Because he’d had it. Maybe not officially, maybe not in any way that he’d even been consciously aware of, but when he hadn’t been busy sulking over the fact that his dumbass phone app told him that he could never had Red, he’d had Red.
As his friend, as the person he got to come home to—on the rare occasions he went out—as everything he’d always wanted in a boyfriend, minus the sex.
The fact that he’d run away once he had that too made him feel even more stupid. If they gave out medals for stupidity, Andy had earned several today.
He’d talk to Red when he got home. It wasn’t too late to tell him how he felt, beg him for forgiveness, and promise to be better.
Red would listen, because Red was like that. Red had the patience, kindness and understanding Andy had always needed. Regardless of what his algorithm said, Red was perfect for him.
If Andy was actually the luckiest man on Earth, Red would feel the same way.
All Andy could do was ask.
Decision made, he finally let his eyes fall closed, half-listening to the news as he fell into a doze. He wanted to be well-rested when Red got home, because if their talk went well…
The sex had been really hot, and he would have liked a repeat performance. Even if he could pretend he wasn’t in love with Red, he couldn’t deny that.
Oh.
He was in love with Red.
Really, genuinely in love.
He’d known, he’d realized on the walk home, but it had just hit him now how huge that was. How important.
The talk would go well. It had to. Andy couldn’t deal with two broken hearts in a row. He couldn’t lose Red like this.
Just as he was thinking that, news of a fire in town caught his attention. He sat up, an uncomfortable, cold fear settling in his gut.
Another apartment building in flames, this one, according to the banner underneath, condemned and structurally unsound.
As Andy scanned the crowd for Red’s face—still unsure if he was even on the call—he watched a huge section of the building collapse.
Swallowing, Andy forced himself not to look away. Red would be fine. What were the odds?
Knowing his luck, the odds were practically a hundred percent.
A wave of nausea washed over Andy as the camera moved to Red’s station chief. They’d been introduced briefly over the weekend.
If Red wasn’t outside, he was in the building.
The building had just collapsed.
Without a second thought, Andy got up and grabbed his coat. He had to get there.
He had to get to Red. Even if he had to drag him out himself.
All he could do was hope that it wasn’t too late.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Though it wasn't the first time he’d had a building fall on him, Red was pretty sure this one had been the closest call. It was nothing short of a miracle that the worst anyone had come away with was a broken arm.
“We’re gonna have to call you the Wicked Witch of the East,” Murray joked as he was wheeled past Red, who’d somehow only come out of the whole thing with a few scrapes and bruises.
“Yeah, yeah.” He smiled wryly. “Go bother the people at the hospital.”
Murray had gotten the worst of it, but he’d be okay. Hell, he’d be back at work within a month, tied to a desk and whining about it non-stop.
That was fine. Red would much rather have him whining than dead.
Red was grateful they were all alive and more or less okay.
He was sure now that he had to talk to Andy, though. Right now. No more delays, no more being afraid. Anyone could get hit by a bus at any moment, and if this had been his last call, he would have died before letting Andy know how he felt.
That wasn’t an option. Andy deserved more than that from him.
He took out his phone the moment the paramedic left him alone, wrapped in a shock blanket as though he wasn’t used to this by now.
All the same, he wasn’t about to give the blanket up.
Red’s finger was hovering over the call button when he heard someone shouting his name. He looked up to see Andy running full-pelt toward him, dodging a cop on his way past.
Andy ran straight into him at full force, wrapping his arms around Red’s shoulders as he gasped for breath and burst into tears.
Once he got over the surprise, Red raised his arms to hug back. He could feel Andy shaking under his touch, sobbing into the blanket.
“I love you,” Andy whispered between sobs. “I just wanna put that out there before anything else happens. Are you hurt?”
Red blinked, not sure what to respond to first.
Andy loved him.
The miracles kept on coming today.
“Uh, I’m not hurt. Little bruised and scratched, nothing major. I got lucky.”
Andy pulled back a little. “Is anyone else hurt?” he asked, face pale and drawn.
“Murray broke his arm. Julian’s gonna have a cool pirate scar across his eyebrow. Everyone else is fine.”
“You’re gonna have one on your cheek.” Andy nodded to where Red had cut himself. The paramedic who’d seen to him had glued it shut, calling Red a baby when he’d winced at the sting.
Paramedics were some of Red’s favorite people, as long as he didn’t have to date them.
“Don’t worry,” Andy added. “It’s just gonna make you look more manly.”
Red laughed at that, and then found he couldn’t stop himself from giggling. He pulled Andy close again, breathing in his familiar scent, soaking in the warmth of his body.
“I’m extremely manly,” he said. “I just crawled out of a collapsed building.”
“Why were you even in there? Isn’t it condemned?” Andy asked. He sounded annoyed, now, which Red understood. This was his job, and he knew Andy knew that, but he wouldn’t have wanted Andy putting himself in harm’s way, either.
Red cleared his throat. “We saw some kids trapped. It’s okay, we got them.”
Andy heaved a huge sigh and buried his face in Red’s neck. “You’re going to do this to me all the time, aren’t you?”
Red swallowed. After everything they’d been through to get to this point, was Andy going to opt out because of Red’s job?
It wasn’t as though it wouldn’t be understandable if he did. Plenty of people couldn’t handle the idea of being attached to firefighters. The constant fear of losing them.
At least, that was what the guys at the station said. Red could see why. He hadn’t wanted to date someone in emergency services for pretty much the same reason. He couldn’t worry about both of them all the time.
‘Probably, yeah. This is what I do,” Red admitted. “And it’s okay if that’s too much for you.”
Andy shook his head. “No. It’s the trade-off for getting to tell people my boyfriend is a hero.”
“Boyfriend?” Red asked, hopeful that Andy meant it.
“If you'll have me.” Andy leaned back again to look Red in the eye. “I'm so sorry about this morning. I was being stupid.”
“It's okay,” Red said. Andy was here now. That was all that mattered.
Red hadn't been sure how Andy felt about him this morning, but he knew now. He’d never felt more loved, more valued, in his entire life.
Andy had come running when he’d thought Red was in danger. Even though he knew there was nothing he could do. That meant everything to Red.
“No,” Andy said. “It’s not. I let myself believe that a stupid algorithm meant we couldn’t be together and I ran away from you at the worst possible time, and I’m sorry, and I’ll make it up to you however you want.”
Red frowned. “Wait, back up a second. Algorithm?”
Andy sniffed. “We’re a zero-percent match according to my app.”
As he always did when Andy was being ridiculous, Red raised an eyebrow. “So?”
“So it means… the percentage is how likely you are to have a successful relationship.” Andy sighed. “I wouldn’t let mysel
f even consider the possibility, because I was afraid it would end in tears and my last relationship ended because we wanted totally different things out of life and I just… I was scared, and stupid, and I hated sending you out on dates with other men.”
“My best date was with you,” Red said, leaning in so he could kiss Andy softly. As their lips connected, Andy made a soft, happy sound, any protest he might have been about to make stopped in its tracks.
This was nice. All the heartache and uncertainty was worth it for this moment. Red knew now that he was loved.
Somewhere, in the distance, Red heard someone wolf-whistling. Before he’d met Andy, he would have been embarrassed.
Now, he was proud. Andy might not have been able to see it, but he was smart, and funny, and he’d become Red’s best friend effortlessly, like he’d always belonged in Red’s life. How could he not be proud of that?
“Your app is wrong. Sorry,” Red murmured as the kiss ended, bumping his nose against Andy’s.
“I know. I know that now.” Andy looked down. “Forgive me for being a little tunnel-visioned?”
“Already forgiven.” Red beamed at him.
He looked past Andy to the rest of the crowd, waving at Chief Matthews to catch his attention.
“Hey, do I get sick leave?” Red called out.
“Why, are you sick?” the chief asked.
Red coughed. “Extremely,” he said. “I might even be dying.”
The chief smiled knowingly. He was a good guy. “Then go die at home so I don’t have to fill out any paperwork.”
“Thanks, Chief.” Red grinned at him, standing up and shrugging the blanket off. “You think we could go home, now?” he said more quietly, so only Andy could hear.
“I think we could.” Andy grabbed his hand.
Injuries and all, this was the best day of Red’s life.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I’m doing all the work this time,” Andy said as he climbed on top of Red, straddling his hips and settling his full weight on him so Red couldn’t move.
Now that he was naked, Andy could see that he had more than a few bruises—there was a particularly nasty one on his right shoulder that he’d definitely feel in the morning. It was obvious now that he’d been hurt, but judging by his reactions so far, that didn’t mean he wasn’t up for this.
“You did all the work last time,” Red pointed out.
Andy wet his lips. “Maybe I like being in charge.”
He traced a circle around Red’s belly button, then splayed his hand over Red’s stomach, avoiding any sore-looking spots. Andy was still recovering from the shock of thinking he’d lost Red, but this would help speed that along.
“Kinda getting that.” Red smirked. “It’s okay. I like you being in charge.”
Andy laughed softly, moving to stroke the tip of his finger along Red’s already-hard cock. Red bit down on his lip, muffling the needy whimper in his throat.
“Can I have your cock, this time? Since you haven’t tried that yet.” Andy asked.
Red nodded eagerly. “Anything you want,” he said, though it was obvious he really liked the first suggestion.
“Well, that’s what I want for the first round.” Andy smiled slowly, reaching for the lube he’d gotten out before he’d climbed on the bed. “I’m not going to be done with you after, though.”
Swallowing, Red nodded again. He had a lot of great qualities, but right now, Andy’s favorite was his inexperienced eagerness. Everything was new to him, and he wanted to try all of it.
They had a lot of experimenting to do, as far as Andy was concerned.
He uncapped the lube and poured a bead onto his fingers, not bothering to warm it up. He could have asked Red to do this for him, shown him how it was done, but they’d have time for that later. Right now, he wanted Red to watch, and he didn’t want to have to take it slow.
This way, Red would never have to know he was rushing.
As expected, Red stared at Andy as he started to open himself up, his eyes dark and his lips parted. It was really, really nice to know that Red was turned on by this.
Already imagining Red’s cock inside him, Andy had no trouble working himself open. Arousal built in his stomach, making him gasp and bite down on his lip, rock his hips as he got himself ready.
“You’re really hot,” Red murmured, his voice thick and rough. “I don’t think I ever said before.”
“It’s okay, I know.” Andy grinned at him. It was nice to hear, even if he’d already known that Red found him attractive. He should have figured that out when Red started describing the kind of guys he was attracted to.
They’d both been a little slow to see what was right in front of them, but it didn’t matter now. They’d gotten there in the end.
“And humble, also.” Red laughed, resting both of his hands on Andy’s thighs, squeezing gently. The touch sent a jolt of arousal straight to Andy’s cock. “I feel useless.”
“You’re injured,” Andy responded. “Your job is to enjoy yourself.”
The fact that he meant that told Andy just how deep his feelings for Red went. He wouldn’t have been telling a casual partner to lie back and take it easy while he took care of him, but it was second-nature with Red.
It helped that he knew Red would say the same to him if their positions were reversed.
Although he was trying to get to the good part as fast as possible, Andy’s arousal was building more quickly than he’d imagined. Seeing Red staring up at him, clearly wanting him, was way more of a turn-on than he’d anticipated.
The temptation to get himself off first was strong, his cock already leaking precome from the thought of what he was about to get. Everything felt so urgent, the shock of thinking he’d lost Red still fresh in his mind.
That was all the more reason to hold out a few more seconds, though. He needed Red, and he needed him now. He needed to feel every inch of him, to be sure all the way to his bones that Red was still here.
Andy grabbed the condom from beside Red’s hip and pressed it into his hand. “Put that on,” he instructed.
Red wet his lips and kept looking up at Andy for a moment, then apparently realized that Andy was serious and did as he was told.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Andy gave a few last, testing thrusts of his fingers before deciding that close enough was good enough and pulling them out. He got up to his knees and shuffled forward, reaching back with one hand to hold Red’s cock still.
At the last moment, he changed his mind about his position and leaned forward to kiss Red instead, catching his lips even as he wriggled back onto his cock. It made the position more awkward, but it was worth it.
He wanted to have as much of Red as possible, right now. He’d been so close to losing him.
Andy gasped as the head of Red’s cock slipped inside him, stretching him a little past what he’d been ready for. He rocked his hips back and forth, taking Red an inch at a time until he was in as far as he could go.
As much as he enjoyed kissing Red, Andy sat back up. He could kiss Red again later. Right now, he needed a better angle, more leverage, more control.
Andy closed his eyes for a moment, letting his body adjust to Red’s cock. He was a bigger guy than Andy was used to, and that was true all over. Red made him feel a little too full, a little too stretched, but that was exactly what he needed right now.
Besides, he had plenty of time to get used to it. At least he knew that Red would always be satisfying.
Not that he’d ever had any doubt.
“You okay?” Red asked after a moment. He was panting for breath, his chest rising and falling rhythmically as he moved his hands to grip Andy’s hips instead.
Being held in place like that was hotter than Andy had expected. Red’s hands were big enough to really make him feel as though he was being held in place, as though Red could stop him moving if he wanted to, keep his cock all the way inside. Andy paused to enjoy it for a moment, letting Red’s grip keep h
im almost still, rocking his hips back and forth as much as he was allowed.
“I’m great.” Andy put his own hands on top of Red’s, working his fingers under them to link them together. “Are you the kind of guy who wants to hear about how big he is?”
Red blushed, as darkly as he ever had when he was at his most embarrassed. That was sweet. Andy needed to remember to pay him direct, filthy compliments more often.
“Well, for the record, I like your cock,” Andy murmured. “Give me a few seconds, and I’ll show you how much.”
Andy took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes again to focus on the way Red felt inside him. He was big enough to brush against every sensitive spot at once, big enough to be satisfying without having to move at all.
That didn’t mean Andy wasn’t going to move. He lifted Red’s hands away from his hips, giving himself more freedom of movement.
Anticipation built in his gut. This was going to be so good.
Even as he made a few cautious movements, Andy gasped, barely suppressing a moan. He opened his eyes again, ready now, and leaned forward.
Normally, he would have braced himself against Red’s shoulders, but the bruise he’d noticed earlier stopped him. Instead, he planted one hand either side of Red’s head, whimpering at the steeper angle as he started moving his hips.
He gasped as Red’s cock dragged against all his sensitive spots, closing his eyes tightly as a spike of pleasure shot up his spine, so forceful it made the base of his skull hurt. He lifted himself a little higher for the next thrust, wanting more of that.
Sex with Red was so hot. There was so much they had to explore, and Andy wanted all of it.
This time, Red let his hands settle on Andy’s waist, just touching, not holding. It felt so good to be touched like this, simple contact that told him Red was there, and he wasn’t going anywhere.
“You are so hot,” Andy panted, working up to deeper thrusts, a faster pace. He didn’t need to draw this out. They’d have all day together, and he needed to feel Red come under him, needed the reassurance that everything was okay, that he hadn’t screwed this up beyond repair.
Red Hot Page 11
