Page 21 of After All This Time (A Time For Love #2)

Liam

M y ears are still ringing, my body still humming from the aftermath of that soul-altering release.

Coop and I are both still breathing hard, as if we’ve run for miles and miles.

I can’t believe this just happened. My mind refuses to wrap itself around what I had only dreamed of in the past. It was a fantasy, hopeless and completely unattainable.

So watching this man, spread naked in front of me for my eyes only, covered in my cum and his, his expression soft and vulnerable sparks a fierce sense of protectiveness inside me.

“Can I touch you now, Coop?” I tell him in a gentle voice that in no way expresses the chaos raging inside me.

He’s already nodding. “Please.”

I reach for him like I haven’t touched him in decades and he surges up to meet me halfway as if he’s starving for it.

I pull him on my lap and he wraps his legs around me. My arm tightens around him as my other hand grips his neck and we just sit there, not an inch separating us, as we both come down from the earlier frenzy.

“Li...” he exhales, his lips suddenly mouthing the skin of my throat softly but insistently.

And just like that I’m acutely aware that he’s still completely naked, and that his soft dick is all up and personal with my own, the light rubbing making me twitch despite having come spectacularly moments ago.

“Shh, baby, I’m here. I’ve got you.” I run my hand down his back, letting the soothing strokes calm him and I feel the way he melts against me.

It takes a few minutes before I hear him grumbling against my neck.

“Fuck. Why do I like it so much when you call me baby?”

I swear I can hear a pout in his tone and it makes me chuckle.

He lifts his head and his blue eyes are sparkling with the sort of mischief and happiness that makes my heart squeeze.

“Then I’ll call you baby anytime you want.”

His lips split in a bright grin and it draws my attention where his bottom lip looks swollen and abused by his teeth.

Cooper registers my gaze, his own eyes dropping to my lips, and suddenly we fall into each other again in a slow, unhurried kiss that melts my fucking brain.

Before long, I’m licking inside his perfect mouth, holding him in place, owning every inch of it as he clings to me, small needy sounds slipping out.

He looks at me with foggy, unfocused eyes when I release him and the way he looks makes me groan from somewhere deep in my chest.

“You’ve got to stop looking at me like that, Coop.”

He blinks at me, his expression clearing a little bit.

And then he fucking smiles.

“Like what, Li?”

“Like you want to sit on my cock,” I growl.

His cheeks suddenly turn pink as a blush stains his pale skin.

He bites his lip, a look of hesitancy passing through his eyes.

“Promise me something.”

“Anything.” I’ll promise him anything he wants, do anything he wants.

He swallows.

“You were right before, I am inexperienced. In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever done anything with a guy.”

Pure male satisfaction floods my veins at the sound of those words and my arms tighten further around him at the thought of being the first anything for this wonderful man.

He smiles noticing my reaction and goes on.

“But even though I haven’t done this before I need you to trust me to know what I want and what I’m doing.” He tangles his fingers in my hair, gripping it tightly. “Promise me.”

I peer into his serious eyes and the certainty there makes my heart stutter.

“I promise, Coop.”

His expression melts into one that bleeds contentment and he sighs.

“Thank you. Now that that’s settled, how fucking hot was that? I swear my brain almost leaked out of my dick.”

Laughter startles out of me and soon we’re both shaking with it, letting the tension of the day wash off us.

***

It’s only so much someone can endure dried cum on them and Cooper’s subtle wince stirs me to move both of us off the bed and into the bathroom.

Soaking a small towel in tepid water, I use it to carefully clean every part of him, his intense gaze following every movement I make.

It’s not that he couldn’t have done that himself, but the need to take care of him overrides everything else.

When I’m done, I notice he’s half-hard and his chest is rising in quick, shallow breaths.

I raise an eyebrow at him and he chuckles.

“It’s not my fault, okay? You’re all over my business and expect me not to react? I’m not dead.”

“Well, now you know how I feel every time you so much as breathe in my direction,” I say as I rinse the towel.

Silence follows my words and one look at Cooper reveals the softest expression I’ve ever seen on his face.

He steps closer to me and brushes a light kiss on my jaw that I feel down to my toes.

“Now there’s two of us,” he states simply, before strutting away to the bedroom, giving me an eyeful of his ass and leaving me wondering how someone can be so sweet and so hot at the same time.

By the time I’ve washed up as well, the hour is so late it’s probably closer to morning than night. I feel exhausted by the roller-coaster of emotions and yet, I don’t want to go to sleep for fear everything that has happened will vanish the moment I wake up.

I head over to the kitchen and grab some water for Cooper in case he’s thirsty, but when I reach his room, I find him face-down on his pillow, half-dressed in some sleep shorts and a T-shirt that has barely made it past his head.

I chuckle at the ridiculousness of this 30-something guy who has apparently lost the battle with an item of clothing, and make sure he doesn’t strangle himself in his sleep.

He doesn’t stir until I have to move him slightly to cover him with the duvet.

His head shifts on the pillow until it’s turned towards me and I can’t help running my hand through his hair so it’s off his face.

His mumble is barely audible.

“Thank you, Li,” he sighs and his breathing deepens as sleep takes him.

And I just stand there, rooted to the spot, watching him breathe in and breathe out.

My best friend.

The man I’ve loved my whole life.

And I pray he doesn’t regret this.