Page 94 of Untouchable

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Harp's gazefollows the bounce of Parker's cock as he pads through the living room and he finds himself grinning like an idiot. If this is a fever dream, it's the most self-indulgent one that he can remember. After a moment, Harp follows Parker back to the kitchen too.

"If I have to pretend that I don't want to flirt with you and be absolutely disgusting, I think I'm going to implode," Harp admits.

Parker laughs as he fills up a glass of water.

“I’m definitely okay with that.” He gestures down at his crotch. “I mean, I think we’re… past pretending, at this point.”

"That's a hell of a fucking paradigm shift, you know," Harp says. "It's going to take me a minute to catch up. The idea that I'm allowed to kiss you is giving me whiplash."

Parker stretches out, long and lean, and Harp can't believe he's just allowed to look now. He gawks openly, raking his eyes over Parker's body, realizing he hasn't even seen Parker without his shirt on, or in shorts.

"Have I mentioned you're the most gorgeous creature in creation?" Harp asks casually, sipping his water and wondering if it would be a bad idea to keep drinking.

Parker runs his hand through his hair.

“I mean, I think you might be exaggerating a little bit, but, uh… thanks.”

Harp imagines a reality in which he's confident enough to stand up now and wrap his arms around Parker, even though he feels strange and uncertain right now.

Oh, fuck it.

Harp sighs and hauls himself out of the chair, crossing behind Parker to take a quick swig of whiskey. Then he does the impossible. He puts his hands on Parker's hips and pulls him in close so that Parker's back is against Harp's belly.

"I'm not exaggerating," Harp says in a low voice. He doesn't feel confident. He feels terrified. But he's 44 years old and he doesn't know when he'll ever have this chance again—when he'll ever be allowed to tell Parker the truth about him again. "There's not a thing I would change about you."

Harp kisses Parker's neck gently, trying not to shake.

* * *

Parker can’t helpthe whimper he lets out when he feels Harp’s lips against the back of his neck. There’s no way Harp can know this, but Parker’s neck is practically as sensitive as his cock, for the effect that it has on his body. And even more than that, he feels utterly swept away, lost and found all at once, safe in Harp’s arms, but completely unable to believe he’s really here.

“Are you okay?” Harp whispers, and Parker realizes he’s gone rigid. He forces himself to relax and spins to face Harp, placing his hands flat on Harp’s broad chest.

“Y-yeah,” Parker says. “Sorry—it’s—it’s just so much to take in, y’know?”

And, he can’t bring himself to say it, but there’s a voice in the back of his mind insisting that Harp’s got it wrong. Parker isn’t the gorgeous, smart, whatever, whatever Harp thinks he is.

And sooner or later, Harp will figure that out.

* * *

Harp can't help it.He holds Parker by the chin, tilting him up to receive another long kiss.

Firsts, and firsts, and firsts. The first time Harp wanted to kiss Parker. The first time Parker kissed him. The first time Harp kissed Parker. The first time they kissed standing up.

Every first with Parker is a perfect adventure that Harp never wants to forget. A standing kiss has a different quality than the ones on the couch. Harp feels huge looming over Parker, but for once it doesn't seem awkward.

I'm his type, Harp reminds himself, inexplicably.

For once, Harp is glad of his size because he feels like he could protect Parker from any threat, as broken as Harp is. He can be a shield.

Harp wraps his hands around the narrowest part of Parker's waist and groans into their kiss.

Parker loops his arms around Harp’s neck and hooks a leg up around Harp’s thigh, and even so Harp wants to be closer. He easily scoops Parker up, turning and walking him to a clear spot on the counter before setting him down gently. Parker feels like nothing in Harp's arms, and maybe now some piece of him can understand the appeal of his size if he puts himself into just the right state of mind.

It's much more difficult than understanding Parker's appeal, which would be easy to see for anyone.

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