Marked Chapter 6 - I Feel Good

EPOV

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, I ran my fingers through my hair and stepped off, glancing up and down the hallway.

204…204…204…

Spotting the lower numbers to my left, I turned that way, adjusting one of my burgundy suspenders as I walked. I looked damn good, I had to admit. When I’d woken up that morning, I’d pulled my favorite suit – a lightweight, pale gray one that had been tailored to showcase my best features – from my closet. I’d actually gotten it right after Alistair and I broke up, wanting to treat myself to a few expensive things that didn’t remind me of him. I’d studied all my shirts hanging neatly, but after thinking for just a moment, I’d paired it with the same white shirt that Jasper had worn at our shoot, grinning to myself the whole time.

I seriously doubted he’d recognize it, but after the torment he’d put me through that afternoon – exquisite though some of the resulting images were – I was going to try to tempt him just as much during our date today. The difference, of course, was that I planned to end the night with way more than just teasing.

I fully intended for him to take the “Cum Here” tongue ring I was now sporting literally.

“Mmm…” My soft noise broke the silence of the hallway, and I was suddenly intensely glad Jasper wasn’t standing at his door waiting for me.

Pull it together, Masen.

I had a long day to get through before I could begin to entertain thoughts like those. But god damn, at least it was a long day with no more uncertainty. I was looking forward to visiting the museums with Jasper…watching him look at paintings, listening to him talk about what he saw, and knowing without a doubt that it was okay that I was touching him too much and watching him too closely and smiling at him too often.

It was a fucking amazing feeling to know he really did want me, too. Our night together, though too brief for my liking, had been incredible, and I couldn’t wait to tangle my fingers in his hair and feel his hard cock grinding against mine while I tasted him on my tongue again.

Rolling my eyes, I reached down, adjusting myself automatically as I reached Jasper’s door. I paused for a moment, a smile on my face as I imagined what he might be wearing. When I’d told him where I wanted to take him to dinner tonight, he’d been surprised.

“Oleana?” he asked, his eyes widening as his eyebrows climbed toward his hairline. I was lying on top of him, my hips between his thighs, and we’d stopped briefly, our lips parting during one of the rare breaks we’d taken last night.

I chuckled, nodding. “Assuming you like Middle Eastern food, of course.” I’d called two restaurants - Oleana and Hungry Mother - to make reservations on the way home from the diner. Once Jasper had agreed to go out with me, I wasn’t taking any chances.

“Fucking love it,” he said, making me smile. “But that’s insanely expensive. You don’t have to do that.” He lifted his head, kissing me softly.

I smiled at him, my thumb tracing along his jaw. My voice was quiet and low. “It’s been awhile since I went on a date, Jasper…hell, it’s been awhile since I met anyone I wanted to date. Let me do this…please?” He looked unsure, frowning slightly, so I shifted, my hard-on rubbing against his through the thick fabric of our jeans as I leaned down and bit his earlobe. “Besides…I want to treat you right before I bring you back here and have my way with you.”

He growled, bucking his hips against me, and there was no more talk for a considerable amount of time.

The rest of the night was beyond fuzzy for me as I’d obviously had a little too much to drink. I hadn’t forgotten anything, but some of the memories I did have made me wonder if I should be embarrassed.

Fuck no.

I wanted Jasper. Badly. Something had changed, and I wasn’t afraid to admit it anymore, so I wasn’t bothered by the way I’d all but begged him to stay with me as he was waiting for his cab. And if he had stayed, there wasn’t much I wouldn’t have done to him – and let him do to me.

Before I could begin fantasizing about what might have been, I reminded myself to get started on whatever the hell would be. I took a deep breath and shook out my hands by my sides, then raised my right fist and knocked on the door.

“Coming!” I heard Jasper’s gently accented voice call from inside.

You’re not yet…but I fucking guarantee you will be.

I chuckled at my own stupid adolescent joke, and a smirk was on my face when the door swung open to reveal Jasper.

He was standing there looking like a goddamn Calvin Klein ad, wearing clothes that accented his hard body. His shirt was a light blue, and he had on another of those art ties he seemed to favor. I barely bothered to register that, though, because those sky blue eyes were already smoldering, drinking me in thirstily as he let his gaze roam. Unabashedly, I studied him just as closely, noticing the way his tan linen pants fell against those muscular thighs I’d finally felt and the bulge at his crotch that promised to be quite impressive when I managed to get those pants off tonight.

Oh, and I would.

My eyes continued upward, my tongue ring suddenly between my lips as I appreciated the sight of his toned chest and broad shoulders. I continued my appraisal all the way to his hair, which I noticed was more tamed than usual.

He must’ve just brushed it.

I can fix that.

When I met his gaze again, my tongue ring disappeared back into my mouth, and I gave him a crooked grin. His eyes widened, and I saw his lips part just before I heard a low, “Fuck me…”

“Maybe…” My grin widened. “If you play your cards right.”

He chuckled then and stepped toward me, reaching out to put a hand on my elbow as he pulled me closer and kissed me softly. My eyes closed as I inhaled his delicious fragrance, returning his kiss. “You look unbelievable,” he said quietly against my lips before he stepped back and shook his head.

“Now that’s a damn good start,” I teased, holding my arms out. “So? Told you I knew how to wear a suit.”

His eyes danced as he muttered, “You sure as fuck know how to wear that suit,” under his breath.

I’d given him a hard time last night because he’d acted surprised that I even owned a suit. When I’d told him I had several, he’d said, “That’s something I’d sure as hell like to see…although I do like your ‘don’t give a damn’ look, too.” He’d grinned at me, and I’d laughed, deciding then and there that I’d give him something to look at today.

I couldn’t resist him, so I stepped closer, putting my hands on his hips and pulling him to me as I kissed him deeply. He sighed softly when my lips parted his, and the sound of his moan when the tip of his tongue met the metal in mine made me shiver in anticipation. We kissed for several long moments, but when I felt Jasper’s erection pressing against my own, I knew we had two options: either step apart right then and go on our date or start taking off clothes and never leave this apartment.

I was fucking good either way.

Jasper was the one to finally break our kiss, biting my lip hard enough to make me hiss before he murmured, “Don’t think I didn’t notice that tongue ring. Tease.”

I nibbled his lip in response as I said softly, “I’m not fucking teasing.”

“God damn it, Edward…” His breathless voice made me smile.

At last, he took a step back, and I let my hands fall to my side. “So are you ready to go?”

“Just about.” His voice was still lower-pitched, husky, and going straight to my cock. I could see him battling the lust raging in his eyes, and I knew exactly how he felt. He turned away, walking through an archway into his dining room, where he grabbed his suit jacket from one of the chairs. For the first time, I took in a bit of my surroundings, realizing I’d been standing in Jasper’s apartment for a while now and hadn’t seen…anything.

I barely noticed that his living room furniture was lighter than mine, upholstery rather than leather, before my eyes were drawn back to Jasper. I couldn’t seem to stop watching him as he pulled his coat on and tugged at the sleeves, shifting his shoulders. I’d seen him in a tie a couple of times before but seeing him in a suit was astounding – especially because, this time, he’d gotten dressed up just for me.

I stood near the doorway where he’d left me, watching as he wandered around the apartment, muttering to himself as he patted his pockets and picked up his phone. He checked something on the screen and then dropped it into the inner pocket of his jacket. Finally, he looked up, apparently satisfied that he had everything, and as soon as his eyes met mine, he smiled.

I winked at him and said, “Let’s go look at some fine art.”

He nodded, the smile never leaving his lips as he walked over to me. I turned, about to head out the door, but when he caught up to me, I felt his hand squeeze my ass. I glanced over my shoulder at him, raising an eyebrow, and he said, “Been waiting a few weeks to do that.”

“That so?” I asked innocently.

He nodded.

“Then you shouldn’t mind this too much…” I took a half-step back, stopping when my body was pressed lightly against his. I reached down, palming his dick through his pants and rubbing gently. My voice was lower when I murmured, “I’ve been waiting fucking weeks to do that, too.”

He inhaled sharply, his eyes drifting closed before they snapped open and found mine. I saw the question he didn’t ask shimmering in those blue eyes. Do you want to just stay in?

“Don’t tempt me,” I whispered. “I still need to take you out and treat you right before I can have my way with you.”

His right arm slipped around my waist, pulling me more firmly to him so I could feel his hard-on pressed against my ass. His hand moved downward, rubbing me deliberately as his teeth bit into my earlobe. “We could always go out later,” he murmured.

“Fuck, you don’t play fair…” My voice was barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat and took a small step forward. “But we have reservations, so you’ll just have to wait a few hours before I show you what else I’ve been waiting weeks to do.”

His eyes were bright with curiosity and desire, and I had to carefully turn my gaze away, opening the door and stepping through it before I really did risk not leaving the apartment that day. Despite the fact that I wanted Jasper like I couldn’t remember wanting anyone before, I also really liked him. If this relationship had a chance, then I actually did want to do it right.

Well, mostly.

I wasn’t about to follow all those dumb ass rules about not kissing on a first date. I fully planned to kiss him all over.

I paused in the hallway as Jasper walked out behind me and turned to lock the door. As we made our way toward the elevator, he cleared his throat, his tone distinctly lighter as he asked me how I slept.

Laughing, I gave a small shake of my head and said, “Like the dead, I guess.” After Jasper had left, the rest of the night – what little there was of it – had been a bit of a blur. I remembered somehow making my way upstairs, stripping, and falling into bed fucking rock hard and aching. “Oh.” I snickered as I remembered what happened next. “Yeah, I slept really well.”

He arched an eyebrow as he automatically reached out, pressing the button to call the elevator. When I didn’t say anything, he said, “Care to explain?”

I shrugged, and my voice was smug. “Someone had to take care of me after you abandoned me.”

Just then, the elevator dinged. The doors slid open as I winked at him and then stepped inside. I walked to the back and leaned against the bar, crossing my arms over my chest. Jasper stood frozen for just a moment before his eyes narrowed, and he stalked across the elevator to me. As the doors were slowly shutting again, he slipped his fingers through my empty belt loops and tugged. I straightened, smirking as I lowered my arms to my sides.

“Now listen up, Doctor Masen,” he growled. “You need to make up your mind by the time we get to your car. Either take me to your place and ‘have your way with me’ like you keep promising…” He leaned close, his nose trailing from the tip of my chin across my lips before he kissed me hard. “Or behave yourself just a little bit, and we’ll go on this date so you can ‘treat me right’ first. Your call.”

Of course, he couldn’t make it easy. As he was speaking, his hands moved from my belt loops to slide around my waist, easing down to cup my ass as he pulled me closer. As he finished speaking, he began kissing my neck, slowly, teasingly, and before I could say a word, the elevator doors slid open again, and he chuckled as he turned and ambled away.

Fucking tease.

I can play that game, too.

“Hey, Jasper?”

He paused at the sincerity in my voice and halfway turned to face me. “What’s up?”

I didn’t answer at first, taking the opportunity to catch up. When I reached him, I put my hand on the small of his back, looked into his eyes and said quietly, “Just wanted to say I’m sorry. I’ll be on my best behavior from now on…” I did mean it. Sort of. Well, I meant it in that I did intend to treat him right. I just also meant to torment the hell out of him at the same time.

His eyes narrowed as if he knew exactly what I meant, but then a soft, brilliant smile spread on his lips. He reached up, cupping my cheek before his hand slid back so that his thumb was just in front of my ear while his fingers curled around the back of my neck. He placed a kiss on my lips so light I could barely feel it, and then he whispered, “I’m not sure I buy that ‘best behavior’ shit, but thank you.”

He started to pull away, but I grabbed him by the belt and held him in place. My voice was a low rumble as I murmured, “You know, you could apologize, too.”

His eyebrows raised in surprise. “For what?”

“For being so fucking tempting that I just can’t help myself…” I pecked him quickly on the lips and then stepped away before he could protest. I raised my voice as I started to walk toward my car, calling over my shoulder, “And for being a goddamn tease, too.”

He laughed, throwing his head back as he followed me. Once we were settled into my car with our jackets spread across the backseat, he began pestering me about where we were going, but I wouldn’t give anything away. “I told you. I’m taking you to look at some fine art.”

“Then why are we driving away from Boston?” he asked, glancing out the window.

I shrugged. “Bad sense of direction?”

He snorted, muttering under his breath, “Funny…your hands don’t seem to have that problem.”

I grinned, and the rest of our trip was spent talking and teasing each other. Initially, our hands roamed occasionally, “accidentally” brushing here and there, but as the half-hour car ride wore on, we became lost in actual conversation.

Generally, our conversation revolved around art – paintings we’d seen, sculptures we’d still like to see. It turned out that Jasper had never left the country except for short trips into Mexico, and that was just such a foreign concept to me. My mind idly wandered, imagining places I could take him and things I could show him if we were to work out. All the while, Jasper spoke easily, his smooth voice rising above the Kinks playing softly in the background, and every once in awhile, I’d catch a hint of that mouth-watering scent of Earl Grey tea.

When we reached Dedham, I turned onto High Street and found a place to park by the curb a block or two away from the theater. We got out of the car, and I opened the back door, pulling out both our jackets while Jasper looked around, his brow furrowed in confusion.

I walked around the back of my car to meet him on his side, my own jacket folded over my arm as I held his out in both hands. The faint blush on his cheeks was too cute as he let me help him put his jacket on, and I squeezed his hand gently before I let go and put my coat on while he was still straightening his.

He frowned at me, shaking his head and muttering when I said, “What?”

Finally, he looked at me with a playfully disgruntled expression and said, “I’m not the only one who needs to be treated right, you know.”

A genuine smile of happiness played on my lips as I murmured, “Point taken…sorry.”

He smiled in response and surprised the hell out of me when he held out his hand for me to take. I couldn’t really remember the last time I’d held hands walking down the street like this - Alistair had never been all that physically affectionate except when we were actually in bed - and I was pleasantly surprised to realize how much I liked it. Jasper gave my hand a quick squeeze and then readjusted, lacing his fingers through mine as he talked.

“So…it’s got to be close by. Care to tell me where we’re going now?”

“You really don’t know?” My delight was evident in my voice. I’d been sure he’d recognize it as soon as we turned onto the street.

He shook his head, peering around at the buildings once more. I led us beneath the overhang of one and through the glass doors, while he glanced at me curiously. I pretended not to notice as we walked down the stairs. As we passed the men’s room, Jasper said, “Did we stop so you could go to the bathroom?”

I heard the amusement in his voice, and it made me smile. I shook my head, though, laughing as I steered him toward the museum. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the first painting. He glanced back the way we’d come, chuckling when he made the connection. “The Museum of Bad Art?” I nodded with a grin. “Interesting choice…I’ve heard of it and kept meaning to check it out, but I never got around to it.”

I teased him, saying, “And you’ve been in Boston how long?”

“About seven years,” he answered automatically.

“So did you always live in Texas?” I asked him as we moved to take a closer look at the painting that had caught his eye. The canvas was covered in flames with a disembodied blue face screaming up from the bottom. Reclining against a rock on the shore of the lake of flames was a naked, red-skinned demon with a fully erect penis.

“Yeah, my family owns a ranch there, so there wasn’t any moving around or anything like that…” We continued to talk about Jasper’s family as we made our way through the museum, looking at pictures of angry cats and evil clowns. Comments were thrown in here and there about the paintings, and I found that Jasper had a fantastic sense of humor, keeping me laughing without even trying.

We moved to a painting of an elderly woman in blue in a field of flowers. Jasper trailed off, losing the thread of what he was saying as he stopped to study her. “What in the…? Is that a…a chair?” He leaned closer, peering curiously just behind the woman’s head.

I laughed quietly and nodded, stepping close to him as I put my arm around his waist. “Meet Lucy…she’s sort of the inspiration for all of this.” I told him the story of how the painting had been rescued from the trash, prompting the owners to collect others like it. “Eventually, the collection was so big they had to move out of their own basement into this lovely space…” I gestured around us as if I was a tour guide, and Jasper chuckled.

He turned back to the painting. “Why the hell does she have a chair glued to her ass in the middle of a field?”

I shrugged. “Part of the beauty of it. Who the hell knows?” With a grin, I squeezed his waist and lowered my voice, saying, “I’ll be right back.”

He nodded absently, his brow furrowing as he studied Lucy. I visited the restroom, smiling at myself in the mirror as I washed my hands when I finished. So far, I’d have to say the date was going extremely well. I was finding that I felt very relaxed with Jasper – you know, when I wasn’t fighting back my raging desire for him. I didn’t have to think about what I was going to say or worry about filling in any uncomfortable pauses. I’d been concerned about that after our awkward phone conversations, but it just hadn’t happened yet. Not once.

After drying my hands, I headed back out to the museum, glancing around when Jasper wasn’t where I’d left him. I found him a few feet away, standing with his back to me. His head was tilted to the right, hands on his hips as he leaned back slightly to get a better look.

As I got closer, I was torn between amusement and curiosity. He was staring at a picture of a nude woman from behind, painted in golds and blacks. Her waist was narrow, flaring at the hips, but they seemed in proportion. Her shoulders and left arm, however, were incredibly large in comparison, but even they were dwarfed by her left breast, which took up a quarter of the canvas.

I moved to stand behind him, slipping my arms around his waist as I rested my chin on his shoulder. “Something you neglected to tell me, Mr. Whitlock?”

He moved his hand on top of mine and shook his head. “I’m not sure this belongs here,” was all he said.

Keeping my eyes on the painting, I tilted my head to kiss his neck and felt his fingers tighten on my hand in response. Well, he’s still affected by me despite staring at the monster boob there. “A naked woman is all it takes to make good art?” I teased.

He moved his head back to look at me so I could see him roll his eyes. “Hardly.” He placed a quick kiss on my lips and then turned to look at the painting once more, but this time he leaned into me a bit.

Heaven.

“No, I mean…the proportion is definitely off, but overall, it’s an interesting painting to look at. I think that was done on purpose…maybe a statement about the way women are objectified? Look, the only areas of the painting with any sort of detail are here…” He pointed to her ass. “And here…” The giant breast. “And that’s without even mentioning how large her breast is, of course…”

Well, well…

Listening to him talk that way, so confident and intelligent, was yet another turn on. I argued with him, just to hear him defend himself, saying, “Or maybe the artist was objectifying his model instead?”

I watched his profile as his eyes narrowed while he pondered this. Finally, he shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He began pointing again, mentioning shading and perspective, and I tried to pay attention, but I became absorbed in watching the expression on his face and listening to the passion in his voice. I could feel myself growing harder, so I started to step back, but he kept his hand on top of mine, stopping me.

“Don’t think I don’t feel that,” he murmured, rubbing my hand with his fingertips.

“Sorry,” I whispered in return. “I just can’t help myself…”

A smile flitted across his lips, and he laced his fingers through mine, leaning back against me. He turned his face, and I could feel his hot breath on my ear as he whispered, “Don’t ever apologize for wanting me. I sure as fuck am not going to apologize for wanting you.”

Aware of the other patrons around us – few though there were – I somehow managed to not thrust my hips against him…or shove him against the wall and unzip his pants like I really wanted to do. Instead, I bit his earlobe lightly. “Fair enough…I won’t apologize, but you really need to let me go before I lose what little control I have and make a scene.”

He bit his bottom lip and dropped his hand, turning to look at me with desire in his eyes. Both of us closed our jackets, buttoning the middle buttons at the same time, and we laughed. The tension between us was broken instantly, and Jasper cleared his throat, moving to look at the next painting.

We fell again into our easy banter, and soon we were finished looking through the small exhibit. Afterward, we walked back to my car – this time not holding hands, as Jasper was gesturing animatedly – and he was still talking as he took my jacket from me and ducked his head inside to lay them both over the backseat.

I was struck by the ease of it all – the way we just seemed to fall in step so seamlessly. After the last several weeks of agonizing over every little contact – or lack thereof – with him, this new familiarity seemed almost surreal.

Jasper waited until he was buckling his seatbelt to speak again, his tone playful. “So where are you taking me now, Dr. Masen?”

I pondered for just a moment, wondering what he’d say if I told him I was taking him back to my house. Now.

Instead, I cleared my throat and said, “I figured we’d go to the Museum of Fine Art…there’s an exhibit there right now I think you’ll love. Two, actually. You’ve been before, right?”

Jasper nodded, and we talked about some of our favorites from the standing collection. The ride back to Boston passed quickly, and we were soon pulling into a parking place at the museum. This time when I got out and opened the back door to pull out my jacket, Jasper yanked it away. I straightened, and he gave me a pointed look over the top of the car.

I felt the flush on my cheeks as I walked around to him, but he smiled at me softly as he held the coat out for me. I took his from him as soon as mine was on my arms, helping him into it, and then we both stood there adjusting them together. I reached out, straightening his lapel, and I was reminded immediately of the night of our photo shoot. I’m sure my eyes were mischievous as I again trailed my fingers up his chest, running them up his neck to his ear.

Jasper’s eyes darkened as he watched me, and then he put his hands on my hips, pushing me back against my car as he pressed himself close to me. He kissed me there in the parking lot, his tongue slipping between my lips as his right hand slid up my body to tangle in my hair.

When he pulled away, I was panting faintly as I looked at him.

He shrugged, giving me a small, wicked grin as he said, “That’s what I wanted to do the first damn time.”

“That so?”

He nodded, and I had to laugh.

“What?” he asked as I took his hand and started to lead him toward the museum.

I shook my head at the irony. “I really thought I’d gone too far…that you weren’t interested. I was worried that maybe I’d pissed you off.”

He stopped, standing frozen in place so that I was tugged back by my hand. “Are you serious?”

With a small sigh, I turned and stood in front of him, taking his other hand in mine and looking him in the eye. “Yes.” I squeezed both his hands and bit the inside of my cheek before deciding to just be honest. “Because of a few misunderstandings, I spent a few weeks convinced you liked women. Remember me congratulating you on the baby?”

He nodded and gave me a small smile. “I was sort of worried that was the case.” Pulling on both my hands, he urged me closer. When our chests met, he kissed me softly. “Convinced I like you now?”

I kissed him again, parting his lips with mine. Before I could get too lost in the feeling of being connected with him – his chest against mine, his hips pressing into me, his fingers squeezing my hands – I backed away and smiled at him. “Yeah…I think I got the message this time.” I started to turn away and found I…couldn’t. I leaned in closer to him instead, tracing his jaw with my nose until I got to his ear. I kissed that soft place just beneath his ear before whispering, “In case there was any doubt, I like you, too.”

“Excellent,” he said as we stepped apart, chuckling. Jasper put his hands in his pockets as we walked toward the museum, pushing his coat back behind his arms. He admitted that he hadn’t been here in a while, which was actually good news to me – I was hoping he hadn’t seen either of the exhibits I’d picked out for us.

I led him to the Zhang Daqian exhibit first, figuring it was both more likely that he had already seen it than the other I was planning to show him and that it would be the less impressive of the two. We studied the works of the master forger together - I’d been to this exhibit several times over the past year, so I found myself watching him more than I looked at the paintings. Still, the way he spoke with such enthusiasm, pointing out various brush strokes and marveling at all the different styles Zhang had mastered, had me looking a little more closely, being just a little more observant.

I loved the way his light blue eyes brightened when he saw something that interested him. I tilted my head, watching his eyes dart as he drank in one of the landscapes. I couldn’t decide the precise shade of those eyes – were they sky blue? The darker blue flecks – indigo? royal blue, maybe? – were concentrated around his pupil and at the edge of the iris. I saw hints of green as well, though those seemed to dance away so quickly that I wasn’t sure I hadn’t imagined them. As I stood there with my arms crossed over my chest, smiling at Jasper while I watched his eyes, I was reminded of the huge box of crayons I’d loved as a kid – full of hues so similar but just a shade off, each with its own unique name.

I wondered if there was a name for Jasper’s eyes there.

Shaking myself, I lowered my arms and internally rolled my eyes, pushing away ludicrous thoughts of crayons and color names as I listened to him instead. As he spoke, his voice would rise in pitch, and he would look at me earnestly, imploring me to agree with whatever assessment he’d made. My deeper rumble was a pleasant counterpart to his voice, making me appreciate the musical quality we produced together.

It was then, as I was pondering the precise shade of Jasper’s eyes and enjoying the music we made together that I fully realized what I’d suspected from the start – I was falling for him. Not just falling in lust – that part, I knew already. No, this was more.

Much more.

The thought brought a smile to my lips that just broadened when he said, “Man, that took some serious balls.”

I laughed. “What did?”

“This.” His eyes widened incredulously as he gestured, palm up, toward the paintings around us. “Forging centuries-old works of art and selling them to museums.” He muttered under his breath, “Fucking massive cojones.”

I blinked at the unexpected accent as Jasper uttered that one word. I arched an eyebrow. “You speak Spanish?”

He shrugged. “Not a lot…took it in high school, of course. There wasn’t a lot of choice. Most of what I know is gutter Spanish I picked up from some of the migrant workers – not exactly stuff I could use around Mama, if you know what I mean…”

I did, and the wicked grin on my face let him know I wouldn’t mind hearing more of it. One corner of his lips lifted as he smirked and then chuckled at me.

Instead of saying anything about it, he just winked and nodded toward the next painting. Soon, we’d finished looking at Zhang’s work, and I led him to the European Masters exhibit. Kate and I had attended the opening on my birthday about a month and a half ago, but I hadn’t been back since – I’d been too busy with my book and, lately, visiting friends.

It was vastly different with Jasper at my side. Kate had a great appreciation for art – she was an artist herself. But Jasper saw things in a different light. He seemed to find value in every work of art, no matter the “quality.”

We talked easily about the different works we saw, and I actually found a new appreciation for Matisse that I’d never felt before as Jasper talked about his use of vibrant color. He still didn’t appeal to my personal tastes, but I could at least see a bit more what people raved about.

Soon we were standing in front of La Berceuse, and I smiled as I heard Jasper’s sigh. His voice was filled with longing when he spoke. “God, I fucking love Van Gogh.”

“I know,” I said quietly, moving to stand beside him.

He stared at the painting for a moment before he turned to me, his forehead wrinkling as his eyes gazed at me curiously. “You know?”

I nodded. “Your tie.” When the confusion remained on his face, I reached out, straightening the tie he was currently wearing. “That first night, at the tattoo parlor? You were wearing a Van Gogh tie.”

He arched an eyebrow, amusement in his tone. “You noticed my tie?”

I nodded again. “Yeah, and I saw the way you took care of it, too.” I shrugged.

There was a faint blush on his cheeks as he turned to look at the painting, clearing his throat. Finally, he spoke again. “My sister gave me that tie.”

“Emily?”

He nodded. “She’d kill me if I let anything happen to it.” He gave a small laugh, his fingers running lightly along his tie. “She gave me most of them, actually. All the art ones. It’s kind of a tradition now – I know at least one of the gifts I’m getting from Lee-Lee every birthday and Christmas.”

There was tenderness in his voice as he spoke about her, his eyes staring vacantly at the greens and blues of the painting in front of him. There also seemed to be a hint of melancholy that I really didn’t understand at all. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t know that the middle of the Museum of Fine Arts was the best place to get into it, so I reached out and tugged lightly on his tie.

When he glanced at me, I gave him a soft smile and said, “So who’s your favorite painter?”

I half-expected Van Gogh, but he answered immediately, “Millais.”

I frowned slightly, trying to place him. “Pre-Raphaelite?”

He nodded, a smile ghosting across his lips, presumably as I recognized the name.

My own smile was apologetic. “I know the name, but I can’t really think of who he is…what might I know by him?”

Jasper bit his bottom lip, glancing up and to the right as he thought. “Ophelia is probably his most famous…Christ in the House of His Parents was really controversial…”

“Wait; is that the one that shows his family as carpenters?”

Jasper nodded, smiling at me.

“I think I’ve seen that one. He’s a boy, but he has the stigmata on his hand, doesn’t he?”

We kept talking as we moved away from the Van Gogh, and even throughout the rest of the exhibit, our conversation returned periodically to the Pre-Raphaelites. I learned that Jasper’s favorite Millais painting was called Mariana, but when he described it as a woman in a blue dress stretching and arching her back by a window, I couldn’t say that I’d ever seen it. He was fascinated by the sensual nature of the Pre-Raphaelites, by the subtle use of lines and shading to suggest the human form hidden beneath clothing.

When he mentioned Rossetti, I brightened as I mentioned that I’d read – and loved – Christina Rossetti’s poetry as an undergrad. “Goblin Market” had been especially intriguing to me, and I’d enjoyed the conversations about proto-feminism that had sprung up in that particular English class, which – like most of them – had been mostly filled with women.

I was stunned when I found myself admitting to Jasper that I dabbled with poetry myself, but I was always in awe of those who could turn the written word into something so beautiful, so musical. He just listened, smiling at me…fondly. He seemed to like that I enjoyed that sort of creative expression, so I just cleared my throat and tried to keep the blush off my cheeks. Before Jasper, only Kate, Tanya, and Alistair had ever known I wrote – and I never shared any of it with anyone.

It was all too personal. And it sucked – one of the very few things I ever kept trying even though I wasn’t good at it - but it was a way for me to empty my head of some of the more persistent thoughts that just wouldn’t leave me alone.

Jasper seemed to sense my discomfort and moved the conversation back to the art around us. After checking out paintings by Degas and Moroni and the amazing sculptures of Canova, we were soon heading back out of the museum to find the sun lowering toward the horizon in the west.

When we got to my Mustang, we took off our jackets for the third time that evening and climbed into the front seat. I put the key in the ignition but before I could even start the car, Jasper…attacked. He slid toward me, leaning across the center console as his hot hand pressed into my thigh. I looked toward him, my lips parting to ask what the hell he was doing, but his lips crashed to mine, his tongue insistent and oh-so-fucking-delicious as he kissed me thoroughly.

Fuck. Yes.

I didn’t know what the fuck was happening, but I was sure as hell okay with it. My left hand found Jasper’s tie, pulling his chest toward me roughly as my right tangled in the hair on the back of his head. I needed more…needed to kiss more of him, so I broke away from his lips, tasting the saltiness from the light sheen of sweat on his skin as I kissed down his neck. When I got to the collar of his shirt, I nudged it out of the way as I kept going, finding that junction where his shoulder met his throat.

I heard his lips part as he moaned softly, his head lolling back before it snapped up again. His fingers were at my throat, working on the top button of my shirt as I heard him murmur hoarsely, “Edward, please take me to your place. Now.”

I heard his voice, the tone exciting me even more before his words sank in, and I realized that I’d been ready to undress him in my car in the middle of a parking lot outside a museum. I shook my head, chuckling ruefully into his neck before I placed one more soft kiss there and then lifted my head. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked into his eyes, muttering, “Sorry about that…”

“Don’t be sorry for it,” he grunted, his fingers finally popping open that button on my shirt as he moved to kiss my neck now. “Let’s just go.”

I put my hand over his on my chest, stilling it. He raised his head, looking up at me. His left hand was still rubbing idly along my thigh, and he purposefully grazed me, making me jump at the unexpected contact. “Let’s go,” he repeated.

I licked my lips, trying to calm my own racing heartbeat and the surge of desire I felt. “Not yet…” I whispered, my voice low and throaty. “We have reservations, Jazz.”

His eyes widened, and it took me a moment to realize what I’d just called him. As I watched, several emotions flickered across his face – I saw his eyes darken with lust before they brightened with amusement, and then they finally softened. His right hand dropped from my chest, coming to rest on my knee as he smiled at me at last. He leaned toward me, pressing his lips tenderly against mine, the expression on his face a complete change from only seconds before.

“You don’t mind, do you?” I ran my fingers through my hair again, tugging lightly as I waited for his answer. I had no idea where the fuck the name had come from – I’d never even thought it.

Shaking his head, he said, “No, I don’t mind. I kind of like it, actually.” He wore a knowing smirk that I didn’t understand.

He straightened up, moving back to his seat as my hand lifted to button my shirt again.

“Leave it,” he said, and I glanced over at him with an eyebrow raised. He shrugged. “Fucking sexy, if you ask me.”

I laughed and unbuttoned the second one before I reached down and turned the key, hearing that deep rumbling growl as my ignition caught.

“God damn tease,” he muttered under his breath, making me smirk.

When he cleared his throat, I glanced over to catch the faint flush on his cheeks, but I couldn’t tell if it was from arousal or embarrassment. To distract myself as much as to rescue him, I asked him what had been his favorite piece we’d seen today.

He didn’t answer, and as I pulled to a stop at a light, I looked over to find him smirking at me. I laughed, shaking my head. “You haven’t seen that,” I teased.

“Yet.”

Fuck me.

“You know, you really aren’t making it easy for me to drive to the restaurant.”

He shrugged and turned to look out the window, but I saw the way his lips turned up at the corner. He was such a fucking tease, and I loved it.

Within another block or two, he finally relented, and we began talking comfortably, discussing all the things we’d seen that day. Jasper continually mentioned the paintings I knew had caught his eye – the Van Gogh, the nude woman, and one of the Zhang landscapes that he seemed frustrated he couldn’t accurately describe. The pieces by Canova were my personal favorites, and we ended up in a lively debate about whether or not the two different media could be compared.

My eyes widening in awe, I said, “I just can’t imagine taking a block of stone with a hammer and chisel and making something like that,” referring to The Three Graces. “I’m sure I could pick up a brush and manage to paint something that you could at least recognize as a face, but no way in hell could I make a body out of stone that way.”

He seemed mildly offended, frowning as he answered. “It’s not really easy to paint a face, you know. Have you ever tried it?” His voice was gruff, his tone petulant, and it made me smile.

“No, I haven’t. And mind, I said you could recognize it as a face – but you probably couldn’t distinguish it from a kindergartner’s finger painting.” I pulled into a parking place and cut the engine, looking over to give him a smile. “I have no artistic talent at all.”

“I find that hard to believe,” he muttered under his breath.

I frowned slightly, my eyebrows pulling together. “What the hell does that mean?”

He turned toward me, shifting in his seat so that his leg was resting partially against the console between us. He held up his fist and began ticking off points, lifting a finger for each one, starting with his thumb. “You appreciate art. You have an eye for balance and color. You’re a photographer. You can play the piano like-“

I cut him off. “How do you know I play the piano?”

“I heard you playing when I came over for the shoot,” he answered matter-of-factly as he tried to continue while I thought back to that day. “The fact that you can play means-“

“Yeah, but you didn’t really hear me. I mean, I stopped as soon as the doorbell rang.”

He trailed off, lowering his hand as he gave me a small, sheepish smile. “I listened a little bit before I rang the doorbell.”

“You did?”

He nodded as we both moved to unbuckle our seatbelts, and we continued talking as we put on our coats. I reached out, straightening Jasper’s tie, as he murmured, “Anyway, you can’t have that kind of eye and that much coordination and have no artistic talent. You just haven’t tried hard enough.”

I smirked. “You’re right. I haven’t really tried – at least not since they made me in school. Remember what I said about not doing something if I couldn’t do it well?”

He licked his bottom lip before biting it gently, and then he leaned in, kissing just beneath my ear. “Oh, I remember. And I’m fucking counting on it.”

The teasing and taunting and palpable sexual tension was just too much finally, and I gripped both of his elbows, holding him in place. “God damn it, Jazz…” My voice was husky and low, barely audible over the noise of the traffic passing by. “I can’t take much more.”

A smile flirted on his lips before he reached up slowly, brushing hair off of my forehead. “Okay. I’ll behave for now. Promise.” He gave me a small kiss, murmuring an apology against my lips before he stepped back and held out his hand. “Perfect gentleman,” he reassured me, winking as I laced my fingers through his.

He really did take pity on me. I don’t know if it was the anguished look on my face or the bulge I’m sure he couldn’t miss barely hiding behind my jacket, but whatever it was, he behaved himself during dinner. Of course, from the way I saw him looking at me as we ate, I had a feeling he needed that little moment of respite as much as I did.

For the first time ever, I paid no attention whatsoever to what I was eating. Oleana was one of my favorite restaurants, though I didn’t come very often, preferring to save it for special occasions so that it didn’t lose its appeal. I’d intended for us to savor our dinner, spending time sipping our wine and chatting about our day.

In reality, I noticed that both of us ate quickly, darting glances at each other. We talked, of course, and both the conversation and the food were great…I think. When the waiter returned to ask if we were ready for dessert, I met Jasper’s gaze. His eyes were smoldering, and he needed no words to communicate his thoughts.

“We’ll just take the check, please.” I didn’t bother to look up, and I didn’t hear what the waiter said, but I did see him disappear from the corner of my eye.

I’d planned to invite Jasper back over to finish looking at the pictures again – since we still hadn’t gotten through all of them – but I suddenly found I didn’t want the excuse. No pretenses.

“Do you want to go back to my place?” I murmured.

“Fuck. Yes.” They were two distinct words, a curse and a promise, spoken in his soft voice deepened with desire.

It seemed to take forever for the waiter to return with the check. I glanced at the bill, pulled enough cash from my wallet to cover it and a generous tip, and then stood up as I slipped the money into the little folder with the check. Without a word, Jasper stood as well, and we walked in silence to my car. Our movements were slow, deliberate, and not a word was spoken as we drove back to my house.

I was very aware of Jasper the whole way home. I noticed the way his breathing rate was just slightly elevated, and I heard every little noise he made – clearing his throat, giving a quiet sigh, grunting as he shifted in his seat to adjust himself. His hands were resting on his thighs, his thumbs tapping with the same rhythm as my impatient fingers on the steering wheel.

We still hadn’t spoken by the time I pulled to a stop along the curb across the street from my house. I turned off the engine and glanced at him to find him watching me as well. Our faces were illuminated by the glow of the streetlights, and the angle cast the bottom half of Jasper’s face in shadow. I could see his eyes clearly, though, and I watched him for a moment, asking a silent question. Are you sure you want to come in?

He laughed, shaking his head, and his rough voice was filled with want. “You better get your ass inside, Dr. Masen.”

My lips twitched into a grin as I yanked open the door. When I reached for my coat, my fingers closed on thin air as Jasper pulled it away. By the time I straightened, he had folded both jackets over his forearm and was standing looking at me with one eyebrow raised.

No fucking doubt he wants me now.

The thought put a smile on my face as I led Jasper across the street. I took the few stairs up to my stoop quickly, slipping the key smoothly into the lock. Opening the door, I reached inside and flipped on the hall light before I stepped back to let him enter first. He walked in and calmly hung up our coats before turning to sit on the bench.

He took his shoes off carefully, but I saw the way his eyes watched me. His shoulders moved as he breathed a little more deeply than usual, and when he stood, he ran his fingers leisurely through his hair.

His attempt at control made me smile, so I took the spot he vacated on the bench and began to take off my shoes as well. I felt Jasper’s fingers in my hair just before he stepped closer. My head was bent forward, placing my forehead just at his waist, and it took every shred of control I had not to reach up and begin unbuckling his belt. I froze for a moment, swallowing hard before I took a deep breath and looked up.

His eyes were half-closed as he gazed down at me, his lips slightly parted as he ran his fingers through my hair. The gesture was tender, loving, and completely at odds with the storm I saw raging in his sky blue eyes.

I don’t know what it was about that look, but there was something vulnerable in Jasper’s expression – something wholly unexpected. It made me pause for a moment, subtly shifting the desire I felt so that it was no longer simply about claiming Jasper’s body – though I sure as fuck wanted that, too.

I raised my hands to his hips, my thumbs rubbing gently as I leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his abdomen. Then I stood slowly, smiling at him. “Can I get you something to drink?”

He nodded with a smile on his face though he didn’t speak.

I squeezed his hand and tilted my head to press my lips against his. I murmured, “Meet you in the den,” and then turned away, walking toward the kitchen. I reached in the refrigerator, pulling out the bottle of wine I’d left chilling before I went to pick Jasper up. As I grabbed the corkscrew and began opening the bottle, my mind was focused completely on the man just down the hall – the man I’d been obsessing over for weeks.

I’d never had trouble getting the man I wanted, but after all the questions with Jasper, I felt a sense of awe that he really was sitting there, waiting for me. Wanting me.

‘Bout fucking time.

I grinned to myself as I poured us each a glass of wine. Pulling the suspenders from my shoulders, I let them hang down beside my hips as I arched my back and rolled my neck before picking up both glasses in one hand and the bottle in the other. I flipped off the hall light on my way, needing no more illumination than the soft glow coming from the den.

When I walked through the doorway, I saw the back of Jasper’s head as he sat on Kate’s end of the couch. I moved to stand behind him, leaning down and offering him his glass of wine. He turned his head, looking up at me, and any sign of vulnerability or uncertainty was gone.

He took the glass from me, taking a long drink before he lowered the glass and licked the last burgundy drop from his lips. That was all it took to make me lean closer, tasting the robust flavor of the wine as we kissed. A quiet noise escaped me – part sigh, part moan, all hunger – when our tongues met and our kiss intensified.

Needing more, I broke away and straightened, moving around the couch to put my glass and the bottle of wine on the coffee table. Jasper leaned forward, his hand brushing my thigh just above my knee as his glass joined mine. He had loosened his tie a bit and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, though I noticed he’d left the tie on – he must’ve realized I liked that shit. He looked at me, a devilish smirk on his lips as he grabbed my suspenders in each hand.

He tugged lightly, and I acquiesced, moving to kneel on the couch just in front of him while he turned toward me. Our lips met again, our kiss beginning soft and light as our hands moved to innocently touch the other’s face. Jasper’s tongue brushed against the steel rod in mine, and he moaned loudly. His hand moved to my chest, pinching my nipple through my shirt, and I inhaled sharply, my hands shooting to his hips as I grabbed him and pulled him closer.

He broke our kiss, his voice breathless and hoarse as he muttered, “Fuck, Edward…”

Any self-control I had fled then as he started to unbutton my shirt. I growled, my hands moving roughly down his thighs to cup behind his knees as I pulled him all the way to me. I leaned forward, and we were half-reclined on the couch, his shoulders pressed against the armrest as I settled between his thighs. I could feel him, so goddamn hard, but there was too much fucking cloth between us, so I set about trying to remedy that as my hips began to grind steadily into his.

Curses tumbled from our lips as we rocked together, his hands trailing down my back to cup my ass as I wrapped one arm around his waist. I could taste the salt of his sweat and skin, his raw masculinity unleashing something primal in me as I bit his jaw just beneath his ear. His hips bucked into me as his fingers dug into my flesh through my pants.

My hand had been caressing his side, coming to rest on his hip, and I couldn’t resist while it was so close, so I lifted my hips, wrapping my fingers around Jasper’s erection as much as I could through his clothes. It was as if time just stopped while we both moaned.

“God damn, I need that…” My words were spoken hastily before my mouth was on his skin again, kissing his neck, nibbling at his ear, while he thrust into my hand, showing me wordlessly what brought him pleasure. I lifted my head, watching as his eyes drifted closed, his lips falling open.

I knew then that I had to bring him whatever pleasure I could that night. I needed to see that look of absolute bliss on his face as his body was wracked with orgasmic gratification.

I sat back to unbutton my shirt, just needing the damn thing out of the way, but Jasper reached out, grabbing my wrists and pinning them behind my back. “Oh no, you fucking don’t.” His voice was a throaty whisper as he shifted both my wrists to one of his hands, his long fingers wrapping them around as his other hand moved to unbutton my shirt. I could’ve broken free, of course, but why would I try?

He paused occasionally as he worked to undress me, his hand drifting down, rubbing, cupping my balls before it would move back up to work on the next button. My hips shifted, meeting his hand as he left me whimpering for more. I watched him from above, seeing the way his eyes flickered up to my face before they glanced back down to watch our bodies.

When he popped the last button, he moved immediately to my pants, managing to unbutton them before I grabbed his hands, stretching them above his head as I pressed him into the couch. “Hell no…it’s my turn.”

The grin on his face was both playful and smoldering as he licked my lips, taunting me into kissing him. I heard the muted clink as my tongue ring brushed his teeth, and I dug my toes into the couch, shoving myself even closer to him. The angle sent delicious shivers through my body as I thrust my hips into his, our cocks rubbing together, and I broke away from kissing him, my head hanging down as I panted and cursed.

He took my face in his hands, bringing my lips to his again as his right hand moved to tangle in my hair. He tugged hard, and I bit his bottom lip before I lifted off him once more. I sat back on my heels, hovering over him as I carefully untied his tie. When I pulled it out from under his collar, I folded it twice and then put one foot on the ground as I stretched out over the coffee table to place the tie in the armchair. I felt his hands on my hips, and when I looked back down at him, he was smiling at me softly.

“What?” I asked gruffly. “I know you take care of them…”

“Thank you.” His quietly murmured words were at odds with the way his hands slid from my hips up my sides and pressed against my shoulder blades insistently as he pulled me close and placed a searing kiss on my lips.

Our game of back-and-forth continued as we explored each other, each of us taking a few moments to discover something new before the other took over. I had never done anything quite like that before, and it was just…mind-blowing. There was no accurate way to describe the way that sort of give-and-take, that being forced to wait patiently for a few moments, completely at Jasper’s mercy, increased my anticipation until I was quivering under his touch.

Soon, our dress shirts and pants had been tossed aside, landing somewhere on the floor as we became a tangle of limbs on the couch. My white t-shirt had ridden up, letting me feel the cool, smooth leather of the couch against the skin of my back above my gray boxer-briefs. Jasper hovered above me in a white tank top, the edges of his phoenix tattoo peeking out as his nipple rings teased me from inside the thin fabric. His boxers were blue plaid and thin enough that I could feel the definition of his head as his dick brushed roughly against mine.

In contrast to the way our hips were moving, our kisses became slower, more sensual, as we began to memorize each other. My hand drifted from Jasper’s waist, moving beneath his shirt as my fingertips traced the deep indentation along his spine. The fabric bunched up as my hand moved higher, and when I reached his shoulder, he automatically lifted, reaching back to help me rip the shirt off.

He dropped it over the back of the couch and started to lower his face to mine again, but I stopped him, lifting my head to feel that delicious bite of metal on my lips as they closed over one of his nipple rings. My tongue traced the circle of his nipple, teeth teasing the sensitive flesh as he thrust his hips harder against me. I curled my tongue through the metallic ring, tugging hard enough to make Jasper hiss as his hand jerked roughly in my hair. I smiled against his chest, opening my mouth wider to bite him playfully.

“God damn…fucking kiss me…now.” His rough order was punctuated with grunts and moans as he shifted down my body, our lips meeting as I reached up to tug at the metal shooting through his other nipple.

Our kisses became more frantic before he pulled away, panting as he sat up. I frowned at the feeling of loss as the weight of his body left mine. My hands reached for him, palms tracing the defined planes of his abs as I tried to absorb that this was real; this was happening. Before it had time to really sink in, though, his blunt fingernails scratched at my hips as he yanked my underwear away in one smooth motion. They joined the rest of our clothes on the floor, leaving me in only my t-shirt and socks.

Lying there, I was completely exposed to his thirsty eyes, which focused on my cock standing proudly, the tip glistening with the evidence of my desire. He licked his lips as he watched for a moment before his body was back on mine, wedged between me and the back of the couch. My left thigh was between both of his, his own erection digging into my hip as his hand wrapped around my length. His breathy voice filled my ears, whispers of desire and promises of pleasure to come tumbling from his lips as I inhaled sharply, my entire body tingling.

My desperate hands found the waist of his boxers, but before I could push them down more than an inch or two, he bit my lip hard and muttered, “Don’t fucking think so.” He continued mumbling, his hips grinding into me as his hand stroked me, but between his low voice and my panting breath, all I caught were bits and pieces.

“…my goddamn turn…”

“…just wait…”

“…going to…”

His hand was soft and smooth with just a hint of callous along the top where his fingers met his palm. He squeezed and twisted with the perfect amount of pressure, his thumb spreading the pre-cum along my slit. My hands hovered uselessly at his waist, the rest of my body in stasis as I tried to resolve the desire to just enjoy what he was doing with the conflicting impulse to bring him the same pleasure.

He let go of me, but it was only to bring his hand to his mouth, where he licked his palm several times, the flat of his tongue running from the heel of his hand to the tips of his fingers. I saw saliva drip from his lips into his hand before he lowered it, wrapping it back around me, and there was no more fucking indecision as I moaned loudly. My neck arched, my head pressing back into the arm of the couch as my hips began thrusting into the tight, wet warmth of Jasper’s hand.

My left hand was a fist on the small of his back while the right dug into the leather of the couch. I couldn’t control my body – not the movement of my hips as I fucked Jasper’s hand or the rapid rate of my heart or the plaintive whimpers that tumbled from my lips. In that moment, I was utterly at his mercy.

His hand was everywhere, fingers dipping down to press against my perineum before rolling my balls, tugging and kneading before they again wrapped around my dick. It was a hedonistic heaven, and Jasper’s seductive voice murmuring encouragement kept my lips from seeking out his. I didn’t want to stop that provocative sound reaching my ears.

It had been so long since anyone had touched me – really touched me – and much too quickly, I felt the tension building in my thighs. I was too far gone to try to hold back, and I heard my gravelly voice grunt, “Fuck…so…fuck…good…yes…”

His hand sped, teasing the rim around my head each time he stroked me. He pushed himself upward, and I felt his hot breath on my ear as his voice came to me clearly for the first time. “That’s right…just like that…feels fucking amazing, doesn’t it? You like my hands on you. Cum for me, damn it…let me see how good it feels…”

His whispered encouragement was too much, and I cried out as my body tensed, my knees and shoulders lifting from the couch. I shuddered, my breathing uneven as his voice became softer, his hand stroking me gently through my orgasm, prolonging it as long as possible.

My right forearm was thrown over my eyes, and I was seeing spots when I finally became aware of my surroundings again. “Fucking hell,” I groaned, lowering my arm. My eyes and lips sought out Jasper at the same time. I caught him smirking at me, a mixture of pride and happiness on his face just before I kissed him soundly. His hand moved downward, lightly stroking my balls before it came to rest on my thigh while his lips moved tenderly with mine.

I took a few minutes to recover, just kissing and tasting Jasper as I relished the feeling of his weight against me. Soon, I realized that he was lying still, the movement of his hips gone though I still felt him pressing hard against my thigh. I raised my arm, placing my hand on the back of his thigh just above his knee and then rubbing and squeezing my way upward. When I felt the edge of his boxers, I slipped my fingers underneath, fingertips brushing everywhere I could reach as I lifted my head and deepened our kiss.

Surely he didn’t think I was going to leave him hanging after the intense experience he’d just given me.

He responded quickly, his cock grinding into my hip as he moved further up my body. My fingers drifted across his inner thigh, and he jerked suddenly, a giggle slipping from his lips. I pulled my head back, needing to see his face as I tried to figure out if I’d heard what I thought I’d heard.

He had the cutest look on his face, his cheeks a light pink as he bit his bottom lip to hide his wide grin.

He did fucking giggle!

Experimentally, I brushed his inner thigh again, and he laughed outright, burying his face in my neck.

That’s too damn funny…

I stored my new knowledge away – I’d have to play with that shit later. At that moment, though, I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Jasper hard and aching the way I had been in the weeks since I met him, so I brought his lips back to mine and kissed him thoroughly as I moved my hand to his ass, rubbing him harder before my fingers slid between his cheeks teasingly. His hips were in motion then, bucking against me as he groaned.

As the tip of Jasper’s tongue teased my tongue ring, I knew what I wanted to do. I patted his ass, murmuring, “Sit up, baby.”

He pulled away at once, his eyes wide as he turned to sit on the couch. There was a look of confusion on his face, but I planned to remedy that soon enough. When I moved to sit up, I felt my t-shirt sticking to me just above my waist and glanced down to see the spreading mess. I quickly pulled the shirt over my head, grimacing as I felt something cold and wet on my cheek. I never could understand how that shit could get that cold that fast. I yanked the t-shirt off, scrubbing it hastily across my cheek before I balled it up and threw it to the side.

Moving to the floor, I shoved the coffee table a couple of feet away, taking care not to spill the wine. I turned back to face Jasper, running my fingers through my hair as I walked to him slowly on my knees. He was reclined against the back of the couch, his right hand between his thighs, cupping his balls as he watched me. The surprised expression was gone, replaced with longing as he began to rub himself through the material of his boxers.

I licked my lips and then brought my tongue ring between them, playing with it idly as I fantasized about what I would be doing with it in a matter of moments. When I reached Jasper, I put my hands on his knees, rubbing gently before I ran them up his thighs to his waist. He lifted his hips as I pulled his underwear down, throwing his boxers somewhere behind me, and I smiled when I saw the way his breathing increased as his eyes darkened when he realized what I planned to do.

“You don’t have to,” he said softly, his fingers tangling in my hair as I looked up at him.

“Just fucking try to stop me,” I challenged, arching an eyebrow. I saw a ghost of a smile play across his lips before I glanced down, unable to wait any longer to look at him. I heard my soft grunt and felt the rumble in my chest as my eyes widened. Jasper’s body was absolutely beautiful, and his cock was no exception – it stood there, just as it had in my fantasies, long and thick and just fucking pleading for my tongue. Moisture shimmered around the tip, and I couldn’t help myself as I bent forward, licking the head to get my first taste of him. A hiss filled my ears as he inhaled sharply, a counterpoint to my own moan.

Fuck if he doesn’t taste amazing, too!

That scent of Earl Grey tea that always surrounded him was concentrated here, teasing my tongue, and it was almost goddamn unfair for one man to be so desirable in every way. I licked him hungrily, the tip of my tongue tracing the ridge around his head before I moved down to his base. I put my hands on his thighs, urging them apart as my head dipped further down.

My tongue ran along Jasper’s balls, caressing each in turn before I took it into my mouth and sucked lightly. Moans and curses were drifting down from above, music from the heaven that was his body as I teased his sac with the little metal ball through my tongue.

Both his hands were gripping my hair just above my ears - the faint sting made me smile as I flattened my tongue and licked his shaft fully from base to head. I felt my tongue ring jump and stutter as it met the resistance of Jasper’s skin, and I hummed at the sensation.

I lifted my gaze and saw him looking down at me, his head tilted to the right as his left hand moved down, his fingers curling beneath my chin, caressing my neck lightly. His lips were parted, the tip of his tongue running slowly back and forth along his lower lip as his hips shifted beneath me. I smiled up at him before I wrapped my hand around the base of his shaft and teased his slit with the metal ball in my mouth.

“Fuck! Edward!” His voice was a grunting plea as he thrust his hips upward.

I finally gave us both exactly what we wanted, wrapping my lips around his head. I took it slowly, moaning as I felt the unique, luxurious texture of his skin on my tongue. I sucked lightly as I took him further, reveling in the thick veins running along his length, standing out in contrast to his otherwise smooth shaft.

When I felt him nearing the back of my mouth, I pulled away a bit, running my tongue around his head. I flicked my tongue ring back and forth along the rim of his head, smiling around his cock when I heard him murmuring breathlessly.

“God damn it…you’re so fucking beautiful. Did you know that? I could watch you suck my cock all fucking day…”

His muted whispers were a stimulating background to the sound of our moans and whimpers, but he was still too fucking coherent, so I took him as deeply as I could, sucking him in suddenly until I felt his head at the back of my throat. I swallowed against the gag reflex that threatened, breathing through my nose as I adjusted to feeling him there.

He was completely still, his hands hovering near my ears as I heard him gasp. His knees pressed against my shoulders, letting me feel the heat from his calves along my sides. I teased him when I began moving again, my teeth barely scraping along his skin as I set a rhythm, sucking up and down his shaft oh-so-slowly.

I took the base of his cock in hand again, squeezing and stroking him gently. When my lips met my hand, Jasper began to move, his hips rocking slowly as the fingers of his right hand tangled in my hair at the back of my head. I saw his left hand resting palm up on the couch beside his thigh, his fingers curled inward as though he were utterly relaxed.

His voice was becoming lighter and harder to understand as his fingertips dug into my scalp, his hand pushing and pulling as he helped guide me. Lifting my eyes, I saw that he was still watching me, and one corner of my lips turned up in a lopsided smirk as I raised my left hand to cup his balls. I rubbed beneath them, pressing against his prostate from the outside as my mouth and hand worked him over. My tongue licked every inch of him in my frenzy; saliva dripped from my lips, helping provide a little lubrication for my hand as I stroked him, twisting my wrist and fucking loving the way his hips began to rise from the couch.

He thrust upward rhythmically, his voice fading away as he began to pant. My eyes focusing on him, I moaned when I saw his head thrown back, mouth open and eyes closed as he fucked my mouth. His fingers tightened in my hair, and my head grew still, letting him control the pace as I licked and sucked whenever I could.

His movements grew erratic, the tendons in his neck standing out as he began grunting. I could feel his thighs trembling around my shoulders, his dick twitching in my mouth, and I knew he was right there on the edge. His hips dropped back to the couch as I took over again, my mouth and hand a blur along his shaft.

His gruff voice panted out a refrain, “Fuck…fuck…fuck…fuck…” in a rhythm matching my own. Suddenly, he stiffened, his ass and thighs clenching as his hand froze in my hair. “Shit…Edward…I…fuck…now…” His words were strained, his voice strangled through his clamped jaw, but his meaning was clear.

I appreciated the warning, but I had no intention of going anywhere. Instead, I flattened my tongue against his head, the slightly rough texture pushing him over the edge as I sucked him harder. My eyes were on his face, watching his tense expression, his eyebrows drawn together as his mouth formed a seductive little ‘o’ before his lips parted and his knees jerked toward my shoulders. I felt his hot release against the back of my throat, filling my mouth and bringing with it that salty bitterness that was at once familiar and completely new. I moaned loudly, and his whole body twitched at the sensation as my hand continued stroking him, coaxing out every second of pleasure as I guided him through his orgasm.

I couldn’t tear my gaze from his face, from watching the way all the tension just melted away, leaving a content smile – just a slight curve of his lips – in its place. As I pulled my mouth away, I stroked him a few more times beginning at the base and moving all the way up. I licked the last drop of pearly liquid that leaked from his tip and then finally slid my hand away, my palm resting on the side of his waist as I kissed his chest gently.

His eyes were still closed, but his hand reached up and pressed against my temple, guiding my head to his chest. I was lying halfway on the couch, my knees on the floor, but as Jasper – largely incoherent and still riding his high - wrapped me in his arms and held me close, I couldn’t remember a time I’d felt more content and comfortable.

I don’t know how long we sat together that way, utterly spent and completely satisfied for the moment, but eventually I felt Jasper stir. The muscles in his abdomen tensed as he lifted his shoulders, pressing a soft kiss against the top of my head. I smiled against his chest, my fingers moving lightly along his ribs.

He was the one to break the silence, his voice quiet but rough, as if he’d been exercising hard or screaming all day. “So what other messages do your tongue rings have? Because, god damn, I wouldn’t mind trying them all.”

I snickered, and then my head on Jasper’s chest was jostled as we laughed together. His hand moved, one finger beneath my chin to lift it. When I met his gaze, he leaned closer, muttering, “Fucking amazing…” just before he kissed me. This kiss was wholly different from the desperate ones of the earlier part of the evening. This was somehow softer and caring, conveying a million tiny sentiments in a few simple brushes of our lips – everything from You sure as fuck know how to get me off to Thank you for helping me with my jacket.

After a few moments, my knees began to ache. I kissed him once more and then pushed away, smiling at his frown. We were both completely nude, and - while I was fine with it - I didn’t know how comfortable he was with that, so I glanced around, looking for his clothes. I had no idea how we threw them as far as we did, but they were scattered everywhere – Jasper’s underwear seemed to have gone the farthest, as I found them caught on the glass screen of the fireplace.

Once I’d found our underwear and shirts, I took Jasper his and grinned crookedly when I realized he’d been watching me the whole time. I winked at him, and he chuckled, raising both eyebrows suggestively.

“Nice lizard,” he said with a wink.

I smirked in response and rolled my eyes, flopping down beside him on the couch. “Guess thighs really don’t bother you after all.” I grinned as I lifted my hips and pulled on my boxer-briefs. Throwing my arm around his shoulders, I pulled him closer and kissed him once more. “I’ll be right back…” I murmured against his lips, waiting for his nod before I stood and grabbed my messy undershirt.

I was humming to myself as I took the stairs two at a time to get to my bedroom. There, I tossed the dirty shirt into the hamper and grabbed a clean one from the drawer, pulling it over my head. I thought for a moment and then opened another drawer, taking out two pairs of pajama pants. I tossed one pair over my shoulder while I pulled on the others, deciding on the spot that I hoped Jasper would stay for awhile, and I didn’t think either of us would be in the mood to get dressed in our suits again.

I wandered across my room to use the bathroom, but as I was washing my hands, I felt a stab of…not panic, exactly, but worry…about what I would see when I went back downstairs. Sometimes I felt this inexplicable draw to Jasper, this comfort, like I knew him completely, inside and out, but then there was the majority of the time, where I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. I had assumed that he would want to hang out for awhile, just like I did, but…what if he didn’t? What if he was dressed and ready to leave when I got downstairs?

Drying my hands, I watched myself in the mirror, forcing my frown away. Whatever Jasper decided to do was his choice – I had no claim on him – but if he wanted to stay with me for a bit, he was definitely fucking welcome. I fixed a smile on my face, but it looked strained as I bit the inside of my cheek.

My trip down the stairs was less exuberant. I crossed the narrow hallway and walked into the den, my smile beaming when I caught sight of Jasper in his boxers and shirt, one ankle crossing the other knee as he ran his fingers through his hair. He grinned up at me lazily, making me chuckle with relief as I tossed the pants to him.

“Oh, thanks…” His voice was back to normal as he stood and pulled the pants on, then placed his hands on my hips and stepped closer to kiss me. As we parted, his thumbs rubbed circles on my hipbones, and he cleared his throat. He glanced down, and I would have sworn that he was nervous – pretty ironic, considering what we’d just done. Finally, he looked back up at me and said, “So I was wondering if it would be okay if I hung out…? Just for a little bit?”

God, he’s fucking cute.

And ridiculous.

“Of course it’s okay – fucking perfect, actually.” I gave him my crooked grin as I teased him. “What? Did you think I was just going to suck you off and then let you make your escape? Not happening, Mr. Whitlock.” My voice was much more confident than I felt as I was internally giving my own sigh of relief.

It worked, though. Jasper laughed and slid his hands from my hips, wrapping his arms around my waist instead as he murmured softly, “I seem to recall getting you off as well.”

“Did you?” I glanced upward as if I couldn’t quite remember, and he punched me lightly in the side before I smiled and kissed him again, whispering, “Your hand is goddamn unbelievable…”

He teased me in return, telling me again to just wait until it was his lips…or something else. I arched an eyebrow at him, and our banter continued in much the same way. We sat back on the couch, finally drinking our wine, and eventually I did pull out the pictures for us to make some final decisions. We spent the rest of the night looking at them with soft music playing in the background. It took a lot longer than it probably should have because we were continually distracted when one of us felt the urge to kiss the other or fingers just happened to brush along thighs – or when we became so involved in our conversation that we forgot what we were supposed to be doing for a time.

When we finished and Jasper left sometime after two in the morning, there was nothing I could have done to erase the smile on my face. I crawled into bed that night with disjointed images of my date with him playing in my mind, and it was with memories of him – his kiss, his touch, the seductive sound of his voice – keeping me company that I finally fell asleep.

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Chapter 5 ~ Chapter 7