The Star (Charleston Condors Book 1)
The Star: Chapter 13

“YOU’VE BEEN QUIET,” CARTER said, pointing his fork at Riley. “Are you stressing about what kind of bill we’re gonna run up?”

Riley still wasn’t sure how Carter Maxwell ended up invited to his first offensive line dinner.

Actually, that wasn’t quite true. He knew. Riley had invited him at the last second because he’d wanted Landry there, and it would seem less weird if Carter came, too.

“No,” Riley said.

For his first time hosting the offensive line dinner, Charlie had helped him find an upscale steak and fish house downtown, pointing out that they often rented out private rooms. “We won’t want to be bothered,” he’d reminded Riley, for which Riley was grateful. He didn’t want to be bothered. Especially the last few days.

“See?” Carter gestured again. “You’re weirdly quiet.”

Boyd, the left tackle, chuckled. “Nobody’s gettin’ a word in edgewise, Maxwell.”

That was also true.

But Riley knew he’d been quiet.

He’d been quiet ever since he’d talked to Aidan.

Why hadn’t he told him to stop? It had been the perfect moment to really stand up for himself. Aidan might’ve even listened—or tried to.

But he hadn’t taken the step and cut the cord because what if he did? What might happen?

Riley loved Aidan, even when he didn’t want to.

Aidan was his brother, even though it wasn’t like he felt blood meant anything. After all, how long had it been since he’d talked to either of his parents? He wasn’t exactly losing sleep over that.

Something brushed against Riley’s foot as he contemplated what to say that would adequately explain his introspection. Then he felt that same touch again.

Riley looked up and saw Landry staring at him from across the table.

“Nervous, I guess, about Sunday,” Riley said.

It wasn’t like he’d even lied. Of course he was nervous. Whenever he thought about it, what was riding on Sunday’s game, all the pressure of his future piling on him, he felt a little nauseated.

Then, inevitably, he thought, And what will Aidan say if I don’t succeed?

But Riley already knew what Aidan would say. Hey, why don’t you come to Toronto and work for me?

Hell would freeze over before that happened, but it’s not like his complete disinterest in becoming his brother’s assistant would stop him from suggesting it.

“You’re lookin’ real strong in practice,” Cole said loyally.

“Yeah, seriously,” Boyd agreed.

It was great that the guys on the offensive line had his back—both literally and figuratively—but even that knowledge didn’t shake Riley’s bad mood.

But then Landry’s foot nudged his again, and when Riley looked over at him, the corner of his mouth was quirked up.

“Thanks, guys,” Riley said. He was grateful this team had already accepted him, and not only that, but that they were already beginning to feel like a family. He’d not expected that just like he hadn’t expected Landry to come back into his life like he had.

From what he’d heard his brother say over the years, he might’ve been successful in Toronto, but Aidan had always been an island.

You’re not your brother. You’re your own person; your own kind of success.

When he’d come home the night before, frustrated and exhausted, Landry had asked him if he wanted to talk about it. Riley hadn’t, but he’d worried turning Landry down on his obvious invitation would upset him.

But the opposite had happened. Instead, Landry had just held out his arms, and he’d held him for a long time. Not asking what happened. Not needing to know what Aidan had said or hadn’t said.

He’d just supported him.

The same way the guys around him were doing now.

“I’m proposing a toast,” Riley said, raising his water glass. “To turning a new page this Sunday. And to playing the game like it was meant to be played.”

“Amen!” Boyd said.

Cole added his own cheer to his fellow lineman’s.

“It’s gonna be a great game,” Carter agreed. “I feel good about it.”

“Don’t jinx us,” Landry retorted, but he was smiling as his foot absently tapped against Riley’s.

Reminding him, Riley realized, that he was here for him.

No matter what.

He hadn’t said those words. They hadn’t even talked about their relationship—even though that was very definitely what they were embarking on—only kept sleeping together in the same bed.

There’d been less of the fun kind of sleeping together and more of the just sleeping together variety because they’d not only been worn out from the long days, but Riley had been understandably preoccupied with his brother’s bullshit. But now, staring at Landry across the table, his blond-streaked dark hair resting around his shoulders, the face he didn’t even realize was gorgeous and irresistible in the dim lighting of the restaurant, Riley felt that indefinable spark of attraction flare up inside him.

He adjusted in his seat, letting his whole calf brush up against Landry’s.

Landry raised an eyebrow, which Riley answered with a grin.

“You two are adorable,” Carter said, leaning over so his voice didn’t carry across the table. Riley was grateful because he was pretty sure Rex and Cole, along with the rest of the line, didn’t realize what was going on between them, and he wasn’t really ready for anyone else to find out.

Not until he and Landry talked through what they were doing—and tonight, he wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

He was in the mood for something involving a hell of a lot less words.

All it had taken was the realization that he wasn’t his brother.

He was his own person, totally unique despite the same last name, and whatever happened, he was allowed to judge his success by a different standard.

By his own standard.

He knew better, but he’d been letting Aidan’s own mile-high requirements color what he believed he was capable of. He’d been letting Aidan set the standard. But no more.

Aidan had helped him, no doubt about it, but Riley didn’t need him.

Sure, there’d been another path to that touchdown, but he’d still scored, hadn’t he?

He’d made that happen. Not Aidan. He and his team.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Riley teased, pretending innocence, even as he slipped out of his shoe and let his sock-clad foot caress Landry’s leg. Watching as Landry’s eyes darkened with undeniable desire.

“Yeah, no clue whatsoever,” Carter said sarcastically. “You’re only eye-fucking each other across the table.”

“Feeling jealous?” Landry spoke up.

Which was so freaking ironic Riley couldn’t help but chuckle. Because, from Landry’s own confessions, he’d been the jealous one.

“No, of course not. I could pick up anyone I wanted to,” Carter boasted smugly. “Could have super hot sex any night of the week. Every night of the week.”

“Yeah,” Landry agreed, but then he leaned forward, and the heat in his gaze licked right up Riley’s spine. “That sounds fine and all, but what about cuddling?”

Carter shot both of them an incredulous glance. “That what you’re tryin’ to convince me you’re doing? Bullshit. I call bullshit.”

“Bullshit, huh? That’s rich coming from you, Maxwell,” Riley teased. “But yeah, we’re all about the cuddling. Landry’s my own real live teddy bear.”

Landry grinned at him.

“Gross,” Carter said. “You two aren’t just fucking. You’re in love.”

Riley’s insides froze. He had a crush. That was all. Of course…he’d had a crush before, hadn’t he? This was so much more than that. He’d be the first to acknowledge that. But love?

Was he in love with Landry?

Landry didn’t seem particularly perturbed by Carter’s accusation.

“Can you imagine?” Landry asked casually. “Aidan would take me apart. Slowly. Painfully.”

“Like he could,” Riley retorted. “You’re bigger than he is.”

“Yeah, but he’s craftier,” Landry pointed out.

“In that asshole, pull-the-wool-over-your-eyes kinda way.” Aidan would never play fair. It wasn’t in his DNA. He played to win, always. No matter what it cost.

“Exactly,” Landry said, flashing him a flirtatious smile. “You think I wanna take that risk?”

But from the look on his face, it was clear he was prepared to do it.

For Riley.

Riley had known it, of course, had known from their first kiss that Landry wasn’t just experimenting or fucking around or hooking up with him because he was conveniently right there.

But he hadn’t put two and two together and gotten four until now.

He’s falling in love with you.

Same as you’re falling in love with him.

Well, shit.

“I gotta…uh…bathroom,” Riley stumbled.

He pulled out his phone before he even made it there because there was no telling what excuse Landry was going to pull out of his ass just so he could follow him back here.

SOS, he typed to Paige. I think things just got serious.

She responded right away because he’d used their special code word that meant answer me now, not later. You two finally talk?

Not even that, Riley typed back. We didn’t say a word.

But they hadn’t had to.

He’d seen it, clear as day, in Landry’s eyes.

Maybe they were still getting there, but someday, if they kept going like this, they were going to reach that point. It was inevitable.

Then why are you freaking out? You’ve only wanted him forever.

That was the question, wasn’t it?

Because he knew Landry. Knew he’d be steadfast and loyal and the best partner he could ever hope to have. Why else had Riley had such a hopeless crush on him for so many years? Yes, he was hot, but lots of guys were hot, and he hadn’t been carrying a torch for them. He’d been holding out for Landry.

You’re the worst, Riley typed out. I hate it when you’re right.

Paige answered almost instantly: No, you don’t. Not about this.

And goddamn it, she was right, again.

“You alright?”

Riley looked up from his phone, and Landry was standing in the bathroom doorway.

He’d totally been caught.

“Oh, yeah, I just…” Riley took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I’ve been weird the last few days. I think…I think I’m going to be okay, though.”

“I know you are,” Landry said with absolute certainty.

Of course he did.

“I realized I’m not my brother.”

Landry laughed and leaned back against the wall, letting the door shut behind him. “I could’ve told you that. Trust me—I never wanted to kiss your brother. But you?”

“It’s not just that,” Riley said, not wanting to get distracted by the idea of kissing Landry—which was inherently very distracting. “I realized…we’re not the same. I can’t use his standards when I think of who I am and what I’m doing.”

“Is that what you were thinking?” Landry asked softly. “You’re not him, Riley. I know that better than just about anyone.”

“I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I just thought, for so long, he was…I don’t know…the gold standard, you know? And it doesn’t help that everyone else thinks that, too. He’s Aidan Flynn. The quarterback for the Toronto Thunder. Three-time league MVP. Super Bowl winner. He’s what everyone wants to be. Is it so crazy I wanted to be like him, too?” It hurt even saying it, but it was undeniably true, and it was time he owned up to it.

He’d spent too long living underneath Aidan’s long shadow; if he didn’t step out of it soon, he’d be stuck there forever. And that was the last thing he wanted.

He didn’t want to be the best version of Aidan Flynn. Not any longer.

What he wanted—what he needed—was to be the best version of Riley Flynn.

“And,” Riley added quietly, “Aidan was your friend. He’d won you over. Won your loyalty and your affection, and you saw underneath his asshole behavior and saw him for who he really could be, same as me, and well…that certainly didn’t help.”

Landry’s bone-deep conviction morphed into something resembling concern. “Riley—”

“No,” Riley interrupted and reached up and kissed him. Briefly, even though tearing his lips away from Landry’s was harder than he’d ever imagined it could be. “I don’t want you to worry.”

“I’m not worried. I’m just…” Landry took a deep breath. “I know you’ve got a lot going on. You’re trying to figure out your way apart from your brother. You’re starting your first NFL game on Sunday. And…”

“And I have you. Yeah. I know. I’m crazy about you, Landry.” It was easier to say than Riley had anticipated. “I don’t want you to decide this is too much for me because I’m here, standing in front of you, telling you that you’re not too much. In fact, you’re just enough. You’re perfect. You’re everything I thought I wanted for so freaking long. Then you showed up, and you were even more.”

Landry tipped his head against Riley’s, resting their foreheads together. His gaze was warm and—Riley couldn’t deny it any longer—loving.

He’d fallen in love with Landry Banks.

Yes, it’d only been a little over a week.

But the truth was, he’d been falling for Landry Banks for most of his life.

How could he not?

It turned out the actual falling in love, you’re-the-man-I-want-to-be-with-for-the-rest-of-my-life part wasn’t like a big crash, but a slow, inevitable slide.

“I like you, too,” Landry murmured. “So much. I can’t stop thinking about you. Even when you’re right there.”

“Even if eventually Aidan wants to kill you?” He hadn’t meant to bring his brother up, but that also felt inevitable. They were going to have to talk about Aidan eventually.

Apparently, eventually was right now.

“He’d try, maybe,” Landry said, smirking. “But you’re right. I’m bigger than he is. And he’s also what…a thousand miles away?”

“Convenient,” Riley said.

Landry could probably see right through him, could identify the love in his eyes. Riley couldn’t deny he was pretty much heart-eyes personified right now and wasn’t even trying to hide it. Couldn’t bring himself to do anything other than enjoy it.

“It is,” Landry said softly. “But you know, we can’t hide this from him forever. Even if I want to.”

“Why do you want to?” Riley wasn’t bothered by that particular instinct of Landry’s; hadn’t he had the exact same thought? But he was curious.

“Uh, well…self-preservation for one. And second, I’m afraid somehow he’ll blame you. And he doesn’t need more reasons to give you shit.”

“You really think he’d blame me?” Riley was surprised. He’d been pretty sure Aidan would give Landry shit because he’d been the one to supposedly seduce his younger brother. Like Riley hadn’t used every single goddamn tool he owned to entice Landry over to the queer side of the fence.

“He’s too hard on you,” Landry said, frowning. “And it’s not cool. It makes me want to punch him in the face. I mean…I never liked it. I always tried to tell him he was full of crap, but he never listened, and at the time, that didn’t matter as much. But now? I can’t stand it.”

“Aw,” Riley said. “Did I win you over to my side?”

He’d been teasing, but the look in Landry’s eyes was dead serious.

“Yes,” Landry said.

With no qualifications, no explanations, no sidebars. Nothing. Just yes.

“Oh.” Riley was floored. Didn’t know what else to say.

Landry reached up and cupped his cheek. Slid his hand back until it reached Riley’s neck. He squeezed. His touch felt warm and loving and like the most reassuring thing Riley had ever felt. “If you believe anything,” he said. “Believe that.”

Riley’s confession was right on the tip of his tongue: I think I might love you, and that terrifies the fuck out of me—but it also feels like the most natural thing in the whole world. Explain that to me, please.

But before he could, the door swung open to the bathroom, and suddenly Carter was there, arms crossed over his chest.

“Really?” he said, sounding unamused. “You two, again?”

“Us two, again,” Landry said wryly.

“Boyd was wondering where you’d got to. Personally, I said to just let you drown, but that might make things hard on Sunday.”

“Thanks, we’re touched,” Riley said.

“Seriously, though, you might want to stop ducking out on team events, freaking disappearing together if you don’t want anyone to know what you’re up to,” Carter pointed out.

“How do you know we don’t want anyone to know?” Landry asked slowly.

Carter looked surprised, his mouth dropping open.

“We’re not you,” Landry continued very earnestly. “We’re not fucking around. This is serious. People are gonna know, eventually.”

“Oh. Oh.” Carter snapped his jaw back up. “Well, in that case, go back to staring soulfully into each other’s eyes. Because that’ll definitely give anyone who comes in here exactly the right idea.”

He marched over to the urinal, did his business, and after washing his hands, he shot them both another baffled look and exited the bathroom.

“Did you know what that was about?” Landry asked once he was gone.

“Not really, no,” Riley said. He knew Carter wasn’t entirely wrong, though. He should move away from Landry, from where they were pressed so closely together. Anyone might come in. But he didn’t really want to.

“Well, I suppose it’s Carter so that’s to be expected.” Landry took a deep breath. “But the thing I wanted to say before he came in…I know we did this kinda backwards.”

“We did?”

“I know we’re both crazy busy these days. Barely a moment to ourselves, but…I still want to do this right. Do right by you.” Landry’s expression was so earnest it made Riley’s heart beat faster. Somehow, him being seriously romantic was even sexier than when he was trying to seduce Riley. How was that possible?

“You are, Landry,” Riley promised.

“Then let me take you out on a date. A real date.” Landry suddenly looked worried. “You do that, right? It’s okay to ask?”

Riley was both touched and amused. He really was crazy about this guy. Everything you ever wanted in one impossibly hot package. Of course it’s okay to ask.

“Landry, for you, yes,” Riley said. “Not sure when we can do it…”

“I’ll figure it out,” Landry said. “You can count on me.”

“What about, uh…the rest? About…” He wasn’t naive. Not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but somehow saying the word sex to Landry made him squirm.

Was it the thought of having it?

That might be it.

Was it just how much he really, really wanted more of it with Landry?

Definitely possible.

“About?” Landry raised an eyebrow.

He knew, but he was going to make him say it.

Riley made a face. “Sex, okay? Sex. S-E-X.”

“You want to have sex right now? In this bathroom? Okay, we can do that. Does this door…” Landry trailed off, glancing behind him at where Carter had so rudely interrupted them.

“No, no,” Riley said, laughing. “Tonight. Later. At home. In a bed. Not a staircase. Not a bathroom. In a bed. In fact, I think you made a promise last time…”

Landry’s eyes darkened. He looked intent. Hungry. “Anything you want,” he said, “and it’s yours.”

Riley was a freaking work of art like this. Landry could look at him, just like this, for the rest of his life.

Golden skin, a sharp contrast against the blue of his comforter. Slim hips. A perfectly curved ass. Back muscles rippling under Landry’s touch as he ran a light but possessive hand up his spine.

“Gorgeous,” Landry murmured under his breath.

He’d been keyed up—well, basically since the moment Riley took off his helmet in Pittsburgh, but especially now—since Riley had brought up the promise he’d made in the heat of the moment the last time they’d had sex.

Like Landry hadn’t been thinking, every spare moment he had, of the way Riley had shuddered under his touch the moment he’d touched him.

“Are you just gonna stand there and look?” Riley complained, his voice half-muffled by the comforter.

“I promised I was gonna bend you over this bed and make you cry with how good it is,” Landry said. “I plan to make good on that.”

“If you’re worried about foreplay, we’ve had plenty of that. All that footsy under the table at the restaurant,” Riley pointed out. “Nevermind the way you kissed me in the bathroom.”

That had been a promise, too. A promise that he had every intention of taking Riley home and fucking him so good neither of them would be the same after.

But Landry was so worked up, so incredibly turned on by just the thought of it, that he didn’t quite trust himself to do it. Not yet.

Which was why he was still just looking.

Oh, he’d touched Riley a little. Hadn’t been able to help himself when they’d started kissing the moment the front door closed behind them.

Definitely as they’d stopped every few feet going up the stairs—Riley pushing him against the wall and devouring his mouth like he’d die if he didn’t get his lips on him ASAP.

Finally, they’d stumbled down the hallway, Riley shedding clothes insistently until he’d collapsed against the edge of Landry’s bed, totally fucking naked and totally fucking gorgeous.

“I’m contemplating how I want to do this,” Landry said. He settled his palm on the broad plane of Riley’s back. “I don’t want to rush it.”

“God forbid,” Riley muttered. “Meanwhile, I’m dying here.”

Landry grinned. “You can get real mouthy when you get horny.” His hand drifted lower, right over the delectable curve of Riley’s ass. He didn’t tense at all, just pushed his body right into the touch. Like he was desperate for it.

He wasn’t the only one; Landry’s hands were still trembling.

Riley groaned into the bed. “Yes.”

With his other hand, Landry pulled the drawer in the bedside table open. He’d stashed condoms and lube there after their last sexcapade, and part of him had expected, every time they’d gone to bed together—just to sleep—for Riley to discover what he’d bought.

But they’d both been too worn out, mentally and physically, for anything but a quick cuddle before falling asleep.

“You gonna beg me?” Landry asked archly as he opened the lube.

Riley arched against the bed, mumbling something about please and thank you—or maybe that was something more like fuck you. Landry chuckled.

He was pretty sure if he reached around, he’d find Riley’s cock hard against his stomach as he snuck in a few little thrusts against the edge of the mattress.

He could do that now, but Landry had every intention of being the one who got him off.

Sneaking a hand around Riley’s waist, he discovered exactly what he’d hoped for. Riley’s dick twitched as his palm found it and spread the precome leaking out the tip, letting it slide through his fist.

“Fuck,” Riley said, trembling as Landry’s other hand brushed against his ass, thumb brushing his hole. “God, I’ll do anything,” he begged as Landry continued to take his time.

As far as he was concerned, anything less than a slow, leisurely exploration of all Riley’s many, many bodily delights was a crime.

Landry slid his thumb in, mentally cataloging every reaction of Riley’s. From the way his body trembled, to the goosebumps dotting the skin of his back, to the way his cock twitched in his hand.

While Riley had been telling him he wanted it, begging and pleading for it, that was the proof he’d wanted. The proof that nearly unwound him.

“I’d say you can give me more,” Riley begged, wiggling underneath his touch. “But I’m sure you’re some kind of ass fucking expert now.”

How presumptuous would it make him look if Landry agreed? That he’d spent way too many nights before they’d ever had sex, before they’d even kissed, doing his share of research. Making sure that if he ever got the opportunity to touch Riley, he’d do a good job?

Pretty presumptuous.

But he knew it would make Riley smile anyway, so he’d tell him after, when they were cuddling, damp with sweat.

“Wanna be an expert on you, what you like. What makes you feel good,” Landry murmured, moving his hand around Riley’s cock with more purpose, sliding in a second finger to join his first.

Riley was so hot and tight, practically squeezing him, and Landry didn’t know how he’d manage to keep his tenuous self-control when he finally got his dick inside him, but he needed to.

It had to be good for Riley.

The best he’d ever had.

He cared about him way too much to ever settle for less.

Loved him too much to ever tolerate anything else than his best effort.

Landry’s hands froze.

Because he did. He loved Riley.

Since he was pretty sure he’d never fallen in love before, he’d expected the realization to take him by surprise—like a clap of thunder or like being struck by lightning—but instead, he’d sort of slid right into it until he just knew it was true.

“It’s good, it’s so good,” Riley babbled. “Keep going, God, keep going.”

“You’re not going to come.” Landry squeezed his cock.

“Fuck,” Riley said, so much filthier in bed than Landry had ever expected, but he couldn’t deny he loved every moment of it.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to Riley’s spine. Couldn’t help but start to move his fingers faster and with more purpose now.

He didn’t just want Riley; he needed him.

Slowly, Riley relaxed into his touch. Landry slipped in a third finger, Riley groaning through the stretch, Landry’s own moan joining in as he let him in.

Riley’s hips were thrusting erratically now, and Landry could feel by the way he trembled at even the minutest push and pull of his fingers that he was close.

Landry was close, too. Just from touching Riley.

If he touched himself, he might explode before he ever got a chance to coax Riley to come around his cock.

“Come on, come on,” Riley begged. His voice slurred. “I’m good. I’m so fucking good. Promise.”

But Landry could feel that he was.

His fingers trembled as he removed them from Riley’s body. Tore open the condom.

Gritted his teeth as he rolled it on. Even that touch was almost overwhelming.

He dug deep down for control as he fitted himself against Riley’s open hole and slid in.

For a second, everything in his mind went incredibly still and silent.

It was like sliding home, the best fucking thing he’d ever felt.

Riley—the man he loved—all around him, so tight and perfect Landry could barely breathe.

“Goddamn,” Riley groaned.

Landry knew his fingertips were biting into Riley’s hips, but he didn’t seem to hesitate. He just pushed backwards, sliding Landry all the way home, and his self-control snapped.

Not cleanly. Not in half. It just exploded everywhere, and Landry barely recognized himself as he took Riley’s lead, thrusting forward in the same rhythm as Riley was pushing back, fucking himself on Landry’s cock.

Someone was begging—crying, maybe?—and it might’ve been Riley, or it might’ve been him. Landry wasn’t sure. He only knew it was so good he’d die if he couldn’t keep going like this forever.

Sex had never felt like this before, like his head had been blown clean off.

Riley’s knees wobbled, and then he collapsed onto the bed, and Landry chased him, trying to make it good, trying to remember everything he’d read about hitting the right spot, but it was so good, it was hard to focus on anything except the overwhelming feeling of rightness.

This was how sex was always supposed to be, he realized.

Fucking amazing if it was with the right person.

“God, harder,” Riley cried, and the order bypassed Landry’s brain entirely, going straight to his body. He thrust harder and then harder still, wild with the pleasure coursing through him.

Riley shook underneath him and then went absolutely still.

Landry felt him tighten around him, clenching around his cock as he came, and that was it for him.

He collapsed against Riley’s back on rubbery legs as he came in long, shuddering pulses that felt like they’d never end.

But they did, eventually.

Leaving him shaky and suddenly painfully aware that everything he’d wanted this first time having penetrative sex with Riley to be, hadn’t quite worked out.

Oh, it had been glorious.

Landry had never had better sex in his whole goddamn life.

But he was filled with a sudden, corrosive worry that he’d not given Riley what he’d intended to.

“You’re heavier than you look,” Riley said, voice muffled by both the comforter and Landry’s bulk. “And you look plenty heavy.”

“Sorry,” Landry said, scrambling on weak knees to stand up. He pulled out, and Riley folded down like his strings had just been cut.

Then he rolled over, and all that concern swirling inside Landry evaporated.

Riley was grinning. Wildly. Freely. With so much affection and happiness in his eyes there was no way he hadn’t enjoyed that just as much as Landry.

In fact, Landry had a feeling there was that exact same goddamn expression on his face right now.

“Yeah?” Riley asked, his mouth widening impossibly further.

“Yeah,” Landry said.

He took off for the bathroom. Took care of the condom. Grabbed a washcloth for Riley and helped him clean up, and then nothing on earth had ever made as much sense as collapsing into bed next to him.

“I was worried I was too…uh…rough,” Landry confessed as Riley rolled onto his chest, cheek pressed against his pec.

“No,” Riley said. “I wanted it. It was…well, you know how it was. You were there.”

He had been. It had been like a storm had taken and possessed both of them.

And the honest truth was he couldn’t wait to get lost in it again.

That was how Riley made him feel. Out of control with want and need, and somehow, impossibly, he was totally safe and protected in the eye with Riley next to him, Riley’s hand tucked inside his own.

“I was,” Landry said seriously.

It’s way too early to tell him how you feel, he thought.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t feeling it.

Acutely.

“We’re definitely doing that again,” Riley said. “Next time, though, I’m going to pin you down and ride you so hard you see stars.”

Landry’s mouth went dry. Oh, he wanted that, too. He wanted it every which way. The only thing he absolutely needed when it came to sex was that it was with Riley. Anything else was possible.

“I don’t know,” he said, trying to keep his voice casual, even though the feelings rushing through him just now were hardly casual. “I kinda thought maybe next time you could show me what all the fuss is about.”

Riley pushed himself up on an elbow so he could look right into Landry’s eyes. Those wide, impossibly blue eyes looked shaken. “You want me to fuck you?”

“Do you not want to?” Suddenly it occurred to Landry that maybe that wasn’t something Riley did. Maybe it wasn’t okay to want that.

But before Landry could overthink for even a split second, Riley was reaching out, pressing a palm to Landry’s cheek. “Yeah,” he said. “I want to. Just didn’t think that was something you’d want.”

“Are we having sex together?” Landry asked.

Riley nodded.

“Then,” Landry said, feeling Riley re-settle on his chest as his eyes fluttered closed, “that’s something I want.”

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