Learned Behaviors (Higher Education)

by Jayce Ellis

  He stood and walked out into the hallway, intending to do a short circuit around the office to loosen up some kinks. He paused not halfway through, seeing the light under Jaq’s office. Matt hadn’t known he was still here, but he shouldn’t be surprised. The man was a beast. He walked over and knocked.

  He heard the squeak of the chair before thudded steps approached the door. It opened and a confused Jaq stood on the other side. He frowned and looked down at his watch. Given that it was pushing on midnight, it was understandable. “Matt. What’re you still doing here?”

  It took Matt a moment to put his tongue back in his mouth. At some point JaQuan had changed into a pair of gray sweatpants and a white tee, stretched tightly across his chest and shoulders. He could see the nipples poking through and wanted to pinch, to watch Jaq’s dick harden at the contact and dampen the front of those sweats.

  “Good to see you too,” Matt said with a slight chuckle, the sound a little breathless to himself. He coughed and tried to clear his throat. “I’m catching up on some work. I take it you’re doing the same.”

  Jaq gripped the back of his head, the movement making his shirt ride up and his biceps bulge, and pointed behind him. “Yeah, sometimes the only way I can give Patti the attention she needs is to work on everyone else after hours.”

  “How many nights have you been here this late?” At this stage of the project, they’d reverted back to normal hours. It would pick up again after Nichole gave her stamp of approval and any last-minute details.

  “After missing so much time? Every night so far.”

  “You’re exhausted. I thought you were doing better, but...”

  “I am,” Jaq tried to assure him. “I’m actually sleeping at night and my energy’s mostly back. I’m good,” he reiterated, but Matt could tell he was dead on his feet. The urge to comfort him, the way he had before, flowed through him.

  “You’re lying.” Matt stepped into Jaq and gripped his waist.

  Jaq let his arm fall on Matt’s shoulder and closed the space. For a moment he stayed there, silent, his breath ghosting across Matt’s neck. Then he pressed a kiss to the hollow and stepped back. Or tried to, as Matt tightened his grip on him. Jaq didn’t fight it.

  “I think you need a break.”

  “No time.” Jaq’s eyes had gone dark, his pupils blotting out the warm brown of his irises. He wanted it, Matt could tell. But he wouldn’t ask for it. Didn’t trust himself to do it.

  Matt bent and nipped at Jaq’s lower lip. “What do you usually do when you get riled up?”

  “Why do you want to know?”

  “Call me curious. More so since you answered my question with a question.”

  Jaq shrugged. “Jack off. What else?”

  “Then do that.” What the hell was he saying?

  This time Jaq sucked in a breath and stepped back again. Matt let him. “Say what?”

  “I want to see you pleasure yourself. I want to see how you make yourself come.” He’d never asked to see such a thing before, never knew he wanted it, but now that he’d asked, he couldn’t think of anything he’d ever wanted more.

  Jaq grunted, his cock, now hard, jerking against the front of his sweats. A small spot appeared where precome had darkened it.

  “You like that idea, don’t you, sweetheart?” Matt whispered, cupping Jaq’s face in his hands and running a thumb over Jaq’s lower lip.

  “Shit’s weird.”

  Matt ran his hands down Jaq’s neck. “Yes. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I—”

  “I want it,” Jaq cut in. “I want to do it. It’s just...weird.”

  Matt let his fingers fall under the neckline of Jaq’s tee and began to massage him. He was tense, whether from work or anticipation, Matt couldn’t tell, but the cure was the same. “How can I make it less weird?”

  Breath skirted out of Jaq, and Matt felt him shudder under his touch. “I don’t know. Don’t go, I guess?”

  “Not a problem. I won’t be able to keep my eyes off you.” Matt reached behind him and locked the door. “Cleaning crew already come?” Jaq nodded. “Good. I don’t want to be disturbed.” His heart was near to thudding out his chest at the idea of Jaq, naked, jacking off while Matt watched him. Doing it because Matt asked. Fuck, he was close to coming from the thought alone.

  Jaq whined low in his throat, and Matt moved a hand around to the front of his neck to feel his Adam’s apple bob. He’d been good, backing off at the mall and at Jaq’s house. He could admit he’d gone too far in the other direction when Jaq returned, and he needed to rectify that. Now his—this—man was riled up and needy and wanted what Matt could give.

  “Go lay on your couch.” Damn, was that his voice? It was so low and hoarse, it hardly sounded like himself.

  Jaq turned and stared at the thing like he’d never seen it before, before nodding and walking over. He collapsed on a cushion and stared at him. Waiting. Beautiful.

  “Pull your sweats down,” Matt whispered. Jaq complied immediately, shoving them and his boxers past his thighs.

  “Stop,” Matt barked. “Let me see you.”

  Jaq paused, letting his eyes meet Matt’s. Confirming that they both wanted this. Wanted to keep going. Matt nodded and Jaq let his hand fall away to grip the cushion beneath him.

  Dear god, but he was perfect. That smooth brown skin glistened; his dick, thick and long, that mushroom-shaped head glistening with his precome, beckoned to him. Matt needed to taste.

  He dropped to his knees and licked the head of Jaq’s dick. “Fuck,” Jaq ground out above him, punching his hips in the air.

  Matt massaged his thighs, feeling his own cock harden almost painfully in his suit pants. Damn slim cut. He stood and backed up. “Pull your shirt over your head. Don’t take it off.”

  Jaq complied, pulling the neck over his head until it rested across his shoulders. Almost like a woman’s shrug, but naughtier. He stopped, his chest expanding and collapsing, waiting for Matt’s next order.

  “Show me” was all he said.

  Jaq spit into his palm and smoothed it down his dick. His eyes closed and his head fell back against the top of the couch. He took his time, drawing his hand up and down his length, occasionally twisting at the top, before moving back to his base.

  “Look at me,” Matt whispered. When Jaq jerked his head forward, Matt closed the distance and cupped his cheek. “You’re fucking gorgeous. You can’t know how hard watching you makes me.”

  “Show me,” Jaq guttered out, parroting Matt.

  Matt’s dick leaked at the words, at the idea of doing something so improper with someone he wanted more than his next breath, and he unfastened his pants, pulling his member through the front of his briefs. Jaq reached out and Matt snagged his hand, pressing a kiss to his palm and tightening his grip before letting go. “No touching. That’s all you get for now. Keep going. Don’t close your eyes.”

  Jaq obeyed like he’d been born to it, slathering his palm over his mouth before returning it to his cock, stroking up and down with more force. He shifted downward and reached with his other hand to fondle his balls. The sound he made when he gripped them was downright filthy and had Matt’s dick spurting. He used the moisture to stroke himself in time with Jaq, their eyes never leaving each other.

  “I’m close.” Jaq stroked faster, harder, and the grip had to be brutal.

  “What do you need?” Matt’s throat was dry, his ability to breathe stripped by the sight of Jaq so shamelessly bringing himself to climax.

  “Touch me. Play with me.”

  Fuck, yes. Matt knelt on the cushion next to Jaq and reached over, tweaking his nipple the way he’d longed to earlier. Jaq mewled, his neck falling back again. Matt didn’t stop him, instead sucking on his Adam’s apple while twisting the other nipple, until Jaq went rigid beneath him and groaned, his release coating his hand an
d chest.

  Jaq’s eyes started to slide shut, but Matt was having none of it. “Get a pants leg off.”

  “What?” he asked, his voice slurred with content, and fuck if Matt didn’t want to beat his chest at the sound of it.

  “I need to finish,” Matt said, climbing off the couch to stand in front of Jaq. “I want to see more.”

  The sound Jaq made was lewd, and his dick looked like it was making a valiant effort to rise again, but he fumbled with a pants leg and pulled it off. He planted his foot on the couch, opening himself up to Matt’s gaze.

  Matt unfastened his buckle and opened his pants enough to pull his cock all the way out. He sucked a finger into his mouth and Jaq watched with rapt fascination. Matt moved closer, straddling Jaq’s covered leg and moving his finger down to Jaq’s taint, then to his hole. He massaged his pucker, feeling it move with his ministrations. Jaq planted a foot on the couch and shifted to give Matt better access, holding his thigh with one hand while Matt played with him.

  “So goddamn good,” Matt muttered. His hand flew over his dick of its own accord.

  “Yeah,” Jaq whispered, his voice almost reverent. “Let me see it. Come on me.”

  He didn’t have to ask twice. Matt held the base of his dick and shot his load over Jaq’s chest, his explosion mingling with Jaq’s on his stomach and pecs. “Fucking hell.”

  Jaq looked down at himself, almost like he couldn’t believe what had happened. And he wasn’t going to think about it now. Matt leaned over him and trailed his hand through their releases, flattening his palm over Jaq’s chest and rubbing it in.

  “It’s like you’re marking me.” Jaq’s voice held a hint of awe in it.

  Matt grunted. He hadn’t thought about it like that, but... “Maybe I am. If I told you not to wash it off, would you leave it?”

  “Yeah.” The words were quick, probably too quick. Jaq frowned and skirted his eyes away.

  Matt tapped Jaq’s lips with his finger and brought Jaq’s attention back to him, gripping his chin lightly. “That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. Don’t ever feel ashamed for knowing what you want.”

  “Didn’t think I’d want that,” Jaq admitted. “But I like it.”

  Matt kissed him, hard and sure, swiping his tongue in Jaq’s mouth. “Good. Pull your shirt down. I want to know that you’re going home with me on you like this.”

  Jaq surged up for another kiss. Matt gripped his shoulder and took over. Jaq’s shoulders relaxed and he sank into it. When he broke away and pulled his shirt down and got back into his sweats, Matt wanted to pound his chest in primal satisfaction.

  “Thanks,” Jaq whispered.

  “For what?”

  “I do feel better.” Jaq laughed.

  Matt laughed too. “Glad I could help.” Matt straddled Jaq then, holding his face while he plucked at Jaq’s lips. He couldn’t get enough. When he finally broke off, it was clear they needed to leave now, before they started round two. “C’mon, let’s go.”

  Jaq gathered his stuff, then waited for Matt to hit his office and shut down. They made it to the elevators and down to the garage in companionable silence before Matt got to his car.

  “You know, I get really wound up sometimes. I might need some more help in the future,” Jaq said when they got there.

  Cheeky little thing. “Is that so?” Matt asked, his smile straining his cheeks.

  “It is.”

  “I’d be more than glad to help. Anytime.”

  One brow rose. “Anytime?”

  Matt stepped forward and flicked his tongue out across Jaq’s lips. “Any.”

  Jaq’s grin was sultry, and he walked to his car a few spots down. He unlocked the door and leaned over the roof. “I’ll hold you to it.” He shut the door behind him and honked once, then was gone.

  * * *

  JaQuan pulled up to his house to find all the lights on and fought the surge of alarm that shot through him. Gran usually went to bed pretty early, and did not suffer the iniquity of high electrical bills based on laziness. It was damn near one in the morning now, but he hadn’t received any calls, either to his cell or the office. Something had happened, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything was wrong.

  He opened the door and stopped short at the sight of Tanisha in the living room, her hair piled into a messy bun, wearing an outfit he was pretty sure she’d left at the house, her eyes red and face splotchy from crying. She leaped off the couch when she saw him and blitzed across the room, wrapping her arms around his waist.

  Which, fuck. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before pulling back. Because he could not bear to have her touching him after... When he still had Matt’s... He couldn’t even finish the thought.

  “Did somebody hurt you?” he asked, squeezing her shoulders. Because why else would she be here and not at school?

  She sniffed. “No, Daddy.”

  “You sure?” he asked, checking her forehead and neck, then looking her over for obvious injuries. “You’re not here tryin’ to manage my feelings, are you?”

  “She’s in love,” Gran yelled from the kitchen.

  Jaq looked at Tanisha, but she dropped her eyes. Oh. Shit. This wasn’t happening.

  He stepped back and bracketed his hands on his hips. “You gonna be okay if I take a quick shower? I worked out and need to get this grime off me.” Or something like that.

  She nodded and returned to her seat on the couch, tucking her feet under her and going back to whichever Real Housewives Du Jour was on the screen.

  Gran speared him with a look as he passed the dining room table on the way to his room. She wasn’t the least bit fooled. Jaq scurried away and shut the door behind him, then took a moment to breathe.

  Damn. He’d planned to spend the evening alone in bed with a bottle of lube, his memories, and a vivid imagination. In every other instance, for the past eighteen years, his ability to switch from whatever he was doing to dad mode was automatic. Instantaneous and without question. It wasn’t happening tonight. Jaq couldn’t quite hit the clutch to shift gears, and it was scrambling his brain.

  “Fuck,” he muttered, then grabbed his pajamas and headed to the bathroom. The one thing he’d gotten used to was longer showers, since only two people shared it now instead of three. But he didn’t have time to stand there and marinate, instead scrubbing himself down twice to remove any evidence of how his and Matt’s unchecked need had played out on his body. Damn, he’d wanted to leave that all night. To wake up in the morning and remember what he’d done in the privacy of his office just an hour before. He sighed, finished his shower and dressed, still trying to get his head on straight.

  Tanisha had moved from the couch to the table, where Gran had set down dinner in front of her. Jaq was on the edge of scolding her for making Gran serve her, but one look set him straight. His baby girl was hurting and he was reeling. Now wasn’t the time.

  Jaq settled in next to her and she leaned on his shoulder, continuing to eat between sniffles. Gran bustled around next to them. “You hungry, Jackie?”

  He huffed. “I could eat.” Which earned him a smack upside his head, like he knew it would. Nothing she hated more than extra words for what amounted to yes-or-no questions. Gran wasn’t stupid—she knew he’d said it because it gave Tanisha endless amusement to see him chastised by his own parent. Sure enough, she giggled and sat up straight, wiping her hand under her eye.

  “You wanna tell me what happened to bring you home?” he asked when Gran shuffled off, tamping down his guilt about not fixing his own damn plate.

  “I told her I liked her. Like, wanted to be exclusive liked her.”

  “Who?” Jaq held his breath, sure he knew the answer.

  “Angela.”

  Of course. Jaq closed his eyes and let his chest expand on a deep breath, then exhaled quietly. Because Tanisha wouldn�
��t be here if things had gone well. “What’d she say?”

  “That I’m sweet and she likes me and she’s enjoyed the time we spent together and everything, but I’m a little young and need to do more growing up. On my own time,” she finished on a whisper.

  The white-hot rage that blistered through him immediately collided with the swell of his own feelings for Angela’s father. These are two separate issues. Treat them like it.

  He ran a hand down Tanisha’s hair. “I’m sorry, pumpkin.”

  She shrugged, the movement stiff and jerky. “It’s okay. I just have to see her all the time, you know? Every time I walk by she’s laughing and I just... I can’t help wondering if she’s laughing at me. Or about me, or whatever.” She shuddered then, another sob racking her frame.

  Jaq pulled his chair closer and tugged Tanisha into a seated hug. When Sara’d been pregnant, kids at school had taunted her while simultaneously congratulating him, and he’d grown increasingly protective of her. Even after they’d broken up, even as she’d grown to loathe him the way her family immediately had, all he’d wanted was to keep her safe. Eighteen years later, with his child, his protectiveness had increased tenfold, and an overwhelming sense of failure settled around him. Sure, breakups were par for the course, especially in college, but he’d do anything to go the rest of his life without seeing this haunted look on Tanisha’s face.

  “Daddy,” Tanisha whispered, squeezing his hand, “I know you want to run on campus and crack heads or whatever, but I’ll be fine, really. I just needed to get away and not have to deal with her.”

  Jaq cleared his throat. Something wasn’t adding up right. “I thought you had class with her. So it wouldn’t be that often, would it?” He’d assumed they might have some general requirement course together, since he knew Tanisha had no interest in chemistry or the sciences. She was a hardcore dance major at heart.

  “Yeah, umm, I told you that so you wouldn’t stress.”

  That didn’t sound promising. He sat up straighter but kept his arm on her back. “So how do you really know her?”