12. Chapter 12
TRISTAN
Tristan held his breath. He’d stumbled over his words, almost saying something different, but it was too soon…right?
Jax had fit comfortably into Tristan’s life, into his soul, in a way that no one else ever had.
The feeling of them becoming reacquainted, rather than meeting for the first time, had chased Tristan from the moment they’d met, because Jax spoke to Tristan’s heart like they’d known each other forever. And maybe they had.
“I’m just gonna say this once.” Jax’s accent poked out, and while it might sound threatening to others, Tristan found it adorable. “You’re a fuckin’ prize. Gorgeous, kind, killer ass, big dick. Why wouldn’t I want that?”
Tristan snorted, blushing at the same time.
“Plus…” For once, Jax seemed shy. “I feel the same way. I like you. Do you want dessert?”
The question gave Tristan whiplash, and he nodded before realizing that Jax had the same amount of like for him.
Giddy, Tristan wanted to wrap Jax in a hug, but he’d already gotten up and tottered to the hallway bathroom, abruptly ending the conversation.
That meant his feelings were strong, and while he cleaned up, Tristan did the same in the adjoining bathroom.
“Stay there,” Jax shouted after a few minutes, and Tristan could hear him in the kitchen, getting something out of the fridge. Darting to the bed, Tristan tried to look sexy, crossing his legs and folding his hands over his knee. Was that sexy? Maybe he should lie down.
But before he could stretch out, Jax returned still naked, holding two wide glasses that had layers of cake and cream in them .
“It’s like double dessert.” Tristan reached out, and Jax handed him one of the glasses and a spoon, staying on his feet.
“It’s tea-ramisu. Instead of soaking the sponge with coffee, I used chai.” Jax gestured at Tristan’s glass, his cheeks still red from their session. He’d come so beautifully, hypnotizing Tristan like a siren, and now he was bringing him dessert in bed? Tristan must’ve been good in a past life.
Trying a spoonful, he hummed.
“This is amazing, like you.” The rich, silky cream, the cocoa powder, and the chai cake all came together beautifully, and Tristan took another bite, enjoying how Jax’s flush deepened. “I didn’t know you made desserts too.”
“I’m good with some.” Jax toasted with his glass as an example. “I make killer chocolate-dipped cannoli, but my sfogliatelle are just okay, and you don’t want one of my apple pies.”
“I’m sure they’re delicious,” Tristan wasn’t lying. Jax was some kind of magician in the kitchen, and Tristan would eat anything he whipped up. “Can I ask you a question?”
“If I can ask you one, but you go first.” Sampling the tea-ramisu, Jax thought for a couple of seconds and nodded.
“Okay.” Tristan had wanted to ask Jax this for a while. “What is the story behind your tattoo?”
Jax’s eyebrows rose, as if he hadn’t expected that.
“I’m not much of an artist, but I drew this,” he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, “during class in my first year of school. It took another year to save up and get it done.”
“You drew that?” It seemed that Jax was a man of many talents. “Then you lied. You are an artist because it’s spectacular.”
“Thank you.” Jax took another bite, nodding again. “My turn.”
Putting his dessert aside, Jax paused for a moment, and Tristan could feel their connection grow a bit somber.
“I want to invest more in this. In you. But I have to know what’s going on with your ex.”
Tristan respected that Jax didn’t play games; he confronted things head-on, and it was refreshing. While Tristan had intended to explain the Eve situation, he hadn’t expected to do that on this date, but there would never be a good time to bring it up .
“In short? She’s toxic,” Tristan sighed. “We started off fine, but I question even that now. And while she never hit me, she wasn’t honest, nice, or easy to work with towards the end. I stayed far too long, but I got Rain out of it.”
“Is that why she’s bothering you?” Jax frowned, moving even closer to the bed. “Because of Rain?”
“Yes.” Tristan couldn’t bring himself to confess that he’d been supplementing Eve’s income to protect Rain, because Jax was right; Tristan was too nice.
Sure, he wanted a stronger backbone, but not at the expense of the people he loved, and he couldn’t see any way out of this without someone getting hurt.
“Is it because Rain went no-contact?” How did Jax know that? Tristan’s eyebrows rose in confusion, but Jax gave a short laugh. “I live with Ollie, remember?”
“That’s right.” Of course, Ollie had heard about Rain and Eve, and of course, he’d told Jax. But what else had Ollie told him? “And yes, she wants to see Rain.”
He wasn’t lying. He’d just left out the part where he was paying for Rain’s safety.
He’d tell Jax eventually, after he’d stopped Eve’s cash flow, because if he did come clean and tell Jax everything right now, then Jax would probably put his pants back on and try to track Eve down, and then they’d be on the evening news.
“Is she gonna be trouble?” The inflection and accent in those words only confirmed Tristan’s thoughts.
“Not for long.” Reaching for Jax’s hands, Tristan breathed a sigh of relief as Jax wove their fingers together without hesitation. Tristan had never wanted anyone more, and he’d solve this impossible dilemma with Eve if it meant he could have Jax, so he’d better start thinking hard.
“I’ll hold you to that,” Jax stated seriously. “Or I’ll scare her off.”
Guilt loomed in the corner of Tristan’s mind for holding back, but it was for the best. This was his responsibility to fix, and Tristan wondered how different his life would’ve been if he’d spoken up, drawn lines in the sand, and had boundaries.
“I believe you.” Trying to change the subject, Tristan gave Jax’s cock a meaningful glance. Now that it was soft, the barbell stood out in sharp relief. “How much did that hurt?”
“Another question?” Jax stared a heartbeat longer and took the bait. “It didn’t hurt as much as the nipples. The tragus was the worst.” He tapped the small hump of cartilage at the front of his ear. “Couldn’t sleep on my side forever.”
Picking up his dessert, Jax took another bite, his deep-brown eyes sweeping over Tristan’s body, and the energy between them surged. All Tristan could do was watch as Jax grabbed a spoonful of the cream and, with a devilish smirk, smeared it across his nipples.
“Looks like I made a mess.” Spinning on his heel, he gently reclined on the bed, trailing even more cream down his stomach as he placed the glass aside. “Who will clean me up?”
Tristan didn’t remember moving. All of a sudden, he was beside Jax, sucking on one of those sweet nipples.
The cream combined with Jax’s own taste had Tristan hard in seconds, and he cleaned Jax enthusiastically, swirling his tongue and pulling lightly on the metal in that nub, making sure it was stiff and wet by the time he trailed over to its covered twin, giving it the same treatment.
Cries fell from Jax’s mouth, and they were music to Tristan’s ears. Like the food he created, Jax was a delicacy even before the added cream, and Tristan would never tire of sampling him.
Reluctantly letting his treat go, Tristan followed the trail, licking down Jax’s stomach to his hard and weeping cock. But it lacked a topping.
Glancing at the glass resting beside them, Tristan swiped his finger through the fluffy white cream, smearing it over the head of Jax’s dick.
“Wh-at are yo-” Jax managed to get out before Tristan sucked on this new dessert, loving the combination of flavors as Jax’s scent washed over his senses.
Moaning, he ran his hands up and down Jax’s chest, caressing the smooth skin pierced with steel, and Jax tangled his hands in Tristan’s hair. “You’re an animal.”
Rising, Tristan circled his tongue around the head, making sure he got every speck of cream.
“Only for you.” He’d never been this way in bed, but Jax caused a hunger in him that couldn’t be sated. It was a need that came from Tristan’s soul, and it made him ferocious .
It made him want to devour Jax.
“Me too…” Jax’s dark and devious gaze told Tristan to add more tea-ramisu, so he did. Smearing the shaft, Tristan took it off in long licks, and Jax covered his mouth, cursing through his fingers.
As Tristan thoroughly cleaned Jax’s dick, his touch drifted, tracing the stretched rim below it. Jax twitched almost as if he were too tired to tremble anymore, and Tristan ground his cock into the mattress, wanting to go another round, but it would be too much to ask.
Jax dropped his hands to the bed.
“If you don’t fuck me again, then I’m only giving this date three stars.”
Stopping, Tristan looked up at Jax in shock, and Jax gave him a challenging look, his brow arched.
“Then I’d better get that rating up to ten!
” Tristan exclaimed with a laugh, grabbing the lube.
Trying not to shake in anticipation, he slicked his fingers and cock, and then gently checked Jax, who squirmed a little, letting out more of his delectable cries.
For someone who claimed to be angry, Jax was downright sweet around Tristan, and beautifully vulnerable in bed.
“Lie on your side?” Tristan remembered that Jax had two comfortable positions, and since they’d tried the first one, it was only fair to test run the other.
It took a few seconds for Jax to understand, but when he did, he brightened, carefully turning. “Like this?”
“Yes. Perfect.” Tristan snuggled up behind Jax, spooning him, their size difference more balanced. Sliding his cock along the crease of Jax’s ass, Tristan pressed a bit. “Are you sure? I could come just from touching you.”
“You can’t say something like that and then not fuck me! What the hell, Tristan?” Jax snapped cutely, and Tristan grinned.
“How high can your leg go?” Reaching under Jax’s thigh, Tristan gently lifted the leg until there was a foot and a half between Jax’s knees. “Is this comfortable?”