Page 95 of The Shots You Take

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Riley said, his gaze already dropping to Adam’s lips.

“That I want to get this right,” Adam whispered back.

Riley let go of his hand, but only so he could press his palm to Adam’s face. “This feels right to me.”

The first brush of Riley’s lips made Adam gasp, and then, to cover it, he let out a nervous puff of laughter. Riley laughed too, then tried again. This time, they connected, soft and careful, like they were doing something dangerous. Then Riley’s fingers dug into Adam’s hip as he angled his head and kissed Adam like he meant it. He tasted like toothpaste, and Adam wished he’d also brushed his own teeth when they’d gotten back but he also didn’t care because he waskissing Riley. And it did feel right. It felt so fucking right and wonderfully simple but also like the most amazing thing to ever happen.

He tightened his hold on Riley’s neck, maneuvering him where he wanted him. Riley growled into his mouth and pressed his fingertip into the hinge of Adam’s jaw, opening him wider as the kiss grew hungrier. No one had ever kissed Adam the way Riley always had, with this fierce desire mixed with wonder.

He cataloged everything that was new: Riley’s beard, soft against Adam’s skin, the scent of the fancy grooming products Riley used now, the confidence in the way Riley handled him. Adam loved all of it, like he loved this beautiful room that Riley had created and had invited Adam into and now was kissing him in.

Riley tugged at his hair, pulling Adam’s head back as he took his mouth again. Adam had always loved that Riley was taller than him, not by enough to make kissing awkward, but enough to make Adam feel surrounded by him.

Distantly, Emmylou Harris kept singing. Riley kissed along his jaw, making Adam lose what was left of his mind. “God,” he rasped as he fought to keep himself still. He was so hard already and was desperate to grind himself shamelessly against Riley. He needed Riley to be the one to escalate things, if he wanted.

Riley slid his hand off Adam’s hip and onto his ass, urging Adam’s hips to come forward.

“Fuck, Shep,” Riley said in a low voice when their erections bumped together.

Adam rolled his hips without meaning to and groaned with how good it felt. It had been a long time since he’d had sex with anyone, and it had been an eternity since it had been with Riley.

To his relief, Riley began moving too. He took his mouth again, kissing Adam deeply and swallowing his moans as they ground together. They were both fully clothed and standing and barely doing anything, but Adam had never felt so turned on in his life. He was shaking with need.

A thumb stroked over Adam’s cheek, soothing him. “What do you want?”

God, what a question. He tried to think, but couldn’t. He felt like he might start crying. He didn’t think he’d have this again. He wanted to believe he’d earned it, but had he?

Lucky woofed quietly in his sleep, which made both of them laugh.

“Maybe we should go upstairs,” Riley said, then kissed the corner of Adam’s mouth.

“Yeah.”

They didn’t move right away, choosing instead to kiss some more, but without the grinding. Adam ran his fingers over Riley’s beard, getting to know it. He wondered if Riley’s body hair looked the same as it had before. He wanted to find out.

With effort, he pulled away. “Upstairs,” he said.

They climbed the stairs, not bothering to turn off the lamp or the record player. They kissed in the hall at the top of the stairs, Adam against the wall. He pressed his thigh against Riley’s cock, and Riley groaned, rocking against it as their kisses turned messy. He wanted to let Riley keep going like that, and loved knowing that he was just as excited as Adam was.

“Fuck,” Riley said as he gently pushed Adam away. “Bed. Now.”

Finally, they were in Riley’s bedroom, and for an awkward moment after Riley turned on a lamp, neither of them seemed to know what to do.

“Should I…?” Adam asked as he tugged at the hem of his own sweater.

Riley nodded, his eyes dark and his lips slack and swollen.

Adam pulled his sweater off, then, after only a moment of hesitation, he removed the T-shirt he’d been wearing underneath. Riley watched him with keen interest.

Adam brushed a nervous hand over his soft belly. “Not the same as you remember, probably.”

“It’s better,” Riley said.

“Come on.”

Riley stepped toward him. “It’s better,” he repeated.

Adam reached for him. “That’s nice of you to say.”

---