by Jaime Reese
"You can park in any space, sir. You will see another attendant by the arena entrance door. He will guide you where to go."
"Thanks," Aidan said, driving into the garage and easily finding a spot near the second waiting attendant.
"Consider yourself lucky tonight. You've got carte blanche on anything you want done to you," Jessie said.
"I'm lucky every night I'm with you," Aidan said, shifting the SUV in park and switching off the engine.
Jessie turned toward Aidan. "I don't think you have enough scorecards tonight."
A huge smile split Aidan's face. "Go Team Calloway. C'mon," Aidan said, exiting the truck.
Jessie immediately unclipped his seat belt and followed Aidan to the attendant.
"This way, sir," the man said, leading them through another door to a hallway. "Follow this hallway until you find your room. The number on the room door will match the seat number on your ticket."
They walked down the hallway and opened the door to their room. Jessie walked through the entryway and paused. The room had a small round table in the center and a bar table setup on the side with a few glasses and bottled waters in a bucket of ice. Jessie gasped at the private section with four seats at the far end of the room. The space extended slightly in the construction, as if the seating area were deliberately built farther out than the standard section, blocking the view of people from above or below. Privacy walls to the left and right of the seating area but open to the front, facing the main stage, silenced much of the noise from the chatter of the entering crowd around them. Jessie followed Aidan to the front row with only two chairs. The oversized recliner seats offered more comfortable spacing than the standard stadium seating he spotted in the distance for the crowd filing in.
"Is it just the two of us or are two other people joining us?"
"Just the two of us."
"Do I want to know what you did to get these tickets?" Jessie asked, settling next to Aidan.
Aidan grinned. "I called in a favor."
Jessie gripped the cushioned armrests and pivoted his head in every possible direction, observing every detail and watching the crowd across the arena trickle in and fill the stadium seats. He glanced over at Aidan who carefully watched him, his hazel eyes more a mix of pale green and amber tonight accented with the rich gold flecks. "How did you know?"
Aidan peeked over the front edge of their seating area at the crowd gathering below them before returning his focus to Jessie. "You left your browser window open a couple of months ago on your laptop. So I knew you were interested. I didn't see the charge come in on my card so I knew you hadn't gotten the tickets. When I looked it up, I saw it was sold out so I made a few phone calls."
Jessie looked around at the seating and chuckled when a server quietly entered the room for a moment to refill the ice bucket then left again. "VIP? Do you do anything half-assed?"
"Where's the fun in that?"
The lights dimmed in the arena and the music began to echo in the theater. Within moments, everything was pitch black and the only lights came from the stage, now filled with performers. A flutter of excitement bubbled in Jessie's chest, either from the acrobatic performers swinging across the stage or the strong hand that covered his in the dark. No one could see anything in the darkness, but it didn't matter. Aidan was with him, at a show he knew Aidan wouldn't have attended otherwise. The music boomed and the light show queued the transition to the next sequence of performers gathering on stage. A juggler joined the group, circled by dancers and gymnasts in an expertly choreographed synchronized display of art and elegance.
"Do you like the show?" Aidan whispered in his ear.
Jessie turned to him in the dark, reaching up to touch the trimmed stubble. He leaned in and placed a kiss on the lips he imagined were smiling at him. "I love the show."
"I knew you would as soon as the juggler came on stage. He had tons of balls."
Jessie buried his face at the side of Aidan's neck to disguise his laugh before returning his focus back to the show and the night he would always remember.
Jessie fisted the bedsheet as his body arched, seeking Aidan's touch. He whimpered and canted his hips, needing friction to calm the fire coursing through his veins with each tender brush of lips and the slow, torturous trail of kisses up his neck and along his jawline. He had respected Aidan's boundaries, but that hadn't stopped Aidan from pushing those limits every night for the last month and a half, exploring, and discovering every sensitive inch of Jessie's body.
And Jessie sure as hell didn't object.
An animalistic rumble rose from deep within Aidan's chest as he gripped the back of Jessie's head and forcefully pulled him in, plundering his mouth in a searing, branding kiss. Jessie grappled for purchase, tugging Aidan's T-shirt, twisting the fabric tightly in his hand for balance as Aidan feasted on his willing mouth. They frantically dug into each other's flesh and pulled one another closer, seeking a deeper connection, craving the slide of tongues and the passionate bite and suck of swollen lips. They finally separated from the kiss, both fighting to inhale enough air between them.
"I…I want you to fuck me."
Jessie stilled. Through his lust-fogged mind, he must have heard wrong. He looked up into Aidan's eyes and gasped a deep breath at the desire, worry, frustration, and…was that fear? He reached up and brushed Aidan's stubble with his fingertips, focusing on the prickling sensation under the pads of his fingers to try to calm the stir of need swirling around them. "I'm sorry. What did you—"
"I want you to fuck me," Aidan said in a rush of words before smashing his lips to Jessie's in a desperate kiss.
Jessie's lips numbed with the force and their teeth clacked together. All his internal red flags waved, flashed, and set off sirens. He cupped Aidan's face and slowly broke away from the kiss. "Aidan?" he said, between breaths.
Aidan rose from the bed and paced. He raked his hand through his hair and his scowl deepened with each step. "You don't want to fuck?"
The alarming tension vibrating off Aidan's body and the desperation in his step and tone, a clear message something ate away at him. "Aidan, stop pacing please."
He stilled at Jessie's request, staring for a moment at him before wincing then looking away. "You don't want to," he said more as a statement than a question, tightly wrapping his arms around his midsection, folding into himself. "Shit."
"Come here," Jessie said, sitting up on the bed and patting the space beside him. Aidan obediently sat and stared at a spot on the floor. Jessie grabbed Aidan's arms, tugging them away from his body. "Of course I want to be with you. You know that. So don't think for a single moment my hesitation means I don't want you."
Aidan glanced up at him then looked away again, the vulnerability in the gesture squeezed Jessie's heart.
He stroked the back of Aidan's neck, hoping to soothe the tension in his body. "I'm not a top. I tried once, and it's just not… It's not me. So I'm worried I'm going to screw it up. Why don't you tell me what's going on and we'll figure out what to do. Because honestly, you look like you're about to bolt out of here, so I don't think this is what you really want. And I…I don't want you to hate me."
"I can't hate you," Aidan whispered, wringing his hands, refusing to make eye contact.
Jessie brushed his fingertips against Aidan's cheek. "This is the part where you tell me what's going on in your head and we talk."
Aidan's body shook with each breath. He remained silent for a few moments, rubbing his hands together.
An overwhelming need to soothe Aidan took priority, but he couldn't decipher what triggered this tension and obvious worry twisting every inch of Aidan's mind and body.
"Don't worry about making it sound right. Just say it."
Aidan ran his fingers through his hair and blew out a heavy breath. "I want you, Jess. I want you so fucking much it's all I think about. But I can't…unless…fuck," he said, closing his eyes and burying his head in his hands as he let out a frustrated growl.
"I get
it."
Aidan turned to face him. "That actually made any sort of fucking sense?"
Jessie rested his head on Aidan's shoulder. "You want to make sure I'm going to be okay. So you figured you'd offer yourself up to spare me. Does that sound right?"
Aidan sighed deeply. "I swear. I'm going to strap you to me so you can do all my talking. Because that sure as hell made more sense than whatever the fuck I just said."
"I know you so I just filled in the blanks. It's that protector thing in you. In a prior life, you were probably that knight who taste tested the food before the king ate it to make sure it wasn't poisoned."
"I'm not a sacrificial lamb."
"Baa."
Aidan chuckled. He turned and placed a kiss on the top of Jessie's head, leaning in and resting his cheek against Jessie's head. "Jess, I don't know what to do here."
Jessie held back a smile. "Well, we can have a birds and bees discussion. Or is it birds and birds, or bees and bees? Or do you prefer schematics with slots and markers so you know what goes where and—"
"Smartass." Aidan bumped Jessie's shoulder. "I've done this before so I don't need your color-coded, highly-detailed schematics."
Jessie snickered.
"I'm freaking out a bit here." Aidan exhaled heavily.
"I know, believe me, I understand. But I think what's worrying you the most is thinking it's going to feel the same for me. It's not, Aidan. I promise. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I know you wouldn't," he whispered. He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's still different for me. I'm not used to this. I'm more of a…uh…"
"Quickies? Down and dirty type of guy?" Jessie asked, trying—with every ounce of self-control—to hide the bubbling excitement.
Aidan looked over at him, slowly inching back and raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, don't judge. I have no objection to quick and dirty," Jessie said.
Aidan smiled and shook his head. "My point of reference really sucks. It's always been about getting off quick to avoid getting caught. It's different with you, Jess. It's not just about me, it's about us."
Jessie sighed, letting the words and the emotion backing them flow through his senses. "The things you say sometimes, especially when you don't even think about it."
"Was that wrong?"
He looked up and smiled. "Couldn't have been more right. Very romantic."
Aidan gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Point for Calloway."
"For the record…"
"Yeah?"
"Don't you dare eliminate down and dirty from your skill set."
Aidan snorted in amusement. "If we can figure out a way to make it good for you, I'll get as dirty as you like."
"Mmm. I have a few ideas," Jessie said, biting his lower lip.
"And I've got a hard-on."
Jessie tightened his lips, holding back a smile. "That's so romantic," he said, oozing with sarcasm.
"I've got a hard-on…for you."
He laughed and shook his head.
"That didn't do it for you? I was going for bonus points."
Jessie laughed again. "Be still my heart. Your romance score is through the roof."
Aidan pursed his lips. "Sorry, that's as good as it gets."
"You're far more romantic when you don't try so hard."
"Speaking of hard."
Jessie couldn't control the laughter that shook his entire body.
Aidan looked at him, unable to wipe the smile from his face. "I can hear you laugh all day long. Gives me more peace than any fucking piano sonata I've ever heard."
The smile slowly slid off Jessie's face as he stared at Aidan.
"Damn. Was that wrong?"
Jessie shook his head and reached out to wrap his arms around Aidan's bicep, holding him close. "You just earned a shit-ton of bonus points with that one."
"Awesome. By the way…"
"I've still got that hard-on," they said in unison.
Jessie looked up at a smiling Aidan, thankful the tension between them had dissipated. "Are you okay with me having my way with you tonight?"
"Uh, you've always had your way with me," Aidan said with a half smile. "Why would I stop you now?"
He reached up and brushed his mouth against Aidan's as he spoke. "So many bonus points for Team Calloway right now."
Aidan leaned in, pulling Jessie into a slow, teasing kiss. He reached out and held Jessie's face, tilting him slightly as he licked and tugged at Jessie's lips. He dipped his head and peppered kisses along Jessie's jawline, then down his neck.
Jessie placed his palm against Aidan's chest, halting his exploration. Aidan wasn't the only one turned on, and he wanted to make sure to slow the pace. Jessie stood, facing Aidan, guiding his shoulders down onto the bed so he would lie on his back. Jessie reached over into the nightstand and withdrew the lube, pitching the bottle onto the mattress. He tugged the waistline of Aidan's sleep pants, observing and translating every tiny reaction staring back at him from those hazel eyes, needing to confirm there wasn't an inkling of the fear or worry he had seen moments ago. Aidan tipped his hips up, letting Jessie slide the soft material off him.
Commando. Mega bonus points.
Jessie knelt on the bed and straddled Aidan. He leaned down, curving his body to teasingly brush against the hard planes of Aidan's tight torso while he placed a few open-mouthed kisses along his neck. Aidan stretched, turning his head to grant Jessie better access to each corded muscle and twitching inch of skin. A smile tugged at Jessie's lips when strong hands gripped his hips and pulled him closer. He brushed his cheek against Aidan's stubble, reveling in the coarse hairs scraping against his skin. He licked and kissed along Aidan's neck, marking a path down to the ink he loved so much.
"Jess…" Aidan whispered, arching his hips up into Jessie.
He worked his way down Aidan's body, finally reaching his target and running his tongue along Aidan's hard shaft in one long swipe.
A groan escaped Aidan as his fingers dug into Jessie's hair, silently urging him to continue. Aidan set his legs apart and planted his feet on the bed the instant Jessie nudged him.
He drove Aidan to the edge then eased him back again, cupping and rolling his tender skin with one hand as he licked and sucked his hard length, tracing with his tongue each raised vein begging for attention. Aidan teased him about his ball fetish, but he truly had no idea. It drove Jessie insane, and he loved taking his time with the tender and enticing soft skin.
Jessie reluctantly released the tender sac and reached for the lube, slicking his fingers. Aidan's stare burned into Jessie’s flesh as he bobbed up and down the heated skin. Aidan’s parted lips and heaving chest enough to let Jessie know he was nervous but also aroused. Jessie ran his slick fingers down, under the tender skin as he kept his mouth wrapped around Aidan—their gazes locked, never wavering. He rubbed his finger along the ring of muscles, patiently waiting for the tightness to ease. He re-slicked his fingers and tried again.
Nothing.
"Sorry," Aidan whispered, pushing his head back on the pillow and throwing his forearm over his face. "Fuck. I don't know why I thought this might work."
Jessie released Aidan from his mouth and rested his head on Aidan's thigh. "You probably have a million what-ifs racing in your mind. Don't think about all that. Just focus on me, on us, and what you're feeling right now. Just breathe and try to relax."
Aidan blew out a heavy breath. Jessie rubbed his hand along the hair of Aidan's thigh, worried Aidan would perceive this as a failure.
"Look at me."
Aidan dropped the arm covering his face and propped himself up on his elbows to look down at Jessie, the worry and defeat battling in his gaze. No way would Jessie let Aidan's mind go there, to think that anything between them would end in anything close to disappointment. He re-slicked his fingers, more determined than ever. He wrapped his lips completely around the hard dick demanding his attention, relaxing his throat and taking every inch of Aidan into his mouth until the close
ly cropped hair tickled his nose.
"Shit!" Aidan yelled, pushing his head back onto the pillow, arching his body and granting Jessie that tiny distraction he needed to ease his lubed finger through the tight ring of muscles. Aidan's body stilled, his jaw slackened, and he gasped a breath, fisting the bedsheet at his sides. His toes curled and his chest heaved as his breathing sped.
Jessie slowly moved his finger and slid his mouth up and down Aidan's shaft in tandem, observing every muscle of Aidan's tight body, gauging his reaction. Jessie reached for the lube with his other hand, adding more slick, then closed his eyes for a moment when his finger eased into the heat of Aidan's body again without resistance.
Aidan gripped the back of Jessie's head, drawing his attention.
He pulled his mouth away but remained still, enjoying the slide of his finger and the heat of Aidan's skin pressed against his cheek. "Do you want me to stop?"
Aidan slowly shook his head, the need and heat reflected in his eyes shooting straight to Jessie's own hard-on.
A smile tugged at Jessie's lips. He hooked his finger, searching for that bundle of nerves that would be the deal-breaker, letting Aidan know exactly how much pleasure he could offer a partner.
"Fuck!" Aidan yelled, his body bowed and twisted off the bed.
Jessie groaned when fingers dug into his scalp and Aidan's release hit his chin. He immediately wrapped his lips around Aidan again, not wanting to miss another drop, sucking with more force as he continued to hook his finger to squeeze out every ounce of pleasure from Aidan's body.
Moments later, Aidan softened in his mouth and his body slowly eased back onto the bed. Jessie withdrew his finger and mouth, licking and kissing every inch of Aidan's now-sensitive tender stretch of skin. Aidan hissed a breath and eased the grip on Jessie's hair.
"Did that hurt?" Jessie asked, kissing his way up Aidan's body.
An almost-quiet, relaxed chuckle escaped Aidan as his fingers gently combed through Jessie's hair.
"I should be asking you that question. I think I might have dented your scalp. Sorry about that."
Jessie lay on Aidan, smiling at the peacefulness in Aidan's expression. He reached out and ran his fingertips along the ever-present stubble. Aidan opened his eyes and smiled—an easy soft smile Jessie hadn't ever seen.
