Page 6 of Overeager
Oblivious to Noah’s struggle to control himself, Eli leaned into him. “Another truth for a truth?” At Noah’s nod, he smiled shyly. “I’m not used to being flirted with like this.”
Noah’s stomach dropped. Oh fuck. Was he being one of those horribly pushy alpha creeps, unable to take no for an answer?
“Is it okay?” he asked. “I can tone it down. Hell, I can stop completely,” he offered, starting to move away. “Leave you alone to celebrate.”
“No,” Eli said quickly, grabbing onto Noah’s arm. “Stay.” He gave Noah another shy smile. “It’s kind of nice.”
“Yeah?” Noah let the relief flood through him, relaxing his muscles and setting one arm on the back of the hot tub so he was facing Eli more fully. “Then can I ask you something completely inappropriate?”
Eli grinned at him, mischief in his brown eyes. “Why the hell not?”
“You ever taken someone’s virginity?” Noah asked, before he could think better of it.
Fortune favored the bold, right?
Eli nibbled on his bottom lip for a moment before answering. “No. I’ve only been with my ex, and he wasn’t a virgin.”
“Mm. I bet you’d be a good teacher though.”
Noah had expected another shocked blush but not the totally endearing giggle Eli let out.
He cocked his head, unable to help his grin. “What’s so funny?”
“Oh, just …” Eli giggled again. “Iama teacher.”
Fuck. Of course he was. He was probably patient and kind with his students, just the way he’d been patient and kind when Noah had come to crash his solo celebration.
“I can see that.” Noah pressed a finger lightly between Eli’s brows. “Just toss a pair of glasses on you. Maybe a tweed suit.”
Eli gave him a mock offended look, but he didn’t move back from Noah’s touch. “I wear contacts, thank you very much. And no tweed suits. I don’t teach at a British boarding school in the fifties.”
“I’ll just keep that to my fantasies, then.” Noah dropped his hand but scooted closer, until their legs were brushing under the water.
Eli bit at his lower lip again, but still, he didn’t move away. He cast a sidelong glance at Noah. “You shouldn’t be looking for a teacher at all. You should lose it to someone your own age.”
“Oh yeah?” Noah pressed his calf more firmly against Eli’s. “Why’s that?”
“I don’t know.” Eli shrugged, his leg sliding against Noah’s. “Just … first times should be fun and silly, I think.”
“Not romantic? Candlelight and whispered ‘I love yous’?”
Eli shook his head. “Mine was kind of like that, and look how it turned out. I think I could have used more silliness. More fun.”
“You don’t think you and I could have fun?” Noah asked, surprised at the huskiness in his own voice.
This honestly hadn’t been Noah’s intention coming over. He’d just seen a cute neighbor and wanted to be friendly. But sitting here, with Eli’s scent drifting through the steam, it was like a buzzing under Noah’s skin. He couldn’t let it go. He wanted more than friendly.
He wanted Eli in his bed.
Eli’s eyes were heavy-lidded now, golden and dreamy-looking. “I think it’d be … intense,” he told Noah.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey, Eli?” Noah asked, setting his now empty beer on the edge of the hot tub and sliding his arm behind Eli’s upper back.
“Yes?”
