CHAPTER TWENTY

Turned out, Cooper loved having something in his ass. It had been three days , and Noah had had his fingers or tongue inside Coop, numerous times now. He hadn't let Noah fuck him yet, but then Noah wasn't pushing, anyway. He loved and enjoyed any part of him that Noah could have.

The way Cooper rode his hands, breathless and demanding more, he didn't think it would be long until Noah was buried deep inside him.

"Noah…Ah, fuck." Cooper's hands fisted in the blanket, as he moved against Noah. So close. Coop was so fucking close, and Noah couldn't wait any longer to get him there.

He hooked his finger down, looking for the spongy place inside him that he knew would push Cooper over that edge. When he found it, Noah rubbed the spot with his finger, while his other hand jacked Cooper off.

"Fuck yes!" Cooper groaned , as sticky, white fluid pumped out of his slit. Noah kept working him, wringing him dry before he flipped, pulling Coop with him. Without his needing to direct him, Cooper sucked Noah's cock deep into his mouth.

Christ , the man was good at that. Noah pumped his hips, the tip of his prick swallowed down the back of his lover's throat. He already teetered on the edge, his balls already tingling and ready to explode. He wouldn't watch Cooper get off without almost getting there himself.

He thread ed his fingers through Coop's hair, losing himself in the wet, hot suction of his mouth.

"So good. You are so fucking good at that, baby." Noah growled, reaching for Cooper when the man's mouth pulled off of him. But then… "Ahhh. Yeah. That's it." A wildfire spread through him at the feel of Cooper's tongue lashing at his hole. Even though Coop had found he loved receiving, this was the first time his tongue had ventured there.

Noah spread his legs wider, giving Cooper better access. He didn't push in but this was enough for Noah.

He grabbed his own erection and began to stroke but then Cooper's hand batted him away. "It's mine. Let me do it."

Christ he loved the sound of that. "Then do it. Make me come, baby."

And Cooper did. He continued licking at Noah's pucker. Slow and hard. Quick and light. While his fist pumped up and down Noah's length. "Close… so fucking close." He gritted out, eyes closed. The heat spread throughout him, his whole body sensitive and alive to every touch.

He fought to hold it off, to do anything to keep the sensual assault going as long as he could , but the faster Cooper stroked, and the seductive, overwhelming feel of his wet tongue, was too much. Noah burst, his body tensed, cried out as he came all over his own chest. "You are going to be the death of me." He grabbed Cooper and pulled him up higher.

Cooper went down beside him, one of his arms flung over Noah's chest. "It's good, isn't it?" he asked , cockily.

Noah rolled his eyes. "Yes. Incredible."

Cooper grinned up at him. "I'm good at this gay-sex thing."

"You're a big head is what you are." He laughed , but Cooper didn't.

"I'm being serious. It's…right. I don't know if that's because it's with you or, hell, have I always been gay and just didn't realize it? Or bisexual, I guess but even that… the sex, no not even just the sex, the connection was never like this with a woman."

It's me…I want it to be because it's me. Which was extremely selfish of Noah but he couldn't help it. Coop was his, and he wanted so much for Coop to want to keep him, too. For him not to care about what anyone else thought, so everyone could know they belonged to each other.

"Maybe , it's because I'm just that good?" Noah tried to lighten the moment. It worked as Cooper's body vibrated in laugher against him.

"And you say I have a big head."

They were quiet for a few minutes before Cooper spoke again. "I need to talk to my aunt and uncle… Let them know I won't be around this weekend. Autumn will no doubt invite me over. She always does."

When they were kids, Noah had loved Cooper's aunt. She was always baking for them. She treated Noah the same as she did Cooper. And though Vernon had always been a hard man, they'd had fun with him. He was always taking Noah along with he and Coop, as a kid. Fishing, camping—he'd felt like he belonged with them. "I'd love to see them, sometime."

Coop tensed against him.

"I'm not saying you have to tell them yet, Coop. We're still new. I can wait a little while. I just…I missed them too, when I left. I'm actually surprised Autumn hasn't spoken to me yet. She was always like that. She used to invite me to dinner almost every night, even without you having to ask." Noah smiled at the memory.

"Yeah…yeah, I know they want to see you too. We'll plan something , soon."

Noah hit the light on the bedside table, his eyes suddenly fighting to stay open. He didn't care that he was a mess from their lovemaking. Noah squeezed Coop, let himself start to drift off, with the one man with whom, he ever truly felt like he belonged.

***

The second the car came to a stop in their driveway, Cooper opened the door.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Aunt Autumn asked. The smile on her face said she already knew.

"I'm gonna go over and talk to Noah. I want to tell him about the game." Cooper had spent three days with his aunt and her family. Uncle Vernon didn't go this time and he didn't know why. But Autumn's brother had brought him to his first NFL game. It had been the coolest thing Cooper had ever done and he couldn't wait to tell Noah about it. He knew his best friend would think it was just as cool as Cooper did.

"Don't be too long. I'm sure your uncle wants to hear all about the game , too." She ruffled Coop's hair.

"Thanks, Autumn." Cooper bound out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He ran to Noah's house. It was technically next door, but his aunt and uncle had a little bit of property, so he had to jog about a block down the road.

The little, white house was dark when he pulled to a stop, out front, out of breath. Noah's parents' car was gone, but Noah had told him he'd be here when Cooper got home. He knew his best friend would have done everything to stay home and his parents weren't really the type to make him go somewhere with them if he didn't want—which he usually didn't.

"Noah!" He called as he fist came down on the front door. When he did, it pushed open slightly, not having been closed all the way. "Noah, it's me. Get you butt out here!" He yelled again, not wanting to just go into the house.

When no one came to the door, Coop decided to peek inside. This was Noah's house. It's not like they would care.

With a hand on the door, he pushed. "Noah—" His words died off when he saw the living room almost empty. The couches were still there but the TV was gone, and the pictures off the wall. Cooper's heart started going wild, even louder than all the fans had been at the game.

"Noah?" He ran inside. Went to the kitchen first. The cabinets were all open, with nothing in them. Cooper ran for the hall, his feet tangling and making him run into a wall.

"Where you at?" He went straight for Noah's room.

And there was nothing inside.

Nothing.

Noah was gone.

He was a baby. Such a freaking baby, because his eyes got blurry with tears. They ran down his face, more following quickly behind them. All he could think was, Noah was gone. His best friend had left him just like his parents had. Noah was the only person who really got him. The only one who he talked to about his Mom and Dad. The guy who knew he had nightmares but never told, and never made him feel like a wuss because of it.

And then , that ache in his chest spread because he knew he'd let him down. Just like his parents, Cooper had let him down. He'd left for the weekend and Noah's parents had made him leave, when he knew Noah would never want to go. He'd promised if it ever came down to that, he would beg Autumn and Vernon to let him live with them or they'd run away. He hadn't been here and because of it, Noah had to go away. He hated that he'd gone to that game and hated that he'd let Noah down.

And now , Noah was gone. What was he supposed to do without his best friend?

Cooper didn't even bother to wipe his tears away. Didn't bother to try and stop more from flowing , as he turned and walked out of Noah's room. Down the hallway again and back to the front door. When he stepped onto the front porch, Vernon was standing there, smoking a cigarette.

"Your aunt told me you came over. I'd hoped you'd come home first so I could tell you."

"What happened, Uncle Vernon? Where did they go?"

The man shrugged. "His mama and dad decided they wanted to leave , so they did."

Cooper crossed his arms, still crying. "It's not fair," he whispered. He'd already lost Mom and Dad. Why did he have to lose Noah too?

"That's life, kid. Better get used to that idea now. Life's not fair and there's nothing we can do about it. Crying over it won't help."

Cooper wiped his eyes, even though he didn't feel like it.

His uncle sighed. "I'm not trying to be mean here, son. I just think you need to be prepared for life. It dealt you a bad hand. I get that. And I don't know what I'm doing here either. Kids weren't ever on the list for me, but your parents died and now we have to do the best we can. The sooner you get used to the fact that you never know what cards you'll be dealt, the better."

"Yes, sir." Cooper whispered. He was shocked when Vernon put his arm around Cooper's shoulders.

"You're better off, if ya ask me. Not the most respectable family."

"What?" Coop looked up at his uncle. He'd never spoken like that about Noah before.

He dropped his arm from Cooper's shoulders. "They're just not the kind of people we need around, is all. All that fighting. We're…we're better off. Trust me on this, kid. And that boy was always a little soft, if you ask me. Always worried about him rubbing off on ya. Things will be much better now."

No, they wouldn't. Things would never be good again.

Cooper tried to shake the memory from his head. Tried to forget how Vernon had taken him out camping that night, even though it had been a school night. They went fishing and he'd tried hard to help Coop forget his friend. It was then he realized his uncle really did love him. He might not show it with kind words and he expected a lot out of Cooper, but it was because he wanted Cooper to do well.

They rarely agreed but he had no doubt Vernon's heart was always in the right place.

Even though he'd wanted to cry that whole night, wanted to tell him that Noah wasn't soft, and that he was Cooper's best friend. That he didn't care if his parents fought or his mom was wild. Noah deserved better. He was better.

So he'd waited. Noah had his address. He would write and then once they found out where he was , he'd tell his uncle he would do anything if Noah could come live with them.

But Noah never wrote. Or called.

Vernon got upset every time Cooper mentioned them , until he finally stopped. And now, Noah was back. Noah was in his bed. He'd been dragged away, been unhappy, but he was here, again.

And Cooper was an even bigger pussy than he'd been as a kid. Because he hadn't even told his aunt and uncle Noah was back. Maybe it was because his uncle had had such a problem with Noah and his family, or maybe it was because he didn't want Vernon to think Noah was soft like he had said. Because that's what he would think. Noah was gay so he was weak, when he was anything but.

Or again, maybe Cooper was just a fucking asshole because he let Noah believe his family knew he was here. He didn't want Noah hurt, he told himself. Noah cared about Cooper's aunt and uncle, even though, like Cooper, he didn't often agree with Vernon. Yet Vernon thought they were all better off when Noah and his family left. That's all this was about, protecting Noah from being hurt by how Vernon really felt.