Page 27 of Soulmates

“I know. But that wasn’t the first time I’ve wanted to.”

“Oh,” Jake said, realizing the enormity of that. “Ohh. When?”

“Plenty of times.” Maddox huffed. “But do you remember that night when we were on break last summer, and you’d been out to this club and you came home, but you came to my house instead? You came in my room and collapsed on my couch and started telling me about this guy with amber eyes who sucked you off in the bathroom, but before you could say whatever it was you came there to say, you passed out.”

“I remember that blowjob…” Jake said faux wistfully, and Maddox pinched the hell out of his side. “Shit, I’m kidding, I’m kidding! I don’t remember the blowjob, but I remember the guy’s eyes. They were a similar color to yours, which is why I danced with him in the first place, and I guess we ended up in the club bathroom. I don’t remember why I went to your house, though I assume the obvious.”

“What?”

“The same as any other time—I just want to be near you.”

Maddox sighed and snuggled up closer again. “I want to be near you too. And not just for things like blowjobs. I just want to be close. It feels safer. It always has.”

“For me too,” Jake said.

“I’m glad.”

“Why don’t you go to sleep, Maddy? Let me watch over you for a bit. Go to sleep. You’re safe from everything.” He paused. “Even me,” he added with an afterthought that got a faint chuckle from an already near-dozing Maddox.

Jake woke before Maddox, who was plastered against his side like a heat-seeking missile. Maddox was always a cold sleeper. Even when they were kids, Maddox would sneak into Jake’s bed or even his sleeping bag trying to get warm. Jake always thought it was adorable, and that morning was no exception.

He took a moment to enjoy just being in bed with Maddox, allowing himself to bask in his presence. Maddox’s tears had alarmed Jake the night before, though he still thought the situation was funny, considering how much history they shared. But it was also a reminder that regardless of how close they were, they were adding layers to their friendship that had to be respected and handled carefully. He never wanted to take Maddox for granted just because he knew him so well as a friend. While he knew some of Maddox’s romantic preferences in a general sense, from late-night talks about former lovers and love interests, there wasn’t much to go on. Thinking back, Jake realized he didn’t know much about his best friend’s likes and dislikes or hopes and dreams in a romantic partner. And Maddox didn’t know his. The knowledge of Jake’s particular enjoyment of blowjobs came from a couple of drunken conversations. It wasn’t something they talked about. Which wouldn’t have been a strange thing among best friends if it wasn’t for the fact that they talked about everything else.

Maybe it had always been about protecting themselves from the realities of them dating other people. If they had loved each other all along, it would make sense that they kept that part of their lives separate.

Maddox stirred a bit and stretched, almost hitting Jake in the head with their still-joined hands. Then he snuggled right back down with a soft sigh that sounded like pure contentment. Gods, how he loved Maddox.

Maddox wiggled again, seeming to attempt to push in closer, which was impossible, and Jake started to tell him so when the wiggling got a little more pointed.

“Can I help you with something?”

“Mmm.”

Jake laughed and shifted, pulling Maddox on top of him, Maddox’s erection pressed between them. When Maddox glanced at him and smiled, Jake could only roll his eyes at himself because all he could think was that Maddox was the sun and Jake just wanted to live in his orbit. And when did he become so sentimental? But what could he do? It was the truth.

“Morning.” Maddox grinned sleepily before burying his face into Jake’s neck, kissing and nuzzling him. Jake pressed his free hand to Maddox’s back, and when that didn’t feel like enough, he pulled their joined hands behind Maddox, caressing Maddox’s back up and down and grabbing his hips. Maddox shuddered and moaned in a way that sent heat flooding across Jake’s skin. His heart thudded wildly in his chest. That he could be the one to do this to Maddox was heady.

When Jake pulled their hands to Maddox’s lower back and held firm, Maddox lifted his head and stared at Jake with wide pupils, cheeks flushed. Jake grinned at him and pulled Maddox’s bound hand up a little higher just to see what he would do. Maddox rested his forehead on Jake’s chest and started a slow grind, his cock heavy and hard between them. “Can I suck you again?”

“Is that what you want?”

“Please, Jake?”

“Yes.” Jake wanted nothing more than to grant Maddox’s every desire. Maddox turned on the bed enough to get at Jake’s boxers, struggling a bit with dislodging the bedcovers one-handed.

“Wait.” Jake stopped him. “Come here.” He reached over and nudged Maddox to straddle his chest backward, their joined hands creating some difficulty in positioning.

“I am not an acrobat, Jacob, and not flexible.”

“I believe in you.” Jake smacked Maddox’s ass, and Maddox startled, looking over his shoulder and shooting him a glare about as effective as an angry kitten. Jake just smiled at him, and Maddox rolled his eyes.

“You know, there is no way you can reach my dick with a nine-inch height difference.”

“I wasn’t planning on touching your dick.” Jake leaned up, pressed a kiss to Maddox’s ass, and whispered huskily, “If I do anything you don’t like—ever—just tell me and I’ll stop.” He trailed his lips closer to Maddox’s entrance.

Maddox gasped out a small breath. “What if I don’t want to you stop?”

“Then you can tell me that too,” he said before swiping his tongue over Maddox’s hole.

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