’s pretty private.”

“Are you sure?” Jonah asked, though whether because he knew what might happen after dinner or because he was grateful Adam believed him, he wasn’t sure. Whatever the reason, Adam wanted Jonah to come.

“I’m sure.”

“All right.” Jonah’s smile was tentative, but Adam touched his hand.

“It doesn’t matter if you remember where you came from,” he told Jonah honestly. “I can’t say it’s not the strangest thing I’ve ever heard, but in the end, it just doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sorry we never got to eat tostones at Caribe’s today.”

“Don’t be. I had a great time.”

Jonah nodded. “I did too.”

“Eight o’clock at my place?”

“Only if you let me bring the food. The chef owes me one,” Jonah said with a wink.

“Deal. I’ll take care of the wine.”

I’ll see you then.” Jonah took Adam’s hand and smiled. This time the smile reached all the way to his eyes, where it settled into the fine lines and made their striking blue look like the color of the ocean.

Adam knew what he wanted tonight. It didn’t matter that he was leaving tomorrow. It didn’t matter that he might never see Jonah again. He wanted Jonah. Needed him. Needed to end the amazing week with something equally amazing. He hoped Jonah felt the same.

 

 

RIDING the elevator up to Adam’s room with the room service cart, Jonah was nervous. A good kind of nervous. The day had been great. Better than. Since he’d told Lorene, he’d never had the courage to tell another soul the truth. But today he’d told Adam, and Adam had believed his crazy story. It felt so damn good to be honest about things, he was bouncing on his heels by the time he knocked on the door.

The door opened a moment later, and Adam pulled him inside without a word. And before Jonah could say anything, Adam kissed him. A sweet kiss with the promise of so much more.

Jonah forced himself to pull away, then ducked back into the hallway to retrieve the cart. “Dinner,” he said and wheeled the cart inside. Adam closed and bolted the door. “I’d have brought flowers, but that might have made people suspicious. I’m sure Chef Andre’s guessed why I asked for the food, but he’s discreet.”

“Thank you.”

For the first time that night, Jonah got a good look at Adam. Dressed in a green silk camp shirt that made his brown eyes appear almost copper and a pair of jeans that fit him like a glove, Adam looked amazing. A week in the island sun had turned his pale skin the color of honey.

Jonah cupped Adam’s chin and whispered, “You look better than any dinner.”

Adam smiled. “I could say the same about you.” Jonah had worn his diamond stud and the only dress shirt he owned that didn’t sport the hotel logo. He’d bought it on a lark the last time he’d been in Punta Cana, but he’d never found the right time or place to wear it.

“It’s the color of your eyes,” Lorene had told him when she’d encouraged him to buy it.

This time, Jonah kissed Adam. Only the kiss wasn’t as chaste as the last. Jonah tasted his mouth and inhaled the crisp, clean scent of him. He slipped his tongue between Adam’s lips and explored the smooth surface of his teeth, then met Adam’s tongue and danced around it.

“So good,” Jonah whispered after the kiss broke.

Adam exhaled audibly. “You can say that again.”

“We could just skip dinner, you know. Move directly to dessert?”

Adam chuckled and shook his head. “Nope. Tonight we’re going to enjoy our meal without interruption. Take our time.”

“I like that.” Much as he wanted Adam, Jonah wanted to go slow to savor their time together.

“Wine?” Adam offered and lifted the bottle Jonah had brought.

“I’d love a glass.” Jonah followed Adam onto the balcony, where a table for two had been set with a white cloth, china, silverware, and a floral centerpiece.

With a hint of a smile on his lips, Adam lit the two candles to either side of the flowers as Jonah set the food on the table. Perfectly romantic. “It’s easier to ask for a romantic table for two if you’re a guest,” Adam said. “Although the concierge did ask twice if I needed them to prepare dinner.”

Adam retrieved a corkscrew from the table, opened the wine, and poured two glasses. He handed one to Jonah and lifted his glass. “To whatever karma smiled on me,” he said, “and decided I deserved the perfect vacation.”

“To karma.” Jonah touched his glass to Adam’s, and they both drank.

“Thank you for today,” Adam said. “It really was wonderful.”

“I could say the same. And this”—Jonah gestured to the table—“you went to a lot of trouble.”

Adam shrugged. “The staff here is wonderful. And,” he added, “they didn’t ask any questions.”

“Now I know why the balconies are a selling point. They really are private.” Jonah turned and gazed out at the gardens. The sun had begun to set, casting a glow over the trees and flowers. “I’ve always loved this time of day,” he said without really thinking. “It’s peaceful.”

“It’s the best time to be on the water.” Adam put his free hand over Jonah’s. “My dad used to take the three of us fishing when I was little. We never caught much, but the sunsets were amazing. He never mentioned it, but I think it’s what kept him trying, even though we never ended up with enough fish to eat.” He chuckled. “My mom called our catch a sushi appetizer.”

“Sounds like your father was the one who introduced you to the ocean.” Jonah imagined a young Adam looking out over the water with much the same expression of wonder as he had now.

“He was the one who taught me to love it.”

“I don’t remember, but I’d like to think my father did the same for me,” Jonah said, feeling suddenly wistful. “I know it probably sounds crazy, but sometimes I think ending up here was what I wanted. I can’t imagine being happier.” He didn’t add that the only thing that would make him happier would be someone to share it with. He didn’t want to saddle Adam with guilt—he wanted Adam to remember him and the resort fondly.

Adam drank the remainder of his glass, took Jonah’s nearly finished one, then set them on the table.

Jonah tilted his head to one side and raised his eyebrow in question. “Am I done drinking?” he joked.

“Not yet. But I’m needing something other than alcohol.” Adam slipped his arms around Jonah’s waist and closed the distance between them. He held Jonah’s gaze for a long moment, then leaned in and met his lips.

Jonah embraced Adam, closed his eyes, and let himself fall into the pleasure of Adam’s nearness. Everything about this man intrigued him, from his savvy business sense to his surprisingly open heart. Maybe there was something in Adam’s love of his family that drew Jonah to him. Or maybe it was Adam’s willingness to share his thoughts and emotions that somehow made up for Jonah’s inability to do the same. It didn’t matter. The only thing that matters is this moment.

“You taste so good,” Jonah moaned as they both came up for air.

“I’m not sure if it’s you or the wine.” Adam’s grin belied his words. “I think I need to taste you again.”

“I won’t complain.”

Adam’s kiss was more insistent than before, and his hands found the globes of Jonah’s ass this time and kneaded them until Jonah gasped with pleasure.

“At this rate,” Jonah said, “I’ll be a puddle of stupid on the floor.”

“Dinner?”

“Dinner. Please. Or I won’t be able to think straight.” Dinner might not help, but at least it would temporarily take his mind—and his body—off imagining what would come later.

“That makes two of us,” Adam said after they sat.

Jonah lifted the cover on his plate to reveal a beautiful array of miniature vegetables, new potatoes, and a lovely piece of fish. “It might be a little cold,” he said, “but the chef assured me they’d still taste good.”

“Grouper,” Adam said. “I think it’s my favorite.”

“You’re not alone.” Jonah lifted a piece of fish and sighed as he placed it on his tongue. “I’m spoiled,” he admitted. “Getting to eat five-star meals from the restaurants here is one of the best perks of the job.”

They ate in silence for several minutes. Jonah savored the company as much as the food. Probably more. He imagined meals with Adam like this every day, then laughed at himself for yet another over-the-top romantic thought. Why did he feel giddy like a schoolboy? He wasn’t like that. But here it was: the overwhelming feeling of anticipation. Elation.

“We get good fish at home, but nothing quite like this.” Adam sighed as he chewed, then set his fork down and refilled their glasses.

“I figured I’d get sick of it by now, but I haven’t. But nobody makes fish better than Lorene,” he added.

“Tell me about her?”

“Lorene? Other than the fact that she saved my life when she took me in ten years ago? She’s been a lifeline for me. A safe harbor when things get too crazy.” Jonah contemplated the fish, then added, “I’d probably have lost it if she hadn’t been so patient with me.”

“I can’t even imagine waking up with no memory of who I was.”

“There were a few days where I nearly went crazy forcing myself to remember. It hurt. It really hurt. Like my head was going to explode.” It had scared the shit out of him.

“Calm down, sweetie,” Lorene implored. “It’ll be all right. You don’t have to make yourself remember.”

“I need to remember. If I don’t….”

“If you don’t, then what?” she asked with her canny smile. “You’ll disappear?”

“Sometimes it feels that way,” he admitted.

She embraced him and spoke softly in his ear. “You won’t disappear. I have you. I’ll hold on to you until you don’t need me anymore.”

Even now the memory of her voice calmed him. Some days he’d call her just to hear her talk, and the niggle at the back of his mind that made him doubt himself would retreat and be silent again.

“I have dreams. Sometimes I wonder if they’re memories. I can remember that I dreamed about something, but when I wake up, it’s gone.”

Adam stood and walked over to Jonah, then began to gently massage his shoulders. Jonah leaned in to the touch and thought idly about making new memories. No matter what happens, I won’t forget you, Adam.

“Feels good.”

“You’re pretty tense,” Adam pointed out.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“It’s a good kind of ouch,” Jonah said with a laugh. “Really.”

“Lean your head over and try to release the tension in your neck,” Adam instructed.

“I can think of a better way to relieve tension.”

“You can?” Adam said, playing along.

“Mmm-hmm.” Jonah extricated himself from Adam’s strong fingers and stood to face him. “It involves other body parts.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” Jonah traced a single finger over Adam’s lips. “Like these.” He kissed Adam.

“Anything else?”

“Let me see.” Jonah unbuttoned Adam’s shirt. When he’d finished, he traced a finger from the indentation at the base of Adam’s neck, over his chest, and down to his waist. “All that too.”

Adam clearly struggled to keep his eyes open. “Anything else?”

“This,” Jonah said and traced a lazy circle around one pink nipple and then the other. “And this.”

Adam exhaled, and his breath tickled Jonah’s cheek. “Yes. Those.”

Jonah repressed a grin and began to lick around the hard bud, waiting until he heard Adam’s breath catch to capture it between his teeth. He alternately pulled and sucked, stopping only to take in the noises of pleasure.

Adam leaned his head back, revealing the mouth-watering expanse of delicate skin beneath his jaw. Too tempting. Jonah supported Adam’s head with a hand and began to lick and kiss his neck while pinching his nipple.

“Good Lord,” Adam hissed. “I’m not sure you’re relieving tension anymore.”

Jonah came up for breath. “No? I could stop if it’s bothering you.”

“Fuck no. You can tie me up in knots anytime you want.”

“I’m liking that idea too,” Jonah teased and felt the vibrations as Adam laughed in reply. “But we should probably move indoors.” The balcony wasn’t private enough for what he wanted to do to Adam.

Once inside, Jonah continued to lave his way over Adam’s skin, pausing to nibble on one earlobe and then working his way over to the other to give it equal attention. All the time, Adam’s breath stuttered and the rhythmic pulse at his neck quickened its pace.

Jonah’s unasked question—how long could Adam remain still—was answered when Adam growled and took Jonah’s face in his hands as he stood. He kissed Jonah and pushed him backward until he pinned him against the wall with his lips.

Jonah enjoyed being controlled as much as he enjoyed being the one in control. Adam must have sensed this, because he took Jonah’s hands and held them above his head as he slipped his other hand beneath his shirt.

“Turnabout,” he whispered against Jonah’s ear.

“Totally… ah… oh, shit… not complaining,” Jonah managed to gasp.

Adam laughed and released Jonah’s arms. “This would be a lot easier if I had better access.” He proceeded to slowly unbutton Jonah’s shirt, pausing from time to time to taste Jonah’s skin.

“Better?” Jonah asked.

“Damn straight it is.” Adam pushed off the shirt, and it fluttered soundlessly to the floor.

“Not fair.” Jonah pulled Adam’s shirt off so they were both naked from the waist up. He reached out and drew Adam to him, skin against skin, and held him close for a long moment. “Definite improvement,” he said.

“I think I can do one better.”

“Oh?” Jonah raised an eyebrow.

“Yep.” Adam undid the belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his fly.

Jonah kicked off his shoes and shimmied out of his pants. His tight-fitting boxer briefs left little to the imagination.

“Not quite good enough,” Adam said after looking Jonah over from head to foot and gesturing for him to turn around.

“Oh?” Jonah stopped with his ass facing Adam, then slowly peeled down the briefs and added a suggestive wiggle for effect.

Adam chuckled. “Tease.”

“Are you complaining?”

“Hell no. In fact, I’m perfectly happy watching the show.”

Jonah slipped off the briefs and turned to face Adam, completely and happily naked. He’d never been terribly self-conscious, although he’d never thought himself particularly attractive. What mattered most to him was that Adam seemed more than pleased with the view.

“Better?” he asked.

“Definitely.”

“It’d be even better,” Jonah said as he slipped a finger beneath the waistband of Adam’s jeans, “if you’d ditch the rest of your clothes.”

“I could do that.” Adam smiled, then added, “Of course, you could help me take them off.”

Jonah quickly rid Adam of the jeans. He rubbed his hand over Adam’s cock under the soft fabric, happy to note the soft groan in reply. He got to his knees and worked the globes of Adam’s ass with his hands before rubbing his mouth over Adam’s cock and feeling Adam grow even harder.

“Good,” murmured Adam, his voice husky and low.

Jonah pulled the back of the briefs down to expose Adam’s skin, then pulled down the front with his teeth so that the underwear slid downward. “This is much better.”

No sooner had Adam grunted his approval than Jonah took Adam’s cock in his mouth. Adam cried out in pleasure, clearly taken by surprise. Jonah smiled but did not release him. Instead he ran his tongue underneath and explored the length with eager lips.

Unlike Jonah, Adam was uncut. Long and lean but still substantial, much like the man himself. Jonah held Adam by the base, then pushed back his foreskin with his lips, taking a moment to taste the pearl of precome he found beneath, at once salty and sweet.

“Jonah…,” Adam said as if he’d intended to say something more but his thoughts had vanished with the onslaught of Jonah’s mouth.

Jonah moved slowly downward until he’d taken in Adam as far as he could and tightened his grip on the base of Adam’s cock to keep up the pressure where his lips couldn’t reach. He cupped his heavy balls, feeling the cool, puckered skin on his smooth palm, then rolling them in time with the up and down movement of his mouth.

Jonah covered his teeth with his lips and worked Adam’s cock harder, increasing the tempo. Adam rested his hands on Jonah’s shoulders, digging his fingers into the muscles there as Jonah built the tension toward a crescendo. He silently willed Adam onward, using his tongue to probe the sensitive slit before diving back down again and again and again.

Adam’s legs shook. His gasps and moans made Jonah that much harder. Jonah savored the growing intensity of his need. He thrived on the thrill of delayed gratification.

“Jonah, fuck, don’t stop,” Adam pleaded.

Jonah had already decided he wanted to taste Adam, so when Adam came, hot and thick, into his mouth, he moaned with pleasure. He swallowed Adam down, sucking every drop with greedy abandon, and licked Adam clean as his body continued to shake.

When he finished, he stood and kissed Adam, allowing him to taste himself, and shivered as Adam traced fingertips up his spine.

“Bed?” Adam asked as he backed up against the edge of the mattress.

Jonah pushed him so he fell backward onto the covers. He straddled Adam and did nothing but look at him for what seemed the longest time, a gesture that could have been awkward but felt surprisingly comfortable. The depth of Adam’s gaze held a sea of emotions Jonah couldn’t completely comprehend, but that left him with an impending sense of loss.

Stop it. Focus on now. That’s all that matters.

Jonah leaned over and licked around one nipple before taking it in his mouth and pressing it between teeth and tongue. He did the same with the other, then brushed an errant lock from Adam’s forehead. “What do you want?”

“I want you inside. I want to see your face when you come. I want you to fuck me.”

The words went straight to Jonah’s cock. He’d wanted that as well, but he didn’t know Adam enough to have presumed he wanted the same.

“Stay right there,” he told Adam, who laughed and said, “As if I’d move.”

Jonah slipped off the bed, grabbed a condom and lube from the pants he’d discarded, and met Adam’s gaze before climbing back on the bed. He slicked his fingers and pushed Adam’s legs apart, then slid between them to find the tight opening there.

“Just… like… that,” Adam said as Jonah’s finger breached him a tiny bit before moving deeper when Adam pushed against the pressure.

Once inside, Jonah tugged gently at the outer muscles, then explored deeper until Adam moaned louder. Jonah withdrew and focused on the muscles once more before returning to that point of pleasure inside that had Adam squirming beneath him.

Jonah didn’t see a hint of embarrassment in Adam’s intense gaze. He loved that Adam seemed comfortable in his own skin, and that he responded vocally to each new sensation. He loved too that Adam licked his hand and continued to stroke him. A wonderful distraction.

Jonah pressed a second finger into Adam, then a third, each time making sure to brush his prostate enough to elicit a moan or a gasp. Adam was nearly hard again.

“I’m waiting,” Adam said with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

Jonah pulled the condom from the package, but Adam took it from him and rolled it over his cock. Jonah took the opportunity to scissor his fingers, causing Adam’s breaths to stutter, interrupting his focus, and making his eyes glaze over.

“You really are a tease, you know,” Adam said, then gasped again as Jonah withdrew his fingers and pressed his cock against Adam’s hole.

“I take it that’s not a complaint,” he said. He grunted as he pushed past the first ring of muscle and waited for Adam’s tense expression to ease.

“Not… at… all.”

Jonah worked his way—all the way—inside as Adam gripped his upper arms. “Damn, you feel amazing,” he said. He began to move, slowly at first until Adam relaxed into the pressure. As he picked up speed, he closed his eyes to more fully experience the pleasure and heat of Adam’s body.

When he opened his eyes, Adam was watching him, his emotions once again visible in his warm brown eyes. He wondered what Adam saw when he looked at him and hoped someday he might have the nerve to ask him. Even though he didn’t remember his own past, he was sure he’d never met someone like Adam. Was it crazy to think that maybe he could see Adam again?

Focus on now. The rest can wait.

Jonah leaned in closer so he had no choice but to concentrate on Adam’s handsome face and the feel of Adam’s body, inside and out. Adam held his gaze captive as Jonah continued to move, deeper and slower than before, until he knew he would need to stop or he’d plummet headlong into orgasm.

“Do it,” Adam whispered. “There’ll be time for more later.”

Adam’s words released the last vestige of Jonah’s control. He came with a shout, calling out Adam’s name as he did and gathering Adam as close as he could.

Only when the condom threatened to spill its contents onto the sheets did Jonah finally disengage from Adam’s arms to head to the bathroom. He returned a moment later and pulled the covers over them, his body satisfied, his mind fuzzy with sex. He pulled Adam against his chest and sighed. He’d never felt so loved.