And Call Me in the Morning by Willa Okati Read Free Book Online Page B

me.”
     
    “Zane—”
     
    “I wasn't finished. I'm starting to think I'm into you too. So.” Zane stopped moving. “What do we do with that?”
     
    “We could panic.”
     
    “True. Or I could take you by surprise,” Zane said and kissed him.
     
    It went slower than that, of course, but only later would Eli be able to track how it'd happened. Zane slid down to lie on the couch, on his side, and at that range it was easiness itself to roll over him and take Zane by the chin, tilt his face up, and fit them together.
     
    Zane's lips were as soft as Eli remembered. They tasted of the scent of leather and a hint of peppermint and underneath that the baseline Zane that Eli was already growing accustomed to. It all registered, then dissipated because when a man was being kissed the way Zane kissed Eli, there wasn't room for anything else.
     
    He found himself with his fingers in Zane's hair, sifting the strands, as silky as they'd been before. More so, freshly washed and dried and left to fall as they wished. Warm. So was the nape of Zane's neck, and that was the perfect place to rest his hand to guide Zane.
     
    Zane drew back, only far enough to sit upright. “Angle,” he said. “Up or down?”
     
    Eli wanted to say up. The couch was better. But something in him wanted more. “Down,” he said roughly, kicking his legs out and making room between coffee table and couch. “Room to move.”
     
    “You think I'm putting out on the first date? I'm not that kind of girl, you tramp.” Zane grinned when he succeeded in making Eli laugh and, in the wash of good humor, slipped down to join Eli on the floor, stretching out beside him, taking up all the available space, too close for comfort, just close enough to entice.
     
    In for a penny and all that. Eli took half a second to adjust to the sensation of firm legs pressed to his and the rise and fall of Zane's chest with each breath, and then the nearness of his mouth commanded all Eli's attention.
     
    This time, Eli was the one to kiss first. He knew his place now, a firm grip to guide Zane where he wanted the man— man ; was this ever going to get less strange? Then again, he wondered that every time, and so far, as soon as Zane's lips were pressed to his, he forgot that it mattered.
     
    Zane sighed, a wisp of breath that tickled Eli's cheeks. He slid his arm around Eli's waist and began to pull him over, Zane more on his back, Eli draped halfway on top of him. Legs separated, Eli propped on his hip.
     
    Curiosity killed the cat, but as Eli recalled, the other half of that old saw was, “But satisfaction brought it back.” He rubbed his cheek against Zane's and turned his head to take a hazy-eyed glance down Zane's body. As he'd thought, Zane liked this kissing stuff plenty. He was hard in his jeans, solid, but gentleman enough not to push the issue.
     
    Eli might have loved him a little for that. One step at a time, right? Yet somehow…somehow he couldn't look away. Not out of horrified fascination, but something different. Intrigue? Maybe.
     
    “Hey. Back up here.” Zane nudged Eli into place. “We're not done.”
     
    Eli took a moment to trace the sharp angles of Zane's cheekbones and the cleft in his chin, marveling at the differences between man and woman. “Not by a long shot,” he agreed, coming back in.
     
    They'd kept it chaste so far. PG-13. This time, Zane reached for Eli and kept him closer, tighter, his hand firm on Eli's back, with the heat of his palm pressing a brand through Eli's sweater to his skin. As he did, he let his lips part, just the way he had before, only better now that Eli didn't want to hesitate to slide inside and taste him.
     
    Jesus. That first slick stroke went to his head. Eli stopped, hissing.
     
    “No, you don't.” Zane prevented him from retreating. “It's just me. It's okay. Like that. Just like that.” He helped and guided Eli back into action. Smoothed over the bump in the road until it was