Page 117 of Stop and Seek
Noah’s mouth twitched in a smile. Theo wasperfect, but he was as delicate as a damn soap bubble. He raised his hand to Theo’s face, thumb brushing over his cheekbone, before he let it slide to the back of his neck.
He opened his mouth to respond, but Kyran’s voice from deeper inside the house cut him off.
“I think we got most of our attendees, you lovely little lot. Grab a drink and some grub, and let’s see how hot everyone looks in their souvenir photos!”
“The stupid social media shit is cringe,” Theo said, chuckling.
And then Theo kissed him again.
Hotter. Deeper. Like he meant it this time.
And Noah opened for him without hesitation, sliding his tongue against Theo’s with a low groan. The taste was unreal—spit and vodka, sharp and sweet. He didn’t just want to kiss him. He wanted to bite. To mark. To tear that oversized fucking hoodie off and bury himself in every inch of exposed skin until Theo forgot his own damn name.
Theo’s fingers curled into his tank top, dragging him closer until Noah could feel the sharp edges of his hips, the breath shaking in his chest. And hewasshaking—barely, but Noah felt it. Like his body didn’t know whether to lean in or run. Like he wanted him so bad he could barely stand it.
Noah bit Theo’s bottom lip just hard enough to feel the soft gasp, and kissed it away. Greedy now.
The sounds—wet, breathy, quiet little sighs that slipped past Theo’s lips, swallowed up in Noah’s mouth—spoke to his damn dick by name. Spiked fruit punch and sweat clung to both of them, warm and cloying in the crowded house, and Theo still smelled like thatcoconut-darkmix that made Noah feral.
He kissed down the corner of Theo’s mouth, jawline, whispering, “I like social media. I wouldn’t mind seeing you on my feed every once in a while.”
“Hate it,” Theo mumbled, teeth catching Noah’s tongue like he wanted to punish him. “God, I wish he’d shut the hell up.”
Kyran’s voice was still coming through the stereo system, and Noah couldn’t have given less of a shit.
His hands slipped lower, fingers grazing just under the hem of Theo’s hoodie again, dragging his nails along bare skin until Theo squirmed. “My car is still an option,” Noah whispered, half-laughing. “Areallygood option right now.”
Theo’s mouth was parted, swollen from the kiss, eyes glassy with heat and something rawer underneath. He looked wrecked—and he lookedhungry.
Noah dipped his head, lips brushing the shell of his ear. “I could pull back the seat…”
Theo let out a shaky breath, and his hand clenched the back of Noah’s neck. “Yeah? Then what?”
Noah kissed just below his earlobe, slow and wet. “Fuck you in all the right ways, baby.”
Theo fuckingwhimperedand Noah almost lost it right there.
Then Kyran’s voice boomed from down the hall.
Noah didn’t hear whatever it was, but Theo stiffened. All the color drained from his face. He looked even paler than usual, ghost-like in the yellow, overhead lighting. The sudden, visceral reaction made Noah’s stomach turn over.
“What’s he talking about?” Theo’s words shot out so fast that most of them merged together, his eyes never leaving Noah’s face. “Is—is he like, taping the house party?”
Noah was still recovering from the whiplash when reality sank in.
The question hung in the air like a grenade, waiting to explode. For a second, all he could hear was white noise before the music and chatter returned.
In the heat of the moment he’d completely forgottenwhyKyran invited everyone over.
Why would I expect anything fucking different?
I hate that it still hurts.
I should be more grown up than this.
The wordfuckkept looping in Noah’s head. Over and over. And not in the fun way.
“You want to leave?” he blurted, already halfway turning. “Let’s leave. Right now. You want food? We’ll get food. I’ll carry you to the car—”
