28. Alex
CHAPTER 28
ALEX
T he August heat had us both sweaty and disgusting by the time we made it back to the hotel, but a shower—a long, shared shower—took care of that in short order. It also made for some very sexy foreplay; I swear, there was never going to come a time when I got tired of making out with Connor and turning him on until he was trembling and begging.
We stopped kissing and pawing at each other long enough to dry off. Then he led me out of the bathroom and pulled me down onto the bed, and we were off and running again. His hands slid all over my skin as if he were memorizing me. In the beginning, I’d assumed he was simply indulging in the novelty of being with a man. More and more, I thought this was just the way he was—so deliciously tactile.
He didn’t just touch and feel me with his hands, either. Every time we landed in bed together, I was treated to this man’s eager, explorative mouth. Had I just been with a string of guys who didn’t spend enough time kissing my neck? Or was this something Connor in particular loved to do? Either way, he never missed an opportunity to let his lips skate up and down the sides of my throat, pausing to nibble my earlobe or my collarbone, or press a kiss beneath my jaw. Despite his recent inexperience, he was completely confident about giving head, and his ministrations on the way down from my neck always had me trembling and gasping before he even touched my dick.
And once he did reach my dick…
“God, Connor…” I ran shaky fingers through his damp hair, careful not to push his head down. “Fuck, yeah…”
He groaned low in his throat, the vibration thrumming against my sensitive skin, and I had to bite back a cry that probably would’ve carried through the whole hotel. Some people did actually nap during siesta, and my few remaining functional brain cells at least tried not to disturb anyone.
It wasn’t easy, though. Staying quiet and considerate was a chore and a half with Connor’s tongue working that mind-blowing magic from the base all the way to the head of my cock. And then he fluttered his tongue over my balls, and I almost came unglued.
“Fucking hell, baby,” I said on a groan. “That is so—Jesus!” I almost levitated off the bed as he did it again. “You are so damn good at that.”
He licked his way up to the head again, then swirled his tongue around, driving a whimper out of me. I inadvertently tightened my fingers in his hair, and for a second, I thought he wouldn’t like that. Instead, he moaned again, so I experimentally did it a little harder.
Oh, hell. He liked that. He liked it a lot.
And every sound he made reverberated along all my hypersensitive nerve endings, turning me into a mess of bliss and heat, which only made me grip his hair tighter.
This was a feedback loop I could absolutely get used to.
Connor pushed himself up, so I let go of his hair. A second later, about the time I was finding my breath again, he was over me, and that talented mouth was crushing mine. I slid a hand back up into his hair, and I tried that again—the slightest little tug.
“Fuck,” he whispered as he broke the kiss. “That is…”
“Like getting your hair pulled?”
“Apparently so.” He started on my neck again, kissing along the side of my throat as he rubbed his hard dick alongside mine. “Learn something new every—oh, God, yeah…” He arched like a cat and shivered as I pulled again. I wasn’t yanking or anything; at most, I was making his scalp sting just enough for him to notice.
“Should try this while I’m fucking you,” I said.
“Holy…” He kissed under my jaw, then found my mouth again, and he broke away just enough to murmur, “Please do.”
Duly noted.
I closed my eyes as he kept rocking against me and kissing my throat. I was seriously getting spoiled with this man; I had never in my life been with someone who could make me feel like nothing else existed in his world except turning me on, and it was addictive.
Turning him on was addictive, too, and he’d been doing all the work since we’d gotten into bed. Time to change things up.
I nudged him gently so he’d come up for a kiss. When he did, I rolled him onto his back, and we kept making out like that before I took my chance to explore him the way he had me. I loved the sounds he made. I loved how his ab muscles would contract beneath my lips. How his hips would almost vibrate with the need to thrust, but he’d keep them still while I teased every inch of his cock and balls. I loved how he peppered the air with whispered curses and sharp gasps, and I was tempted to take him all the way because I loved how he sounded and tasted when he came.
I had something else in mind this time, though.
I made myself get up off him, but only for a second so I could reach for the nightstand and the bottle of lube we’d used yesterday.
“Are there still condoms over there?” he asked, sounding as out of breath as I was.
“There are.” I returned with just the bottle. “But we don’t need them. Not for this.”
Interest sparked in his eyes. “Yeah?”
“Mmhmm.” I grinned and poured some lube into my hand. “Give me your hand?”
He did, and I gave him some lube too. Then I tossed the bottle aside—still within reach but out of the way—and settled over him again. As I stroked lube onto his dick, he groaned and bit his lip.
He also caught on to what I was doing. That, or he just wanted to touch me. Either way, he closed his slick hand around my cock, and his strokes fell into sync with mine. For the longest time, we made out and slowly, decadently pumped each other, not really trying to get to the climax—just enjoying each other’s touch.
After a while, I nudged his hand away, and closed my hand as much as I could around both of us. When I rocked my hips, the underside of my cock slid along his, and that got me exactly the desired effect—Connor’s eyelids fluttering closed as he swore and arched under us.
“Holy fuck…” He grabbed on to my shoulder as if he needed something to anchor him. “That… should not be that good.”
I laughed and moved a little faster, losing myself in this perfect barrage of sensations. “Think you can come like this?”
“Uh-huh.” He rocked his hips to complement my strokes, taking everything to a dizzying level of perfect. “God, Alex, you’re gonna make me come.”
I fucked against him a little harder, driving moans out of both of us. Connor’s fingers dug into my arm, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he thrust up for all he was worth.
I let my head fall beside his as I gave in completely, chasing my own orgasm as I tried to drive him toward his. Then his whole body jerked under me, and my strokes turned hotter and slicker in the same instant he cried out, and I was coming too, shouting despite some voice in my head trying to shush me.
I collapsed over him, my supporting arm shaking beneath my weight, and Connor pulled me the rest of the way down. I gave in with a grateful sigh, though I was careful not to rest my full weight on his chest.
“That thing you were doing with my hair?” he slurred after a while. “Feel free to do it again. Any time.”
I laughed and eased myself up on one arm. “You liked that, huh?”
“More than I thought I would.” He arched an eyebrow. “What about you?” He peered at my hair. “Not that there’s much to grab on to…”
“Eh. I can take it or leave it. But if it’s something you enjoy, I’ll definitely remember.”
He grinned. “Good.” Then he lifted his head off the pillow and kissed me lightly. Glancing down, he chuckled. “We, uh… We might need another shower.”
“Mmhmm. We do. But hey, at least the hotel doesn’t charge us for water.”
My God, I loved how he laughed.
I shouldn’t have loved it this much, but I did.
I eased myself up and sat back on my heels. “Shower?”
Connor grinned as he sat up. “Shower.”
* * *
We hunkered down in our room long past the end of siesta. The heat was intense today—when I touched the siesta shades blocking out the brutal sun, they were hot against my fingers.
So, we just chilled in the room, lounging naked in bed and watching random crap on YouTube. Since we always knew there was a possibility of getting hungry during that window of time when the restaurants were mostly closed—around 1630-2030—we made sure to bring a few munchies with us. That kept the hangry at bay until we could venture out and find dinner.
Now it was getting toward dinnertime, though, so we put on some clothes and ventured back out into polite society.
That was… jarring in a way I didn’t expect.
Everything around us felt alien and bizarre, and not because we were in a foreign country. This wasn’t culture shock because we were in Spain; it was like we’d just come here from another planet. From someplace where nothing existed except the two of us.
I could still feel everything we’d done and needing to stay a platonic distance apart just felt… wrong. My fingers itched with the desire to be on his skin again, or even resting on his clothed back. After a few hours of cuddling in front of his laptop, I felt strangely untethered now. Keeping this platonic distance between us was perfectly normal when we were out in public, but it felt alien today. Like something was missing in that way that had me checking my pockets to make sure I had, in fact, remembered my wallet and phone.
What the hell is wrong with me?
As if I didn’t know.
But I wasn’t going to think about that. I was going to enjoy my evening out with Connor, and then we’d go back to the hotel and sleep together one more time before we went back to our normal lives. I wasn’t going to dwell on the things we couldn’t do and couldn’t be, no matter how much I?—
My breath hitched.
No matter how much I wanted to.
“Alex?” Connor eyed me. “You okay?”
“Hmm? Oh. Yeah.” I shook myself and laughed. “Just thought I forgot my wallet.” I tapped my back pocket. “Which I didn’t.”
He smiled. “Eh. If you had, then I’d buy dinner.”
“Oh. Well. In that case.” I showed my palms. “I forgot my wallet.”
Rolling his eyes, he elbowed me. “Nice try.”
I chuckled. “Hey, it was worth a shot.”
We continued walking, and before long, we found the Turkish restaurant I’d been to before. In no time, we were seated on the patio, each with a glass of wine as we perused the menus. Connor ordered iskender, which was shaved lamb with yogurt and tomato sauce. I went with the saksuka, a savory vegetarian dish with a lot of cumin mixed in with tomatoes and peppers, topped with a poached egg. Easily one of my favorite meals—one I’d even learned to make at home—and this place always made it perfectly.
As we ate, we fell into conversation like we always did.
Partway through dinner, as we considered ideas for where and when we should have our next weekend getaway, he said, “My sons will be here next week for ten days.” He absently swirled his wine. “So, it’ll have to be after that.”
“Of course. Are you going to take them around Spain, or just stay around Rota?”
“Oh, we’re going to travel, definitely. They’ve been loving hearing about all the places I’ve been. Morocco is high on their list, too.”
“I don’t blame them—Morocco is amazing. In fact, if you’re going to Tangier, I can send you the contact info for the tour guide I’ve used before. He’s awesome.”
Connor’s eyes lit up. “That would be great! Thanks!”
“Have you put in your clearance request yet?” I made a face. “Because it can take those offices a while to approve them.”
He nodded. “I already got my clearance for Morocco, and I nudged the person who’s handling my theater clearance.” He rolled his eyes. “That’s so stupid, too. Like, why do I have to get permission to go to Africa when I already have permission to go to an African country?”
“I know, right?” I sipped my wine. “Believe it or not, I actually know someone who got clearance to go to Morocco, but he was denied clearance for Africa.”
He snorted. “You know, my first instinct is to say, ‘no way, that’s bullshit.’ But… it’s the military.” He raised his glass. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”
I laughed. “I wasn’t either. He was sure pissed, though.”
“I bet. Was he able to go?”
“Eventually, but he had to reschedule everything. Which sucked because the camel trip he was supposed to take out into the Sahara was booked up on all the dates he was finally able to go. He ended up sending his wife and kids so they could use the plane tickets and go on the camel trip, and then he met them in Marrakech afterward.”
“Oh, that blows. I know so many people who’ve had trips upended because of a clearance or their leave getting jacked up.” Connor tsked. “I was on a ship with a guy who had to reschedule his own wedding because his supervisor decided he couldn’t take leave.”
“Was there a legit reason? Or just a supervisor on a power trip?”
“Little of both, from what I heard. Sea trials had been moved up for our upcoming deployment, and we were suddenly supposed to be out for a week that included his wedding date.” Connor rolled his eyes. “I know everyone gets tetchy about people taking leave when the ship is at sea, but come on—it was a weeklong sea trial. Just… let the kid get married, for fuck’s sake.”
“No kidding.” I poked at my food with my fork. “There was a guy in my unit in Iraq who had to reschedule his wedding, too. But I mean, there isn’t much you can do about combat deployments, you know?”
“No, there is not,” he muttered. “Did they at least do the courthouse thing before he left so they could get all the legal ducks in a row?”
I nodded. “Apparently his mother-in-law was incensed about that, but she got over it.”
“They usually do,” he grumbled.
Arching an eyebrow, I asked, “Didn’t get along with your mother-in-law?”
“Oh, I did. But nothing starts that relationship off on the right foot like saying, ‘Hey, we’re only seventeen and we’re still in high school, but I knocked up your daughter.’”
I barked a laugh that might’ve turned some heads. “Oh, God. That conversation sounds painfully awkward.”
“You have no idea.” He took another sip of wine. “I was afraid to eat at their house for a long time because I thought she might poison my food or something.”
“I can imagine. Did she get over it?”
“Eventually.” Connor’s smile made the warm evening even warmer. “It’s hard to stay mad when you’re holding your newborn grandson for the first time.”
“Fair enough.”
“Though she got mad at both of us years later because she found out said grandson was planning to move in with his girlfriend.” Another eyeroll. “They were twenty, for fuck’s sake, and they’ve been together since they were sixteen.” He waved a hand. “Savannah was practically living with him at that point anyway, so they might as well put her on the lease.”
“Smart kids. How do you like his girlfriend?”
“Oh, she’s great. I suspect they’ll be getting married before too much longer.” He paused to eat some more of the iskender he’d ordered. “So what is there to see in Morocco? We’re probably just going to Tangier; I don’t think we can swing Marrakech or one of the other cities.”
“Tangier’s great. The guide I use takes you to basically everything , so he’s worth the money and then some.” I thought about it as I chewed a bite of saksuka. “Oh, if you have time, I’d definitely take a day trip out to Chefchaouen.”
Connor blinked. “Chef what now?”
“Chefchaouen,” I said with a laugh. “It’s the blue city. It’s just this little town on a hillside where they painted everything blue for some reason, but it’s really cool to visit. I swear some of the best Moroccan food I ever ate was there.”
“Yeah?” He sat up a little. “Like what?”
“I… don’t remember exactly what it’s called, but there’s this dish—it’s like a pastry with cinnamon and sugar on it, but it’s savory on the inside. Chicken and stuff.” I groaned just thinking about that meal. “It’s so fucking good.”
“Sounds like it. I mean, it’s not something I’d probably try normally, but if you’re giving it a glowing review…” He smiled.
“I am. I definitely am. Oh, and I don’t really like tea, but Moroccan mint tea?” I touched my chest. “Holy crap, that shit’s good.”
We went on like that for a while, me regaling him with everything I could remember from my trips to Morocco. He even wrote a few things down, and I sent him the tour guide’s info so I wouldn’t forget. I showed him some pictures from my trips, too. Some people’s eyes glazed over when others whipped out photo albums, but he was enthralled with everything, from my selfie with a camel to the guy I’d snapped in Chefchaouen delivering cases of soda via donkey.
As we were winding down our dinner with dessert and some more wine, I glanced around, and I was almost startled to realize where we were. I recognized this little street in Córdoba. I’d been here before—the restaurant, the street, the neighborhood, the city. But I’d forgotten we were here because I’d been so lost in conversation with Connor.
Just like I was every time we talked, whether it was over amazing Turkish food in Córdoba, leaning against the side of his pool in Sanlúcar, or curled up together between the sheets.
In bed, I’d realized that no man had ever made me feel like my pleasure was the center of his universe.
Here at this table, it occurred to me that that didn’t stop when we put our clothes on. No, he wasn’t turning me on or getting me off right now, but the way he looked at me… The way he was completely focused on me and I was completely focused on him…
We were surrounded by stunning scenery in a city that was completely new to him, but we could’ve been sitting in his own kitchen for all he was engaged with anything around us. It was like nothing and nobody existed for him except for me. Just like nothing and nobody existed for me except for him.
I’d heard of people experiencing that, but it had never happened to me before, and after Tobias, I’d sworn off letting another man get past my emotional defenses.
Until tonight.
I was stupid if I thought this was—or could be—more than sex and friendship. I knew that.
But what could I say?
I couldn’t resist enjoying it while it lasted.