Ethan (Alluring Indulgence #5)(46)
Author: Nicole Edwards

Ethan wasn’t capable of giving more.

“I didn’t say that,” Beau answered smoothly, the briefest of smirks on his lips. “But I will say that this is different. What I feel for you is… different.”

“If you’re looking for something more, I –”

“Don’t say it,” Beau stated steadily, his thumb resting against Ethan’s lips, effectively shutting him up. “Do me a favor, will you?”

Ethan found himself nodding.

“Don’t overthink this just yet. We’ve come this far. Let’s just see where it goes.”

Ethan wasn’t sure why, but he was giving in to Beau’s request. He was right. There was no reason to overthink this. No need to make it more complicated than it was. After all, Ethan had spent years immersing himself in meaningless, casual sex. Ever since Gavin. So, there was certainly no reason why he couldn’t do the same with Beau.

And as much as he wanted to live by that mantra, why was it that Ethan already realized that it wouldn’t be nearly that easy?

Beau loved the feel of Ethan’s skin against his fingertips. The gentle abrasion from the stubble along his jaw, the smooth texture of his kissable lips. But most of all, he loved the way Ethan submitted to his touch.

Despite that ever niggling feeling that he was about to get in way over his head, Beau was tired of waiting patiently for Ethan to decide what he wanted. Based on the look on his face right then, Beau knew Ethan wanted this.

Was Ethan scared of what that might mean? Sure. As was Beau. Didn’t mean they couldn’t pursue this. And he was being serious when he told Ethan that they should just see where it went. He wasn’t in a hurry to make this permanent, although he knew that could change at any given moment.

There was one thing Beau knew about himself: he loved easily. But he also knew he didn’t trust easily. Which was why he was fiercely loyal to the few friends he had. He considered Ethan a friend, one he cared about, but as the minutes ticked by, Beau found himself falling deeper and deeper for the man. Strange how there had been limited physical interaction, yet he’d already developed an attachment to the man.

And he knew his feelings could quickly surpass infatuation and fall right into that love category that he generally steered clear of. Especially once they took this to the next level. There was a strange fluttering vibration filling Beau’s gut. Like an army of stallions had taken to running full-out, eager to pummel him from the inside out.

Tilting Ethan’s head back slightly, his thumbs pressed against the underside of his jaw, Beau slid his lips over Ethan’s. That all too familiar burst of sensation attacked his insides double-time, sending a chill racing down his spine and coursing through him until it reached its final destination in his cock.

The kiss was gentle, tentative. More an exploration of lips than anything fast and frantic. Beau couldn’t help but notice how different it felt to kiss Ethan. Honestly, Beau hadn’t done much kissing in his lifetime. The interactions he’d been involved in were usually a lot less intimate. At least where he was concerned.

Although Beau had kissed Zane, he could clearly see the difference. That had been a brutal, take-no-prisoners kind of kiss that began and ended with two males fighting for dominance. Nothing else had registered at the time. But with Ethan, it wasn’t a competition to see who would win, who would come out on top. It was a mating of mouths, a simulation of what was to come. And Beau wanted to kiss Ethan for hours.

“Have you ever been with a man before? Aside from Zane?” Ethan murmured against his mouth, his breath coming in rapid bursts as the kiss lingered, their tongues stroking, searching.

Beau hesitated only briefly before he answered Ethan. He wasn’t going to start this off with a lie. “No.” Touching his lips to Ethan’s again, he tilted his head, taking the kiss deeper. Pressing the entire length of his body against Ethan’s, Beau soaked up his heat. Pulling back slightly, Beau looked right into Ethan’s eyes and said, “And when I was with Zane, V was there.”

Beau wasn’t sure why he was compelled to tack on that little fact, but he needed Ethan to know. To understand that being with him was completely different than what he’d done with Zane.

The flex of Ethan’s muscles against his chest, the hard ridge of their erections scraping sensually together behind the denim that separated them had Beau heading into dangerous territory. As much as he wanted to take this slow, it had been a long time since he’d been with anyone. Almost an entire year. Ever since Beau came to the realization that he was attracted to men, he hadn’t been with anyone. Unless his own hand counted.