Eric seemed to consider the question for a moment. “Maybe. Usually. I’m not used to—” He bit his lip, as if blocking the words from escaping.
“Not used to what?”
“I usually have more control over my...desires. Libido. I don’t know what’s been happening to me lately.”
Kyle waggled his eyebrows. “I’vebeen happening to you, sexy.” Eric laughed, but it sounded forced. Kyle dialed it back. “Maybe it’s just from, y’know, not having sex for so long.”
“Maybe.”
“And having sex with men is new and exciting.”
Eric nodded. “That might be it.”
Kyle swatted his chest playfully. “You’re supposed to tell me it’s totally because of me.”
Eric’s laugh sounded genuine this time. Then his face grew serious, and Kyle realized he was about to say those exact words and possibly mean them, which couldn’t happen if Kyle was going to maintain any control over his stupid heart.
So he cut him off by yawning. “That was incredible, but now I’m exhausted.”
“It’s late,” Eric agreed, but neither man moved. They both kept gazing at each other until suddenly they were kissing again. Eric placed a palm on Kyle’s cheek, and Kyle heard himself make a needy, breathy sound as Eric’s tongue caressed his own.
Was there even a chance Eric felt the same way Kyle did? Not that Kyle even knew for sure how he felt himself, but was Eric also confused? Did his heart race when he saw Kyle? Did he think of him all the time? Was it possible Eric wanted more than whatever this was?
Kyle wanted to ask, but he also didn’t want to ruin this moment. When they finally broke apart, Eric ducked his head shyly, but he couldn’t hide his adorable smile.
“What?” Kyle asked.
Eric shook his head and gazed up at him through his dark lashes. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep.”
“Did I not do enough to wear you out?” Kyle teased.
“I can’t stop looking at you.” Eric’s eyes widened, as if he couldn’t believe he’d just said that.
Kyle froze. This was definitely leaving the no-strings sex zone, and he shouldn’t encourage it. “You can look all you like.”
Eric brushed a thumb over Kyle’s cheek. “I’m glad you said yes. To staying.”
Kyle closed his eyes, unable to bear the tenderness in Eric’s expression. Eric was glad now, but what would the morning bring? Kyle could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he’d just gone home after the orgasms were over. Now he had to deal with his damn feelings.
“We should sleep,” he murmured.
“Okay.”
Kyle rolled on his side, his back to Eric’s chest, and Eric wrapped an arm around him. His bicep was heavy and warm, and Kyle couldn’t help snuggling back against Eric. He could pretend, for one night, that this was real.
Chapter Eighteen
Eric did manage to sleep, but he’d kept drifting in and out. As far as he could tell, Kyle had fallen asleep immediately and hadn’t woken all night. He was still asleep when Eric blinked awake for the final time, sunlight peeking around the edges of his window blinds.
He’d loved holding Kyle against him all night. Loved listening to him breathe as he slept. Most oddly, he’d loved the soft press of the sole of Kyle’s foot against Eric’s shin.
Kyle was still turned away from him, but Eric enjoyed the view of his bare, creamy shoulders, his smooth back, and the knobs of his spine. Every inch of Kyle was more interesting to Eric than it should be. He was dangerously infatuated with this man and knew it wasn’t going to do him any good. When Kyle had been dancing with the young man with the blue hair, that should have made Eric see the difference between them. Kyle was young, and beautiful, andfun. Eric was not the horse that Kyle should hitch his wagon to.
He resisted the urge to wake Kyle with soft kisses along his shoulders and carefully left the bed, because he was sure that if he woke him, Kyle would leave. He took a shower, washing away any lingering traces of the fun they’d had the night before, and considered what he should say to Kyle when he did wake up. What did Ericwant?
He liked Kyle far too much, he knew that much. And he’d never been this interested in sex in his life. He tried to remember what it had been like when he’d started dating Holly. He’d been attracted to her for sure, and they’d definitely had some hot, hormone-fueled sex in Eric’s college dorm room.
And somewhere along the line, he’d fallen in love with her. It had been like sinking into a warm bath—comfortable, but not exciting.