The Arrangement (6 page)

The door closed behind him, and at the sound of Carter turning the lock, Reed’s heart stuttered again. This was most likely a mistake; he’d already proven he wasn’t the best judge of character. Maybe he misjudged Carter and put himself in a bad situation. Self-doubt whirled through his head, and Reed had half made up his mind to leave when Carter moved close and rested a hand on his back. Reed instinctively leaned into his firm touch and warmth, letting Carter’s arm naturally slide around his waist.

Warm breath tickled his ear as Carter spoke softly. “Why not put your bags down and take off your jacket? I can’t tell you how happy I am you came a little earlier than I expected.” With a bit of pressure, Carter turned him toward the sofa in the outer portion of the room.

It wasn’t the same standard room this time, Reed noticed. Carter had reserved a suite, and Reed hadn’t ever been in a hotel room quite as large or luxurious. The outer room boasted a dining table with four chairs, a credenza with a flat-screen television, a large, comfortable-looking sofa, and two club chairs. A low light glowed from an interior room, which Reed assumed to be the bedroom. His stomach clenched tightly in response.

“Uh, sure. I wasn’t working the bar, just doing some of the office work for Vernon, so he didn’t care if I left.” Still holding on to his waist, Carter walked him over to the sofa where Reed dropped his knapsack and duffel bag, then managed to break Carter’s hold on him so he could remove his jacket. On the pretense of looking around the room, Reed walked around a bit before halting by the wall of windows overlooking the congested streets of Times Square.

“It’s bizarre, you know?” He touched the cool pane of glass. “There’s so many separate worlds going on all over the city. We’re in this secluded bubble up here where we don’t even hear the sound of the traffic. Anything could happen, and no one would realize it; love, death, every day it all goes on around us and we remain oblivious.”

He sensed Carter behind him. “That’s very philosophical. Is that what you’re studying—philosophy?”

The disbelief in Carter’s voice caused Reed to smile, but he kept his gaze fixed on the glittering light show outside the window instead of turning around to meet Carter’s eyes. “No, I’m studying hospitality management. I’d like to eventually manage my own restaurant or a hotel.”

“Good. For a moment I thought you were wasting your tuition money on nonsense. You’ll never make any money studying that crap. It’s not like you can open up a philosophy store and spend your day spouting all that bullshit to people.”

Strangely enough, Carter’s obvious disdain quieted Reed’s nerves. “I don’t know; I could see myself sitting in a nice quiet space, talking to people about their lives, thinking deep thoughts.”

“Oh yeah?” Carter pressed him against the window, covering Reed with his body. He’d forgotten Carter had been naked when he entered, and Reed could feel the thrust of his cock against his ass. “Maybe you have something there ’cause I like it when you get deep.” Carter kissed behind his ear, sending shivers down Reed’s spine. “Deep inside me.”

A surge of lust stiffened his dick, and heat flooded through him. Carter’s tongue traced a slow deliberate pattern across his neck and Reed’s pulse raced. “I like that too,” he whispered, and Carter’s lips curved in a brief smile against his ear, his breath hot and humid.

All thoughts of school and studying fled when Carter reached around and popped the tab of his jeans, then pulled down the zipper. His erection pushed out, and the simple touch of Carter’s hand brushing against his boxers had him groaning out loud. There was something surreal about being so high in the sky yet half-undressed in front of a window. It was powerful and a huge turn-on, wondering if anyone else could see them. Not caring if they did.

Reed gasped as Carter began to touch him, lightly, teasingly, until he barely recognized the moaning, pleading sounds coming out of his mouth.

“Oh fuck, please.” His hips pushed outward, wanting Carter to grasp him hard instead of with those barely there, feather-light strokes of his fingertips that left his nerves on edge, his body screaming for release.

Carter yanked down his jeans and boxers, and Reed hurriedly toed off his sneakers, then stepped out of his clothes until he finally stood naked from the waist down. Carter began to jack him off in earnest now, his thumb swiping over the thick head of Reed’s cock, picking up fluid, while he sucked the tender skin of Reed’s neck. Carter’s other hand snaked down his belly to cup his balls, rolling them first, then gently squeezing them in the palm of his hand.

Waves of pleasure rolled through him as Carter continued to play havoc with his body. Trapped between Carter’s arms, exposed in front of the window, not knowing who might be watching them, Reed trembled violently, certain he was about to splinter apart. Carter continued his hand-play across the tip of his cock, teasing the sensitive head, applying pressure when he perceived Reed needed more. Never in his life had Reed been so turned on, and with a hoarse cry he came, spilling hot and hard into Carter’s hand, spraying onto the windowpane.

The powerful climax annihilated him, and Reed sagged against the window, uncaring of the mess he’d made. Behind him Carter fumbled, and Reed had barely caught his breath before Carter’s wet and sticky fingers slid into the crease of his ass.

“Oh, God, no. I can’t.”

But even as he said it, Reed spread his legs a bit wider, encouraging Carter and enabling his fingers to slide inside his passage. He knew Carter wanted to fuck him and, God knows, he wanted it as well. It had been so long Reed had almost given up, thinking he’d never again crave being touched, but now this stranger had given him back his lost desire, and he wanted more.

“Fuck me, Carter; do it.” Reed placed his hands on the glass, tilting his ass up, feeling like he was in one of those cheesy porno movies, but he didn’t give a shit. Carter’s fingers pushed in his ass, tormenting him with their wicked, unrelenting flutters. Then as suddenly as they had entered him, they withdrew, and he cried out in protest, wanting them back. In a daze, Reed heard the foil wrapper rip, and he tried not to tense as Carter pushed his slicked-up cock inside him. Slowly and with deliberation, Carter filled him; Reed had never been so stretched, so consumed. Carter didn’t only possess his ass—Reed’s whole body belonged to him.

It was too good, Reed thought hazily as his body began to respond and he met Carter’s thrusts, pushing back hard, clenching his inner muscles tight to keep Carter’s dick inside him. Too good and too long since his body felt this pulse of life within. Carter’s grip on his hips intensified as he drove himself into Reed’s body, and heedless of the fingers digging into his skin, Reed keened high and loud at the wondrous sensations buffeting his body as Carter hit his prostate over and over again.

“Ahh, Carter.” He guessed the exact moment before Carter orgasmed; his fingers tightened further on Reed’s hips while his cock stiffened. Carter continued to slam hard and fast into his body and Reed welcomed it, urging him on. A harsh cry rent the silence as Carter came, impaling himself deep inside Reed, his hot breath gusting past Reed’s shoulder as Reed shuddered and twitched.

The warmth of Carter’s sweat-slicked body comforted him, and Reed could’ve stayed plastered together a bit longer, but Carter withdrew to go inside the suite. Reed presumed it was to use the bathroom. Awkward, suddenly, as if just realizing he stood naked in front of a window in Times Square, Reed bent to gather his discarded clothing and hurried away from the windows.

After rummaging in his duffel bag for a pair of sweatpants, Reed slipped them on and lay down on the sofa to catch his breath. His ass ached, and he shifted to get comfortable. It had been a while since he’d had someone inside him and never with this powerful a reaction. He could hear the water running in the bathroom and itched to go into the bedroom but found himself strangely shy. Yeah, they’d just had mind-blowing sex, but Reed realized that Carter never said a word to him the whole time. His stomach dropped, and in that moment Reed felt a bit dirty and used. He checked his watch and saw it was time to take his antianxiety medication, and for the first time he was grateful to have it. He needed to keep on top of his meds with all the upheaval in his life right now.

Carter reappeared in the living room of the suite but remained standing by the entrance.

“Why don’t you come inside? You aren’t sleeping on the sofa, you know.” His eyes flickered to the windows where they’d just been, then back to Reed. “I was waiting for you. I thought maybe I came on too strong and you decided to leave.”

Might Carter not be as confident as he appeared on the outside? The possibility that he was plagued with the same doubts and uncertainty Reed suffered from never occurred to Reed. Of course Reed knew ADHD and anxiety amplified his own fears, but Carter need never know that side of him. He wasn’t about to open himself up again to humiliation and ignorance. A brash and self-assured Carter, juxtaposed with the concerned and, dare he say it, sweet-natured man, oddly enough gave Reed a certain strength. Like he had inside knowledge to a man that most others didn’t get the chance to see. A softer, more human side that caused Reed’s heart to beat a bit faster.

“I was waiting for you to finish.”

Carter’s silvery eyes turned dark and hungry as they roamed over Reed; a shiver rippled through him involuntarily. It was ridiculous how responsive he’d become to a simple look from this man.

“We have an entire weekend; I’ve barely started.” He held out his hand. “Come on. You could use a shower, then we can order some room service and go to bed.”

Surprising himself, Reed walked up to Carter and cupping him around the nape of his neck, drew him down for a kiss that he intended to be claiming but instead turned sweetly passionate. Their tongues tangled and slid slickly, and Reed ended up with his arms around Carter’s shoulders, clinging to him as their mouths slanted over each other, their breaths mingling and becoming one.

Carter broke free, gasping for air, and wiped his lips on his sleeve. “Or we could just go to bed now and forget the room service and the shower.”

Reed smiled. “I think that’s the best idea you’ve had all night.”

Carter swatted his ass as he walked by. “I’m full of good ideas.”

*     *     *

Reed lifted his
head from the pillow and squinted at the bedside clock. Nine a.m. He groaned and flopped back down on the pillow while simultaneously stretching the early morning kinks from his sore body. Not that he was complaining—he couldn’t hold back the smile that tugged at his lips. He and Carter had stayed up into the early morning hours, mapping out the contours of each other’s bodies with lips, hands, and tongues. Reed didn’t think he’d ever felt so wanted in his life.

He rolled over to curl up to Carter’s warmth. “Hey, how’re you—”

No one was there, and the bedding was cold to the touch, as if it had been empty for a while. Still a bit fuzzy from the all-night marathon, Reed scrubbed the sleep from his eyes, disappointed Carter wasn’t there with him to wake up and say good morning.

After using the bathroom and brushing his teeth, Reed cocked his head, certain he heard voices from the outer room. Did Carter plan on inviting someone else to share their weekend? Reed had no intention of joining in a threesome and was about to walk into the living room when he heard Carter laugh. It sounded carefree—not designed to seduce, but real and from the heart. And even though he knew it was wrong, Reed couldn’t help but listen in on the conversation.

“I miss you so much. I’ll be home tomorrow night, and we can have dinner together, okay?”

Reed inched closer, straining to hear through the closed door. He knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop, yet he wanted to know more about Carter. They might have agreed to keep their private lives separate, but Reed couldn’t help his curiosity.

“I love you. Bye.”

Fearful of getting caught, Reed scrambled back into bed and had settled in at the exact moment Carter opened the door and stuck his head inside. A wide smile beamed across his handsome face.

“Oh, you’re finally up. You were dead to the world an hour ago when I tried to wake you.”

Feigning a yawn, Reed pushed his fingers through the tangled waves of his hair. “Yeah, you kept me up late last night.” He stretched and through sleepy eyes watched Carter’s dark gaze roam over his half-naked body. Reed wondered who Carter spoke to. Was it another man? Reed didn’t think so. A thought occurred to him: was Carter living a double life and married to a woman, pretending to be straight?

When Carter pounced on him, taking his mouth in a bruising kiss, however, Reed’s head spun, and as was becoming more frequent, he lost the ability to focus on anything except the furious need that built inside him at Carter’s touch. Reed forgot about the call and his doubts and thought about nothing except how much he wanted Carter again.

‡

A
month had
passed, and he shouldn’t be as excited as he was to see Carter this weekend, yet as Reed rushed to get dressed for work and packed his bag, he couldn’t help the stupid grin he knew rested on his face. Something about the illicit nature of their arrangement made it fun and different, almost like a movie script or something in a book. Making love in front of the window last time proved to be a huge turn on and Reed spent many nights re-living that experience, until the mere thought of it gave him a hard-on. It certainly wasn’t anything Reed ever expected to happen to him. He thought he was too ordinary a guy, but for some crazy reason Carter wanted him.