Page 29 of Part & Parcel

“Are you serious?” Nick said, his voice cracking in dismay.

Kelly snorted and bit his lip, obviously trying not to laugh outright. “I don’t think I’ve ever worn them around you. We always have so little time together . . .”

Nick moved toward the bed, his knee aching as he crawled in beside Kelly. He waited a beat as Kelly watched him expectantly. “They look good on you.”

Kelly seemed relieved, his lips twitching and his shoulders relaxing as he gave Nick a small smile. “Yeah?”

Nick didn’t answer, instead soaking up every little detail of Kelly’s face, thinking back on the last week without him and how bereft he had felt each night.

Kelly’s smile grew, “I’m not wearing my reading glasses during sex.”

“Never say never,” Nick grumbled as he settled under the covers and fluffed his pillow.

Kelly laughed as he stretched to flick the lamp off, filling the loft with moonlight. A moment later, he carefully scooted into Nick’s arms. Nick held his breath as Kelly’s hands slid over him, as he rested his head on Nick’s shoulder and settled against him. His hand hovered over the healing knife wounds on Nick’s side, and then he placed his palm against Nick’s skin, his thumb grazing part of the scar.

Nick released his breath in a shaky puff, and he closed his arms around Kelly and turned into him, burying his nose in Kelly’s hair and closing his eyes. “I missed the way you smell.”

“Irish,” Kelly grunted against Nick’s neck. “Let’s not do this shit again, okay? Next time just open your fucking mouth and talk to me instead of keeping it all bottled up. And I can do better at being a boyfriend instead of a doc.”

“Deal,” Nick whispered.

Kelly tilted his face toward Nick’s, and Nick kissed him. He tugged him closer, his fingers finding bare skin, warmth stealing over him. Kelly shoved at him and rolled on top of him, still kissing him as he tossed his leg over Nick and straddled him. He pushed up onto his elbows and rubbed his nose against Nick’s.

“First thing in the morning, I want to sit down and talk this out, okay?” he said, his eyes searching Nick’s. “No more of this hanging over us.”

“Yeah,” Nick managed as he gazed into Kelly’s eyes.

“First thing.”

Nick nodded obediently. He settled his hands on Kelly’s hips, delighted to realize that, despite the painkillers he’d taken when they’d reached the cabin, Kelly’s proximity and what he did to Nick was stronger tonight than the dulling effects of the drugs. From the look in Kelly’s eyes, he noticed it too.

“And until morning?” Nick asked almost breathlessly.

Kelly hummed, and the sound sent a thrill through Nick. Kelly brushed his nose against Nick’s, his lips tantalizingly close to Nick’s as he spoke. “I think we can find something to occupy us.” He leaned even closer, aiming for a kiss.

Nick brought his hand up and smacked his palm over Kelly’s mouth. Kelly grunted questioningly.

“Can we occupy us with the reading glasses on?” Nick asked, barely managing to get the words out without laughing.

The muffled exclamation that came out around his palm was almost certainly a curse, and Nick chuckled when Kelly grabbed his wrist and pinned it to the mattress. His laugh morphed into a groan.

“Really,” Kelly grumbled.

“So hot,” Nick teased.

“Okay.” Kelly gave him a tiny, unsatisfactory kiss before he rolled and flopped onto his back.

“What?” Nick grunted. “What are we doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Aw, but Kels!”

“Nope, ruined it.”

Nick chased after him, rolling and taking Kelly into his arms as they both struggled not to laugh. He kissed the back of Kelly’s bare shoulder, working his way up Kelly’s neck as he pulled their bodies flush. Kelly shimmied his hips and pushed back into Nick, groaning as he rubbed his ass against Nick’s hard cock.

“You sure it’s ruined?” Nick whispered against Kelly’s ear.

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