Ethan (Alluring Indulgence) (9 page)

♂♂

Beau
didn’t particularly want to go into the specifics of the clusterfuck of a date
he’d had, but he liked that Ethan was asking questions. For now, it looked as
though the guy had dropped all of that tough exterior. Then again, he was
halfway through his second beer and who knew how many he’d had at Moonshiners.
Ethan’s inquisition may be based purely on liquid courage, but Beau considered
it progress regardless.

“We
met for dinner. At first, it was nice. Normal. We have a lot in common from a
work perspective, so we didn’t lack for anything to talk about.” Beau
remembered the instant that night had taken a downturn. “We were halfway
through the meal when Joe mentioned sleeping together.”

Ethan’s
eyebrow cocked in that sexy way that Beau liked. He was obviously interested in
the story. “Were you planning to sleep with him?”

Beau
laughed, glancing back out the front window as his face heated with
embarrassment. He had never been the type to openly talk about sex – at least
not when he wasn’t having it. “No. I hadn’t considered it at that point.”
Glancing back at Ethan, Beau noticed the skeptical look. “What?”

“You
went on a date but hadn’t considered sleeping with the guy?”

“First
date,” Beau reminded him, as though that should explain everything.

“Go
on.”

“So,
halfway through dinner, Joe started talking about sex. He wanted to know
whether I was a top or a bottom.”

“Clearly
a top,” Ethan murmured, his eyes opening substantially as though he didn’t mean
to say the words.

“And
you would know this how?”

Ethan
laughed, the sound making Beau’s entire body hum to life. He loved the sound of
Ethan’s laugh. Maybe because it was so rare, but the few times he’d heard it
over the years, Beau had always noted it.

“You’re
not a top?”

“I
don’t have a preference,” Beau said honestly. Considering he’d never been a
top, and had only been with one man – a man who clearly wasn’t gay – Beau
didn’t know which he would enjoy more. “Anyway…,” he continued with a smile,
“Joe was convinced that I couldn’t be the top because there was no way I’d
fit.”

Ethan
laughed again, the warm, rich sound filling the truck and eliminating every
ounce of tension that had been there since he put the truck in Park.

“That’s
what he wanted to talk about? Over dinner?”

“Yup,”
Beau responded, laughing. “Needless to say, if that’s what you’re supposed to
do on a date, I think I’m going to need some time to adjust before I do it
again.”

Neither
of them said anything for a minute or two, and when Ethan grabbed a third beer,
Beau shifted again to face him more fully. “What about you? What was your first
date like?”

Beau
didn’t think Ethan was going to answer when he focused his attention on
draining the beer bottle in his hand, but he waited him out. He was nothing if
not patient. After all, he’d spent his entire life tagging along with Zane, the
guy had the attention span of a gnat and Beau had learned to sit back and wait
because likely things would change in an instant with him.

“I
don’t date.”

Beau
found that hard to believe. Sure, he got that Ethan didn’t intentionally form
relationships, but the guy was unquestionably monogamous. Over the years, there
hadn’t been many that Beau had noticed, but Ethan had lovers. Admitting it or
not, it didn’t change the fact that he got close to people.

“How’d
you meet Blake?” Beau knew Blake wasn’t from Coyote Ridge.

“By
accident.”

Beau
wasn’t impressed with Ethan’s half ass response and considering he had opened
up, he was going to insist Ethan do the same.

“Work?”

“You
could say that.”

Being
that Blake was a mechanic, it was logical that Ethan met him that way. He
didn’t honestly care for the logistics. The less Blake interfered in their day
to day, the better off Beau would be. And that included in conversation.

“Mind
if I ask you something personal?” Beau figured he would warn Ethan before he
asked his next question. It didn’t matter what Ethan said, he was still going
to ask it.

Ethan
glanced over, a sexy grin on his lips. “If I say no, you’re gonna ask anyway,
aren’t you?”

“Yup,”
he said easily and paused only briefly. “When did you realize you were gay?” He
knew the question was personal, but Beau didn’t have anyone to talk to about
his thoughts and fears. He didn’t think Zane would understand, and he knew
without a doubt that Zane was uncomfortable with the situation as a whole. Or
maybe he wasn’t, and Beau was. Either way, Ethan seemed like the ideal person
to ask.

“I
think I’ve always known,” Ethan said solemnly, his tone low and serious, his
attention focused on the blackness just outside the truck window.

“Have
you been with a woman?”

Ethan
didn’t look at him when he said, “No.”

Beau
hadn’t thought he had, but he was curious.

Not
wanting to push too far, he let the subject drop, figuring they could pick that
conversation up at a later date.

Still
staring at Ethan, Beau had the sudden longing to get closer to him.

And
he was fucking tired of waiting.

♂♂

Ethan
felt the moment the energy in the truck morphed into something combustible. He
had answered Beau’s questions, maybe not in depth, but he had to give himself a
pat on the back for at least answering.

But
now, from what Ethan sensed in the air between them, Beau was tired of talking.
Finally. He knew it wouldn’t take long for Beau to come around. Sex was something
Ethan understood. Even if he didn’t want to get involved with Beau on the level
he knew Beau was looking for, he didn’t have it in him to deny the intense
attraction between them.

When
Beau moved, setting the last three bottles in the six pack onto the floor and
lifting the center console up so that there was adequate space between them,
Ethan’s stomach took a dive. His anxiety level had skyrocketed in recent
seconds, rapidly increasing with every breath he took.

Beau
didn’t waste any time, moving closer as they stared at one another. “See,
this,” Ethan said, gesturing between them, “this I can handle.”

“We’ll
see about that,” Beau said daringly, his brusque remark making Ethan’s body
temperature spike.

Before
he could disagree, or come to his senses, Beau was leaning closer, his lips
hovering just millimeters from his. God, he smelled delicious. Spicy, rich,
sexy.

“Fucking
hell,” Beau muttered and then their mouths were on one another, Ethan’s hands
coming up to grip his head, hold him closer.

Their
tongues dueled, and the memory of Christmas when Beau had kissed him flooded
his mind and his body. He wanted this man. He wanted him with everything in
him, consequences be damned.

Fuck
.

Pulling
Beau closer, Ethan slid his fingers into the soft, silky hair at his nape, his
body warring with sensation after sensation. The warmth of Beau’s mouth, the
insistence of his tongue, the sweet sound of his labored breaths. The man was
sex personified, and Ethan was starved for him.

“You
taste good,” Beau mumbled, his lips pulling back slightly, but not far enough
that Ethan had to let go of him.

“No
more talking,” Ethan said, pulling him in until their lips were locked and
their tongues danced against one another.

It
was just too damned bad they were confined in the small truck cab. Considering
their heights, it wasn’t physically possible for them to get any closer than
they were, but Ethan wished they were skin to skin. Sliding one hand down
Beau’s shoulder, then over his chest, he tugged his t-shirt out from his jeans
until he could touch his bare skin.

The
second his fingers made contact with the taut, fiery flesh, Beau’s breath
hitched in his chest. God, Ethan wanted to run his mouth over him, to taste his
skin, outline the angles of his muscles with his tongue.

Beau
groaned, and Ethan grinned.

“Think
about what it would be like if I had you naked,” Ethan mumbled against Beau’s
mouth.

“I’m
not sure I’d survive it.”

And
wasn’t that the damned truth.

Gripping
Beau’s head more firmly, Ethan deepened the kiss, licking into his mouth,
searching, seeking, devouring. His kiss was like a drug, instantly giving him a
high unlike anything he had known before.

And
to think, Beau hadn’t even touched him yet.

Running
his hand around to Beau’s back, he flattened his palm over smooth, warm skin,
up and down, back and forth, unable to get enough of touching him. The way his
muscles flexed and bunched beneath his fingers was so fucking hot.

Ethan
just wanted to be laid out beneath him, to have Beau’s glorious weight hovering
above him, skin to skin, chest to chest. He wanted to tangle his legs with
Beau’s and hold him to him.

But
none of that could happen where they were, and they both knew it.
Unfortunately, it appeared Beau had more self-control than Ethan did because
his hands weren’t reaching for him.

“Touch
me,” Ethan pleaded, not giving a shit if he had reached the point of begging.

“I
can’t,” Beau whispered, pulling back slightly.

Ethan’s
hands stilled as he stared back at Beau. What the fuck did he mean he couldn’t?

“If
I touch you, I won’t be able to stop,” Beau explained, obviously aware of
Ethan’s immediate moment of panic. “And when I get my hands on you for the
first time, I don’t plan to rush things.”

He
wanted to argue, to tell Beau that there wouldn’t be another opportunity, but
he knew as well as Beau that that would be a lie. There would be another time.
He couldn’t resist Beau, even though every red flag in his brain was at full
mast, signaling for him to take caution.

“And
when do you plan to do this?” Ethan asked, trying to calm himself down.

“Soon,”
Beau said, pressing his lips to Ethan’s softly. “Very soon.”

Ethan
studied him for a moment. “But not tonight?”

“No.
Not tonight.”

Ethan
hated how much control Beau had and how little he was apparently showing. He
was supposed to be pushing him away, making sure that great divide remained
between them because Ethan knew he would never survive with a guy like Beau.
He’d be overwhelmed by things he swore he would never feel again.

Tonight
was just proof. He had let down his guard, given in to Beau in ways he refused
to do with anyone else. He didn’t talk. Didn’t ask questions. He preferred to
be alone to wallow in his own self-pity, not get close to anyone. Sex was sex,
fucking was fucking.

This…
this was none of those things and Ethan knew without a doubt that he was in way
over his head.

The
problem was… he was fighting a losing battle and he was tired.

So
damn tired.

♂♂

The
urge to touch Ethan, to put his hands on him was so great, Beau was surprised
his muscles weren’t bulging from the effort he put forth to keep his body
still. Just kissing him was pushing him beyond his limits. He wanted more.

Thankfully,
the limited space within the truck wouldn’t allow for anything more. And Beau
knew in his head that he didn’t want to push it. He’d brought Ethan here to
talk, and that’s what they had done up to this point. He wanted to get close to
Ethan, and not just physically.

He
knew Ethan would use sex against him if they gave in right now to the
uncontrollable urges that were building between them. It would be rough and hot
and wonderful. But it would be a one-time deal and Beau wasn’t willing to
settle for one time. He wanted much more than that which was why he was testing
his own limits.

As
Ethan’s hand moved across his skin, leaving razor sharp tingles in its wake, he
wondered if the man was trying to make him explode. His dick was like a steel
spike lodged painfully in his jeans and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
The only positive, the pain was a constant reminder that he had to hold back.
This wasn’t the time or place for this.

“When?”

It
took a moment for Beau to realize what Ethan was asking, and when he did, he smirked.
“Not as soon as I’d like, but I assure you, it’ll be soon.”

Ethan
nodded as though that answer was sufficient, but the way his fingers dug into
his skin told him otherwise. They were hanging by a thread, both of them.
Pushing back, Beau put some space between them until Ethan’s hand slid around
to his stomach and then fell from beneath his shirt. Beau immediately missed
his touch.

“Let
me take you home,” Beau told him. “You’ve got work tomorrow, and I’ve got some
errands to run.” Beau wasn’t going to say he had to go look for a job because
he wasn’t interested in ruining the moment.