Chapter 22
The cab ride home was torture for Caleb. And judging by the way Jamie’s knee bounced on the other side of the bench seat, hell for him, too.
The second Jamie had said yes, take me home, Caleb got them the hell out of there, flipping off that tall fucker for good measure.
Fuck that guy. If it had been Jamie he’d grabbed, the bastard would be in the hospital with a broken face, and Caleb would be in jail.
“Caleb?” A soft hand reached across the seat and settled over Caleb’s clenched fist. Jamie gently pried his fingers open.
“What are you thinking about?” Jamie frowned, leg still bouncing. Rain hammered against the windshield as the driver turned into their neighborhood.
Caleb forced his face to relax. “Nothing.” He threaded their fingers together, rubbing his thumb over Jamie’s knuckles. “Just anxious to get home.”
The air in the cab seemed to spike by about a million degrees. Jamie’s tongue slipped out to trace his lower lip, leaving it pink and slightly swollen. When his eyes flicked up to Caleb’s—dark and heavy-lidded—Caleb’s pulse slammed against his ribs.
He couldn’t wait to kiss him again, taste the lime in his mouth, and then… hell, tonight Jamie could do whatever he wanted. Caleb would give him anything. And by the look in those soft, wanting eyes, Jamie wanted a lot.
“Don’t be careful with me tonight, Caleb.” Heat shot up Caleb’s spine, lighting up every nerve ending.
Fuck.
The cab splashed to a stop in front of their building. Before Jamie could even attempt to pay, Caleb slammed a wad of pounds on the console and hauled Jamie out into the rain. The short dash inside left them both soaked.
“It wasn’t supposed to rain,” Jamie groaned, tugging his damp shirt away from his skin before letting it snap back.
Caleb stared. “I certainly don’t mind.” Jamie was a sight—curls dripping down his forehead and neck, shirt plastered to his chest, every line of lean muscle on display. Before Caleb could stop himself, he crowded Jamie into the corner of the elevator, hands gripping his hips.
“God, Jamie,” he rasped as Jamie’s back hit the wall. “You… thank you for tonight. Everything you did for me—” His thumbs dug into Jamie’s hip bones. “You’re incredible.”
Jamie’s fingertips pressed against Caleb’s chest, then traced upward until they cupped his jaw.
“You’re welcome,” he said sweetly, rivulets of water flowing from his curls, down the side of his pretty face.
“I wanted to… erm—” He swallowed, gaze flicking to Caleb’s mouth.
“I wanted to show you how important you are to me. And I want to take care of you the way you’re always taking care of me. ”
Caleb’s heart skipped a beat. Those bright green eyes had him in an absolute chokehold as they slowly connected with his.
“And I would like to,” Jamie continued, thumbs brushing along his jaw, “I would like things to be different tonight.”
His shaky voice made Caleb’s chest ache. “Yes,” Caleb said immediately. “Yes, J. I want that too. Whatever you want. We can do anything. I’m not holding back anymore.”
He was done waiting. In fact, he didn’t think he could hold himself back if he tried. That flicker of fear was still there, whispering that if this went wrong, it would destroy him. But the way Jamie was looking at him… with longing and focus, like nothing else in the world existed—
The elevator dinged.
The doors slid open, and Jamie grabbed his hand, tugging him down the hall toward their unit. The moment the door shut behind them, Jamie spun on him, palms flat against his chest, until Caleb’s ass hit the kitchen island.
“I’d like to touch you, and I know you said—”
His words were cut off as Caleb surged forward and hauled Jamie flush against his body. Their mouths crashed together in a mess of urgency and pent-up need. Jamie answered immediately, fingers digging into Caleb’s sides as their lips moved hungrily.
“I’m sorry,” Caleb breathed in the single second their mouths parted. Then he was kissing him again, deeper this time.
“I-it’s okay.” Jamie tasted like lime and London rain, and fuck, Caleb had missed this so bad.
His cold hands slid beneath Jamie’s soaked shirt, palms skimming damp skin as he dragged the fabric up and over his head. They broke apart only long enough to pull it free before Caleb was back on him.
Don’t be careful with me tonight. The words landed heavy in Caleb’s chest because… well, he had to be careful with Jamie. He had to be so careful. It always felt like one wrong move, one moment looking away, and he would slip through his fingers…
A low groan escaped Caleb as Jamie fumbled for his shirt, tearing it off and flinging it aside with a wet slap against the floor. The second it was gone, he caught Caleb’s face and dragged him back into a kiss, making raw, desperate noises against his mouth.
Water dripped to the floor, and on any other day, it would’ve bothered Caleb, but tonight, he only had eyes for the man in front of him. Jamie pulled away, his eyes sliding down Caleb’s chest to the waistband of his trousers. His hands moved to Caleb’s belt.
“May I—?”
“God, yes.”
A wicked smile spread across Jamie’s mouth.
He loosened the belt, the buckle clinking softly as it slipped free, then let it fall to the floor.
Caleb’s pulse thundered as Jamie opened his fly and pushed his trousers down, stepping back politely to let Caleb step out of them.
Left in nothing but his boxers, Caleb straightened and immediately pulled Jamie into his arms.
He spun them, pressing Jamie’s back gently against the counter, and buried his face in his neck.
“I want you so bad, J,” he breathed, lips dragging along the damp skin there. His heart was beating so fast he could hardly think. “I know I’ve made you wait, and I’m sorry. I promise that whatever you want tonight, it’s yours.”
“I—there’s so much I want,” Jamie gasped as Caleb mouthed at his neck and settled on that sensitive spot just behind his ear.
His fingers fisted in Caleb’s hair, holding him there.
Jamie’s hand slid down, hesitant for only a second before cupping the front of Caleb’s boxers.
The pressure pulled a low and helpless whine from Caleb.
“Good thing we’ve got all night,” Caleb murmured, kissing his way down Jamie’s throat and back up again. It was impossible to stop touching him. Jamie’s erection pressed insistently against Caleb’s hip, and the realization of how much Jamie wanted this sent a dizzy rush through him.
“Bedroom,” Jamie managed breathlessly.
Caleb didn’t argue. Keeping most of the weight in his good arm, he lifted Jamie off the floor, hands locked under his thighs. They kissed messily as he walked them to the bedroom. Caleb nudged the bedroom door open with his foot and stumbled inside.
He set Jamie down on the edge of the bed but didn’t let go, his hands sliding to Jamie’s waist, tugging him closer between his knees.
“God, you’re beautiful.” A damn understatement—Jamie looked fucking gorgeous. Cheeks flushed deep pink, eyes bright and a little wild.
Caleb’s fingers went to his waistband, and Jamie lifted his hips in silent permission.
Caleb hooked his thumbs into the fabric and slowly pulled his trousers down, giving him a moment to step out of them.
Jamie’s chest rose and fell rapidly, skin flushed from throat to collarbones.
His erection tented the fabric of his black boxers.
Caleb bent down and rested his forehead briefly against Jamie’s, hands still anchored at his hips.
“I missed you,” he whispered.
Jamie’s breath hitched. “I—you might need to show me how to, uh, do some things.”
Caleb’s stomach flipped. They really were starting from square one—and that was okay.
A new beginning.
“Yes, sweetheart, I can show you.” He leaned back and brushed a damp curl away from Jamie’s eyes, letting his fingers linger at his temple. “We can start with the things I know you like, yeah?”
“What about the things you like?”
Caleb huffed a soft laugh. “Yeah. Those too.”
“Okay, and Caleb?” His hands tightened slightly at Caleb’s waist. “Please sleep here… after. I don’t want you on the couch anymore.”
Caleb’s eyes flicked toward the bed and back. God, he wanted that. He missed their bed, missed the weight of Jamie draped over him in sleep, clinging like a koala.
It was possible he missed it more than anything else from their old life.
“Okay, J.”
Jamie jutted his lip out. “Promise?”
“Promise.” Caleb leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips. When he pulled back, Jamie leaned forward, chasing his mouth. “What do you want, J?”
“I—I want to blow you again. And then I want your cock.”
Woozy with desire, Caleb managed to choke out, “I think I can make that happen.”
Jamie pulled away and shifted onto all fours. For a second, Caleb thought maybe he wanted to bypass the whole blowjob thing and go straight for some doggystyle sex until Jamie crawled to the edge of the bed.
“Come here,” he said, beckoning Caleb to stand in front of him. His face was level with Caleb’s hard dick, eyes looking up innocently. Holy fuck, was he going to—?
“Don’t be gentle with me,” Jamie said as he leaned forward and swallowed Caleb’s cock.
“Shit, fuck.” Caleb’s mind went blank as he was engulfed in the silky heat of Jamie’s mouth. Jamie was determined—sucking eagerly, bobbing his head in earnest. It was the hottest thing in the world.
When Caleb’s brain recalibrated, he slid his fingers into Jamie’s curls with one hand and gently bucked his hips forward. With a gurgled noise, Jamie’s mouth filled with cock, but—apparently reading Caleb’s mind—he nodded for him to keep going.
“Jesus,” Caleb panted. “Holy fuck, J.” A wave of possession crashed through him as he stared down at Jamie. With his free hand, he swiped his thumb along the corner of Jamie’s lips, where they were stretched around him. “Look at you.”
Bright green eyes looked up, twinkling with mischief. He could come just from that look alone.