Clang (7 page)

Jackson's cheeks were red as he pushed his hips forward once, then twice... A few thrusts later, he got into the rhythm of it.

Fuck, the only thing better would be having this hot man grab his cheeks harder. Chase wanted to feel his desperate desire to squirt his passion down Chase's throat...

As Jackson approached the edge, his balls drew tighter and his breathing stuttered more. His hips moved faster and it was harder to breathe.

Chase didn't give a fuck. Jackson was the hottest guy he'd sucked off in years, and he wasn't going to let bodily needs get in his way.

“You – you gotta finish,” Jackson whispered moments later. His voice was hoarse and broken with pleasure. “Or else I'm gonna bruise your throat.”

Chase nearly laughed, but he managed not to. He just pressed his palm to Jackson's stomach to slam him back against the wall. He aggressively sucked in his lips around the shaft again, bobbing his head up and down. He wanted to give him quick, ruthless enveloping warmth and wetness that he was certain would get Jackson there...

Jackson's groan echoed around the workshop. His hips pushed forward again and stuttered, thighs and stomach clenching. Chase's hand was still pressed against Jackson's chest, and he playfully tweaked Jackson's nipple.

“Y-Yes, oh,
fuck
, yes!” Jackson grunted. His shaft swelled, then pulsated, and then... quick squirts of that glorious liquid, milky and thick and rich, almost sweet. It was the same baking soda base taste as every other guy, but there was something a little different, too.

Chase's fingertip trailed around Jackson's nipple and played over the nub lightly. “Hnh!” Jackson's whole body shivered with apparently pleasurable overstimulation.

Chase's throat bobbed. He swallowed each splatter of liquid against the back of his tongue and throat. He kept his mouth tight and bobbed his head to ease Jackson through his climax.

When Jackson's hips went still and his breathing started to steady, Chase finally drew his mouth off the softening shaft. Chase knelt back to wipe his mouth and swallow a few more times.

“Oh, Jesus, Chase,” Jackson whispered, his eyes wide. His cheeks were still red, his stomach heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

Chase loved that reaction. It was like Jackson didn't take a second of what Chase had done for granted.

“Th-Thanks,” Jackson added with a shaky laugh, and Chase laughed, too. How sweet.

He took Jackson's offered hand and rose to his feet. “No problem,” he teased.

Already, reality set in again. He was so hard himself, but he could wait 'til he got home. He hadn't meant to be so pushy, to demand Jackson's kisses and his pleasure... Jackson was still staring at him wide-eyed as he tucked his cock back into his jeans.

I just fucked up our friendship, didn't I?

“Uh, I should probably get going...” Chase didn't even fully understand
why
he had the strong desire to flee; he just did.

“Wait,” Jackson murmured as Chase took a step back. He stepped forward to stay close, reaching out to take Chase's hand. “May I please return the favor?”

What?
Chase hadn't expected that.

“Uh...”

“I'd like to, if you're okay with it,” Jackson added firmly. His gaze flickered between Chase's eyes. The way he watched Chase like he
knew
him, knew all the fears and worries playing on his mind... It was almost unnerving, but it was blindingly hot at the same time.

Chase swallowed hard. “Okay,” he whispered, barely even sure what he was agreeing to. It had been ages since a guy had blown him, longer still since he'd come from it. Fuck, this could be so awkward.

Then again, he'd already taken the most awkward step in their relationship. He'd grabbed Jackson, kissed him, and sucked him off on the spot. Jackson couldn't possibly make things
more
awkward now.

And... something about Jackson made him feel secure enough to agree to it.

It's like I know him already. That sounds crazy. I can't tell him that.

“You're gorgeous,” Jackson whispered. For a moment, Chase saw Antonio from the club the other night. But Jackson was watching him in the light of day – well, of the workshop – and asking him so politely if he could suck him off.

Chase knew he was blushing. He shifted from foot to foot, caught off guard and not sure what to say to that. “Th-Thanks,” he laughed. “Glad I give such good head.”

“Oh, you do,” Jackson marveled. A smile curled his lips as he pressed close to Chase, his hands tracing down Chase's sides. Jackson's hands, when they squeezed his ass, were immensely distracting.

Chase shivered, pressing his thigh into Jackson's leg and grinding against him.

Then, Jackson's hands curled around his upper thighs, right by his ass, lifting him right off his feet.

“Oh, fuck,” Chase exclaimed. He grabbed Jackson's shoulders as Jackson carried him across the workshop to the table where he'd been sitting with the portfolio.

Jackson laughed, shoving Chase onto his back on the table. He swept his portfolio book onto the chair. “You like your men big and strong, don't you?” he teased.

“Yeah.” Chase's cheeks burned at the memory of Jackson looking at his sketches, then looking back at his own and comparing them to Chase's body. Chase had done the same with his own sketches and Jackson's body...

Even knowing Jackson was into his type, he hadn't known Jackson was into
him
. And they might have only been casual friends, but this man was a catch.

“And good with their hands?” Jackson cupped his bulge through denim, his strong palm rubbing along the hardened shaft.

Chase rolled his head back with a moan of need. His toes curled into his shoes as he hooked his legs around the legs of the table.

Jackson crouched over him. He leaned across the table, bracing one strong arm over his head to kiss him hard.

In response, Chase grabbed Jackson's cheeks and pulled him closer. Their lips melded once more into a smooth, erotic dance of warm skin teasing skin. Jackson's kisses made his skin light up. Every nerve ending was suddenly more sensitive to Jackson's nipples brushing his own, or Jackson's hand wandering up his stomach...

“Oh, my – oh my God,” Chase moaned, his cock aching. His head spun at what it was like to be touched and cherished, and not just in the moments before getting fucked. If Jackson could do
that
again already, he'd was a miracle or he was lying about his age.

But Jackson wasn't out for pleasure for himself. The thought was nearly overwhelming. Chase let go of Jackson, thrilled that Jackson kept kissing him in rough, wet, open-mouthed kisses. He ran his hands up over Jackson's rippling arms and down his back. Jackson's body was warm and pleasurable against his needy erection, but it wasn't enough.

“Oh, God, please,” Chase moaned. Jackson slid a little further away, kissing his way – tortuously slow – down Chase's body. Chase squirmed against the table. He wished those lips were wrapping around his bare nipple or pressed against bare skin... Jackson teased him through his shirt, all the way down to his stomach.

Jackson crouched over his groin. He raised his hips to let Jackson unbutton his jeans and slide them down to his thighs. His cock popped free in the warm air, his heart pounding with nervous anticipation.

Roughened fingers still slid up under his shirt this time, feeling him up just as he'd touched Jackson in the heat of the moment. Unlike Chase had done, Jackson didn't tease him, though.

A hot, almost unbearably stimulating mouth closed around the tip of his cock. Then, Chase was enveloped by that same wet heat all the way down his shaft. His whole body throbbed and thrummed with desire. “Y-Yes...!”

Jackson groaned quietly. The vibrations sent little shivers through Chase's thighs as he braced his feet around the edge of the table legs. It kept him almost flat on the table... Almost. Not so he couldn't push up once or twice between those supple, smooth lips, though.

It was impossible to hold out for long under this attention. The wet heat sucking tightly around his sensitive skin was hard to handle. Then, Jackson pulled his head back to rub the rest of the shaft with one hand and firmly suck the tip...

Yet Chase couldn't quite finish, still so wrapped up in his own anxiety and inexperience. His heart pounded and his chest heaved for breath. It was like he was hanging on the precipice. His whole body quivered or flinched every time Jackson's touch ignited nerves along his skin or made his stomach tense. But he couldn't quite get there.

His chest pounded harder and harder with nameless worries, even as his body still quivered on that knife's edge of need. A couple of minutes of torture later, he whispered, “Christ, I might – I might take a while...”

Jackson sucked his mouth off the length and licked it as he whispered, “That's all right.” His voice rumbled in a deep, desiring growl. “I got all night.”

Oh, fuck, of course he was patient and sweet and so fucking hot...

And he sounded like he'd meant it. Chase relaxed against the table again, sharply moaning when Jackson's wet mouth enveloped him again.

This time, within minutes, he felt tingles building under his skin. The electric chills were so welcome. He relished them, grinning as he rolled his head back and squeezed his eyes shut. As his cock twitched, his muscles quivering, he clenched his hand around Jackson's shoulder. “Nnh...! Oh, J-Jackson...! Yes!”

Jackson's warm wetness was enough to take him over the edge. Jackson kept bobbing his head as Chase unconsciously thrust his hips. Chase opened his eyes enough to hazily watch... and Jackson was watching
him
like the most beautiful thing he'd ever had on his workshop table.

Chase's cheeks were already flushed, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “Oh, man,” he whispered as Jackson pulled his head up and swallowed again. It was a good thing he was sprawled across the table. He felt utterly boneless for the few moments it took to pull himself together.

Then, he grunted and hauled himself up again. He sat up straight, unhooking his feet from around the table legs to pull his jeans up again. “Okay, I better head out now, then. See you soon, yeah?”

Jackson stood back to allow him space to pass, smiling. He seemed sincere as he nodded. “See you soon.”

Chase's hands shook as he pulled the workshop door shut behind himself. He walked down the dirt driveway to the sidewalk and shoved them into his pockets.

What have I done?

That familiar pit of self-loathing was gone. This time... he felt good, and he wasn't sure how to handle it.

By Friday, two days later, Jackson was still thinking about Chase. That gorgeous, intense, sweet man who'd writhed in pleasure on his workshop table wouldn't get out of his mind.

He'd told himself he was looking for a boyfriend, not a hookup, but that...

That had been
good
.

He didn't try to fool himself into thinking it would be that good with some other random guy, though. It never had been before.

No. This was about Chase. Somehow, Jackson was already crushing on Chase a lot harder than he'd thought... and it was mutual! Why hadn't he picked up on it before?

He'd been excited when the cool, out-of-town artist had agreed to meet up with him for the first time for coffee. And when they'd agreed to make it a regular thing. And each time he'd spotted Chase waiting for him at the coffee shop table.

After flirting at the art show, Jackson had just backed off because... well... he didn't have a good reason, really. He'd just focused on work instead, and renovations, and everything but dating.

Had Chase been harboring the same quiet flame all along? Maybe that was projecting his own feelings. Chase might not even want more than a one-time hookup.

That actually worried Jackson. Chase was acting weird. He hadn't texted Jackson in the last few days, and he'd definitely run away after their hookup. Jackson had let him go. Chase's emotions might play havoc with him if he had some kind of awful ex stuff going on, after all. Now he wondered if he should have asked Chase to stay and talk it out.

But man, if he could hand over the perfect finished sword and win Chase's heart... He allowed himself a romantic daydream or two as he threw everything into finishing those railings for Cam's house.

That weekend, Cameron was out at Noah's being lovey-dovey, which was perfect timing. With Thomas's help, he used his spare key to get into Cameron's house and haul the last few pieces inside. They were spending Saturday afternoon installing them.

Thomas seemed to enjoy sawing through the old posts. They worked a section at a time to pull out the crappy old wooden railings and balusters. Then, they hauled up a section of the new wrought iron ones to install.

It was hard work. By the time they'd worked their way down to the last section along the stairs, Thomas was worn out. “I'm gonna grab a breather.”

“Getting hot in here, isn't it? We need AC,” Jackson laughed. “You go get fresh air.”

Once Thomas was out, he went about testing the railings and measuring. He made sure everything was flawlessly installed while his mind wandered again to Chase.

Thomas came back in a minute later. “Someone here to see you,” he told Jackson, his lips tugging up in a little smile.

“Oh?” Jackson wasn't expecting anyone. He knew who he
hoped
it was, but it probably wasn't. “We're done here once we clean up all the shavings and polish the railings...”

“We can do that tomorrow,” Thomas laughed. “I'm done and you should be, too.”

Jackson grinned and rose to his feet to head for the front door. “Yes, boss. Lock up?”

“Yep.”

When Jackson headed down Cameron's driveway, he saw what Thomas meant.

Chase was hanging around his front door, kicking the step as he turned this way and that. Even from a distance, he looked nervous... but cute.

Always cute.

“Hey,” Jackson greeted with a broad smile. “How are you doing?”

“Um, good,” Chase answered. He didn't smile back yet, stress lines around his eyes. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his body swaying a little from side to side. “Can we talk for a bit?”

He was breathing heavily, his lips swollen and his eyes dark and fixed right on Jackson.

Does he want to hook up again?
A moment of annoyance flashed through Jackson: it would be hard to say no, but he wouldn't agree to a string of booty calls. Even if it was Chase. Probably.

“Sure,” he answered. He passed Chase to open his front door and let him in.

Chase followed him to the living room and dropped onto the couch next to him. Jackson had half-expected him to sit on his lap. “I'm sorry I ran out on you.”

“Oh, no. It's all right,” Jackson told him, but his curiosity was ignited. Chase was admitting to doing that, then? What was going on? “Can I ask... what that was about, though?”

“I was nervous,” Chase admitted. He'd drawn his hands out of his pockets and he was fidgeting with his fingers in his lap. “
Am
nervous,” he corrected himself.

Jackson raised his eyebrows, remaining calm so he didn't startle Chase. “Oh, yeah? Well, you don't have to be. We can play it cool if you want.”

“That was the first time in ages a guy reciprocated. And I just... uh... Do you want a date?”

Jackson wasn't expecting that.
Is he interested, or is he just offering to be polite?
“If that's what you want, too, then yeah. You don't owe me one.” The look Chase gave him, his brows slightly furrowed and those cute lips parted slightly, made Jackson think nobody had said that.

“No,” Chase agreed a few moments later. “I suppose I don't, but I... I like you.”

Jackson's heart soared. He tried to hide his feelings, but he knew he was an open book. Everyone teased him for it. He was already smiling as he watched Chase. Following his instincts, Jackson leaned in. “Can I kiss you?”

“Oh, yeah.” Chase shook out the nervous jitters with a quick laugh and leaned in to press his lips against Jackson's.

The kiss was short and sweet this time. Jackson took his time gently sliding and caressing his lips against Chase's. When they pulled back, their eyes fluttered open again as they stayed close to one another. Chase's arm brushed against Jackson's shoulder. The sparks that ignited made Jackson want to hug him and slide closer.

Chase looked much calmer now, his shoulders down and his muscles loose again. “Cool.”

“Very cool,” Jackson agreed with a grin. “You're really cute. I didn't think you were into me...”

“I didn't think
you
were into
me
!” Chase rebutted, and Jackson laughed. “When did that happen?”

Jackson shrugged. “I thought you were cool from when we first met at the show.”

“Three months later... you slow-played that one,” Chase laughed. He pulled himself up to his feet. “I don't want to run, but I gotta get to work and then fencing... I just wanted to stop by and sort us out first.”

Jackson stood up again, too, to walk Chase to the door. “I'm glad you did. What's your work schedule like?”

“All over the place, and then fencing classes too... but I'm off on Monday night.”

Jackson could be free any night he wanted, so he nodded. “That conveyor belt sushi place has Monday night specials...”

“Yes, please!” Chase exclaimed. “I've been dying to go out for sushi with someone. Floyd hates fish.”

Jackson burst out laughing. “Oh. Well, I'm glad I can fill a sushi niche.”

“You can fill...” Chase actually stopped and blushed, which made Jackson stare. He wouldn't have held back the comment before. Something was different. “Never mind.”

Jackson swatted Chase's arm playfully. “Naughty. Get out of here. Don't be late for work.”

Chase laughed again and leaned in and up to peck his lips. He nearly pulled the door open in his own face in his rush to get out the door. Jackson bit back a laugh, leaning in the doorway to watch him jog down the street, smiling all the way.

That broody, anxious air was gone, and Jackson was glad to see it go.