“Have a seat,” Joon said while Chance stood frozen. “I’m going to bring some snacks out. Would you like tea or coffee or a beer?”
“A beer would be great. Thank you.”
“Good choice,” Chance said, hoping his voice sounded normal. “It helps cut the spice.”
“I can handle spicy,” Darren said as Joon set down a tray holding small bowls filled with kimchi, pickled radish slices, marinated squid, and something involving eggplant and soy sauce.
Joon winked at him. “I just bet you can.”
Chance tried to kick him, but he darted out of the way.
“We have IPA, Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat beer, and a really nice porter from Coronado Brewing.”
“The porter sounds perfect.”
Chance smiled because he’d known that’s what Darren would choose. He knew things about Darren other than how good his mouth felt wrapped around Chance’s cock or how well he filled Chance’s ass or… No. He had to stop thinking like that, or he’d be sitting there with a boner and Joon would absolutely notice and likely call him out.
Darren smiled at him, and he tried to relax as he picked up one of the pairs of chopsticks Joon had put on the tray and grabbed a piece of squid. It was his favorite of the banchan Joon had set out.
“Better now?” Darren asked.
He just nodded since his mouth was full.
Darren’s eyes lit up when he tasted the kimchi. “Wow. Did you make this?” he asked Joon.
“I did.”
“It’s delicious.”
Joon beamed at him. “Thank you.”
As they ate and drank, Chance slowly relaxed more and more. He was almost disappointed when Joon glanced at his watch and said he needed to meet Marianne for a yoga class.
“We should also be going,” Darren said as Joon carried the tray back to the kitchen.
Chance’s nerves returned. Darren was going to let Chance fuck him when he’d rarely let anyone do that to him before. Chance needed to make it good, better than good. It felt like a huge responsibility.
“Let me get my bag,” he said, standing and collecting beer bottles to take to the kitchen.
“Grab a jacket if you don’t have one. It’s starting to feel chilly, and I thought we’d take Roger for a walk tonight.”
“You did?”
“Later tonight.”
Joon rolled his eyes. “He’s going to fuck you first. Don’t worry.”
“Oh my God.” Chance needed to start a list of all the ways he was going to get revenge.
“What? It’s not like I thought he was taking you home to play a round of chess.”
“Do you play chess?” Darren called as Chance headed to his room to get his things.
“No, but I’d let you teach me.”
“I bet he’d let you teach him just about anything,” Joon said.
Chance scowled at him as he came back into the living room.
“I’m just stating the obvious.”
“Let’s go before I murder him.” Chance tugged on Darren’s arm.
Darren turned to Joon. “Thank you for the food. It was lovely.”
“You’re very welcome, and if he gives you too much trouble—”
“Joon!”
“—call me, and I’ll give you some tips on how to handle him.”
Chance glared at him. “You seriously need to watch your back tomorrow.”
“No way. You’ll be too blissed out.”
Darren nodded. “I’ll make sure of that.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Were you serious on the phone about what you wanted?”
Darren glanced over at Chance before turning back to focus on the road. Chance was holding himself stiffly, and he sounded as nervous as Darren had ever heard him. “Yes. I wouldn’t say something like that if I didn’t mean it, but if you don’t want to—”
“No, I do. I really do. It’s not like I haven’t loved what we’ve done so far, but I do want to find out how it feels to be inside you.” Chance sounded more like himself now.
“I want that too. I want all those things you’ve teased me with.”
“You mean like making you surrender, restraining you, filling you until you can’t breathe?”
How fast could he get them home? “Yes, all of that.” He reached over and took Chance’s hand. “I want to explore all these feelings you stir in me, this desire to surrender to you.”
“You have done that,” Chance said, his voice breathless.
“I’ve still been holding back a little. I’ve been afraid to really let go.”
“It hasn’t felt like you were holding back. At least not the way you look when you come, like you’re giving everything to me.”
Darren sucked in his breath. Was that really what Chance saw? “I would never do that with anyone else. Never even considered letting them see what you have.”
Chance squeezed his hand. “It’s hard to imagine you not being like this with everyone. Your honesty, your…realness, is part of who you are to me.”
“Trust me. Others don’t get this much of me.”
Chance frowned. “That’s a shame.”
“Possibly.”
“Well, I’m happy I have what I do.”
“Are you like this with everyone?”
“Impulsive, overly talkative?”
“Chance, I love those things about you. You know that.”
“Yeah, I do.”
They were silent for a few moments. Then Chance said, “It was weird having you meet Joon.”
“Because he flirted every bit as much as you warned me he would?” Darren asked.
“No, because we agreed to keep our real-world selves out of this, and when it’s just the two of us, me being…me doesn’t seem to matter so much.”
Before Darren could respond, Chance said, “I know that sounds ridiculous. I’m sorry.”
“No, I should be the one to apologize.” Darren hadn’t realized Chance felt so self-conscious. He always seemed confident and comfortable with himself. “I broke our agreement by letting Joon lure me in with food.”
Chance sighed. “We probably shouldn’t have made that agreement.”
Darren’s heart started to pound. Was Chance having second thoughts? Was he about to say they were done? “Do you really think that?”
Chance didn’t say anything for several seconds. “No. But I never thought it would last this long.”
“The agreement or our…relationship?” It was a relationship. He shouldn’t have said that like it was a bad word.
“Both. Did you think it would?”
Darren debated what to say, then decided to be completely honest. “No, I figured you’d have enough of fucking an old man after one night.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever have—” Chance sucked in his breath and pulled his hand away.
“Enough of this? I don’t think I will either.”
“God, Dare, what are we going to do?”
“Wow.”
“What?” Darren could feel Chance staring at him.
“For a moment there, you really sounded as young as you are.”
“I don’t usually?” Chance looked surprised.
“Only when you’re offering cheese balls to strangers on planes.”
Darren expected Chance to laugh. Instead, he said, “I keep thinking you’ll eventually wake up and realize a relationship with a twenty-three-year-old who can’t keep his mouth shut is a terrible idea.”
Darren hated the pain in Chance’s voice. “That is not how I think of you, Chance.”
“It’s not?”
“Not at all.” Darren laid a hand on Chance’s thigh, wanting to soothe him. “I wouldn’t be wanting what I do if that’s all you were to me.”
“Okay.”
They turned into Darren’s driveway. As soon as he cut the engine, he unbuckled and turned to face Chance. “You’re very special to me. I want you to believe that.”
Chance drew in a shaky breath
. When he looked at Darren, his eyes widened, and he nodded. “I do. I believe you.”
Roger bounded up to Chance when they entered the house, and Chance scratched his ears. “Do you need to go outside?”
Roger raced around, skidding on the floor by way of saying yes, making it nearly impossible for Darren to catch him and attach his leash.
“I was teasing before, about not walking him now,” Chance said. “I’m sure he needs to get out.”
“A short walk will be fine. We’ll take him on a longer one later. Much later.”
Chance smiled at him, and relief washed over Darren. Things were going to be all right.
“Why don’t I take Roger,” Chance said. “That way you can clean up and be ready for me.”
“If you really don’t mind. That sounds great. I could use a shower.”
“I don’t mind at all.” Chance grinned at him as he opened the door, looking completely like himself once again.
***
When Chance returned to the house with Roger, he gave the dog a treat and made up his nest of blankets on the couch. Then he raced up the stairs, impatient to get his hands on Darren. When he stepped into the master bedroom, he heard the shower running in the adjoining bath and decided there was no sense in staying out there all alone. He stripped as quickly as he could, leaving his clothes in a pile on the floor. Then he eased the bathroom door open.
“Dare?”
“I’m almost done,” he called.
“No you’re not.” Chance stepped into the enormous shower. Damn, that was a luxury he could get used to.
Darren turned, and his eyes widened.
“I need a shower too. I thought maybe you’d want to help me.”
“Oh, I do.”
Chance’s cock hardened as Darren stared at it. “Do you like the effect you have on me?”
Darren just nodded.
“Turn around.” He was rewarded by a sharp inhale from Darren.
“I thought you wanted me to wash you.”
“I changed my mind. Now do what I said.”
Darren licked his lips and glanced away. “It’s so hot when you tell me what to do, but it’s… I’m still getting used to liking it.”
Chance ran a hand down Darren’s slick bicep. “I love the way you react to me. See if you can enjoy it. We can stop anytime if you change your mind.”
Darren pulled Chance to him and kissed him. Chance guessed that he intended it to be a soft, brief kiss, but once their bodies were pressed together, need raced through him. He gripped Darren’s ass and pulled him in tight, then slid his tongue along Darren’s, hungry for anything Darren would give him. When they pulled apart, Darren stared at him, breath ragged.
“I do want this, and I know it’s ridiculous to worry that it’s different from what I’ve wanted before or what I’ve admitted to wanting.”
“No, it’s not ridiculous; it’s perfectly normal to feel that way. The first time I tried telling a guy what to do, I was nervous and a mess.”
“But you’re so young.”
Chance shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. While we’re playing, it’s really you who’s in control of what I do, because if you want me to stop, I will.”
Darren nodded. “Okay.”
“Good. Now turn around.” This time Darren obeyed, so Chance continued. “Brace yourself with your hands on the wall, ass out.”
Darren drew in a shaky breath, then leaned forward. His hands were spread wide as if he needed to grip with every finger. Chance caressed his ass, and Darren arched his back more deeply.
Wow, that was fucking hot. Chance took hold of Darren’s shoulders. If he were going to fuck him, he’d be in the perfect position, but he wasn’t, not yet, not here.
He slid his hands down over Darren’s back and dug his fingers into Darren’s ass cheeks. When he pulled them apart, Darren shuddered. Chance lowered himself to his knees.
“Chance?”
“Did I tell you to speak?”
“No, but—”
“Unless you tell me you want to stop, I expect you to stay quiet and still while I enjoy myself.”
“Fuck, Chance. I never thought—”
Chance slapped Darren’s ass. He gasped, but he didn’t pull away or say anything else, so Chance separated Darren’s cheeks again and blew warm breath over his hole.
Darren tensed.
“Okay?”
“Chance, please.”
Chance swiped his tongue across Darren’s hole, then all the way to the base of his spine.
Darren rose on tiptoe.
“Please.” The word was more of an exhale than true speech, but Chance understood.
“You want more?”
“Yes.”
“Or do you want more of this?” He smacked Darren’s ass again and was rewarded with a low, tortured sound.
He teased Darren’s entrance with the tip of his tongue. Darren held himself still, leg muscles so taut, they quivered. When Chance finally pushed his tongue in, one of Darren’s hands slipped off the wall, and Chance had to wrap an arm around his waist to hold him up. He didn’t think anyone had ever responded to him as perfectly as Darren.
He alternately teased Darren’s ass and tongue-fucked it until Darren was so unsteady, Chance couldn’t trust his feet on the slick shower floor.
Chance rose, then had to brace himself on the wall to get his balance. He wasn’t as bad off as Darren, but he was far from unaffected.
“Wash me now,” he commanded.
Darren pushed off the wall and turned around. His eyes looked glazed. He blinked and licked his lips before saying, “What?”
Chance picked up the soap from a recess in the shower wall and held it out.
“You’re stopping?” Darren looked horrified.
“For now.”
Darren frowned at him, and for a moment Chance thought he’d call an end to the game. Then he took the soap and lathered his hands.
When he slid his slick fingers over Chance’s torso, Chance had to bite his lip to hold in a groan. Maybe he’d made a mistake.
Darren brushed his fingers over Chance’s nipples, and he sucked in his breath. Darren gave him a wicked smile. Then he grabbed a washcloth from the towel bar at the back of the shower, soaped it up, and dropped to his knees. He wrapped the cloth around his hand and worked Chance’s shaft. It was all Chance could do not to fuck into his hand, but he refused to let Darren see how deeply he affected him.
Darren used his bare hand to lift Chance’s cock so he could massage his balls with the washcloth. He thoroughly cleaned Chance’s taint and his ass, even sliding a finger inside him.
By the time Darren stood, Chance was barely able to stay on his feet. “Kiss me.” The words came out as a plea rather than a command.
Darren cupped the back of his head in one hand and used the other to caress Chance’s back, then lowered his lips toward Chance’s ever so slowly. By the time he finally kissed Chance, Chance was no longer sure who was in control.
He decided not to worry about that, reveling in the kiss instead. He let Darren direct it, teasing Chance’s mouth open in a careful way that should’ve seemed tame after what they’d done, but it made Chance so hard, he wondered if he could come just from the kiss.
Darren teased the roof of Chance’s mouth with his tongue, and then Chance sucked on it, drawing it deeper, and pulling Darren against him. They ground together, their cocks sliding along each other. God, it felt so good. Part of Chance wanted to keep frantically humping Darren until he exploded, but that wasn’t what he’d promised.
So he pulled back, placing his hands on Darren’s shoulders to hold him off. He reached behind himself and shut off the water. “Dry yourself off, and then get on the bed on your back, arms over your head.”
“You really do like giving orders.”
Chance glanced down at Darren’s straining cock. “You really like obeying.”
Darren narrowed his eyes, but he turned and stepped out of the s
hower.
Chance waited to dry off until Darren left the bathroom. Then he scrubbed himself with a towel and glanced in the mirror to make sure his hair wasn’t sticking up wildly. He took a deep breath. Things were going fine so far, but he knew that for Darren, letting a man fuck him was a big deal. Chance had the feeling someone had made it less than pleasant for him in the past. Either that, or he was afraid of opening up, literally as much as figuratively.
When he stepped into the bedroom, Chance couldn’t help but stare at Darren, who was stretched out on the bed like Chance had instructed; he looked incredible, vulnerable and strong at the same time.
He nearly pulled the nightstand drawer all the way out trying to get a condom and lube, because he couldn’t stop staring at Darren, letting his eyes roam over his chest, his abs, his cock that was still hard and begging. He caught the drawer and chose his favorite from Darren’s selection of lube, one that would be perfect for easing his way into Darren’s tight ass.
He climbed on the bed, and Darren held his gaze as he opened his legs wider. Chance took him up on the invitation and settled between them, placing the supplies within easy reach.
“Do you know what I want to do?” Chance asked.
“Tell me.” Darren’s voice was low and rough.
“I want to touch every inch of you. Then I’ll open you up, ready you for my cock, work you until you’re writhing, begging.” He leaned forward then, took hold of Darren’s wrists, and pinned them to the mattress. Darren’s eyes widened, which made Chance harden even more.
He leaned down until his lips were almost touching Darren’s ear. “Once you’re ready for me, I’ll bury my cock so deep inside you, it will be all you can think about. I’ll be all you can think about.” He nipped at the thin skin behind Darren’s ear and slid his lips along the corded muscles of his neck, which strained with tension.
“Tell me more,” Darren begged. “I love how you’ll say anything.”
“Before I’m done with you, you’ll be willing to say anything too.”
Darren groaned.
Chance fucking loved talking dirty to his partners, and when they got off on hearing him, it was so much better. He traced the edge of Darren’s ear with his tongue before whispering, “You loved it when I tongued your ass, didn’t you? I’m going to do it again later just to hear you whimper.”
A Chance at Love Page 11
