The Boyfriend Experiment

by Sean Ashcroft

  Gabriel laughed softly. “You keep complimenting my clothing choices,” he said. He wasn’t used to that, though it didn’t feel as strange as it might have.

  “Because those are actual choices. I’m not gonna pretend your body isn’t attractive to me, but you can only affect that so much. I’m complimenting your taste, because that’s who you really are. When you see as many different bodies as I do, almost all of them broken in some way… you stop caring so much what people look like.”

  Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t need to worry about being what Reid was looking for, because Reid wasn’t looking for the things everyone else was.

  That was probably why Gabriel liked him so much.

  He gasped as Reid slid his hands around to the small of his back, shoving them down past the waistband of his jeans, grabbing his ass through his underwear. A tug of need hit him low in the gut, his cock stirring for the first time.

  That saved him worrying that he wasn’t going to be able to get hard for this. He was still scared, aware that there were a thousand unknowns to come, but it was one less thing on his mind, one less place where he could screw up.

  “Not that you haven’t got the world’s cutest ass,” Reid said, squeezing firmly. His hands were so strong, his touch confident, everything about him so sure and experienced.

  How did he not have people lining up to have sex with him?

  Maybe he did. Maybe Gabriel was one in a long string of ex-patients who’d fallen deeply in lust with their hot physiotherapist and showed up on his doorstep, ready to let Reid bend them over the back of his couch.

  “Thank you,” Gabriel said belatedly, the blood rushing away from his brain and straight to his cock. “I have a great physical therapist.”

  “Not anymore,” Reid said softly. “Which is why I can do this,” he added, leaning in and brushing his nose against Gabriel’s before touching their lips together, just the barest pressure at first.

  The contact lit a fire in Gabriel’s gut, heat flaring up inside him as Reid pulled him in, nipped at his lower lip, swiped his tongue over it to get Gabriel to gasp, open his mouth, let Reid in.

  Gabriel moaned into Reid’s mouth, parting his lips to let him have whatever he wanted, eager to take whatever Reid was willing to give him. His stomach tightened as Reid hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his underwear, shoving them down along with his jeans.

  Reid pulled him closer, their bellies pressed up against each other. Gabriel’s heart leapt as he felt his cock brush against Reid’s, the first time he’d ever touched another man like this.

  It was hot. There was no other word for it, his brain shorting out at the sensation. This was what turned him on.

  Whatever that meant about him, he couldn’t pretend it wasn’t true. Not anymore. Not now that it was happening, and his balls already ached at how good it was to let Reid touch him, how excited he was at the thought of being with another man.

  With Reid, specifically. He’d never wanted anyone like this.

  “Shoes,” Gabriel mumbled against Reid’s mouth, pushing against his chest to move him back so he’d have enough space to kick them off. He was glad now that he’d chosen worn-out sneakers that barely held onto his feet anymore.

  He kicked his pants, shoes, and underwear away, standing in front of Reid in socked feet and nothing else.

  Reid licked his lips, looking Gabriel up and down.

  Another shock of arousal hit him as Reid made a soft, approving sound, lingering on all the places Gabriel was happiest with now. Looking at him with dark eyes, his lips parted, his tongue darting out to wet them again.

  Looking at him like he wanted him. Like people did in movies.

  Gabriel had never felt like this before. Not really. He’d never felt this wanted, and not by someone he wanted back.

  He was definitely not straight, but he really didn’t want to think about everything that meant right now.

  “I’m a great therapist,” he said after a moment, grinning at his own joke. “Look at you. You’re perfect.”

  “I bet you say that to all the ex-patients you have over.”

  “I do,” Reid confirmed. “But only because you’re the first.”

  Oh.

  Reid didn’t make a habit of this.

  That was…

  Unexpected. Reid could have had anyone he wanted, surely.

  “You look surprised,” Reid said, ducking his head to look Gabriel in the eyes at his own level. “You have no idea how special you are, huh?”

  Gabriel’s stomach flipped over.

  Special.

  He liked the sound of that, coming from Reid.

  “Show me?” he asked, hope welling up in his chest at the thought. He wanted Reid’s hands all over him again, this time with nothing between them, no reason to hold back.

  Reid held both of his hands out, waiting for Gabriel to take them. Gabriel’s stomach swooped as he stepped forward, his fingers tingling as they made contact with Reid’s.

  He let himself be led toward the couch, tugged down to sit next to Reid on it, the soft leather squeaking under them, catching on their skin.

  “How do you feel about being kissed?” Reid asked.

  “It doesn’t happen much,” Gabriel said. He wasn’t sure that was the right thing to say, but it was the truth. People didn’t kiss him.

  Reid snorted, but it wasn’t a cruel sound. “You’re leaving a trail of sexually frustrated people in your wake,” he said. “Trust me. If people aren’t kissing you, that’s ‘cause you’re not letting them know you want it.”

  Gabriel blushed, looking down at his knees. “I am not a confident man.”

  “You went to space,” Reid said. “In a shuttle you designed. That’s pretty confident.”

  He reached out, putting a hand on Gabriel’s arm. Gabriel looked up, unsure how to respond to that.

  “I was just head of the team. I worked with lots of people.”

  Reid rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to downplay your accomplishments. They’re sexy.”

  “Yeah?” Gabriel asked.

  “Yeah,” Reid purred, leaning toward him.

  Gabriel hummed happily as their lips connected again, letting himself be pushed back onto the couch, laughing as Reid shoved a cushion under his head.

  He was a good man. Through and through. Gabriel wasn’t sure he knew that, but it was true nonetheless.

  The couch creaked under them as it took their combined weight, Reid covering Gabriel’s body with his own. Gabriel’s skin tingled everywhere it made contact with Reid’s, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up, his stomach bottoming out as Reid rocked his hips against Gabriel’s, their cocks brushing together again.

  He’d been waiting for the fun part to start again, but now that it was, it felt overwhelming. Gabriel’s pulse pounded in his ears, his breath coming in desperate gasps between kisses, his head spinning.

  “Reid,” he murmured, wriggling under him, his brain telling him to get away and get closer at the same time.

  Reid slowed down, his hips stilling. He pressed a kiss to Gabriel’s jaw instead, running his nose along Gabriel’s cheekbone, all the way to his ear.

  “It’s okay,” Reid murmured, his voice low and soothing. “We’re just kissing.”

  “Your cock is poking me in the hip,” Gabriel said wryly, the break just long enough for him to gather his thoughts and calm down.

  He did want this. He just wanted to take it a little slower, and he wasn’t sure how to ask.

  Thankfully, Reid seemed to be happy to take the hint.

  Reid chuckled into his ear. “Well, you’re cute, and naked. I can’t help that. But I’m not gonna do anything you aren’t ready for.”

  Gabriel took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, letting his mind clear. Excitement and fear were clouding his judgement, getting in the way of what he really wanted.

  “I’m ready for this,” he said, lifting a hand and resting it on Reid’s side, just
barely touching him. He didn’t know how Reid would want to be touched, or where, but Gabriel needed the contact. Needed to get back that feeling of being wanted, the awe that someone like Reid—someone as beautiful, smart, and kind—would be interested in him.

  “What’re you ready for?” Reid asked, kissing his way along Gabriel’s neck. “Exactly.”

  “I…”

  Gabriel didn’t have an answer to that. He had no idea what was on offer, much less how to ask for it. All he knew was that he wanted Reid to touch him.

  That seemed like a good place to start.

  “I just want your hands on me,” he said, his stomach clenching as he pictured it, remembered what it felt like.

  Reid raised himself to his knees, leaning over Gabriel’s body, the skin-on-skin contact that had been both too much and not enough a moment ago gone except for where Gabriel had his hand on Reid’s skin, and where Reid’s knees were pressed against Gabriel’s thighs, straddling his legs.

  Gabriel missed the warmth instantly. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but Reid was too far away for his taste now.

  Reid braced one hand against the arm of the couch behind Gabriel’s head, the other trailing down his chest, then his stomach, inching closer to where Gabriel wanted it most.

  This was better.

  He hadn’t realized how much he wanted Reid to touch his cock until he was within an inch of it, the warmth of his hand close enough to feel.

  Gabriel hissed as Reid wrapped his fingers around his length, swiping precome away from the head and spreading it down with his thumb, slicking the way.

  This wasn’t what he’d meant when he’d asked for Reid’s hands on him, but it was turning out to be exactly what he needed. Gabriel’s hips arched away from the couch as Reid twisted his wrist just right, making him bite down hard on his lip.

  “Good?” Reid asked, settling his weight on top of Gabriel’s thighs, his balls resting between Gabriel’s legs, tickling his own.

  Gabriel nodded, still biting down on his lip, overwhelmed by how good it was.

  Reid laughed, rocking his hips against Gabriel, shifting his hand so their cocks rubbed together, sending sparks of pleasure straight to the base of Gabriel’s spine.

  “There’s so much more than this,” Reid said. “I’d love to show you.”

  Gabriel’s stomach bottomed out at the thought of more. He wasn’t an idiot. He knew about at least some of the ways two men could have sex, but he was glad Reid wasn’t pushing for more. He’d told himself it’d be fine, Reid would be gentle, but this… this was better.

  Being allowed to go at his own pace was better.

  “I wanna… can I…” Gabriel licked his lips, swallowing to wet his throat. “Could I touch you?”

  Reid chuckled, shifting more of his weight to Gabriel’s legs. “Anywhere you want,” he said, grinning down at Gabriel.

  With his pulse pounding in his ears, Gabriel reached out to trail a fingertip along the underside of Reid’s cock, licking his lips as he brushed over soft skin, his stomach swooping as he wrapped his fingers around it, feeling it pulse in his hand.

  Gabriel gasped for air, shocked at how turned on he was by touching Reid’s cock.

  “Feels good,” Reid murmured.

  “Yeah.” Gabriel swallowed, arousal welling up in the pit of his stomach. Maybe this was awkward, but he’d rarely felt this good about sex.

  He could only imagine what it'd be like if he had the chance to get used to it.

  “Lemme try something,” Reid said, batting Gabriel's hand out of the way. Gabriel let him, trusting him to know what he was doing.

  Gabriel found it hard to trust anyone, usually, but not Reid. Confidence and expertise rolled off him, and Gabriel had felt safe and secure in his care the entire time they’d known each other.

  Reid shifted his weight, the leather of the armrest behind Gabriel’s head creaking as he tightened his grip on it, leaning closer to Gabriel this time, their cocks brushing against each other.

  He put a hand on Gabriel's stomach, splaying his fingers wide across his skin. Reid had to be strong to hold himself up like this one-handed. Gabriel knew he would have collapsed already, unable to hold his own weight like this for more than a few seconds.

  He felt so safe under him, so comfortable that he could barely process it. This was what he’d been missing all this time. This was what sex was supposed to be like.

  And there was more. Reid had said there was more, and Gabriel was pretty sure he wanted all of it.

  This first, though. Just this. Just a taste of everything he could have.

  Gabriel groaned as Reid wrapped his hand around both of their cocks, his hips rocking up into the other man’s grip.

  Reid’s hand was so sure, his grip firm, the soft skin of his cock sliding against Gabriel's, precome slicking the way.

  Gabriel's heart pounded in his ears as he reached out to touch Reid’s chest, tracing the lines of it, circling a nipple. Reid gasped above him, a low groan escaping from the back of his throat as Gabriel moved his hands lower.

  He was already close, already struggling to hold back, the need to come making him feel tense and tight. Everything about Reid was so hot, and now they were so close, rubbing up against each other, Reid’s breath coming in pants against Gabriel's neck.

  A familiar tightness was building in Gabriel's gut, in his thighs, in his balls. He wanted to come all over Reid’s hand, on his belly, all over both of them.

  It wasn't going to take long. He’d been fantasizing about this all day, ever since Reid had invited him over.

  No, longer than that. He’d been fantasizing about this since the thought of Reid touching him first got him hard weeks ago.

  It felt so much better than he’d imagined back then. He couldn't have dreamed up the way Reid’s breath would tickle his neck, the soft, needy sounds Reid would make above him, the intensely hot sensation of Reid leaking precome onto his stomach, evidence of how into this he was pooling on Gabriel's skin.

  His confidence boosted, Gabriel moved his hands to Reid's ass, digging his fingers into the firm flesh and pulling him closer.

  Reid gasped and let go of their cocks, moving his hand to Gabriel's shoulder instead, grinding his hips down hard, the couch groaning underneath them.

  Heat sparked in Gabriel's stomach as he rocked his hips up against Reid, panting harshly. All the force he could manage went into every thrust, and he could feel himself wearing out, running out of energy, but so close to finishing, so desperate to come that he couldn't stop.

  “Reid,” he gasped, the base of his spine tingling with the need to come, so close he could feel it on the back of his tongue.

  “Come for me,” Reid responded without missing a beat, his voice strained and broken.

  Gabriel gripped Reid's ass harder and pulled him down, rocking his hips faster, panting and groaning as he made the last few thrusts he need to come.

  His orgasm hit him in the back of the neck first, a spike of pleasure so sharp it was almost painful, a lightning bolt shooting down his spine and into his stomach as his cock pulsed between his belly and Reid’s, sliding easily on sweat-slicked skin, spilling all over both of them.

  Gabriel screwed his eyes shut as he rode out the waves of his orgasm, gasping when he felt Reid come as well, hot and fast, the sensation sending another spike of pleasure deep into his gut even as he was about to collapse, exhausted.

  Gabriel sighed as his orgasm finished, sinking deep into the couch.

  Reid panted above him, and then sank down to let Gabriel take all of his weight, the couch protesting under him.

  “Can you breathe?” Reid asked. Gabriel had never heard a partner so exhausted before.

  “Yeah,” Gabriel panted. He could, mostly. Reid wasn't quite crushing him, despite being a solid wall of muscle.

  “Good,” Reid murmured, relaxing a little more. “Can't stand.”

  “Me neither.” Gabriel sighed, moving his hands away from Reid’s ass u
p to his lower back. He wasn't sure that he was meant to do that, but it felt good to touch Reid the way he’d touched Gabriel so often.

  “Guess we're still working on your stamina, huh?” Reid said after a moment.

  “Hey, you're the one who collapsed on top of me,” Gabriel responded, rubbing his thumbs against Reid’s sides, committing the feel of his skin to memory.

  If he never got the chance to do this again, he wanted to be able to relive it as vividly as possible.

  “I should’ve waited to shower until after this,” Reid said, finally rolling off Gabriel and standing beside him.

  Gabriel wasn’t inclined to follow, his muscles reminding him that he wasn’t entirely back to full strength yet as he lay on the couch, still catching his breath.

  “I’m supposed to say I’ll join you, I think, but I can’t move,” Gabriel admitted.

  Reid chuckled. “Take a nap. Hot as shared showers are, I’ll let you off the hook this time. I’ll grab us a towel.”

  “Thank you,” Gabriel said, letting his eyes fall closed.

  He could get used to this.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Reid woke with a start, unsure where he was for a moment before remembering that he’d sat down in the armchair beside the couch when he came back into the living room to find Gabriel asleep.

  He must have dozed off, too.

  Groaning as he stood, Reid stretched his arms high above his head, his back reminding him why he wasn’t supposed to sleep in armchairs. Gabriel probably felt about the same if he’d napped on the couch.

  It might have been more gentlemanly to move them both to the bed, but honestly, Reid had been too exhausted for that. He could normally have lifted Gabriel, but he’d been worn out, too.

  Physically, but also emotionally. He liked Gabriel. More than he liked most of his partners. He’d had time to get attached, and while he wasn’t about to get down on one knee, it meant a little more than usual to him.

  Especially being Gabriel’s first man. That meant a lot, and Reid wasn’t sure he’d done anything to deserve the honor.

  Gabriel was standing by the window—which ran the whole length of that wall of the apartment, floor-to-ceiling. It was the sole reason Reid had bought the place, so he could look out at the sky and the mountains. The long commute was worth it.