He looked up to find those beautiful blue-and-green eyes gazing softly at him. Between the touch and the look offered, Rhys felt his anger calming and his heart rate slowing. He wasn’t sure anyone had ever had that effect on him, but was grateful right then.
“Thanks, Chase. Sorry. Suicide is horrible enough without people making jokes or blowing it off like the person’s existence didn’t matter.”
Chase pulled his hand back slowly, and Rhys wished he would’ve left it a little longer.
“I know.” Chase fidgeted with his wrist cuff and swallowed hard. “I lost a cousin when we were in high school.”
The haunted look in Chase’s eyes worried him. Rhys thought for a moment. “Are you going to be able to handle this, then?”
Chase quirked a small smile. “Yes. I will. You take a break and then go do your thing.” He got up and wandered out of Rhys’s office, mumbling, “Hmm, let me see what I can find.”
CHASE COULDN’T take watching Rhys move around like he was. The pain and stiffness in his shoulders and neck seemed almost as pronounced as the pain lines around his eyes and lips. He didn’t know why Rhys was hurting, but he longed to help, to make him feel a little better, even if only for a few minutes.
Seeing Rhys settle down into one of the large plush chairs in the reception area of the office, Chase decided to swallow his pride and pushed away from his desk and computers. Standing up, he carefully stretched his arms above his head until he felt the release of tension in his back and neck. He then moved slowly over to where Rhys was before lightly clearing his throat.
“Rhys?”
He grunted.
“Look, I know you don’t really like me, but would you let me try to help with the pain some?” Chase had no idea if Rhys would agree, but he had to try. As much as he hated to admit it, Rhys was actually a pretty decent guy, even if he was, sadly, biased against guys like him.
“I don’t—”
Chase decided to take the decision from Rhys—well, unless he rejected his help. With slow, deliberate motions, Chase stretched his hands to each side of Rhys’s head at the same time as he took a step closer. Setting his middle and ring fingers on Rhys’s temples, he began to rub in gentle circles.
Rhys tensed but then sighed and relaxed somewhat.
“Here, lean forward a little, and I’ll move behind you so I can get to your neck and shoulders.” Without waiting, Chase moved behind the chair and gently glided the fingers of his right hand down Rhys’s neck to see what, if anything, he could sense about the tension there. He brought his left hand into the caress-like assessment before he began the gentle massage. He didn’t put any real force behind the motions at first.
“Relax, Rhys. Get used to my touch, and then I’ll add the pressure needed to help you.” Chase continued his light massage, increasing the strength used incrementally until he was exerting himself a little. “Seriously, I don’t know what’s got you so tense, but it hurts to even look at you right now.”
Rhys let out a deep, rumbling sound—a cross between a moan and a growl—after a few minutes of the stronger, more demanding massage. “God, you’re good at that.”
Glad he was behind the chair so Rhys couldn’t see the large bulge in his tight jeans, Chase continued to work his neck and shoulder muscles.
“Is this from an injury or something?”
Rhys shook his head slightly and sighed. “No. Just, ohhh, stress. Damn, Chase, where did you learn to do tha-a-at?”
Chase giggled at the way Rhys was reacting to a little muscle pampering. “When James was hurt years ago in that wreck his ex caused, his physiotherapist wanted him to have a massage after his sessions, but Jamie couldn’t stand to let people touch him. His physio taught me how he wanted it done for James.”
Rhys’s head snapped up. He turned to look at Chase over his shoulder. “You learned massage just to help James?”
“I was about the only person he could stand to have touch him for a long time,” Chase explained with a shrug. “He lived with me for a while after he was released from the hospital, since he couldn’t walk and had to rebuild his strength and all.” He tensed at the strange look Rhys was giving him. “What?”
“He always glosses over any questions about that time in his life, other than to insist you are his best friend and were his only family before he met Seth. It never occurred to me you would go to such lengths to help and support him.”
“Jamie’s my BFF, Rhys. My touch was all he could manage without cringing, crying, or completely freaking out. I did what he needed me to. That’s what you do for the people you love, right?” he asked, right eyebrow raised.
“Well, yeah. I mean….” Rhys trailed off when the door chimed and opened.
Startled, Chase took a step backward at the venomous look coming from the blond guy sauntering toward him and Rhys.
GODDAMMIT ALL! I do not need this today!
“Garrett,” Rhys snapped, his voice cold and hard. “What do you want?”
Ignoring him, Garrett’s eyes focused on Chase. “This your new little boy toy, Rhys? Bet we could have some fun playing with him. What do ya think?”
Garrett’s voice was sweet, too sweet. And judging by the way Chase moved away from him, and the way he kept looking between him and Garrett, Rhys knew what little peace he had managed with Chase was now gone.
“You’re not welcome here, Garrett, and you know it. Now leave,” Rhys ground out, stepping between Chase and Garrett.
As much as he hated to, Rhys couldn’t completely stop himself from doing a once-over, taking in Garrett’s toned body, the painted-on club clothes, how he stood, hip cocked and left thumb hooked in the top of his pants, fingers splayed to draw the eye to his package. Even with everything that had happened, there was still a part of Rhys that wanted Garrett back. Wanted to taste and feel him again, but he quickly pushed those thoughts away, reminding himself why he’d thrown the little slut out months ago. Of course, he was also the reason why Chase thought he didn’t like him.
“Oh, babe, this playing-hard-to-get thing is getting old. So, send the little plaything home or back to wherever you found him and let’s go upstairs,” Garrett cooed with his best come-hither look. “I miss you.”
“Office or out! We are not having this conversation here!” Rhys demanded, arms folded across his chest, and he fought not to show how much it hurt seeing Garrett, much less hearing the lies he spouted in front of Chase.
“Mmm… office sex? Kinky!” Garrett called out as he sauntered quickly into Rhys’s office.
Rhys looked at Chase, taking in the revulsion and pain in his eyes and hating himself a little more for having put it there. “Please, don’t leave. Let me deal with him, and I’ll…. Just give me a chance to explain things, ’cause I know this looks really bad.”
“It’s fine,” Chase snapped. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“No, please. I’ll be right back. Promise you will still be here.”
“Then pray you can finish with your friend before I finish packing up my tech. Hurry, you shouldn’t keep your boy waiting.” Chase spun around and stormed off.
Rhys stood frozen for a moment. He’d hurt Chase, again, thanks to Garrett showing up and saying those things to and about him. Worse, Garrett’s looks proved Rhys had lied when he’d rejected Chase at the club. Dammit!
Rhys sprinted into his office, slamming the door before he turned to Garrett. “I told you to never come back here. To never contact me, talk to me, or even think my name. What in the hell do you want?”
“I miss you, babe,” Garrett started, but Rhys cut him off.
“Cut the crap. What. Do. You. Want? You don’t miss me. What, your little sugar daddy dumped you so you thought you’d slink back to me? Either way, get out.”
“But Rhys, I need you. I bet your new little boy can’t do everything for you I can,” he purred again, attempting to slide his hand up Rhys’s arm.
He slapped the man away. “First off, Chase is not my lov
er. If he was, unlike you, I would never cheat on him, and especially not with a skank like you. Secondly, you are not welcome here. And finally, I don’t love you anymore. Now, get out!” Rhys wrenched the door open, right arm pointed toward the front door.
“But—”
“Out!”
Garrett slunk out the door. Rhys followed right behind, flipping the lock and turning over the closed sign the moment Garrett cleared the door. He only hesitated a moment when he heard the slamming and banging coming from the IT area in back. Rhys slowly marched to the rear, hoping he could find a way to mend things with Chase.
It wasn’t like they were exactly friends, but he did respect Chase, and God, his dreams were constantly filled with his cravings for the slight man. When he entered the area, he saw Chase already had most of the equipment he had brought in packed up and stacked to the side.
Rhys cleared his throat. “Chase.”
Chase spun around; the look on his face made Rhys take a step backward. “Share me? Your new boy toy? Huh, and here I thought you didn’t like ‘twinks’,” he yelled, making air quotes on the last word. “Or is it just me you can’t stand for some reason?” Chase flailed his arms as he ranted. “You humiliated me, shunned me, and now….” He snatched up some small objects he kept to toy with when antsy and hurled them as he kept shouting. “Now your boyfriend—one I didn’t even know existed—treats me like a sex toy for your mutual amusement!”
Rhys ducked most of the items as each flew at his head—boy has a damn good arm, wow. Finally reaching Chase, Rhys grabbed him before anything else could go flying. “Stop, Chase. I know what I said and did that night at the club, and… I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care if you’re sorry. I will not be used by you or anyone else!”
“Chase,” Rhys whispered, pulling Chase flush against him. “You’ve had your turn, now it’s mine. Do you think you can stop yelling and throwing things long enough to hear me out?”
“Fine!”
Chase stomped past him toward the front, but as he left behind all his equipment, Rhys had hope, though he was not entirely sure what for. He followed the little man all the way out to the waiting area, where he proceeded to flop down on one of the couches.
Rhys carefully sat across from him. “Chase?”
“What?”
“Look at me, please.”
Chase turned toward him, but instead of the silent treatment or yelling, his eyes widened in shock, his mouth forming a silent, horrified O. He seemed positively ill before he finally spoke. “Oh, Rhys. Did I do that?”
“Do what? What are you staring at me like that for?”
“You, you’re bleeding,” Chase squeaked. Before Rhys could figure out what he was talking about, Chase bolted for the back, returning quickly with the backpack Rhys noticed he always seemed to carry.
Rhys reached up to touch his face but stopped when Chase grabbed his wrist firmly. “No, don’t touch. Let me see how bad the cut is.”
Surprised at both the strength used and the command in the tone, he sat still, letting Chase fuss and fidget with some kind of cleaning cloth near his right eye. It stung a little but he barely noticed. What he did notice was Chase blowing cool, cinnamon-scented air across the scratch to help soothe the sting.
Without thinking, Rhys moaned in pleasure when Chase traced his fingers along his brow after smoothing a single butterfly closure over the cut. Rhys froze when Chase feathered a barely there kiss across his forehead.
“I’m sorry, Rhys. I didn’t mean to lose control like that. I’ll go now, okay?”
Chase didn’t pull away even after saying he was leaving. Rhys searched his eyes, startled yet drawn in by the mix of desire and confusion swirling within the green-and-blue depths. Before he could stop himself, Rhys leaned forward the tiny amount that separated them and rested his lips against Chase’s. He didn’t push to deepen the kiss, keeping it chaste, yet it was one of the most wonderful moments of his life.
When Chase still didn’t move away, he gently cupped Chase’s face, careful not to rush him. After another moment, he flicked his tongue out to slide against Chase’s bottom lip, pausing to tease the silver ring that had tantalized him ever since he had first seen Chase wearing it.
Chase gasped, slightly parting his lips, which Rhys took as an invitation to deepen the kiss. Rhys pushed forward, sliding his tongue tentatively past Chase’s lips, delving into the moist heat of his mouth, tasting cinnamon but with an earthy, addictive essence that was all Chase.
He was so hard he could barely think past more and God, yes, please.
Chapter 5
HIS BACK against the wall, Rhys gasped and struggled to process what had just happened. Chase pinned him in place with nothing more than a look and a growl. When Chase pulled Rhys’s head down, he smelled the faint puffs of cinnamon-scented breath as they ghosted over his face. Along with the Antaeus Chase always wore, it almost brought him to his knees.
Chase slid his hand up to tangle his fingers in Rhys’s shoulder-length hair. He pulled sharply, eliciting a gasp from Rhys. “For tonight, only you and I exist. We do things my way or not at all. Your body is mine. Your pleasure is mine. Am I understood?”
Unprepared for Chase taking control in such a way, all he could manage was a small nod. Rhys had fantasized about Chase many times, but had always made sure to keep his walls up between them. Right then, he couldn’t remember why. For such a diminutive man, his dominance and strength had Rhys’s cock diamond-hard and throbbing where it sat trapped in his jeans.
Chase touched his lips against Rhys’s, but the hold he had on Rhys’s hair kept him from moving into the touch. “I need to hear you, Rhys,” Chase murmured against his lips.
“Please” was all Rhys could manage.
“Your place is upstairs, right?” Chase paused until Rhys nodded. “Then lead the way,” he added, then stepped back suddenly and motioned that he would follow.
The sudden loss of Chase’s warmth and touch caused a physical ache in his chest he was too afraid to investigate right then—or possibly ever. Rhys went up the private stairs to his third-floor loft, so overwhelmed with lust and fear he could barely manage the lock to let them both inside.
Before he could close the door all the way, hands grabbed him, spinning and slamming him against the door. He opened his mouth in surprise, but couldn’t get out the question in his mind as Chase once again manhandled him, pulling his head down to deliver a punishing kiss. One so mind-melting, he trembled and moaned into the kiss. Rhys was so caught up in the near-brutal plunder of his mouth, the pain of teeth mashing against lips welcomed and needed. When he suddenly felt small but strong hands slide up his pecs, caressing and kneading, he pushed into the sensations and sucked hard on Chase’s wicked tongue. Chase traced down his abs, rubbing and teasing Rhys’s muscles as he moved lower.
“Off,” Chase snapped, tugging on the hem of Rhys’s shirt once he broke the kiss.
In a daze, Rhys stood up enough to lift his shirt over his head.
He moaned again when he felt a hot mouth cover one nipple, sucking and licking it into a swollen nub. “Oh God!” he yelled when Chase pinched the other hard while continuing his assault on his first nipple. After another moment, Chase switched, soothing the pinch with his tongue before licking and sucking it, hard, into his mouth.
“Like that?”
“You have no idea,” he groaned.
Chase chuckled. Rhys couldn’t decide if it sounded more delighted or evil, but couldn’t bring himself to care.
“Bed? You’re too tall to do what I want with you still standing up.”
Rhys’s mind swam, contemplating what all that might entail as he hurried to lead Chase to his bedroom.
“Nice bed, big guy. Now, stop where you are. First, is there anything I should know?”
Rhys shook his head. “I’m neg.”
“Good, so am I. We’re still going to play safe, though. Supplies?”
“Nightstand.”
Chase leaned back in, licking and kissing his way down Rhys’s body, tracing just under the waistband of his jeans. A little lower, please, Rhys silently begged.
Chase’s tongue flicked into his belly button at the same time he felt smooth, nimble hands quickly unbutton and unzip his fly, finally freeing his weeping, needy rod. Chase suddenly dropped to the floor, ripping Rhys’s jeans down to his ankles. The warmth that enveloped his head as Chase mouthed the tip through his boxers required him to fight gravity, his knees threatening to buckle as they shook.
“Mmm… need more of that.” Chase groaned and pulled down Rhys’s boxers until both items hobbled him and cool air kissed his wet cock. Chase’s tongue lapped at him as he moved down his member, suddenly burying his nose in his balls. Warm wetness encased one ball, then the other, as Chase laved and sucked each in turn. A slender hand wrapped around his cock, giving a couple of hard, tight pumps before both mouth and hand left him so suddenly, Rhys shifted forward before his mind could catch up.
His gaze locked with Chase’s. Chase helped him out of the remainder of his clothes. Rhys stretched out one trembling hand to touch Chase’s soft, spiky hair but froze when, instead of allowing the touch or moving away from him, Chase plunged down onto his length, licking, sucking, and vibrating his cock with moans that had him thrusting into the hottest, most demanding mouth that had ever touched him. Rhys liked blowjobs, giving and receiving, but no one had made him feel like this before.
Rhys was desperate with need, and his balls tightened and drew up. Tapping on Chase’s shoulder, he choked out, “Stop. I’m gonna…. Oh….”
Despite the attempted warning, Chase redoubled his efforts and a moment later a wet finger ghosted back across his taint and began to tap at his rosy opening. Shock spread through him with every tap and after only a few more, he lost his hold, bellowing and arching as he emptied down Chase’s throat.
Rhys watched in a daze as Chase licked him clean, kissed the tip, then stood with a wicked grin on his lips. “Delicious and loud. Mmmm…. Now, on the bed, facedown in the middle.”
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