Page 71 of Flake It Til You Make It

Rocco’s heart skipped another beat, and he swore it tumbled right out of his chest and into Taylor’s waiting hands.

Okay, maybe Rebecca wasn’t wrong, after all.

Rocco had had crushes before. Rocco had been positive he’d been in love before, too, but it had sure never felt like this.

Like he’ddieif he didn’t get skin-to-skin with Taylor as soon as possible.

Taylor seemed to be on the same page, because he was already pushing Rocco’s jacket off and tugging up his sweater.

“God,” he groaned after they kissed again. “You smell so good. Like sugar. Like cookies. Likefucking magic.”

Taylor smelled like pine and fresh air. Like he’d spent all afternoon outside, doing the wrangling that he was so good at. And from how cold his nose and cheeks were, against his newly exposed warm skin, it seemed like he probably had.

Rocco pulled back. Trying to find the brakes, even though he didn’t know if he actuallywantedto slow down.

“So do you,” he murmured, reaching up and cupping Taylor’s cheek, slightly rough with the scruff that had grown in since the morning. “I missed you, too.”

Taylor seemed to get that he wanted to slow things down and flopped down onto the couch, his jacket and shoes off, digging his socked toes into the rug.

Rocco settled down next to him. “Did you get the light tour all figured out?”

Taylor sighed. “Yeah. Mostly. It’s like wrangling a whole bunch of naughty cats.”

“Aren’t all cats naughty?” Rocco wound his hands around Taylor’s shoulders and his neck. Maybe he’d wanted to take a breath, but he also didn’t want to stop touching Taylor either. His heart craved him, worse than any drug. Worse even than his highly developed caffeine addiction.

“I’m going to tell Meredith you said that,” Taylor teased, leaning in again, cold nose brushing against Rocco’s neck. “And you know, she likes you.”

She hadn’t been sure of him, at first. The first time he’d spent the night—the first night they’d slept together—she’d eyed him suspiciously. But then two days ago, he’d woken up with a mouthful of fur and a single disdainful eye as she’d given him a look likehow dare you jostle me from my chosen throne?

“I like her, too. Herandher owner.” It was the most Rocco could say without confessing everything, without letting himself word-vomit out,Actually, it’s so much worse than that. I think I’m in love with you. Please be in love with me, too.

“Like you, too. I thought I’d go nuts this afternoon.” Taylor’s voice was hushed. Intimate. “Every time I leave, I think, I can go twelve hours without kissing you, and I can’t. I’m—”

Maybe Rocco should’ve let him get the rest of the sentence out. Maybe Taylor would’ve said what he himself was strugglingnotto confess, but instead, he leaned in and kissed him, hard. Taylor’s lips lush on his, his heart racing as their kiss deepened.

“I want you,” Taylor murmured into his mouth as one kiss slid into the next, one after another in a never-ending chain. “Want you so bad.”

Rocco, sliding into Taylor’s lap, could feel just how much he did, his cock hard and throbbing in his slacks.

“I want you too,” Rocco said, even though that was hardly a surprise.

“I just don’t want you to think I’m only here for—” Taylor’s voice broke into a gasp as Rocco’s hands slid down, palm pressing against his erection. “For that. Don’t get me wrong. I love that. But we can . . .”

Rocco applied more pressure, in a way that he knew Taylor liked, and Taylor’s words devolved into groans.

“How about this,” Rocco said, undoing Taylor’s belt and then unzipping his pants, “we do thisfirst, and then we can pretend to watch some TV while I’m thinking of how to lure you to my bed?”

“No luring necessary,” Taylor said with a gasp as Rocco’s hand closed around his bare cock. He gave an experimental twist of his fist and then let go, guiding his fingers into Taylor’s mouth. He sucked them deep, eyes fluttering closed, cheeks hollowing out, and Rocco’s heart gave another feeble gasp of complete surrender.

“God, that’s so fucking hot,” Taylor groaned as Rocco wrapped his now-wet fingers around Taylor’s erection.

He stroked him tight and firm, the way he’d learned Taylor liked. He wanted to be overwhelmed. Then to be edged, until he couldn’t take it anymore and begged to come.

“Honestly, everything you do is so fucking hot,” Taylor continued, babbling now, in that loose, uncontrolled way that meant he was already reaching that place, the one where Rocco liked to lead him to and then pull back,just enough.

Rocco slid down off Taylor’s lap and took Taylor’s spit-slick cock into his mouth, tonguing at the head, gratified at how it twitched in his mouth. Then he slid it deep, sucking hard.

“God, yes, please,” Taylor said with a long drawn out groan.

---