Learned Behaviors (Higher Education)

by Jayce Ellis

  “And I live with my mom still, so being here isn’t an option.”

  Matt raised a brow. “Do you think that’s a problem for me? You living with her?”

  “No,” Jaq said honestly. That had never occurred to him. “It’s just I know that hinders what we can do.” Matt quirked his head but didn’t respond. “What?”

  The grin he gave was positively sinful. “Just imagining how quiet we’d have to be if I fucked you at your house.”

  Jaq blinked. It had never occurred to him and now he’d never get it out of his head.

  “You like that idea, don’t you?” Matt’s voice filtered through the speaker like warm honey drizzling down his spine. “Like the idea of me taking you where someone could hear? Of forcing you to be quiet while I’m in you?”

  “Fuck.” The word took its time coming, like it was pulled out of him involuntarily.

  “Let me see you,” Matt whispered harshly.

  “Huh?”

  Matt grinned and sat back, his face leaving and coming back in focus. “Let me see you,” he repeated. “You like the idea of someone hearing you. I know it’s got you hard. Let me see what’s mine.”

  Jaq snorted. “Yours?”

  “Isn’t it?” Matt pinned him with a look that stole any snark-filled retort Jaq might have given.

  Holy fuck, this cat. He was so proper at work, never letting anything ruffle his feathers. That veneer was gone now, replaced by a man without any sense of propriety. And who knew that did it for Jaq?

  Slowly, taking his time because goddammit, Matt couldn’t always be in control, Jaq angled the phone in one hand and lowered the sheet covering him with the other. He made sure he could still see Matt’s face, and the focus Matt showed as Jaq revealed himself again shot through his veins. This man wanted him.

  When Jaq pushed the sheet off his dick, hard and leaking and straining toward his stomach, Matt groaned. “I need another taste. Didn’t get nearly enough last time.” Jaq’s dick jumped at those words and Matt laughed. “You like that idea too. Put the camera back on your face.”

  Jaq brought the camera back up and gave a stilted laugh. Why was it so hard to look at Matt after he’d seen him like this? The same thing had happened at the office and Jaq couldn’t understand it.

  “I’ll be back this weekend. What’re your plans?”

  Jaq coughed to clear his throat. “Homecoming. Getting together with the guys.” He paused for a second, then surged forward. “You wanna come?”

  “I don’t want to interrupt.”

  He shook his head. “No, one of the guys is bringing his friend. It’s not a problem. Come through.”

  Matt nodded. “Send me the details.”

  “Bet. I’ll see you then.”

  Matt’s eyes warmed. “You sure will.”

  Chapter Twelve

  After twenty minutes of driving around looking for a parking spot, Matt was ready to scream. Thank god Stadium allowed cell phones, because if he had to walk back to his car, the chances of him coming back were somewhere between zero and none. He’d told Jaq he’d be here at ten. It was almost one in the goddamn morning now, and if he ever needed confirmation he was too old for this shit, he had it.

  And there was a line. Of course there was. It took another twenty minutes of trudging through that, one eye on the fire marshal keeping a careful watch over the number of people filtering in and out, before Matt made it inside. A crushing throng was there to greet him. Sardines would have laughed at how packed it was. No way would he find Jaq in all this. He only barely remembered what the other guys he’d seen Jaq with looked like, and what a fucking waste.

  Matt ran a hand over his face and pressed forward. He was stressed, it’d been a long day, and he needed to calm down. He took a deep breath, then another. The line never thinned, but somehow he moved forward. After all this, he was damn sure getting a drink before he bounced. He shot off a quick text to Jaq, even though he was sure Jaq wouldn’t hear it over this noise. Hell, he probably wouldn’t even feel it, the buzzing thump of bass was so strong.

  By the time he made it to the bar he was reconsidering whether it was worth it. Still, he placed his order—whiskey, neat—and turned, hoping beyond hope that he’d spot Jaq. But he couldn’t see past the crowd that seemed ever-growing, fire marshal be damned. His phone buzzed.

  Jaq: u the dude sposed to meet JaQuan? We in the far right corner by the booths.

  Matt had no clue who’d written, but he knew where he was walking. He had the foresight to cash out before he made his way over, thankful he was able to move easily enough. Even through the mass of people, Jaq stood out, which said something given that he was shorter than most folks there. He was gesturing wildly, and Matt wondered if he knew he and his daughter shared that trait.

  Matt got close, enough that one of the two men standing to Jaq’s left nudged him. Jaq stopped whatever he was saying and looked over, then turned when the man pointed in Matt’s direction. Jaq’s shoulders dropped and relief washed across his face, and Matt hated knowing he’d put that look there. Jaq rolled his lower lip in, staring at him like they weren’t near to being crushed by the number of people around them, like he didn’t care who saw them, like they were the only ones in the club.

  Matt crossed the short divide and laid a loose hand on his hip, lacing one finger through his belt buckle. “Hey there.”

  Jaq huffed. “Took you long enough.” Then he frowned, settling his hand on Matt’s stomach and peering up at him. “Everything okay?”

  Only Jaq would go from irritated to concerned in the time it took to draw his next breath. Matt nodded. “Yeah. Angela’s having some issues and it took me longer than I wanted to get out of there.”

  Jaq winced, and Matt wondered if he knew that their daughters had broken up, and that Matt’s in particular was not handling it well. Jaq trailed his hand down, over Matt’s finger, still looped within the buckle, and he pushed thoughts of Angela’s problems to the side.

  “Let me introduce you to the guys,” Jaq said. He angled his head and beckoned over the three men who surrounded them, and Matt put on his game face. What he wanted to do was steal Jaq away and lay him out, release the stress of the day on his willing body, take him over and over, in as many ways and positions as he could imagine. Soon.

  Jaq hip-nudged him and cleared his throat, then made introductions. Carlton was as broad as Jaq, though taller, but then, they all were. He smiled like he’d never met a stranger, an arm looped over his friend Deion, who had French-braided dreads and the cleanest beard Matt had seen in a long time. Lawrence was actually taller than Matt by a few inches, lithe and well-groomed and looking none-too-pleased at something going on that had nothing to do with them.

  “Yo, that table’s cleared out. Let’s go,” Deion said, ducking under Carlton’s arm and beelining for the vacating booth before the patrons were fully gone. Carlton chuckled and followed, Jaq after him. He paused to grip Lawrence’s shoulder, probably to break him out of whatever stupor he was in, and Matt ruthlessly tamped down the jealousy that pulsed through him. JaQuan was coming home with him.

  They settled in and Carlton got to talking. Matt had a hard time keeping up, especially with the way Jaq leaned against him, his hand kneading Matt’s thigh. He shifted down in the seat and Jaq moved closer. Matt’s eyes drifted closed because loud music, yelling, and residual smells of weed be damned, he was tired and could pass out here.

  “So what got you here so late?” Carlton asked, his voice sharp and direct, and Matt forced his eyes open at the accusatory tone.

  He raised a brow. It was a conversation he was more than willing to have with Jaq, expected to have with Jaq, but with a perfect stranger? Nah.

  “Don’t pressure him,” Deion said softly, bumping Carlton on the shoulder.

  Carlton looked over at his friend, then back at Matt, and Matt saw...someth
ing in his eyes. A concern that undercut the abrasive question. He huffed and looked at Jaq, leaning against the booth, his eyes closed, still massaging Matt’s thigh. Jaq’d been worried about him, and his friends about Jaq. And Matt had waltzed in here without explanation. His friends weren’t having it, and honestly? He respected that.

  Matt cleared his throat. “My daughter’s a bridesmaid in my son’s wedding in a month. She had a dress fitting, and then opened up about some things in a way I wasn’t really expecting. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her until she was ready.”

  Understanding washed over the table, Carlton, Deion, and even Lawrence nodding their heads, while Jaq’s grip on him tightened.

  “It’s like that with kids, isn’t it?” Lawrence said. “Their needs come before your plans, and everyone has to adjust. I get it.”

  “Yeah,” Carlton chimed in. “I only had my nephew for a year before he went to college. Thought I’d go back to super bachelor the minute he was off, but it hasn’t been that way. Gotta make sure I’m there for him.” He stopped, and Deion wrapped a hand around his neck. Something unspoken passed between them, and Matt wondered at their relationship. It damn sure wasn’t just friendship.

  Jaq opened his eyes and rolled his head over. “Is it about...?” He trailed off and gnawed on his lower lip. Matt used his thumb to pull it out, and caught his breath when Jaq darted out his tongue and winked.

  Yes, it was about their daughters. Halo had done the breaking up, but damn if she wasn’t struggling. Matt couldn’t speak to how Tanisha was handling it, but his girl was a mess. He’d left her wondering how involved he should get, whether he needed to pull back, but that had flown out the window in the face of the concern he saw in Jaq’s eyes, as much for Halo as for his own daughter.

  As much as he wanted to finish what they’d planned tonight, he needed the comfort of Jaq’s presence more. Lawrence paved the way, finishing his drink and standing up. “I gotta go, guys. Have some business to take care of.”

  “At two thirty in the morning?”

  Lawrence stopped, his long and well-manicured fingers grazing the top of the table, and turned to Deion, whose expression was too knowing. “Yes, at two thirty. Critical business, if I’m being honest.”

  “He’s going to get his dick sucked,” Carlton stage-whispered.

  “Let’s hope.” Lawrence rapped the top of the table, muttered, “Check you later,” and disappeared into the crowd.

  Next to him, Jaq snickered and sat up. “I think we should follow his lead and bounce.”

  “And leave me here alone?” Carlton protested.

  “What about me, you asshole?”

  Carlton turned to Deion. “You don’t count.” He waved his fingers and turned back to them.

  Deion snorted and rolled his eyes, but not before dragging his eyes over his friend in unmistakable longing. Carlton was, if not oblivious to it, consciously ignoring it. Damn.

  Matt laid a hand over Jaq’s and faced him. “I think you’re right. My place?”

  “For sure.”

  They said their goodbyes and walked out, keeping a respectable distance until they were a few blocks past the club. Then Jaq sidled closer, but neither said anything, just walked with purpose.

  Matt didn’t speak until they finally got in the car. “What’re you in the mood for?”

  Jaq didn’t even hesitate. “You. Let’s go.”

  Bet.

  * * *

  Jaq woke slowly, like his body didn’t want to let go of its slumber. He knew two things immediately. One, he wasn’t in his house. Two, he hadn’t gotten laid. Oh, and yeah, three, Matt was nowhere to be found.

  He threw the covers off and stood, taking a moment to survey his surroundings. The bedroom was plain, probably a function of it being a pre-furnished apartment. Queen-size bed, a dresser and nightstand combo, hardwood floors with an admittedly plush-as-hell carpet under his feet. He wiggled his toes for good measure. Yeah, he liked that.

  The smell of bacon drifted from the kitchen, and Jaq took an appreciative sniff. That’s what had woken him. Jaq padded in that direction to find Matt lounging against the counter, on the phone, wearing nothing but a pair of track pants. Jaq started to back away, but Matt looked up and shook his head, holding his arm out. He crossed the short expanse, then Matt grabbed his arm and pulled him to his chest.

  Matt arranged them so Jaq’s legs were bracketed around one of Matt’s. He didn’t waste any time, snaking his hand down the back of Jaq’s boxer briefs. Matt squeezed one cheek, letting his finger slide through Jaq’s crease and massage his hole, and Jaq swallowed the moan that threatened. He grunted, biting into Matt’s shoulder to muffle the sound.

  “Kennie? I’ve got to go. Yeah, okay, three is fine.” A pause, an eye roll, a small shake of his head. How could he look and sound so calm when he was sending Jaq into a frenzy? “We’ll figure out something. Okay, bye.” Matt clicked off the phone in one breath and engulfed Jaq’s lips with his own in the next.

  Yes. Exactly what he’d been waiting for. He gripped Matt’s shoulders and rocked into him, letting Matt know exactly what he wanted. Matt massaged one cheek and held the back of Jaq’s neck with his other hand, holding him in place and taking control. He plunged his tongue in and out of Jaq’s mouth until the need to breathe became too great.

  “Fuck,” Jaq muttered when they finally broke apart. He rested his head on Matt’s collarbone and let out a short breath. “What the hell happened last night?”

  Matt laughed, squeezing him again before moving his hands up Jaq’s back. “Not this. I told you to get comfortable while I went to get supplies, and when I got back you were dead-to-the-world asleep. Didn’t even get your jeans off.”

  Jaq pulled back and stared at him. “Damn. I knew I was tired, but I didn’t think I was that bad.”

  Matt shrugged. “I was exhausted too. I got your jeans off and got you in bed. Told myself I’d leave once you fell asleep and passed out myself.”

  That explained why the other side of the bed looked rumpled but not slept in. Jaq ran his fingers over Matt’s collarbone, down his pecs and landed on his waistband. He wanted to take his time, enjoy the singularly unique pleasure of not rushing through this. All of his other times had been quick, nearly anonymous, enough that he could barely remember faces, let alone names. He’d never had this opportunity, and he damn sure wasn’t going to waste it now. Jaq let one hand travel up to Matt’s nipple, twisting it between his fingers and grinning when Matt grunted and punched his hips. He didn’t protest when Matt tugged him forward, guiding Jaq’s lips to his chest. He licked around one nipple and bit softly before dragging his tongue over it.

  Matt tightened his grip, snaking both hands down his briefs again. He pushed them down, and Jaq shifted back just long enough for Matt to free his dick from his confines.

  “So fucking needy,” he muttered, spreading Jaq’s cheeks wide. He kneaded them while Jaq worked the other nipple, streaks of his precome staining Matt’s pants.

  Jaq made an unintelligible sound and shoved a hand down the front of Matt’s sweats, gripping his hard length in his hand. He ran his thumb over the head, smearing the precome down his length and jerking him lightly. He was needy. He’d wanted Matt from the moment he’d seen him, even when he wanted to punch him in equal measure. Being here with him now was the culmination of months of fantasies.

  Matt finally broke away and stepped back. His breathing was labored, his lips swollen and pupils blown. Jaq felt no small sense of pride in being the one to make him look like that. “Bedroom?”

  Jaq managed a nod, but that was all Matt needed to grip him by the wrist and lead him back the way he’d come. They’d barely stepped inside before Matt pushed him down on the bed, stripped them of their last remaining clothing, and settled his weight over Jaq.

  The insatiable need to consume each other seemed to dissipate t
hen, and Jaq took a moment to just breathe. Matt did the same, trailing his hand almost reverently over Jaq’s shoulder. He shifted, aligning their dicks together, and rocked experimentally. Jaq spread his legs wider, needing more, and Matt made himself comfortable.

  “You know I wanted you the first time I saw you, before I even put a face with the name,” Matt whispered, continuing his gentle motion.

  Jaq snorted. The feeling was mutual, but he’d never admit it. “You looked so pissed off when I saw you. Couldn’t tell if you hated color, or life, until I saw the cat hairs.” He swallowed a moan as Matt wrapped a hand around both their lengths. “Where is he anyway?”

  Matt groaned. “You’ll meet him later. He’s with a friend. I need in you.”

  “Yes,” Jaq hissed out.

  Matt climbed off him and Jaq rolled to his stomach to assume the position, and was more than a little gratified by the rumble he was sure Matt was trying to hide. He dropped down to his shoulders and spread his legs, the tip of his dick grazing the mattress. Jaq groaned at the sensation and rocked forward, dragging the tip along the smooth sheets.

  The smack on his ass made him yelp, and his entire body shudder. “Behave,” Matt ordered, his hand roaming over him. “Need to get you ready for me.”

  Jaq heard the squelching sound of lube being opened and clenched at the first cool contact against him. Matt circled his ring with one finger before pushing inside, and Jaq shivered again, stiffening before willing himself to relax.

  “That’s it,” Matt muttered behind him, almost to himself. “Let me in.”

  He massaged Jaq’s ass with one hand and inserted another finger with the other. Jaq’s breath quickened and he pressed into the mattress. It’d been so long since he’d had someone in him, and no one had taken this kind of time with him. He was used to self-prep followed by frantic coupling, the rushed need to get your rocks off before being discovered. He’d given up trying as T grew, knowing how kids talked and not wanting to be one more burden. Only in his dreams had anything been like this.