by E M Lindsey
“I quit my job. I talked to Parker and Ronan Thursday night and they just made fucking sense, okay? I’m falling for you, as ridiculous as that probably is. I fell in love with you, and in love with that damn town, so I came back here and quit my job.”
Fitz didn’t speak again. He just closed the distance between them and gathered Antoine into his arms. Like before, he wedged a thigh between his spread legs, lifting him high onto his toes. His hands curled at Antoine’s waist, holding him steady as his mouth bit and licked and devoured his lover’s.
“Bed? Do you…is there a bed?”
Antoine laughed. “Yes, there’s a fucking bed. I’ve been home for a day.”
Fitz grunted his annoyance, but he let Antoine free just long enough to take his hand and drag him down a small hallway and into a surprisingly large bedroom. His bed was high, blankets mussed, closet half-open to reveal button-ups and ties. The entire place smelled like him, and as much as Fitz wanted to go home, he also never wanted to leave.
Deciding now was the moment to be brave—to take some of the lead—he grabbed Antoine by the waist and lifted him. Antoine let out a small gasp, but he curled his legs around Fitz’s waist as the larger man laid him out on the bed and dragged his hands upward to cup around the sides of his neck. He hoisted himself all the way onto the bed, knees on either side of Antoine’s hips, then he leaned forward and brushed their noses together.
“I’m in love with you. I don’t know when it happened,” he whispered, moving one hand to cup Antoine’s face, “I don’t know how it happened, because everything you did pissed me off.”
“So romantic,” Antoine breathed out with a smirk.
Fitz ran a thumb over his plump bottom lip, then leaned in to bite it gently. “I’m trying here.”
“I know.” Antoine went soft all over. “I know. This is…you’re here, and I never thought you’d be here.”
Fitz buried his face in Antoine’s neck and let himself breathe, tried to calm his heart. “We can stay, if you want. If Cherry Creek isn’t enough. I’ll stay with you. There’s plenty of fire stations for me to work at. I have a good employment history, I’m certified, I can…”
“Fitz.” His voice was a command, and Fitz pulled back to look at him. “I meant what I said when I told you I was falling for Cherry Creek. I want all of it. I want to…” He closed his eyes and took a breath. “I want to go home.”
Fitz surged in again and kissed him. Biting kisses, rough, as his hands ripped at Antoine’s clothes with the same harshness Antoine had wanted every time they were together in Cherry Creek. He didn’t stop until Antoine curled his hands around Fitz’s wrist and squeezed.
“Softer,” he said. He licked his lips, echoing Fitz’s words all those weeks ago. “Slower.”
Fitz’s dick was hard enough to cut glass, so he reached between them and freed his erection from his jeans before going for Antoine’s trousers. They slid away easily, falling into a pile on the floor, and Fitz made good work of the rest of their things until they were skin to skin, sweating, and searing hot, and perfect.
“I don’t know where my stuff is,” Antoine admitted, groaning as he thrust his erection against the long, hot length of Fitz.
“That’s okay. This, I want,” Fitz struggled to find words. “This won’t take long. I need you.” He was moving on instinct, on a desire to claim, to mark Antoine with his come, to leave bruising proof on his perfect skin that said, Fitz was here.
He had never been so possessive, and he felt like he was going to lose his mind if he let himself.
“I need you too,” Antoine told him. “Kiss me.”
Fitz didn’t hesitate. He aligned himself better against Antoine’s dick, then curled his hand around it. With the upstroke, he leaned in and slotted their mouths together. It was nothing like their kisses before, which were desperate on borrowed time. This, this was the promise of a future. This felt like an actual forever.
He was hurtling toward the edge, Antoine’s own hand guiding his just a little faster, squeezing just a little harder. A sob lodged in his throat, and when he came, he cried out against Antoine’s mouth, his entire body shuddering.
Antoine followed in the quiet space between, his orgasm muffled by Fitz’s massive body. But Fitz could feel it, the hot spill between them that mingled with his own. His hand slowed, and he gently removed it, placing his palm on the bed so he could push up and look down at the man beneath him.
Antoine was smiling, a little flush in the cheeks, and sweating. His eyes were still glazed with desire, but his hand was steady as he touched Fitz’s cheek, rubbing his thumb along his jawline. “You’re the love of my life.”
Fitz’s eyes closed and he nuzzled into the touch. He didn’t have words to give back, but they weren’t needed. Antoine understood, held him close, kissed his neck. And in that moment, he knew, wherever Antoine would be, that would be home.
Just like that.
The End
Epilogue
Coming Soon
On The Market Book Four:
Love Him Wild
Coming July 10, 2020
Ronan and Parker have been in each other’s orbit since either of them can remember. And that doesn’t change— even as the years fly by, and even as the land developer, meant to be Cherry Creek’s enemy, rolls into town. But it takes more than just a flirty wink or a friendly smile for Jonas to believe that he’s not only welcome, but wanted.
Afterword
For more by E.M. Lindsey, find her on Patreon for sneak peeks, cover reveals, early chapters, ARCs and more. Subscribe to BookBub for new release alerts, and join E.M. Lindsey’s Facebook reader group, Lindsey’s Liaison for teaser Tuesdays, WIP Wednesdays, and all of the up to date information on upcoming releases.
Also by E.M. Lindsey
Baum’s Boxing:
Book One: Below the Belt
Book Two: Fortune and Fate
Book Three: Fringe Contender
Breaking the Rules:
Book One: Renegades
Book Two: Temptation
Book Three: Forsaken
Irons and Works:
Book One: Free Hand
Book Two: Blank Canvas
Book Three: American Traditional
Book Four: Bio-Mechanical
Book Five: Stick-and-Poke
Book Six: Scarification
Book Seven: To Touch the Light- An Irons and Works Holiday novel
Magnum Opus Series:
Verismo
On The Market Series:
Book One: Love Him Free
Stand-Alone Novels:
Like Water Catching Fire
Forget-Me-Not
With Kate Hawthorne and EM Denning:
Cloudy With A Chance of Love
About the Author
E.M. Lindsey currently lives in the United States.
To support people like the characters in these books, please consider donating to the following charities:
US:
National Association for the Deaf
ChildHelp
PTSD USA
UK:
British Deaf Association
NAPAC
PTSD UK