Appeal to You (A Beyond the Cove Novel Book 3)

by Jaclyn Quinn

  Avery laughed around his cock, looking up at Ryder as he sucked him, and all Ryder could think was, Thank God. After everything Ryder had told him, Avery wasn’t treating him any differently. He understood that sex wasn’t what Ryder had a problem with that night. It had been the intimacy of the moment.

  But with this sexy man—on the floor between his legs, with Ryder’s cock in his mouth, where anyone could see him—pleasuring Ryder because he knew that’s what Ryder needed, Ryder made a promise to himself. I need to face my past because this man is worth it.

  That was the last logical thought Ryder had before all his brain cells fled south, out his pulsing cock, and down Avery’s throat. They both were panting, Avery still kneeling on the floor, leaning his forehead against Ryder’s abs.

  The elevator dinged, and Avery’s head shot up, his eyes wide. A giant grin spread across his face until they were both laughing and rushing inside. Ryder’s cock was still hanging out of his jeans, and Avery’s lips were pink and swollen. They’d just gotten the door closed when they heard people walk past Avery’s door and down the hall.

  Avery, again, backed Ryder up against the door and kissed him, this time less urgently. Ryder fought his impulse to pull away, but it wasn’t needed. Avery broke the kiss and took a step back. “I don’t want to rush you; we’ll get there,” he whispered, as if he knew exactly what was going through Ryder’s mind.

  “Yeah, we will.” Ryder felt more confident than ever that they absolutely would.

  They took separate cars to Jake and Eli’s house since they were going back to Ryder’s after dinner. Avery wasn’t sure what to expect, but he knew not to expect too much. The last thing he wanted to do was push Ryder again.

  He didn’t know what the hell came over him when he’d blown Ryder, right there in his open doorway. All he knew was, Ryder hadn’t been with anyone else, and Avery felt this overwhelming need to claim him somehow.

  He’d stayed away from Sunday dinner for Ryder’s sake, but he realized now that it had been the wrong decision, because these people were so damn important to him. They were his family; and he needed to stop doubting that.

  Avery pulled his car up behind Ryder’s, and they each got out and walked to the house together. Before they went inside, Ryder surprised Avery, kissing him softly. He entered the house first, with Ryder behind him.

  “Finally! Can we eat now?” Dylan asked, running into the kitchen.

  Parker leaned against the doorway leading to the kitchen, arms crossed over his chest as he studied them with a knowing smirk. “No wonder you took so long.”

  Avery could feel his face heat up, but one look at Ryder and he knew the man was owning it. “What can I say? The man can’t keep his hands off me.” Ryder patted Avery’s stomach. “Not that I want him to.”

  Parker barked out a laugh when Avery hung his head and groaned. But if you can’t beat em’… He quirked an eyebrow. “Funny…I don’t remember using my hands.”

  “Oh ho!” Parker busted out laughing. “Damn, Ryder, you’ve seriously met your match.”

  Now it was Ryder’s turn to blush, but the gleam in his eyes and the way he jutted his chin out, Avery knew he was proud of himself. “Seems that way, huh?”

  It certainly does. They stared at each other, and it felt like they were finally on the same page. They didn’t want to hide how their relationship had changed, especially from their family. It wasn’t like they’d ever been discreet with their banter or hid the spark between them. Avery had always been the one acting as though he didn’t want Ryder. He wouldn’t do that anymore.

  When the spell broke between them, Avery realized Parker had left them alone. “You ready?” Those words held so much more than he intended them to, but Ryder seemed to get it.

  “Yeah, I’m ready.”

  Avery leaned in once more and kissed him then followed him into the dining room. A hush fell over the room for a split second, but then their friends carried on, not making a big deal out what they already knew to be true. Things had changed between Avery and Ryder, and he was so fucking grateful for it.

  Nina, of course, couldn’t contain herself like the others, and she got up, walking around the table until she was right in front of Avery. She took his hands and said, “Promise me you’ll never do that again. You belong here just as much as the rest of us.” Avery took a chance and scanned the room, and he couldn’t explain the relief he felt seeing the understanding and complete acceptance on all of their faces.

  “I promise.”

  There were two open seats right next to each other. Avery and Ryder sat down with Chris on the other side of Avery and Parker on the other side of Ryder. Familiar conversation started, with everyone talking over each other, food being passed, and people laughing. Kevin and Maggie would’ve loved seeing their house full of so much love.

  “So,” Chris said softly to Avery, “are you sure you and Ryder aren’t like Jake and Eli?”

  Avery leaned closer. “Can you keep a secret?”

  Chris nodded his head, his big, brown eyes completely sincere.

  “I think we are,” he whispered and watched a broad grin spread across the boy’s face. Avery gazed past Chris and met Nina’s eyes on the other side of him. The happiness reflected back was so bright, so full of love, he knew she’d heard every word of that. Avery winked at her and turned back to the conversation just in time to hear Ryder snort.

  “By the hour?” Ryder asked, and Eli choked on the beer he’d just taken a swig of.

  “No, not by the hour, moron,” Jake replied at the same time Dylan asked, “Why would they rent the condo by the hour?”

  Ryder exhaled and reluctantly said, “Go ahead,” right before Parker hit him on the back of the head.

  All the adults at the table laughed while Dylan still looked completely confused, but the smirk on Nick’s face let Avery know he’d gotten the joke loud and clear. Man, they needed to watch what they said around that kid now.

  “You’re going to rent your condos?” Avery asked, moving the conversation in the direction he thought it was supposed to be in.

  Eli shook his head as he finished chewing. “No, just Jake’s. He moved most of his stuff in here when we moved in, so whatever is left is going in my old condo and we’re gonna rent his out. The extra income would be good, and my family will still have a place to stay when they come visit.”

  “Makes sense.” Stan reached in front of him and got another piece of steak. Nina cleared her throat and gave Stan a warning look. “Don’t give me that look, woman. It’s Sunday dinner. You can make me eat nuts and berries all week, but on Sunday I want meat.”

  “That’s what he—” Ryder started when Avery covered his mouth right before said came out. It was Kenz’s turn this time to choke on her drink as she snorted and covered her mouth.

  Stan looked innocently around the table. “What?”

  Nina sighed. “He’s a clueless man, but he’s my clueless man.” They shared a look across the table that no one could mistake for anything other than head-over-heels love.

  Avery gave Ryder a side-glance as he slowly removed his hand. Is that how I look at him? When their eyes met, he was pretty sure that, yeah, that’s exactly how he looked at him.

  Ryder gave him a small smile, and damned if Avery didn’t think that’s exactly how Ryder looked at him, too.

  Avery followed Ryder back to his place. Parking his car in the lot felt different than the first time he’d dropped Ryder off. He didn’t want to think about the last time or the cold look on Ryder’s face as he retold horrific details from his past like it was no big thing.

  As they walked silently up to Ryder’s place, Avery’s heartbeat kicked up, and his palms began to sweat. They both went inside, and Ryder turned on a small lamp on that was sitting on a table by the door and dropped his keys down.

  Crossing the apartment to the kitchen, Ryder opened the fridge and peered inside. “Do you, uh…want anything to drink?” Avery’s shoulders eased as he re
alized Ryder seemed to be just as nervous as he was. Ryder lifted his head and their eyes met and held.

  Finally, Avery whispered, “Come here.”

  Ryder closed his eyes and exhaled, shutting the fridge door. They met each other in the middle of the living room, the air between them feeling dense. A flush crept up Ryder’s neck to his cheeks and ears as he dropped his chin to his chest and shoved his hands in his pockets. It occurred to Avery that he hadn’t seen Ryder this uneasy since the night on his balcony. It also struck him suddenly that Ryder was gearing up to talk about things.

  They’d been down this road before, and Avery refused to make Ryder feel like he yet again had to talk about things that he didn’t want to think about. This man was trying, and he was doing it for Avery. He hadn’t slept with anyone in weeks…for Avery. It had been made abundantly clear that Ryder’s hang-ups weren’t with sex itself; they were with the intimacy following…someone holding him too long or having expectations. He’d never had someone who truly loved him and expected nothing in return. In that moment, Avery promised himself he would make Ryder see his worth. Because, somehow, in the course of the last year, especially the last few weeks, Avery found himself falling for Ryder—and he was falling hard.

  Avery gripped his own T-shirt at the bottom hem and pulled it up and off. He’d almost told Ryder to get undressed, but something about that didn’t sit right with Avery—at least, not in this moment. So, instead, he continued to remove his own clothing slowly, reveling in the way Ryder’s eyes darkened and he bit that plump, bottom lip.

  When Avery was finally standing in front of Ryder naked, while Ryder remained completely clothed, a soft, “Hot damn,” left Ryder’s lips, his eyes scanning the length of Avery’s body.

  Avery walked past Ryder to the couch, sat down, and put his feet up on the coffee table, legs spread and cock so fucking hard it ached—and began to stroke it. Ryder licked his lips, adjusting his own cock in his jeans. Avery was completely on display for Ryder and exhilaration flared through him. He wasn’t one for modesty when it came to sex—standing on his balcony naked was proof of that—but he could feel Ryder’s eyes on him as if they were touching him. His skin prickled with heat and anticipation as he spread his legs wider and slid his ass to the edge of the couch, showing Ryder everything.

  “Holy mother of all that is lickable. Jesus Christ, Avery.”

  Avery snorted out a laugh. This was what he loved about the dynamic between them. “Am I going to have to do this all on my own?” Hell, he’d been so goddamn hard since he’d sucked Ryder off hours ago.

  Ryder moved toward him, and to Avery’s satisfaction, he didn’t get undressed yet. There was something about it that made Avery feel so sexy. Ryder stepped over one of Avery’s legs and stood in front of him. “Get your finger wet and touch your hole,” he breathed out.

  Avery groaned and sucked a finger into his mouth, getting it good and wet. His hand traveled down, his eyes squeezing shut the second he brushed it over the puckered skin.

  “Open your eyes, Avery. I want you to see me watching you.” Ryder got to his knees but still didn’t touch Avery. “You have no idea how fucking gorgeous you are right now.” He reached his hand back to a shelf under the coffee table and came back with a small bottle of lube.

  Avery barked out a laugh. “That’s convenient.” He knew why it was there, but he didn’t care. Ryder had always been open about that part of his life, and Avery didn’t want him to change now.

  “It is, isn’t it?”

  Avery held out his hand and the smile fell from Ryder’s face, replaced with straight-up, raw desire. Ryder popped the top open, squirting some of the liquid onto Avery’s fingers. Avery waited again for instruction, leaving Ryder completely in charge of this. Avery planned to reverse roles—take Ryder to the edge and back until his body was trembling and his words were incoherent—but not tonight. Tonight, he sensed Ryder needed something different. He needed to take his pride back…he needed Avery to be vulnerable this time.

  And damned if Avery wouldn’t do that for him.

  Damned if he didn’t want to give Ryder whatever he needed. From now on.

  “Stroke your cock with one hand, then push a finger into your hole with the other.”

  “Fuck,” Avery moaned and did as he was told, feeling the stretch in his ass and the warm friction on his dick. It’d been so long since he’d done this…since anyone had breached him…and holy hell it was amazing.

  “Add another one,” Ryder instructed as he went from his knees to a sitting position on the floor. His face was lined up with Avery’s ass, inches from where Avery was pushing a second finger inside himself. It was one of the hottest things Avery had ever done, and a needy noise slipped past his lips.

  “You gonna let me in there, Avery?” Ryder asked, his voice raspy as he watched Avery fuck himself on his fingers.

  “Nope”—Avery moaned and saw confusion on Ryder’s face—“only Eddy. I heard he hasn’t been very happy lately.”

  Ryder stared for a second before an ear-to-ear grin spread across his face, and he let out an unrestrained burst of laughter. “Yeah, he’s been pissy—” As soon as he said it, Ryder lost it and Avery followed. “Wrong choice of words,” Ryder said between gasps.

  They both fought to control their laughter as Avery literally sat there with his fingers in his ass. He could honestly say he’d never done this with anyone before, and it all felt so natural…so effortless.

  Ryder’s laughter died down, and he once again focused those gray eyes on Avery’s fingers as he pushed back on Avery’s thighs. Avery began slowly moving his hand again until Ryder pulled it away and replaced it with his mouth. “Oh my God,” Avery groaned, sliding into the sensation as Ryder’s wet, hot tongue slid into him. He put a hand on Ryder’s head, pumping his hips, moving against Ryder’s mouth, his nerve endings on overload from the piercing in Ryder’s skilled tongue.

  It wasn’t nearly enough; he needed so much more and wasn’t afraid to ask for it. “Ryder, please—oh fuck...” he breathed out as Ryder speared his tongue inside him. One of Ryder’s hands let go of his thigh and disappeared between his own legs. Avery heard the clanking of Ryder’s belt buckle and knew the man was finally taking his cock out.

  With a grunt, Ryder pulled his mouth away and yanked his shirt over his head. He got up on his knees as he reached under the coffee table again and came back with a condom. Cock hanging out, hair a mess, and his mouth glistening, Ryder looked so damn sexy. The man barely pushed his jeans down enough to get more room before he ripped open the foil packet, rolled the latex down his shaft, and lubed up. Avery’s only thought as he stared at the silver ring at the end of Ryder’s cock was, Man, I want to feel that inside me with no barrier.

  “Fuck, I’ve wanted in this ass for too damn long. Don’t be surprised if I bust a nut the second I’m inside you.”

  “I’m right there with you,” Avery rasped out, pulling his thighs back in hopes Ryder would do less talking and more fucking.

  “Hot…oh, damn, that’s good,” Ryder murmured as he slowly pushed the head inside Avery.

  “Yeah, it is.” Avery reached for Ryder’s waist and squeezed. Ryder got the hint, taking his time as Avery adjusted to his size and the pain, until all he was left with was aching need. “Keep going.” Avery pulled on Ryder’s waist, forcing the man to fuck him deeper. Avery sighed as Ryder fully sank into him, feeling Ryder’s balls against his ass. Ryder pulled out then pushed back home and Avery saw stars. “Yes,” he hissed, stroking himself as the man moved inside him.

  Sweat trickled down Ryder’s temple and the center of his back. Being inside Avery was surreal in the best possible way. He’d always imagined Avery inside him if they ever got to this level, but he had a feeling Avery somehow knew this was what he needed.

  Ryder leaned in and kissed Avery, pushing his tongue inside, tasting Avery as his body took what he wanted from him—and, man, did Avery let him.

  He could feel the warmth b
uilding in the base of his spine, felt Avery’s hand between them picking up speed as he jerked himself, knew the room smelled of sweat and sex and breathed it in.

  Avery shuddered, his muscles tensing as hot liquid pulsed out of his cock, smearing against both their stomachs. The soft sounds of ecstasy coming from Avery as Ryder fucked him through his orgasm was enough to have Ryder’s balls drawing up tight before his body lurched and he shot inside the condom.

  They panted against each other’s mouths, and Ryder swallowed hard, his mouth so damn dry. He licked his lips, and with Avery so close, his tongue brushed his mouth, too. It quickly turned into another breath-stealing kiss, neither one of them in any hurry to pull away or separate their sweaty bodies.

  “Holy shit, that was…” Ryder couldn’t find the words. He’d never experienced anything like it with anyone else. There was no doubt in his mind it was because of the man he was with. He couldn’t feel this way with anyone other than Avery…didn’t want to try to.

  “Yeah”—Avery licked his lips—“tell me about it.”

  Ryder reluctantly held the end of the condom and slid out of Avery’s warm body. He tied off the end and looked around for a place to put it while he tried to push his pants all the way down so he could kick them off.

  “Here, give it to me,” Avery said, taking it from Ryder. Ryder ducked down as Avery lifted his leg over Ryder’s head, a slight wince with the movement. It was a clue to how long it had been since the last time Avery had bottomed. Another reason for Ryder to respect the hell out of the man.

  Ryder stood, taking the rest of his clothes off. When Avery turned back around, Ryder wasn’t really sure what to say. He could feel that instinct to pull away, to be alone…to shower, but oddly enough, it wasn’t as strong as the other night. He was fucked up on so many levels but didn’t want to be that way with this man. The only way he was going to work through this was with honesty.