They crossed the quiet apartment and arrived at the door to Charlie’s room first.
It had been way too long since Jeremy had touched Charlie, or held him, or kissed him. Pinning him to the door, Jeremy leaned in for a long, lingering kiss. Charlie tensed at first, but then melted into the kiss, his hands coming up to Jeremy’s shoulders, his neck, his hair.
Jeremy wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he knew what he didn’t want.
He didn’t want to be alone.
He didn’t want to be apart from Charlie.
And he didn’t want to play things safe.
“Come to my room with me,” Jeremy said, nuzzling his lips against Charlie’s ear. “I haven’t had nearly enough of you yet.”
Chapter 9
CHARLIE’S HEART RACED as Jeremy closed and locked his bedroom door. Which was a little ridiculous, given all the time they’d spent alone together over the past -couple of weeks. But now, things felt different. Things were different. Because they’d admitted having feelings for each other, because they’d been together, because Charlie wanted to be with Jeremy in every way he could.
Which made him a little unsure. Normally, he’d just stretch out on Jeremy’s bed, his back resting on pillows stacked against the wall. But he wasn’t sure if that would mean something different to Jeremy now.
So he waited for Jeremy to take the lead. Standing in the center of the dark green room, one wall covered with more of the drawings he’d seen downstairs at Hard Ink, Charlie tugged his hands through his hair. It was just long enough that he could pull the top of it into a knot if he wanted, which he did sometimes when working at the computer.
“What’s the matter?’ Jeremy said, walking up to him. His hands settled on Charlie’s hips, sending a zing of electricity through his blood.
“What do you mean? Nothing,” he said, trying to sound relaxed.
Jeremy smiled. “Don’t be nervous. We don’t have to do anything. I just wanted to be with you. Nothing has to change between us, you know? I’m still just Jeremy. And you’re still just Charlie.”
That reassurance melted away most of Charlie’s uncertainty and he released a deep breath. “Yeah. Overthinking it. I’m sorry.”
Shaking his head, Jeremy cupped his hand around the back of Charlie’s neck. Jer seemed to like to touch him that way, which was good, because Charlie absolutely loved the way it felt. Like Jeremy was claiming him, comforting him, and pulling him closer all at once. “Don’t worry about that. Just talk to me, okay?”
“Okay.”
“But you know,” Jeremy said with a smirk, “if you find yourself feeling the urge to kiss me, that’s good, too.”
Charlie gave a small laugh, all of his tension draining away. “I might be feeling that urge right now.”
Jeremy’s thumb stroked over the side of Charlie’s neck and his gaze narrowed. “Are you, now?”
Nodding, Charlie decided to put his tattoo into practice. He leaned in, flicked his tongue against Jeremy’s lip piercings, and kissed him. Threading his hands into Jeremy’s hair, he pushed his tongue deep into the other man’s mouth, tasting, exploring, stroking.
Jeremy gave as good as he got, and soon they were breathing hard, and clutching tight, and grinding against one another until Charlie had to gasp for air.
“Lay down with me?” Jeremy whispered.
“Yes,” Charlie said, letting Jeremy lead him to the big queen--sized bed. They stretched out on the soft flannel plaid comforter.
Jeremy pushed Charlie onto his back and climbed up over him. The other man’s weight felt phenomenal as it pressed him into the soft bedding. “I like the look of you here. In my bed,” Jeremy said.
“Yeah?” Heat filled Charlie’s cheeks at the comment, but only because he loved it so much.
Jeremy nodded. “Me on top of you—-is that hurting your side?” Charlie had taken the bandage off at Jer’s instructions hours before, but the tattoo would take upwards of two weeks to heal, apparently.
“No,” Charlie said, quickly sliding his hands up to Jeremy’s back to encourage him to stay right where he was. Because Charlie would’ve endured just about anything to keep him there forever. “Kiss me, Jeremy.”
“Gladly,” Jeremy said, sucking Charlie’s lower lip into his mouth. Slow, deep kisses quickly escalated to fast and frantic. Their bodies shifted and pressed. Their hands grasped and tugged. Their hard cocks rubbed together through their jeans until Charlie was suddenly sure of one thing.
“I don’t want to come like this,” he rasped, his brain scrambling to figure out exactly what he did want. And how to find the courage to voice it.
Jeremy pulled back, that pale green gaze absolutely on fire. “Then how?”
Charlie swallowed hard and his pulse raced even faster. Because his body, heart, and head were all in agreement, and he knew what he wanted—-from Jeremy, with Jeremy.
Everything.