A Kind of Truth (8 page)

He rounded on me angrily the second I stepped behind him inside the semidark lobby. “It’s two. What do you think you’re doing? I told you to go home, Rand.”

“I—” I came up empty. My brain was buzzing and I couldn’t stop shaking. “I’m cold.”

“You’re unbelievable.” He sighed, shaking his head in disapproval. Somehow the blond wig and pink minidress under his long black coat didn’t detract from the fierce vibe he emanated. “Follow me. You can borrow a jacket, and then… go home.”

Will led the way to a narrow set of stairs. Funny details like his graceful carriage on those impossibly high heels stood out as we climbed three floors. I followed him down a dim hallway until he stopped in front of 3F.

“The lock sticks. Hang on,” he muttered sleepily.

“Me do it?”

He gave me a sharp look. “You can’t even speak in complete sentences. I got it.”

He flipped a switch before opening the door into what felt like an icebox. It was as big as one too. Every inch of the small flat was visible from the middle of the room. There was a generous window on one end, and a red futon piled high with a stack of blankets and pillows against the long wall painted a dark blue. A tiny kitchenette with a minifridge, microwave, two-burner stovetop, and a sink was on the adjacent wall. And an impressive array of guitars hung on the wall opposite the futon, with an electric piano nearby. I’d passed the tiniest bathroom known to man near the entrance, so I knew this was it. There’s no way he shared the space. I couldn’t see another person living here comfortably.

“S-so cold.”

I sat on the edge of the futon and blew on my fingers. I heard Will moving around me, but I was too tired now to pay attention. He handed me a jacket and said something about me going home. I nodded and pulled the blessedly warm, down-filled coat over me, then collapsed backward onto the pillows. He pulled at me. My foot or my elbow. I couldn’t tell. The second I felt the additional warmth of a blanket, I squeezed my eyes shut and let myself tumble completely into darkness.

A COUPLE
hours later I was wide awake. I had to pee, but I didn’t want to get up. The room was too cold, and it was so warm under the covers. When my bladder insisted, I gingerly sat up and looked around. It was dark and I was in an unfamiliar bed. Someone was lying next to me, bundled under a pile of blankets, with a pillow stuffed between us. I pulled the edge of the blanket aside and froze at the sight of the mop of brown hair resting next to me. Jumbled pieces of my evening fell together in my mind. A great show, drinks, more drinks, another bar, and then…. Will. In pink. Holy fuck.

I swiped my hand over my jaw and observed his sleeping form for a minute. I couldn’t reconcile Will, my shy tutor, with the diva I’d followed home. My brain was too hazy, and my bladder wasn’t particularly interested. I climbed over him carefully and hurried to use the bathroom. I found myself staring bleary-eyed at my reflection in the mirrors abutting the tiny corner wall over the sink. I looked like hell. I moved in closer and opened the medicine cabinet, hoping to find aspirin to alleviate my imminent hangover and maybe some toothpaste to run over my teeth. Snooping wasn’t my motive. In fact, I was foggy enough with exhaustion and the remnants of tequila in my system to be one-track minded. So yeah, I was surprised by the copious cosmetics inside the cabinet. Maybe I shouldn’t have been, but again, it was unexpected. I picked up a tube of lipstick and uncapped it. Ruby red. Like last night. I put it back and closed the cabinet. Damn, Will was one interesting guy.

I tiptoed back to the futon, shucked off my jeans and the T-shirt I’d fallen asleep in, then climbed underneath the covers. The clothes were too restricting and uncomfortable to wear all night. I lay there lost in thought for a moment, more aware than ever of the man beside me than I’d been of anyone in a very long time. My attraction to him felt magnetic, like something beyond my control. As I pieced together the last part of the night, I felt a surge of envy for the old guy who’d caressed Will’s cheek. He was all wrong for him. Too old, too slick, and too serious. Will needed someone to make him laugh. He was serious enough. I pushed the pillow he’d put between us to the end of the bed before ever so stealthily scooting closer to get a better look at him.

The first hint of body heat was sublime. It took every bit of self-control not to pull him against me and wrap him close. Something was definitely going on with me. Passing out in a guy’s bed was one thing, but crawling back into bed and fantasizing about the most innocent press of skin was… well, it probably wasn’t so innocent after all.

Will sighed in his sleep and then turned onto his back. I gulped, hoping he wouldn’t awaken. I didn’t want him to freak out. And for whatever weird reason, I wanted to watch him. My vision had acclimated to the dark. I could clearly make out his long lashes and full mouth. I couldn’t believe I’d ever thought he was nerdy or plain. He was so… pretty. I felt a sudden urge to kiss him. It wasn’t a bright idea. He’d wake up and kick my ass out so fast my head would spin. But the longer I stared, the stronger the desire to touch him became. I couldn’t stop myself from brushing his hair out of his eyes. He flinched and twitched his nose, then turned on his side with his back to me.

I listened to his gentle breathing, a slow, even inhale and exhale. He smelled clean, as though he had scrubbed all evidence of the night from his body before climbing into bed. The reminder of his complex duality aroused me. I thought I knew him. At least to some degree. Obviously I didn’t. I wanted to change that. I inched a little closer, laid my head on the pillow, and without thinking, draped my arm over his hip. He immediately shifted backward, against my groin. I swallowed hard, willing my twitching cock to behave. When he did it again, I knew it wasn’t an accident. He was awake and aware. I bit the inside of my cheek and pressed closer.

I slipped my hand underneath his T-shirt, then went completely still to gauge his reaction. He sighed but didn’t push me away. His skin was smooth and soft. I splayed my fingers wide and moved them over his lean stomach. I felt a hint of hair just under his belly button. I traced the narrow trail with my thumb and stopped almost immediately at the feel of his rock-hard cock through the thin layer of cotton. I felt light-headed with desire. If he were anyone else, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach around to grip his swollen flesh. But this was Will, the guy who communicated best with his instrument shielding him from the real world. Sure, it turned out he was also a fishnet-stocking-, makeup-, and high-heel-wearing man with a certain amount of sass. However, I didn’t know that guy. I had to proceed with caution, because now retreat wasn’t an option.

I hooked my thumb under the elastic of his pajama bottoms and slid my hand inside his briefs. I waited for a signal from him. Stop or go. I couldn’t tell if he was breathing. I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of my heartbeat. I moved my hand lower, then swallowed hard and covered his rigid member. I sighed at the delicious weight. He was long and thick. About my size, I mused as I smoothed my thumb over the broad head and along his slit. A low groan and the slight tilt of his hips alerted me he was fully aware and better yet, he liked what I was doing. I pressed my aching cock against his exposed crack and kissed his shoulder. He didn’t protest. In fact, he moved his hips backward, looking for friction. I complied. I angled my hips as I tightened my grasp and stroked him. A languid, slow slide with a subtle twist of my wrist from base to tip and back again. He moaned and writhed against me, then reached back to pull my thigh over his, silently requesting me to close any remaining distance. The wordless invitation sent me into overdrive. I hooked my leg over his and used the momentum to roll him on his back so we were facing each other.

Gone was my earlier reticence. We were two consenting adults under cover of the night. This felt too damn good to question. I couldn’t convince myself this wasn’t smart. Not now. I leaned forward and gently kissed his mouth. He hooked his arms around my neck and pulled me against him. The kiss was sweet. A gentle meeting of lips in the dark. Undemanding and almost tender. Until he licked my mouth in a request for entry. I groaned at the first feel of his tongue gliding alongside mine. When I tried to deepen the connection, he teased me with small licks, then a probing push until I growled in frustration and sealed my mouth over his. I rocked my pelvis into him, loving the slide of our erections through the thin barrier. But I was greedy. I wanted all skin. No obstacles.

I pushed his PJs and briefs out of the way before removing mine. We hissed in pleasure when our bare cocks touched. Will cupped my ass with both hands and spread his legs wide to cradle me between his thighs. He bucked upward, straining to find adequate friction. He was wanton and a little wild. His fingernails dug into my flesh as he licked my lips and sucked on my tongue. I pumped my hips against his, then propped myself up on one hand and gripped us both in a punishing hold. Will scratched my back and arched into my fist. He pulled me closer, fusing our bodies as he devoured me with kisses and bites. I gasped for breath, resting my forehead for a moment on his before pulling back to trace the shell of his ear with the tip of my tongue.

“Slow down, baby.” My voice was low and hoarse. I hardly recognized it as my own.

“I can’t. It feels too good.” He covered my hand and squeezed.

The pressure went up a notch. I pushed into our dual-fisted grip with a renewed abandon. He was right. It felt really fucking good. I kissed his mouth, then pulled back to lick my palm before wrapping my hand around both of us and picking up the tempo. When I dipped my fingers to fondle his balls, he lifted his leg slightly to give me more room. And maybe permission to go further. I took a chance and slid one of my fingers over his hole. It was no more than a touch, but it was enough to send him over the edge. I felt him tense and then lose momentum. He pulled my hair and held me close as he fell apart, shaking uncontrollably. And I was right behind him. I saw stars. A veritable kaleidoscope of color as our warm release spurted between us.

We lay perfectly still for a moment, glued together with sweat and cum. It was heavenly. I could barely move, and Will didn’t seem bothered by my extra body weight. I didn’t want to surface to the real world until I had to. When he pushed my shoulder, I slowly rolled off him and braced myself for his reaction.

Silence.

I was beginning to wonder what the quiet meant when he sat up and grabbed his discarded T-shirt from the bottom of the futon and handed it to me. When I didn’t take it, he reached over to wipe at the mess on my stomach before doing the same to himself. He tossed the cum-stained tee aside and burrowed under the covers, facing me.

“Do you want to talk?” I whispered.

Will huffed a half laugh and shook his head. “No. Go to sleep, Rand.”

Unbelievably, I did.

A PLEASANT
quiet filled the chilly room though far-off sirens sounded in the morning light. Muted noises of honking horns and people yelling seeped through the thin walls, but it was comforting rather than disturbing. The normal buzz of a city beginning its day. I glanced at Will sleeping beside me. He looked so young and innocent. If I hadn’t woken up in his bed, I could easily convince myself I’d dreamt the latter part of my evening. And the middle of the night.

Will’s eyes fluttered open. He sighed and stretched before turning onto his back. I watched his Adam’s apple slide in his throat and wondered how this was going to go down. It had been a long time since I’d woken in a strange bed with no idea of what to expect. I had no problem with one-night stands, but I rarely slept over, and if I did, it was because we both wanted another round before we parted ways. This was a completely different scenario.

“Good morning,” I ventured. “How’d you sleep?”

“Why are you here?”

“I just—” I couldn’t think of a good reason that wouldn’t scare him away, so I gave in to impulse, moving my hand tentatively over his stomach. He pushed me away and rolled over to climb out of bed. “Don’t go. Please.”

Will sat at the edge of the futon but kept his back to me while he pulled on his discarded briefs. “I have to use the bathroom.”

I watched him retreat, willing myself not to speak and fuck anything up. At least he hadn’t told me to get the hell out. Baby steps. I heard a door close, running water, then nothing. Patience wasn’t my virtue, but I didn’t move a muscle. I listened and waited.

I sat up when he came back in the room and walked toward a short bar of hanging clothes near the front door. “Don’t.”

He cocked his head curiously, almost as though he was surprised I was still there. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t get dressed. Come back to bed.”

“But—”

“Please.”

He hesitated, then huffed a short breath before crossing the room and scrambling under the covers. The sudden chilly blast of air sent shivers over my skin. Without thinking, I reached out to pull him into my arms. He stiffened and scooted away, turning on his side to face me.

“Sorry. It’s just so damn cold.” I smiled, patting the small space between us. “Sure you don’t want to share a little body heat?”

Will wiggled his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. I could practically see the wheels in his head turning. “You’re here because you passed out. I know that part. The question is, why are you still here?”

“I’m—not sure, but I’m glad I am.”

He bit his bottom lip and flopped onto his back. “Rand, this is too weird for me. I don’t get you, and I don’t know how to explain me.”

I let the silence linger for a moment longer, then reached out to trace his jaw with my forefinger until he turned his gaze to me.

“Can I just say I think you’re pretty?”

Will’s lips quirked in reluctant amusement. “You mentioned that last night, but… thanks.”

“Can I ask questions?”

“Ugh! God… no! This was why you were supposed to just go away.” He rolled to his stomach and planted his face in his pillow dramatically. “I’ll see you Tuesday. We can pretend this never happened.”