by A. F. Zoelle
“Why are you doing this?” Ryder asked, hating the breathy tone of his voice. “You’re not even into guys!”
Laughing at the protest, Hunter arrogantly taunted, “Are you so sure about that? And what about you?”
Ryder had dated a few guys back when he lived in Egypt, but it wasn’t common knowledge. Hunter certainly had no way of knowing that. Ryder had been in a serious and complicated relationship with an Egyptian classmate named Raheem, but they had never been fully intimate with each other. Raheem’s insistence on pushing Ryder further than he was comfortable with sexually had caused problems in their relationship. However, what ultimately led to their breakup was Raheem repeatedly cheating on him with another classmate, Aziz. After that, Ryder had avoided getting into another relationship with anyone else.
Despite his disinterest in finding another boyfriend, Ryder did find Hunter attractive. Hunter was stunningly handsome and charming, not to mention incredibly intelligent, all of which Ryder found more appealing than he would ever openly admit.
Being so close to Hunter was causing Ryder to feel deeply flustered. His hormones were swaying his mind on the matter, along with a burgeoning curiosity he couldn’t quite smother. Still, it all felt wrong somehow and Ryder repeated, “Why are you doing this?”
“Why don’t we stop talking and do something about it instead?” Hunter suggested, running his tongue along the shell of Ryder’s ear.
The action sent a shiver through Ryder, who struggled against the feelings it stirred up within him. “Because this is wrong,” Ryder protested, refusing to give in to the sensation. When he felt Hunter’s teeth pull gently on his earlobe, Ryder had to bite back a moan as he clenched his hands into fists at his sides. “So wrong…”
Hunter smirked victoriously when he heard the note of desire creeping into Ryder’s voice. He knew he had almost won. “Do you really care?” Hunter asked as he tilted Ryder’s head back slightly to make eye contact with him.
The look in Hunter’s blue eyes was so intense that it made it hard to think. “Yes,” Ryder answered, but it came out more a moan than a protest, because of the way Hunter’s fingers were gently stroking his neck. It had been years since Ryder had last been with his ex-boyfriend and the gentle teasing was starting to sway him, despite his protests. Even such a minor touch still moved Ryder in ways he didn’t fully understand.
“I don’t believe you,” Hunter argued as he let his hand drift lower and under Ryder’s untucked shirt. “Not in the least…”
Ryder took a shuddering breath as Hunter’s slim fingers brushed teasingly against his bare stomach, his mind still reeling at the suddenness of everything. “We’re not doing this,” he groaned, trying to ignore the touch and failing.
“Only because you won’t shut up about it,” Hunter countered with a dark chuckle.
Forcing the distracting hand from under his shirt, Ryder demanded, “And what about tomorrow?”
“What about it?” Hunter asked with the slightest hint of annoyance over the delay.
“Are we supposed to pretend that nothing happened?” Ryder asked, carefully watching Hunter for a reaction.
Instead of answering, Hunter replied, “Does that bother you?”
Frowning, Ryder confessed, “A little.”
“This changes nothing,” Hunter reassured Ryder. “What are you so worried about? The mutt’s reaction or something?”
“Stop calling Jake that!” Ryder reflexively snapped. “And no, it’s so much more than that.”
“Then get over it,” Hunter gruffly told him, his irritation evident. It was the only warning Ryder got before Hunter started to kiss him, causing all other arguments to cease.
Ryder would have assumed that a kiss under these circumstances would be brutal and demanding, but it was shockingly soft. He wanted to reject it, to rage against Hunter’s insolence, but it was kind of nice. When Ryder felt Hunter’s tongue seeking entrance, he hesitated only a moment before granting permission with a breathy sigh.
Unbeknownst to Ryder, Hunter was using the opportunity to back them closer to the bed, in order to speed things up a little. His fingers blindly sought out Ryder’s belt and undid it with practiced ease before making quick work of his pants button. Hunter was halfway done with the zipper before Ryder made a rather undignified squeak of distress and stopped him.
“What are you doing?” Ryder demanded.
“Taking off your pants,” Hunter bluntly answered.
“What? No!” Ryder protested, but it was already too late. Hunter had already worked them halfway off of Ryder’s hips, smug in knowing that he had caused his rival to get worked into a state of arousal despite his refusal.
Hunter gently nudged Ryder back, forcing him to fall back onto the bed in a sitting position. Ryder watched with barely masked horror as Hunter knelt before him to slide his pants off the rest of the way, scowling at the boots that prevented them from coming off completely. Hunter took off Ryder’s shoes, thus allowing for the pants to join them, cast aside with the socks.
Running his hands along Ryder’s bare legs, Hunter chided, “So are you leaving your sweater on for modesty or do you want me to take care of that, too?”
Ryder recognized that they were past the point of no return, and he bit his lower lip as he waffled in indecision. It was impossible to hide his desire, which was slowly being encouraged to life by Hunter’s ministrations. Ryder mentally cursed himself yet again for agreeing to go through with Jake’s idea. “You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” Ryder asked in a quiet voice, trepidation visible in his uncertain emerald eyes.
In that moment, Ryder looked almost unbearably vulnerable to Hunter. He found himself absentmindedly stroking Ryder’s thigh, as if to reassure him somehow. There were countless sarcastic answers Hunter could have chosen, but that look in Ryder’s eyes stopped him. Instead, Hunter chose to simply reply, “Yes.”
There was no doubt in Hunter’s eyes that Ryder could see, and he could almost swear that there was a flicker of genuine desire in those blue depths. Taking a deep breath and hoping that he wouldn’t hate himself for his decision later, Ryder slowly stripped out of his dark green sweater by way of consent and tossed it aside, shivering at the way it made Hunter’s gaze light up in a pleased and almost predatory manner.
Hunter hadn’t been lying when he said that he had imagined Ryder in sexual situations before, but he had severely understated the amount of times the thought had crossed his mind. In some ways, Ryder would be his ultimate conquest, and Hunter licked his lips in anticipation as he looked at his rival. Yes, Hunter would have preferred their encounter to be under different circumstances, but he wasn’t one to let an opportunity like this go to waste.
Sensing Ryder’s nervousness, Hunter placed a placating kiss on Ryder’s inner thigh, enjoying the way those muscles tightened in response. He placed another one above it and was pleased when Ryder instinctually spread his legs a little wider to accommodate him. Making a quiet murmur of approval, Hunter ran one of his hands up Ryder’s opposite leg, stalling for time as he considered his options. With such short notice, it was hard to narrow down the rather lengthy list of ways Hunter had imagined making Ryder moan.
Although Ryder had consented, he was still uncertain about what he should be doing. It was beyond surreal to see Hunter kneeling between his legs, kissing him in a way that made his member twitch at the promise of things to come. Out of habit, Ryder started to say, “Hunt—ahhh!”
When Hunter heard Ryder about to call him by name, he lightly nipped him on the thigh in reproach and chuckled at the startled reaction. “What did I tell you?” Hunter reminded Ryder, stopping what he was doing to look up at him.
“You didn’t have to bite me,” Ryder muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest, uncertain of what else to do with his hands.
“It’s not like I left a mark,” Hunter defended himself as he stood. Keenly aware of Ryder’s eyes watching his every movement, Hunter undid the button of hi
s pants and pulled the zipper down before sliding them off with a seductive sway of his hips.
Ryder was unable to turn away from the blatant display and he felt his mouth go dry at the sight of Hunter’s prominent arousal. He could feel his own respond in turn, stiffening at the realization that he had been responsible for it. Ryder couldn’t take his eyes off of Hunter and his heart started beating even faster when he was instructed, “Move further back on the bed.”
Initially balking at the command, Ryder finally obeyed without comment. Ryder’s eyes followed Hunter’s every movement as he approached the bed and gracefully knelt on it. As Hunter sensuously moved up Ryder’s body on his hands and knees, Ryder eventually relaxed on his back. Hunter paused when he was finally face to face with Ryder, relishing the flushed cheeks and quick breathing that he had caused. Lowering himself slightly, Hunter claimed another kiss, this one more aggressive than the last. Ryder responded with less hesitation this time, thoroughly enjoying what felt so forbidden as he rapidly lost his inhibitions.
Bracing himself on one hand, Hunter let his other one start wandering down Ryder’s body. Ryder’s breath hitched at the sensation and it broke the kiss, causing Hunter to raise an eyebrow at the reaction. The sensitivity was surprising, but not unwelcome. Hunter was more than happy to explore and exploit it.
Instead of initiating another kiss, Hunter shifted down and began to caress Ryder with his hands and lips. Ryder squirmed slightly under the attention, not quite sure what to make of the feeling. It was only when Hunter began to kiss and tease one of Ryder’s nipples that he got a muffled vocal reaction and he was determined to hear more.
Ryder didn’t understand how such a simple thing was so pleasurable, but as Hunter continued to tease one nipple while stroking the other, he was forced to concede that it felt almost too good. When Hunter lightly captured the nub between his teeth and applied the slightest amount of pressure, Ryder’s hips jerked in response as a shaky sigh escaped. Brushing up against Hunter’s arousal, in addition to the feeling of his nipples being toyed with, was wearing down what little resistance he had left. Ryder found himself saying without thought, “Hun—ahhh! Damn it! Stop biting me every time I—”
Narrowing his eyes in displeasure at Ryder’s continual use of his name, Hunter interrupted, “Then stop calling me that.” Interestingly enough, Hunter had felt Ryder’s length twitch upon the nip, which made him wonder about his rival’s preferences.
Ryder resolved himself to respect Hunter’s wishes, difficult as it was for him. Hunter didn’t give him long to dwell on the subject because he decided to mirror his treatment on the opposite nipple, blowing on it softly and watching the chills rise on Ryder’s lightly tanned skinned. It contrasted with his own pale skin and he couldn’t help but appreciate the aesthetics of difference between them.
Deciding to move on, Hunter began trailing kisses down Ryder’s chest to his stomach. He was able to feel the shuddering rise and fall of Ryder’s breath. Hunter wouldn’t be satisfied until he had completely demolished Ryder’s composure. He began to trace the outline of his rival’s right hipbone with his tongue before lightly sucking on it.
It was becoming harder for Ryder to focus as Hunter continued his languid worshipping with his mouth and fingers. A moan got caught in Ryder’s throat as Hunter once again switched to the opposite side to continue. Ryder didn’t want to get caught up in the moment, but it was a losing battle as Hunter progressed and became bolder in his approach, finally removing the last article of clothing between them.
He failed to hold in the cry that was desperate to get out when Hunter lightly trailed his fingers along Ryder’s now-exposed member for the first time. Ryder unintentionally thrust against Hunter’s hand and he swore when he felt the puff of silent laughter against his skin. “What?” Ryder growled, jerking away from Hunter’s ticklish touch on his sides.
“Always so eager,” Hunter teased as he continued lightly caressing Ryder’s erection.
“What are you—“ Ryder started to ask, but interrupted himself with a gasp when Hunter ran his thumb over the tip of his cock.
“Oh, I’m going to enjoy this,” Hunter murmured, very much aware of how his words caused Ryder to shudder. He applied more pressure to his touch, although he kept the pace slow. There was no way that Hunter would allow things to be rushed in such a manner.
Sensations were easily starting to rule his senses and Ryder could only give himself over to it. The moment was now and the future was a distant thought.
Although Ryder was a rather guarded person, at times he was almost too easy to read. Hunter had the interpretation of Ryder’s signals down to a fine art after years of facing off against each other. Hunter could feel the exact moment when Ryder surrendered, could hear it in the softest of sighs that escaped past those lush lips that could distract him as easily with kissing as with words. Pleased with his success, Hunter decided a reward was in order.
Ryder was unprepared for the feeling of Hunter’s tongue on his member and he made a sound caught somewhere between confusion and pleasure. Hunter teased the length with his tongue before taking it completely into his mouth. The wet warmth of his mouth was intense and Ryder tensed up as Hunter started moving in earnest.
Using his tongue in conjunction with the right amount of pressure, Hunter slowly started to pick up speed as he bobbed his head while subtly encouraging Ryder to spread his legs further apart. Ryder grasped at the sheets, his breathing now completely ragged as he tried to maintain some semblance of control.
Disappointed with the reaction, Hunter stepped things up and moaned around the cock in his mouth, instantly earning a loud gasp from Ryder. Hunter wasted no time in deep-throating Ryder, loving the way it was making his rival come undone.
It was a level of pleasure that Ryder was largely unaccustomed to and he arched his back with a growl of need, because he didn’t just want more, he needed more. Completely enraptured by the sensation, Ryder unthinkingly moved his hands from the sheets to Hunter’s brunette hair.
The simple touch startled Hunter and he spared a look up at Ryder, fully taking in the way his rival was writhing because of him. Hunter’s male pride was swelling in the most literal of ways, the sight of Ryder like that making him feel almost impossibly hard. The feeling of Ryder’s slender fingers moving through his hair pleased Hunter and he moaned in genuine appreciation, his eyes closing momentarily as he focused on the feeling. It was rare for him to actually relish a touch like that.
The slight tensing of muscles warned Hunter of his rival’s impending release and he encouraged it by reaching down to fondle Ryder’s balls in a teasing manner.
Ryder could only gasp, incapable of anything more than mindlessly enjoying the warmth that was spreading through him. A sound suspiciously like a whimper escaped from him when two fingers strayed to stroke against his perineum, and Ryder knew that he couldn’t hold out much longer.
He tried to express that, but it only came out as broken words and shameless moans before it was too late. Ryder came with a wordless gasp and Hunter swallowed the release, milking the spent member for all it was worth before releasing it. Licking his lips clean of any remnants, Hunter sat up and watched as Ryder tried to catch his breath, deciding that the sight of his flushed and satiated rival was very much appealing. It made him want to know what Ryder looked like in the throes of a passionate fuck, but Hunter was forced to clamp down on that desire for his own good.
Ryder softly moaned in the afterglow of feelings, subtly stretching as he returned to awareness with the pleasant thrum of satiation running through him. Only then did he realize that Hunter was watching him intently. Ryder shifted awkwardly as he hesitantly met the intense blue gaze that was trained on him. “Um…” Ryder started to say, but there were no words.
Hunter let his eyes trail over Ryder’s body, amused by the way his rival worried his lower lip out of nervousness. It was incredibly empowering to know he could fluster Ryder in such a way and Hunter wondered ho
w that could work to his benefit in the future. “Come on,” Hunter ordered, gesturing for Ryder to join him.
Feeling deeply self-conscious, Ryder didn’t immediately comply, causing Hunter to shrug and say, “Suit yourself.”
When Hunter turned around to walk away, the action completely puzzled Ryder. He hastened to follow, unable to keep his eyes from straying down Hunter’s back to stare at his shapely ass. His gaze lingered on the sight longer than it needed to and Ryder felt the faintest flutter of guilt, which finally made him look away.
As they entered the luxurious bathroom, Hunter said nothing as he opened the glass door to the shower and turned on the water, waiting for it to warm up before stepping into it. Ryder took the open door as an invitation and followed Hunter in, the sound of it closing behind him echoing with a finality that made him nervous. He fidgeted with his hands as he looked to Hunter for guidance on what to do next. The silence was broken only by the sound of the water hitting the floor as the steam rose between them.
Hunter chuckled in a rich, low tone that sent a shiver through Ryder. Reaching out to pull Ryder closer, Hunter slid his hands down his rival’s back, taking great pleasure in caressing his tight ass.
Shuddering at the feelings coursing through his overly sensitive body, Ryder’s eyes widened as he brushed against Hunter’s erection. The only indication Hunter gave was a sharp intake of breath. Ryder became curious despite himself, tentatively reaching out with his fingers to touch Hunter’s chest.
Raising an eyebrow at the forwardness of the contact, Hunter watched with interest as Ryder’s hands started to slide down to rest on his hips, then slowly started to drift lower still. When he wasn’t stopped, Ryder finally brought himself to touch Hunter’s hardness with hesitant fingers. Hunter’s soft moan emboldened Ryder to move from teasing touches to tentative strokes.