Jace stood by the corner of the bed, bare-chested and gorgeous, and once again faltering on what to do next. He was breathing hard, his cheeks flushed, as if on the verge of a small fit while he stared at the rumpled sheets and bedspread.
He was changing his mind, Gavin was sure of it. Had he pushed him too far? He didn’t think so. “Jace?”
The object of his attention blinked hard, then swiveled his head to stare at Gavin. “Yeah?”
“What are you thinking about so hard?”
Jace swallowed, and Gavin prepared for a shutdown. “Remember before when you asked what I wanted, and I said everything?”
“I do.”
“I don’t know if I’m really ready for everything just yet.”
Okay, so not a total shutdown. More like an amendment to the terms. “We’ll only go where you want to go. No pressure, no rush.”
“It’s just that I don’t think I’m ready for….you know…” Before Gavin could tell him to use his words, he said, “Penetration.”
Gavin almost asked him to clarify that, because there were a lot of ways to penetrate someone and two people in the room. But the intensity of Jace’s expression shut him up. Jace looked equal parts terrified and turned on, and Gavin didn’t want to push him too far in the former direction.
“Okay, no penetration,” Gavin said with a smile he hoped eased Jace’s worries. “But if there’s something you do want, at any time, tell me.”
Jace relaxed, tension easing out of him like a deflating balloon. “Deal. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Sex is about two people. If you don’t both want what’s happening, it isn’t worth doing.”
Jace’s eyes widened a fraction and for only a split second, but Gavin saw it. He didn’t understand what it meant, only that his words had hit home for Jace. Then his face softened. The earlier fear was gone, replaced by the simmering desire that turned Gavin the hell on. He watched as Jace stripped out of the rest of his clothes, revealing a pale body with the slim muscle tone of a serious runner. He was almost too thin, but that didn’t stop Gavin’s cock from taking an interest.
He gave Jace a gentle push onto his back. The mattress bounced slightly as Gavin climbed over him, enjoying the sight of a naked Jace below, gazing up like he wanted to eat Gavin alive. Gavin ducked his head and proceeded to do exactly what he’d wanted to do since Thanksgiving—explore every inch of Jace’s bare skin with his mouth and tongue and teeth, before swallowing down his cock and sucking him into a leg-shaking orgasm.
Twice.
Later, when they were both naked in his bed, sweaty limbs tangled around each other, Jace described those orgasms less as seeing fucking stars and more like fireworks. Big, fucking Fourth of July finale fireworks with Beethoven playing in the background.
He decided that Jace had a fantastic way with words.
Chapter Six
It didn’t take Jace more than a day to learn about the sketchbooks hidden under Gavin’s bed.
After spending the entire previous afternoon together, Jace had gone home and promptly called Gavin to see if he wanted to go running the next morning. Gavin had waffled about the cold before acquiescing. By the time Gavin arrived that morning, his parents had gone off to work and his sisters were with their respective friends. Gavin had looked hopefully at the empty house, but Jace promised him a reward later if they ran now.
Jace truly did love to run. He’d loved being on the track team and he was good at it. He liked the control he had over things—his speed, his pace, the length of his strides. He didn’t depend on anyone else to assist or help, it was all his own efforts. Gavin wasn’t as disciplined a runner, but he kept up and he earned points by not complaining about the cold.
They returned to Gavin’s place to cool down and shower. Gym class aside, Jace had never showered with another man before, and sharing the small tub with Gavin was a lesson in maneuverability that had them both laughing. Someone’s elbow was always in the way, and they fought for control of the hot water.
Blood already pumping from the run, Jace was intensely turned on by the time they were both washed and rinsed. Gavin was too, and a lot more impatient, because he pushed Jace back against the fiberglass wall of the tub and went down to his knees. Water sprayed the back of Gavin’s neck while he sealed his lips around the head of Jace’s dick. The sight of Gavin kneeling there, sucking him, pushed Jace into a pretty fast orgasm that left him weak-kneed and worn, and he decided to blame the bulk of that on his run.
Gavin didn’t bother hiding his satisfied smirk while they dried off, and the expression didn’t bother Jace like he thought it might. Gavin seemed pleased by the pleasure he’d given Jace, not because he’d taken something from him or done something Jace couldn’t stop. He knew enough about Gavin to be sure Gavin would never treat him that way. After all, if his goal was simply to fuck Jace and then move on, there were faster ways of getting there.