He was soaked all over, all the way through, but when he kissed Percy, Percy tasted the salt of his tears mingled with the deluge. Percy leaned into him, kissed him back, and Joe shoved him off, smashing him hard into the wall. “Why?”
A confounding question from an unexpected guest for a still-tipsy brain at that time of night.
Joe tightened his grip, wrenched Percy close again, and with a desperate plea in his deep brown eyes, whispered, “Why her? Why didn’t you kiss me?”
Percy snuck a glance at his couch, wondering if he’d fallen asleep and slipped into an erotic dream. His eyes flicked back to Joe, who said, “I know you’re in love with her. I know she’s the one you want, but?—”
Percy shut him up with a kiss of his own. He slammed the door closed with a spare hand, pushed Joe up against it, andmurmured, “If I’d thought for one second I could have had these lips, do you really think I’d waste my time on anyone else’s?”
Big, frightened, shocked eyes searched his, hot and lustful, and Percy said, “Now give me a proper kiss.”
“I…” The lips he coveted quivered in the half light. “I don’t know how.”
“You’ll figure it out.” Percy gripped Joe at the hip, ran a hand up his chest to his chin. He took a strong hold, pressed his lips to Joe’s, and twisting his tongue, ran it swift and teasing across the surface of Joe’s, before breaking the kiss with, “Wait, what?”
“Uh…” Joe, very suddenly, had become a different man to the one who burst through his door seconds earlier. Had he expected to be ousted? Had he thought Percy might actually reject him?
Surely not…
But Percy had him now. Just as he’d always wanted him. And there was zero chance he was going to let this opportunity slip away.
He leaned his chest against Joe’s, set an elbow on his shoulder, and tilted his head to the side, taking each of Joe’s hot, nervous breaths with his own. “You’ve never had a French kiss?”
Even if Joe was nervous, a little scared, he was brave too, and he held Percy’s close gaze. “Never. Until just then.”
Percy placed the tip of his thumb on the edge of Joe’s bottom lip, dragging it down softly. “Did you like it?”
Joe’s lip slipped from his hold as he swallowed. “Yes.”
Percy’s eyes remained steadfast on his mouth. “I’m going to kiss you again. Lips only.”
He moved in slowly, enjoying Joe’s timidity. Giving him time to pull away, wondering if he’d go through with it nowthat first burst of jealousy must have abated with the reality of it all.
Joe lifted his lips to Percy’s. He pushed them into a firm, delicious resistance, and Percy watched him through dark lashes as he closed his eyes tight, scrunching his brow, looking for all the world as if he’d wanted this just as much as Percy had, and for just as long, as Percy gently kissed him.
Percy pulled back abruptly, drinking in the flush of surprise and disappointment mingled on Joe’s cheeks, and he wondered how quickly he could turn it into something even more delicious.
“This time,” Percy whispered, placing a soft peck on the bow of Joe’s desperate upper lip, “when I kiss you, you’re going to open your mouth, just a little, and you’re going to press the tip of your tongue against mine.”
He leaned close, Joe shifted his lips in readiness, and Percy pulled back, provokingly. “Is that okay?”
Joe gave a silent nod, Percy’s lips drew back into a grin, and for the first time since he’d walked in the door, so did Joe’s.
Percy kissed him.
Once, twice, harder on the third, and Joe’s lips parted for him exactly on schedule. Joe pressed his tongue against Percy’s, as instructed, but then, to Percy’s delight, he sent the twist of his tongue across Percy’s, swift and teasing.
Fast learner.
Percy broke the kiss with a satisfied smile. “Why did you come here?”
Without missing a beat, “So you’d teach me to French kiss.”
Sexy, smart and funny.
He’d be the perfect catch if he wasn’t a priest.
Percy freed Joe, walking to the side table in his living room to pour a drink for him. Joe followed, hesitantly, and each leaned a hip into the table as Percy passed the glass across. “Letme rephrase.” He took up his own scotch and surveyed Joe over the top of his glass while he enjoyed a long sip. “Why did you come here in the middle of the night, tonight, to me, for a lesson in kissing?”
