23. Owen

23

OWEN

TJ waves a card in front of his face. “And now, the first question,” he says in his baritone voice to the whole crew gathered around the fireplace later that night.

Flames from the hearth flicker across his dark eyes. “Would you rather be kinky or romantic?”

I squeeze River’s shoulder. Something that’s really easy to do, since he’s curled up next to me in the corner of the couch and my arm is wrapped around him.

And this is all I’ve ever craved. To be affectionate with him like this. Freely. I brush his hair from his ear, lean in close, and whisper, “Both.”

River hums appreciatively, turns his cheek to mine, and murmurs, “You are so both, and I love it.”

I press a kiss to his soft hair.

“Seriously?” The one-word question flies from Nisha’s mouth, but she’s not annoyed. She sounds more amazed.

“Seriously what?” I ask.

From her perch in an oversized chair, she flaps her hand at the two of us. “You literally just became boyfriends and you’re all schmoopy already.”

“Pretty sure that’s when you’re supposed to be the schmoopiest,” Reese adds in.

Holden tugs his girlfriend closer, plants a kiss on her cheek. “We’ve been together for half a year, and we’re still schmoopy.”

Reese lifts her wine glass. “To schmoop. Who’s with me?”

We all lift glasses—wine, water, cocoa, tequila—and drink to schmoop.

Laughing, TJ points at me. “Watch it or I’m going to write about you.”

I roll my eyes, undeterred by his playful threat. “Please, I’ve listened to your books. You’re the stud of schmoop in the happily-ever-after part.”

“Yup, in my books ,” he says a little heavily, then shakes his head, like he’s shaking away whatever brief unpleasant memories paid him a visit. He flicks his thumbnail against the card. “What’s the answer?”

The crew goes around, rattling off kinky or romantic, but when TJ gets to me I give the same answer I gave River. “Both. And I refuse to pick.”

TJ smiles, glances at River then me. “Good for you, man. You should never have to choose between the two. Not when you have both.”

I squeeze River’s shoulder harder, and he snuggles closer, and soon I’m going to need to be alone with him.

But there are so many people here, and I meant what I said when I told TJ I didn’t want to have sex in a house full of so many people.

It’s too risqué.

Especially since we’re both crazy loud.

And yet, I really want to have sex with my boyfriend. Badly. As I sit here on the couch, my mind wanders away to Dirty Land, picturing him and me tangled together, skin slick and hot, breath coming fast, lips everywhere.

We could fuck, we could suck each other off, we could jerk...

A sensual sigh falls unbidden from my lips.

Shit.

Did everyone hear that?

As Jillian’s voice booms across the living room, River snaps his head closer to me. “Did you just moan?” he whispers in my ear.

Busted. “Ummm.”

“Behave, Owen,” he says in a low voice for me only. “If you do, I’ll make you feel so good in just a little while.”

And I want River’s brand of so good .

I want it so damn soon.

But I can also wait a little longer.

I’ve waited long enough for him like this, and now I have him. What’s another hour or so?

My friends deserve a little attention.

So I give it to them, playing the game until Tobey stands and announces that he’s got a good book to read. Nisha yawns, and Hailey says she needs to get her wife to bed.

Like dominoes, all the couples fall.

Holden gives the yawn performance of a lifetime, then heads down the hall with Reese.

Jones and Jillian skedaddle.

Steven and Brooks are off to the races.

TJ simply shakes his head, laughing. “Told you, O.”

“You did,” I say.

My friend gestures in the direction of River’s room, and mine. “Also, since you don’t need separate rooms now, how about I take Owen’s room, since then I won’t have to sleep on the couch?”

“Sounds like a most excellent plan,” River says.

I stand from the couch, stretching. “Are you going to stay up for a while, TJ?”

He nods, stretching out in the chair. “I have a book due to my editor. I’m feeling a little inspired by you two. You know how it goes with writers. We steal our friends’ stories.”

I know that’s not true for his big breakout book. That wasn’t anyone else’s story. It was his, it was true, and it didn’t end well in real life.

“And I have to say, the whole blurt-it-out-at-dinner bit? That’s a nice little twist,” TJ says.

“You don’t even have to steal it. You can have it,” I say.

River slides an arm around my waist but keeps his eyes fixed on TJ. “What will you call our story?”

TJ studies River, then me, then the two of us. “Hmmm. I’m thinking... The Bromance Zone .”

“Has a nice ring to it,” I say, and a minute later, I close the door to River’s room, and jerk him against me.

Then I kiss the fuck out of my boyfriend, even with my glasses on. It’s a hard, rough kiss. One that says I can finally have him. We can have each other.

It’s deep and passionate and will lead to one thing only.

Orgasms. Preferably soon.

River grabs at the neck of my shirt. “I need to get naked with you. Need to suck you off. Jerk you. Anything.”

“You’re too loud, though,” I whisper, but I have a plan.

“You’re too loud,” he says with a pout.

“We both are. But there’s an excellent solution.”

Five minutes later, we’re in the shower, making out like crazy as the water drowns out our noises. We make up for lost time. I back him up against the tiled wall as the hot water beats down on us. I can’t get enough of River.

I am ravenous for this man.

I’ve been granted a full license to touch him, to taste him. I’m no longer driving with a learner’s permit. He’s given me the keys to his body. I’m turning them, and we’re going for a ride.

Our bodies press together, our lips crush each other, and our tongues explore. My hands clasp his face, then slide into his wet hair, and I can’t get close enough. Neurons fire madly as I devour his mouth while my head goes hazy.

And I can’t stop kissing him.

Why would I?

He’s mine, and I want to imprint his taste on my mind. Explore all the flavors of his kiss. I want it all.

And I have it.

Holy hell. I have him .

A rush of adrenaline spins in me from that awareness— this isn’t a one-time thing. We are happening, and we’ll keep happening.

With equal parts reverence and raging desire, I drag a hand down his side, over his hip, around to his ass. Curling it over his cheek.

I jerk him against me, our cocks lining up.

Electricity surges in me.

We rub together.

Grind against each other.

Spikes of lust hit me everywhere, and I’m comprised only of want .

With every touch, I pulse for him. His greedy sighs and whimpers tell me he feels exactly the same.

And it’s time.

Time to take us over the cliff.

As the water beats hard, I separate for a few seconds, hunting for the lube packet I brought into the shower. I find it on the soap dish, move his body a few inches away from the stream.

His eyes are hooded, lust drunk, and so damn sexy.

As I rip it open, River slips a hand between us, grabbing both our dicks in his palm. “Hi there,” he says in the dirtiest greeting ever.

I groan from the wicked bliss that thrums through me. The insane pleasure from his hand knowing just what to do. “Hey to you,” I rasp out as I drizzle some lube into my palm.

River gives us a tight squeeze, and that torches all my senses. The twin combo of his hand stroking me and our dicks rubbing together is insane. It’s a double hit of pleasure. Two for the price of one.

And I desperately want to give in to this moment. To River taking charge. But I want to lead tonight. I want to show him how I can make him melt.

“Let me,” I tell him, as I slide my hand between us.

“I don’t know why you think I have to be in control all the time,” he says.

“River, have you met you? You love control,” I say as I bat his hand away, then wrap mine around our dicks.

As I grip us, he lets out a filthy oh fuck me . River stretches his neck, his head hitting the wall, his dirty mouth working overtime. “Ahhh, fuck control, Owen. Just fuck it. You can do anything to me,” he says, moaning as I stroke us in tandem.

Bliss pulls at me, coiling inside, flashing hot.

“A little harder. Little faster,” River grits out, giving me orders, and that’s my guy. He loves to talk. Loves to tell me what he wants. And I like knowing how to make him feel amazing.

I jerk us a little rougher, curling my fist tighter, then shuddering as I stare down at the heady sight of our arousal, our joint pleasure.

“We look so hot together,” I murmur.

River’s eyes snap open and he gazes down our bodies at my hand shuttling our slick cocks. His breath comes in a ragged pant. “Yes. Make us come, baby. I’m so fucking close. It’s so good. You’re so good. I can’t take it,” he says, his words falling out with wild abandon, like he can’t help himself.

I eat them all up. I savor every syllable, every moan, each cry of lust.

Picking up speed, my hand flies over our lengths. Harsh noises fall from his lips. Carnal moans. Sounds so filthy and fantastic that pleasure jolts through my body, a warning sign that release is on its way.

“Yes. Do that, do that,” he orders, but now his voice is growing too loud, and the change in volume both makes me laugh and turns me on.

“Shh,” I say, then I cover his lips with mine.

I kiss River ruthlessly, consuming his lips as I jerk us into a white-hot blur of ecstasy. He shudders, I shake, and we both come together.

Like this.

Like we know we have so much more than one night.

And we do, because when we pull apart, he flashes me a woozy, dopey grin, then says, “Hi. I just got a fantastic hand job from the guy I love.”

“Lucky you.”

River wraps his arms around my neck. “Have I mentioned I’m in love with you?”

“You have, but I like hearing it.”

“Good. I’ll tell you again. I’m in love with you.”

Funny, how I was hunting for the perfect moment to tell him, and then I blurted it out at what seemed the worst possible time.

But now that I’m here, on this side of us, the timing was perfect after all.