Chapter 15
Noah
Ilean on the vanity, staring at my reflection as I give myself a pep talk.
“You want this. No one will ever find out. You can be who you really are for one night. There’s nothing wrong with you.”
My fingers itch to grab the plastic razor beside my hand to relieve some of the anxiety wreaking havoc with my nervous system, but I fight the urge.
I want this, and I want him.
His large hands exploring my body, his warm breath ghosting over my skin.
My cock twitches in anticipation, and I exhale a shaky breath before forcing myself to leave the bathroom, cursing my luck when I run into my housemate.
Dane whistles. “Look at you, captain dark and broody,” he teases with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Hot date with Hannah?”
Hannah’s become a good friend this past month, and while our fake dating schtick was only supposed to be for my father’s benefit, I can’t pass up the opportunity of the cover story to keep my housemate off my back.
I swallow my unease and paste a cocky smile on my face. “A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “She’s good for you, man. You’ve loosened up a hell of a lot. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” My stomach flips as I think about who really has me grinning like a damn fool, but when I conjure up his face, he’s no longer a masked stranger—he’s my goalkeeper.
Fuck.
I clear my throat and glance back at the bathroom, thinking about the sharp, instantaneous relief I could get from the intrusive thoughts, but I’ll be late if I don’t leave soon. I don’t want my Romeo to think I’m standing him up and leave. Or worse, find someone else.
Oblivious to my inner struggles, Dane slaps me on the back with a chuckle before making his way down the hall to his bedroom. “Have fun, and wrap it before you tap it, mate. I’m not baby-sitting your mistakes.”
I grimace. There’s no chance of that happening.
Before I can back out of tonight, I jog downstairs and out the door, locking it behind me. My breath fogs in front of me, and I shiver, pulling my leather jacket tighter around my body as I walk to my bike.
I grab my helmet and check that I have my mask, then climb on.
The moment I start the engine, the low rumble fills the quiet street, vibrating through my palms and into my chest. It steadies me, giving me the shot of confidence I need to roar out of my driveway and down the street towards the first guy to make me feel anything since Nathan.
The ride doesn’t take long—barely ten minutes—but it’s enough to gather my thoughts.
I’m ready to put the past behind me and move towards my future.
Dwelling on what happened in Perth won’t do anyone any good, and it won’t change what happened.
It will make me more cautious about what I do from now on, but that’s what makes this work.
The club gives me anonymity to be who I want to be.
One day, I hope I can find a way to be myself outside the walls of the club, but that’s future Noah’s problem. Tonight, I’m giving in to my basic instincts and going after what I want.
No. What I need.
I’ve been feeling too far removed from who I am while living under my father’s constant pressure to be the perfect son and heir. It’s exhausting, and I’m sick of wearing that mask.
After parking my bike around the corner from Euphoria, I slide on my mask, using my bike mirrors to make sure my identity is hidden.
This mask doesn’t feel like a shackle, though; it feels like freedom and promise.
My nerves don’t disappear, but I hold my head high as I stroll down the alley to the discreet entrance to the club.
The woman behind the front desk smiles as she takes my jacket, then slides a royal blue keycard across the counter, gives me directions, and wishes me a good night.
Exhaling heavily, I cross the main lounge, striding down the corridor that leads to the navy curtain. There’s no turning back once I go through, but I don’t want to.
I’m ready to feel that sense of connection with someone again, even if he doesn’t know who I am.
When I push through the curtain and step into the room, my eyes lock on his straight away, and my pulse kicks. He’s waiting for me.
My lips tug into a grin, and I keep my gaze on him as I approach the bar.
Despite my heart damn near beating out of my chest with nerves, when I reach him, I grip the back of his neck and pull him in for a demanding kiss that sets every nerve ending in my body alight.
He tastes like whiskey and sin, and I can’t get enough.
“Mm,” he hums, licking his lips when I pull away. “You came.”
“Not yet.”
Heat flares in his eyes when I hold up the keycard.
Before I can back out, I take his hand and pull him through the crowd to the bouncer who’s manning a roped-off corridor. He nods when I hold up the card, then lifts the rope for us to pass.
The music is softer here, but neither of us says a word as we search the numbers on the doors. Although there are rooms that accommodate every taste and kink, all built with different purposes in mind, I selected one of the basic private rooms.
When we find our room near the end of the corridor, I swipe the card through the keypad. It beeps softly, and though it causes my heart to race, I push open the door.
The room is simple, with a king-size bed swathed in black silk sheets in the centre, a small lounge area in one corner, and an open waterfall shower in another. Soft music plays in the background to set the mood, but it does little to ease the weirdness of being in a sex club.
I wander over to the cupboard beside the shower to explore. It’s full of towels, bottles of lube, condoms, and sex toys. I guess they think of everything.
My Romeo’s body presses into me from behind, his strong arm snaking around my waist as he presses a wet kiss to the back of my neck. “There’s no rush,” he murmurs in my ear, his warm breath dancing over my skin, eliciting goosebumps in its wake.
I close my eyes as I lean into him, a shiver ripping down my spine.
Keeping my back pressed against him, I circle my arm around his neck and turn my head to find his lips. The kiss is soft and sensual at first, a simple exploration, but it gets hotter when his tongue slides into my mouth.
My cock swells and throbs in the confines of my jeans, but he’s right, there’s no rush.
He breaks our kiss and leads me to the bed, kicking off his shoes before lying on his side, his head propped up by his arm.
I bite down on my bottom lip as I run my eyes over his muscular body, ogling his blue jeans and tight white t-shirt.
His lips turn into a lazy smile, and he crooks his finger at me.
I slip off my own shoes and climb onto the bed, settling on my side facing him.
He reaches out and drags his fingers over my bicep.
“Have you done this before?”
My brow furrows, unsure of what he means. Have I had sex with a guy? This isn’t my first rodeo.
“Rented a room at Euphoria,” he explains when I don’t answer.
I shake my head. “No. You?”
He shakes his head.
“But you’ve—” I clear my throat, unsure how to finish my question.
“Been with men?” he finishes, a teasing lilt in his voice. “Yeah, I have.”
I nod. “Me, too.”
Man. Singular.
He runs his palm over my pecs, then trails it down by body until he’s cupping me through my jeans. Leaning in, he presses his lips to the sensitive skin below my ear. “I’ve been thinking about what that piercing will feel like.”
“Yeah?” I breathe, bucking into his hand as he rubs me.
“Mmhmm. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”
“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.” Gripping his shirt, I pull him into my body, crushing my lips to his.
He groans into my mouth before kissing me back fiercely, his hand sliding off my dick to hitch my leg over his. My hard length grinds against his, and our kiss becomes more frantic.
So much for taking things slow. I’m moments away from ripping his clothes off and fucking him into oblivion.
Instead, I force myself to pull back, panting. His cheeks are flushed beneath his mask, his eyes a lust-filled daze. I run my fingers over his kiss-swollen lips, grinning as he nips at the pads.
“Do you think it’s weird that we don’t know each other’s identities?” I ask, suddenly wondering what would happen if we just threw caution to the wind and removed our masks.
“A little,” he admits with a chuckle. “But it’s hot as fuck.”
“It is hot as fuck,” I agree, cupping his cheek and pressing my lips to his.
We lose ourselves in another heady kiss, my stomach fluttering with how easy it feels with him. It’s not about the sex. I love the feel of his mouth against mine, the way his hands skate over the ridges of my muscles. Every touch sends shivers through my body. He makes me feel alive again.
I push him onto his back, and he grins, settling his hands behind his head as he watches me climb off him and cross the room to the cupboard. My pulse quickens when I glance over my shoulder at the sexy man sprawled on the bed waiting for me and I think about what we’re about to do.
It’s been almost two years since I slept with someone, but I can’t let my mind go there. This is different. My dad won’t find out about this. He can’t.
“Hey,” his low voice cuts through the fog. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I choke out, squeezing my eyes shut. “I just need a minute.”
He remains silent, giving me space to pull myself together.
Exhaling a heavy breath, I force the memories away and reach for a bottle of lube and a stash of condoms. Returning to the bed, I toss them onto the sheets and unbutton my jeans.
My masked man’s hand lands on mine, stilling me. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” he murmurs.
My chest tightens at the understanding in his tone, but I want this. I want him. “I’m okay,” I whisper as I stare into his eyes. A strange sense of familiarity hits me as I tilt his chin and lean down to kiss him.
I unzip my jeans and push them down my legs, then crawl onto the bed, hovering over him. I brush my nose over his, then bury my head in his neck, licking and sucking on his warm skin.
He moans, his hips jerking as he threads his hands through my hair.
I kiss my way down Romeo’s chest, over the material clinging tightly to his warm body, the texture causing my lips to tingle.
He arches his back, teasing me with a strip of skin that I trail my tongue across from hip to hip as I release his zipper.
Moving torturously slow, I peel the jeans down, nipping and sucking my way down one leg until the jeans are removed, then working my way up his other leg with my tongue.
When I reach the bottom of his boxer briefs, I crawl up his body and crush my lips to his.
Our bodies grind together, but I need more and slip my hand under the elastic of his boxers. Both of us groan as my fingers wrap around his stiff length, squeezing.
“Is this all for me?” I drawl, stroking him from base to tip.
“All for you,” he grunts, bucking into my grip.
I bury my tongue in his mouth as I work him over with my hand, capturing the noises falling from his lips.
He mutters a curse and rolls us so he’s on top of me, and I lose my grip on his dick. He captures my bottom lip between his teeth, the sting sending a jolt of pleasure through me, then pulls his shirt over his head with one hand, revealing his tanned, sculpted chest.
I trace my tongue over his pecs while his fingers work the buttons on my shirt, and then we’re chest to chest, my heart racing as I find his lips again.
My hand wraps around his throat, his pulse spiking beneath my palm. He tugs on my hair, then we’re rolling in the silk sheets, kissing, touching, and exploring each other’s bodies.
“I need to feel you inside me,” he murmurs, pushing the bottle of lube into my hand. “Fuck me, Shadow.”
My dick thickens, and my fingers graze his as I take the bottle from him.
“I want this.”
He smirks, removing his boxers. “Then take it.”
Without pulling my gaze from his, I spread his legs and squirt lube onto his hole, then use a slippery finger to massage the cool liquid around his rim. His eyes blaze, and he bites down on his lower lip as I slowly breach him, pre-cum leaking from his tip and coating his abs.
“Do you like that?” I growl, pushing a second finger inside, stretching him.
“Fuck, yes,” he moans, moving his hips and clenching around me.
Taking my time to work him open, I add a third finger, knowing I need to make sure he’s ready for my cock. His hips buck off the bed when I find his prostate, and I massage his tiny bud of pleasure, loving the way he trembles from my touch. “Tell me you want me.”
He doesn’t hesitate. “I want you.”
I remove my fingers, and he sucks in a deep breath as I shuck my boxers and roll on a condom, coating it in more lube.
Then I’m back between his legs, staring into his heated blue eyes as I brush a strand of his blond hair off his masked face.
Guilt washes over me as I slide my cock inside him, because for a moment, I imagine it’s my goalkeeper writhing beneath me, welcoming me home.