Not His Kiss to Take (38 page)

“
Nope. Pretty sure you made love to me just now.”

Evan pretended to think about it as he slid a hand up Jamie’s back and neck and into the sweaty hair sticking to his nape. He kissed the top of his head. Fuck.
Even my hair hurts
. “Damn,” Evan whispered. “I think you’re right.”

Wow. No argument again. Bossy Dom might lose his reputation if this kept up. “They say actions speak louder than words.” That summed Evan up to a tee. “You’re honest even when you make love.”

Squeezing him tight, Evan laughed. “I keep telling you to quit listening to
them
. But of course, you don’t listen to
me.
”

But I listen to every word, Ev. Don’tcha know? I don’t respect anyone else enough to listen to them. I believe in you.

“
So what’s this gonna cost me? What’s my penalty for reneging? I’m prepared to pay handsomely.”

Ooh. This could be good. Too easy, really. “Hmm…let me see. If I recall correctly, there’s a mighty fine red Porsche parked down in the garage. It’s probably lonesome for some open road now that the snow’s all melted. When I can feel my foot again, I wanna introduce it to your baby’s gas pedal.”

Silence. Jamie could still hear Evan’s heartbeat, so that meant he hadn’t died of heart failure. A deep sigh ruffled the hair on the top of Jamie’s head. Ouch. “You’re such a little shit.”

“
You got good insurance, right?”

“
Oh God.”

Poor Evan. He was so put-upon. After the incredible orgasm—was there a word bigger than incredible?—Jamie felt charitable. He could be merciful. Or not. His ass fucking…
throbbed
. Fucker. “But I’ll go easy on you. One ride. One night. And when we’re done, you can blow me in it.”

Jamie just had to open his weary eyes and see Evan’s expression. Smug. Goddamn it. “Okay,” Evan agreed, sounding as smug as he looked. “But I get to pick our destination on what I’m sure will be one wild ride.”

“
Like hell you get to pick.”

“
Partners, remember?”

“
I call bullshit, you pervy, ass-abusing, cheating deal breaker.”

“
Sorry, angel. Car ride and blowjob is my penalty. The rest is just a compromise. You do know what one of those is, don’t you?”

For a moment, Jamie contemplated keeping his mouth shut before he dug himself a nice big hole to fall into. But… Stupid curiosity. Fuck. “Fine,” he sighed. “Where will we be going that we’ll be getting to very fast?”

“
Your apartment.”

No fucking way. “Fuck you! I’m driving farther than that.”

“
No doubt. Probably only take us eight seconds to get there anyway.” Jamie enjoyed Evan’s unfeigned shudder. “We’ll only be stopping long enough to get the rest of your stuff to bring back here.”

Ah.

“
I’ve decided it’s not safe for you living with those two idiots. They might eventually realize that if they combine their two half-brains, they’d have one semifunctioning one at their disposal, and God knows what would happen to you then. Duct tape can’t really fix everything, no matter what you claim. You’ll be much safer here with me.”

“
That’s so lame, Evan.” And duct tape did so fix everything.

Evan cuddled him closer. Close enough to practically suffocate him. Jamie figured he could get away without breathing for a while—he usually got off on it. “I just don’t want to sleep without you beside me anymore.”

And I hate sleeping without you curled around me, protecting me. Like I’m worth the world.
“I’d be a bother.”

“
Hope so. I want to be bothered.”

“
Ev—”

“
Besides, you’re going to be busy with school and studying, and I’m going to be busy mentoring students heading to medical school and possibly visiting mean old ladies with my funky medical bag in hand, so the only thing that would bother me would be if you weren’t here to share the nights with me. Time’s precious. I don’t want to waste any more of it being without you.”

Wow. Good one. Fucker. Sneaky ambush, Evan style. Sure—attack when your opponent’s a fucked-out blubbering mess of short-circuited nerves, no brain and legs made of Jell-O.
Thanks, Doc. How am I supposed to say no to you now?
“You sure you don’t wanna think it over?”

“
Yes, I’m sure. I’m tired of thinking. I’ve had considerably fewer headaches since I gave it up. Since I met you. I’m jumping here, lovely boy.” Evan squeezed his butt cheek—fuck, ow—and the movement reactivated his rubber legs enough to twitch. “Jump with me?”

No. Yes. What the hell? Wasn’t like he wanted to say no, and besides, he couldn’t spend his entire life being scared all the time, could he? Not if he wanted a life and why the fuck had he left Bremerton if not for that? And if he knew anything, it was that he wanted to be with Evan. Everything he ever dreamed of, just with a slight twist, was right there for the taking if he was strong enough to go for it.

I should jump. Leap with both feet. Admit I want it.

C’mon, Jamie-boy, admit it—string those little words together…you can do it.

I love you, Evan.

There. Sounded just right. Not hard at all.
Pretty soon I’ll even be able to say it out loud.
Until then… “Yeah okay, Dr. Ruined-Me-For-Anyone-Else, I’ll jump with you. But hang on, ’cause I jump higher than anything you’ve ever seen.”

Eyes alight and with his best, pleased smile curving his lips, Evan answered, “I’m counting on it.”

Chapter
Twenty-One

Trouble was brewing. Evan recognized all the signs: Jamie’s angry pacing, the jerky movements of his tense shoulders, the occasional pauses in his step as he glared at something he didn’t like before he spun on his heel and stomped off to dislike something else. Mostly, though, it was the huffs and snorts of disgust that warned him of the gathering storm. Evan watched with a smile he couldn’t seem to contain. Jamie in thunderstorm mode seriously turned him on. When Jamie got riled up, he was amazing in bed—
more
amazing.

But first, Evan had to weather the storm.

Apparently, the massive fireplace in the living room met with his approval, for instead of a grunt, Jamie sighed. Loudly and expansively. All right, he didn’t like it. Not that Evan was surprised; the cold marble gave him a chill just looking at it. Or maybe he didn’t like the outrageously expensive designer furnishings that came with the place?

Five minutes later, Jamie joined him in the modern, streamlined, pure white kitchen and ran a finger along the white marble countertop. The iciness of his blue eyes matched the stormy atmosphere. Evan bit the inside of his cheek to keep from breaking out in a grin. This was going to be so good.

“
Evan,” Jamie growled.

“
Angel,” Evan replied, just because Jamie loved to be called that. Except when he didn’t.

“
What the
hell
is this?” He swung his arms in a wide arc, indicating, well,
everything
.

“
This, sweet thing, is soon to be home, sweet home.” Evan had finalized the ten-grand-a-month, six-month lease just last week. Living in Berkeley came with a hefty price tag if you didn’t want to live in a shack. And six months should be enough time for his plan to come together. Evan wanted to buy a house with Jamie, the kid’s first house, and he’d taken to fantasizing about spending their weekends house-hunting. He’d save that surprise for later, though. If they didn’t find a place they both loved in that six months, he’d work out an extension with the owner, some relative of Joseph Chase’s, who’d abruptly married—for the fifth time, much to the family’s very vocal horror—and moved to Japan.

“
I thought we were supposed to be partners—you and me. Your words.”

“
We are.” They’d been getting along great, in fact, working on accepting their differences.

“
So, I gotta ask, was it Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde who bought this place without consulting me, the supposed partner? Or am I expected to be the silent partner? Or is it just that since I can’t even begin to pay for my share of this…this…”
—his hand made a rude gesture at the kitchen
—
“I don’t merit a say?”

Ouch. Good thing no knives were handy. “You always have a say. Fifty-fifty, as agreed.” More than just a say, actually. Every decision Evan had made the past two months had been for Jamie’s benefit. The kid had dreams, and Evan intended to see all his promise fulfilled.

Jamie stared at him with equal parts disbelief and disgust. “Which is why you never even showed me pictures of this…
mausoleum
.”

Okay, he’d pushed Jamie far enough. Time for the truth…

But Jamie gave him one last, nasty shot before he opened his mouth. “I’m surprised you don’t have a migraine already—one of those level-ten thumpers that you haven’t had since I met you. Hope you brought your drug stash.” Jamie shook his shaggy, growing-back-too-slowly, hair. “I thought you said you were gonna quit doing this to yourself. Or were you full of shit on that account too?”

Evan eyed the endless, bright white. Yes, he could easily imagine the glare setting off a headache, especially on a sunny day, one unlike today’s overcast gray. “C’mere, beautiful, and I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

Though he kept the word to himself, Jamie mouthed a silent and heartfelt,
fucker.
What a shame. He’d been doing so well conquering the bad language. Of course, Evan punishing him for swearing every second word helped. You just had to pick the right deterrent. Once Evan caught on to the fact Jamie
liked
getting spanked and got off on it, provided it wasn’t done too brutally, he’d had to switch back to orgasm denial—now there was a punishment that brought Jamie around fast. Hitting the kid right in his kinks worked every time. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that,” Evan commented dryly.

“
Oh, fuck you, Dr. Full-of-Shit,” Jamie snapped.

“
Come. Here.” Evan spoke in what Jamie called his “orderly” tone, but he obeyed it, albeit with a sulk. “I didn’t consult you for two reasons.”

Jamie shoved his angry hands in his jean pockets and seemed prepared to listen.

“
This place belongs to one of Joseph’s relatives”
—Jamie had met, and instantly liked, Joseph
—
“and because of that, and the fact I gave him an immediate decision, he kindly agreed to grant us a shorter lease than he wanted—six months. He already had one foot on the plane, which was why I didn’t talk to you first. I didn’t get the chance.”

“
Six months!” Jamie sputtered. Then frowned. “Oh thank God,” he said a moment later, after he’d digested the information. “I thought you bought this place.”

“
No.” What a spoiled brat—this was a beautiful home. “And what’s wrong with my buying it? Everything’s custom. It’s a show home. Joseph told me they did a magazine spread on it not so long ago.”

“
Seriously?” Jamie looked skeptical. Eying the bland whiteness, he shuddered. “Please don’t buy it.”

Not that Evan had any plans in that regard. “Why not?”

“
It’s cold. Sterile. Not made for living things—like us.” He feigned looking around. “You sure this ain’t someone’s crypt?”

Sterile. Wasn’t that the truth.
Sterile like I used to be—a few years ago, I’d have been showing off a place like this every chance I got.
Evan dug one of Jamie’s resisting hands out of his pocket and gave it a squeeze. “Okay, I promise I won’t buy it.”