Cooper stood and faced him. Noah didn't let his eyes travel down, knowing if he saw the bulge in his friend’s pants, he wouldn’t be able to walk away, but wishing he would’ve taken the time to kiss his injured hand again.
"Yeah." Coop shook his head. The look on his face told Noah everything was coming back to him. "I need to go to my room. We'll talk later."
"Hey," Noah grabbed his arm as Coop started walking away. "Are you okay? Tell me I didn't screw-up."
There wasn’t a pause before Cooper replied. "It's scary how okay I am. I just need to think. You only did what I wanted."
Noah let go, and Cooper walked away. As soon as he heard a door shut, he went to his own room, stepped out of his pants and wrapped a fist around his cock. The whole time he saw Cooper, and hoped like hell his friend was in his room, doing the same thing while thinking of him.
***
It had been a long ass couple of days. Cooper had done his twelve-hour shifts plus extra because of a fire. He loved his job and loved saving people but it took a lot out of him—both physically and emotionally.
Half the time spent not fighting fire, he was thankful as hell to be at work. He dreaded seeing Noah, because…well, he’d asked the man to touch him. He’d had another man’s hands on his chest and leaned his head against his stomach, and it had made his dick hard.
He’d enjoyed it, and he’d wanted more.
It helped that it was Noah, though. That fact made it easier to deal with, which led to the other half of the time, when he wanted his shifts to be over so he could go home and…he didn’t know what yet.
It was a strange thing to even have to consider. Cooper wasn’t sure exactly what he should be thinking about, or why he’d asked for time. What did it mean? That he wanted to fuck around with his best friend? That he wanted to fuck his best friend?
Cooper’s whole body tensed, and not in a good way. How could he even think those words? He’d never wanted another man in his life. He slept with women and he enjoyed the hell out of it. But damn, the feel of having Noah’s hands on him. It had been electric and dangerous and…strong? That didn’t sound right, but there was a hardness there that sent heat shooting through his body, that he didn’t understand.
Hell, he didn’t get any of it.
But, he couldn’t deny that part of him who wanted Noah. Wanted to explore this attraction, and to do those same things with Noah that he’d witnessed with the other man.
How can I want a man? How the fuck can I want a man?
Those questions hadn’t left him alone since he’d seen Noah with that guy, so when he pulled his truck in front of his house, he almost wanted to drive back out again and never come home.
But the truth was, Cooper didn’t let himself run. He hadn’t since that night when he’d woken up to his lungs filled with smoke, and there had been red all through his house. When he’d run outside, as his mom had told him to.
When he’d left her and his father to die.
After that day, even when something scared the fuck out of him or it was dangerous, or even if he just knew he shouldn’t be doing it, Coop charged forward. He’d never again let himself be so weak that he took the easy way out.
Could he do that here? Could he really just forge ahead into a sexual relationship with Noah?
As weak as it made him, he didn’t know if he could.
He still couldn’t believe how bad he wanted to, however.
Before he sat out here all night, Cooper killed the engine and climbed out of the truck. Regardless of what happened, he wasn’t going to be a pussy and hide. He’d say whatever came out and then he and Noah would deal with it.
Yeah…too bad his insides didn’t get that. His heart collided with his chest and his hands actually fucking shook.
“Hey,” Noah was sitting on the couch, a boxing match on the TV. The volume was down and Cooper knew it was a façade. Noah was waiting for him.
Jesus Christ, I started this and now I’m going to pull the brakes.
Guess there was his answer.
“Noah…” He dropped his gear by the door, which he never did and slowly ambled into the living room.
“It’s okay.” His friend stood, obviously knowing what Cooper had been going to say before he said it.
“I’m sorry, man… Is this even something I should apologize for?” Without giving Noah time to respond, he continued. “This is such a fucked up situation. I know it…” He didn’t even know what to say.
“It’s okay,” Noah said again. He rubbed the back of his head, like he always did when he was nervous. Holy shit. How did I know that? It wasn’t the type of detail Cooper usually paid attention to, but here, he just knew.