A Mended Man (The Men of Halfway House Book 4) (37 page)

They followed their routine for the rest of that week, spending some time working at the dining room table on one of the files in Cam's case then eventually retreating to the comfort of their couch. Jessie loved their lazy Sundays, especially when they did nothing but spend time together. It didn't matter if they hung out on the back porch, worked out together, or just joked around. He cherished the privacy—the peacefulness, the closeness, the slow, lazy brush of fingers against his skin in a casual caress.

"Are you off next Saturday?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah. Did you want to do something?"

"Maybe in the afternoon. I have a delivery coming in the morning so I wanted to make sure you were here."

"Delivery?"

"I ordered some furniture. Well, technically, you did, it was on your credit card. But I did transfer the money into your account."

Aidan raised an eyebrow. "So you weren't kidding? Tell me it's not pastel or flowery."

"Hot pink."

Aidan lazily chuckled. "I picked up on your sarcasm that time."

"It's for your room. I ordered a bed—"

"Jess—"

He held up a stopping hand. "Hear me out."

Aidan stiffened but nodded.

"The bed is king-size. That way, whenever you're ready, we're not squeezing into the full-size bed in the guest room. There's no deadline and I'm not pushing you to jump in the bed. But I want a new bed that will be ours for whenever you are ready."

Aidan didn't look bothered, but there was a hint of emotion shining from his hazel eyes. "Okay."

"I also bought a couch to replace the one you refuse to use. We can move the one that's there now into the workout room. That way, you still keep it, but you'll have one in there you will actually use."

Aidan continued to watch him carefully, a barely noticeable softness tweaking his features. "When did you go to the furniture store?"

"Online. A totally review-driven choice, but anything is better than the bed in the guest room, and I think we're wearing out this couch far quicker than it was intended."

"Hey, I like this couch."

Jessie laughed and patted the backrest. "I know you do that's why it'll be a cold day in hell before I even joke about doing anything to this old girl."

A teasing smile lingered on Aidan's lips.

"I know it's your bedroom—"

"It's
our
house."

A swell of emotions tightened Jessie's throat. He reached for Aidan's hand. "I know it's important for you to have your space, but I hate sleeping in the guest room on those nights you work late."

"You could sleep on the couch."

"You refuse to wake me and I refuse to have you sleeping on the damn floor and you aren't comfortable in that small side chair. So this way, if you work late, I'll sleep in the new bed in your room—"

"In
our
room."

Jessie smiled. "In
our
room. And when you get in, you can sleep on the new, extra cushioned couch in the same room. That way, we don't have walls and a hallway between us."

Aidan reached up and brushed his thumb along Jessie's cheek. "You're such a control freak."

Jessie leaned forward, a mere inch away from Aidan's face. "And I think you like it."

"I do. But only when it's you."

Jessie leaned in for a quick kiss. "It'll be our secret."

Aidan cupped the back of Jessie's head and pulled him forward, lazily nipping and sucking on Jessie's lip then pulling away. He stood, tugging Jessie by his hand.

"Where are we going?" Jessie asked, refusing to stand, still dazed after the kiss.

"We need to move out that old couch from our room." Aidan tilted his head as if a thought had crossed his mind. "If we move over the dresser that's in there and shift the desk to the corner the way Hunter had it before, I've still got my pacing space when the bed comes in."

Jessie bit his kiss-swollen lip, trying to hold back the flutter of emotions at Aidan's enthusiasm.

"C'mon." He started walking away and stopped when Jessie didn't follow. "It was your bright idea." He returned to the couch and reached behind Jessie, wrapping one arm around his back and the other cupping his ass, effortlessly picking him up, off his feet and pulling him flush against his body. "Besides, I like seeing you work up a sweat with me."

Jessie wrapped his arms around Aidan's neck and anchored his legs around his waist. "Mmm. I like the sound of that."

"So…" Aidan brushed his lips slowly against Jessie's. "What do I need to do to convince you to help me?"

"Are you taking your shirt off?"

Aidan brushed his lips back and forth against Jessie's mouth. "If you want me to."

"Well, when you put it that way, how can I resist?"

Aidan laughed and pressed his forehead to Jessie's, still holding him in his arms as he made his way into
their
room. "You're insatiable."

"For you, always."

* * * *

Aidan entered his passcode and walked through the cage and down the hallway—his stride, lighter than normal. He couldn't seem to get Jessie or their weekend together out of his head. Jessie had turned his teasing up a notch and Aidan had been completely at his mercy. They'd spent the better part of the weekend at home, vegging out on the couch watching movies or just making out the way he figured most teenagers with raging hormones would.

He pushed through the meeting room door and pulled out the chair next to Sunny. "Good morning," he said, plopping himself in the seat.

Sunny shifted her head toward him and slowly raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Aidan said, grabbing one of the files from the center of the table.

"You're smiling."

"What?" he asked again, thumbing through the file.

"You're smiling." She reached over and closed his folder, drawing his attention.

Aidan looked up. "I heard you the first time. I
do
smile, you know."

Sunny turned in her seat to face him. "Newsflash. You only half smile or do this real twisted, evil grin thing which just freaks me out. But you're smiling. Like…really smiling. Smiling with your eyes."

"You can't smile with your eyes."

"Sure, you can. It's the difference between a genuine smile and a Calloway smile. You, my dear, are smiling like the rest of us."

Aidan lowered his brow. "Put a cork in it, Sunshine," he mumbled, pulling the file away from her grasp and reopening it.

Sunny laughed. "See, you can't even be pissed off and taken seriously right now. You're still smiling."

The door opened and both looked up to greet Travis. He set his cup down and watched them, slowly taking his seat. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Aidan said, thumbing through the pages.

Sunny bit her lip, but her body shook, holding back the laughter.

"Oh, come on, guys. Fess up. It's got to be fucking hysterical if Calloway's smiling."

Aidan looked up at Travis, narrowing his eyes as he spoke. "You guys are impossible. Review the file before the meeting."

Sunny and Travis laughed in unison. "Sunny, give me Vega's number. Whatever he put in his coffee, we need to mass produce that shit!"

Aidan tightened his lips, holding back a chuckle. "Shut the fuck up. You guys make it sound as if I never smile."

Sunny and Travis quieted and both stared at him, neither saying a word.

"We've known each other how long now?" Travis asked.

"Almost three years. Why?" Aidan asked.

"I don't recall you smiling. At all. In fact, I've wondered if you have teeth."

Sunny crossed her arms and sucked in her lips, stifling a chuckle. "He does. You see them when he sneers and growls," she finished, unable to hold back the laugh.

"You guys are…annoying. Stop it," he said.

"Hey, Calloway."

Aidan looked up at Travis.

"Jessie Vega."

A flood of memories from their weekend together raced through Aidan's mind in a flash—the teasing glint in Jessie's blue eyes, the softness of his dark hair, the warmth of his mouth, the sounds he made when they kissed.

Travis and Sunny both pointed their finger at him and started laughing. "Busted!"

Aidan shook his head and scoffed. He rose from his seat and closed the file, staring at his teammates who couldn't seem to stop laughing at him. "Call me back when the meeting starts."

He walked around the table just as Wall entered the room. At least he could count on Wall to not give him a hard time.

His silent teammate looked at Travis and Sunny with a frown, no doubt wondering what the hell he had missed. He glanced up at Aidan and his features relaxed, then transitioned into one of his lopsided grins. He quirked an eyebrow and crossed his arms, staring at Aidan as Travis and Sunny began another round of laughter at the silent exchange between them.

"Shut up," he said to Wall as he pushed past him out the door.

* * * *

"I can feel your heartbeat."

"That's because you have your hand on my chest." Aidan wrapped his arm around Jessie's waist, tugging him closer, reveling in the quiet intimacy of just lying together on the couch watching television as he stroked his fingers up and down Jessie's arm. He'd thought about this all day, not even caring about the jokes at work from his teammates. He sighed, closing his eyes, relaxing, enjoying Jessie's tempting touches and the series of open-mouth kisses trailing along his skin.

"Your heart's beating faster."

"Having your mouth on me does that."

Jessie licked up the side of Aidan's neck, then kiss-bit his stubbled jawline. "How about this? Does this make your heart beat harder?"

"That makes a lot of things harder."

"Mmm, and what are you going to do about that?"

Aidan arched an eyebrow, holding back a grin. Damn, he liked it when Jessie teased him. His body immediately responded to the promise in that spark in Jessie's eyes. He leaned in for a kiss, reaching up behind Jessie to hold him in place. He groaned when Jessie opened his mouth, welcoming him to explore. He swiftly undid the drawstring of Jessie's sleep pants, dipping inside to wrap his hand around him. Jessie pushed up into Aidan's hold, snaking his arms around his neck, pulling him closer as a strangled whimper escaped.

Damn, he loved that sound.

Jessie pulled away from the kiss, closing his eyes and leaning his head on Aidan's shoulder. He thrust his hips seeking more friction, twisting the hair at the back of Aidan's head, letting out a groan before spilling his release into Aidan's hand. He buried his face against Aidan's shoulder, gasping for air, still gripping Aidan's hair tightly in his fist.

Aidan placed a kiss against the side of Jessie's head. "Guess I'm not the only one who comes fast."

Jessie's breath puffed across Aidan's skin and his words slurred slightly. "I think we need a benchmark. Best two out of three."

They lay there, still for a few moments, pressing slow kisses against each other, neither one wanting to move an inch. He pushed his nose against Jessie's soft hair and sighed, reveling in the weight against his body and the warmth in his arms, enjoying the lazy caress and brush of fingertips against skin. For the first time in his life, intimacy wasn't rushed or hidden. There was nothing to be ashamed of and no one to shatter the spell that lingered in the peaceful air.

He withdrew his hand from within Jessie's sleep pants, his fisted hand still holding Jessie's release. Aidan returned Jessie's scrutinizing stare as he held his hand up to his mouth then licked every drop of Jessie's essence from his fingers until nothing remained, never breaking eye contact with the lust-filled, sea of blue staring back at him.

Jessie moaned and gripped the sides of Aidan's head before slamming their mouths together in a demanding kiss. Jessie shifted his position, now flush against Aidan's already awake and ready body. Aidan reached down and wrapped his hand around both now hardened shafts, reveling in the silky heat gliding in his fist. He screwed his eyes shut and focused on the steady up and down rhythm. Every electron in his body lit up and charged, ready to burst on command. He thrust his hips forward, seeking friction. A lifetime of stolen moments or rushed releases hadn't prepared him for the degree of desire and want coursing through his veins for every possible tender, passionate show of intimacy he could steal. Not just with anyone, with this man.

His
Jess.

The one man firmly planted in Aidan's heart and securely seated in his being.

Fists tightened and fingers dug into skin as the rhythm sped. They locked their lips into an uncoordinated, messy kiss a brief moment before they each grunted and spurted their release between them.

Aidan rubbed his nose against the sweat-dampened tips of Jessie's hair curling against the edges of his face. He wondered where along the line he had given up complete and total control of himself and let Jessie lead. "What the hell are you doing to me?"

Jessie reached up and brushed away the now sweat-slicked hair from Aidan's face. "Hopefully, a lot of things."

Aidan huffed out a quiet laugh. "You're insatiable."

"For you, yes. I finally have you and I want all of you."

"Mmm," Aidan hummed before leaning in for a lazy kiss. He couldn't stop touching Jessie, holding him, kissing him.

"Are you tired?" Jessie asked when they finally separated from the kiss.

Aidan lazily shook his head, staring at Jessie as if seeing him for the first time. He loved discovering all the tiny nuances of Jessie's personality, especially the quiet, private layers no one else saw but him. Tired? Hell no. His body had been dormant for far too long and had a reserve that even surprised him.

"Good," Jessie said, diving in for another kiss.

* * * *

"So…where are we going?" Jessie asked, returning the items to the pantry and the refrigerator. He hadn't expected Aidan to arrive home early, and he definitely hadn't expected him to announce a dinner excursion, especially not after spending so much time on the couch lately, having far too much fun to want to escape the house.