Page 15 of Small City Heart
Wet heat flooded the tight space between their bodies, and Patrick gasped out a series of surprised moans as he released all over both of them. The smell of Patrick’s come ignited something in Charlie’s brain, and the flame of pleasure that had been on the edges of his consciousness tightened his whole body. It flashed through him like a line of firecrackers going off, and all his pent-up need exploded out of him in hot pulses.
He collapsed on top of Patrick and half expected to be pushed off or for the wrestling to continue, but instead Patrick ran a trembling hand up and down Charlie’s spine until their breathing evened out.
Charlie lifted his head and couldn’t hold back a grin at how wrecked Patrick looked. “That was …dang.”
Patrick laughed. “Yeah.”
He kissed Charlie square on the lips, which sent a jolt of surprise through him. They traded lazy kisses and soft touches until lethargy started to draw Charlie’s eyelids down.
“We’re messy,” Patrick whispered like he was scared to speak too loud and break the moment.
“I’ll get us a washrag,” Charlie said, but he didn’t move. Didn’t stop his indulgent, languid kisses over Patrick’s throat and shoulders.
“Great. When?”
“Ugh. Fine.” Charlie swung himself off Patrick’s body and closed his eyes through the dizziness that hit him when he was upright. The orgasm had sapped his strength and tilted his world on its head.
When he got back with a wet towel—after cleaning himself up in the bathroom—the mood in his bedroom was perceptively chilly.
He froze in his doorway. “What?”
Patrick frowned and shook his head. “Nothing.” He held his hand out for the cloth, then wiped the come off his stomach before sitting up. His eyes were a bit feral as if he had been cornered and was searching for an escape.
A lump of fear rolled in Charlie’s stomach. He wasn’t ready for Patrick to leave, didn’t think he could handle him walking out already.
Needy Charlie was back in the building.
“Stay.” The word ripped out of Charlie’s throat, and he flushed at his clinginess. He continued on anyway. “I know this doesn’t mean anything. Or it can’t, I guess. But I can be your rebound. Your vacation lay.”
Patrick eyed him, his eyebrows furrowing.“Why can’t it mean anything?” Charlie mentally recalibrated, ready to lay his heart on the line, but before he could open his mouth, Patrick laughed humorlessly. “Who am I kidding? How could it?”
That shut Charlie up. He didn’t have a right to push for more than this wonderful night of pleasure. He wouldn’t repeat his mistakes, wouldn’t let his past and baggage poison something as pure and nice as a reunion hookup with his longtime crush.
With Donovan, he’d pushed for more, for forever, for a compromise that was unsustainable. For over a year, Donovan had wanted to leave Small City, but he’d stuck around because he’d loved Charlie. Then one day, Charlie had found himself holding so tight to the reins of their relationship that he was strangling them both. He’d never do that again.
He couldn’t imagine saddling Patrick with that pressure. No. Patrick was a free spirit and the best kind of weirdo, and Charlie would never tie him down or hold him back. Small City was too small to hold Patrick Pearl.
So Charlie simply said, “Stay. For the next hour or the whole night. Or the weekend. Stay.”
Patrick nodded, a vulnerable quiver in his smile, and Charlie dragged him down onto the bed. They clutched each other close, like they had to fight each other for breath, like they were trying to hold each other’s souls through skin and bone and marrow.
