Every Shade by Nora Phoenix

5

Neither am I.

AJ hadn’t even hesitated in baring himself. How could he not, after what Las had shared? It had been the easiest thing in the world to admit what was usually a struggle for him, no matter how open he was about sex.

“Then you know navigating a hookup isn’t that easy,” Las said. “How do you do it?”

AJ shrugged. “Oral sex and hand jobs. That’s where it doesn’t matter much.”

Las breathed out audibly. “Yeah.” There was a lot of emotion in that one word.

“That doesn’t do it for you?”

It didn’t come easy to Las, talking about sex; that much was clear by now. But AJ didn’t think Las wanted to stop talking. It was more that he struggled with it, with the embarrassment, his cheeks flushed and his eyes frequently avoiding AJ’s.

“I l-like bottoming,” Las said, followed by a soft sigh of relief, as if he was proud he’d said it.

AJ kept his focus on the dresser as he put in the last two screws. “It’s much more intimate.”

Las hummed in agreement. “I like that intimacy aspect. And I suck at oral.”

AJ bit his tongue to prevent himself from making any of the jokes that jumped into his mind, but luckily, Las let out a laugh himself. “God, that was horribly worded.”

“I deserve recognition for not making any jokes,” AJ pointed out, which made Las laugh even more. It was a wonderful sound, this happy, carefree laugh, which rumbled through the room. He didn’t laugh enough, AJ decided. A constant sadness hung around Las, like a thin veil that surrounded him, clouded him.

“There are certain tricks and techniques to it,” AJ said.

There, all done with the dresser. He tested each drawer again to make sure it opened and closed smoothly, then nodded in satisfaction. He moved over a few inches to start on the next project, which Las had already removed from its box. Ah, the Besta storage system. That one was easy.

“I’m sure there are, but it’s not like I can go anywhere to take lessons, you know?”

AJ opened his mouth, then closed it again. He’d better not.

“You were gonna offer I could practice on you, weren’t you?”

AJ looked up, grinning. “The thought crossed my mind.”

“How selfless and noble of you.”

“Always happy to take one for the team.”

“Such a hardship too, having someone suck you off.”

“Well, you said you sucked at it, so I mean, I’m sure there’s some suffering involved.”

There was that happy laugh again that did funny things to AJ’s insides. God, he was a sucker for wounded souls, and there was no doubt Las belonged squarely in that category.

“What’s next? You’re gonna offer to fuck me?”

All the oxygen left the room as AJ’s head came up with a jerk.

The images flooding his mind right now. Las underneath him, that full, round ass of his open wide for him…his soft, furry body writhing on his cock…the sounds he would make. AJ’s cock grew hard in seconds, and he put the screwdriver he was holding on the floor before it dropped out of his hands, which felt clammy and weak.

Las’s cheeks flushed crimson red, his eyes darting from left to right. “Oh god…” he groaned. “I… Forget I said that. My filter clearly is malfunctioning today.”

“Do you want me to?” Las kept looking everywhere but at AJ. “Las, look at me.”

It took a few seconds before Las lifted his eyes, and AJ had no trouble spotting the mortification there. Still, Las raised his chin ever so slightly. “I don’t need your pity.”

AJ scoffed. “You think it would be a pity fuck?” His eyes held Las’s, demanding he keep eye contact.

“What else could it be?”

Las’s voice, soft as it was, cut deep. This man had been wounded badly. AJ crawled over to him, still holding his eyes. “Las,” he said softly. “Didn’t I tell you you’re exactly my type?” When Las’s eyes went down, AJ put a gentle finger under his chin. “No, don’t look away. You’re hot as fuck in my book. Why would fucking you be a pity thing for me?”

Oh, that sigh Las let out. It drifted out but crawled inside AJ, penetrating his heart, which got all mushy and soft as a result.

“Because…because look at you. You’re gorgeous and flirty and clearly experienced, and I’m…me. I flat out admitted I suck at this, so why the hell would you voluntarily pick me?”

Words tumbled through AJ’s head. Words that explained his attraction to Las, both physical and emotional. Words that could maybe convince him how serious AJ was. But maybe he needed something other than words.

He leaned in and brushed his lips across Las’s. The man’s eyes went wide, but he didn’t pull back. AJ cupped his cheek before moving in again. He covered Las’s lips with his own, gentle and careful, wanting to give Las every opportunity to retreat. Instead, he opened for AJ with a sweet sound, a little hum of surprise and pleasure that had AJ fired up.

He crawled closer, not letting go of Las’s mouth or his cheek, then wrapped his other hand around Las’s neck to pull him in deeper. He tasted like sunshine, warm and happy, the taste humming through AJ’s veins. Another soft gasp had him push Las’s body backward, and the man went willingly, lying down on the floor. AJ rolled on top of him, covering that big body with his much smaller one.

“AJ…” Las groaned, and AJ pulled back to meet his eyes.

“This okay?”

Las nodded, his lips still wet and swollen from kissing. “Yes. Very okay.”

AJ’s heart did a funny tripping thing, and he swiped those soft lips with his thumb. “Wanna kiss some more?”

Las nodded again. “Please.”

When asked so nicely, how could he refuse? Not that he wanted to. He fused their mouths together again, catching the happy sigh Las let out. He lazily explored Las’s mouth, sinking into him until he didn’t know where he ended and Las began. The kiss had him hard as iron in his shorts, but butter soft on the inside, where his stomach was going all fluttery.

His eyes had slipped closed long ago, caused by a need to focus on that taste, that feeling of those lips against his, that tongue that wanted to be chased, to be captured. Las was so pliant in his arms, so willing and sweet in his surrender, allowing AJ to set the pace, to lead. There was no fight for dominance here, no alpha posturing. Las was apparently happy to submit to a twink half his size, and that knowledge buzzed through AJ’s veins.

“AJ…” Las whispered, and AJ pushed himself up. Las’s green eyes met his, something burning there, fierce and more confident than before. “Did you mean it?”

AJ’s mind scrambled to figure out what it referred to. “Wanting to fuck you?”

He willed Las to keep eye contact. “Yes.” His voice was a hoarse whisper, but he held AJ’s gaze.

“God, yes.”

Las blinked a few times. “And no pity?”

AJ shifted slightly so his throbbing cock met Las’s, which was equally hard. “Does that feel like pity?”

Las slowly shook his head. “No. That feels like heaven.”

AJ held back a moan. The man had no idea of the effect his words had. He rolled his hips in an agonizingly slow move, which had Las create a delicious sound far in the back of his throat. “Do you want it, baby?”

The endearment had left his mouth before he realized it, but Las didn’t seem to mind. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Yes.”

It thundered through AJ, this sweet surrender, this fierce need that radiated from Las’s eyes. The man’s willingness was a precious gift, and AJ felt a deep desire to take care of him. “I’ll make you feel good, baby, I promise.”

Had he ever felt this protective before? He couldn’t remember, but definitely not with someone he’d just met. But Las made him feel so soft inside, so gooey and tender, with feelings he’d never experienced before.

Las looked up at him with complete surrender in his eyes. “I know. I trust you.”

Oh god. He was in so much trouble with this man. This wasn’t going to be a one-time hookup, was it?