Zone Defense, written as Gavin E. Black

Chapter One

Nathan Kent wasn't thrilled with the idea of completing his final year of college at a completely different institution from where he'd started, but the opportunity to join one of the top varsity football teams had been too much of a temptation to pass up.

   The truth of the matter, Nathan was glad to have an excuse to move away. His last relationship had ended badly, and the thought of having to play a defensive position in conjunction with his ex-lover was something he hadn't even wanted to contemplate. Communication on the field would've been awkward between them, and they invariably would've let the team down.

   Of course, the breakdown in their relationship had been entirely his fault, as usual. His lack of restraint when it came to his mouth and the voracious appetite of his dick had managed to destroy yet another perfectly suitable and fundamentally healthy partnership. But that was the problem. It had become too predictable and safe for his liking so he'd switched to self-destruct mode, seeking a way out. The possibility of love entering the equation had absolutely nothing to do with his behavior, he was sure of that.

   Maybe.

   Nathan stared up at the dorm building. It wasn't that he didn't want to find someone to spend his life with. He enjoyed the feeling of security provided by a warm and familiar body in his bed, but most of the guys he ended up with were involved in some sport or another and weren't willing to extend their relationship beyond the bedroom. That's where he had major issues. In his experience, the locker rooms of most colleges contained a seriously large and overcrowded closet.

   Maybe someday he would meet someone willing to take that step outside the bedroom and be seen in public with him as his partner. That would be the day he would tell the sports world to go fuck itself because he was one of the best offensive football players in the country, and he was damn proud to be gay.

   Nathan rechecked the information on the letter he'd received from the college's housing department. He was sharing a dorm room with a guy named Aaron Campbell, who was, thankfully, also on the football team. Aaron's major was law, whereas Nathan's was environmental engineering, which meant they wouldn't be able to help each other study, but at least the guy wasn't working toward some soft degree in psychology or something.

   There was nothing more irritating than a guy prattling on about people's emotions. Invariably, the budding shrink would try and analyze why Nathan behaved the way he did, which usually resulted in Nathan's mouth going ballistic.

   It was already late Sunday afternoon. Nathan had arrived a full day and a half later than everyone else because he'd had some family commitments to attend to. His grandfather had died the week before, and being the only surviving male in his family, he'd been put in charge of organizing the funeral and dealing with the emotional breakdown of his grandmother and younger sister. It had been an extremely stressful few days and he was looking forward to throwing on a set of headphones and climbing into bed.

   Nathan opened the door of his new dorm room and was immediately confronted by a mountain of boxes, packing peanuts, and discarded strips of tape. Apparently, his new roommate was a bit of a media fanatic and had the good fortune of being able to afford all new equipment.

   He looked down at the tattered box he was carrying. Everything he owned in the world fit into that box and the large duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

   "Hey, could you give me a hand?" Aaron asked as he stepped out from behind the massive television he was attempting to connect to the surround sound system.

   "I'm Aaron," he added. "It's Nathan, right?"

   Nathan swallowed heavily as his mouth moistened. Shit. His new roommate was absolutely gorgeous. He let his gaze wander over the dark, graspable curls of Aaron's hair and down across his smooth, incredibly lickable, chest.

   The guy could've put a shirt on at least. It isn't that warm.

   "Yeah," Nathan answered.

   "I'm trying to run these wires through the back of the cabinet," Aaron explained, "but the bloody television is making it impossible for me to reach through on my own."

   Nathan grunted. Maybe if the television wasn't so fucking big—the thing must be about seventy inches.

   "What do you need me to do?" Nathan asked.

   "Poke the wires through the hole and I'll grab them."

   "Sure thing." Nathan smirked inwardly. There was an infinitely more interesting hole in the room he'd rather be poking things into. Not that he was in the habit of topping guys, but he would make an exception if Aaron turned out to be a bottom. His gaydar was lighting up like an evergreen tree on Christmas Day. After pulling the wires through, Aaron crouched down in front of the cabinet and deftly hooked up a few connections.

   Nathan stepped back, out of his way, when Aaron reached over the edge of the cabinet to retrieve the manual. He had to bite his lip to keep from groaning with admiration. Aaron was packing around the most luscious ass he'd ever seen. He could spend hours descending into the warm valley between those peaks with his tongue. Christ. He shifted uncomfortably. His dick didn't want to wait until Aaron finished setting up the equipment. It was straining to be released from the confines of his jeans right now, and he was inclined to listen to his dick.

   "I think that's everything," Aaron said and turned around.

   Nathan was pleased that he'd managed to keep himself from drooling because Aaron was now studying his face. A quick glance from Aaron in the direction of the obvious bulge in his pants would hopefully move things along in the direction of the bed. Nathan wasn't sure how much longer he could contain himself.

   "I want to make sure everything is working before my girlfriend comes over," continued Aaron.

   Nathan couldn't take his eyes off Aaron's lips as he spoke. He could imagine those full, kissable lips and that exquisite mouth encasing his cock and pulling sweetly on it …then Aaron's soft brown eyes would gaze out from under those thick lashes when he came in his mouth—and they'd be brimming with desire.

   "Nathan?" Aaron touched Nathan's shoulder.

   "Sorry,” Nathan stuttered. “What did you say?"

   "I was hoping you could help me test this thing out before my girlfriend gets here. I'm not good at setting up remotes."

   It felt like a blow to the gut. Aaron had a girlfriend, which meant he was straight—which meant Nathan was never going to have the opportunity to taste and consume the hot piece of man candy standing before him. He suddenly felt like he needed to sit down. He dropped into the beanbag sofa in front of the television.

   He motioned for the remote and began programming it.

   "What's your girlfriend's name?" Nathan asked in an attempt to be polite, even though he really didn't want to know.

   "Sarah," Aaron answered. "We've been together since high school." He grinned. "So, almost seven years now."

   "Perfect." Nathan handed the remote back to Aaron, climbed off the sofa, and headed for his bed. "I need to lie down. I've been up since early this morning. Try to keep the noise down."

   "Sure." Aaron tossed the remote down and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um …do you want me to tell Sarah tonight's not a good night for her to come over?"

   "That would be sublime," Nathan muttered. The last thing he needed to see was some girl hanging all over the guy he'd been fantasizing about.

   He wanted to jack off to Aaron's unadulterated image at least twice before it was besmirched by the reality that Aaron preferred pussy.

   Nathan hauled his box open and removed the comforter and pillow that occupied almost the entire inner space. The rest was taken up by the one sheet set he owned and a few books. He was too tired to deal with sheets and opted to roll himself up in the comforter and wedge himself against the wall, facing it.

   Realizing he was going to require something to mop up with, Nathan removed his shirt, and stuffed it into the comforter with him. He shoulder checked, confirming Aaron was fully occupied with the video game he'd fired up. Shit. Aaron had put the game on mute, which was thoughtful but not very helpful, as Nathan didn't exactly have a propensity for audio temperance when he came—and he desperately needed to cum.

   Fuck it. I'm doing this.

   Nathan unbuttoned his jeans and slipped them off past his hips, but the level of effort required to remain silent as he stroked his demanding cock was proving difficult, so Nathan rolled away from the wall. If he kept an eye on Aaron, he'd be able to feign being asleep if Aaron turned around. His gut tightened when Aaron stretched his shoulders out.

   Fuck, he's beautiful.

   Violence and gore continued to erupt across the massive television screen, but Nathan was completely fixated on Aaron's profile and the way he chewed his bottom lip when he was concentrating. Aaron's unconscious habit was also an anticipatory gesture, and that was how Nathan's mind perceived it.

   Then Aaron licked his lips.

   God damn.

   A throaty groan escaped before Nathan even realized he was about to cum, he'd been so mesmerized by the sight of Aaron's soft pink tongue that he hadn't been paying attention to his own body. It was too late to retract the broadcast of his actions at this point. Aaron had already turned around and was watching him intently.

   Being at the point of no return, Nathan thought 'fuck it' and yanked the comforter aside to give himself unrestricted access, and stroked himself through to completion.

   He collapsed into his bedding, embarrassed but deliriously fulfilled and laughed for the first time in days; Aaron was clapping and whistling wildly at his performance.

   What a fucking lunatic. Love it.

   Nathan grinned at Aaron and turned, looking for his shirt, but it had been lost in the struggle to free himself from his bindings.

   "Here," Aaron said as he handed Nathan a box of tissues.

   Nathan took a swipe at the mess on his stomach. "Thanks." He looked down at his chest and wiped away a few more drops of cum. "Sorry about that. It was a long flight."

   "You missed some." Aaron reached forward and swiped a thumb across Nathan's cheek. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I jack off all the time." Aaron grinned, shrugging. "Besides," he added. "It was hugely entertaining." Keeping his eyes on Nathan, Aaron settled his thumb in his mouth and sucked on it as Nathan watched with avid fascination.

   What the fuck.

   Removing his thumb, Aaron winked at him, turned back toward the television, and switched it off. "I'm going to head over to Sarah's and let you get some sleep."

Chapter Two

Nathan had been hoping Aaron would've made additional advances on him in the six weeks they'd been rooming together—if that incident had even been an advance, but Aaron didn't appear to be the least bit interested. He was starting to think that maybe Aaron had absentmindedly sucked on his thumb after wiping the drop of cum from his face …but surely, Aaron would’ve noticed.

   He dismissed the thought. It was Friday night, which meant the dorm room was strictly his until three in the morning. He and Aaron had worked out an arrangement whereby they each had a night on the weekend they wouldn't be interrupted by the other.

   To date, Nathan hadn't made use of the arrangement, preferring to fuck his tricks off campus, but tonight he was considering bringing someone back with him.

   He hadn't officially told Aaron he was gay, but Aaron knew he wasn't into hanging out at the pub on campus and preferred going to the clubs downtown. Plus, when Sarah had suggested setting him up on a blind date with one of her friends, Aaron had politely shut her down.

   Regardless, it wasn't Aaron he was concerned about when it came to bringing guys back to the dorm. In fact, Nathan wasn't concerned about anybody. He just found the entire process of coming out to a whole new group of people to be absolutely exhausting. He preferred hanging back on open displays of his sexuality until everyone figured it out for themselves.

   Besides, it was nobody's business who he was fucking. He was proud to be gay, but his existence extended far beyond the activities of his dick on a Friday night, and most straight people seemed to have a problem wrapping their heads around that.

   "Where are you going tonight?" Aaron asked as he ran a bit of product through his hair and scrunched at the curls until they settled delicately along his brow.

   Nathan grinned. Aaron had to be the gayest straight guy he'd ever met. Although, he was constantly being reminded that Aaron's effeminate traits off the field did not translate into weakness on the field. Aaron was a big guy, and he knew how to throw his weight around. Nathan had the bruises to prove it.

   "Same place as always," Nathan answered.

   "I should go with you sometime."

   "You'd throw me off my game."

   "I could be your …what do they call it?" Aaron tapped his lip in thought. "I could be your wingman."

   "You've got to be kidding me." Nathan looked at himself in the mirror. He wasn't stunning gorgeous like Aaron, but he could hold his own. His dirty blond hair and sleek toned body had served him well, but no one at the club would give him a second look if he showed up with his roommate.

   Aaron was every gay man's wet dream.

   "What's wrong with that?" Aaron asked.

   "What's wrong with that is you'd end up getting swarmed, and I'd end up getting a cab home on my own."

   Aaron raised his eyebrows.

   "Look, Aaron," Nathan continued. "As much as I'd like to have you tag along, I don't think you'd have a good time."

   "Why is that?"

   Nathan scrubbed at his face. "Aaron, you do realize I'm gay, right? Visa vie …the club I go to is for queers."

   "Are you saying that because I'm straight, I can't dance?" Aaron replied, setting his fists on his hips, which almost made Nathan burst out laughing. "Because if that's the case, I might have to haul your ass into court for discrimination based on stereotyping."

   "Fine," Nathan replied. "Do you want to come with me?"

   "No. Some of the guys have rented a bunch of girl-on-girl porn, and I have a bucket of chicken wings and a case of beer with my name on it."

   "You are such a goof." Nathan grinned, anticipating an additional response from Aaron. His roommate was an absolute riot when you got him wound up. They'd spent many hours creased up laughing after one or the other had inadvertently set off a chain reaction of escalating banter.

   Right now, there was only silence. Aaron had crossed his arms and taken on a bizarre countenance.

   Nathan stepped back as Aaron approached, not sure what to expect from him, whereas his dick was prepared to lurch forward based solely on unfounded and lust filled hopes of Aaron kissing him with those gorgeous lips of his.

   "I'm glad you finally decided to tell me you're gay," Aaron said as he brushed a strand of hair from Nathan's eyes.

   What …the hell.

   "I figured you'd already worked it out for yourself anyway," Nathan replied, then bit his lip and lowered his gaze. Aaron was standing awfully close—and the way he was touching him.

   "You're alright with it?" he asked.

   He looked up into Aaron's eyes, waiting for a response.

   God, I could get lost in those eyes.

   The thought of them fluttering in ecstasy had Nathan seriously considering attacking Aaron's mouth.

   "Yeah, I'm good, buddy," Aaron answered, then slammed his palm onto Nathan's shoulder, almost knocking him off balance. "Why wouldn't I be? Just keep it on your side of the room."

   "Let me guess. Because homosexuality is contagious?"

   "No, I just don't want to find any butt plugs or anal beads under my bed," Aaron teased, then raised his eyebrows when Nathan looked at him strangely. "What?" he said. "I have access to the internet. I'm not completely oblivious to what goes on between guys."

   Nathan shook his head, chuckling to himself. He'd only now realized Aaron wasn't the gayest straight man he'd ever met after all. His roommate couldn't walk a straight line if his life depended on it. Except Aaron was so far in the closet it would take nothing short of a bulldozer to dig him out and that wasn't his job. It had been a lovely salacious thought, imagining himself and Aaron together, but the dream sequence was over and his ass was aching to be fucked.

   "I need to get going," Nathan said. "I want to be in and out of the club before midnight so I can spend a couple of hours with the guy before you wander your drunken ass back in here."

   "So, you head in there. Snag someone …and bring him back here to fuck?" Aaron asked, seemingly uncomfortable with the idea.

   "That's generally how it's done, yeah."

   Aaron's eyebrows dipped and he rolled his shoulders. "Do you even bother getting to know the guy?"

   Nathan checked his wallet for condoms then tucked it into his back pocket. "What would be the point of that?"

   "I don't know." Aaron wrapped his arms across his chest. "Maybe you would have something in common to talk about."

   "Aaron," Nathan retorted. "Guys don't cruise gay bars looking for their next husband. They're looking for their next fuck and time spent talking means less time fucking."

   "It seems so impersonal."

   "Sweetheart," Nathan said with his campiest voice. "By the time the night is over …if you haven't been up close and personal with every inch of that man's body …you're doing something wrong."

   Aaron sighed. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Sarah is out with friends tonight, so I'm going to hang with some of the guys for a while, then I'll head over to Sarah's dorm later."

   "Sounds like a plan." Nathan pounded on Aaron's back as he headed for the door. "I'll see you later. Have a good night."

The night was a complete bust. The temperature outside had dropped way below zero, compelling most people to stay home. Attendance at the club had been abysmal and Nathan had come away forty dollars lighter and twice as horny.

   He rolled closer to the wall and hauled the comforter over his shoulders. It was bloody freezing in their room. The woolen socks and sweatpants he'd pulled on were barely making a difference. He'd checked the thermostat and it was registering a balmy twenty-two degrees, which was complete bullshit. There was a cold draft drifting across the floor, he was sure of it.

   As if on cue, the door crashed open and Aaron spilled into the room with a waft of frigid air at his back.

   "Oh, my God," Aaron stammered. "I'm so cold."

   "That's because it's winter, jackass. Close the fucking door."

   "Christ, I can barely feel my fingers."

   Nathan rolled back to face the room. "Where's your coat and gloves?" He sat up straighter. "And your boots? Fuck, Aaron. What the fuck were you and the guys doing?" The lunatic looked as if he'd been liberated of every piece of warm clothing he owned.

   "It's a long story," replied Aaron.

   "Isn't it always with you?" Nathan climbed out of bed and started rooting around in Aaron's closet. He selected the warmest sweatpants and sweater he could find and a pair of thick socks. Aaron's pants were covered in snow and would soon be a wet reminder of whatever asinine activity Aaron had partaken in that evening. At least he wasn't drunk. Dealing with a hypothermic drunk person was not on Nathan's bucket list.

   "Everything off," Nathan said, "and then put these on." He handed Aaron the clothes and climbed back into bed. Those few brief moments outside the relative warmth of his comforter had chilled him to the bone.

   His mattress sagged beneath him.

   What the fuck?

   Nathan shrieked as Aaron's icy cold hand found its way onto his bare arm. His icicle-ridden roommate had climbed into bed with him and was attempting to spoon.

   "Sorry," Aaron apologized. "My hands are a little cold."

   Nathan tried to look over his shoulder, but Aaron was plastered tight against him. "What the fuck are you doing?"

   "I'm fucking cold. Please, don't throw me out." Aaron's teeth chattered in emphasis. Nathan couldn't be sure if Aaron was faking it or not but then Aaron's entire body started shaking.

   "God dammit, Aaron. Why do I have to suffer for your stupidity?" Nathan reached back to make sure the comforter was covering Aaron's body completely then gripped Aaron’s ass and hauled him closer. He shivered. Aaron was drawing the warmth from his body like a wick.

   Fucking lunatic.

   Nathan closed his eyes, trying to get comfortable, and sighed contentedly as Aaron's cold hand found its way onto his chest in search of a warm companion. Gripping Aaron's hand tight in his own, Nathan soaked in the feeling of security provided by Aaron's gentle and familiar presence and drifted off to sleep.

   Normally, waking up with another man's morning erection jammed up against his ass would've fired Nathan up on all pistons, but he was going to take a moment to evaluate his situation first, much to the despair of his own throbbing cock. After careful consideration, he concluded that Aaron was still asleep or he would've moved away or gotten out of bed.

   Nathan shifted forward, trying to gain some distance.

   "Don't get up yet." Aaron yawned and pulled Nathan back onto his hips, flooding Nathan's mind with possibilities. Aaron was fucking hard against him, and if he wasn't mistaken, Aaron was beginning to grind on him, tentatively forcing the thick shaft of his cock against Nathan's crease. That and the heavy breathing in Nathan's ear was a clear indication that Aaron wasn't doing something absentmindedly this time.

   God, that feels good.

   Nathan closed his eyes. "Aaron? What are you doing?"

   "I'm rubbing my dick against your ass."

   "I detected that all on my own," Nathan whispered. "See." Then grasped Aaron's hand, pushed it down along his body, and pressed it against his own rock hard cock.

   Aaron’s hand cautiously encased Nathan’s shaft through the thick fabric of his sweatpants, and brushed his thumb back and forth, as he pressed closer to Nathan’s body.

   "My question is why?" Nathan asked.

   "You smell really good this morning."

   "That's your why?" Nathan asked, bewildered at his roommate’s lame excuse. Surely, Aaron could’ve come up with something more original. Not that it mattered…

   "That's my why," Aaron answered.

   Nathan shivered as Aaron slipped his hand into the front of Nathan’s sweatpants and started stroking him.

   This was definitely an advance.

   Aaron kissed the curve of Nathan's neck, licked a long line up to his ear, and took the soft lobe into his mouth. Nathan groaned in disbelief. Maybe Aaron wasn't as deep in the closet as what he'd assumed. Maybe he'd done this before.

   "I've never done anything like this before," Aaron whispered quietly and kissed Nathan's neck. "I'm not sure what to do."

   …or maybe not.

   Nathan reached back, ran his hand under the band of Aaron’s sweatpants, and hauled them off his hips. He needed to feel the warm flesh of Aaron's cock against his skin.

   "Nathan?" Aaron's voice was shaky as he spoke his name.

   "Listen to your body," Nathan replied, shifting as Aaron struggled to remove his sweatpants completely. The poor guy was so nervous he was shaking. "I'll guide you through the rest."

   Nathan pulled his own pants down and rid his body of them, using his feet to peel them off his legs and shove them to the bottom of the bed. Aaron's thick cock was immediately back where it belonged, rubbing ardently against his ass.

   "Where do you keep your condoms?" Aaron asked.

   What? Was Aaron intending to go all the way?

   Nathan steadied his breathing. He hadn't expected that. He'd thought they'd rub off against each other and leave the actual fucking for another time. Not that he was complaining…

   "Bedside drawer," he answered. "The lube is in there as well."

   The sound of the wrapper being torn, and the tantalizing snap of a condom securely in place, had Nathan's heart racing in anticipation.

   He wondered whether or not Aaron would know what to do. The gay porn Aaron had been watching on the internet wasn't the most reliable source for gay sex advice.

   Aaron's hand, slick with lube, slid down along Nathan's crease, straight through to his balls, and then backtracked. Nathan exhaled sharply as Aaron slipped a fingertip in past the outer rim of muscle but then removed it.

   Fuck.

   Aaron wasn't sure what he was doing.

   "It helps to open me up …relax me," Nathan said. "So it doesn't hurt so much when you start fucking me."

   Aaron's breathing slowed. "It's going to hurt?"

   "That's all part of it …the pain, pleasure boundary. Once you get going, it's the most incredible feeling to be riding someone's dick like that. There's nothing else like it."

   "I don't want to hurt you." Aaron circled the pulsating ridge of Nathan's hole with his finger. "What do I need to do?"

   "Start with one finger, gentle at first, and then work up from there. You'll feel my ass loosen up and relax." Nathan looked back over his shoulder. "That's when you'll know I'm ready, alright?"

   Aaron kissed Nathan's shoulder as acknowledgment and dispensed more lube into his hand, warming it between his fingers before beginning. Nathan gripped the pillow as the first of Aaron's fingers pushed into him. He groaned. His roommate's finger was thick and rough, and made him feel slightly …self-conscious.

   It was one thing having a guy's dick up your ass. That felt absolutely normal in terms of his social comfort. Having a guy's finger up there felt far more personal, especially if it was a friend's. Funnily enough, Nathan smirked, the thought of Aaron's tongue thrusting into his ass only brought on feelings of lust.

   Oh, fuck yeah.

   Nathan’s gut clenched as his cock pulsed, hardening, and thickening to the point of…

   Oh, fuck no.

   Nathan reached back and grasped onto Aaron's arm.

   "Stop."

   The visual of Aaron's face buried deep in his crack, his hot breath tickling the hair on his balls, combined with Aaron's deep fingering was going to make him cum if he kept it up any longer.

   He needed him to stop.

   "Did I do something wrong?" Aaron asked.

   "No, you did great, but I really need you to fuck me—now."

   Nathan adjusted his position. Judging by what he'd felt rubbing against his ass, Aaron was hung like a fucking horse. His preferred position to take something that size in would've been lying on his back, but Aaron probably wasn't ready to have the reality he was fucking a guy thrust in his face quite yet. "Shift down my body a bit and take it slow. You can't just shove it in there. Use lots of lube, keep up a steady pressure, and let me draw you in, alright?"

   Aaron grunted in agreement.

   The high-pitched shriek, followed by a low panting whine came out of nowhere.

   Nathan had never emitted a sound like that before in his life. The chorus of Johnny Cash's 'Ring of Fire' immediately began playing in his head as the tender flesh of his ass seared with pain. No amount of stretching could've prepared his body for this assault on his senses. He hadn't had anything that big up his ass since the last time some guy had fisted him …and they'd worked up to it over the course of at least half an hour—probably more.

   "Are you alright?" Aaron asked as he stroked gently at Nathan's thigh. "Do you want me to stop?" He kissed Nathan's arm, then traced a finger up it.

   "You're an awfully big boy, Aaron," Nathan said.

   Never before had Nathan considered backing out of a fuck, but he was giving it serious consideration. He wanted to be able to walk, run, and sit down like a normal person in the coming days.

   "I wanted my first time to be with you." Aaron brushed his lips along Nathan's arm and rested his forehead against it. "I knew you'd be cool about it, and not get all impatient with me."

   Nathan relaxed slightly, letting Aaron slide a bit further in.

   "Your first time is important," Nathan said. "You'll always remember it." He laughed softly. "Mine was with this geek Tom Strachen." A heated pulse shot up Nathan's spine as Aaron closed in against him.

   Oh, sweet baby Jesus …I'm going to pass out.

   Aaron readjusted his position. "Tell me when you're ready."

   "Give me a second."

   "So, what happened with this Tom guy?" Aaron asked.

   Nathan snorted with amusement. "It was during our middle school graduation. So …like grade nine. We ended up behind the equipment building outside the school. It was pouring rain, but we were too worked up to wait for a better venue. We came back into the auditorium completely soaked, sporting grass stains on the knees of our pants. I was grounded for a month over that one."

   Aaron backed off and thrust forward gently after Nathan tapped him lightly on the hip.

   "I like it when you laugh," Aaron said then thrust again, more forcefully this time. "The sound spills out of you like it's new to you, and you're not quite sure where it came from."

   Nathan sucked in a breath before answering. "My life hasn't exactly been a picnic full of opportunities to practice my laughing skills."

   Shutting his eyes, Nathan gripped the sheets with one hand and braced himself against the wall with the other. Aaron was rapidly increasing his pace and force, jamming him closer to the edge of the bed. "But that …is a story …for another …time."

   Nathan groaned and clenched his teeth. It wouldn't be long now. The pain would soon give way to overwhelming euphoria as the endorphins flooded his system.

   There.

   Fuck yeah.

   A warm rush of unbridled desire surged up from his balls, tightening his cock. Nathan hummed and pressed back against Aaron's body, taking it all. Aaron draped an arm over his hip, encased his cock with a rough calloused hand, and began stroking it in unison with the increasing strength he was using to pound Nathan’s ass into submission.

   Nathan was in heaven, he was sure of it. He was barely aware of his surroundings. The sound of Aaron breathing heavily in his ear, and the warmth and power of Aaron's body against and inside his, were consuming him, then Aaron started into an intense stream of seductively primal noise that had Nathan releasing his own voice. He could vaguely hear people milling around in the hall outside their room, but at that moment, he couldn't care less who heard them. In all the years he'd been fucking around, he'd never felt this swept away before.

   Aaron shoved Nathan forward, bracing his own arm against the wall as the other wrapped around Nathan's chest to hold him securely against his body. Against the better judgment of his reality skewed mind, Nathan gasped out the word 'harder' and he immediately collided with the rough surface of the painted concrete wall as Aaron readily obliged.

   Fuck, that's going to leave a nasty bruise.

   Nathan touched his head.

   No blood, no foul. As long as he didn't suffer any permanent brain injury, Nathan wasn't going to complain. He liked it rough. Regardless, a sigh of relief passed Nathan's lips as Aaron grabbed him by the waist, hauled him further down the bed away from the wall, and plunged back into him with a decisively urgent fervor.

   Nathan's mind rolled as his body lit up.

   Fucking hell. Mild mannered Aaron was an animal in bed.

   Rising up onto his knees at Aaron's insistence, Nathan steadied himself against the bed so as not to pitch forward. He wasn't even going to have to touch himself in order to cum. Aaron's massive cock was more than capable of doing all the work.

   "Try to angle down," Nathan said. "You'll be hitting my prostate heavy and I'll be able to cum without stroking off."

   "You can do that?"

   "Definitely." Nathan lowered his head, sensing the increased pressure as Aaron followed his instructions. The tension began to build rapidly after that. There was no way he was going to be able to back off on the orgasm building in order to enjoy the sensation. Aaron's cock was compelling him forward, rubbing the exact spot needed to get him off.

   Nathan erupted with a new guttural utterance as he climaxed in waves of fulfillment, showering the bedding in thick short bursts. Aaron wasn't far behind him, shuddering through a crest and collapsing on Nathan's back, pinning him to the bed.

   The weight of Aaron's body on him felt amazing, but it was short lived. Aaron climbed off and sunk into the bedding, motioning for Nathan to join him. He grunted contentedly as Nathan settled into the concave of his shoulder.

   Kind of girlie …but, okay.

   "Can I ask you something?" Aaron said.

   "Sure," Nathan replied.

   "When did you realize you didn't like girls?"

   "I think I've always known," Nathan said. "I remember having a crush on a guy in my kindergarten class. My mom freaked out when I told her. My being gay never sat well with my parents."

   Say it Aaron. Tell me you think you're gay. Release yourself from all the lies you've been living.

   "That must've been difficult," Aaron continued. "Knowing your parents didn't approve. How did you ever get past that?"

   "I stayed true to myself, knowing I'd been born this way for a reason. I tried not to let it bother me too much."

   The closet is a dark and scary place, Aaron. Take a step into the sunlight with me. Admit to me that you're gay.

   "Did you pick up a guy last night?" Aaron asked.

   Nathan brushed his hand across Aaron's chest and tucked tight against him. "No, the club was pretty dead."

   "Good."

   Good as in …good, because I want to know where your dick was before I touched it, good? Or good, because I want to start a relationship with you, good.

   Nathan’s heart rate picked up slightly at the thought of the latter.

   "Aaron—," he started.

   "I have to get going," Aaron interrupted, shifting out from underneath Nathan's body. "It's almost noon."

   "Is it really?" Nathan pushed up so he could see his clock. "What the fuck happened to the time?"

   "We slept in, that’s all." Aaron leaned over the edge of the bed and lifted his pants off the floor. "I have to meet Sarah at one o'clock for lunch. We're going to check out the new exhibit at the art gallery."

   Nathan fell back onto his pillow. He knew exactly where this relationship was going—nowhere. Aaron wasn't willing to admit he preferred dick. He stared over at Aaron fussing with his pants. Aaron had the sexiest back.

   He sighed. Maybe Aaron considered himself to be bisexual. He'd met a few guys like that.

   They'd all turned out to be gay.

   "Aaron—," he began again.

   "You'll keep this to yourself," Aaron interrupted yet again. "I wouldn't want the guys on the team to find out what we did."

   Seriously!

   Nathan pushed himself up in bed, his fists digging into the mattress. "What on earth would I say to them? Hey guys, great game. By the way, did you know Aaron climbed into my bed last weekend and shoved his massive dick up my ass? And he fucking loved it, because deep down, he knows exactly who he is."

   "Fuck off!" Aaron shouted. "I'm not gay."

   "Oh, I see," Nathan retorted. "So you were trying gay on for size, is that it?"

   Aaron chucked his sweater at the bed.

   "I was curious. That's all."

   "Then what was all that bullshit about wanting your first time to be with me." Nathan tucked his arms around his stomach. He felt sick. "Aaron, having a first time would imply that you intend on having more times."

   "You must've misunderstood me."

   Nathan bunched up his fists.

   Let the back peddling begin.

   "I wanted to see what it was like," continued Aaron. "But I'm not gay. I have a girlfriend and everything."

   Right, like that proves anything.

   "Funny," Nathan said. "Most straight guys I know would rather cut off their left testicle than stick their dick up another guy's ass."

   "Why are you being such an asshole about this?"

   "Because, apparently, that's all I was to you …an ass hole to fuck."

   Aaron’s brow creased. "You know that's not true."

   "Do I?" Nathan hauled the blankets up around his shoulders and rolled over to face the wall. He felt the need to sleep for a couple more hours. "Have a good time with your girlfriend. I'll just lie here and contemplate what the fuck just happened, and why I feel like a strung out hustler on a Monday morning."

   "Christ, do you have to be so fucking dramatic?"

   "Yes, I do," Nathan answered, mumbling into his pillow. "Part of the deal. I'm gay, remember?"

   "Don't start in on that whole gay thing again." Aaron set his hand on Nathan's shoulder and gripped it. "You're one of my best friends and we shared something together …that's it." He leaned down and kissed Nathan's cheek. "I'll see you later."

   You have got to be kidding me.

   Kissing my cheek?

   The temptation to scream once Aaron closed the door tore at the back of Nathan's throat, but he throttled his frustration and bit into his pillow instead.

   Wiping the memory of what he and Aaron had done together was going to require nightly visits to the club, and lots and lots of unadulterated, meaningless sex.

Chapter Three

Christmas break wasn't a time of year Nathan looked forward to. While everyone else was excitedly packing to head home for the holidays, Nathan was usually holed up in his room, trying to hide from the mayhem. Both of his parents had been killed in a car accident when he was sixteen, and he and his sister had been sent to live with their maternal grandparents out in the middle of nowhere, with next to nothing in terms of money. Flying home for Christmas wasn't even an option, so Nathan had become accustomed to spending the holidays on campus.

   His Christmas wish …that it was warmer in their room.

   …and that Aaron would keep the noise down.

   What the fuck is he doing?

   Nathan pulled the comforter up around his ears. Aaron was making a lot of noise packing up his things. Apparently, staying at your girlfriend's parents' house for the entire of Christmas break required tossing around everything you owned.

   "Nathan?" Aaron peered over Nathan's body to see if he was awake. "Nathan, I'm going to have a shower."

   A muffled response of, "Good for you," escaped the tightly bound roll. Nathan wrenched an arm free and blew hair out of his eyes as he rolled over to look at his clock.

   "It's five in the morning?" Nathan questioned. "Why the fuck are you showering so early?"

   "I want to get in there before everyone else starts showing up," Aaron replied, and then cleared his throat. "I want to make sure I get the shower furthest from the door."

   "What difference does it make?" Nathan rolled back and covered his head. "All the showers are the same."

   "No," Aaron replied. "The shower furthest from the door will have my red towel draped over the curtain."

   Nathan crunched up his face in confusion. What the hell was Aaron on about? He rolled back, but Aaron had already left. He jammed his hand up into his hair, wrenching on it.

   Christ …you have to be fucking kidding me. Aaron's looking to fuck me before he goes away.

   Nathan wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that after the last time, but in his favor, Aaron hadn't climbed into bed with him again. Aaron was offering him a choice and giving him an out if he wasn't interested.

   That isn't the point.

   Nathan hauled himself out of bed and threw on a pair of sweatpants with the intention of storming into that shower and telling Aaron exactly what he thought of this stupid game he was playing. Giving in to Aaron now would set a precedent, and Nathan refused to be used as a sex toy Aaron only picked up when he was in the mood for dick. No matter how amazing the sex had been last time, Nathan had more respect for himself than that.

   The steam from the shower obscured Nathan's view as he stepped into the dressing room area of the shower cubicle.

   Aaron's red towel was thrown over the curtain as promised.

   Nathan lifted it down and hung it on a hook.

   "Aaron? Please tell me it's you in there."

   The curtain drew back and Aaron leaned out, covered head to toe in frothy layers of glorious suds.

   Nathan's dick twitched.

   Traitor.

   "Are you coming in?" Aaron asked, and Nathan groaned.

   In, on, under …I'll cum anywhere you want.

   Nathan's fading resolve screamed no in the distance as his body continued to undress, intent on getting what it wanted. What it needed. It needed Aaron and only Aaron.

   Oh god…

   Nathan slid into Aaron's arms and let himself be pushed up against the wall of the shower. The hot water had managed to avoid that particular section, and the cold tile sent spikes of sensation up Nathan's spine, but the warmth of Aaron's mouth hovering above his lips drove the cold from his body and he was left waiting and wondering if Aaron was ever going to kiss him. Aaron had left a swath of open-mouthed kisses along his shoulders and neck the last time they'd been together, but Aaron had never taken his mouth.

   The sharp taste of mint toothpaste slipped through the soft curve of Nathan's lips and enveloped his tongue as Aaron's prodded and explored anxiously. Nathan latched onto its source, feeling the hum of Aaron's arousal from the back of his throat straight down to his knees. He clung to his roommate for support, but then without warning the support slipped away, and Nathan found himself looking down at the top of Aaron's head.

   He touched it lightly, prompting Aaron to look up.

   "Christ, you have a beautiful cock," Aaron said, lowered his gaze, and used a rough hand to pull Nathan's foreskin tight to his body, fully exposing the plum colored head. Aaron's tongue flicked out tentatively, tasting the slick pre-cum that had gathered there. He moaned softly as he licked it from his lips.

   Nathan rocked his head back against the wall as Aaron used his thumb to caress the fluid, combined with a string of spit, right back to the thick ridge. He groaned in anticipation of the moment he'd been fantasizing about …when Aaron would wrap those gorgeous lips around his cock and take him all the way in.

   Fuck.

   Aaron sucked the head into his mouth, cupping it gently with his lips and began pulling smoothly on it, flicking the slit with his tongue on the upstroke while his hand jacked on Nathan's shaft.

   The urge to thrust up into Aaron's mouth, seeking the ultimate depth and fulfillment, had Nathan biting his lip as he fought to resist the urge. The Gay Sex 101 lesson he'd imparted last time was a one off. He was comfortable being a bottom and knew better than to top from the bottom. He'd learned that lesson the hard way with one of his previous relationships. Nothing says behave and know your place like a trip to the emergency room. It would be up to Aaron to set the pace and let him know what he wanted him to do.

   Aaron's hands brushed smoothly up Nathan's body, followed closely by his tongue and lips. Groaning with exhilaration, Nathan allowed himself to be turned to face the wall. Aaron pressed him there, trapped him with his body, and ran his thick muscular thumb down along Nathan's crease and into his ass. Nathan angled back and lifted his hips, wanting the full length of the soapy digit pressing into the soft flesh beyond his rim.

   A hushed fuck yeah escaped Nathan's lips as Aaron squatted back down, using both thumbs to stretch him open. The addition of Aaron's tongue licking and thrusting into his ass had Nathan gripping onto the walls of the shower in astonishment.

   Where had all this passion of Aaron's come from?

   Yesterday, they'd been sitting on the sofa playing Call of Duty, without any indication that Aaron was the least bit interested. Now Aaron’s tongue was deep in his ass, driving him to distraction.

   "Fuck." Aaron stood, grinding his dick against Nathan's ass. "I had no idea your ass would taste so good."

   "They don't call me sweet cheeks for nothing."

   Aaron moved his mouth away from Nathan's neck. "Seriously?"

   "I'm joking. God, you're easy." Nathan pressed back into Aaron's body, reveling in the rock hard response. "Fuck me."

   "Hold on," Aaron replied. “I've got condoms in my shaving bag."

   Nathan pressed his forehead against the shower wall and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth. Thank God, the shower seemed to have an endless supply of hot water or he might've frozen to death by the time Aaron got organized. The thick head of Aaron's cock stroking his crease caught Nathan off guard, and he braced himself, remembering to breathe.

   This was going to hurt like a bugger.

   Aaron’s hand slipped into his crease.

   "No, just go," Nathan objected.

   Silence, then Aaron, "Are you sure?"

   Nathan reached back for Aaron’s hip, pulling his closer. "Aaron, please …just fuck me."

   As the bulky ridge of Aaron's cock passed the constricting ring of muscle, Nathan's mind reeled with restrained panic. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to this ass-searing pain, but he was willing to try if Aaron was open to taking their relationship further.

   "You feel so fucking good," Aaron whispered in Nathan's ear.

   Nathan tried to respond, but Aaron's powerful hips were jamming him forward, scrambling his brain, and lifting him skyward, rubbing him hard against the shower enclosure. In a moment of clarity, Nathan lowered a hand and grasped his dick, not to encourage it but to protect it from the rough edges of the tiles. He capped his thumb over the tip and rotated it over the slit.

   Aaron stopped what he was doing. "If I turn you to face me, can you support yourself?" Nathan nodded his head silently. He could and would do anything if it meant he could continue riding Aaron's cock. Once he'd moved past the initial burn this time, warm tendrils of pure ecstasy had spread up from his ass to every extremity of his body. He felt certain he could live in that place forever.

   Nathan wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck, and his legs around Aaron's waist, and sunk back onto his waiting hips. There was nothing as glorious as the feeling he got when he turned himself over so completely. With his feet off the ground and his hands unable to do anything but hang on, he was at Aaron's mercy.

   Mm …yeah. Fuck me.

   The sound of guys arriving in the washroom to shower had Nathan smirking and taking Aaron's mouth to keep them both quiet. He snorted loudly, rolling his head back in amusement, when the word faggot was bandied about, in jest, in the change room.

   "They have no idea what they're missing," Nathan said.

   Aaron grunted in apparent agreement, shoved Nathan against the wall, hard, and took his mouth to keep him from speaking further, rocking Nathan heavier and more aggressively than he had before, building to his cresting point.

   Groaning out a low fuck that echoed deep into Nathan's throat, Aaron came and shuddered through, pulsing and heaving. The shower poured cooler now as the other showers started up.

   Catching his breath, Aaron set Nathan back on his feet, dropped to his knees, and took Nathan's throbbing cock back into his mouth. Nathan had to clamp his hands over his mouth and clench his teeth to remain relatively silent. Aaron's tongue was sweeping the most incredible circles around his cockhead each time he sucked his shaft all the way up from the root, and then Aaron would drop back down, forcing the head right to the back of his throat.

   Holy fuck.

  "I'm going to cum." Nathan tapped Aaron's shoulder, thinking he'd want to pull away, but Aaron kept up the steady rhythm, clutching at Nathan's thigh as the first warm strands of passion hit the roof of his mouth.

   Christ.

   Nathan slumped against the wall, watching Aaron milking every last drop. He'd never cum so hard in his life. His breath caught when Aaron looked up and licked his lips.

   Fuck …those eyes.

   Aaron stood and took Nathan's mouth, supporting him. Aaron's arms felt warm and familiar. The need was still heavy there as if they could start all over again.

   Nathan almost fell forward when Aaron pulled away.

   "Fuck—what am I going to do with you, Nathan?"

   "I can think of a few things." Nathan brushed a hand across Aaron's chest and hauled his hips closer to meet his own. "But not here. After we get cleaned up, I'll sneak out first and go warm up the sheets. We can continue this back in our room."

   Aaron shook his head and whispered back at Nathan. "I can't."

   Nathan took the soap Aaron handed him and ran over the important bits. He could have another shower later when he wasn't so distracted. "Why not?"

   "Sarah's dad is picking me up at ten."

    The soap hit the floor of the shower.

   "Are you sure that's where you want to be over winter break?" Nathan asked, bending over to retrieve the unruly cleaning agent. He brushed his ass across Aaron's thighs a few times, as he fumbled with it—it was awfully slippery.

   "Her family is expecting me," Aaron replied.

   "Tell them something came up." Aaron's dick hardened as Nathan stood and began stroking it. "It was really, really hard to handle …and needed hours, upon hours of extra attention."

   "I can't let Sarah down like that."

   Nathan lowered his hand. "Suit yourself." This was a pointless exercise, which was extremely frustrating because he really liked Aaron. As it was, they already spent most of their free time together, and Nathan could see things working out between them—for a while anyway.

   "It's not that I don't want to stay here with you," Aaron said as he brushed his fingers along Nathan's collarbone. "I just can't."

   Nathan stepped back. "The word can't implies someone is stopping you. That you don't have a choice. Is that the case?"

   "No, no one is stopping me, but I have obligations." Aaron sighed and grunted in annoyance. "To Sarah. To my family."

   "I have obligations too, Aaron, except mine include treating my loved ones with a little respect."

   Aaron shoved Nathan, hard, across to the other side of the shower stall. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

   "I would never lie to the people I love about something as important as who makes me happy," Nathan replied.

   "You're on about this whole gay thing again, aren't you?" Aaron grunted noisily and slammed his hand into the metal door that led to the change room. "I'm not gay. So drop it."

   Nathan's gut balled up and he crossed his arms, trying to contain himself, but—no—not going to happen.

  "So, you're going to keep lying to yourself," Nathan replied. "Be a happy little breeder with his lovely wife and one-point-five children, is that it?" He shoved Aaron's chest angrily. "Well, on behalf of Sarah and all the other women out there, fuck you!"

   That had come out much louder than Nathan had intended, but he was pissed and didn’t care who heard him at this point.

   "Cut it out!" Aaron whispered. “What is wrong with you?"

   "You know what you are?" Nathan said as he whipped the shower curtain open. He was done with this game. “You're a fucking coward, Aaron, that’s what you are!"

   Aaron grabbed Nathan's arm, halting his retreat, then released him and leaned back against the shower wall.

   "Please, Nathan, keep your voice down."

   Nathan complied and lowered his voice, but he wasn’t finished yet. "Let me tell you how this particular fairy tale of yours ends, because I've seen it. I've slept with it." He pressed closer to Aaron for emphasis. "Soon after the honeymoon, the delusional husband starts to have urges and he finds himself cruising gay bars and picking up tweaked out twinks off the street corner, bringing back all sorts of nasty stuff to the marital bed. Is that what you want for Sarah?"

   "Fuck off! You don't know what you're talking about."

   "Tell me what I'm missing."

   Aaron grasped Nathan by the shoulders and stared intently at him. "Nathan, you are the only guy I have ever been attracted to. I thought maybe I'd turned gay for a while after you first arrived, so I spent some time looking at other guys around campus to see if I felt anything. But nothing."

   "Not even a tingle?"

   "No, I can honestly say I don't find guys the least bit attractive."

   Nathan cocked his head to one side. "What about after we fucked?"

   "Yeah, okay, that messed with my head a little, but only because some guy's ass would remind me of yours, or the angle of a guy's jaw would catch my eye, and I'd imagine myself running my mouth along it, tasting your skin. Not his." Aaron lowered his gaze. "God, Nathan, what have you done to me?"

   Besides ramping up your denial?

   It was time to let Aaron off the hook. This wasn't happening. "Aaron, sometimes even straight guys develop man crushes. Maybe you took yours a little further than most."

   Aaron's gaze lifted. "You think that's all this is …between us?"

   "I don't know, but anything is possible."

   Aaron’s look of enthusiasm for this explanation was crushing.

   "So, what do we do?" Aaron asked.

   Nathan crossed his arms. "We stop fucking each other, first off."

   Aaron's thick, rough fingers swept up into the gorgeous curls on his head. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

   Nathan had to sell this, no matter how much it hurt. "It's not fair to Sarah," he began, "to have a gay fuck buddy on the side and you know it."

   Aaron scrubbed at his chin. "I know." He studied Nathan's face and lifted his hand, letting his fingers brush along Nathan's cheek. "You're so fucking beautiful."

   God, Aaron. Please don't do this to me.

   Nathan removed Aaron's hand from his face, intertwined his fingers with Aaron's, and held them to his lips. "So is Sarah. Except, she can give you the life you want. I can't."

   Aaron blew a heavy sigh through his nose, nodded his head, and Nathan's hand dropped from his. "I guess I won't see you until after winter break then, hey?"

   "I'll be here when you get back."

   "Are you going to be alright on your own?"

   Nathan stepped out of the shower enclosure, pulled his iPhone from the pocket of his sweats, and waved it in Aaron's face while wearing his most convincing smile. "Rumor has it, this guy Jonathan who's been cruising me, is staying on campus over Christmas as well." He patted Aaron on the back and sent him out into the main change room. "I'll be fine."

Chapter Four

Nathan hated the student union pub. The décor was a vomitus blend of Mystery Machine colors and Wild West furnishings with a bit of frat house odor thrown in for good measure—and predictably, the beer was usually stale. He wouldn't be here at all if he weren’t waiting for Jonathan to finish his shift behind the bar. He couldn't understand why a guy with an ass like that, and abs and pecs to match, wasn't working in a more suitable establishment.

   He slid down in his chair. He'd contacted Jonathan as soon as he'd returned to his dorm room and verified Aaron hadn't changed his mind and decided to stay with him. That would've been his preference, to spend winter break with Aaron, to have Aaron hold him while he slept.

   He closed his eyes …to wake up to Aaron's big goofy grin every morning.

   Fuck.

   It wasn't to be and Jonathan made a damn fine substitute. They'd been practically inseparable all winter break, hanging out together at every opportunity. With only three days left until the rest of the students returned, they'd been discussing how they were going to continue the practicalities of their relationship. Nathan's bed had become command central for all extracurricular activities because Jonathan's roommate had stayed on campus as well, and he wasn't exactly same-sex friendly. Truth be told, he would've beat the crap out of both of them if he'd found them fucking around in Jonathan's room.

   Nathan swilled the last of the beer around in his glass and threw it back. A large hand shoved him in the shoulder, almost knocking him off his seat. His reaction was automatic. He hated being pushed around. His arm swung back as he leapt to his feet, ready to fight. "What the fuck is your problem?" he shouted.

   His anger melted.

   Aaron.

   Aaron snorted with amusement as he helped settle Nathan back in his seat. "Sorry for sneaking up on you," he said and pointed to Nathan’s empty glass. "Can I buy you another?"

   Nathan laughed, quelling the urge to pull Aaron into his arms. "Christ, Aaron," he finally choked out. "Ease up on the protein powder, would you? You're going to kill someone if you get any bigger." He grabbed Aaron's outstretched hand and pounded his shoulder affectionately. "It's good to see you, and yes, you can buy me another."

   "Can I talk to you first?" Aaron asked.

   "Sure. I wasn't expecting to see you back so soon." Nathan reclined back in his seat. "Is everything alright?"

   "I broke things off with Sarah," Aaron blurted out, then paused to study the response on Nathan's face. "That's why I'm back early. I took the bus …I needed to …"

  What the hell am I supposed to say to that?

   "I'm sorry," Nathan said. "What happened?"

   "I found out she cheated on me."

   Nathan's eyebrows creased and then rose dramatically. "Seriously? You're going to break up with your girlfriend of what, seven years, over something you're guilty of doing yourself?" He crossed his arms. Double standards infuriated him. "That doesn't seem fair to me at all."

   Aaron shook his head, dismissing Nathan’s response.

   "No. It was with one of the guys from the team—"

   "So what?" Nathan shrugged his shoulders and pointed at himself. "So was yours."

   He lowered his hands onto the table and began fiddling with one of the coasters, rolling and knocking it anxiously. He couldn't believe he was saying this. "You need to go back to her and patch things up."

   "Nathan …" Aaron reached forward and brushed his fingers across Nathan's hand. "I've been doing a lot of thinking over winter break." He settled his hand on top of Nathan's and clung to it.

   "Aaron, what are you doing?" Nathan's voice lowered to barely a whisper; he was having trouble breathing. The pub wasn't full, but it wasn't empty either. There were at least a dozen people, including two guys from their team, milling around. Aaron was holding his hand in the middle of it all, not caring who saw him doing it and plenty of people were noticing.

   Aaron shifted in his seat.

   "In the shower," he said. "You said Sarah could give me the life I want."

   "Yeah …wife, kids—"

   This is crazy.

   "What if that isn't the life I want." Aaron leaned in closer. "What if I met someone that completely changed things for me? What if that someone was you?"

   Nathan steadied his breathing and looked toward the bar. Jonathan was drying the inside of a beer mug with a ferocity that told Nathan he'd seen Aaron holding his hand.

   "Aaron, I'm seeing someone."

   Aaron sat back but didn't let go of his hand. "Who?"

   "Jonathan. Remember. The guy I told you about?"

   "Is it serious?"

   Nathan looked over toward the bar. Jonathan was glaring at him. He turned back to Aaron.

   Damn those eyes of his.

   "No," Nathan answered.

   Aaron nodded his head. "Alright, so …would you be interested in starting something with me?"

   "What kind of a thing?" Nathan searched Aaron's eyes. If Aaron was looking to set up an exclusive fuck-buddy arrangement, he might have to punch him out.

   "I don't know," Aaron looked around nervously. "Like boyfriends or something. That kind of thing." He gripped Nathan's hand tight in his own and brushed his thumb over the knuckles. "I really like you—and not just for the sex. We get on good together."

   Nathan could easily see himself with Aaron. He'd considered the possibility many times.

   Then why are you hesitating?

   Nathan groaned in exasperation. Maybe because, deep down, he knew if he agreed, this wasn't going to be a short-term affair and that frightened him—a lot.

   "If we do this boyfriend thing," Nathan said. "I don't want to hide our relationship. I'm sick of sneaking around and being all hush, hush about who I'm seeing …and sleeping with."

   "Nathan," Aaron said then chuckled as he looked around the bar. "I'm sitting in the middle of the pub holding your hand. What makes you think I'm planning on hiding?"

   "You do realize people are going to think you're gay."

   "I don't care."

   "You'll become the butt of jokes, excuse the pun, and you'll be subjected to the same bullshit I have to put up with."

   "I don't care," Aaron repeated with incredible sincerity.

   "And even when …" Nathan exhaled and shut his eyes. "If—" He opened them. "Even if we break up, you'll be forever labeled as gay. No one ever buys the bisexual thing."

   "I realize that." Aaron lowered his gaze. "But I'm willing to go through that for you." He looked up and lifted a hand to cup Nathan's face. "You're important to me. You have no idea how much I want this. Please, give me a chance to prove it."

   Nathan felt certain the entire room could hear the thrumming beat of his heart. It was absolutely deafening. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves.

   "Alright, prove it," Nathan said. "Kiss me."

   "Here?" Aaron looked around. "Right now?"

   Nathan raised his eyebrows but didn't have to wait long for Aaron to push toward him and take his mouth …and it wasn't a quick kiss. It was a let's get the fuck out of here kind of kiss.

   And that's exactly what they did as soon as Aaron released him.

   The race back to their dorm room took much longer than either one of them would've liked, but once they'd burst in through the door, it was only a matter of seconds before their clothes were off and they were falling onto Aaron's bed.

   Nathan pushed Aaron down, straddled his hips, and attacked Aaron's mouth as if his life depended on it. He fell headlong into it as the caressing warmth of Aaron's tongue turned his muscles to liquid honey. Nathan groaned and pulled away, wanting to set up a game plan.

   "What?" Aaron asked, confused by the abrupt interruption.

   "Do you mind if I take the lead?" Nathan asked.

   "What do you mean?" Aaron struggled under Nathan's weight. "You're not planning on fucking me, are you?"

   "Let's not get that far ahead." Nathan leaned in and kissed and pulled at Aaron's lips. "I want free reign to explore."

   "You don't need my permission to—" Aaron gasped sharply as Nathan's tongue and lips swept down his chest and pulled a full thick nipple into his mouth. "Fuck, Nathan—" He grasped onto the bedding and threw his head back.

   Nathan stroked his cheek across the hard nub of Aaron’s erect nipple. It had responded immediately to his advances, swelling and puckering until it was taut and pale, and the sweet sounds of desire its stimulation had elicited from Aaron had sent warm surges of need straight through to his dick. He allowed his mouth a final sweep across Aaron's chest before heading toward infinitely more interesting territory.

   He drew a thick line with his tongue straight down the center of Aaron's trembling body. Taking his time was going to be difficult, but Nathan felt like he'd missed out, somewhat, with their two previous encounters. He liked when guys took control and sucked and fucked him, but with Aaron it was different. He wanted to know every detail of Aaron's body as intimately as his own, and so much more. He needed to possess him entirely.

   Nathan brushed his thumb along Aaron's thick black treasure trail, sending the hairs askew, then licked them flat with his tongue. Aaron groaned, thrusting upwards as Nathan's cheek rubbed against his thick tight cock, but Nathan had other places he wanted to visit first.

   With a bit of rough encouragement, Aaron pulled his knees up and Nathan dove into the warm creases, lapping at the firm sacs. He pulled one into his mouth, savoring the perfect combination of taste and scent. His heart shuddered. He couldn't imagine a more perfect place to be than here, giving pleasure to Aaron.

   "That feels amazing." Aaron shifted. "Do the other one."

   Nathan dropped Aaron's ball from his mouth and spanked him hard on the ass. Aaron's head popped up further.

   "Ow," Aaron said. "What the fuck was that for?"

   "Interference." Nathan kissed the reddening area. "This is my exploration, so kindly keep your agenda to yourself." He brushed his hand across Aaron's ass, tempted to strike him again. "But for future reference. Did you like that?"

   "What? When you smacked me?" Aaron looked down the length of his body at Nathan. "Yeah, it was pretty hot."

   "Oh, you are priceless." Nathan tapped Aaron's thigh. "Roll over. I want to get at your ass."

   As Aaron rolled onto his stomach, Nathan leapt up and yanked his bedside drawer open. He grabbed his favorite lube and a chain of beginner's beads. Ever since Aaron had made that crack about finding anal beads on his side of the room, Nathan had been dreaming of using them on him. He hid them behind his back as he approached Aaron's bed.

   "I need you up on your knees, with your head down." Nathan strolled toward the end of the bed as Aaron complied.

   God, Aaron, so fucking obedient.

   So hot.

   Nathan steadied his pulse. The view from where he was standing was breathtaking. He stepped closer. Aaron's ass and his thick powerful thighs were covered with a heavenly layer of fine dark hair. He wanted to touch it. Run his lips over it. Fucking dive into it. "Push your dick down, so I can see it between your legs." Aaron grunted in confusion but did as he was told.

   Nathan held his breath as his gut tightened.

   Jesus Christ, that's a beautiful sight.

   He licked his lips as his hands coasted up the back of Aaron's thighs, right up onto the mounds of his taut muscular ass. Aaron quivered at his touch, inhaling sharply, but remained as he was. The soft hairs tickled Nathan's lips as he brushed his mouth across them. His need had never been so intense. His mind blurred. He wanted to fuck Aaron so bad. Plunging his cock into that virgin ass of his would be pure ecstasy.

   Behave.

   Nathan surged forward with his tongue, seeking the target and pursuing the reward of Aaron writhing beneath his hands. When a sufficient level of distraction was achieved, Nathan sunk back and rubbed Aaron's hole gently with his thumb.

   "Fuck, Nathan. Don't stop."

   "I have something different in mind."

   Nathan retrieved the beads he'd dropped at the end of the bed and coated them in lube, using the excess to grease up Aaron's gloriously untouched hole. A sharp exhalation of air from Aaron followed the insertion of the first bead.

   "Nathan? What—"

   "Shh …" Nathan kissed the skin of Aaron's lower back and drew his tongue down to the beads' connecting string and then popped the next bead in, followed by the tip of his tongue. Aaron groaned deeply in obvious enjoyment, and Nathan grinned. He had no intention of telling Aaron what he was up too.

   The rest of the beads went in smoothly and Nathan lay down to reposition himself, sliding his head under Aaron's body and drawing Aaron's slick, drooling cock into his mouth. As he sunk into a workable rhythm, Nathan reached through Aaron's legs and grasped the ring at the end of the beads' chain. He didn't want them getting away on him. A trip to the hospital to get the beads removed from Aaron's ass wasn't a good way to start this new relationship of theirs—and he needed to be ready to withdraw them.

   Nathan hummed around Aaron's cock. Judging by the heaving chest above him, the sounds Aaron was making, and the hardening, pulsing ridge riding Nathan's tongue, this wasn't going to take long.

   Yeah, that's it…

   Aaron's dick lifted in Nathan's throat, hot and hard, poised to spill the first thick ropes across his tongue. Nathan withdrew the beads with an even, steady pull, and Aaron flew forward, cumming fiercely, swearing and shuddering, prompting Nathan to place a hand on Aaron's stomach, to remind Aaron he was still under him as he fought to swallow the copious amount of Aaron's seed. The beads hit the floor as Aaron rolled onto his back, taking Nathan with him.

   "Don't swallow it yet—," Aaron said as he grabbed Nathan's face and attacked his mouth, consuming him, and drinking in the warm, salty fluid as their tongues grappled for control of it.

   Sated, Aaron took a final taste of Nathan's mouth and released him. He settled into the bedding and turned his head. Nathan was watching him intently.

   "What?" Aaron asked.

   "Nothing," Nathan replied. "That was a little unexpected, that's all." He crawled closer and settled a kiss on Aaron's chest. "Unexpected but incredibly hot."

   Aaron's body responded immediately as Nathan pushed up and straddled Aaron's body, encasing both their shafts in his hand. He dropped his head back, basking in the oneness.

   A heavy exhalation escaped Nathan's lips and his eyes flew open as Aaron's thick fingers grasped and twisted his tight sensitive nipples. His dick swelled in response, urgent, and he released Aaron's throbbing cock to concentrate on his own.

   "Christ, Aaron …harder," Nathan panted quietly, stroking himself heavier now. "Pinch them harder—"

   Fucking hell …I'm so close.

   Nathan frantically scanned the bed.

   Where the fuck is the lube?

   Spotting it, Nathan dispensed some into his hands. One went back on his cock, the other thrust desperately into his ass. His body bucked as the combined sensations rocketed through his existence, pitching his spine into an ecstasy-induced arch as he built to his cresting point.

   Fuck!

   The pain from his nipples was waning.

   "Hit me," Nathan gasped.

   Aaron's breathing stammered. "What?"

   "Smack my ass—hard."

   "Goddamn it, Nathan. That's so fucking hot."

   Sparks flew behind Nathan's eyes as Aaron's hand made contact. That's all he'd needed to cross the threshold. Nathan exploded, sending pulsing streams onto Aaron's rapidly clenching abs. He heaved forward, breathing hard and fast, his heart pounding out each thick burst. Aaron's balls lifted, brushing Nathan's thighs.

   Fuck, Aaron was ready to go off again.

   Nathan sat back, washed his hand through the slick fluid on Aaron’s stomach, and took over pumping his cock for him, dragging him to the very edge and back until their combined juices flowed, pooling seductively in the soft hollow between Aaron's hips.

   Nathan lay back down on the bed beside Aaron, laughing with exhilaration.

   If this was any indication as to the type of experiences he'd be having with Aaron, they were going to get along just fine.

Chapter Five

Nathan stared up at the ceiling above his bed and listened to the soft sound of Aaron breathing beside him. It was a sound that both comforted and terrified him. They'd only been official for a week, but being with Aaron like this, spending every spare moment in his arms, felt as natural as if Aaron had been at his side his entire life.

   Of course, the guys on their football team had teased them relentlessly for the first couple of days, but, with the exception of one homophobic twit, they'd readily accepted their relationship and moved on with the business of preparing for season opening. It hadn't fazed them at all, the fact that two of their teammates were sleeping together. The thrill of telling the sports world to go fuck itself had been greatly diminished by their acceptance.

   Nathan grunted softly and crossed his arms, which must've woken Aaron up, because Aaron rolled over and nuzzled his face against Nathan's shoulder.

   "You look so serious," Aaron said. "What are you thinking about?"

   "I was thinking about the conversation we had with your parents this morning," Nathan said. "You're lucky they're cool with us being together. My parents would've disowned me."

   "You don't know that for sure."

   The shift and roll of the bed meant naptime was over. Aaron's body had an automatic awake switch when it came to dinnertime. Nathan turned into the pillow where Aaron had been lying and inhaled the lingering scent of him. His gut twisted and his cock twitched, remembering what they'd done together the night before, and how incredibly erotic and intense, and honest it had felt—and how he'd wished it would go on forever. That Aaron would go on holding, kissing, and fucking him forever.

   Nathan rolled back and returned to staring at the ceiling.

   This is insane. I don't do this …whatever it is.

   "Nathan?" Aaron stood over the bed and folded his arms protectively across his chest. "Is everything alright?"

   "Hm …yeah, everything's fine." Nathan closed his eyes. "I think maybe we're spending too much time together is all."

   "What the fuck are you talking about?"

   "We're together all the time. Neither one of us has gone out with our own friends all week. That's not a good thing. I think it's important we have our own lives."

   "I thought we were a couple?" Aaron lowered himself onto the edge of the bed. "I thought this was our life …together."

   "Well, you thought wrong. It makes me uncomfortable. I don't like it." Nathan pushed the comforter away to free himself and climbed past Aaron. He circled the room, looking for an evasive piece of clothing that truthfully didn't exist.

   "But last night," Aaron said. "Surely you felt it."

   Nathan cringed. "I didn't feel anything—and I don't appreciate the way you're trying to tie me down."

   "I'm not trying to tie you down, Nathan. I wouldn't do that." Aaron stood and approached Nathan's side. "I think we're amazing together, but I can back off and give you some space if that's what you need me to do." He reached for Nathan's shoulder, but Nathan jerked it away, shoved Aaron aside, stormed toward the door, and wrenched it open.

   "What I need you to do, Aaron—is leave me the fuck alone," Nathan said. "I don't want to do this whole boyfriend thing with you anymore."

   "Where the fuck is this coming from?" Aaron grabbed Nathan's arm to keep him from leaving and slammed the door. "Last I checked things were good between us. Hell, things were great!"

   "Let me go!" Nathan yanked his arm free of Aaron's grasp and adjusted his sweatshirt. "This was a huge mistake. We never should've messed up our friendship like this."

   Aaron blinked.

   "We haven't messed anything up." he said. "We're closer than we've ever been." Aaron paused. "I've never felt closer to anyone in my life."

   Nathan scrubbed his hand across his face, attempting to control his temper. "Stop! Just fucking stop!"

   "Stop what? Stop loving you. That's not going to happen."

   The force of Nathan's fist as it connected with Aaron’s face, knocked Aaron completely off his feet. He landed with a heavy thud on the floor.

   He hadn't been expecting it.

   Either had Nathan.

   As soon as Aaron hit the floor, Nathan immediately regretted it. He'd let himself fall into a familiar pattern without even thinking it through. Deep down he knew ending things with Aaron and walking away wasn't what he wanted.

   Not this time. Not with Aaron.

   He dropped down on one knee and laid a hand on Aaron's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit you."

   Aaron shrugged away. "Fuck off! What is wrong with you? I tell you I love you and you hit me?" He rolled onto his back, supported by his elbows, and touched his face where Nathan's fist had landed. "If that's the way you're going to be—I take it back."

   Exhaling softly, Nathan looked away. "Please don't do that."

   "Then tell me what you want from me." Aaron struggled to his feet. "I love you and I want to be with you. Is that such a terrible thing?"

   He clutched his stomach. "Is there someone else? Are you still seeing Jonathan?"

   "No!"

   God no. Fuck no.

   "There's no one else," Nathan added. "Only you."

   Only ever you.

   Aaron took a deep breath. "Then what is your problem? I know you feel something for me."

   Nathan spun away from Aaron and began pacing the room. What the fuck was he so afraid of? He was always telling himself he wanted a committed relationship, but as soon as it looked like that might be a possibility …boom! Blow up time.

   He turned back to face Aaron. "The truth is I'm afraid of losing you. If I fell in love with you, and something happened to you, or you decided to leave me …where would I be?"

   "Exactly where you're running to right now. Alone. Except you'd have missed out on the good times we could have had together."

   Nathan grunted and exhaled sharply through his nose, remembering the agony he'd gone through when he'd received the news that his parents were dead. He couldn't imagine a worse feeling than the torment a person went through when they lost someone they loved.

   He studied Aaron's eyes.

   I do love you... so, so much.

   "I'm not going anywhere," Aaron said as he stepped closer to Nathan, his eyes pleading with him. "I left Sarah—for you. I left my entire life as I knew it behind—for you."

   Nathan visibly cringed and turned away, dragging his hands through his hair. "Why the fuck did you do that?"

   "Christ, Nathan …seriously?" Aaron dropped onto the sofa and pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. "We spend every fucking day together."

   He looked around, arms outstretched. "We share this cramped fucking space, you and I. We play football together, we eat, sleep, shower, study …even shit together, and I am not the least bit sick of you. My feelings for you have done nothing but grow. Maybe I'm a complete fucking idiot, but I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."

   Nathan laughed sharply. "You got the fucking idiot part right."

   "Fuck you!" Aaron pulled himself off the sofa and grabbed a sweater from his bed. "Push all you like. I'm not going anywhere, except down to the cafeteria to get something to eat." He pulled the door open and stood back. "Are you coming?"

   "Nah, I'll grab something when I'm out. I'm going to head to the club early. I haven't been there all week."

   "So, that's it?" Aaron crossed his arms. "One week of fucking around with me. Now you're done and want to head out cruising for tricks."

   Nathan snorted, attempting to look nonchalant as he delivered one of his classic break up lines. "Life sucks, hey?"

   "You fucking bastard," Aaron whispered, then relaxed his stance. "I'll be right here waiting for you when you come home."

   Nathan lowered his head and started texting. "Don't wait up."

Miserable was not a strong enough word to describe how Nathan was feeling. The strobe lights spinning across the dance floor were offering seductive glances at the half-naked men thrusting and grinding to the thrumming music, but Nathan had never felt so empty and alone in his life.

   "Hey, sexy," a sultry male voice said over Nathan's right shoulder. "I wasn't expecting to find you here tonight."

   Nathan leaned against the bar and looked out toward the dance floor. "It's Saturday night, Jonathan. Where else would you expect to find me? The fucking petting zoo?"

   "I don't know. At home with your boyfriend perhaps."

   "Boyfriends are overrated." Nathan tipped his head, winking at Jonathan as their respective high ball glasses clinked.

   "Well then," Jonathan dug around in his pocket and removed a small plastic vial. "Welcome home, sweetheart." He inhaled deeply and passed the vial to Nathan. "Here's to fucking our brains out."

   Nathan smirked. Sex with Jonathan was an adventure, greatly amplified by the endless supply of drugs at his disposal. He gripped the bar as his head swam momentarily, then the euphoria slowly crept in, coloring the gray depressing reality of his argument with Aaron in glorious shifting rainbows.

   "I think getting that gorgeous cock of yours in my mouth is the first order of business," Jonathan said as he pulled Nathan toward the dark hallway that ran the length of the back of the club. "You can fuck me later when we get back to your room."

   "Yeah, sure. I mean, no. Aaron—" Nathan stumbled and plastered his body against the wall Jonathan had pushed him toward. He blinked.

   What the fuck did Jonathan give me?

   He repositioned his back on the wall to keep from slipping down, but the heat was unbearable.

   Do I have a fever?

   Nathan lifted his hand to feel his forehead but was distracted by the sight of Jonathan bobbing up and down on his dick. He couldn't even remember undoing his pants. Maybe he hadn't. Maybe this was a dream. Fuck, who keeps yelling for jaegers and herons? Fucking freaks! He leaned his head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling, but the sound of the paint was hurting his eyes. He lowered his chin to his chest and closed his eyes.

   "Nathan?"

   Where the fuck did that voice come from?

  Nathan scrubbed the saliva from his lips as he searched the darkness for the familiar voice, but all he could make out were glimpses of the sights, sounds, and smells that comprised the back hallway. He clutched at his chest, in surprise, when the voice appeared directly in his ear.

   Give me a fucking heart attack, or what?

   "Nathan?" Aaron brushed his hand across the top of Nathan's head, stroking his hair. "Let's get you home."

   "I thought I was—" Nathan glanced around. The drugs were wearing off rapidly now. "Where the fuck is Jonathan?"

   "Jonathan was here with you?" Aaron straddled Nathan's hips, so he could lift and straighten out Nathan's jeans. He buttoned them up for him. "I didn't see him back here." He leaned against Nathan's chest and descended on his mouth, removing any trace that Jonathan may have left behind, but the taste was pure Nathan, and he wanted to remember it.

   Nathan wrapped an arm around Aaron's shoulder for support as they walked toward the door of the club. "How did you find me?"

   "You told me you were coming here tonight."

   "No—" Nathan waved his arm over his head. "Back there. How did you find me back there?"

   Aaron stopped and grinned. "You don't remember yelling my name? Over and over, and over—" He snorted loudly with amusement. "You were seriously pissing people off."

   Herons …Aaron. Made sense.

   Jaegers though?

   "That was me …fuck—" Nathan tucked himself in closer under Aaron's arm and inhaled the comforting scent of aftershave and musk as Aaron pulled him in for a hug.

   "Let's get you home," Aaron said and kissed Nathan's head.

Aaron looked up from his book as Nathan wandered back into their room wearing nothing but a towel placed low on his hips. "Do you feel better now?" he asked.

   "Yeah, the shower was a good idea." Nathan sat on the edge of Aaron's bed and studied his face. There was a pretty hefty bruise coloring his left cheek. "I'm sorry I hit you. And I'm sorry for all the things I said. Except for the part about losing you."

   Aaron set his book down. "But …"

   "Yeah, but …" Nathan lowered his gaze. "Aaron, it's  …I don't know. I'm not ready for this."

   Aaron nodded his head as tears collected along his thick bottom lashes. He sniffed and wiped a hand across his face. "I know." He laughed softly. "We had fun though, didn't we?"

   Nathan tried to smile back, but his lips only quivered. He'd never loved anyone as much as he loved Aaron, and seeing him staring up expectantly at him like he was, was almost too much.

   He wanted to scoop him up, make love to him, and ask him to marry him, but he wasn't going to let that happen. Aaron deserved so much more than what he could offer.

   "Yeah, we did," Nathan said finally. "Oh, this came for you yesterday." He leaned over and grabbed his backpack, and removed a small envelope. "It's from Sarah. She slipped it under the door."

   Aaron crunched up his face and tore the envelope open. His eyes quickly scanned the note then he stuffed it under his pillow.

   "What did she say?" Nathan asked.

   "She wants to get back together."

   Nathan inhaled shakily and had to turn away from Aaron. He rose and went to look out the window. "That's good, right?"

   "I guess—" Aaron sighed as his body shuddered. "Nathan, are you sure? Because if Sarah and I get back together, we'll probably end up getting married, and then you and I …can never be."

   Tucking his face into his cupped hand to contain the rising anguish, Nathan spoke the most difficult words he thought he'd ever utter. "It wasn't going to happen anyway, Aaron." He took a deep breath, willing his voice to hold out. "I'm not in love with you."

   Nathan slid and collapsed to his knees when he heard the door close, Aaron's final words echoing in his mind—that he was going to be moving in with Sarah, he'd be back later to pick up the rest of his things, and he wouldn't be bothering him ever again.

Chapter Six

Nathan rushed across the busy street in a futile attempt to get in through the doors of his neighborhood pub without becoming completely soaked. He'd moved to the west coast almost ten years ago, but he couldn't get used to the rain. In its favor, the city was extremely clean, greenery intense, and breathtakingly surrounded by miles of beaches and snow-capped mountains, offering some of the best sunbathing and skiing in the world.

   Except, not in April. This was rainy season and the trip across the street from his small apartment would've been navigated more successfully with an umbrella, but one didn't want to look like a tourist, or so he'd been told, and be caught shying away from the joys of living in a temperate rain forest.

   Nathan shook out his coat, hung it on a hook near the bar, and took a seat. He motioned for the bartender.

   "What can I get for you tonight, Nathan?"

   "Hey, Phil. You can pull me my usual." Nathan set his hands on the bar as he looked around. "It's busier than usual in here tonight."

   "Yeah, engagement party. Poor sucker. The girl is pretty cute though." Phil clapped his hands together. "I'll grab your beer."

   "Thanks, buddy."

   Nathan tucked in and lowered his gaze as people pushed past him. Ten years in the city and he could count the number of friends he had on one hand, and that included Phil, the bartender.

   After Aaron had packed up and moved out, Nathan had quit the football team and focused on his studies. Occasionally, he would catch a glimpse of Aaron across the common, but they'd never spoken again. The pain and emptiness had followed him even after he'd finished college. People had tried to become a part of his life, but he'd routinely pushed them away before they'd even made the first step. Without Aaron, he preferred being alone.

   Nathan drained the glass and set it, along with some money, on the bar. "Thanks, Phil. I'll see you tomorrow." He was about to turn and leave when a heavy hand landed on his arm.

   "Nathan?"

   Fucking hell—it can't be.

   Nathan spun around.

   Aaron.

   "You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

   I was just thinking about you. Always you.

   Only you.

   "Jesus Christ. I thought it was you." Aaron slammed his hand onto Nathan's shoulder and embraced him. "I can't believe it. What are you doing on the coast? Do you live here now?"

   "Yeah, I'm working with an environmental group here …you?"

   "I'm still living back east. I flew in for a buddy of mine. He's getting married this summer and was looking for a bit of moral support during this engagement party thing of his."

   "So, are you practicing law out there?" Nathan leaned against the bar to support himself. Aaron's eyes were doing strange but familiar things to his legs.

   He's still so fucking gorgeous.

   "Yeah," Aaron replied. "I've been running my own small firm for a few years now. We deal mostly in discrimination cases."

   Nathan smirked. "Do you get many 'straight guys can't dance based on stereotyping' cases councilor?"

   Aaron drummed the bar in amusement. "No, I haven't seen any of those cross my desk yet."

   "Time will tell." Nathan motioned for Phil to get him another beer. "Can I get you something?"

   "No, I should really head back over there." Aaron held out his hand and pulled Nathan into another embrace. "It was really great seeing you. It's been a long time."

   Instead of releasing Aaron, Nathan tucked his head against Aaron's shoulder and gripped tight to his sweater as the scent he'd been longing for curled desperately into his gut.

   Christ no, please don't let go of me.

   Nathan stumbled, shivering against the bar when Aaron gripped his shoulders and separated their bodies. He thought for sure his heart was going to stop.

   "Fuck, Nathan—" Aaron dipped down and looked up into Nathan's face. "Are you alright?"

   Nathan shook his head no silently as his heart hammered out of control. He'd made a serious underestimation about the endurance of his love for Aaron. It was excruciating.

   Wiping a stream of tears from his face, he raised his head and met Aaron's gaze.

   "I lied to you that day," Nathan said. "The day you moved out."

   "What?" Aaron scoped out the pub. He supported Nathan as he steered him toward an empty booth and slid in beside him. "You lied to me about what?" He wrapped his arm around Nathan's shoulder and cradled Nathan tight against his chest.

   Nathan shuddered through a sob.

   "Oh, fuck, Nathan—" Aaron laid his cheek against Nathan's still damp hair, warming it with his breath. "And I'm the fucking idiot? Why would you do something like that?"

   Nathan turned his face into the curve of Aaron's neck. "I wanted you to be happy."

   Aaron's eyebrows furrowed and he pressed Nathan away from his body. "So, you made the decision for me? You decided what would make me happy?"

   He shoved Nathan away, leapt from the booth and stormed away.

   He turned back.

   "Fuck you, Nathan!" Aaron's voice boomed across the pub, turning heads in their direction.

   "Wait …Aaron." Nathan struggled out of the booth and ran after Aaron. He'd headed back toward where his friends were gathered.

   Christ, what have I done?

   "Aaron, please …" Nathan touched Aaron's shoulder.

   "You wanted me to be happy?" Aaron spun on him, deep lines creasing his flushed, outraged face. "My life has been fucking miserable without you!" He leaned against a chair for support and downed a drink from the engagement party table. "How could you do that to me?"

   "I thought …I thought you'd be happier with Sarah."

   "Fuck, Nathan. I never loved Sarah the way I loved you." Aaron paused and surveyed the table. His friends were staring open-mouthed at the exchange.

   He returned his attention to Nathan. "Sarah and I didn't even last a year. She got fed up waiting for me to look at her the way I used to. The way I did before I met you."

   "Why didn't you try to find me?" Nathan asked, bewildered by the reality he'd been so wrong.

   "You'd told me you didn't love me." Aaron shook his head and lowered his gaze. "That last night we spent together when I was holding you afterward …I thought I saw something in your eyes. I thought I saw love. At that moment, my whole world opened up. I thought I'd be spending the rest of my life with you by my side as my lover and best friend. Instead, you pushed me away and said you didn't love me. I wasn't going to go looking for you after that. I'd been hurt enough."

   Nathan covered his mouth and steadied himself, reliving the moment he'd pushed away the only man he'd ever loved.

   I am such a fucking idiot.

   "I was scared," Nathan said. "I felt something and it scared me."

   Aaron looked around and grabbed his coat. "Is there somewhere else we can talk about this?"

   "Wait—" Nathan held up his hand to stop Aaron from moving. "Let me get this out first." He swiped a hand across his face.

   Aaron grunted and set his hands on his hips.

   "You were right. You saw something that night," Nathan said, then laughed hesitantly. "I think my body knew it long before my mind did. I couldn't get enough of you. From the first day I met you, I knew I was in trouble."

   "Yeah, I know the feeling," Aaron said, relaxing. "You were pretty fucking adorable with that cum on your cheek …your face all flushed and everything."

   "Christ, Aaron—" Nathan shoved Aaron further away from his friends. "Your friends are listening."

   "Hell, they don't care." Aaron wrapped Nathan up in his arms and buried his face in Nathan's hair. "They know I'm gay. They're gawking because they're surprised to hear I had a girlfriend."

   Nathan pulled back. "What?"

   "Turns out you were right." Aaron shrugged. "I like guys."

   "But—" Nathan crunched up his face, floored, and shook his head. "You know what …never mind."

   "So, you did feel something that night?"

   "Yes I did, and …"

   Aaron brushed his fingers through the hair above Nathan's ear. "Are you seeing anyone?"

   "No, but—"

   "Do you live nearby?"

   Nathan's heart felt as if it nearly stopped. He nodded his head and pointed toward the door. "My …my apartment …is …right there."

   "Great."

   Nathan hesitated when Aaron grabbed his hand. "Wait—"

   "What's wrong?" Aaron's brow creased in confusion, then he clapped his hand onto his forehead. "You're not interested in picking up together. I'm sorry. I assumed because of the way you were holding me. I totally read that wrong."

   "No, that's not it. I'm interested, but I hadn't finished what I wanted to say." Nathan reached for Aaron's hand and stroked his thumb across it. "Before we go running off and I get completely distracted, I need to tell you something."

   Nathan wet his lips and bit down on the bottom one.

   Fuck

   "What?" Aaron reached for Nathan's other hand as understanding washed over him. "What do you want to tell me?"

   "Fuck, this is hard for me, Aaron."

   "Then let me start." Aaron leaned in and kissed Nathan's lips. "I'm still in love with you too."

The door fell open with more force than necessary, but Nathan was having trouble manipulating the keys while Aaron was simultaneously removing his pants for him and aggressively caressing his throat with his tongue. Once in, he tossed the keys toward the kitchen counter, but they slid across its surface and onto the floor, breaking something on the far side.

   Aaron stopped his assault. "Did you break something?"

   "It's nothing." Nathan peered over the counter at the broken glass. Luckily, the dish had been almost empty. "It's just Lulu's water dish."

   "Lulu?" Aaron snorted loudly and creased up laughing.

   Nathan shoved him affectionately. "Shut the fuck up. I inherited the stupid cat, alright. She came pre-named."

   "You didn't think to change her name?"

   "No." Nathan squatted down and picked up the largest of the broken pieces. "That would've confused her."

   "Where is she?"

   Nathan reached for the broom and dustpan and attempted to sweep up the smaller bits. "Probably on the bed."

   "Smart cat …" Aaron whispered under his breath as he made his way down the hall.

   He stopped as he entered Nathan's bedroom, and ran his fingers over a framed picture just inside the doorway. It was a group photo of their football team, and he and Nathan were standing side by side in it. Smiling—happy.

   Nathan pressed up behind him, wrapped his arms around Aaron's waist, and set his chin on Aaron's shoulder. "Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?"

   Aaron sighed and turned to face Nathan, cupping his face. He kissed Nathan's lips, then studied him. "We need to get something straight between you and me." He grinned, but with a subtle seriousness. "If you break my heart again, I swear to God, I will kick your ass from here all the way back to that damn school."

  "Not going to happen," Nathan said as he ran a finger down Aaron's shirt and hooked it in Aaron's belt. "I love you too much."

 Aaron smirked. "That sounded nice." He pulled at Nathan's arm, hauling him toward the bed. "Hearing you say it."

"Well, get used to it, because it's going to become a habit."

"That's a good habit," Aaron said as he sat on the end of the bed, deftly unhooked Nathan's belt, and dropped Nathan's pants to the floor. He brushed his cheek across Nathan's hardening cock, moaning quietly and sighing, then licked the fabric of Nathan's underwear.

  Nathan brushed a hand through Aaron's hair and sighed softly with exhilaration.

 "So, what made you realize you were gay?" he asked.

  "Well—" Aaron tucked his fingers into the band of Nathan's underwear, released his cock, and shoved his underwear toward the floor. "After Sarah and I broke up …" Using his thumb and forefinger, Aaron slid Nathan's foreskin until it completely covered his cockhead. He licked delicately at the puckered crease then drew the skin all the way back against Nathan's body, and sucked gently on the head as he jacked the shaft a few times.

   Nathan almost stumbled into Aaron's lap. He laid a hand on Aaron's shoulder to steady his balance, in case Aaron attempted to complete that maneuver again.

   "You were saying," Nathan said.

   Fuck, there he goes again.

   "Christ, Aaron. That feels really good."

   "Mm …it tastes really good too."

   Aaron peered up at Nathan as he repeated the action a few more times, then stopped to remove his own shirt. Nathan stepped out of the pants pooled at his feet then struggled to remove his own shirt. "Aaron, please, the question, before the rest of the blood leaves my head."

   "There's not really much to tell," Aaron replied. "I was pretty busy for a few years setting up my firm, so I wasn't doing a lot of dating. I went out with a few girls in the office down the hall from mine." He stood and removed his pants, tossing them onto a nearby chair. "It was alright. Nothing too exciting. Then a guy approached me in the coffee shop I go to every morning and asked me out, and I thought, "Sure, what the hell.""

   Nathan pressed Aaron back to lay on the bed and ran his hands through the thick hair on Aaron's chest. "Where'd all this come from? You were never this furry before."

   "I can wax it off if you don't like it."

   "No, I love it." Nathan brushed his fingers across the soft hairs, then leaned in to take one of Aaron's full nipples into his mouth. He flicked his tongue across its surface, then kissed it as it puckered from the attention. "Go on with your story. Did you and coffee guy hit it off?"

   "No. We went out a few times and slept together once. Big mistake. The guy turned out to be a fuckin' muncher impersonator. I swear wedding bells were already going off in the guy's head. Probably had his U-Haul double parked outside my apartment on our first date."

   Nathan laughed into the soft flesh of Aaron's stomach, making Aaron gasp and twitch, then he continued his quest to lick a thick line down the center of Aaron's body.

   "Despite that horrifying experience," Aaron continued. "I realized I was more comfortable dating guys." He clutched at the bedding as Nathan took a firm grip of his cock and began stroking it. "I don't know if that makes me gay or not. All I know is I prefer hanging out and fucking around with guys. Girls …not so much."

   Sliding his thumb across Aaron's slit, Nathan caressed the pre-cum into the thick velvety head. He grinned. "I hate to break it to you buddy, but you need to stop defending that zone. You're gay."

   "Yeah, I know." Aaron looked down the length of his body at Nathan. "Are you going to suck that thing? Or were you planning on simply playing with it and tormenting me?"

   "Tormenting you sounds like fun." Nathan lowered his head, buried his face in the underside of Aaron's balls, and inhaled the scent of Aaron's arousal.

   He blew softly across them, causing them to retreat.

   Aaron laughed. "Christ, you're such a tease."

   Nathan winked and rode his tongue over the fleshy head of Aaron's cock, around the ridge, and then sucked at the slit, removing the pooling fluid that had collected there. Aaron groaned and closed his eyes as Nathan dove onto his cock and took him deep into his throat.

   Nathan could only take Aaron's cock all the way in a few times before he had to come up for a full breath of air. He'd almost forgotten how massive Aaron was, but his ass hadn't. It was clenching and throbbing hungrily, sending intense waves of need up his spine.

   He reached down and grabbed his own dick to try and temper the desire. A slow steady rhythm would calm his body down. He licked his lips and took Aaron's cock back into his mouth.

   Aaron's hand grabbed ahold of his arm and Nathan climbed up toward Aaron's chest so Aaron could take his mouth. Their tongues mingled and sparred with each other, sucking and licking, tasting and immersing, again and again until Nathan felt certain he'd melt onto Aaron's chest and become one with him. Disappointment left him shuddering when Aaron pulled away.

   "I want to try something different with you," Aaron said.

   Nathan's eyebrows went up.

   Fuck yeah.

   "Don't get too excited," Aaron continued, chuckling. "It's only something different for me. I want to bottom for you."

   Wait.

   "You've never tried it?" Nathan asked.

   Aaron kissed Nathan's lips briskly. "No, I was waiting for the right person."

   "Intriguing." Nathan grinned. "I used to dream about popping your cherry and making you my bitch."

   "I can only imagine how that played out, so please don't get carried away. I don't want to be crippled by your exuberance."

   Nathan smirked then swept down between Aaron's legs, aggressively hoisted his hips up, and tipped Aaron up onto his shoulders.

   "For Christ's sake, Nathan …I said gently." He gasped and closed his eyes as Nathan's tongue began circling his hole.

   "Mm …" Nathan winked at him. "You like that?"

   "Fuck yeah." Aaron sighed, resigned. "Fuck. Me. You go ahead …and do …whatever …you want."

   Nathan's tongue nipped in and out, poking lightly, then he spat and moved the fluid around with his thumb. He settled his tongue at the base of Aaron's crease and licked a wet slick path from Aaron's hole to his balls. He took one into his mouth, sucking it up away from the other.

   He let it drop with a popping sound.

   "Fuck, Nathan …careful."

   "Sorry." Nathan stroked Aaron's thigh." Hey, I've always meant to ask you something."

   "Can you ask it with your tongue back in my ass?"

   Nathan shrugged his shoulders. "Sure." Grinning, he took a swipe with his tongue across Aaron's pulsing ring and dipped a fingertip into it.

   "That first day—" He spat and licked, pressing his tongue against the hole. It wasn't ready to give in the least yet. "When I had jizz on my face …" Reaching forward, Nathan had Aaron wet his finger for him, then he gently pressed it back against Aaron's hole. "Did you wipe that cum off my cheek and taste it on purpose?" He spat and caressed deeper.

   Now we're getting somewhere.

   "Yeah," Aaron said. "Did you think it was an accident?"

   "Rather bold after just meeting me."

   "You're the one that jerked off in front of me." Aaron threw his hands up over his face. Nathan's finger was all the way in now, twisting and caressing. "I couldn't stop myself. You looked so adorable all sweaty and aroused, pumping your meat. You should've seen the look on your face when I started sucking on my thumb—beautiful. You tasted really good by the way."

   Nathan set Aaron down and motioned for him to move over, so he could stack two pillows in the middle of the bed. "Why'd you wait so long to make a move on me?"

   "I was conflicted." Aaron's eyes sparkled, remembering. "I almost got fucking hypothermia making sure I was cold enough to have an excuse to climb into bed with you."

   "Now who's the fucking idiot?" Nathan smacked at Aaron's ass playfully. "Could you reach me the lube? It's in the bedside drawer there …and the massage oil. I'm going to need that."

   Nathan took everything Aaron handed him and waited patiently as Aaron lay back in the remaining pillows. It would be too easy to take Aaron as he lay there nervous and shivering. He needed Aaron to want his cock. He wanted Aaron to remember his first time, and how incredibly satisfying submission could be. Back in college, Aaron had always been so obedient. Maybe he needed that.

   "On your stomach, with your hips on the pillows," Nathan said, and Aaron immediately complied. "Spread your legs a bit." He tapped Aaron's ass when the spacing was sufficient for him to reach through and draw Aaron's entire cock and balls assembly back to drape down the front edge of the pillows. "You're not to touch yourself. Do you understand?"

   Aaron nodded his head silently as Nathan stroked a single finger from the tip of Aaron's cock, up along the shaft, between Aaron's balls and around his pursed tight rosebud. He would come back to all that later. Pouring some oil into his hands, Nathan straddled Aaron's body and started massaging his shoulders, working the tension, and apprehension from them before moving along Aaron's spine. He dug his thumbs into the firm muscular cheeks of Aaron's ass, starting at the bottom and rotating up in circles, again and again, until Aaron's already seductive sounds of enjoyment became huskier and blanketed in need.

   Just to tease him, Nathan pressed his own fiercely hard cock against Aaron's crease and rubbed and thrust it against Aaron's skin. Aaron clenched up but then relaxed, breathing heavier.

   Nathan backed off, warmed some more oil in his hands, and started deep strokes down Aaron's thigh. He worked the tight muscle groups all the way down, paying special attention to the ball and sole of Aaron's foot, and then started down the other side.

   "How does that feel?" Nathan asked as he finished Aaron's massage and wiped his hands off on his own thighs.

   "Fucking incredible," Aaron answered.

   "More relaxed?"

   "Yeah."

   "Good. Move your legs apart a little further." Nathan repositioned himself between Aaron's legs, dispensed some lube onto his fingers, and used it to stroke his hands along Aaron's shaft, from root to tip, hand over hand, gently, then tightly, then barely at all. Aaron ground his hips into the pillows, forcing his dick hard and aggressive against the bedding. He moaned in satisfaction.

   Nathan stopped what he was doing.

   "Aaron, that would constitute touching yourself. I asked you not to do that," Nathan said then sat back, crossed his arms, and waited. "Are you going to apologize to me?"

   "I'm …I'm sorry."

   Nathan poured a small amount of lube in his hands and began rolling Aaron's sacs between his fingers, then he released them. "I'm not convinced you're sorry, Aaron."

   "I am …fuck, Nathan. Please don't stop."

   Nathan smirked and continued caressing Aaron's balls. He pulled them gently away from Aaron's body, occasionally stroking Aaron's cock as well. "Do you like what I'm doing?"

   "Yeah, it feels good."

   Nathan rode his thumb along the seam between Aaron's balls back to the short span of skin before his ass. Finding the indent he was looking for, Nathan pressed into it and massaged the base of Aaron's shaft.

   Aaron exhaled softly.

   "Do you like this?" Nathan asked.

   "Yeah. Mm …hm." Aaron tucked his face and grabbed the bedding but kept his body perfectly relaxed.

   Circling Aaron's hole gently with his forefinger, Nathan drizzled a stream of lube down Aaron's crack, letting it pool against his finger before inserting the tip, just enough to tease him. Aaron sighed and tipped his hips up higher, trying to draw more of it in.

   That's it, Aaron.

   Nathan brushed his lips across Aaron's ass, noting it was furrier as well. He smiled, pleased, and pressed deeper, setting a hand on Aaron's back to soothe him when the soft tissue clamped down on his finger. As it released, Nathan began a slow and steady twisting, thrusting motion, building up Aaron's need for something more substantial to be filling that space.

   "I need you up on your knees," Nathan said after releasing Aaron. "Head down and don't touch yourself, alright?"

   "I won't. I promise."

   Nathan settled himself behind Aaron. "Did you like what I was doing with my finger?"

   "Yeah, I liked it."

   "Did you want me to put my finger back in your ass?"

   "Yes …"

   "Yes, what?"

   Aaron hesitated. "Yes, I want you to put your finger back in my ass."

   "What about two?"

   Aaron hesitated, longer this time. "Yes …two. I want you to put two fingers in my ass."

   After more lube, Nathan carefully slid two fingers in far enough to reach Aaron's prostate, then used the soft pads of his fingertips to gently massage the gland, making Aaron squirm, moan, and break out in a lovely glistening sweat.

   "That feels so good," Aaron said between heaving breaths.

   Nathan pressed a bit deeper across the gland and Aaron released a throaty Fuck and jammed his ass back against Nathan's hand, forcing Nathan's fingers all the way in.

   Aaron immediately shot forward, gasping, then sank back on Nathan's fingers, taking them in as deep as they'd go. Not wanting to interrupt, Nathan held his hand steady and let Aaron fuck himself on his fingers. After a few heavy strokes, Nathan added some more lube and curved a third finger around to be taken in on the next thrust.

   Aaron coughed out a groan, slowed, and descended fully on the increased girth.

   "Do you like fucking yourself on my fingers?" asked Nathan.

   "God …yeah." Aaron pulled away a fraction of an inch and then plunged back, cursing with enjoyment.

   "Are you going to cum soon?"

   "Yeah, I think so …yeah."

   "Did I say you could cum?"

   Aaron slowed his movement and lowered his head. "No."

   "You're not to cum until I say so." Nathan removed his hand from Aaron's ass and ran his thumb along the edge of Aaron's open hole. He leaned forward and dipped his tongue into the pulsating warmth as he reached through Aaron's legs and began jacking his shaft.

   "Christ, Nathan." Aaron shifted.

   Nathan licked at the ring as it started to close over, then pressed his tongue into it. It immediately relaxed open again.

   Fuck. Now that is beautiful.

   "Nathan …" Aaron reached back and grasped at Nathan's arm.

   "Did you need something, Aaron?" Nathan shifted his position, eased a finger back inside Aaron's ass, and stroked his prostate.

   Aaron gasped and squirmed. "God …please, Nathan. I need you. Please …fuck me."

   "With what? My finger?" Nathan stroked it in and out of Aaron's hole a few times, then cupped Aaron's balls gently.

   "No fingers, Nathan," Aaron pleaded. "Please …I want your cock."

   Nathan rose up on his knees, set the head of his cock at Aaron's opening, and pressed against it. "You want me to fuck you with this big cock of mine?"

   "Yes. Fuck yes." Aaron's arms shot out and gathered the discarded pillows, pulling them to his face. "Fuck me. Please fuck me. Fuck me hard with that big cock …please, Nathan."

   Nathan smacked his dick against Aaron's ass cheeks a few times, then settled onto his heels. "Roll over onto your back."

   Aaron fell face first onto the bed and rolled over. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

   Nathan cocked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

   "Christ, I'm sorry." Aaron draped his arm across his face. "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry."

   Nathan exhaled a laugh, pleased with Aaron's attempts at submission. It would take a bit of work, but Aaron would come around. He reached across Aaron's body to his bedside table and pulled a box of condoms from the drawer.

   Aaron touched Nathan's arm. "Nathan, wait—"

   "Have you changed your mind?" Nathan brushed his hand through Aaron's hair and kissed his forehead. There was no way he was going to force Aaron to do anything he didn't want to do.

   "No. Fuck, no." Aaron took the box of condoms and tossed them onto the floor. "I get tested every six months. My last one was a month ago. It came back negative and I haven't been with anyone since."

   Nathan's face twisted in thought.

   "You want to do this bareback?" he asked.

   "Yeah, I do." Aaron searched Nathan's eyes. "You're not positive, are you? Not that it matters… If you are, we can use condoms." Aaron paused, studying Nathan's face. "Are you?"

   Nathan shook his head no.

   "Only if you can become infected by being celibate," he added.

   Aaron snorted with amusement. "You, Nathan Kent, celibate? When did hell freeze over?"

   "Very funny, but I haven't been in the mood. I was tested a few years back. A couple of months after fucking my last trick. The pipes are clean." Nathan brushed his fingers across Aaron's lips. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

   Aaron nodded his head. "I want to be yours, Nathan. Only yours. I want you to own me, and claim me …by filling me."

   Jesus fucking Christ!

   Nathan fell back into the bedding almost crushing Lulu who'd come to investigate. He pushed her off the edge of the bed and chucked a pillow in her direction. She took off out of the room, and Nathan shifted his gaze back to Aaron, who was watching him intently. Aaron was offering him something he'd dreamed of back in college. To possess Aaron completely. Now here Aaron was, offering it to him, like a gift—like his love.

   "Are you sure?" Nathan asked as he crawled around until he was between Aaron's legs.

   "Do you love me?" Aaron asked.

   "More than anything."

   "Then I'm sure."

   "Alright." Nathan kissed Aaron's stomach and pressed his fingers back inside. Aaron's hips thrust up and his tight cock bounced against his stomach, leaving threads of pre-cum seemingly tethering it there. Nathan leaned forward and broke the threads with his tongue, chasing them back to their source, then licked his lips. His dick pulsed hard, hungry. It didn't want to wait any longer.

   Almost.

   Shifting back, Nathan sucked Aaron's cock into his mouth and dug his thumb into Aaron's ass, fucking him with it. He shoved his shoulder against Aaron's thigh to get him to spread his legs wider. Aaron groaned and twisted, panting, his ass clenching and pulling, wanting more, needing more.

   "Fuck, Nathan …please. I'm sorry, but I can't stand it. Please fuck me. Please. Please. Please, fuck me."

   That was all he needed to hear. Nathan scrambled up, forcing Aaron's legs hard toward his chest. He wanted to watch Aaron's eyes fluttering in ecstasy as he claimed him. He slid in easily, letting Aaron's body consume and caress his raw and unhindered cock in a velvety embrace.

   He stayed motionless for a second, listening to Aaron's rapid inhalation of air, and feeling the stroking pulse of the thin vein inside Aaron's ass. The full depth of Aaron's chute closed around him as Aaron adjusted his legs.

   Dropping forward, Nathan plunged his tongue into Aaron's waiting mouth, tasting him as he held his body motionless. Aaron's hips pressed into the bedding and then jammed back up, sending Nathan's cock deeper inside. Aaron immediately regretted his actions when Nathan pulled away from his mouth.

   "Aaron." Nathan paused. "I'm supposed to be fucking you."

   Aaron shook his head and licked his lips. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

   Nathan grinned. "I'll let it slide tonight." He sunk back onto Aaron's mouth and began a slow steady assault on Aaron's virginity, pressing him increasingly further into the bedding as the sound of Aaron moaning and grunting radiated into his throat, spreading warmth and desire throughout his entire body.

   Aaron's stomach shook with laughter, and he pursed his lips when the entire bed began creaking, and the headboard started a rhythmic thudding against the wall. "If I'm going to move in with you, we need to get a new bed."

   Nathan licked Aaron's lips playfully.

   "Who says you're moving in with me?" he asked.

   "I do." Arching up, Aaron wrapped Nathan in his arms and rolled him over onto his back, towering over him. He reached for the headboard and used it to steady himself as he drew Nathan's dick in and out at his own speed, which was significantly faster than the pace Nathan had been setting.

   "What about your law firm?" Nathan asked.

   "I'll move it here."

   "Just like that."

   Aaron stopped. "Yeah. Just like that."

   Nathan brushed his hands up Aaron's chest, enjoying the view, and pulled Aaron down to kiss him. "Alright, but no more misbehaving or I'll have to spank your ass. I want you at the edge of the bed on your knees so I can make you cum." He sucked in his breath as Aaron grinned at him. "Then we'll go out and buy ourselves a new bed," he added.

   Aaron complied. He knelt with his feet trailing off the edge of the mattress and waited patiently for Nathan to circle around behind him. He shivered when Nathan's lips whispered across the skin of his ass. Swearing and gasping for breath, Aaron almost collapsed when Nathan drove his cock down into his prostate, then dragged back across it, making it quiver and pulse.

   "Fuck me, Nathan. Please, fuck me." Aaron gripped the bedding, groaning. "Take me …please. I want to be yours."

   Nathan brushed his thumbs across the back of Aaron's hips and plunged back into him, just once, his own body coming alive with the single thrust. He picked up the pace slowly and drove into Aaron hard. Their slick, sweat drenched skin keeping audible time as their legs began to shake from the exertion.

   The telling tension of the gland against the firm sensitive ridge that ran the length of Nathan's shaft started Nathan's heart racing. He rubbed his hand up and down Aaron's spine, and then reached for Aaron's shoulder, hauling him up against his chest.

   He whispered in Aaron's ear, "You can cum now."

   Nathan groaned at the sight of Aaron's cum forming increasingly smaller droplets across the bedding as each wave jolted through Aaron's body. He bit at Aaron's ear lobe and sucked at his neck as the effect of Aaron's orgasm squeezed and released his tensing cock, bringing Nathan closer to his cresting point.

   Aaron laid his head against Nathan's shoulder and sent Nathan moaning in ecstasy and anticipation as Aaron lifted his hand, covered in cum, to Nathan's lips. Nathan pulled Aaron's fingers into his mouth, caressing his tongue and lips over Aaron's slick knuckles.

   It was the catalyst he needed. Nathan's body tightened and pitched as he drove hard into Aaron. He held him pinned to his hips, rocking his own, ever so gently, as each rope of thick cum was unleashed into Aaron's ass.

   Aaron really was his now.

   He bit at Aaron's shoulder playfully, laughing.

   "Oh, my god. That felt amazing," Nathan exclaimed as he peered around at Aaron who was panting and leaning against Nathan for support. "Are you alright?"

   "Uh …yeah." Aaron heaved out a heavy laugh and crawled forward on the bed. "When can we do that again?" He lowered his head to the mattress as Nathan stood behind him.

   Without Nathan having to ask, Aaron pressed down, forcing a small amount of Nathan's cum back out of his ass.

   "Fuck, Aaron, that's hot." Nathan rubbed his thumb across Aaron's opening a few times then drew Aaron toward him and pressed his cock back inside. "I love you …so fucking much."

   "I love you too," Aaron said, then hummed softly as Nathan deliberately set him off balance, plunging them both into the pillows. "I'll be yours for as long as you want me to be."

   "Then I guess you're stuck with me for life," Nathan replied, then kissed the soft skin between Aaron's shoulder blades. "My heart is entirely yours. I've defended that zone for long enough."

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