Chapter Twelve

Amos

The outdoor theater was awesome. It was set up on the beach with a huge projector screen hanging on the side of the pier. People brought blankets and coolers, and I felt foolish for not thinking of that, but Jess and Phoebe had brought enough for everyone.

We set up toward the back to stay out of the way. We would have film crews moving about, so it was only fair.

We split the cost of a tray of mini tacos for all of us to share and enough drinks for everyone. We got comfy as the sun began to set, and Chase planted himself on me, like he always did—between my legs, his back to my chest.

Only this time, I had to keep thinking of terrible things so my dick wouldn't poke him in the back.

God, sleeping next to him, wrapped around each other, had been incredible. I wasn't usually one to cuddle. I liked my own space. But Chase was clingy and cuddly, and so help me god, I was used to it now.

I even liked it.

My dick liked it a whole lot .

It'd been far too long since I'd had any kind of action, and now my dick wouldn't quit.

The fact he was making all the sex jokes and innuendos didn't help, at all.

Then he basically offered to skip the movie night and stay in bed all night instead. Sex and blowjobs. He'd kinda been joking but he kinda wasn't, and normally I'd say yes just to get him to back down or shut up, but part of me was too scared.

Because what if he agreed?

What if he'd pushed me back onto the bed? Hell, the way he'd looked at me, looked at my dick—how he'd suggested I should make him suck my dick—I'd almost told him yes.

If I'd undone my fly, he would have.

No doubt in my mind, we'd be in bed right now doing everything we possibly could.

Fuck, I wanted to.

Which was crazy. And stupid.

He was my acting partner, nothing else.

It was in his nature to be playful and cocky, to push boundaries and imply sexual innuendos. That was Chase's leading personality trait.

But did he want me? Or was he acting?

Was he pushing boundaries and being a smartass? Would he have laughed and told me he was joking if I'd asked him to get on his knees?

I wasn't sure.

I was too scared to find out.

Because I'd be disappointed if he said no.

So yeah, lying on the beach with him between my legs and his head on my chest wasn't ideal. I mean, it was amazing and it felt far too natural. But it wasn't doing my dick or my imagination any favors.

The movie helped. The horror of it, the fake blood, the huge fake shark, the fashion. It was awesome.

We laughed and chatted as the cameras filmed us, getting close-ups of me and Chase. Of me putting the straw to his mouth so he could take a sip of my drink. Of him threading our fingers on his chest.

Of him trying to get my hand to squeeze his pec.

I leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Leave your moobs alone."

He squeezed my knee which made me squirm, and of course that made him press against my dick.

Not helping. Not helping at all.

I knew the second he felt it because he froze.

Then he squirmed, deliberately rubbing against me.

"Stop it," I hissed at him.

He laughed. "Not a chance."

But he kept one leg bent at the knee and I was certain it was to hide his own erection.

"It's so big," Chase said. I dug him in the ribs and he laughed. "I was talking about the shark."

"Would you two be quiet," Didi whisper-shouted at us.

Chase laughed, jumped up to his feet, took my hand, and pulled me down to the water. Once we were far enough away from listening ears and camera microphones, he stopped, bent over with his hands on his knees. He was still laughing. "Holy shit."

I wasn't sure what this was about. "What are we doing? "

He took my hand again, threading our fingers like boyfriends would, and began walking down the beach. The lights of San Luco were twinkling on the water with the moonlight. It was a very pretty night. "We are getting away from the people," he said. "I thought you'd appreciate that."

"Well, yeah. I guess. The movie was fine though. Everyone was watching the screen and there was no need for small talk, which is the literal worst thing ever."

He chuckled. "And I need to walk off my hard-on. Which is one hundred percent your fault."

Uh . . .

I couldn't believe he'd just said that.

I sputtered. "Uh, I don't... I mean, how was it my fault? Christ, how can you just say that shit?"

"Because your huge dick was poking me in the back," he said.

Oh my god.

He was just going to say this out loud. To my face.

"And I haven't had sex in too long, apparently," he went on. "Because all this touchy-feely shit has my dick real interested, and I can't think about anything else."

I pulled my hand from his. "You're the one who's all touchy-feely, all the time."

He snatched up my hand again and pulled me to a stop. His face was even more beautiful under the moonlight, and my god, his eyes locked on mine. I was in so much trouble. "Because I like it," he said. "And I've never liked it before, not with anyone. I used to hate public displays of affection or whatever, but I like it with you."

Oh shit.

His voice was quiet. "Whenever I see you, I need to touch you. And sleeping next to you this afternoon put my dick on high alert, and I was gonna jerk off in the shower because I was trying to avoid this, but I didn't because I thought I could handle it. But then you had to put your huge dick against my back."

"Uh, you were the one who was lying on me," I tried to argue. "I'm innocent here."

He laughed. "Innocent. Yeah, right. You were hard this afternoon after our nap, and you were hard again just now. I'm not the only one with this problem here."

Good lord.

"I can't believe we're talking about this." I put my hand to my forehead, and he took that hand too. Now both our hands were joined between us.

"Why can't we talk about this?" he said gently. "We're both adults. We're supposed to be trusting each other for this acting project. I thought we did trust each other."

"I do trust you," I said. "It's just awkward and embarrassing."

"I've felt how big your dick is. You don't need to be embarrassed about anything."

I laughed and he smiled. For a long second, we just looked at each other, holding hands. My heart was knocking painfully against my ribs because this was far more intimate than I'd bargained for.

"I think we should fuck," he blurted out.

I stared at him.

So much for intimacy.

"Pardon?"

"I think we should take care of each other," he amended. "If you know what I mean. We're not supposed to be seeing anyone else during this whole filming thing. At least not be seen with anyone else. So if we can't have sex with anyone else, then we should totally use each other. Like an acting perk."

I blinked. "Use each other. An acting perk."

"Well, yeah. What would you call it?"

"A terrible idea. That's what I'd call it."

"Is it, though?" he stepped in closer. "I know you're interested. I know your dick's interested, anyway. We both have needs and desires, and honestly, the sexual tension is killing me. If we just get it out of the way, then we don't have to worry about popping boners while filming."

Oh god.

"And this is method acting," he went on, like an executioner swinging the final blow. "It's what Dominic and Elijah would do. They would totally go back to Elijah's dorm room and Dominic would one hundred percent suck Elijah's dick."

Jesus.

My dick loved the sound of that.

"Does he want his dick sucked?" Chase whispered. He pulled me closer by my hands. "Because Dominic wants to suck him so bad."

"Fucking hell," I murmured.

At this rate, I wasn't even going to make it back to my room.

"Chase, I?—"

He crashed his mouth to mine, pulling our hips together at the same time. His mouth, his erection; I didn't stand a chance .

It sounded as if the world had stopped. The sound of the ocean, the chatter, traffic, all of it disappeared, and all that existed was him and this kiss.

His full lips opened and his tongue against mine almost buckled my knees. This wasn't like the fake kisses we'd done a dozen times. This was a real kiss.

A great kiss.

And maybe this was Dominic kissing Elijah. Maybe it wasn't.

Because, my god, it felt good.

I raked my hand down his back, over his ass, and pulled him harder against me, and he groaned into my mouth. Then he broke the kiss, taking my hand and dragging me across the beach.

I had to remember how to walk, but he was on a mission. He never stopped until we reached my dorm, and even after I'd opened the foyer door, he snatched up my hand and led the way up the stairs.

"I thought you preferred the elevator," I said.

He spared me a glance over his shoulder as he took the stairs two at a time. "No time," he said. "Hurry the fuck up."

We made it to my floor and I was breathless. If it was from all the running up the stairs or from the way he'd kissed me earlier or maybe in anticipation about what we were about to do, I wasn't sure.

He stopped at my door and leaned against it, blocking me. "If you open this door, there will be dick sucking, just so you know. If you don't want that, don't open the door."

I held his gaze, pressed right up against him, inserted the key, and pushed the door open .

He smirked, fisting my shirt, and he pulled me into my room.

My blood was just about on fire. I was so hard and so turned on, I wasn't going to last a minute. God, even imagining the warm, wet heat of his mouth...

I kicked the door shut behind me and he was pawing at my shirt, trying to get it over my head. I pulled his off too, revealing his glorious chest and muscular arms. And then he was pulling at the button on my jeans, so I slid my hand under the waistband of his shorts and palmed his dick.

He froze and sucked back a breath, so I wrapped my fingers around him and he shuddered. "I'm too turned on," he bit out. "Too far gone."

So I went to my knees in front of him, pulled his pants down, and licked the underside of his shaft. He cried out and I was rewarded with a bead of precome. "Fuck. Gonna come so fast."

I licked the slit, tasting him, then took him into my mouth, sliding my lips down while tonguing the underside.

He fisted my hair. "Fuck, yes. Holy shit."

He was swollen, impossibly hard, and so close... so I sucked and took him in deeper and his body jerked, his cock pulsed in my mouth, and he cried out, a strangled sound as he came.

He twitched and moaned as I swallowed, groaning when I pulled off him. His cock was still hard, glistening wet, and he swayed on his feet.

"Holy fuck," he breathed.

I stood up and sat him down on the edge of my bed. His eyes were glazed over, he wore a lazy smile, and he was so fucking hot with his dick still hanging out .

But with me standing in front of him and him sitting down, he was the perfect height... So convenient. I opened my fly and took out my dick. I was so fucking hard, so ready to come.

His smile widened and he licked his lips, looking like he was about to taste his most favorite treat ever. "Fuck, yes," he whispered, pulling me closer.

No preamble, no warning. No licking, no tasting, he just sucked me right in, taking me in so far he gagged. But he didn't stop. He kept sucking, tonguing, moaning, his fingertips digging into my ass, and he set the pace.

He wasn't just sucking my dick. He was making me fuck his mouth.

This feeling, this euphoric feeling, I wanted it to last forever.

I wanted this sexual high, pleasure so divine, to never stop.

But then I looked down, and seeing Chase Soria, the hottest guy on campus with his lips around my dick and moaning like he was having a religious experience...

It was all too much.

"Gonna come," I warned. "Your pretty mouth is too good."

He looked up at me, heavy lidded and blissed out, his thick lips around my shaft, and he fucking smiled.

My orgasm ripped through me, and I came down his throat. He sucked it out of me, drinking down every drop.

The room spun, and I lost all sight and sound. The only thing that existed was him, his hands on my ass, and his oh-so talented mouth.

He pulled off me and caught me as I almost fell forward. I was wiped out, and he laughed as he pulled me onto my bed with him. We were a tangle of limbs and laughter, trying to catch our breath.

Trying to not let reality crash the party.

I wondered how awkward it was going to get, how we still had weeks of filming left to do, and how this was a really bad, terrible idea.

Chase laughed. "That was the best thing ever."

I snorted, because of course he would think that. Of course optimistic Chase would think it was awesome, while pessimistic me was waiting for the dark cloud to roll in.

But I was too blissed out and boneless to care in that moment though.

"You think I have a pretty mouth," he added.

I gave him a shove, fighting to keep my eyes open. "Pretty and talented."

Did I just say that out loud?

Yep.

He laughed. "Well, that's the quickest I've ever come, just so you know. I normally have better endurance."

"Sure."

"It's true. You'll see. Next time, I'll last way longer."

"Next time?"

"There is going to be so many next times. Soooo many. Like, an infinite number of next times."

"Infinite. That's a lot."

He pulled back to look at my face. "Are you falling asleep?"

"You took my brain offline. Can't stay awake."

Chase laughed. "Well, no sleeping yet. We have an infinite number of next times to achieve, starting tonight."

I half laughed, half groaned, my eyes closing. "I thought an orgasm might shut you up for a bit, but apparently not."

"You shut me up with your dick earlier. That has to count."

I snorted. "True."

"Wanna do it again? I'm totally down. Your dick is delicious."

I groaned. God almighty. "Might need a few minutes."

The truth was, my dick was still out of my jeans and still half interested.

Chase rolled us over, putting me on my back so he could look down at me. "I don't. I'm ready to go again now." The best part of being a young college dude who hadn't been laid in far too long was the no-waiting time.

I looked down between us, and sure enough, his dick was semihard, hanging down toward mine. He lowered down until they touched, making mine twitch. He grinned at me, like the freaking devil, then pressed his dick to mine and rolled his hips.

Yeah. My waiting time wasn't too long either, apparently.

"You're sexy as fuck when you come," he murmured. "I wanna see it again." Then he dropped his weight on top of me, crushing his mouth to mine. He sank his tongue into my mouth, kissing me deep, invading my senses. My hands immediately went to his hair, pulling him closer.

I was lost to his kiss. The way his tongue tangled with mine, how he sucked and pulled my bottom lip between his. He had his eyes closed, kissing me like this meant something.

Like I meant something .

And he kept rolling his hips, rubbing against me, rutting, and soon he was moaning again.

That sound . . .

It did something to me.

It lit a fire in me like no one else ever had.

Resting on one elbow, he fumbled his hand between us, trying to get both our cocks in his hand. "Fuck," he hissed.

"Here, let me," I said, taking over. I wrapped my fingers around us both, and he thrust into my fist, sliding against me. He kissed down my neck, sucking and groaning, shuddering with each thrust.

"Fuck, this is so good," he breathed. Then he pushed up off me, his hands beside my shoulders so he could watch our dicks sliding through my fist. "Oh, holy fuck."

It was a glorious sight. So hot the way our cockheads peeked through my fist, leaking precome. Him, me, both of us together, making the slide wet. The slick sound was obscene.

I groaned. "So fucking hot."

Chase looked down at me, his eyes locked on mine then. Ablaze with desire and honesty, there was nowhere to hide.

His mouth fell open and he gasped, his eyes rolled, and he shuddered. "Gonna come again," he breathed, and his cock was so hard, so swollen, throbbing, pulsing against mine.

The pleasure was exquisite.

"Fuck, yes," I whispered. "Come. I wanna see you come."

He thrust hard, every muscle in his torso straining, his eyes closed, and his teeth clenched as his orgasm took hold .

He pulsed in my hand, against my cock, and it tripped me over the edge with him. Waves of bliss and fire ripped through me and I came, shooting come over my hand and onto my belly.

Tremors racked me, every nerve ending alight with pleasure.

I was too wiped, too blissed out to worry about reality or the consequences.

Chase collapsed on top of me, smearing our come between us, his breaths on my neck. "That was so fucking hot," he panted. "Two down, an infinite number of times to go."

I snorted, still too wiped out to speak, let alone argue.

Would I even argue?

Probably. There were a thousand reasons why this was a terrible idea, I just couldn't seem to think of any. Just not right now.

He rolled us onto our sides, and when I tried to pull away, he pulled me harder against him, throwing his leg over my hip as well. "Nope. You're staying right here. Need to cuddle."

"Has anyone ever told you you're needy?"

"Nope. Never needed to cuddle before, so shut up and enjoy it."

I snorted again. "How is it possible that you can make me come twice and I still find you annoying?"

He smiled, his eyes closed. "It's a special skill."

I gave up fighting it and sank into the boneless feeling. "Fucking hell."

"Yep, for sure. Next time you will."

"Next time I will what? "

"Fuck me."

I froze. "Oh, I will, will I?"

His smile became that smirk that both irritated and thrilled me. Then he pulled me in close, not even opening his eyes. "Yep. Definitely. It'll be amazing."

I was about to argue that. Not the amazing part, but the fact he assumed I would. I mean, did I want to? Would I fuck him if he asked?

Uh, hell fucking yes you would.

When I didn't argue, he chuckled and wiggled. "You thinking about it right now? What it's gonna be like to have your dick inside me?"

I gave him a shove. "Christ, shut up."

He squeezed me as he chuckled. "You totally are."

I sighed, hating how much I liked being with him like this. And hating how much I was now thinking about having my dick inside him.

My dick made its best attempt at agreeing but it gave up, and so did I.

I closed my eyes, relaxing into his arms. "You're so annoying."

The next morning, I was to meet Chase in the dining hall for breakfast with the crew. Cameras would be there; that was to be expected.

I didn't expect the crowd though.

And I didn't expect to be standing in the buffet line and have Chase slip his arms around me from behind, his lips at my ear. "Morning."

I'd wondered how we'd fare this morning.

Would it be awkward? Would last night have ruined things between us? The comfortable ease strained now that we'd...

I should have known he'd have no concept of awkward. Much like he had no concept of personal space when it came to me.

"Are the cameras on us?" I whispered, not turning around.

"Don't know. Don't care," he replied, then kissed the spot under my ear that made me gasp. "Hmm," he chuckled. "Weak spot unlocked."

I sighed and tried to shake him off, but that just made him hold me tighter, his chin on my shoulder. "Can you grab a yogurt for me? And some fruit. Oh, and a juice. And maybe some toast."

I resisted groaning and did what he asked.

He was such a pain.

I took our tray over to the cast table in the corner, where all the cast were, where the cameras were focused. And I knew then that I had to leave Amos behind and become Elijah.

The Elijah who loved the fact that Dominic, aka Chase, was all handsy and clingy.

Was there a difference between my character and me?

I wasn't sure.

"Where did you two run off to last night?" Phoebe asked, smiling with her straw to her lips .

"Important boyfriend business," Chase said. I mean, Dominic.

Goddammit.

They all laughed, and Jess eyed me strangely. "Elijah, are you blushing?"

Shit.

"No. I'm a little sunburned," I replied, feeling my burning cheeks.

Chase leaned into me and laughed. "So, how did Jaws end?" he asked, and chatter around the table began.

After yesterday, we'd discussed some topics for small talk and banter and the plot points we needed to bring up in casual conversation, and it made the ad-libbing flow so much easier, and thankfully we had a seamless scene until it was time to go to class.

Today's filming would involve Max and Holly's story arc, and Jess and Phoebe, so Chase and I were off the hook.

I mean, we'd still have Daniel and Bridgette following us with their cameras, but mostly for small-scene stuff.

I slid the tray into the receptacle and Chase took my hand, smiling as he pulled me out the door. People were watching—some had their phones out and were filming us, which was stupid.

"You'd think they'd have something better to do," I murmured.

Chase laughed. "You didn't see? You really need to start checking the socials."

"See what?" God, did I even want to know?

"Uh, there's footage and photos of us last night online."

I stopped walking, feeling cold all over. "Of where?"

He snorted. "On the beach, silly. Where else would they have footage from? Got cameras set up in your room I don't know about?"

I rolled my eyes. "You could have led with that." I put my hand to my heart. "Jeez."

He laughed and pulled me a little closer by our joined hands. "Kissing on the beach. It's dark and grainy, but it's us."

"Fuck."

"Not yet."

I groaned. "Really?"

"Oh, yes."

I ignored the innuendo, the hint, the look in his eyes. "Well, I guess it's good for the show or whatever."

Smiling, he bit into his bottom lip. "It was good for me too."

Oh my god, he was so annoying.

"I have to go to class," I said.

He stepped in close, his eyes on my mouth. "I'm going to kiss you, okay?"

I could see Daniel out of the corner of my eye, his camera on us. "Okay."

Chase slid his hand up to my neck, to my jaw, and pulled me in for a kiss. Slow, tender, lips open enough but no tongue. It was incredibly sweet and a little bit hot.

He broke the kiss, and with a groan he put his forehead on my shoulder, his hand on my ass. "Gonna be hard all day."

I shoved him and he took a few steps back, laughing as he turned to run off to his class. I stood there, gripping my backpack strap, annoyed. With a huff, I turned and walked to class.

Ignoring how people looked at me, ignoring the smiles and hellos from people who never knew I existed before now.

I wasn't interested in any of their fake attention.

Chase might love it, the way people fawned all over him, but I didn't have any time for it.

I took my seat in class and ignored it all.

"Doesn't it annoy you?" Mason asked me. I was two minutes into my shift at the Bean Necessities. I liked Mason. I'd worked with him a bit over the last two years, and maybe I'd even go so far as to call him a friend. "You don't seem the type to like the attention."

I smiled because yeah, he knew me that well at least. "Yep. Not a fan."

"Yet you're an actor," he said. "How are ya gonna handle making it to the big-time fame of Hollywood?"

"I'll be the recluse kind of actor."

"The kind that look homeless when they buy coffee in LA?"

"Yep. That's the plan."

He laughed. Then when the door opened and customers walked in, he sighed. "Well, don't look now but your fellow cast and crew are here."

I looked up, and sure enough, Max and Holly came in, their camera duo with them.

"I'll take their table," I said. Then I gestured toward them. "Unless you want to be on camera for your fifteen minutes of fame."

He made a face. "No thanks. All yours."

I grabbed the notepad and went over to Max and Holly's table, and honestly, if they were going for an awkward first date, they were nailing it.

"Hey guys, what brings you in?" I asked.

They both lit up when they saw me, like I was their lifeline. "Oh hey, Elijah," Max said. "Just grabbing coffee."

"Great place to do that," I said, trying to save the scene.

"Where's Dominic?" Holly asked.

"He was gonna hit the gym and pool after class," I said. I didn't really have a clue but that sounded like a safe assumption.

"Explains where he gets his physique from," Holly said.

And I was hit with flashes of his naked torso above me, every muscle taut as he fucked my hand. The way he moaned, and his face when he came...

So then of course I blushed. "Ah, yeah. Something like that."

They both laughed.

I cleared my throat. "What can I get for you?"

I took their order and went back to the counter, distracting myself with work and keeping myself busy.

He was really beginning to mess with my head. He—Chase, Dominic. Both of them.

Mostly Chase.

I kept picturing him, seeing his stupidly handsome face in my mind, thinking about what we'd done. Trying to tell myself to regret it but not quite being able to.. .

"Your boyfriend's here," Mason murmured beside me. It was almost closing time, and I'd been so distracted...

I looked up, and sure enough, there was Chase, walking through the door with that smile that I hated.

Hate that you don't hate it . . .

And Daniel was right behind him.

Great.

"Hey," he said, coming up to the counter. "I was hoping I could grab a takeout order." He raised his hand to my height. "He's about this tall, dark hair, gorgeous, a little moody. Killer smile."

I couldn't help it.

I freaking smiled, and then I got mad at myself for falling for it.

"You'll need to wait," I replied. "He's busy for another—" I checked the time. "—twenty minutes."

"It's okay. I can wait."

I handed him the dirty-cup tub. "If you're gonna wait, you're gonna help."

He grumbled, but took the hint and went and cleared the last table of cups and plates, then he waited by the door for us to finish.

"Night, guys," Mason called out as we were leaving.

Then it was just me and Chase . . .

And Daniel with his camera.

I wanted to sigh and complain, but this was acting. Method acting, at that. Immersing myself into my character.

Chase picked a speck of lint off my shirt and gave me a soft smile that totally should not have made my stomach swoop. "Wanna come back to my place?" he asked, his voice low and inviting.

"Not really," I replied. When his eyes gave me a what-the-hell look, I followed it with, "Will your housemates be there?"

He grinned and took my hand, all but pulling me toward my dorm. "Oh, thank god. I was hoping you'd say that."

I laughed. "Don't you have friends to hang out with or something?"

"But what we do together and what you did to me last night is way more fun."

Oh my god.

Daniel got that on camera.

He's acting. This is for the show.

Right. Acting.

Yes, Amos. You should try it sometime. Be Elijah. What would Elijah say right now?

"Oh, do we still have your mom's birthday thing this weekend?" I squeezed his hand, hoping he'd roll with it. Discussing plans and family is what boyfriends of one year would do, right?

"Shoot. I forgot about that. I still haven't gotten her anything. We'll need to go shopping some time."

"Correction. You'll need to go shopping some time."

"But you have better taste than me."

"Well, that is true."

"I mean, you chose me so clearly you have exceptional taste."

"You're so full of yourself."

"Gonna be full of you later. "

I tripped over my feet and he laughed as he kept me from stumbling. A group of guys crossed the road ahead of us. "Oh, isn't that your ex up there?" he whispered.

I tried to make out the figures. "I dunno. Why?"

Jeez. Was that Dominic asking or Chase?

We walked up the steps to the dorm entrance, and once inside, we caught a glimpse of Taylah and Georgia coming our way. "Woah," Chase said, pulling me toward the elevator. "Speaking of exes."

We dashed into the elevator, Daniel slipping in behind us. The elevator was small, and Chase leaned against the back wall, tugging me closer. "That was close."

Chase had a heated look in his eyes, his smirk that made weaker people crumble. And maybe I would have if Daniel wasn't right beside us, filming it all.

Were we doing this? Were we going to go that far for this show, on camera?

Clearly seeing the war in my gaze, Chase chuckled and pulled me in, our hips colliding, just as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"Saved by the bell," Chase said, then led me by the hand down the hall to my door.

Daniel was right behind us and I fumbled getting the key into the lock, and Chase laughed. "In a hurry?"

I growled at him, pushed open the door, shoved Chase up against the wall, and slammed the door shut, right in the camera's face.

It would be a great shot for the show. Kinda getting hot and heavy, desperate even, without actually doing anything.

But I still had Chase pressed up against the wall. His smirk was filthy, the erection in his shorts not helping at all. "Camera's gone," he whispered, sliding his hand down over my ass and holding me right where I was. "You can let go of me now."

"You're the one holding me," I murmured. Then I took his hand and pinned it to the wall above his head.

His nostrils flared and his eyes darkened, and he hitched his leg up around my hip so I could press him against the wall even harder. "Fuck yes," he said. "I can't stop thinking about what we did. What you did to me. I want you to do it again. I want more. I want it to last for hours."

Fucking hell.

I crushed my lips to his, dipping my tongue into his mouth, deep and hard. He tried to pull his hand down, but I kept it pinned above his head and he groaned, rolling his hips, seeking friction.

Then he whined, and the sound set fire to my bones.

I let go of his hand so I could grab his ass, and I rubbed my hard-on against his as I devoured his mouth. His hands found my hair and he tried to climb me, tried to lift his other leg.

But he was bigger than me, stronger and heavier, and there was no way I could hold him.

So I backed up, pulling his shirt and pushing him onto my bed. I wasted no time following him onto the mattress, and as soon as I was between his legs, he lifted both knees to his chest.

Letting my hips fall right where he wanted me, like he was offering himself to me. If we were naked, I could push into him, just like this...

Just like he wanted.

Christ, he really was a bottom .

I wasn't sure why I'd doubted that, but then he began to rock and whine. He took my face in his hands and pulled me back, his eyes dark and his full lips red and swollen. "I wasn't kidding before. I want to be full of you. Tonight. Now. It's all I can think about since last night. Knowing how good you feel, I want you to fuck me. Please, say you'll fuck me."

I shivered as his words danced up my spine, electric fingers making it impossible to say no.

Not that I was ever going to say no.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Fuck, don't make me beg."

I smiled at that, kissing him, slower this time. Teasing and tasting his tongue and slipping my hand down to palm his dick. His back arched and he hissed. "Fuck. Please."

Oh god, that's hot.

I pulled back, resting on my haunches. His eyes shot open, angry... until he saw me smiling at him. "In a hurry?"

He snarled at me, which was funny as hell until I pulled his shorts down and his underwear, leaving him exposed to me. His thick cock lay toward his hip, his balls tight.

He sat up, six-pack bulging as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it. "Your turn."

I climbed off the bed and kicked off my Chucks, pulled my shirt off, then faced him as I popped the button on my fly. I watched as he enjoyed the show of me pulling my dick out and stepping out of my jeans. I grabbed the lube from the top drawer and found a condom—thank fuck—it'd been a while since I'd needed them. I tossed them on the bed, then took my place back between his legs .

He looked so fucking hot, lying there, waiting for me.

Chase Soria, of all people.

He bent one knee, his foot flat on the bed, and stroked his cock. "You like what you see," he murmured. "Don't try to deny it. I can see how you look at me."

I leaned over him, my hand on the mattress beside his head. "Don't flatter yourself," I said. I kneed his thighs apart and his nostrils flared, his eyes dark. But as soon as I cupped his balls and began to tug on them, the cockiness was gone and the desperate, close-to-begging Chase was back.

"Oh fuck. Don't make me come yet."

I smiled down at him before I kissed him, licking his tongue. I tweaked his nipple, making him jerk in surprise. "Ow."

I laughed, needing a moment of clarity. To calm down, to make this good for him. To make this about him.

I took the lube and slicked my finger, rubbing his hole. He instinctively lifted both legs. So fucking easy. I fucked him with just the fingertip, then to my knuckle, then more lube and a second finger.

"Oh fuck. Don't tease me, please. I just need to feel you."

God, if he kept talking like that, I was going to last one minute. I was thanking my stars that he'd made me come twice yesterday, otherwise this'd already be over.

I rolled the condom on, hissing as I smeared lube over myself. I was so ready for this...

With my hands on the backs of his thighs, I pushed his legs up to his chest, positioned myself at his entrance, and pressed in. Just the tip, in and out, until there was no resistance. And I watched it in his eyes when I pushed the head in. The pop of surprise when I breached him and slowly sank in.

Slow, inch by painful inch.

Chase's eyes rolled back as his eyelids closed, his mouth open. "Fu-uck," he said, his breath hitching.

So I took his cock in my hand and began to gently stroke him. He'd softened a little, but with a few deep breaths and a few strokes, he relaxed, and only then did I begin to move.

Stroking him in time with my thrusts. As slow as I could manage.

His hole was tight and hot, the warmth drawing me deeper inside him. I tried not to think about how good he felt.

I made myself not think about how good he felt.

How amazing he felt.

Like nothing I'd ever felt.

I dropped to one elbow beside his face and kissed him. Open mouths and lazy tongues, shuddering with restraint as I pulled out only to slide back in, deeper, further, hotter.

Better.

"I'm not gonna last," I bit out, rolling my hips. "You feel too good. Fuck."

He groaned, long and loud, and his hand went between us, stroking himself harder and faster. So I fucked him the same way.

Harder, faster.

I was so close, reaching the point of no return. I couldn't hold it back now. I was too far gone. Too lost to the ecstasy, and I drove up into him with a strangled cry as my orgasm ripped through me, and I came into the condom.

He gripped my ass and kept pulling me in, deeper, rocking his hips to take it. Every pulse, every spurt.

"Oh fuck, yes," he said, and I realized through my hazy brain that he was stroking himself. I tried to pull out but he stopped me. "Stay inside me. I'm so close."

So I took over his ministrations, drove my sensitive cock in harder, and his whole body clenched, his back arched, and he threw his head back as he came, shooting a stream of come onto his abs.

"Fuuuuuuuck," he groaned, collapsing and twitching, then laughing. "Fuck."

I pulled out of him then, and he shuddered at the loss. I discarded the condom and he grabbed me blindly, pulling me in for a cuddle.

Which I was beginning to like.

We lay in each other's arms, panting, our chests heaving.

I really wasn't sure what that was or why it felt so different with him. It wasn't just sex. It was mind-blowing and better than anything I'd ever experienced with anyone else.

My orgasm-addled brain tried to connect the dots but came up with nothing.

It was better because it just was. No reason necessary.

No. It was better because it was with Chase Soria and you've wanted him for years, and he's fucking gorgeous and you like him, and he took your dick like a champion. And you like him.

And you like him .

I frowned at the stupid voice in my head—that was clearly just on some euphoric orgasm high—and told it to shut up and mind its own damn business.

"I should get something to clean you up," I mumbled.

He tightened his arms around me. "No," he whined, his eyes still closed. "Sleep."

So I gave up fighting it and closed my eyes with a sigh, and all of a sudden, sleep sounded like a really good idea.

"Wake up." Someone shook my shoulder. "Waaaaaake up, sexy sleepyhead."

I cracked one eye open. It was Chase, of course, his face far too close to mine, his eyes bright and his smile wide, even in the dark.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"I'm hungry."

I'm hungry . . .

I repeated that over and over in my head a few times. Still couldn't get it to make much sense. "What?"

"I'm hungry."

"What are you telling me for?" I was annoyed now. "What time is it?"

"Dunno. Midnight, probably. Maybe one."

Jesus H. Christ.

"What the hell did you wake me up for? I was having the best sleep ever."

"Because I'm hungry. And you were having the best sleep ever because we had the best sex ever. "

I remembered . . . how I sank inside him . . . his face when he came.

Fuck.

"I need to shower. I'm covered in crusty jizz."

That kinda woke me up. Because I hadn't taken care of him afterward at all. "Oh, let me get up," I said, trying to roll over and not roll off the bed. I stood up, helping him stand as well. "Are you... do you feel okay?"

"I feel great," he said, giving me that smile... that certain smile that kickstarted my heart. "Actually, I feel better than great." Then he froze and his eyes met mine. "No, actually, I feel hungry."

I shoved my towel at him and pushed him toward my shower. "Go. I'll find you something."

Something to wear. Something to eat. I wasn't sure.

I pulled on some underwear and went through my stash of snacks. I found him a bag of chips. Figuring he'd probably be going home, so he could eat them on the way.

He came back out, hung my towel up, then got back into my bed, stark naked.

"What are you doing?"

"Correction. What are we doing. We," he said, "are gonna watch one episode of Rick and Morty while I have a little snacky snack." He opened his hands for the bag of chips. "Gimme gimme."

I tossed them at him. "You're so annoying."

He patted the bed. "Come on." Then he noticed... "Why'd you get dressed."

"I hardly call putting on underwear getting dressed."

He shoved a chip in his mouth. "Start the show and get in here. Big spoon or little spoon? "

"The spoon that sleeps while the other spoon gets crumbs in my bed."

He laughed. "Little spoon you are."

I sat on the edge of my bed, annoyed at being woken up, annoyed at him eating in my bed, annoyed at him being so damned cute.

"You're so annoying."

"Shh, it's starting."

He demolished the chips, then half the bottle of water from my nightstand, and was sound asleep before the credits rolled.

In my bed, as the big spoon. His huge body wrapped around me, his beautiful face almost surreal in the moonlight with his head on my pillow.

So annoying.

"But that's my favorite shirt," I said, taking it out of his hand.

"But that's why I chose it."

It was bad enough he'd spent the entire night, slept in my bed, and woke me up this morning by sucking my dick. It was also bad enough that I'd made him straddle me so I could suck his.

But now he wanted to wear my favorite shirt. "It's not a replica. It's an actual vintage Grateful Dead shirt."

He snatched it back and pulled it over his head. "Even better."

"God, I hate you. "

He laughed. "Ah, no you don't. Pretty sure you saying ‘get up here and feed me your dick' is the opposite of hate. And then giving me a blow job like you're winning gold at the suck-a-pea-through-a-straw Olympics?—"

"Shut up. I did not say get up here and feed me your dick."

He scoffed. "You did so! I mean, it was right after I made you come so hard you almost blacked out, so that probably explains why you don't remember."

I sighed, trying for any patience the universe could spare me.

"And anyway, do you want me to leave your room wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday?" He raised an eyebrow. "Now, I'll gladly do the walk of shame?—"

I shoved his bag against his chest. "Christ, do you ever shut up?"

He laughed, pulled the door open, and held it for me. "Only when you shove your dick in my mouth."

I stood there, stunned.

"Morning," Daniel said brightly, clearly amused.

Chase stuck his head around the door, his eyes comically wide, and Daniel lifted his camera. "Wanna say that again so I can get it on the record."

I gave Chase a shove out of my room and pulled the door closed. "Sorry. He was being... himself."

Chase put his arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze. "But baby, I do love it when you shove your?—"

I shoved him toward the stairs. "Please fall down them. I'll tell people it was an accident."

Daniel stopped walking, I realized, to start filming. And Chase was quick to put his arm around my shoulder and whispered so Daniel couldn't hear. "Now, I know we've already eaten this morning, but what do you want for a second breakfast?"

"You are so crass," I said, but god help me, I couldn't help but smile. Waking up to a BJ and then returning it was an awesome way to start the day, despite the fact it was with the most annoying person on the planet.

We walked to the dining hall, Chase's arm around my shoulder, and he was smiling with a spring in his step.

"I think sex makes you more annoying," I mumbled.

He laughed as he held the door for me and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "Baby, you have no idea."

I went to the table where everyone sat, ignoring their smiles aimed at me. "Just out of curiosity," I asked, throwing my bag onto my chair. "Can we sell boyfriends on eBay?"

Max laughed and spoke around a mouthful of blueberry muffin. "Nope. Try Craigslist."

"Or Grindr," Jess added with a wink. "You'd get good money for him there."

"Hey," Chase said. "I heard that." He dumped his bag near mine and slid his hand along the small of my back. "Want me to grab you something?"

I was a little taken aback by his offer. I wasn't used to having someone ask or offer or even think of me.

"Sure. Coffee and a blueberry muffin would be great." Max's had looked good before he shoved it in his mouth. "Thanks."

I dumped our bags on the ground and sat down, ignoring the smiles aimed at us. And the crowd watching, who were, thankfully, mostly silent .

I did notice that some students were oblivious to our filming now and just carried on about their day, which was good. Discussion around the table turned to our finals and graduating, which were fabricated for the purpose of filming.

After all, what else did college students aim for?

We had our plot points to keep prodding along as secondary points of interest. Though our relationships were the main focus.

Each pairing was deliberately slated at different stages of their relationship, and each had their issues to work through, except Chase and me. Dominic and Elijah were the established couple. Stupidly happy and in love.

Emphasis on the stupid part.

Because being seniors in college and being in love was ridiculous enough. But finding your forever-love?

It was stupid.

Right?

Chase slid the tray onto the table and handed me my coffee. "Here, babe. Careful, it's hot."

I wasn't sure when or why this babe or baby business had started, and I had to remind myself that Elijah loved the terms of endearment.

"They only had apple muffins and chocolate muffins left, so I got you both," he said. "I'll have whichever one you don't want."

Oh.

Well, that was kinda sweet.

"Thanks."

I opted for the apple, for no other reason than I knew he loved chocolate muffins, and his smile and shoulder-nudge when I left him the chocolate muffin told me I'd made the right call.

"Do you work tonight?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "Yeah. Four till close."

He made a face. "Tate and Jimmy asked me to go with them to the bar tonight." He pulled the bottom off his muffin. "But if you're working?—"

"You should go with them," I said, pulling the bottom off my muffin too. "You haven't seen them much lately."

"Yeah, but you?—"

"I'll be fine. In fact, a night by myself'd be nice."

He gasped and frowned. "What are you saying?"

"Nothing. Just a night by myself would be nice. I have to work, and when I get home, I need to hit the books."

"I could help you study."

I snorted. "Yeah. Our definitions of help are wide and varied. And maybe having my bed to myself tonight means I might actually get some sleep."

Someone cleared their throat, and Chase and I both turned to the table. I'd kinda forgotten where we were, being caught in one of our private conversations again, and everyone was staring at us, cameras rolling.

Shit.

Chase, completely unfazed, laughed. "He hogs the bed anyway."

I shot him a look. "Oh please. You..."

I trailed off because I realized saying anything incriminated me even further.

He popped some muffin in his mouth, smiling as he chewed. "You were saying? I what?"

"You need to shove more muffin into your mouth and stop talking."

Chase laughed again, his eyes alight. I swear, the more I insulted him, the more he liked it.

"I was just saying," Didi said, signaling with her eyes for us to play along. "There's a party on Saturday night."

"Oh," Chase said. "We can't. We have a dinner thing for my mom's birthday."

Which I'd forgotten all about. I really needed to start a calendar for all of Elijah and Dominic's fake appointments.

"Oh yes, we do, that's right," I said. "Did you get her a gift yet?"

"No, because you wouldn't come with me," he whined.

"I had to work."

"We'll have to go tomorrow," he declared.

I wasn't going shopping with him, in character as Elijah or as myself. Absolutely no way. Uh-uh. Hell no.

Chase grinned and went back to his muffin. "Cool. We can go after class."

Filming wrapped up and talk around the table turned to the party, which I still wasn't sure whether it was real or fabricated for the sake of filming. I didn't care either way because I wouldn't be going.

I couldn't help but notice that Max looked sullen and Holly looked frosty. Their chemistry wasn't great, and while I understood why—real-life relationship pressures—it kinda made it hard for all of us.

I hadn't paid much attention to any of the social media hype, but word was that Max and Holly's on-screen relationship was an issue between the shippers and the people who knew them in real life .

It had to suck especially that Holly's friends and Max's friends knew the reality. And because they were all friends with Max's girlfriend Jenna.

I was just very grateful that Chase didn't have a boyfriend or girlfriend that was upset with me.

We had the audience's full support.

Max and Holly didn't. Which, yes, sucked for them, but having viewers invested and getting the students of Franklin U to support all of us was paramount. And social media was an instant indicator.

If we sucked, if the show was lame, we'd get told.

In no uncertain terms.

And it wasn't really a fear of failure or embarrassing ourselves in front of our friends that filled me with dread.

Not being convincing enough. It was not being good enough. That's what I feared most.

Any story or script can be convincing with the right actor, and a failure to deliver it was a failure on the actor's part, right?

"Whatcha thinking about?" Chase murmured. "Or did the table make you mad?"

The table?

"Huh?"

"You're frowning at the table." Then he weaseled his way in and shoved his stupidly attractive face right in front of me, with that stupidly attractive grin. "Is that better?"

"Remarkably worse."

He snorted but made no attempt to move. "I know what it is," he said. "You're mad at yourself for telling me you don't want to see me tonight. That's it, isn't it?"

"One hundred percent incorrect. In fact, that is so wrong, I think the CDC wants to examine it for stupidity fusion proteins. There might be hope of a vaccine."

Chase scowled at me. "Now, I did my very best to forget everything I was forced to learn in biology, but did you call me stupid?"

Yes.

I sighed. "No. Sorry."

He put his hand over my heart, looking me right in the eyes. "You sure you're okay?"

I nodded, and so help me god, he made me smile. He also made my heart feel too big and my blood run too warm. That was beginning to feel like emotions.

Or maybe it was encephalitis.

I palmed my forehead to feel for a fever. Nope. It must be emotions. "I'm fine. Just thinking."

He pulled me a little closer, so I was almost standing between his legs. "About?"

There was no way I was telling him I worried we weren't being convincing enough, because... because if we were any more convincing, we wouldn't be acting.

I wasn't even sure we were at this point.

And I didn't want to think about that...

"I was just thinking about how mad I am at myself for telling you I don't want to see you tonight."

He grinned. "I knew it!"

I chuckled, and with his hands on my hips, he pulled me snug against him. "What are you doing?" I murmured. We were still in the dining hall for god's sake. Daniel was talking to Deirdre, so the camera wasn't on us, but there were other eyes on us. And my dick liked being in between his legs with him looking at me with his perfect face and perfect, full pink lips. "This is a dangerous game."

He laughed. "It's why I'm playing it. So you'll want me to stay at your place tonight."

I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. "Do you not think we've seen enough of each other this week?"

He inhaled deeply, as if he was considering the question. "No." Then he murmured, "I'd like to see a whole lot more of you. Naked, preferably."

I groaned but stood my ground. Because he was so used to getting what he wanted, I couldn't let him win on principle. No matter how much I liked the idea of being naked with him. "No." I picked up my bag and tossed his into his lap. "I'm working. Go hang out with your friends. I'll see you tomorrow night."

He whined. "But babe." He caught up to me, slung his arm around my shoulder so he could whine some more.

I pushed him into the door and went to class.

For all the good standing my ground did me, I got back to my room after work, showered, and sat down with my books to study when there was a knock at my door.

I considered not answering it, considering the late hour, but with a long-suffering sigh and against my better judgment, I opened the door.

Chase stood there, leaning against the door frame, a bit tipsy, wearing the cutest pouty smile that I had zero defense against .

"I tried," he said.

"You tried what?"

"To not see you. To not come here. And I tried to walk home, but my feet took me here." He looked down at his feet as if they were the problem. Then he pointed down the hall. "And up the stairs. The stairs, Amos. I took the stairs. And now I'm here."

Okay, maybe a little more than tipsy.

"And how much have you had to drink?"

"Enough." He laughed. "Not a full sesh. More like a half-sesh. It's very important to contribute to the socio-economic prosperity of the local liquor establishment. Don't you think?"

Why was I smiling at him?

I had to make myself stop.

"Jimmy and Tate wanted me to stay for a full session but..." He shook his head. "I didn't want that. Because I kept thinking of you. And now I'm here."

I stared at him.

"I tried not to," he added. "Don't be mad at me. I don't like it when you're mad at me."

He kept thinking of me.

How could I possibly be mad?

"I'm not mad," I said quietly. "Infuriated and annoyed. I was about to study."

He grinned. "So can I come in? I promise I'll be quiet."

"You don't know how to be quiet."

"You can study and I'll watch Rick and Morty and eat some of your chips. I know you have a stash."

I was just impressed that he asked permission to enter instead of trying to use that damn grin and maybe even manhandle me into my room. But nope. He asked.

I stood aside, and god help me, the smile he gave me. "I'll be good, I swear."

He wasn't good.

He wasn't quiet.

He didn't behave himself.

I didn't get much studying done, but the orgasms were amazing.