Page 25

"What?Parker, it's fucking late already, shouldn't we befinishing—"

"Portfolio. Now."

Kell put his hands up."Okay, jeez." He went to his closet and pulled out a portfolio case and brought it to the table. "Here."

Parker unzippedit and removed the several large pieces that were inside, spreading them out on the table. He shook his head. He only needed that brief glance to see that Kell's fears were entirely unfounded. The work was, as always, some of the best he'd ever seen. The fact that Kell's confidence in it was so low was mind-boggling to him. This was work that should've inspired supreme confidence. He flipped through each one, taking a longer moment to examine them individually, and then slipped them back in hiscase.

"You know what?"

"Iknow,I know. I should've used red tones in the last one, it would've matched so much better with everything else. And the digital one, I'm still learning how to paint in Photoshop, so I don't really have great command over the brushes,and—"

He stoodup and placed his hand over Kell's mouth. "Shut up. No. All of this is brilliant.Youare brilliant, and the fact that you're sitting here making excuses is killing me. Do you have this as a digital portfolio?" He took his handaway.

"Yeah..."Kellsaid.

"I'll dothe first part of the project. You send your portfolio. Through my job I know of a handful of design and advertising firms who are currently looking for artists. It's not the most ideal work, but it's astart."

"Idon't know..."

"God dammit, Kell."He grabbed him by his shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Are you going to take charge of your shit, ornot?"

Kell stared back at him,and for what seemed like the first time, didn't immediately look away. His eyes were clear and bright, like liquid topaz. His lips quivered, and when Parker looked at them he found himself licking hisown.

"Okay,"Kell breathed. "You're right. I've putting it off for way toolong."

Kell goton the computer and Parker loaded up the websites for the firms he knew were hiring, and Kell sat and typed up a resume to go along with his portfolio. Parker took over the project, bringing it entirely onto the computer where he knew he could finish it up quickly. After an hour, Parker went over to check onhim.

"Is this good?"he asked, scrolling through the resume. "I don't know if this is formattedright."

Parker glanced over it,and then hit the sendbutton.

"Hey!"Kell gasped. "Oh,no!"

"Stop fighting it,"Parker said. "You're just dawdling. It'sfine, I told you. Everything looksgreat."

Kell slumped into his chair. "Yeah."He went through the rest of the applications and submitted those, too. "Alright. They're gone. They'rein."

Parker crouched downnext to him so that they were at equal height. "Good job. And you'd better believe I'm going to follow up with you about this to make sure you go in for thoseinterviews."

Kell blushed,and with his gaze averted, put his hand on top of Parker's. Parker jerked in surprise. Somehow, he hadn't realized that he'd been touching Kell's leg. When he'd crouched next to him, he'd placed his palm on Kell's thigh without even thinking about it. Parker's heart hammered, but he didn't pull his hand away. He felt the warmth of Kell's palm on the back of his hand, the tingle of their skintouching.

Were they...What washappening?

"Thanks,"Kellsaid.

It wasParker's turn to feel shy. "Yeah," hemumbled.

Kell swallowed nervously,and then turned to look at him. "Fuck it," he said, and then he leanedin.

Parker frozein shock as Kell's lips met his, and he stumbled backwards onto his ass in surprise. Kell looked at him with a look of half concern and half horror on his face, like he couldn't believe what he'd just done. As the kiss still burned on Parker's lips, he felt all restraint, all care and all hesitance he'd had crumble away to pure want. He came forward and slipped his hand around the back of Kell's neck, pulling him into him and into another kiss. It was explosive and unrestrained. Parker fell back again, this time bringing Kell with him. He fell on him, kissing him back with wanton fervor. Kell's kisses were unpracticed and virgin, but Parker didn't care. The feeling of his lips was like a taste of water in a parched desert. How could it feel so good to kiss someone? He'd never felt this way before in hislife.

Their tongues met and played,and Parker felt his cock swell with vigor, pressing tightly against the front of his pants. He told himself not to go any further, to fight against the intensely powerful desire that was welling up inside of him. He was an alpha, and he wanted what only an omega—what only Kell—could give him. And he might have actually succeeded in containing his want and ended it with just that incredible kiss, if it hadn't been for Kell's curious hand, which slid between Parker's legs, gliding along his thigh. He sucked in a breath as Kell's fingers reached him, a slight and hesitant touch that was dampened only by the thin layers of fabric. And yet even with that barrier there, it felt like a shock of pleasure to his cock and he actually found a moan leave hislips.

"Is this okay?"Kell whispered, as his fingers went for the button of Parker's pants, quickly working to openit.

Parker responded with another kiss,and he slowly reached up to touch Kell's chest. He felt oddly reserved about touching him. He wasn't used to getting close to anyone. His fingers finally met him, and he felt the ripples of muscle beneath Kell's shirt. The more he felt, the more he wanted to feel, and soon his hands moved hungrily all across Kell's body. He grabbed him by the waist and in one quick motion, flipped him so that Kell was on the bottom and he was on top. Kell stared up at him, his gaze occasionally flitting away in shy, nervousglances.

"God,"Parker growled. "I don't get it. Sometimes you piss me off so much. But I can't get you out of my fucking head. You've been driving me crazy for the entire time I've known you. I fucking hate it." He kissed him again, this time pushing his face into Kell's neck. He licked him and raked his teeth across his skin as he breathed in Kell's scent. Kell gasped and dug his fingers into Parker's back. Parker loved feeling and hearing his reaction to his touch, and he nipped his neckagain.