Falling Bundle (13 page)

Arjen snuggled closer. “
Ik lief je
.” He said it like a secret.

“Hmm?” Max kissed the top of his head.

“It means I love you,” Arjen said in a shy whisper.

“It does?” Max was charmed. Arjen had never said that to him before, at least not in a language Max understood.

Arjen just nodded. He was adorable.

White drapes blew in the breeze that came in through the open doors. The doors stood open on the patio outside, the glittering pool, the miles upon miles of beautiful countryside. The colours alone were spectacular. The heat of the sun was already deepening. Another day in paradise.

“I’ve been on other holidays,” Max said out of nowhere. He was running his fingers lazily up and down Arjen’s spine. “Mainly about getting laid. Singles cruises, that kind of thing. I used to hook up every night. Fuck whoever I want and never have to see them again.”

Arjen stiffened in his arms, but Max tugged him closer before he could pull away. He kissed his temple. “Wait for the reward, Arjen. You should know the game by now. Delayed gratification.”

He tugged his beloved closer still. His voice dropped into a whisper. “This is so much better I can’t even say. You make me feel something that all those quick fucks could never manage. I don’t need to go out looking for hookups, because I already have someone so unique, so special that nobody else can ever measure up. I know how lucky I am.” Arjen coloured, half shy, half pleased. “I only want you,” Max told him, the complete truth. “Only you. Nobody else.”

Arjen wrapped his arms around his neck, leaning into him, relaxed now and trusting. “I’m glad.”

Max’s throat tightened as he remembered. “I can’t remember why that was even fun for me. My old life. Always searching for something, trying to boost my ego by proving that somebody wanted me. Never staying around long enough to build a relationship worth having. When what I really needed was this.” The simple pleasure of Arjen in his arms. Arjen had changed his life forever. Fixed the crack in his heart. Made him happier than he had ever imagined. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I’d like that,” Arjen whispered back, and as a scented breeze filtered into the little villa, they shared a gentle kiss. 

“Home, sweet home.” Max dumped his bags in the hall and looked around with satisfaction.

He was standing on the threshold of a beautiful sunlit house. A mirror shone at the far end of the hall, reflecting back the pale autumn day outside. At his feet his bags fluttered with the bright tags of a recent flight. He took a deep breath of the crisp air and let it go in a sigh.

It was turning into a perfect day. Not only was he fresh back from a holiday with the cute lawyer of his dreams, the lease was finally up on his old flat and today was the day—he was officially moving in with Arjen.

Almost perfect. “Max,” said Cate, the departing housemate, in a cool voice.

“Cate.” Max gave her a nod. She was a beautiful woman if you liked them that polished, her chocolate hair styled in ringlets, her lips glossed pink. She had never liked Max and Max had to admit she had good reason; he had incurred her wrath by treating Arjen badly. He had no intention of ever hurting Arjen again, but Cate was not the forgiving type. And she was currently eyeing him as though deciding where to stick the knife in.

They stood back so that a pair of movers could bring more of Max’s gear into the house. Cate picked up her oversized bag; she was wearing a white summer dress in defiance of it being October. The chill here had been a shock to the system after France, where late summer heat had lingered long past its leaving date.

“All right, Max.” Cate delivered the words in a voice that could have crystallised ice. “I’m trusting you with my friend. My best friend. Who is like a brother to me. I hope you and Arjen are happy here, but if you ever upset him, I’d like to point out that I know where you live.”

That surprised a laugh out of Max. Normally his powerful six-foot physique intimidated people. He was not used to being threatened by women who barely came up to his shoulder. “Understood.”

“Then we won’t have a problem.” Cate put her designer sunglasses on. She was quite alarming. Max was starting to reluctantly like her.

Arjen came barefoot from the kitchen to join them, smiling. He slipped his arm around Max and glowed so openly that Max melted immediately. Max tugged him closer and kissed the top of his head. He loved the way Arjen fit against him, his smaller frame just right for Max to put his arm around his shoulder.

Even Cate thawed somewhat at Arjen’s arrival. “You look brown.”

“The weather was fantastic.” Arjen leaned easily into Max. Max ruffled his dark hair. He did look brown; it was a good look on him, contrasting against his white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Must be all those days spent by the pool.

Cate wound her scarf around her throat. “Well, I need to pick up the keys at my new place, so I’ll leave you two to it.” She gave Max one last look of warning.

Arjen gave her a hug, and Max offered her his hand. Cate shook it, her grip cool, her expression hidden behind her mirrored sunglasses. Then she settled her bag on her shoulder and walked away into the autumn sun.

Max whistled. “That woman is terrifying.”

“Were you two fighting again?” Arjen’s brow furrowed.

“Nope. She was just telling me to look after you. Because she loves you.” He tipped up Arjen’s chin and stole a quick kiss. Arjen smiled against his mouth. He could feel Arjen’s fingers curling into the warm cloth of his t-shirt.

Then Max headed inside to direct the movers. He hadn’t brought much from his old flat; it only reminded him of how unhappy he’d been there without ever realising it. Not having friends, only hookups. Watching endless repeats on late-night television with canned laughter echoing around him. Finishing off most nights with a shot of whiskey to help him sleep. He’d ditched everything that reminded him of his old life, saving only one or two items that would fit into Arjen’s house.

Mainly that meant his DVD collection. Max had a feeling Arjen would appreciate his array of science fiction movies. Not the geek stuff like
Star Trek
, Arjen clearly had that angle covered already, but the real stuff where phasers weren’t set to stun. He pictured a whole future of evenings cuddled up with Arjen on the couch introducing Arjen to all the movies he’d missed while studying for law school. Maybe they should make popcorn.

“Ever seen
Pitch Black?”
Max turned back just in time to catch one of the movers totally checking Arjen out. Some crew-cut blond guy, a box in his arms, staring at Arjen’s ass.

Max’s eyes narrowed into slits. He wasn’t threatened, Arjen had made it clear that he was serious about Max, but it was insulting for another man to move in on his territory. Max was the only man allowed to look at Arjen like that, eyes sliding up and down every delicious inch of his body, wanting to eat him.

“Hey,” said Max icily. “Go put my stuff in Arjen’s bedroom.” He gave the mover a deadly stare.
Mine.

The mover slid past him with the box, looking somewhat unnerved. Max held down his growl as the man passed.

His brow stayed furrowed afterward. It bothered him that the last person Arjen had shared this house with had been so unlike him. Cate was cool, educated, with a good job and a killer Home Counties accent. Max wouldn’t know a designer shoe if it kicked him. Now Max was taking her space in this house. Filling up the gaps she’d left on the bookshelves, in the kitchen cupboards. Max knew Cate had never been a rival for Arjen, they were just friends, but Arjen was supernova hot, anybody would want him. Arjen had other options than Max. Maybe better options.

Max told himself not to be stupid, but suddenly he ached to be with Arjen. Arjen always made him feel wanted. Special. Irresistible.

He caught Arjen by the arm as Arjen passed, drawing him in close. Close enough to feel the heat of his body. Arjen paused, lifting his eyes to him. He really did look good enough to eat. “Let’s sneak upstairs,” Max murmured to him.

“We need to help the mov—”

“They can manage.” Max looked him up and down, lazy and hungry both at once.

Arjen reddened under his eyes. “We can’t just sneak—”

“Oh, we can.” Max took a fistful of his shirt and tugged him along.

He pulled Arjen into the second bedroom upstairs where nobody would interrupt them. Shafts of pale October light fell through a tilted window onto a bed. A purple pillow made a splash of colour against the white covers. In the far corner the desk gleamed, all black metal and shining glass.

As soon as he shut the door behind them Arjen was already protesting. “Everyone will hear.”

“Then you’d better be quiet.” Max yanked him tight against him by the loop of his belt. Arjen gasped. “Hadn’t you?”

“Max…” Arjen shifted against him. He was getting hard.

“Ssh.” Max dropped a hand to palm his ass. When he squeezed, Arjen rubbed against his thigh with a small sound of need. Max felt him up shamelessly, getting him hot and flustered. Arjen swayed into him, arms coming up around his neck, head on his shoulder. This was what Max loved—Arjen pliant in his arms. Max nipped his earlobe and Arjen shuddered against him. “You’re mine,” Max whispered in his ear.

Arjen tightened his arms around his neck. Max pushed a hand down the back of his jeans into his underwear to cup his ass. The feel of that hot, tight ass in his hand was incredible. He squeezed hard at the same time as he bit his earlobe and Arjen moaned aloud. “Oh, now you’re up for it?” Max teased him.

“Mmm.” Arjen was so easily persuaded.

Max turned him around and tugged his jeans and underwear down, baring that delightful ass that Max couldn’t wait to fuck. He slid a hand down Arjen’s taut stomach to take Arjen’s cock in his hand, loving the feel of him, hot and eager. He stroked and Arjen leaned back into him with another little moan, letting Max do whatever he wanted with him.

Max nipped his throat. “I’m going to enjoy making you come, Arjen. Getting you off while I’m buried deep inside you. Feet apart.” Arjen spread his legs obediently, as much as he could while still tangled up in his jeans. He could be very well-behaved when he wanted Max inside him. “That’s good,” Max praised, feeling him tremble as Max stroked him gently. “You want my fingers in you?”

“Yes.” Arjen pressed into him harder, turning his face into Max’s shoulder.

“Good. Because you are very, very hot when you’re all slippery on my fingers.” Max squeezed some lube onto his fingers and began to circle that sweet little pucker with just the tip of one finger. Arjen caught his breath, clutching at him now; Max kissed his cheek, his throat, keeping him grounded. Arjen’s back was pressed warm against his chest. Max kept stroking his cock as he delicately teased him with his fingertip, enjoying Arjen’s shivers. “More?” Max murmured against his cheek.

“Yes.” Arjen was panting now. He shifted, trying to spread his legs wider but trapped in his jeans.

Max slipped his finger in. Arjen tightened up delightfully around his finger; the thought of him doing that when Max thrust into him made Max rub against him with a growl. “You are wicked, Arjen. You need a good fucking just to keep you in line. Teach you who you belong to.” He pushed his finger in and out, in and out. Arjen was scorchingly hot in his arms, breathlessly trying to rock on his finger, trying to take it deeper. He was getting Max unbearably hard.

“Max. Please.” Arjen pushed back against him.

“Another finger?”

“Please fuck me.”

“When I’m ready,” Max whispered in his ear. Arjen made a wonderful sound of frustrated need. Max could not imagine ever getting bored of being wanted this badly.

Now that they lived together, he could spend every night doing this. Max’s grin got wider as he slid a second finger into Arjen’s tight body and made him shudder again.

“Max… I need…”

“Hush.” It gave Max an intense satisfaction to play with him, plunging his fingers in ruthlessly, rubbing that little spot inside him until Arjen was ready to beg. “I should make you go down on me before I fuck you. Put you on your knees pleasing me.”

“Max!”

Max chuckled. “You’re so impatient.” Max liked making him wait; it emphasised Max’s power over him, his control. And it drove Arjen absolutely crazy. “Hmm. Perhaps since you’ve been good, I’ll let you have what you need.” He pushed Arjen face first down over the desk and gripped him by the back of the neck. Arjen shivered under his hand as Max fumbled his own trousers open, both of them so ready for this.

He finally pushed into that sweet body with a deep groan of satisfaction. “Christ, that feels good.” Hot and slick and squeezing around him. Mmm. Arjen made a strangled sound; Max pinned him harder. “There. That’s better, isn’t it.” He drew out, then slammed in.

This time Arjen cried out. Pleasing as it was to hear him, Max clamped a hand over his mouth. Personally Max had no problem with the entire world knowing that he could make Arjen scream, but he didn’t want to embarrass Arjen. Plus he thought the rough treatment kind of turned Arjen on. So he tightened his hand over Arjen’s mouth as he pounded Arjen into the desk.

Arjen was so slippery, so needy that Max nearly came within seconds. Max set his jaw and took deep, steadying breaths. He couldn’t seem to think past Arjen beneath him, hot and taut, the wonderful arch and flex of his body. Max shifted his grip and adjusted his angle to drive deeper, trying to hit that spot that made him—yes, Arjen jerked under him as Max found exactly the right angle.

Arjen clutched at the desk as he came hard. The clenching of his body tipped Max straight over the edge and Max spilled himself into him with a growl. It felt so fucking good to come in him. Filling him with his seed, claiming him as his own.

Once the final pulses of heat had slowed Max eased out of his slick body. “There. That’s better.” Max dropped a kiss on the top of his head. Arjen stayed flat on the desk, catching his breath; Max steadied him with a gentle hand. He loved this time after sex, when he could take his time with Arjen, cleaning him up, helping him dress, gathering him into his arms. Taking care of him. It reminded Max that this was more than just sex. He could get laid anywhere—it was only Arjen who wanted to snuggle into his arms.

“Wow,” Arjen said once he’d caught his breath. “That was amazing.”

Max grinned. Success.

When they headed back downstairs, Max was brimming over with the warm glow of satisfaction he always got from Arjen. He could smile at everybody with complete confidence because he was the only one Arjen wanted. The only one who got to feel Arjen contracting hard around him as they both came.

He left a possessive hand at Arjen’s back, letting everyone know that Arjen belonged to him. He stared coldly at the blond guy who’d dared to look at Arjen. The movers finished up, made their excuses and scuttled out.

“Nice try,” Max muttered as the door shut behind them. That left him and Arjen alone among the stacks of boxes in the middle of their new future.

After a day of unpacking, they celebrated with a romantic dinner. Max had seen those in movies, so he considered himself an expert. He laid the table with a snow-white cloth, brought out the silverware from a corner cupboard, set out shining wine glasses with elegant stems. He stood back with folded arms, wondering if he should be scattering rose petals, then realised Arjen was silently laughing.

Max glared at him. Arjen barely stifled another laugh, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners. “I had no idea you were such a romantic, Max. I thought football and beer was more your style.”