Heart of Glass

by Ari McKay

  Asher nuzzled his cheek against Zach’s inner thigh—and then he bit down, sucking hard enough that Zach would definitely have a mark.

  Zach felt the sensation from his head to his toes, and he struggled to keep from coming then and there. “You’re going to kill me, but by God, I’ll die happy.”

  He felt Asher’s chuckle against his skin rather than heard it, and Asher swiped his tongue along the bite mark as if to soothe it. “What should I pay attention to now?” he asked, widening his eyes innocently at Zach.

  “Anything you like,” Zach replied, running his fingers across Asher’s lips. “I want to pay attention to you too. I want to taste you.”

  Asher nipped lightly at Zach’s fingers. “What would you like to taste? I doubt I’ll mind serving it up.”

  “Everything,” Zach replied, unable to resist giving voice to his fantasies, to every dream he’d had about Asher over the last six months. “I want to taste your lips as you moan in pleasure. I want to taste the skin of your throat, feeling your pulse beneath my lips. I want to taste your nipples and dip my tongue in your navel. And most of all I want to take your cock in my mouth and taste your desire for me.”

  Asher went still, and his eyes widened as he gazed up at Zach. They were at a turning point somehow, and Zach wasn’t sure which way it was going to go—until Asher rolled away. He propped himself up against the pillows and held out his arms to Zach.

  “Come here,” he said, more of a request than a command. “I’ll let you play however you want.”

  Zach was startled, but then he hurried into Asher’s embrace. He straddled Asher’s hips and circled Asher’s nipples with his thumbs. He couldn’t believe Asher was giving him control, but he wasn’t foolish enough to turn down the opportunity.

  Leaning down, he pressed a reverent kiss to Asher’s lips. “You are the most beautiful man I have ever seen,” he whispered, then kissed Asher again, skimming his tongue over Asher’s lips.

  Asher wound one arm around Zach’s waist and clamped the other on the back of Zach’s head as he parted his lips, giving permission for Zach to explore. With a hungry moan, Zach took the invitation, wanting to learn how Asher liked to be kissed, wanting to make him moan. He twined his tongue with Asher’s, holding back nothing of his desire. Asher’s lips were more pliant this time, his mouth more giving as he let Zach control the kiss, and when he moaned at last, it was a soft, almost involuntary sound. It was like music to Zach’s ears, and he growled low in his throat before pulling back with a little nip of Asher’s lower lip. Asher sifted his fingers through Zach’s hair in a tender caress.

  “Keep that up, and you won’t get to taste much more before I have you on your back again,” Asher said.

  “Well, then, I’ll just be hungering for more, won’t I?” Zach pressed his lips against Asher’s throat. He placed a tender kiss just beneath Asher’s ear, then began to nibble his way downward.

  “I think we both might,” Asher murmured, his tone thoughtful.

  Zach inched back as he mapped kisses over the skin of Asher’s chest. “Other men cloy the appetites they feed,” he murmured as he moved lower, the line from Shakespeare spilling from his lips. He dipped his tongue into Asher’s navel, then glanced up. “But he makes hungry where most he satisfies.”

  With that, he lowered his head and engulfed Asher’s hard cock in the heat of his mouth. Asher let out a ragged cry, and for the first time, Zach thought he had a good shot at making cool, calm Asher Caldwell lose his formidable control. It was a heady feeling, and Zach wanted to make sure that, no matter what happened, Asher never forgot this night.

  He wrapped his fingers around the base of Asher’s cock, then proceeded to do his best to drive Asher out of his mind, bringing him close to the edge, then slowing down to draw out the pleasure. Asher tasted musky and spicy and salty with desire, and Zach had the feeling this one taste wasn’t going to be enough to satisfy him.

  “Enough!” Asher grabbed Zach’s shoulders, his breathing harsh and erratic. His skin was dappled with sweat, and his eyes burned with need. “I don’t want to come in your mouth. I want you on your back right now.”

  Breathless, Zach rolled to one side and held out his arms. “Anything you want. Anything.”

  Asher sat up and knelt between Zach’s legs. Leaning over, he picked up a bottle of lube from the nightstand and popped the cap. “Let’s get you good and ready for me,” he said as he coated his fingers generously. He eased one finger into Zach, watching him closely. “All right?”

  Even though it had been a long time since anyone had fucked him, Zach’s body was thrumming with need, and he relished the feeling of Asher’s finger inside him, the burn of being stretched adding to his arousal.

  “Yes,” he breathed, caressing Asher’s cheek. “Good. Really good.”

  Asher smiled and stroked Zach’s stomach with his free hand as he added a second finger, scissoring them slowly. “Good. Tell me if it hurts or we need to slow down.”

  “Oh, God, please don’t slow down,” Zach begged. “I think I’d die.”

  It felt like an eternity before Asher finally added a third finger, easing into Zach and pushing deep. “How’s that? Ready for more?”

  Zach ached, trembling with need. “Please! I’m ready, I want it… I want you.”

  The wicked smirk was back as Asher sat back and reached for a tissue to wipe off his hands. Then he grabbed a condom and tore open the packet. For all his teasing, however, he prepared himself swiftly, and he positioned himself between Zach’s legs.

  “I want you too,” he said as he eased into Zach at last.

  The sensation of being stretched and filled by Asher’s cock was incredible, and Zach moaned, fisting his hands in the sheets. This was so much better than anything he had dreamed of, and he wanted it to go on forever. Asher snugged his hips against Zach’s ass and held there, gazing down at Zach with unexpected warmth.

  “Wrap your legs around me,” he said as he braced himself. “I want to feel them.”

  Zach obeyed, and then he rested his hands on Asher’s shoulders, holding back nothing of his need or his desire as Asher set a slow rocking rhythm. “Do what you promised,” he begged. “Pound me through the mattress.”

  Asher swooped down to claim a hard, swift kiss, and then he quickened the tempo of his hips, taking Zach with hard, deep thrusts. Zach held on tightly, tilting his hips and crying out as Asher’s cock brushed against his prostate, making pleasure course through him in tingling waves. He stared up into Asher’s face, lost in sensation, feeling as though he was in danger of flying apart. Asher curled his fingers around Zach’s cock and stroked it, and he fixed his gaze on Zach’s face.

  “Come for me. I want to see you.”

  Zach couldn’t help but obey, and he cried out Asher’s name as he came, clinging to Asher like he was the only solid thing left in the world. Wave after wave of ecstasy rolled over Zach, more powerful than anything he’d ever experienced in his life, and it seemed to go on forever before it ebbed away, leaving him breathless and sated. He opened his eyes and stared up at Asher, dazed and completely undone.

  “My God,” he whispered. “That was…. Wow.”

  A look of fierce pleasure crossed Asher’s face before he bent to kiss Zach again, although gentler this time, flicking his tongue in and out of Zach’s mouth to match the rhythm of his thrusts, which were slower now.

  Zach hummed in pleasure as he slid his hands down Asher’s damp back, moving with him sinuously. He wanted to give back some of the incredible pleasure Asher had given him, hoping he could make it as good for Asher as it had been for him. Drawing back from the kiss, Asher began to move faster again, and soon he was thrusting hard, giving Zach the rough pounding he wanted.

  “Yes!” Even though his body was sated, Zach relished the sensation of Asher claiming him. “Take me, Asher. Fuck me!”

  With a ragged cry, Asher thrust deep one last time and came, shuddering in Zach’s arms. He pulled out and slumped on to
p of Zach, his breathing shallow and his body limp and heavy. Zach continued to caress Asher’s back, relaxed and drowsy and more content than he could remember feeling in a long time. Being with Asher was even better than he had imagined, and he wanted more. Much, much more.

  After a while, Asher rolled away long enough to dispose of the condom and snag some tissues for himself and Zach. After they’d cleaned themselves up, he paused, giving Zach a searching look, and then he leaned over and brushed a kiss to Zach’s cheek.

  “I enjoyed this a lot.”

  “I did, too,” Zach replied, a bit puzzled over the chaste kiss after everything they’d done. He ducked his head, then looked at Asher through his lashes, his cheeks growing warm. “That’s an understatement, actually. If you’re interested in doing it again….”

  Asher hesitated, then inclined his head in agreement. “I don’t usually go for repeat performances, but in this case, I’d consider it.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m going to take a shower. There’s a guest bathroom down the hall if you’d like to take one before you leave.”

  Zach froze as he remembered the gossip he’d heard about Asher having commitment issues. The words were an obvious dismissal. Was it possible the rumors were true? That Asher slept with someone once, and that was it?

  A stab of pain lanced through him at the thought of never having a repeat of the most incredible sexual experience his life. But apparently, it meant much more to him than it did to Asher; he’d been a besotted fool, and he had only himself to blame. He realized Asher was still waiting for an answer, and he summoned up a smile despite the hollow ache he felt inside.

  “Sure. Thanks,” he replied quietly. Part of him cried out at the thought of leaving Asher’s bed, but another part wanted to get away as quickly as he could.

  The tension in Asher’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and he smiled. “I’ll be sure to put in a good word with your boss,” he said as he rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. “The envelope is on the credenza in the foyer. You can pick it up on your way out.”

  Zach watched as Asher walked out of the room and probably out of his life as well, at least in the ways that mattered. Unable to bear it any longer, Zach scrambled out of the bed and snatched up his clothes, then threw them on haphazardly. It wouldn’t do for Asher to see him break down. Especially after the crack about putting in a good word for him. He thought Asher understood this wasn’t something Zach was doing in order to get ahead at the office, but because he wanted it more than he’d ever wanted anything.

  He fled the bedroom as though pursued by demons, stopping for only a moment in the sitting room when he noticed the papers for the plea bargain were still sitting on the coffee table. He ought to bring them to Asher’s attention, but he wasn’t going back into the bedroom. Maybe the housekeeper would give them to Asher, and someone else could deal with whatever Asher’s response would be. Zach wasn’t going to do it; for once, embarrassment trumped his sense of duty.

  There was no sign of the housekeeper, and Zach stepped into the foyer, glad to have escaped without having to answer any questions. As he approached the front door, his eyes fell on the credenza next to it, and he noticed a white, legal-sized envelope propped up against an elegant crystal bowl. Asher had mentioned an envelope, and Zach paused, wondering if he ought to take it. He couldn’t imagine what would be in it. A reference? A letter telling him to find a new job? A waiver to be signed? A nondisclosure agreement?

  With a sense of foreboding, he picked the envelope up, frowning at the thickness. He peered inside, and as he realized what it held, his eyes widened.

  It was cash. Hundred dollar bills. Several of them, though he didn’t bother to count how many. Asher was paying him off? For his silence? For the sex?

  Then it struck him, and Zach dropped the envelope to the floor and yanked open the door. He couldn’t get away from Asher quickly enough. Asher Caldwell had such bad commitment issues that he paid for sex, and he thought Zach was his paid escort for the evening.

  Zach bit back a moan of pain as he rode the elevator down, not acknowledging the security guard as he left the building and hailed a taxi. It was only when he was safely on his way back to his cold, empty apartment that he buried his head in his hands and admitted the bitter truth to himself.

  The time in Asher’s bed, which had meant so much to him, had been a lie. Zach was nothing but an anonymous body who had served a purpose and then been easily discarded. It wasn’t that Zach didn’t mean enough to Asher to merit something as simple as a date or a repeat of their night together. What hurt the most was that Zach Richardson meant nothing to Asher Caldwell at all.

  Chapter Two

  FOR SOMETHING that was supposed to help Asher relax and release some tension, his encounter with the escort had left him more wound up than before. Normally, he slept well after such visits, but instead he’d been restless, convinced he could still smell the man’s scent on his pillow. Fortunately, it was Saturday, so he didn’t have to get up early for work, and he tried to get a little extra sleep to make up for his fitful night.

  It was almost nine o’clock by the time he left his bedroom, still in his pajama bottoms and silk bathrobe, and he yawned and knuckled sleep out of his eyes as he entered the spacious kitchen. As expected, Martha was in there, and he smiled at her as he sat down on one of the barstools at the large island in the middle of the room.

  “Morning, Martha,” he said, leaning his elbows on the island. “Is there any coffee?”

  Martha tutted, then placed a mug of coffee in front of him along with a freshly baked cinnamon roll. “I’ll get your orange juice,” she told him, turning toward the large, built-in refrigerator.

  He murmured his thanks as he reached for the mug. Just the scent of the steaming hot coffee was enough to boost his brain another few levels of wakefulness. He stared out the window, which didn’t have as good a view as the front of the apartment, but he wasn’t interested in what was going on outside. His mind was replaying memories of the way he and that escort had clicked so well.

  He couldn’t even remember the guy’s name. He hadn’t been paying attention, more interested in the guy’s tight jeans than in his name, but now he wished he had, because for the first time, he wanted a second round.

  “You didn’t happen to get that guy’s name last night, did you?” he asked, hoping Martha could fill in the blanks.

  “He never gave it to me,” Martha replied. She slid a plate of crisp bacon, perfectly cooked eggs, and buttered toast toward him. “I’m going to go change the linens.”

  Asher picked up a piece of bacon and nibbled it, but he wasn’t hungry. He thought about how uninhibited the escort had been, and he was more convinced than ever that the guy was a new escort. His responses had been natural and real, and Asher hadn’t experienced that kind of genuine desire from a partner in so long, he’d forgotten what it was like to feel like his touch was welcome rather than accepted because he was paying for access privileges.

  His heart twisted in his chest when he thought about how the guy had looked at him like he was the sexiest man in the world. The escorts Asher hired were paid well enough to make honing their acting skills worthwhile, but Asher could tell the difference now that he’d been with someone who wasn’t putting on an act. He wasn’t sure he wanted to go back.

  He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his bathrobe, his finger hovering over the escort service’s number. He wanted to see that guy again, but doing so was dangerous. He’d felt a measure of acceptance and peace last night that he’d never felt before. He’d never let himself feel it because he didn’t want to get attached. Now he was considering meeting up with someone who had the potential to make him form an attachment. He still wasn’t sure if that was what he wanted, but he hit dial anyway. One more night wouldn’t hurt.

  When he identified himself to the receptionist, she put him straight through to his usual contact.

  Carson Wells greeted him. “Good morning, Mr. Caldwell.
I assume you are calling about last night?”

  “Yes, I am,” Asher replied, although he wondered why Carson wasn’t surprised to hear from him. He didn’t think he’d given the escort anything to complain about!

  “Please, let me offer my apologies. I tried to reach you, but my calls went to your voicemail. Hans was involved in a car accident on his way to your home, and I wasn’t able to find a replacement on short notice.” Carson was almost groveling. “Your next appointment will be gratis, of course, to make up for the inconvenience.”

  “Wait, what?” Asher tried to process what he was hearing. The guy from last night hadn’t been from the escort service? Then who the fuck had he taken to his bed? Then Carson’s words sank in, and he felt a surge of concern for the real escort. “I hope he’s okay.”

  “Oh, yes, it was a minor fender bender. No one was hurt, but we take the health of our employees seriously,” Carson replied. “The only gentlemen available to replace him were all men you had seen before, so that’s why I was unable to send anyone to you.”

  “I understand,” Asher murmured, his mind racing as he tried to figure out who his mystery man could be. “I’m not ready to set up another appointment yet. I’ll give you a call soon, though.”

  “We appreciate your patronage,” Carson said, sounding relieved. “As I said, it will be gratis. Thank you, Mr. Caldwell. Please call me anytime.”

  Asher hung up and tossed his phone on the counter, lost in thought. His breakfast was getting cold, but he was even less interested in food now. He’d brought someone unknown into his house—into his bed—and he couldn’t imagine what the fallout from that might be. What if the guy was a journalist?

  Asher was faced with the unknown, and he hated that above all else. He liked having his life organized and under control, and problems like this didn’t fit in the orderly life he planned for himself.