Read One Night Stand Online

Authors: Clare London

Tags: #m/m romance

One Night Stand (3 page)

BOOK: One Night Stand
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Marshall raised an eyebrow. He stretched out his arm along the mattress. “You don’t?”

Teddy rolled his eyes. “Dammit, of course… well, of course I know
that
. I just mean… at dinner.”

Marshall looked at him steadily for a few more moments. “When the band was packing up for the night, you touched me, under the table. You put your hand on my leg.”

Teddy felt the muscles of his thighs tighten up, trying to pull his legs together. “It might have been a clumsy accident - reaching for my napkin.”

Marshall nodded but still smiled, as if he knew the game Teddy was playing. “Yes? But you slid it down between my thighs.”

Oh
God
.

“You leaned in and whispered to me, ‘We should leave right away.’” Marshall’s voice was breathy, hoarse. “We left the dining room together, your hand in the small of my back, guiding me in the direction of our floor. We took the elevator. You said you didn’t want to take time up the stairs.”

Teddy recalled the muted lights, the seductive atmosphere of the hotel elevator: its richly padded walls, the mirrored surfaces from ceiling to waist height. He remembered standing close to Marshall, watching in the mirrors the way his eyes widened, staring over Marshall’s shoulder. He’d been breathing very heavily. There’d been no need to stand so close; there were no other passengers.

“You laughed a lot.
We
laughed a lot.” The skin around Marshall’s eyes crinkled when he smiled. He pushed the hair back off his forehead again, the muscles flexing under his arm. Teddy couldn’t take his eyes off them. Off any of it.

“Your room was nearer. That’s what you said.” Marshall’s voice was lower, softer. “You kissed me in the corridor, Teddy. Up against the wall. God. You held me tightly and you kissed me.”

Teddy couldn’t pretend he didn’t remember now. His feelings were as sharp as if he were still there, in the deeply carpeted corridor, a few feet from the door to his hotel room. Pushing Marshall against the wall, hard enough to make a nearby painting of a historical maritime scene shudder in its frame. Not caring if anyone saw them or if anyone was scandalized. Such fierce kisses, pressed on to Marshall’s mouth again and again as if a dam had broken inside him, the astonishing, beautiful, sweet taste of Marshall’s lips. The sudden rush of desire that consumed him, burning his throat, blurring his eyes. He’d felt the swollen shape of his cock press against Marshall’s groin, and all he’d wanted was to have more of it, of
him
, of the man he’d admired for so long and desired for only slightly less.

“Shit.
Marshall
.” Teddy felt his whole body wracked with misery and horror. Had that really been
him
?

Marshall pulled the sheet back up to his waist. He moved reluctantly, slowly. He hadn’t taken his gaze off Teddy all the time he was speaking, and his eyes had darkened. “It was so damned fine. Kiss me again, Teddy.”

“Don’t mock me!” Teddy snapped, hot and angry with fear of himself. He’d humiliated them both, of course! It was all too,
too
clear. The time between unlocking the door to his room and thrusting Marshall’s naked thighs apart on the bed had been a matter of minutes. He’d barely loosened him enough, barely spoken a word of request before taking what he’d wanted all evening. No, strike that, what he’d wanted for months. The time for hypocrisy was past. Perhaps his job was too. And more tragically, so was his friendship with Marshall.

He swallowed hard and said, “You’d better go. I made a hideous mistake.”

But Marshall made no move to go. Instead, he spread his hand on the tangled sheet beneath them both, looking down at his lean fingers. “I’m not mocking you. I don’t know how you can think that. After last night—”

“But it’s not just that, is it?”

Marshall didn’t look up but somehow, Teddy felt that his eyes were still staring at him. “What is it, then?”

“It’s
what
I did. How.” Don’t make me say it aloud, he silently pleaded.
Don’t make me remember.

Marshall did look back up then, and Teddy was startled by the sudden flare of anger in his eyes. “Stop that.”

How could he stop anything? He’d already done the damage. “I all but attacked you. I was like an animal!”

“Yes, you were.” Marshall’s smile was lopsided, as if he didn’t know whether to laugh or grimace. “And you know what? You were magnificent. Strong. Greedy.”

Teddy was shocked at the description. “But I’ve never been like that in my life.” Had he? No… never. No one had ever made him feel so desperate, so
out of control
. “I’d drunk too much. That champagne gift, the stupid thing from Secret Santa, or whatever they call it. Something in it went to my head—”

“I said, stop it!” Marshall’s tone was sharp. “I only drank a glass of it. You barely finished your second. Don’t look for blame where there is none.”

Blame
? Teddy was momentarily speechless.

“Isn’t that what you meant?” Marshall pulled himself up on an elbow so that he leaned over Teddy, and the sheet slipped down his body again. “You didn’t want it? You didn’t enjoy it?
The champagne made me do it
?”

Teddy stared up at him. He was painfully aware of Marshall’s bare skin against his own and the muscles of Marshall’s leg pressing against his. He could feel hot breath on his face, and his body was stirring in eager response. “My God, no,” he gasped, honesty spilling from him on waves of desire. “I wanted it—too, too much! I wanted you. I always have. I
enjoyed
you.” He turned his head away, half-closing his eyes again, to shut it all out. “Don’t you see? That’s the problem. I used you.”

There was a moment’s silence. The bed dipped and Marshall moved away at last. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the mattress. He was going, just like Teddy had told him to.
What did I expect
?

He never expected to hear Marshall laugh, even though the sound was shaky. He was still sitting on the bed. “And I thought we used each other.”

“What?”

“Did I say no, Teddy? Was
I
too drunk on champagne? Did it look like
I
didn’t enjoy it?”

“No.” Teddy felt relief trickling through his misery. “No, of course not. I’d never have done anything you didn’t want.” What’s more, he knew without doubt that was true.

Marshall still had his back to him. “So, it was between the two of us. Consenting adults. No apologies needed, no guilt.”

Teddy bit his lip. “But I took you. I never asked. I never….” His whole body burned again with embarrassment. Was he really talking about top and bottom with
Marshall
? His head dropped, and he actually started to draw up his knees, trying to curl into a ball under the sheet. “Marshall, I don’t know what you like, where you want to be touched, whether you wanted me inside you or not. I didn’t… I can’t remember asking permission. Asking anything.” A further, horrific thought struck him. “Condoms! Oh, dear God. Did I…? We…?”

Marshall twisted back, the mattress bouncing under him, and he grabbed Teddy’s arm. “Teddy, stop it, I said. Teddy? Look at me.” His voice thickened. “Properly, goddammit!”

Teddy snapped his head back up, startled.

Marshall looked very flushed too. “Before you panic any more, I can tell you it’s okay. You went on and on about using a condom. Not that you had one on you, but that was why you were so insistent. You wanted me, you said. You
really
wanted me. But nothing more than kissing and touching, not without protection.”

Teddy let out a sigh of relief. But his dream…?

Marshall was still talking, quickly, as if he didn’t dare let Teddy interrupt. “You know, I don’t know what
you
like, either. You’re good fun to be with, but you seem very private too. Enthusiastic and hard-working, but also sensitive about what to say and do. I really like that combination. Well, to be honest, I really like
you
. When I first met you, I hoped….” He shook his head. He looked annoyed with himself. “Well, it was just that once, when I felt you opened up to me. In the bar that night at the gym, I don’t expect you remember. I had a great time with you until I stepped over the line, offering you a ride home. I was too obvious, dammit. I’d assumed far too much, just on the strength of our friendship.”

“Marshall?”

He didn’t seem to hear. “And after that, you pulled away again. There was no way I wanted to lose you as a friend or make you feel uncomfortable at work. But I assumed you didn’t want any other attention from me, that I’d offended you in that way, somehow. Pushed things too quickly, too far.” He shrugged and looked away. Teddy watched the movement, Marshall’s whole body seemed resigned, disappointed. “I didn’t know what else to do. It’s… well, it’s not always easy, getting to know a guy. Letting him know I’m interested. I’m out of practice, you see. Always so busy at work, whatever.” He bit his lip. “Who am I fooling? I’m just crap at it.”

Teddy stared at him. He didn’t really understand what he was hearing.

“Then, last night.” Marshall smiled, a little sadly. “Hell, you were a different man! You were much more relaxed; you actually seemed to want my company. That speech you made when you collected the second-place award—”

“I did?” Teddy felt nauseous.

Marshall nodded. “Just a few words, I know, and I was only sorry people weren’t really listening. But you were confident and witty and… you smiled right at me.”

“I did.” Teddy nodded to himself. His cheeks felt like they glowed.

“I was going to confess I changed the seating plan so I was sat next to you, but by then you didn’t seem to mind anyway. You did put your hand on my knee, you know. Couple of times, actually; I’d thought the first one was a mistake, like you said. It felt so good.” He groaned, softly. “It was just… look, if there’s any blame here, some of it’s mine.”

“Tell me,” Teddy said. It didn’t sound like his voice at all. It sounded suspiciously like an order.

“I was stupid, I know. I was indiscreet at a company event. Taking advantage of my position as your boss, I’m sure some people would say.” Marshall shook his head again. He bent down and picked a sock up off the floor, but he didn’t do anything with it, just sat on the bed beside Teddy, nursing it absentmindedly on his thigh and not meeting Teddy’s gaze. “Look, to be totally honest, I was the one guided us into the bedroom. When you pushed me against the wall in the corridor, I was pulling you just as much, thrusting my tongue down your throat. When you fumbled with the key card, I just grabbed it out of your hand and let us in.” He made a sound of strangled protest. “Don’t you remember? I was the one broke the zipper of your pants, pulling them off so fast.”

So good. So fine. Please

Teddy’s memory supplied the other details. The door slamming shut behind them, locking out the rest of the hotel. The sound of Marshall’s panting, the thudding of his own heart beat in his ears. He couldn’t remember turning on any lights in the room. Instead, he’d held Marshall close in the dim moonlight, enough illumination sneaking through the blinds to see and feel flesh and desire, watching his own excitement reflected in Marshall’s pupils. Had he realized that was what he was seeing at the time? He recalled their harsh, urgent breathing, the clumsy struggle to get his clothes off fast enough, his desperate need to get Marshall equally naked. His first touch of Marshall’s skin, hot and smooth down his muscled back, the dark, crinkled hairs on his chest. His impatience as he pushed Marshall back on to the bed, creasing the smart bedspread, sending the ornamental cushions tumbling onto the floor. The fierce grip of his fingers as he reached for Marshall’s legs, pushing them apart, watching Marshall’s cock bob up from his groin, thickening against his belly, trailing soft, sticky pre-come against both his and Teddy’s hairs. Wriggling between Marshall’s legs, panting, pushing, possessing….

“Teddy?” Marshall looked quite pale. Teddy didn’t think he’d ever seen his boss nervous before. “I was the one who had the condoms, wasn’t I? I don’t know what the hell you thought of me.
Think
of me. I told you I didn’t expect to use them. I had no expectations at all. Just… hope, one day. Stupid, I know.”

Something eased inside Teddy; relief washed over him. The excitement he’d felt the night before was suddenly far more important than his embarrassment. It swelled inside him again, a strong, stimulating feeling. “You’re not stupid,” he said quietly. “I’ve never thought you were. Far from it, in fact.”

Marshall still looked uncertain. “But you think I should go…?”

“No,” Teddy said. He thought he sounded far more assertive than he felt. “Please don’t.”

Marshall’s expression was still wary, but he slowly lowered his naked body back on to the bed. “This is okay?”

“Of course it is,” Teddy said quickly.
Damned right it was!
Marshall wasn’t bothering to keep anything covered. His leg brushed against Teddy’s hip as he wriggled to get comfortable. The sheets shifted even farther on Teddy’s lap, but he didn’t bother trying to grab them back. He liked the way Marshall’s gaze ran down his body. In fact, he realized he wanted to give the man something more to look at.
Much
more.

Marshall cleared his throat. His eyes flickered from Teddy’s torso to his face. His pupils looked a little dilated. “You didn’t offend me or bully me in any way at all, you know.”

Teddy flushed. “Well, I
don’t
know. That’s the problem. I don’t know anything at all, about most things.”

Marshall made a soft sound of protest. “That’s nonsense. If you only realized—”

“You don’t have to patronize me.”

“I’m not!” Marshall made a noise of frustration, half under his breath. He tugged the sheet away from Teddy’s waist, and the fabric slipped on to the floor, exposing the whole of his body. Marshall stretched out his hand and stroked at Teddy’s thigh, and Teddy moaned, unable to stop the pleasure shuddering through him. “You see?” Marshall’s eyes were very bright. “I know you like this because when I do it, you make that sound. God,
that sound
… it drove me wild last night. You don’t turn away: your body reaches for me. I know neither of us knows much about the other, at least not intimately. But this is how we find out about each other, by being there. By trying.” His voice shook. “If that’s what you want.”

BOOK: One Night Stand
10.91Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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