Chapter 17 Eden #4
He licks his own come off Eden’s cheek and mouth before kissing him, filthy and uncoordinated, almost like he’s never kissed anyone before.
Eden might tease him about it if he didn’t feel as fucking desperate as Charlie, somehow ending up in Charlie’s lap and rubbing himself against Charlie’s stomach.
“Let me, baby.”
That fucking name again. Eden should nip it in the bud.
Should tell Charlie’s he’s not his fucking baby.
Instead, he moans. He moans because Charlie’s kissing him again, those wonderful fingers of his curling around Eden’s cock and stroking in the way Eden likes but rarely provides for himself—sure and slow, gentle. Fuck Charlie for figuring this out.
“Fuck you,” Eden grits out, because the alternative is running away, and he’s trying so fucking hard not to run.
“Wish you could, baby.” Charlie kisses his nose and his cheek, bringing their foreheads together.
Slamming his eyes shut, Eden clutches Charlie’s forearms and focuses on his erection—on the steady slide of Charlie’s hand as he jerks Eden off, on the way he seems to know exactly what speed and pressure will make Eden tremble.
It’s maddeningly perfect, and it’s all he can do not to push for something sharper in order to feel something more familiar.
“That’s it, relax,” Charlie croons.
The urge to fight is there, tempted by Charlie’s, well—everything.
He’s so fucking warm under Eden, big in a way that could be used against Eden, yet he’s only using his body to shield Eden from the cold, hard floor.
His body is a buffer, not a weapon, and something in Eden shatters into so many fucking pieces, he’s not sure how the fuck he’s ever going to put them back together.
“Come for me,” Charlie whispers against his lips, the kiss as soft as the fingers that smooth down the back of his head.
Desperately trying to regain some semblance of control, Eden slams his lips to Charlie’s in a bruising kiss, ill-prepared for Charlie to find a way to gentle it so that when Eden comes with a bitten off moan, Charlie is swallowing it down before peppering his face in kisses and holding Eden close.
Never in Eden’s life has he sat in a man’s lap.
The very idea of it would’ve sent him running.
Hell, part of him wants to run now. The bigger part—the more terrified part—doesn’t want to ever move away.
The moment he does, everything is going to be too real, and Eden knows this can’t last. Nothing this perfect has ever been meant for Eden.
“That was better than pancakes,” Charlie says a moment later, breaking the silence with the kind of statement only he could.
“You say that as if those burnt globs qualify as pancakes.”
“They were pancake-shaped,” Charlie tries, laughing at the look Eden gives him. “Fine, they were a fucking disaster. Do me a favor, and don’t tell Alec how badly I fucked up. He spent so long going over the recipes and steps for me.”
“Why would I meet your brother?” Eden asks.
“Uh, because you’re my boyfriend.”
Eden ignores that statement and the way it makes his stomach twist, grabbing the rag he intended to use for cleaning to wipe his face then Charlie’s stomach instead.
They’re both still sticky, but it’ll have to do for now since Eden won’t have time to shower if he wants to make it back home before Ella wakes up and has to get ready for school.
“Also,” Charlie starts, “because I want you to come to Friendsgiving this weekend.”
Eden startles, staring at Charlie like he’s grown a second head. “What?”
“Friendsgiving,” Charlie repeats. “Me and my brothers always do a thing. Alec is bringing his fiancé, and Jason will be bringing his new boyfriend, and then a few friends will come over. It’s very chill, just good food and beer which…you cannot drink.”
If the prospect of meeting Charlie’s brothers and friends weren’t making Eden nauseous, he might laugh at the apologetic look on Charlie’s face.
“You’re welcome to bring someone too if there’s anyone you’d like to be there.”
“I’m busy.”
“I didn’t even tell you which day it was.”
“I’m still busy,” Eden mumbles.
“Baby.”
“Fuck you,” Eden grits out, hating how fucking soft that name makes him.
“We don’t have time,” Charlie grins, rubbing his nose into Eden’s cheek like an overgrown cat. “Please come. I want you there. Besides, Andrew is coming.”
“I don’t know,” Eden grumbles, even though he does know.
He knows he will go because Charlie asked and because he wants to see Andrew again, and these two stupid King men apparently know how to play him.
Fuck them both. He won’t bring Addy and Ella though.
They don’t need to be involved in whatever this is.
“Will you try?” Charlie asks, curling his fingers around Eden’s chin to turn his face so Charlie can kiss him.
It’s a barely there press of lips, but it does something funny to Eden’s insides.
“Also full disclosure, you in my shirt might be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
Please promise to do this again. Often.”
“Caveman,” Eden huffs, pinching Charlie’s side for no other reason than because he can.
To his absolute horror, Charlie grabs his hand and brings it to his lips, kissing his fingertips.
“Please come, Eden.”
Truthfully, Eden already got this weekend off. Not for that but because he’d wanted to spend uninterrupted time with his girls and Charlie, not that he was going to admit that.
“When is it?” Eden asks. “I might be working.”
“Saturday at two. You don’t have to bring anything. Alec is cooking most of the food. You only need to show up with one important thing.”
“What’s that?”
“You.”
“Cheesy fucking idiot,” Eden grumbles, kissing Charlie to shut him up and not because he’s desperate for him, because he can’t get enough of him, because leaving every morning is harder than it has any right to be.
“Your idiot.” Charlie hums into the kiss, slipping his hands into Eden’s hair again, as if he can’t help himself. “Will you come?”
There’s no doubt in Eden’s mind this is a terrible idea.
He’s not cut out for meeting friends and family.
They’re all going to take one look at him and wonder what the fuck someone like Charlie is doing with him.
He’s not polite or friendly, and he sure as fuck has never been invited to a Friendsgiving, probably because anyone with an ounce of sanity would know Eden isn’t the kind of guy you bring home.
The only safe answer would be a no.
Once again proving that Eden’s self-preservation skills have gone to shit, he says the exact opposite of what he should.
“I guess I could come.”