Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
The good thing is that my quick Copenhagen trip helps provide a distraction from thinking about Stefanos as much or obsessing over press coverage like a far-gone narcissist. Back in London, I keep busy with work and the gym—but not so busy I can’t check my phone every five minutes in case I don’t hear the chime.
By the time Wednesday rolls around, every time there’s a message, I dive for my phone to the point that even Ethan wants to know what the hell’s wrong with me.
“Nothing more than usual, I promise.” I shrug nonchalantly as we wrap things up for the day and tidy up the worktable. My phone chimes again, and my gaze flickers over to my phone where it sits beside my laptop.
“Something is very wrong with you.” Ethan laughs. “Something serious, whatever it is. I haven’t seen you act like this for ages. And last time, it was over a man.”
I snort. “Yeah, sure. No man. My media alerts are going overtime, that’s all. You can never be too careful.” Scrolling through my phone, I read Stefanos’ message, expecting it to disappear like a proper mirage.
Staying at The Ritz
He’s actually in London again. Holy shit. It’s all I can do to keep from grinning like an idiot and really getting Ethan in interrogation mode. He already suspects far too much. Instead of giving him more fodder, I type back a quick response.
Helloooo posh neighbor
For the record I don’t usually stay here. My father asked me to for the extra security after all the coverage.
Makes sense
Also it’s not far from your flat
I’m listening. Wanna come over? I’ll cook. Zero Michelin stars
Deal
How’s 7pm?
I’ll be there
“Earth to Theo. Let’s go, I’m shutting off the lights,” Ethan calls out from the open doorway and flicks off and on the overhead lights twice. He doesn’t look one bit sorry as I glance up at him fleetingly from my phone. “The party’s over.”
“I’m leaving right now.”
“See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, for sure.” At last, I slip my phone away into my pocket and give him a level look right back. “I’m totally paying attention.”
“Sure you are. Out.”
I hurry home to my flat to make sure everything’s more or less in order, trying to look at the flat objectively like a stranger would, a stranger I very much want to make a great impression on.
For insurance, I do a quick tidy, followed by a shower.
I’ve been out a lot lately, so the good news is I haven’t had a chance to totally demolish the flat since the cleaner was last through.
The groceries arrived last night, and in short order, I set to work prepping a curry, washing and chopping vegetables.
When Stefanos texts he’s arrived and the concierge has let him up the lift, I rush towards the entry. At the hallway mirror, I stop short to stare at my reflection and neaten up my hair. I’m in a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, and black jeans. Was that the right wardrobe choice? Too late.
There’s a knock at my door.
With a last deep breath, I open the door. And there stands Stefanos. He gives me a wry smile and holds up a bottle of wine. His gaze is fixed on mine.
“I didn’t want to turn up empty-handed since you’re making dinner. Bad manners. It would cause another scandal.”
Neither one of us could look away even if we wanted to. Stefanos’ skin has a glow that must have come from catching some winter sun. There’s a hint of stubble along his fine jaw. If it was hard to breathe before, it’s definitely impossible now, transfixed. His eyes glimmer.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I murmur. “Manners or no manners, scandal or no scandal, I don’t care.”
I stand back to let him inside. Taking the wine from him, I set it on the entry table. He shuts the door with a click. As I turn, we’re very close to each other. So close I feel the heat radiating from him.
“Let me take your coat…” Talking is also a problem in such close proximity. Best to keep quiet. Instead, I reach out to pull him tight by the front of his jacket.
Some strangled noise escapes Stefanos as he flushes, his gaze still not leaving mine, clumsily catching the side of my face with his hand.
And then, I lean in after what feels like a lifetime of waiting for this moment, my head spinning, and brush my mouth ever so lightly against his till he leans into me in response.
Stefanos’ mouth yields to mine, and he trembles with desire.
My God, the kiss is way better than I imagined in my recent daydreams, even better than our first kiss in Kerkyra, and he tastes of the heat of summer, the promise of languid days ahead.
Stefanos catches my wrist eagerly as we kiss again, his fingers digging into me, but I barely notice.
Everything other than him has stopped existing.
We kiss each other with want, with longing, with pent-up need. Tasting him is tasting desire itself.
“God, Theo…” Stefanos tries, breathless. He grips my shoulders, gasping, searching my eyes when we at last lift our heads for a moment. But it’s only for a moment.
And of course, I kiss Stefanos again. Everything fires up in an instant as our mouths crush together, greedy for each other. “Mm, yeah.”
Then, there’s no more holding back. No more waiting. Or wishing.
I press him back hard against the wall, bumping the edge of the oil painting that hangs there.
But I don’t care. Stefanos sags into the wall, and I keep him in place.
My hip leans into Stefanos, feeling him harden against me, and I continue to tease him with burning kisses—and his kisses in return are just as eager.
Another moan escapes him from deep in his throat.
“You’re so fucking hot, Stefanos—”
“Stef,” he manages, a breathless reminder.
“Stef,” I whisper, savoring his nickname, thrilling at how responsive he is to me.
We rest our foreheads, already damp with perspiration, against each other for a moment as we try to catch our breath, both overwhelmed.
My body’s on fire for him. I shift and run my hand down his chest as he shivers, all the way down till I reach the strain of his cock trapped in his jeans.
Stef buries his fingers in my hair, pulling me in close for another kiss.
“Is this alright?” I manage between kisses.
“Yes.”
We’re gasping now, hungry for each other, our kisses deepening.
And I can’t believe he’s here, that he came to London for me, and for a fleeting moment, I wonder if this is how he felt when I turned up in Athens.
Like his world’s been upended in the best possible way.
That he traveled all this way—for me. Everything feels surreal, like I’m in another daydream, except he’s warm and firm against me, bringing me back.
My fingers tease him firmly through his jeans.
Stef shudders. He pushes his cock, caught up in his jeans, into my hand without hesitation.
We share increasingly desperate, clumsy kisses, and I pause long enough to focus on unfastening his belt and button-fly jeans.
Slipping my hand inside his boxers, I glide along the length of his unyielding erection, freeing him.
His cock’s glorious like the rest of him, dark pink, straining for his belly.
Stefanos moans. He pushes roughly into my hand, unable to restrain his want. “Please…”
“Yeah, gorgeous. Like that,” I encourage him, blood pounding in my ears. My fingers work him in rhythmic strokes, my mouth finding the hollow of his throat, the taste of his collarbone.
His fingers grip my shoulders, a slight push down. There’s nothing now beyond him and me and our urgency. I sink to my knees. When I pull Stefanos’ jeans and boxers down, his cock is more than hard.
More than ready for me.
I flick my tongue against the head of his cock, tasting the sweetness and salt of him. Without further hesitation, I take him deep into my mouth, and his hips spasm in response.
“Oh fuck,” Stef gasps, shuddering. His hands slide from my shoulders to grip my hair. He pulls. I shudder.
But it’s hard to know now who makes the animalistic noises, the crush of our urgency, the teasing that feels like it’s gone on forever. Since the night we first met. And it probably won’t happen again when he comes back to his senses. When he goes back to his ordinary life—and I begin my new one.
Forget that.
Instead, I suck him off with great urgency, desperate for his release like it is my own. More than my own. He’s writhing against the wall, both hands now in my hair, rough, and fuck, I’m so down for it.
My mouth’s relentless, the liquid movement of my hand as I stroke and tease, bringing him to the edge, and then still for a moment, only to start again till he’s begging my name, thumping his head back against the plaster wall.
I pause for a moment, tilting my head back to admire Stef. He gasps at the absence of my mouth.
“Come for me, gorgeous. I want you to come,” I demand, and I’m back to sucking him off with renewed intent.
He’s sobbing out, and I work him harder, faster, pushing his hips back against the wall to keep him pinned in place. Right now, he’s more than everything, more than perfect, more than—
And with a spasm, Stef comes in a hot flood, and I take all of him, shutting my eyes tight as we soon still.
Stef’s thighs tremble by the time I finish. His fingers are still tangled in my hair. I stare at him. Fuck, he’s gorgeous, hot and disheveled and, in this moment, very much mine.
And very slowly, as he comes back to earth, at last he releases me.
He gasps with the sudden absence of my mouth. I kiss his stomach as he shudders and helps me get to my feet. Then, Stef slides his arms around me, kissing me deeply, taking my breath in the best possible way.
Then, it’s my turn to be pressed against the wall. Stef kisses me thoroughly till shivers ripple down my body. He lifts his head, gasping, searching my eyes. His fingers run down my body, hesitating only a moment before reaching my cock. I shudder.
“Yeah, gorgeous…”
“Do you want me to—” Stef asks uncertainly.
“Oh yes. Please. If you want.”
Stef hasn’t been intimate with a man before, and I don’t want to completely overwhelm him. But he’s eager, pressing into me, evidently wanting this as much as I do.
Stef kisses me again, his fingers teasing as I press into his hand. His mouth works its way from my lips to my jaw, down my throat, and across my skin as he unbuttons my shirt. He soon frees me from my jeans. He hesitates only a moment, and then my cock’s met with the electric tease of his mouth.
I buck as his tongue circles my cock, his fingers grabbing my thighs.
“Holy fuck.” I reel as his mouth works me, and it’s all I can do to not come in that second. “Jesus—”
He continues without mercy, till I’m begging complete nonsense words, pushed back into the wall. I gasp as I stare momentarily up at the ceiling, then down again, overwhelmed at the incredible fact that he’s on his knees for me.
“I’ll come—” My voice catches in my throat as I warn him. I press against the wall for balance.
Stef’s mouth is incredible, the way he works me, the way I’m so sensitized to every movement he makes. He doesn’t let up, teasing out every gasp, every breath.
He teases my balls, and that’s it, I’m too fucking turned on to resist him any longer. I shudder hard, and when I come a moment later, I sob out, clutching his shoulders. Blood pounds in my ears, and it’s everything I can do to keep from having my legs buckle with the sudden release.
At last, Stef lets my cock fall from his mouth, and he gazes up at me as he swallows. I immediately reach out for Stef, helping him to his feet, pulling him tight as he pushes me into the plaster wall, also breathing raggedly. I kiss him fiercely once more. We lean into each other.
And everything, for a moment, is ours.