12. Chapter Twelve

Iwas reeling after Jared's performance in the park. Had he meant it? Probably not, right? He was just doing it for the show. To show off his musical ability and get his music in front of new fans. Right? Even though I knew he had to be doing it for the camera, my heart fluttered, and my cheeks flushed with pleasure when he sang. When the moment passed, we walked hand in hand up the hill toward the palace. The flag was raised and I made a comment when I spotted it.

"The king is in," I said, pointing.

Jared raised his eyebrows. "Really? That's cool. Are those the guards?"

I followed his line of sight and nodded. "Yes. They change stations periodically, if you want to stay and watch."

He wrinkled his nose. "Nah. What's next?"

We meandered away from the palace to the park behind it, where ducks serenely drifted on the pond and a variety of other birds hopped on the ground, looking for crumbs and other offerings. After that, I pulled up a map to the sculpture park and we walked that way. It was interesting, seeing everything with fresh eyes. It had been a long time since I'd gone sightseeing in Oslo, despite living so close, and I'd forgotten just how beautiful and exciting it could be.

After touring the park, my feet ached terribly and Jared looked ready to drop. Even Steve and Brock looked like they were ready to call it a day. Once we'd made our way back to the entrance of the park, Steve turned to us.

"Excellent job today, guys. I think we have what we need. We'll take the next couple of days off to review footage and re-convene on departure day. Sound good?"

We both nodded and said our goodbyes before stumbling our way to the bus station. On the return trip, Jared fell asleep, head resting against my shoulder as he breathed softly. It took an hour, but we finally made it to the bus station directly in front of my side street, and I woke Jared.

He blinked at me a few times, confused, before he seemed to remember where he was. "Where are we?"

"Home," I murmured, and the word caused heat to bloom in my chest. I wanted my home to be Jared's, and soon enough, we'd be living together in the States and planning a wedding and the whole nine yards.

By the time we'd gotten off the bus, Jared was more awake, the veil of sleep lifted. He took my hand in his while we walked down the short driveway, and I froze for a second, unsure of whether he'd meant to do it or if he was still a little dazed from sleep.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled. "I hope I didn't—I mean, if I misread things…"

"No, not at all." I squeezed his fingers with my own. "It's perfectly okay. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all." The press of our palms and the intertwining of our fingers was comforting, and it felt like a different kind of home on its own. It felt right, and my heart pounded, warmth spreading through my body. This was what I wanted.

Back in the apartment, I made us a light dinner of sandwiches and we ate in front of the television, watching an American superhero movie. By the time dinner was finished, I was yawning and my eyelids were growing heavy.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready for bed, too." Jared stood and stretched before helping me clean off the little coffee table.

The whole evening had felt incredibly domestic, making me happier than I could've imagined I would be. It was nice. I was afraid I'd get used to it, and I didn't know how to tell Jared that I was developing feelings for him.

Once we slipped into bed, I turned to Jared and pulled his arm around my shoulders. He held me close for several moments before pulling back.

"Are we okay?"

I nodded. "Why wouldn't we be?"

His shoulder shifted as he shrugged. "I don't know. It's just, the song and the kiss and the holding hands. I wasn't sure where we stood. Like, what's real and what's just for the show."

I looked up at him and put a hand on his hip under the covers. Taking a deep breath, I decided just to give in and tell him my thoughts. "Jared… I like you."

He closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he looked at me intently. "You don't have to say that just because of today. Or just because of the show. I want us to be honest with each other, just like we always have been. Best friends. That's the most important thing."

His little speech made my stomach twist into knots. Did he feel the same, or was he trying to let me down gently? I nodded. "I am being honest."

"Good. Because I like you too."

Relief flooded me, and tears prickled my eyes, threatening to fall. I was happier than I'd ever been with a partner, and I was lucky enough to have these feelings for my best friend. A lump formed in my throat, emotions threatening to overtake me.

With that, he leaned in and kissed me, so tenderly that it almost made me cry. As we kissed, he ran his fingers through my hair, and I gripped his hip, shifting closer, heat pooling in my groin. I wanted him to know exactly how I felt. No more guessing, no more hoping. Just the truth, straightforward and honest and easy.

Even though I was bisexual, I didn't have a wealth of experience with men. Still, we'd had a growing sexual tension between us since the beginning, since that first breathtaking kiss in the airport, and the second searing kiss in the clothing store. He shifted his hips forward and our bodies connected, sending a shiver through me. A groan slipped out of his throat as we kissed, sparking a bolt of lust through me.

Jared pulled back for a moment. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything," I breathed.

"We've been best friends for half our lives. Platonic best friends. What changed?"

"You kissed me in the airport, and everything changed." It was as simple as that.

"Jesus," he groaned. A moment later, he flipped me to my back and straddled me. "Wanna taste you," he murmured, easing down my body. I whimpered and nodded before yanking my boxers down to my knees.

I exhaled sharply as he took my tip between his lips, rolling my hips up to meet his eager mouth. He groaned as he took me in his mouth, dipping down to take more in and stroking my crown with his tongue. I could hardly believe it was happening. Not only was I with a man, that man was Jared, my best friend. I wanted him more than anything. In that moment, everything was changing. The line between friendship and desire was blurring more and more, and both joy and lust filled me.

With his hands, he stroked and gripped my thighs, alternating between digging his fingers into the muscles and touching me gently. The touch made my head spin with desire and I had to force myself to stay calm, not to fall apart entirely right then.

I lifted my hands, braced them against the wall behind me, and closed my eyes, murmuring in Norwegian about how I wanted more, swearing and begging, rocking my hips up to meet his greedy mouth. When Jared moved his hands to stroke my balls and shaft while he sucked me, I whimpered again and dropped a hand to tangle in his dark hair, urging him to suck me faster, deeper.

I caught my hips roiling desperately, gripping his hair harder, and Jared moaned when I tightened my fingers. He sucked me like he was desperate to taste me, and I wanted to give him everything. I couldn't help myself, and I begged for more, my brain reverting to Norwegian. "Mer, mer. V?r s? snill, ikke stop." I never wanted him to stop.

It wasn't long until I was nearing the edge, and I whimpered again. Jared moaned as my cock swelled in his mouth, and a few seconds later, I came, unloading into his mouth with a deep groan and a thrust upward. He swallowed and bobbed his head, continuing to suck me dry. When the orgasm subsided and the shock waves ceased, he pulled off, releasing me gently and rolling to his side to look up at my face. My chest was heaving with exertion, but my gaze was on him. Jared's eyes were dark, darker than usual, and there was a self-satisfied smile on his face.

"Kristus."

He grinned. "So good you forgot how to speak English, huh?"

I swatted his shoulder affectionately. "The part of my brain that speaks English was on vacation temporarily."

Jared bit his bottom lip and looked at me with a slight frown. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Was that—was that your first time, you know, with a man?"

Heat flooded my cheeks and I nodded. "I've always had attraction to men, but I've never had an experience with a man. I'm glad it was with you."

"Why didn't you tell me you're bi? You've always known about me being gay."

I shrugged gently. "It didn't feel relevant. I didn't have a man in my life to tell you about."

"And I hope you never do." He winked, grinning.

I hesitated for a moment. "Can you kiss me again?"

He hauled himself up the bed and kissed me slowly, carefully. When our tongues touched, I moaned against his mouth. I nipped his lip before we broke the kiss, and he lay next to me, pulling me closer against his chest to cuddle.

I took a deep, shaky breath. "That was… utrolig."

With a laugh, he shook his head. "I haven't learned that one yet."

"Incredible," I clarified. I reached between us and worked to move my hand into his boxer briefs.

"Oh," he said, putting his hand on mine. "You don't have to—"

I shut him up with a kiss. "Don't be ridiculous. I want to. At least to touch you." I was nervous that I'd panic—was I truly bi if I'd never touched a man like that? Would I hate it? Would I be terrible at it? Regardless, I wanted to try.

He swallowed hard and nodded before slipping out of his boxer briefs and his erection was free. I wasted no time in getting my hand around it, waiting for the sensation of panic to overtake me. Nothing happened besides unbelievable lust.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded firmly and wrapped my fingers around his swollen cock. "I want to learn."

"I'm more than willing to teach you," he said with a smirk.

Propping myself up on my elbow, I stroked him, tentatively at first before my confidence grew, gripping his cock firmly and letting my fingers slide through the precum that coated his crown. I rubbed the pad of my thumb against his slit and the underside of the head, and as I did, he rocked his hips to meet my strokes, slowly thrusting into my fist.

I moaned softly and as I stroked, I murmured to Jared—in English—about how much I wanted him. After a few moments, he tried to stop me, putting his hand on mine, but I kept going, letting our hands stroke him in unison.

"Matty," Jared murmured in a warning tone, his voice quavering. "I'm close." I looked at him and his eyes were closed. A second later they fluttered open, meeting my gaze. I pinned my lower lip between my teeth.

"Come for me."

That was all it took to make the orgasm crash through him, and he unloaded into the space between us, cum splattering against both of our chests, again and again until he was spent. When he was done, I kissed him again, tenderly, slowly, both satisfied and wanting more already.

Jared took a slow, deep breath. "You weren't kidding."

I frowned. "About?"

"That was incredible."

I grinned and dropped my voice to a whisper. "It was."

A half hour later, we were both showered and in bed, holding one another tightly. It seemed as if both of us were avoiding sleep, until I murmured a reassurance in the darkness.

"Jared?"

"Yeah?"

"There's no camera crew tomorrow. Or the next day. We'll be alone."

He bent down and kissed my bare shoulder. "Thank God," he murmured. A few moments later, sleep claimed me and all night, I dreamed of Jared.