Max was gorgeous.
He shouldn’t have been thinking of him like that. It was a dangerous road to go down.
But it wasn’t as though Max ever had to know, and if there was one surefire way to get to sleep...
Connor bit his lip, sliding his own hand down his stomach as he imagined doing the same thing to Max, dipping gingerly below the waterline, looking up to check that this was still okay.
His skin tingled at his own touch, the arousal that had simmered down to glowing embers suddenly flaring up again. Just the thought of touching Max was enough to send blood rushing to his cock.
He wanted to believe Max would enjoy this. In the safety of his own mind, Max didn’t have to be straight. This was just a fantasy.
Besides, he’d never exactly said straight. Just not gay.
To Connor, there was a world of difference between those two things.
He trailed his hand lower, wrapping his fingers around his cock as he imagined doing the same to Max, curling his fingers around the thick length. Max was a big guy—a few inches taller than Connor, and solidly built, with broad shoulders and strong arms.
He’d have a great cock. Connor didn’t really have to wonder about that.
He tightened his grip, gasping at his own touch. In his mind, he went back to stroking Max off, moving his fingers up and down, searching for the right rhythm, the right pressure, all the things Max needed to get off.
He could almost hear Max sighing, soft and needy as he rolled his hips, just a little, not enough to make the water splash.
Connor bit his lip, thumbing the head of his cock as he let himself sink into that thought, as he imagined doing the same to Max. Stroking him gently, whispering in his ear about how beautiful he was, how good all this felt for him, how much Max deserved it.
Max wanted Connor to take care of him. In Connor’s fantasy, Max had given in, come to trust him, felt comfortable letting Connor do things for him.
His skin tasted clean when Connor kissed it, the faintest trace of salt on it, soft and damp and perfect. He licked a stripe up Max’s neck, making him gasp, his cock twitching in Connor’s hand in response.
In his head, Connor climbed into the bath, water splashing on the floor, Max’s hard cock brushing against his own.
He gripped them both together, rocking his hips, reveling in the tug and pull of Max’s velvet-soft skin against his own. The perfect, delicious friction, the heat of it, Connor’s hips grinding against him, eager to get them both off.
Watching Max’s mouth fall open, his eyes widen as his arousal built, need burning in them.
Connor’s thighs tensed up at the thought, his belly hot and tight, arousal making him restless. He raised one knee, giving himself space to reach down with his other hand and cup his balls, roll them in his hand, imagine them brushing against Max as they rocked back and forth, back and forth.
Max would gasp, and whimper, and softly beg for more.
Connor groaned aloud as he tugged on his cock, biting down on his lip to stop himself even though there was no one around to hear. He was close to coming now, his balls aching, heavy in his hand.
He let himself lean forward in his mind, pausing in front of Max’s lips like he had earlier, breathing in the too-mature scent of his cologne, the heady warmth of it, staring at his soft, pink lips.
He was so gorgeous. Connor couldn’t imagine him tasting of anything but sweetness and stale coffee, and his mind had no trouble bringing the two flavors to his tongue as he made contact with fantasy-Max’s lips. They parted eagerly for him, giving Connor the chance to deepen the kiss, sweep his tongue over Max’s palate.
A taste of what he really wanted to do to him. He wanted Max under him, aroused and desperate, his hips raised up on a pillow, his hard cock curving up toward his stomach.
His broken voice begging Connor to fuck him, now, hard and fast.
Precome leaked freely from the head of Connor’s cock, slicking the way and letting him move his hand faster, harder. He could hear Max moaning into his mouth now, his hips rocking up against Connor’s, eager and needy.
Max would be so much fun in bed. So grateful, so generous, and so damned eager. Connor had seen the way he opened up with just the lightest few touches.
He could only imagine what he’d be like having his cock sucked.
That thought made Connor moan aloud, arousal flaring in his gut, reminding him that he was close. He didn’t want to finish yet, though. Not until he’d let his little fantasy finish its course.
In his mind, he steadied himself with a hand on Max’s shoulder, rocking his hips hard against him, gripping both of their cocks tighter.
He could see Max was close, his eyes glazed, his lips red, kiss-swollen, and parted. His chest was heaving with every breath, his hips rocking by themselves, his cock hot and hard, leaking precome into the warm water.
Connor screwed his eyes shut tight, biting down on his lip.
“You can come,” he murmured in his head, leaning close to Max’s ear to get the message across.
Max gasped, his eyes widening, his hips arching high, water splashing everywhere as he came, a low, needy groan rumbling in his chest as his orgasm rolled through him, bath water still sloshing over the sides.
The image was enough to set Connor off, a sharp spike of pleasure hitting at the base of his spine, making his own hips jerk as he started coming all over his hand, thick spurts making a mess on his belly as he stroked himself through it for what felt like hours.
He groaned, loud and long, his hips rocking off the mattress as the last few waves of pleasure rolled through him. His chest heaved with every breath, his lungs burning when he was spent, exhausted and out of breath.
It’d been a while since he’d had an orgasm that good.
He let his eyes fall closed as he came down, the image of Max exhausted and satisfied lingering in his mind, his heart aching at the thought of how badly he wanted to kiss him.
Connor licked his lips, his mouth and throat suddenly impossibly dry.
He rolled out of bed with a groan, heading to the bathroom to clean himself up. The cold washcloth made him hiss as it touched his oversensitive cock.
Connor tried not to think about Max sitting half-naked in here a handful of hours earlier.
Masturbating over him once was fine, but Connor couldn’t afford for Max to know that he had a big dumb crush on him.
If they were going to do this wedding thing and have it not be weird, Connor had to keep his feelings to himself.
He’d had plenty of practice at that. Sometimes, he felt like he only ever fell for boys he couldn’t have.
Max was definitely off-limits, which was probably encouraging him.
He padded into the kitchen, getting himself a glass of water and drinking a few sips to wet his mouth before pouring the rest out.
Max was gorgeous. And sweet.
Exactly Connor’s type, though his type was rarely the kind of man who returned his feelings.
Which was fine. He could handle a stray crush without it becoming a whole thing.
The important thing was the competition, and he wasn’t going to let any inconvenient feelings get in the way of winning.
Chapter Ten
“It’s really cute that we’re doing this in the bookstore where you guys met,” the photographer said, grinning at Max and Connor as she set up her tripod. “Please don’t look so worried, this is just a couple of photos and a few interview questions.”
Max swallowed. He knew he looked nervous, but he couldn’t help it. He hadn’t thought about what doing this would mean.
He hadn’t actually thought through the fact that he’d have to lie to anyone. Not face-to-face, anyway.
“Besides, I’ll be photographing your wedding for you, so… I want you to be comfortable with me. It’s a big day.”
“It’s gonna be the best day of my life,” Connor said, grabbing Max’s hand with both of his and holding it in his lap.
; Normally, Max wasn’t really much of a hand-holder, but he was glad to have something to hang onto. Something to ground him.
He turned to look at Connor, smiling a tiny, shy smile.
“Best day of my life, too,” Max said. “Sorry I seem nervous. Reminds me of school picture day.”
The photographer—Kelsey, she’d said her name was—laughed. “We’re not making a yearbook,” she said. “And I’ll only print the best, promise.”
Max swallowed. That was kind of what he was afraid of. The printing part, not the best part.
He really hadn’t thought this through, but he’d come too far to back out now.
Besides, Connor was there with him. He could do this.
“So, how did you two meet?” Kelsey asked, sitting down opposite them with a pen and a notebook. Old school. Max respected that, since she couldn’t have been much older than he was. His handwriting was illegible even to him.
“We met here,” Connor began. “For me it was love at first sweet, sweet mouthful of caffeine. Then I noticed the barista.”
Kelsey chuckled. “Hard not to fall for the man who makes you coffee,” she said.
“Right, exactly,” Connor agreed. “Still not sure what he sees in me, though.”
“I love you,” Max said automatically, since it seemed like the obvious response. The words felt strange in his mouth, an uncomfortable lie. An unfair thing to say to Connor, who deserved to be loved for real.
At least they were both in on this.
“Cute,” Kelsey sing-songed, grinning at them. She was clearly buying it, so that was one less hurdle to worry about.
“He’s kind,” Max said, wanting to inject some more honesty into his side of things. “He was kind to me when I needed it most. I’ll never forget that,” he added, squeezing Connor’s hand.
He wouldn’t forget this. Connor was a friend for life, as far as Max was concerned. One day, he’d figure out a way to pay him back.
“You seem like a man of few words, Mr. Evans,” Kelsey said.
“He’s shy,” Connor said before Max could respond. “That’s… that’s one of the things I love most about him, actually. My beautiful wallflower who only blossoms for me.”
Max’s face was suddenly hot, a blush creeping up his neck and burning his cheeks. No one had ever said anything like that to him before.
He wasn’t sure if it was true, but… he was kind of shy, and he always did better with people he was comfortable around. Maybe Connor had noticed that.
Or maybe he was just making shit up.
Either way… Connor had a way with compliments that made Max glow, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that right now.
“That’s so sweet,” Kelsey enthused. “I gotta take a picture while he’s still blushing. You two smile for the camera, okay?”
Max swallowed, shuffling closer to Connor on the couch they’d claimed and tilting his head to rest it against Connor’s. That was what couple photos were supposed to look like, right?
He smiled as genuinely as he could, still reeling from being called beautiful moments ago.
He could already tell he’d be playing that over and over in his head all day. Maybe all week.
“Perfect,” Kelsey said. “Can we get a kissing one? It’d be really cute.”
Max’s stomach bottomed out.
He really, really hadn’t thought this through.
In theory he didn’t mind kissing Connor, but what if… what if in practice, he freaked out? What if he hated it so much that he couldn’t hide it?
What if he didn’t hate it?
Was he about to ruin everything?
Connor had already worked so hard planning, he couldn’t afford to screw this up.
Just as he was spiraling into a panic, he felt the barest touch of fingers against his jaw.
Connor.
Max took a breath, the first one he had since he realized they were expected to kiss, and let Connor turn his head. He swallowed, looking at Connor’s lips, noticing again how soft they seemed.
He watched them turn up into a tiny, earnest smile.
“It’s okay,” Connor murmured, just barely loud enough for Max to hear.
Then, he leaned in.
Max’s stomach clenched, fear washing over him as Connor closed the gap between them, his eyes falling closed automatically so he couldn’t see the mess he was about to make of this.
Connor’s lips were as soft as they looked.
The pounding in Max’s ears faded back.
Connor’s lips were soft, and he smelled familiar by now, and this really… wasn’t so bad.
He parted his own lips just a little, just enough to soften them. To make it look good, he told himself.
Definitely not because he wanted more.
The rasp of Connor’s skin against his own was new, even though they’d obviously both shaved this morning. It was different, but it wasn’t bad.
Just different.
The tiniest spark of heat lit up the pit of Max’s belly as Connor tilted his head, their lips gliding over each other. It was almost painfully gentle, the softest kiss of Max’s life.
His ears were pounding again, but it was different this time. The smallest spark of heat settled in the pit of his stomach, coiling up there.
Max wasn’t used to feeling like that at all. Kissing girls made his heart skip, but kissing Connor…
He knew exactly what the feeling was, but he wasn’t willing to name it. Not right now. It was too much to process.
Connor pulled back, his lips just a little redder than before, his eyes a little glazed.
Max licked his lips, suspecting that he looked the same way.
At least that’d make it convincing.
“Did you get what you need?” Connor asked.
Max wasn’t sure whether or not it was his imagination, but Connor seemed just a little short of breath. His own heart was still pounding in his chest, but that… that hadn’t been new, for Connor. He’d kissed guys before, presumably.
It was a first for Max, and his brain was whirring at a million miles an hour, firing on all cylinders to process it.
It wasn’t bad.
That was as far as he’d gotten.
“I think I got a few good shots, yeah,” Kelsey said. She looked a little out of breath, too.
Maybe girls liked that? It stood to reason that if guys liked seeing girls kiss…
Max wasn’t sure, but it’d obviously looked real enough to her.
“So what’re you guys planning on doing with the money? House deposit? Starting a business?” Kelsey asked, interrupting Max’s train of thought.
He shoved everything else aside, promising himself that he’d deal with it later. Now wasn’t the time for an identity crisis.
“Max’s sister is sick,” Connor said, giving Max a chance to gather his thoughts again. “She needs it to get better, so… it’s all going to her. That’s why we entered in the first place.”
Kelsey’s whole face softened. “That’s so sweet of you. Is your sister okay?”
“She’s, uh…” Max paused to clear his throat. “She’s a tough kid. She’s hanging in there.”
“How old is she?” Kelsey asked, frowning.
“Thirteen,” Max responded. “I just want her to have a normal life.”
He didn’t have to fake the way his voice cracked when he said that, at least. He did want Zoe to have a normal life. That was the whole point of this.
“Well, between you and me, I hope you guys win. Can you send me through some details, about your sister? We can run a little donations thing beside your feature in the next issue.”
Max blinked at her. “Really?” he asked. “That… that’d be amazing.”
He turned to look at Connor, who was grinning at him.
And still holding his hand.
Part of Max wasn’t sure about that, but the rest of him never wanted Connor to let go. He needed the support, now more than ever.
“Reall
y,” Kelsey said. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but people love a sad story. It’ll make them feel good about you two finding each other.”
Max turned that thought over in his head. He wasn’t sure he liked it, but if it helped Zoe…
Anything to help Zoe. That was what he’d promised himself. Less than that wasn’t good enough.
“I’ll send you the details,” Max promised, squeezing Connor’s hand. His heart fluttered as Connor squeezed back, a lump forming in his throat.
It’d been a while since he’d had someone he thought of as a friend. Connor made him happier than he’d been in a long time.
“I think I’ve got everything I need,” Kelsey said, flicking through the photos on her camera. “And you’ve just given me my angle for your profile, so… unless you guys have any questions, I can leave you to the rest of your day.”
“That’s it?” Max said, surprised.
“Told you it’d be quick and painless,” Kelsey said, beaming at him. She was really pretty, with a mass of dark curls framing her face, making her dark eyes pop against equally dark skin. Max was just now relaxing enough to even notice. “Nothing like school photo day.”
Max chuckled. “Yeah, nothing like school photo day.”
He’d never kissed another man on school photo day. He would’ve remembered that.
“I like your ring, by the way. Connor here has great taste.”
Max looked down at the simple silver band with the tiny turquoise stone Connor had given him this morning. He was almost used to it already, the adjustable back making it comfortable to work in.
He liked it, too. Connor had said it matched his eyes, though Max wasn’t sure his hand was close enough to his eyes for that to matter.
Either way, it was cute, and he didn’t mind wearing it while they did this.
“He picked me, so he’d have to have,” Max said, grinning. Connor nudged him with his shoulder, but he was already laughing.
“Weird, I remember you asking me to marry you,” Connor said. “So you picked me.”
“You two are adorable,” Kelsey responded, shoving her camera in her huge backpack and starting to fold the tripod up. “I don’t say this to every couple, but I’d like to see you win. You’re our first gay couple to even get in. It’s about time one of us won something.”
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