CHAPTER TEN

Noah sat up in his bed, wishing like hell he could sleep. He rubbed a hand over his bare chest, and closed his eyes, but he knew sleep wouldn't come. He hated it when he got like this. When he was younger, he had a lot of trouble sleeping. His parents often fought at night, or sometimes that's when they would leave.

It's easier to drive at night, his parents would say. Less traffic.

He didn't wake up with nightmares like Coop used to , but he still felt haunted by the dark sometimes. It's when they'd left Blackcreek the first time. He'd run over to Cooper's house in the middle of the night, banging on the door, before being dragged away.

"Fuck ." He dropped his head against the headboard. He didn't need to think about that night, right now.

"Don't make me go alone!" Cooper's voice br oke through the night. Before thoughts had the chance to form in Noah's head, he was out of the bed and running toward his friend's room. His heart jackhammered as he heard, "Please! I don't wanna go alone!" in Cooper's broken voice.

Christ , those nightmares. They'd been brutal when Coop was a kid.

Noah didn't pause at the closed door. He pushed right in to the room, and headed straight for Coop's bed.

"No! No!" His rough voice broke through the night.

Noah grabbed his shoulder, slightly shaking him. "Wake up, man. It's a dream. Wake up."

Cooper's blinds were open, the moon shedding enough light into the room , that Noah saw his friend's wide eyes jerk open.

"You were dreaming," he told him, as though it wasn't obvious.

"The fire… Shit man, the fire. I…I still see them." Cooper had been through a lot in his life. He overcame it all with strength and determination. He didn't let his past hold him back. Noah always wished he was more like that. Cooper plowed into any situation, running never an option, because of that night. Now, his voice sounded so alone and so broken.

"You're good. We're okay. It's over." Noah wanted to snatch back the words. How fucking ridiculous could he sound ? We're okay? This had nothing to do with him. These were Cooper's demons.

"They made me go alone, Noah. They left me all alone. I didn't want to go by myself. I'm so tired of being alone."

Noah squeezed his shoulder, not sure what else to do. This wasn't usually how it went. Yeah, Coop had nightmares, and Noah had woken him up and talked him through them before, but he'd never sounded so lost. That was usually reserved for Noah himself.

"You're not alone, man. You know that. Everyone loves Cooper Bradshaw." He hoped the playfulness in his voice helped.

Noah noticed the feel of Cooper's muscled shoulder beneath his hand. The stretch of his warm, taut skin. Fuck, I'm such a prick. He had no business thinking about that, at a time like this.

Noah started to move his hand away, but Cooper grabbed it. "No…don't. Wanna feel you."

The moan was impossible to hold back. How bad had he wanted to hear words like that from Cooper? But not like this. Not when his friend was so raw. "Don't do this, Coop. Not tonight. You're emotional, and not thinking straight."

Cooper's hand tightened on Noah's wrist. "No shit I'm emotional, and I haven't been thinking straight for a while, and you know it."

If this were any other situation, Noah would have laughed at that. Leave it to Coop to play on the word , straight. But, it wasn't any other situation, and as much as he wanted to crawl into bed with his friend and touch him everywhere, he couldn't.

He looked down at Coop, the moonlight on his muscled chest. H is body chiseled, and defined. Rough, yet smooth, with a light dusting of hair. It made it even sexier that it was Cooper. "If I touch you anymore tonight, I'm not going to want to stop. I won't do something you'll hate me for."

"I told you I could never hate you. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to close my eyes and see them. You always chase my demons away. I need you tonight, Noah. Just sit with me. Touch me. Ground me."

A primal desire to do just that, reared to life in Noah, stronger and fiercer than anything he'd ever felt before. He wanted to do all those things Cooper said. He wanted to own him, to take care of him in a way he'd never done with another person.

There wasn't a chance he could walk away right now. Not after what Coop just said to him. His friend never admitted to needing much of anything, yet everything in what he said screamed he needed Noah right now. People failed Noah enough, that he wouldn't do the same to someone else.

"What do you want from me? What do you need?" He didn't want to fuck this up.

"Just be here. Fuck, I sound like a pussy, but just don't leave."

Noah sat on the edge of the bed in nothing but his boxer-briefs. He had no clue what, if anything Cooper had on , because his blanket covered him from the waist down.

He put his hand back on Coop's arm, then his shoulder, feeling each masculine curve and muscle in him. "I didn't know you still had nightmares." He couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Not often." Coop's eyes closed.

"Do you talk to anyone?"

Coop shook his head. "Not since I used to talk to you."

Noah' s hand stilled on Cooper, but he tried to play it off like he wasn't about to fucking explode. "That shrink?"

Coop shook his head. "Didn't last long. My uncle didn't think I needed it." And then…then he began pulling on Noah's hand. "Lay with me. Jesus, I really want you down here with me, man."

Noah fought the urge to do just that. To do more than that. "You're killin' me here. You said you couldn't."

Cooper's eyes were on him. "I know. I fucking know what I said, and I don't mean to screw with you, but…I can't explain it. Everything inside me is calling for you. No matter how hard I try to push it away, you keep calling. I want to touch you. It's eating me alive how much, and I don't think I have the strength to hold it back anymore."

Noah's cock jerked, hardened to the point of pain. "I need to make sure you know what you're asking, Coop. I can't lay down there wit h you, and not do more than hold you. I'm going to want to do more than touch you. You need to make sure it's what you want. I know this is hard for you, but I can't just get up and walk away this time. Are you hearing me?"

"I am." Then, Cooper pulled again. This time, Noah went down. He lay next to every hard inch of his friend, their bodies aligned, muscle against muscle. Heat against heat.

Noah let his hand slide from Cooper's grasp and brought it up to his face, rubbed his thumb over Coop's bottom lip. "You are fucking sexy. I want to taste you, Coop. Are you going to let me kiss you?"

"Why don't you try and find out?" There was a slight hesitation in Cooper's voice. A small nervous shake that made Noah go slow. No matter what he'd said, if Cooper changed his mind, he'd walk out, with no hard feelings. Fuck, he hoped he didn't though.

He leaned over, and paused right before their lips touched , to give his friend the chance to say no. But then…Cooper leaned forward, and it was his lips that touched Noah's first. It was all the confirmation he needed.

Noah's mouth came down hard on Cooper's, pushing him into the mattress. When he felt Coop's hands grab his shoulders, he kissed deeper, sliding his tongue between Cooper's lips, tasting him for the first time.

It took everything in him not to attack, touch, suck and kiss him everywhere, but Cooper moved tentatively beneath him, and Noah fought not to push too hard.

Their tongues moved together, Noah exploring every inch of Cooper 's mouth. His body screamed at him for more. To touch him somewhere or do something. When his friend made a soft sound beneath him, Noah leaned away. "You okay?"

"Don't do that. I'm not a fucking virgin. If I can't handle something, I'll tell you. Now kiss me again."

A growl vibrated through Noah as his mouth crushed against Cooper's again. He was in an awkward position, leaning over his friend, so he scooted, climbed up, before lowering himself on top of Coop. "Too much?" he asked, his mouth sliding down Cooper's neck. "I promise, I won't try to fuck you. Just need to feel you." The blanket was between them, but when Noah flexed his hips, grinding against Cooper, he felt Cooper's hardened cock against his.

"Ah fuck." They both groaned at the same time.

"Do that again. Jesus, I can't believe I need you to do that again." Cooper's legs opened, and Noah settled between them, rubbing his dick against Cooper's.

Coop 's hands slid down Noah's back, finding a home at his waist. Noah kept moving, kept rubbing them together, dry-humping like a horny teenager.

"This feels so different. Fuck, I feel like I could come right now."

Noah kissed him again. Harder. Wanting as much as he could have of him, in case this was the only time he got. When his mouth went to Cooper's neck again he said, "Let me make you feel good."

"You are," Coop gasped. "You. So. Fucking. Are."

"I can make it better, Coop. Let me make you come. I really want your cock in my mouth. Let me plea se you."

Cooper froze beneath him and Noah feared he'd gone too far. He stopped, held completely still over Cooper, waiting to get the boot. Please don't fucking kick me out.

"You'd…you'd do that?"

Cooper's shock made him laugh. "Yes. I'd so fucking do that."

"Shit. That was a stupid thing to say. I'm not…I…hell, I 'm out of my fucking element here."

"Then let me show you." Noah said to him again, moving his cock to rub against Cooper's.

He was pushing. He was really fucking pushing it, and he'd be lucky if Cooper didn't tell him to get lost. It was a lot, and it was fast, but, Christ Noah wanted him. Noah wanted to taste him and pleasure him.

"I know what feels good, Coop. I will know how to drive you fucking wild."

Cooper groaned beneath him, his hand fisting in Noah's hair. "Yes…"

***

"Yes…" Cooper's answer echoed in his head. He didn't regret it. There wasn't anything inside Cooper that wanted him to change his mind. Definitely, not his body. He couldn't remember ever being so hard, so eager and urgent to be touched. That didn't mean there weren't nerves too. This changed things. It changed everything he'd ever known about himself, and there were pieces of him that wanted to hide. Wanted to run. But this was Noah. That's what made the difference.

"Tell me you're sure, Coop. I need to hear that you want my mouth on you. I need to make sure we're on the same page here."

Noah's voice was deep and husky and…hot? So fucking hot, and that sent another dose of fear shooting through Cooper, but, there was desire too. So much desire that he couldn't stop himself from opening his mouth and saying, "Do it. Jesus, I need you to suck me." Softly, he pushed Noah's head down.

His friend laughed against his stomach, before jerking away. Cooper's heart stop ped and he reached for him but Noah, just pulled back the blanket, before peering down at him. Cooper couldn't see his facial expressions clearly in the half-dark room, but Noah stared. Cooper slept nude, so every hard inch of him was on display. He'd never been unsure about his body, but the weight of Noah's gaze shook something deep inside him. Had he changed his mind?

The urge to run hit him again, but then Noah reached out and wrapped a hand around his cock , and Cooper hissed. Concentrated on the feel of a large hand on him and how it differed from a woman's smaller one.

"You are so damn hot I could look at you all night," Noah whispered. He leaned forward, and sucked the head of Cooper's cock into the heat of his mouth.

"Ah, fuck," Cooper rasped out , and then Noah took him deeper, lying down, he cupped Cooper's balls. His cock hit the back of Noah's throat.

Eyes closed, Coop let himself feel. He knotted his hand in Noah's hair. A hand fisted around his dick, Noah jacking him while he sucked. His other hand still played with his testicles, squeezing them gently. Damn it, he wanted to flex his hips. Cooper loved nothing more than being taken deep.

"What do you want, Coop?"

Cooper opened his eyes. Noah's voice, a husky reminder of who he was in bed with. Noah, I'm with Noah.

"Tell me how you like it. Deep?" Noah's mouth lowered all the way to the base of his cock , before pulling off again. "What about your balls? Do you like them licked? Sucked?"

"Fuck," Cooper moaned , when his friend pulled his testicle into the heat of his mouth.

"Oh, I know. You want to take control don't you, Coop? You want to fuck my mouth. I'll let you. Christ, I'll fucking let you."

That was all the invitation Cooper needed. He thrust his hips forward, burying himself in Noah's mouth. Noah took him all, swallowed so Coop felt this throat constrict around the tip of his prick. Already his balls drew tight, but he wasn't ready to let go yet. All he wanted to do was feel. To feel Noah, so he squeezed the base and pulled out. Noah, obviously knowing exactly what he wanted, took to playing with his balls again.

He sucked one, then the other into his mouth. Licked his tongue down the seam. Cooper's whole body was afire. He felt sensitive everywhere, as though Noah's mouth touched him in more than one place.

Cooper couldn't form any thoughts. All he could do was focus on what Noah was doing to him. Holy shit , he'd never had a blowjob this good before. And he needed to come. Badly.

"Take me deep. I want your mouth," he mumbled , and Noah did. After licking the head, he lowered his mouth down over him again.

Cooper pumped his hips, this time not stopping at one or two. He fucked Noah's mouth over and over. That's when he felt it. The finger trailing under his balls, lower…lower.

"Ah, fuck." The orgasm slammed into him. Cooper tried to pull back but Noah didn't let him. Coop let go, his come , shooting down the back of Noah's throat, and he kept going. Kept sucking, kept taking him deep as Cooper emptied his load into his friend's mouth.

Coop's whole body went limp, like someone taken all the muscles out of his body. That felt… "I don't think I've ever come so hard in my life ," he somehow managed to rasp out.

Noah chuckled. "You taste good. I could do that all ni ght. Hell, I almost came myself just from having you in my mouth."

Desire already started to pool again, deep in his gu t. Hearing Noah talk like that… Cooper had always been a vocal lover, but usually it was him doing the talking. It put his body on high alert, made it hungry for more, hearing it from Noah.

Noah. Who'd sucked his dick.

"You're tense. Realize what you did?" Noah asked.

Yes, and no. But hell, he liked it. He'd fucking loved it and he didn't want Noah to think any differently. "I'm…I'm glad I did it. I'd do it again. I can't pretend it's not a lot to take in, Noah, but I'm also not going to sit here and say I didn't love it." He paused trying to find his words. "That I didn't like knowing it was you. And…I don't want it to stop."

It took Noah a few minutes to reply. "Not tonight. This is a big deal, and it's been a long day.

"Really? I would have thought you could go all night?" He tried to tease, but really, Coop agreed with him.

"Oh, I can. Just because I'm going easy on you now, doesn't mean I'll keep it up. I don't like easy, remember?"

Oh yeah. He remembered. "I had a dream about you saying that, and woke up hard as hell."

Noah groaned , but Coop could hear the laughter there. "Christ, that mouth of yours. You're always saying shit that turns me inside out. I'm going to want to put it to use soon."

Coop's heart stuttered at that , but he ignored it. The bed shifted and then Noah stood. "But again, not now. I'll see you in the morning."

Cooper didn't let himself think—just spoke. "I want you in my bed." He figured that would be the best way to go about all this. Full steam ahead.

Noah stood there for a second without speaking. Coop thought he was going to tell him no, and Cooper would have to kick his friend's ass , but then Noah climbed back into bed with him.

"I should… You deserve some relief too." He'd been a prick not to think about it sooner. It was an asshole move to get off and not offer something in return.

"Not tonight, " Noah said simply. And maybe it really did make him an asshole, but he accepted the demand.

"Night." Cooper flexed his arm, not sure if he should wrap it around Noah or not.

"Night."

They didn't touch, didn't talk, and Cooper's nightmare didn't come back when he fell asleep.