Like a Lover by Jay Northcote Read Free Book Online Page A

on fucking Josh with his fingers. Come shot
out of Josh’s cock in thick sticky strands as his body locked tight, muscles
straining. Josh groaned, then hissed as it became too much, wriggling away from
those relentless fingers.
    “You done?”
Rupert grinned up at him.
    “Fuck.
Yeah,” Josh managed weakly, “you could say that. Jesus.”
    Rupert
chuckled softly and crawled up the bed to press a soft kiss to Josh’s lips
before collapsing back beside him. “Come here.” He lifted his arm, encouraging
Josh into his embrace.
    Josh put
his head on Rupert’s chest. He lost track of how long they lay like that, with
the thud of Rupert’s heart a reassuring beat in Josh’s ear. He was awake but
relaxed, enjoying the feel of Rupert’s arms around him.
    Rupert
finally broke the silence by asking, “How long have I got?” and Josh remembered
they were on the clock.
    “Dunno,” he
said. “I forgot to check the time when we started. It doesn’t matter. I don’t
have anything else to do tonight, so I’m not in a hurry.”
    “Well, I’m
not going to get it up again,” Rupert said, amusement in his voice. “So don’t
hang around on my account.” But he tightened his arms around Josh, and Josh
stayed for a while. Fucked out and sleepy, he was in no rush to move.

 
     
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    When they
finalised their arrangements for Friday, Rupert asked Josh to meet him for a
drink first. “As part of the two hours,” he’d assured Josh on the phone.
    Josh
agreed, so they met in the bar where Josh had picked him up exactly two weeks
before.
    Rupert
arrived early and nursed a whisky and water while he waited for Josh to show.
The anticipation bubbling inside made him feel as though he was on a date. He
had to keep reminding himself that wasn’t what this was. But his heart didn’t
get the memo, and it pounded erratically as Josh walked through the door a few
minutes after nine.
    “Sorry I’m
late.” He took the seat opposite Rupert. “I had to wait ages for a turn in the
shower. The curse of living in shared houses.”
    He was
flushed and breathless as though he’d been rushing. It reminded Rupert of how
he looked in bed and did nothing to quell the excitement rippling through him.
    “No
worries, can I get you a drink?”
    “Thanks,
I’ll have a lime and soda.”
    “Your
usual?” Rupert’s lips quirked, remembering that was what Josh had been drinking
the first time they’d met.
    Josh
smiled. “I suppose.”
    Rupert had
to wait a while at the bar to be served. He drummed his fingers impatiently,
aware of the time ticking away while he was here instead of with Josh. Maybe
they should have met in the hotel room again, but Rupert wanted more than a
quick fuck. He caught sight of his reflection in the mirror behind the bar. He
looked good, he thought objectively. He’d picked his clothes carefully tonight:
a crisp white shirt that showed off the breadth of his shoulders and trim
waist, paired with his best jeans.
    He felt
suddenly foolish for making the effort to look good for someone he didn’t need
to impress. Josh was a sure thing because Rupert was paying him.
    Rupert had
spent all week thinking way too much about Josh. He knew he should have been
sensible and cancelled, made his excuses, and relegated Josh to a wank fantasy.
It was crazy to keep paying someone for sex, to keep craving intimacy with
someone he couldn’t have—not the way Rupert wanted him. But the urge to
see Josh again had been too strong.
    “What can I
get you?” The barman’s words pulled Rupert out of his discomfiting thoughts. He
ordered Josh’s drink and carried it back to the table.
    Josh’s
smile was welcoming, and he slid over on the bench seat, patting the space
beside him, encouraging Rupert to sit there.
    “Cheers.”
Josh raised his glass.
    Rupert
clinked his own against it before taking a sip of the bitter whisky.
    “Don’t you
ever drink while you’re with… while you’re working?” Rupert tried to