Chapter Five

Jace wondered why he was still standing outside the bathroom door. Did he want Ian to come out and assume that he was listening? It was one thing to touch the guy's soft, silky hair and wish he could feel it over his naked skin. That yearning had stayed stuck inside Jace's head. It was something totally different, downright weird, to linger right at the bathroom door.

Jace forced his feet to move until he was safely inside his bedroom. He yanked a shirt, underwear, and shorts from his drawers and tried to quickly dress before Ian returned.

With absolutely no luck.

After he slipped a fresh pair of boxers on—Jace really needed a shower after the mess he'd made in the other ones last night—his toes snagged the inside hem on one of the legs of his shorts. He went sprawling to the floor, hurting his backside and elbow.

"Damn it," he muttered as he tried to get his foot free so he could try again. They were cargo shorts. How hard could it be to slide them on? Normally easy, but Jace's dexterity was epically failing him.

"You're either having a hard time getting them on or those shorts offended you in some way so you're kicking their ass."

Ian had returned way too fast, standing there with a look of amusement on his face. He thought Ian would take his time.

Jace had assumed wrong.

"My foot." Jace grunted when his knee hit the waistband and the traitorous material refused to let go. "Ugh!"

"Hang on."

Ian crouched and separated man from shorts in one smooth motion. Sweet hell. Jace couldn't seem to calm his rapid breathing. Ian's fingers lingered on Jace's knee, igniting every nerve in his body. If he didn't calm himself down, he would start hyperventilating.

Act like you have a brain and pull your shorts on. You saw Ian naked at the gym, so it's only fair he sees you in your embarrassing boxers.

They'd been a gag gift from his grandma at Christmas. Boxers with the words "Butt Quack" splashed across the front. Jace hadn't paid attention when he pulled them from the drawer. Now he wished he had.

"Do you need me to pull them on?" Ian gazed at Jace's underwear with a smirk. "Wouldn't want your butt quack showing."

Jace.

Was.

Mortified.

Yet, he couldn't move. He couldn't speak, lost in the spell of Ian's strikingly handsome face. No one else could hold Jace captive with just a single look, not even his former boyfriend. Ian had a seductive power that left Jace weak and wanting.

Ian pressed a hand against the floor. His body moved closer, their eyes locking in a heated gaze. There was something about Ian that made Jace lose control, made him step out of his comfort zone. He couldn't seem to get enough of Ian.

Driven by an insatiable desire, he grabbed Ian's shirt and pulled him close. They fell the rest of the way to the floor, their lips colliding in a fiery kiss, Jace weaving Ian's hair around his fingers.

It was a kiss that knew how to break down barriers, knew how to make Jace completely surrender. There was nothing on earth that matched the way Ian made him feel.

"Move," Jace whispered.

Ian immediately reared back. "I'll help you up."

That wasn't what Jace had in mind. He pushed to his knees and undid Ian's jeans, the heat between them intensifying with each touch.

Last night Ian had driven him wild with so much pleasure, and now Jace wanted to return the favor. He plunged his hand into Ian's boxer briefs, grasping the thick, pulsing shaft. It was all Jace had craved since the night before, and now he would savor every moment of it.

Jace had only seen Ian's flaccid cock before, but now it was hot, hard, and begging for his touch. Ian let out a sharp, jagged groan as Jace took him in his mouth, feeling the weight and thickness stretching his lips to their limit.

Ian stroked Jace's hair.

Jace stroked Ian's cock.

"Jesus," Ian moaned, his fingers gripping Jace's hair tightly. "I love your greedy mouth, sweetheart."

Jace glided his tongue along Ian's pulsating cock, savoring the exquisite taste of his pre-cum. He tightened his throat around the thickness while fondling Ian's balls.

It was sheer madness to suck a guy off in his bedroom while his family was home. Ian had that effect on him, a seductive and addictive pull that left Jace craving more.

The thick cock slid deeper into Jace's willing mouth. Ian rocked his hips, his moans quiet, but urgent, like he was daring Jace to do his worst. Jace sucked hard and fast, hungry for the taste of Ian's release. Desperate for it.

"Jace." Ian's hips moved faster, his cock thrusting harder. He locked eyes with Jace, his whiskey-colored gaze burning with need.

Ian's movements faltered, his muscles tense and straining. He clenched his jaw like he was fighting not to shout. Cum filled Jace's mouth to overflowing, spilling down his chin and forcing him to back off.

"Fuck, kitten." Ian was on him, pinning Jace on the floor.

Holy shit. Ian unleashed was an exhilarating sight to behold. Wildly beautiful, savage, and focused. He yanked Jace's underwear down, damn near ripping them off. Ian swiped the cum off of Jace's mouth and chin, using it as lube as he curled his fist around Jace's throbbing dick.

"I'm-I'm not quiet." The tight, stroking fist ripped a loud, searing cry out of Jace. Ian's lips crashed over his, muffling the sounds with pure sin.

The buildup was almost at its peak. A hot tide of passion raged through Jace, burning so fucking good. His body exploded in a downpour of fiery sensations. His body writhed and strained, his release filling Ian's fist, jets of cum surging over Jace's chest.

Every inch of Jace felt shredded, his arms and legs collapsing to the floor.

"I smell breakfast." Ian pressed his face into Jace's throat and inhaled. "We worked up an appetite."

"You're going to have to help me up." Jace raised an arm then let if flop back down.

"Tell me where the washcloths are, and I'll wet one for you." Ian helped Jace to his feet, and then he stuffed his cock back into his underwear.

"In the cabinet inside the bathroom." Jace looked around the floor for the clothes he'd taken from his drawer. The underwear around his thighs had cum on them. He kicked them off and dug for a fresh pair.

Ian's gaze slid hungrily over Jace. " If we were at my house, I'd toss you onto my bed and find out just how loud you can get, sweetheart."

Mind blanking out, Jace grabbed the shorts and shirt from the floor. Something wet touched his palm. His underwear wasn't the only casualty. Somehow spunk had landed on his shirt. Jace used it to wipe off his chest, making a mental note to do his own laundry this week.

Ian left but returned moments later, handing over the warm cloth. Jace gladly took it and wiped all the messiness from his skin. He gave Ian his back when he cleaned his groin area.

"You're not hiding anything I haven't seen," Ian said from behind him.

"I just…" Jace shook his head, letting the rest of his sentence die since he had no idea how to finish it anyway. His modesty was absurd considering he'd just had Ian's dick down his throat and his own cock had been wrapped in the guy's hand. Another one of life's mysteries.

Ian rested his chest against Jace's back, enveloping him in a comforting embrace. The physical connection immediately soothed Jace's nerves. Without saying a word, Ian had the power to ease Jace's anxieties.

That only proved that Ian was a narcotic and Jace was his hopeless addict.

"I can't help who I am."

He rested his cheek against Jace's. "I like you just the way you are."

That would be true until Ian grew tired of dealing with Jace's introverted nature. It was probably wise not to form too strong an attachment to Ian, though Jace had a feeling that was a losing fight. Hello, addict right here.

"Go ahead and get dressed. The smell of food is making my stomach growl and my mouth water." Ian gave Jace's hip a gentle pat. "If you feel comfortable enough, I'd love to bring you back to my place. If you're interested in spending more time together."

Jace hurried to get dressed as soon as Ian let go of him. He even put on his shoes, but he already missed the physical closeness between them. Jace ran his hands down his shirt, anxious about taking Ian downstairs. This was the first time anyone had spent the night in his bedroom.

Would his grandma really interrogate Ian? How would Jace's mom react? Both had never been fond of Tucker and made their opinions known of him. Of course, they never said anything to Tucker's face.

At least not his mom. His grandma, however, was skilled at making rude comments without anyone being able to prove they were rude.

Taking a deep breath, Jace opened the door then waited while Ian put on his shoes. They made their way down the stairs together before entering the kitchen to find Jace's mom setting the table and his grandma eating one of her peanut butter cookies.

"Mom, Grandma, this is Ian Grant." Jace hugged his stomach then quickly let his arms fall to his sides when he realized how awkward that made him appear. "He's, um, a friend of mine." An intimate friend. "We were out late, so he just crashed in my room."

"I'm Myla Galano," his mom greeted with a warm, welcoming smile. "I set a place for you at the table, unless you can't join us."

"It's a pleasure, ma'am, and I'd be delighted to have breakfast with you," Ian said with a slight strain in his voice.

Jace noticed a hint of panic in Ian's eyes. It was odd to see Ian so nervous, especially since he was usually so self-confident. Was that how Jace looked when he was anxious?

"You're a tall drink of tequila." Jace's grandma swept her gaze over Ian, a sly smirk on her face like she knew exactly what they'd done upstairs. "I swear there's something in the water around here. Never seen so many skyscraping men until I moved to this town."

"Ian, this is my mother-in-law, Inez," Jace's mom said with a roll of her eyes. "Please, have a seat, and try your best not to get offended by anything she says to you."

"I said nothing offending," his grandma huffed. "How did the two of you meet?"

"At the gym." Jace gestured toward a chair, but Ian remained standing.

His gaze darted between the two women like his mind was frozen. It wasn't until his mom went to grab a platter of food from the counter that Ian's brain seemed to reboot and he rushed over to help her.

"Let me get that." After setting the dish in the center of the table, Ian pulled out her chair for her. Was that perspiration glistening on his forehead?

"He's an improvement over the last one," Jace's grandma said. "Better looking, too. How tall are you, Ian?"

"Grandma," Jace groaned. "Eat your cookies and leave him alone."

"I already finished them off," she replied. "Can you be a dearie and grab me some more while you're out?" She then turned her attention back to Ian, waiting for his response.

"I'm six-five ma'am." Ian cleared his throat, as if the words had scratched his esophagus on their way out. Jace patted Ian's thigh but quickly pulled his hand away when he remembered how wicked that thigh had felt between his legs last night.

The fast withdrawal caused Jace to slam his hand under the table, causing everything on top of it rattle.

"Are you okay?" His mom frowned. "Why was your hand under the table?"

Grandma dearest gave him a knowing grin.

As if Jace wasn't embarrassed enough, Ian took his hand and flipped it over repeatedly like he was checking for massive bruising.

"I'm fine." Jace jerked his hand away. That was the last time he would covertly attempt to give Ian comfort. Now Jace's hand throbbed.

"Don't let the food get cold. Eat up," Jace's mom said, quickly dismissing the incident.

Ian grabbed the platter and served the ladies then Jace.

"You're our guest," Jace's mom protested. "You should have been served first, Ian."

"Since he's the guest, he can decide who gets served first," Jace replied when Ian froze. He tugged on the guy's shirt until Ian finally sat back down then proceeded to serve himself the remaining food.

He felt bad that Ian was so nervous, but Jace had offered to sneak him out. Maybe next time Ian would take him up on his offer.

"The food is wonderful." Ian's table manners were impeccable, a clear sign that he'd been taught proper etiquette. It also reminded Jace how much he still didn't know about Ian.

"Thank you." Jace's mom smiled at the compliment. "It's probably doesn't compare to your mother's cooking, but it's always nice to hear praise."

"Excuse me." Ian used his napkin to wipe his mouth, set it on the table, then stood and walked out.

"Ian!" Jace jumped up from his chair and turned to his mom. "He never knew his parents. He was orphaned as a kid."

"I had no idea!" His mom looked on the verge of crying. "Go after him, Jace. Bring him back."

Afraid that Ian had already driven away, Jace shot through the house and out the front door. To his relief, Ian was leaning against Jace's car with his ankles crossed and hands clasped in front of him, gazing at the ground.

As Jace approached, Ian glanced up at the sky. "Sorry for abruptly leaving."

"My mom didn't know." Jace settled next to Ian, wanting nothing more than to lean into him, but he was unsure if Ian would welcome the closeness.

"When you've lived as long as I have, you learn to roll with the punches." Ian pulled a coated rubber band from his front pocket and tied his hair into a messy bun. "It's not your mom's fault I struggle with a family dynamic."

"You talk like you're ninety." Jace folded his arms over his chest. "I know about anxieties. I've lived with them since my dad died." He kicked at the ground with the toe of his shoe. "I sat in the car with him for two hours before a motorist spotted the wreck and called for help."

"You said the crash killed your father." Ian glanced at him. "That means you sat with…"

"Yeah." Jace nodded, avoiding Ian's gaze. "I was in therapy for years, but I was never the same after that day. I was no longer that outgoing kid who loved to laugh and make friends. I just became…me." He gave a humorless laugh. "Then you come along and…"

"And what?" Ian turned toward Jace, his right side now leaning against the car.

"When I'm around you… I don't know." Jace shrugged, once again kicking the toe of his shoe against the ground. "My words flow more easily, except when my brain locks up on me." He rubbed the back of his neck before changing the subject. "It's up to you, but my mom wants you to come back inside."

"What if I need your hand on my leg again?" Ian asked.

"Then I better put on an oven mitt." After a few long moments, he finally looked at Ian, noticing loose strands of hair dancing in the breeze. Jace brushed away the ones caught in Ian's thick lashes. Closing his hand over Jace's, Ian pressed a soft kiss against his palm.

"Someone is peeking out the window," Ian said with amusement. "I think we're being spied on."

"That's my family for you." Jace turned just in time to see the curtain fall back into place. "Who was it?"

"Your adorable grandmother." Ian chuckled. "I've never been compared to tequila before. I thought it was a tall glass of water."

"She's definitely unique." And the nosiest granny Jace had ever met. "She told me not to kiss you on our first date, and no sex, that I should make you work for it."

Ian leaned in close. "Should I confess to her what we did in this very driveway last night?"

A wave of heat surged down Jace's neck. "I shouldn't have done that."

"You should do it again," Ian countered, his confidence and charm returning. " You have no idea how much it turned me on when my shy little kitten took what he wanted, last night and this morning."

Jace's brows shot up as his gaze wandered to Ian's cock. "We should finish breakfast," he squeaked.

"Don't forget your oven mitt," Ian grumbled as Jace grabbed his hand and led him back inside the house.