Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“And you won’t leave me because I’m an idiot over you?”
“No, dearest,” Will whispered before taking his lips in a sweet kiss.
When it ended, he laid his head on Charlie’s shoulder and squeezed his hand. His mind wandered for a moment until it finally settled on a thought. “You know, as much as it hurts to think about, I don’t think we really stood a chance in Paris.”
“Really?”
Will grunted. “We were in vastly different places in our lives. We wanted things that were driving us in opposite directions. No matter what, one of us would have likely had to sacrifice a dream for us to stay together.”
“And one or both of us would have been resentful of that happening,” Charlie agreed. “What about now?”
Will closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against Charlie’s shoulder. The familiar spicy scent of his body wash drifted past his nose, brushing away lingering tendrils of worry. “I think both of our dreams are more flexible than they used to be. We’re more open to exploring and trying new things. If we had met now, instead of in Paris six years ago, we probably wouldn’t have had half the problems we did.”
“You think it would have been easier now?”
Will snorted and lifted his head to grin at Charlie. “No. But maybe you would have been more forthcoming about your life, and I wouldn’t have been so scared to demand the truth from you.”
Charlie’s smile clung to his lips, but his eyes grew sadder. “I’m sorry you were scared to confront me. I know it was because you were sure I would walk out the door. I’m not leaving, ever. No matter how pissed or demanding you get.”
“No more apologies. I don’t want to live in the past anymore. Just tell me you love me.”
“I love you. I love you completely. I love the amazing person that you were in Paris, and I love the idea of getting to know you all over again.”
Will’s throat tightened and his eyes burned with unshed tears. He’d truly never thought this would happen. It had taken him years to let go of all the hopes and dreams his heart had constructed around Charlie. It didn’t want to accept that they didn’t have a chance, that they couldn’t make it work. He’d moved on, but he’d never been able to love another quite like he’d loved Charlie—with all of his soul.
He leaned in and kissed his lover because he couldn’t get the words past the lump in his throat. Not yet, anyway. He let himself get lost in the feel and taste of Charlie. Strong arms wrapped around him, and he inched as close as he could.
“I love you,” Will mumbled against his lips.
Charlie smiled, his beard scratching Will’s cheek. “Let’s go back to bed for a little while. It’s still early.”
Will didn’t bother to reply. He just tightened his fingers around Charlie’s and pulled the man to his feet as he rose. He led the way up the stairs with Charlie lightly chuckling behind him every freaking step, but he didn’t care.
Unfortunately, they encountered a sleepy West in the hallway as they reached the top of the stairs. The man took one look at them and groaned.
“Fuck. Just try to keep the noise down. It’s too early for this shit,” West muttered.
“The coffee is fresh,” Charlie said as if it were some small consolation prize for what West might have to endure.
Will knew he wasn’t quiet. He couldn’t be quiet when he was with Charlie. Everything his lover did turned him inside-out with pleasure—how could he possibly hold all of that in?
The second the door closed, they were on each other. A giggle tumbled from Will as Charlie tugged Will’s T-shirt over his head and tossed it aside. It was as if they’d managed to slip back in time to recapture that frantic, crazed energy they’d had when they were younger and couldn’t get enough of each other.
But each touch, each kiss was now deeper, tempered with the ghost of lost years and the ache of longing. There was no escaping the knowledge of how close they’d come to never having this again.
Their time was too precious to waste. No matter how much they drove each other crazy or how Charlie tried to protect him from danger, Will was never letting him go.
He shoved both hands under Charlie’s hoodie, running his fingers through the thick hair covering him. Strong muscles jumped and flexed at his touch while nipples pebbled hard under his fingertips.
Their tongues tangled and retreated only to follow and fight again until Will finally submitted with a melting whimper. This was what he wanted, what he craved with every fiber of his being—to be possessed by Charlie, body and soul.
One hand slipped inside his loose pajama pants and wrapped around his cock, while the other squeezed a bare ass cheek, kneading tight muscles. Will moaned into Charlie’s mouth, his mind liquifying at that touch. His body was trapped in an endless loop of pleasure that was winding him up closer to an explosion.