Page 46 of Shift Change

I scoffed. “It sure seemed like I did. Afterward, you wouldn’t even look at me. You stayed on the opposite side of the elevator like I had a terrible disease, and when we got to our floor, you didn’t even say goodnight. You nodded, Holky. A fucking nod. I’ve gotten more warmth from a vending machine.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was trying to make it look like it was no big deal. You know, sit down and play it off.”

“If that were true, you’d have cracked one of your stupid jokes so we could’ve pretended everything was normal.”

He winced, like I’d nailed him to the wall, which I had. “Can I kiss you again?” he asked.

That hit harder than I expected, and I reeled back. “Why? You want a last one for the road? Make peace with your curiosity before you ghost me for good?”

“Jesus, would you stop being a goddamn drama queen? That isn’t who you are, Dog.”

“You don’t get to define who I am right now.”

“No,” he said, his voice softer. “But I know who you are, and I came here because I missed you.” He glanced away and let a few beats pass before meeting my eyes again. “And because the first kiss wasn’t enough.” His voice cracked, and he swallowed before going on. “I should have looked at you and said something, but I didn’t know what to do. It was the first time I’d ever kissed someone and felt like it might change everything.”

The anger that had been boiling inside me brought itself down to a simmer. I didn’t know what I wanted anymore, whether it was revenge, reassurance, another kiss. Maybe all of it, or maybe just him. He’d come back, and that had to mean something. “I’m not a drama queen. Didn’t you come here so we could decide what to tell everyone tomorrow? I know I ruined it all.”

He stared for a heartbeat—eyes sharp, jaw clenched—then crossed the room in three long strides and grabbed me. I barely had time to breathe before he laid siege to my mouth. There was no warmup or hesitation, only full-on battle mode with fierce lips and his heart thundering against my chest. For an instant, I wondered if he was trying to shut me up, but then he tightened his hug and pulled me flush against him.

Holky was all solid muscle pressed against me, and I dug my fingers into his back and clung to him. When he kissed me harder, I caught fire and kissed him back, moaning as I pressed against his mouth.

He answered with a deep hum and slid his tongue along the seam of my lips. Even in the heat of the moment, it was a request, not a demand, but there was no way I could deny him. I opened, and when our tongues met, I sucked his greedily.

My heart went into overdrive as his scent wrapped around me, earthy and warm. When my knees wobbled, I leaned against him to steady myself.

As he deepened the kiss, he slid his hand down to cup my ass, then squeezed. I gasped into his mouth as my body lit up like a goddamn Christmas tree. Every nerve ending crackled, screamingyes, this—more, now.

I wasn’t thinking clearly, but even as my world tilted, I was sure about one thing: there would be no going back after this.

He pulled away and smiled. “Want to feel you.”

I watched as he kicked off his slippers, stripped off his T-shirt and threw it across the room, and then did the same with his workout shorts. He wasn’t wearing underwear, and my heart broke into a trot. Although every perfectly shaped muscle was on display, I was too excited to enjoy the view for long. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him again, sliding my tongue into his mouth so I could explore. My dick was harder than Holky’s abs.

When our chests slid together, the delicious sensation of muscle against muscle made us moan. The rasp and tug of our whiskers and the thrill of his cock rubbing against mine had every nerve in my body stretched to the limit. As our tongues played, I smelled him again. The musk of excitement and tang of desire had me on the edge of begging him to take me to bed.

He must have read my mind, because he picked me up—actually lifted me off the floor—and laid me on the mattress. Without breaking the kiss, he lowered himself on top of me, and I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anyone. His brow was sweaty, and I realized I wasn’t the only one burning up from the inside, more desperate by the second for a forbidden pleasure I never imagined I’d want.

Ihadto have him, feel him with nothing between us. I’d die if we didn’t make each other come. It took an amazing amount of effort to break the kiss and mumble against his lips. “Let’s do what we were about to before.”

“Got to get you naked first.” He rolled off me and got to his knees. “Damn, Dog. You are the finest-looking man I ever saw.” Slipping his fingers under my waistband, he grinned. “I don’t care what fucking happens, we are not moving from this bed.”

“Agreed. Do it.”

A hundred thoughts shot through my mind.Am I big enough? Will he like it? Do I stink? Should I say something or be quiet? Will he make me come? Damn, what if he sucks it?

He inched my boxers down and gasped when my cock jumped up to meet him. His eyes got so big he looked goofy, making me chuckle.

“Hold that thought,” he said as he peeled my underwear down my legs and over my feet.

My cock was standing at a severe angle, nearly touching my belly. For all the stuff I’d done, I’d never been harder than I was at that moment.

He crawled up beside me, still on his knees, then whistled when he looked at my dick. “Nowthat’sa cock. How the hell did it get so big?”

Relieved he didn’t think I was a shorty, I said, “You’re one to talk. You don’t even have a dick. It’s a fucking utility pole.”

He snickered. “Been checking me out?”

“Not my fault the Warriors didn’t put in private shower stalls. You’ve been watching me too.”

---