Page 47 of Passion and Payback

Putting on the dress shoes I’d bought with the suit, I left the bedroom to see how Hunter was doing. The bathroom was empty, but his bedroom door was closed, which I hoped meant he was getting dressed. Not that we didn’t have plenty of time before the reservation, but the more time Hunter was given, the better.

That was until he opened the door as I approached and stepped out in only a pair of loose shorts. He wasn’t the type to stroll around half-naked, but I’d seen it enough that you’d think I’d have gotten used to it. Clearly, that wasn’t the case because seeing him short-circuited my brain before he froze, realizing I was standing there.

He really had worked out over the past couple of years, and the past one in particular. Hunter had always been on the skinny side, but he’d apparently put in the time, effort, and dietary changes to alter that. He would always be thinner, but he’d put on some muscle, making him broader in the chest and shoulders than before, but he still had a trim waist.

“Jesus Christ,” he said, turning on his heel to face me properly. “Would you look at that?”

It took me a moment to realize this was the first time he’d seen me in a real suit. The other times I’d worn one had been two weddings and a funeral, none of which he’d attended. Which meant I very quickly needed to stop staring at his half-naked body and focus.

“And I notice you aren’t dressed at all,” I said wryly, trying not to squirm under his open appraisal of my outfit.

“And I’m going to be outshone in a heartbeat,” he said with a chuckle, coming forward. “Was going to do my hair before I put on my suit, but shit, you’re going to make me look cheap.”

“You’re not going to look cheap,” I told him with a frown. He would probably be more colorful than me, but that was just Hunter’s way. Then again, I hoped it wasn’ttoocolorful, or we might get thrown out on our asses by some snotty host at the restaurant. “You always look good.”

“He says while standing in an expensive suit while I’m in ratty shorts.”

“And you look great wearing them.”

His eyes flashed with an unknown emotion before he reached out and set a hand on my chest. “And you look…amazing. Holy crap, how have I never seen you all dressed up before?”

“Probably because monkey suits and I don’t get along.”

“Uh,clearly, you do. Probably a good thing I never saw anything like this before.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I would have had a really hard time keeping myself under control.”

I knew I looked better than expected, but I could feel my face warming. “It’s just a suit.”

“No, babe, you’re rocking that suit,” he said, running his hand down my chest and sniffing the air. “And I don’t know what the hell sex in a bottle you bought, but that cologne is amazing.”

“I don’t remember the name. The guy at the store insisted it would work for ‘someone like you.’ I didn’t know what he meant, but I was trying not to take offense.”

“Well, however he meant it, he was damn right,” Hunter said, and I realized he was practically purring as Clem had been. “Becausedamn,do you look good.”

“Uh…Hunt?” I began, feeling a warmth spread through my body that had nothing to do with being complimented or how warm the apartment was. His fingers were too deliberate, too seeking to be anything but arousing, as they slid down my chest to my stomach. “Aren’t…what are you doing?”

“Sorry,” he said nervously but didn’t pull his hands away. “I just…I knew you’d look good. You always look good. But this is a level I really…really wasn’t expecting.”

I tried to look down at his hand, but the problem was it allowed me to see everything, including the tent in the front of his shorts. A few years ago, I stayed with him and saw him walk out of the room he shared with Lucas, wearingonlya pair of shorts. He hadn’t known I’d returned from the date I’d had thatnight and hadn’t bothered to wear underwear. Which meant I knew that tent should be more tented if he was hard, which meant he was probably wearing nice underwear…the kind that hugged himjustright.

“Uh,” I began, realizing I might have made a few mistakes in the past week. Namely, opening that damn door that held back my lust, but also not taking care of some…personal business. I had attempted to spice things up tonight, making sure I was as eager as possible.

I was quickly beginning to see how much of a mistake that was. Plenty of fabric was between his hands and my chest, but I could practically feel his fingers burning my skin. I hadn’t needed those extra days of not getting off to ensure my full attention would be locked on him…if it became sexual, that was.

So there I was, dressed to the nines while my best friend was fondling me, and I was having a difficult time keeping myself under control. The best I could manage was to reach down and take hold of his hand as gently as possible but still keep a good grip as I felt his fingers wiggle against my hold.

“Look,” I said with a laugh that was more nervous than I was used to. “I’ll be honest, I’m a little…uh, pent up right now.”

“Pent up?”

“I didn’t jerk off this week.”

“Damn, why would you do that to yourself, and why are you bringing it up?”

“I did it because…well, because I’m an idiot who was convinced I needed to be as primed as possible in case anything happened tonight. And if it didn’t, I’d have taken care of it tonight…but I haven’t. Look, the point is, your groping is not exactly helping my control, alright?”

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