Page 103 of Breaking the Ice

Zach gazed down at him. He looked so fucking good like this. He’d look even better in Zach’s bed. “Itisthat simple.”

His head bowed then, his dark hair curling against the pale nape of his neck. If Zach had seen him like this back in Michigan,that skin would have been tanned from the sun, but after five months in Portland, with its overcast skies and drizzling weather, it was bleached white.

Zach realized he wanted to see Gavin’s skin in all its shades. Wanted to trace the subtle curve of his neck with his thumb so he reached down and did.

The skin there, on Gavin’s nape, was velvet soft. Gavin let out a hiccupping breath. “I fucked it all up,” he murmured, not looking up and not dislodging Zach’s fingers as they stroked him.

“Yeah, kind of, but I get it. I forgive you,” Zach said. There was no universe he could imagine where he wouldn’t. His other hand moved to Gavin’s shoulder and squeezed it. “You don’t need to do this, like uh . . .this.”

The problem was Zach didn’t even know whatthiswas. Was this something Gavin was into? Was it somethingZachwas into? Before this, he’d have said no, absolutely not, but now he wasn’t entirely so sure.

Gavin didn’t move. The air between them grew thick, heavy.

“What if I like it?” Gavin asked, so quiet Zach could barely hear him.

There was no way if Gavin looked now that he’d miss that Zach’s cock was getting hard in his sweatpants. He was eye level with it, which honestly, it was a fucking miracle Zach hadn’t gotten hardbeforenow.

But it was one thing for Gavin to say he wanted him, that he’d changed his mind, and another entirely for Zach to shove his dick into Gavin’s face.

“ThenIlike it,” Zach said and used the hand curled around Gavin’s shoulder to lift him up. “I likethistoo,” he added in a soft voice, leaning in. He slid his hands down his arms and tangled their fingers together.

It was almost terrifying, no matter what Gavin had just said, to lean in and kiss him again.

What if he changes his mind again? What if he pushes me away after it’s over?

Zach wanted to believe that Gavin wouldn’t. That part of what him pounding on the door and then going to his knees meant was that hewouldn’t, not ever again.

That he’d made up his mind and he was sticking to it.

Gavin swayed towards him, his gray eyes intent on Zach’s face. “You still want this?” he asked quietly.

Zach knew what he was asking.Do you still want me?

Part of him wanted to say,I’ve wanted you since I was eighteen and stupid,but that would probably freak Gavin out and they’d just got doneun-freaking him out.

So instead of answering, Zach leaned in the rest of the way and kissed him.

Gavin’s mouth was hot and lush against his, Gavin groaning into the kiss as Zach pulled him in close, hands tightening around his waist.

As Gavin’s tongue slipped into his mouth, tangling with Zach’s, he wondered, dimly, if he should try to slow them down. Focus on some nice polite making out. Not shove his hard cock against Gavin’s hip, reminding him that he was a guy, andifthey had sex, it wouldn’t be like any sex Gavin had had before.

But then Gavin pulled back, mouth red and wet and pupils swallowing his eyes, and he said breathlessly, “I’ve thought so much about this.”

Jesus fucking Christ. Was Zach supposed to control himself when Gavin was basically serving himself up on a silver platter?

“Yeah?” Zach heard the rough, desperate edge in his voice as he asked the question. “You wanna tell me about it?”

Gavin flushed bright red. “Uh . . .”

Zach lifted a hand, stroking that soft skin at the nape of his neck again. Toying with the ends of the hair that curled over it. “Come on,” he cajoled.

“Kissing, yeah,” Gavin said with a soft exhale of resignation. “And uh . . .more. Definitely more.”

Zach’s eyebrow rose. “More?”

Gavin licked his lips. “Do I have to ask for it?”

“I don’t know, you were pretty eager to beg a few minutes ago,” Zach teased gently. And yeah, maybe this was out of his sphere of experience, but he kind of loved it.