Chapter Twelve

JASPER RAMMED his head into Kyle’s leg, drawing his attention out of the book he’d been reading. Then the little dog dashed to the door and back into the living room, looking at Kyle expectantly.

“Is Forrester here?” Kyle asked, setting his book down and hurrying to the front door where he’d left the porch light on.

Sure enough, the lanky silhouette of the sexiest guy Kyle had ever seen stood on the other side of the textured glass. Grinning, Kyle unlocked and opened the door. “Hi.”

“For you.” Forrester held out a paper plate covered in foil.

“You didn’t have to bring anything,” he insisted as Forrester came inside. The evening was cool and damp, but the rain had finally ended.

“Yes, I did. It’s Ma’s cheese gnocchi. And my cousin used Nonna’s recipe for the lemon cake. It’s almost as good as hers.”

Though just a polite gesture, the fact Forrester wanted to share part of his family with Kyle made him insanely happy. He lifted the foil and found a heap of cheesy pasta and a foil-wrapped piece of cake—all foods Kyle never ate.

But it smelled wonderful.

“Thank you,” Kyle said.

Bouncing with excitement, Jasper jumped up on Forrester’s legs, and his boyfriend—can I call him that?—didn’t seem to mind as he hung up his hoodie on the hall tree. Kyle liked seeing Forrester’s sweatshirt beside his coat.

Forrester said something to Jasper Kyle didn’t catch before bending over to rub the dog’s belly. Kyle had left his processor upstairs in the bedroom. He’d been so excited that Forrester was there, he hadn’t even thought about it.

A niggling itch of concern tickled the back of his mind. He studied Forrester playing with his dog, chucking the slobbery ball down the hallway. He watched Forrester’s mouth in case he said anything.

Just go upstairs and get it.

On his knees, Forrester grinned up at Kyle. “I missed you.”

He smiled, some of his tension easing. “Me too.” He pointed at his ear. “I can’t hear you.”

Forrester blinked once, then smiled. “Okay. As long as you’re okay.”

Was he okay?

“Let me go get it,” he decided. He knew it was stupid, a hang-up all in his head, but how else would Kyle explain wanting to put it back in when they had sex?

Forrester touched Kyle’s arm. Their eyes met, and Forrester pointed at the plate. “I’ll put that in your fridge for you.”

Kyle was impressed with how easily Forrester had picked up on the little clues of how to talk to him, making sure Kyle was looking at his face when he spoke.

He’s so thoughtful. Why are you letting the past ruin it?

Tamping down his worries for now, Kyle dashed up the stairs. The comfortable silence was precious to him, vital for his inner calm and well-being. However, it was usually only something he enjoyed alone.

But last night?

He was still shocked he hadn’t been nervous about Forrester sleeping over.

Granted, he’d slept lightly, waking up dozens of times. And Jasper had been there to alert him if Forrester turned out to be a klepto or a jerk who left in the middle of the night. But the fact that Kyle had trusted Forrester so easily was still a milestone.

But Kyle didn’t trust Kyle.

That was the real problem.

What if he had a freak-out in the middle of sex and scared Forrester away? That’s what happened the last time he attempted sex without hearing. His boyfriend at the time had called him mental, told Kyle he needed a shrink.

He hadn’t been wrong about the latter.

But Kyle didn’t want to explain all of that right now. For now, to keep it easy on their budding relationship, Kyle picked up his processor and slipped it around his ear.

He felt it the instant it connected. The stillness was gone. He heard the faint crackle of sounds downstairs—Forrester’s laughter and Jasper’s bark.

He checked his hair in the mirror before heading back to the kitchen.

Forrester greeted him with a smile. “I’m glad it finally stopped raining.”

“Yeah, I was able to take Jasper for a real walk.”

“I see it didn’t burn off any of his energy.” Forrester threw the ball down the hallway with the natural ease of a baseball player.

“Nope. Was everyone there today for Mother’s Day?”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t like that’s anything unusual. They get together like that every weekend. I usually try to get out of it.”

“Why would you do that?” Kyle asked in disbelief.

“I don’t know.” Forrester shrugged and took a seat at the counter. On the floor, Jasper chewed his squeaky ball like mad, trying to tear it open and get the squeaker.

Not wanting to push—pasts, insecurities, and fears would be revealed in their own time—Kyle joined him at the counter. “I’m glad you came back over.”

“Me too.” Forrester grinned and pulled him close to kiss him. Kyle held still, savoring and being savored. No one had kissed him so thoroughly before, licking his mouth, making love to his tongue.

It was exquisite!

When Forrester retreated to catch a breath, Kyle’s tongue followed, needing more. Forrester licked it lightly. Then he sucked it all the way into his mouth, loving Kyle’s tongue as if it were the glans of a cock. The silken feel of mouth on tongue made Kyle whimper. Nothing like the intimacy of kissing could rouse such a fire in his groin. Forrester caressed the length of his back, then up and down the crack of his ass, his other hand stroking his arm in rhythm.

Kyle moaned, heart pounding and cock aching. He hadn’t been able to stop imagining Forrester deep inside him, giving over to a pleasure he’d denied himself for a very long time.

Pulling his tongue from Forrester’s lips, Kyle looked deep into Forrester’s eyes. “You’re such a good kisser.” His words were slurring a bit, he could tell. But Forrester didn’t seem to mind.

“I could kiss you forever.”

Kyle grinned and nodded, too lost to passion to formulate a reply.

Forrester studied Kyle’s face. “Thanks for having me over again.”

“You’re welcome. You bring an overnight bag?” Kyle had suggested he do so and had gotten a fist-pumping emoji sticker in response.

Forrester made a face. “Yeah, I left it in my truck, though. Do you have plans tomorrow night?”

“I have to work, but I’ll be home by six. Why? You got something in mind?”

“How about a date?”

“Do I get to complain about the food?”

Forrester tickled his ribs. He laughed and squirmed away. “As long as you come, I don’t care what you do.”

“Oh, a date and I get to cum. Sounds good to me.”

“I was being serious. You ever been to the Clandestine Theater? Over by the university?”

“No,” Kyle said. “They show old movies, right?”

“Yeah, sometimes. They’re playing the original 1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

“I’ve only seen the one with Keanu Reeves.”

His jaw dropped. “What? That remake was total crap.” He raised his hands. “That’s it. You’re going.”

“Aye, aye, sir!” Kyle gave him a mock salute.

Forrester kissed him on the cheek. “Trust me, you’ll love it.”

“I do trust you,” he added softly, studying his face.

“Me too.” Forrester raised his brows mischievously. “So how about that book? Wanna read the rest?”

Kyle chuckled. “Yeah, I bookmarked the good parts.”

“Why, Kyle,” he declared, “were you reading it without me?”

“Maybe.”

His gaze grew lustful. “Did you jerk off?”

Cheeks warm, he admitted, “No, but I thought about it.”

“That’s so hot,” he said, voice lower, huskier. “Were you thinking about me?”

Kyle chewed on his lower lip and nodded.

With a hungry grunt, Forrester grabbed Kyle’s hand and dragged him back to the living room. “Where’s that book?”