Page 17 of Duped

A smile exploded across Tarek’s face. “Is it crazy that I’m happier about you saying you love me than I am about the car?”

Portland pushed him against the SUV parked next to his new car. It happened so quickly, Tarek lost his breath. Portland’s eyes flashed with something deadly. The dark Portland was back. A thrill of excitement ran down Tarek’s spine as Portland’s mouth covered his. A moan immediately rose in his throat. Portland swallowed it. Their kiss turned more heated by the second. Tarek tore at the buttons on Portland’s expensive dress shirt.

Portland pulled away and yanked open the back door of the SUV. Tarek didn’t hesitate to climb inside. Portland followed, lowering the bench back seat into a functional bed as he went. He closed them inside. Tarek was beneath him in a matter of seconds. God, he was amazing. The way he used his tongue always rocked Tarek. He had talent and years of practice. Portland never failed to use those against him.

They tore at each other until their bare chests met, and then everything slowed. Their kiss turned loving. Tarek didn’t rush as he set Portland’s erection free. The moment Tarek’s fingertips skimmed Portland’s cock, Portland sat back on his heels and dug out his wallet. Tarek didn’t hesitate to scramble out the rest of his clothes. His patience was gone. Portland found the small packet of lube and condom Tarek had made him start carrying. They had missed an opportunity outside Portland’s office one day thanks to Portland not having anything with him, and Tarek had forgotten his wallet. Portland lubed Tarek first. He teased Tarek as he did, stretching and massaging all the right places. Tarek snapped. He went on the attack. He pushed Portland on to his back and straddled him. Tarek wasn’t thinking. He wanted Portland too badly. In an instant, he sat on Portland’s dick.

Portland made a sound like a dying man.

Tarek froze as he realized what he had done.

There was no condom between them.

They held each other’s stare. Then Portland slowly lured Tarek down into a kiss. His gaze never wavered until their lips met. Tarek rocked, testing the waters. Their tongues brushed. A silent agreement was made. It didn’t matter. They were forever. This was permanent. Nothing could break them.

Just like their rush to make love, the tension built quickly. The sounds Portland made were too hot. He made Tarek feel sexy as hell and aroused him beyond what he could bear. Tarek worked harder to reach the edge.

“Shit, Tarek. You’re killing me. I love you so much.” He sucked Tarek’s neck. “Jesus. I was so scared you would leave me over the car. It would kill me if I lost you.”

Even as Tarek wound tighter, his eyes filled with tears. He hadn’t known he could love a person so much. “I could never leave you. It’d be like ripping out my own heart.” Tarek sucked in a breath and held it. His muscles tensed. The pressure became too much. Ecstasy washed over him. A cry tore from his throat. “I love you. Goddamn, Portland. I love you so much.” He honestly didn’t even know what he said anymore. Tarek was in heaven. His body shook. Cum coated Portland’s sexy torso. Portland cried out beneath him. The sound of their pleasure echoed inside the car. Steam covered the windows. Portland pulled him in for another kiss. It tasted desperate, as if they still hadn’t managed to get close enough to each other. Tarek no longer knew what their intentions had been toward each other when they met. But he knew it no longer mattered, because what they had found overshadowed every plan. This was real love. It was everything.

Portland carried a very content Tarek inside and put him to bed. Wearing only his pants, he headed for the kitchen and found the chef packing up to leave. The guy barely glanced his way. His gaze landed briefly on Portland’s newly acquired hickey before he looked away again. Portland got the feeling he wouldn’t be keeping the guy. While he came highly recommended and his meals were passable, Portland got the impression he was either homophobic or simply didn’t like Portland. Either way, Portland would be damned if he felt uncomfortable in his own home.

Portland grabbed their dinner plates, nodded at the guy, and headed back down the hall. He had already gently cleaned his baby. Now, he would feed him. Life with Tarek was more than he dreamed. Looking back, he couldn’t believe he thought he would simply buy Tarek. Tarek truly didn’t care about his money. He always accepted Portland’s decisions and gifts, but it was beyond obvious he only did so to make Portland happy. He didn’t give two shits about a new car. This was real love. It was almost laughable the way he had gone from thinking love didn’t exist to being swept away by innocence. But here they were, and Portland couldn’t be more content.

He had never had sex without a condom. Until it happened with Tarek, Portland hadn’t realized it had been more about waiting to be totally settled than it was about protecting himself. The moment Tarek had sat on his cock with nothing between them, Portland saw his entire future unfold. Tarek was there for every second of it. This was it for him. They were the last relationship he would ever have. Tarek was his final partner. This was forever.

He found Tarek right where he left him. Tarek sat up at the sight of food. “Mmm. I’m starving. Ezra said the pasta would melt in our mouths.”

“Who’s Ezra?”

Tarek laughed at his confusion. “The chef.”

“Oh.” Portland climbed onto the bed with their plates. “I’m probably going to fire the guy.”

Tarek nodded, looking unsurprised. “He doesn’t seem to care for you for whatever reason. It’s uncomfortable.”

Portland was more than a little relieved to hear Tarek wouldn’t fight him on the matter. He handed Tarek a plate.

Tarek took a bite of whatever the dish was. He immediately set the plate on the bedside table. “Would you like to order pizza?”

A laugh burst from Portland. “Dislike aside, the guy is supposed to be a five-star chef.” He took a bite. A bitter flavor filled his mouth. He spit it back out. “Yeah. That’s nasty. What the hell? Maybe we don’t have five-star taste.” They looked at each other and burst into laughter. It hit Portland. He was more than in love with Tarek. Tarek was his best friend.

Marry me. The thought was so loud, it nearly left Portland’s lips. He stopped at the last second. Tarek deserved more than an impromptu marriage proposal in bed. “I have a meeting in the morning, but we should spend the day together afterward. We could have a street fair day, eat truck food, and ride the carousel.”

Tarek’s smile never dimmed. “That sounds amazing. I can’t picture you eating truck food, though.”

Portland laughed. “I don’t know why. We’re about to order the world’s greasiest pizza.”

Tarek’s gaze moved over Portland’s face. He leaned his head back against the headboard—like settling in to simply stare at Portland. “I love you.” He sounded so serious, a lump immediately formed in Portland’s throat.

“I love you too.” Portland moved to his knees and made a show of crawling Tarek’s way.

A worried look settled on Tarek’s face. “Oh no.”

Portland nodded. “You look like a man who needs a tickle.”

Tarek pulled up his knees. “No.” Laughter tinted his voice.

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