Chapter 31

Andrew

T he apartment was quiet when we got inside. Brandon dropped his keys on the table by the door before kicking off his shoes and pulling off his jacket.

“My lease renewal isn’t until February, so I can’t add you to the lease until then, but I talked to the manager and he said it was fine that you stayed until then.”

I nodded as Brandon talked. It was like the storm from earlier today hadn’t occurred.

“It’s a little weird that you have to ask permission for me to stay, considering how often I’m here,” I said as I followed him to the living room after removing my jacket and shoes.

Brandon dropped back onto the couch, his glasses sliding down his nose. He stared up at me and gave me a smile. “Maybe, but I couldn’t imagine it would have been any different with any of my exes?”

There was a sharp pang in my chest. It was a reality. We’d both wasted so much time on other people. It didn’t make it any easier to talk about it.

Today had been beyond mentally draining. All I wanted to do was relax now. My body was like a bag of lead as I dropped onto the couch next to Brandon. My head fell to his lap, and he threaded his fingers through my hair.

The motion should have relaxed me, but it made me feel more on edge. How was he able to turn off his annoyance so easily? Brandon caused a scene in my place of work, which made me leave early in order to make sure he was okay. Then he hadn’t been home when I’d gotten there. I wasn’t sure where he’d gone, but I was willing to wait him out because it was something we needed to talk about.

“Are you okay?” he asked, fingers stilling for a moment.

I lay there and thought about my answer. The last thing I wanted to do was upset him further, but it would only hurt us if we continued not to talk about our feelings.

“Not entirely.”

Brandon’s fingers started moving again, though they now shook, betraying how nervous he was.

“I can’t keep doing this. I’ve wanted this with you for so long. Now I have you and I can’t say anything or share my happiness with anyone. It’s slowly killing me.”

He sighed as his hands left my hair. When I rolled over to look at him, they were over his face. He sat like that a few moments before he lowered them. He took a deep breath, but wouldn’t look at me .

“I’m still terrified that this is all going to blow up. This won’t last, and you’ll end up leaving me, and we’ll have told everyone for nothing.”

My heart sank. How could he have so little faith in me?

“But aren’t we doing more damage like this? We’re not happy right now. What should be good times are slipping away because we’re hiding what’s going on between us. Our friends have been rooting us on. It’s not like they wouldn’t be supportive. I’m a little sad you think I’d leave you over something so small.”

A sad smile spread across Brandon’s handsome face as he finally looked down at me.

I sat up and leaned in to kiss him. The kiss started small and hesitant, but by the time we’d pressed our lips together for the third time, it became more forceful.

My fingers found their way into Brandon’s hair this time, holding him to me as my tongue found the seam of his mouth, asking for entrance. He willingly allowed me entrance as I pressed him back onto the couch.

It didn’t take long before clothes disappeared. I started by shoving Brandon’s shirt up and over his head, tickling down his chest as I reached for the snap of his jeans. His hips lifted from the couch as I shoved at the waistband, pushing the denim and his briefs down his legs.

This is what we should have been doing, enjoying each other. Not focusing on how upset we were with one another .

Once Brandon was naked, he helped me out of my clothes. The couch wasn’t the most comfortable, but the trip to the bedroom was too far. Lying here with each other was perfect. Our heated flesh slid and fit perfectly together.

“Oh, God,” Brandon panted as our cocks lined up. We rocked against each other, the friction enough to make my eyes roll back.

I needed more.

I spat in my hand and slipped it between our bodies. My fist wrapped around our lengths and stroked. Both of us cursed at the added pressure.

“Brandon?”

He puffed at my question.

“What?”

“Are you close?”

He whined, hips thrusting upward to meet my strokes. My hand sped up; he’d answered me the best he could. I could barely think as it was.

God, he was beautiful like this. Mine. Why couldn’t we tell everyone?

On a sharp breath, warm cum coated my hand. My eyes slammed closed as I kept stroking. My brief thought derailment taking me out of the moment.

“Andrew. ”

I kept going, quickly getting back to the edge, but poor Brandon was probably over-sensitized. I let him go, sitting back on my heels and continuing to pump.

“Oh, fuck.” I bit my lip as my hand worked faster and faster over my length, trying to get back to the brink. Brandon was probably wondering what the hell had happened.

And then I was there, a stream of cum shooting from my tip to land on Brandon’s chest as I heaved a gasp through my orgasm.

When I opened my eyes, though I hadn’t been aware I’d closed them, Brandon was staring at me. His cheeks were pink, and his lips kiss swollen. What stood out the most was how concern creased his brow.

“Where did you go?”

I took a deep breath and slid from the couch. The answer wouldn’t form, so instead of giving it to him, I made my way to the bathroom. The washrags were in the cupboard on the far wall and I grabbed a fresh one, warming it under the faucet on the sink. I wiped myself down before bringing it into the living room, where Brandon sat motionless on the couch.

He jolted the second I touched him with the warm rag.

“Are you okay?”

My eyes pinched closed again because I was tired of the question. No, I wasn’t okay. And maybe taking this evening in the direction of sex had been a mistake. However, I still felt connected to Brandon and desired to feel close to him. No matter how mad I’d been .

Instead of answering him, I remained silent. I wiped him down and then took the washcloth to the laundry hamper. When I returned, Brandon had his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs. He looked small and unsure, and I felt terrible for making him feel that way.

“Come on. Let’s go lie down for a bit. Maybe after a nap we can get up and I’ll make us some dinner?”

Brandon looked up at me with wide eyes, but nodded. He uncurled himself and walked with me back to the bedroom. We fell to the bed, and he snuggled into my side. That feeling of rightness returned. Like he was always supposed to be here, that this was always inevitable.

“Andrew?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry for earlier. So damn sorry.”

My fingers trailed up and down his back as I stared up at the ceiling. “I know you are. And I’m sorry as well.”