Page 26 of Devil’s Kiss (Sunset Cove #2)

W HEN THE ELEVATOR came to a stop at Jordan’s floor, Derek was positive his heart skipped a few beats. Christ , he wasn’t sure he had the balls to ask for what he’d come there for. But as the door slid open and Jordan’s handsome face came into view, he was determined to fucking try.

On his way over to Jordan’s, he’d been running through Finn’s words about leaving, and though he knew it wasn’t personal, it sure as hell felt that way.

Finn leaving Sunset Cove meant the end of an era of sorts.

An end of them, for real. Not just because they were busy and doing their own things, but because Finn was putting miles, states, and a plane ride between them.

Thinking about it made him mad all over again, though he knew he had no right, and when he stepped off the elevator and headed toward Jordan, he watched him cross his arms over his chest in a move that Derek knew all too well.

It was a blocking move. A do not come any closer move. And it had his steps faltering.

When he saw Jordan standing in the crowd today, he’d wanted to go to him for many reasons.

One of those was to tell him he looked fucking hot in a suit.

But after talking to Daniel, the need to be with Jordan had become more pressing.

More desperate. Derek had felt out of control, unable to fix or stop what was happening in his life, and he’d known the only person who would make his world seem stable again was the man opposite him, with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

“Okay…” Jordan finally said. “What’s with the fierce frown on a day where you should be over the moon?”

Derek wasn’t even aware he’d been sporting a scowl until Jordan, as always, called his ass out on it. Then before he realized he was going to, he blurted out, “Did you know?”

Jordan cocked his head to the side and asked, “Did I know what , exactly?”

Derek wasn’t sure why, but he had a feeling that Jordan had known about Finn leaving. But before he could continue his interrogation, Jordan was speaking again.

“That you would graduate? I never had a doubt. Though your smartass mouth and tendency to cause problems for your professors may have given me reason to worry over the last four years.”

Derek let his eyes move down from Jordan’s styled hair to his high cheekbones, and with his shirt and tie still in place, plus his gray slacks and wingtips, he looked the epitome of sophistication.

And just like that, Derek’s first line of questioning left him, and instead he asked, “You worry about me?”

“Oh, only whenever I think about you.”

“And how often’s that?”

The question lingered between them like a dare. One that had been issued four years ago but never acted on. Then… Jordan took him up on it.

He let his eyes trail down over Derek’s own shirt, tie, and slacks, then brought them back to his face and answered, “More often than not.”

Unable to stop himself, Derek took a step forward and Jordan walked backward. They continued that way until Jordan’s back hit a wall and Derek’s polished shoes were touching his.

“Fuck, I want to kiss you right now,” Derek said, as he looked into Jordan’s eyes and waited for him to tell him no.

But he should’ve known better when it came to Jordan, who angled his chin up instead.

His body language screamed out one thing: I dare you.

But if you want me, you better have the fucking balls to take me on.

No problem there , Derek thought, as he placed a hand on the wall by Jordan’s head.

As all of the feelings he’d squashed down over the years rushed to the surface, Derek brought a hand up to touch Jordan’s chin.

But before his fingers made contact, Jordan took hold of his wrist and added, “Be sure.”

Derek’s dick was positive, but as he looked into the dark eyes staring back at him, he sensed there was more to what Jordan was asking him—and he was right.

“What I mean is,” Jordan said, “be sure that one night is enough for you.”

That brought Derek up short. “Why only one?”

“Because tomorrow I fly to Italy for the summer.”

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. “What’s with everyone leaving all of a sudden?”

Jordan shrugged. “This has been planned for months. But I understand if it changes your mind. If you can’t do one night.”

Derek shook his head, not believing that this was actually happening to him. “So basically you want to fuck me then kick me out.”

Jordan’s eyes widened at his blunt words, but Derek didn’t care. It actually felt good to be able to say what he really thought instead of offering a fake smile and going on his merry way, like he’d had to earlier with Finn.

“No. I just don’t want you to think this is something it’s not. I’m not in the right place for anything serious. I’m going on vacation and you’ll be starting work. So I don’t want?—”

“A boyfriend. Strings. I get it. You want to be able to fuck whoever you want and not worry about the guy back at home mooning over you. Got it.”

“Excuse me. It’s not like that.”

“It’s exactly like that,” Derek said. Then he sighed. “But I don’t even care anymore. I want you. And I’ve waited for fucking ever to have you.”

Derek thought it interesting that Jordan didn’t like hearing his terms stated so bluntly.

But that was too bad. Jordan had been the first person to really open his eyes and show him it was best to call a spade a spade.

And right now, he wasn’t about to sugarcoat shit to make it sweet and romantic just so Jordan would feel better.

“Fair enough,” Jordan said. Though he looked like he wanted to claw Derek’s face off. “As long as we understand each other up front.”

“Oh, I understand,” Derek said, while inside he was busy thinking, Fuck this. On the same day, he was going to lose both Finn and Jordan. Sometimes he wished life would give him a break and spread shit out rather than dump it all on him at once.

Jordan’s fingers tightened around his wrist, and Derek knew he had to be able to feel the rapid tattoo of his pulse.

“Okay, then,” Jordan said. “Go to my bedroom, take off your clothes, and wait for me by the end of my bed. I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to see that.”

And before Derek could change his mind, he turned on his heel and made his way down to Jordan’s bedroom.

JORDAN SHUT HIS eyes and counted to twenty as he stood in his living room and watched Derek leave. He needed to get a handle on himself.

Breathe, Jordan. Fucking breathe. Because if you pass out on the floor and the first time he has his mouth on yours tonight is due to CPR, you will never forgive yourself.

After his little pep talk, he removed his shoes and socks, unbuttoned the first couple of buttons on his shirt, and then took off the damn tie he’d been wearing all day. Once he was slightly more comfortable, minus the hard-on between his legs, he made his way down to his bedroom.

When he got to the door, the sight that greeted him just about had his jaw on the floor. Derek naked was fucking impressive.

Jordan let his eyes trail over Derek’s side profile as he waited at the foot of his bed.

His large feet were planted firm, shoulder width apart, and his built calves were rigid as he stood silently.

His thighs bunched just as Jordan’s eyes trailed over them, and Jordan bit down on his lower lip to keep the groan he could feel bubbling inside him from slipping free.

From the angle he was standing at, Jordan could see the thick length of Derek’s erection as it jutted out from his body, and it took everything in him not to go straight to his side and wrap his hand around him and stroke.

Jordan wondered what Derek was thinking right then.

He was curious if he was still upset about their previous conversation or if getting naked had brought more carnal thoughts to mind.

Because the sight he was seeing had Jordan’s hands quickly moving to the button of his pants, and once he had that free, he was unzipping.

The sound must’ve caught Derek’s ear, because his head finally turned, and instead of the irritation Jordan had seen earlier, his eyes were like the center of the hottest flame—blue and blazing.

Half-dressed, Jordan knew he must look completely disheveled as he walked closer to the man he’d been dying to get his hands, mouth, and cock against for years.

When he was finally by Derek’s side, Jordan gave a roguish grin and, without touching him, leaned forward and dragged the tip of his tongue up one of the elaborate tattoos decorating Derek’s arm.

Derek grunted and Jordan raised his head and winked at him, catching the ticking of Derek’s jaw when he clenched his teeth. Then, with a smirk, Jordan lowered his head to do it again and traced his finger over the curve of Derek’s back to his tailbone, causing a rumble to escape him this time.

“I’ve thought about you naked way more often than I should’ve, but, ahh…

” Jordan lost his train of thought as he stepped around behind Derek and drew his finger up his spine.

He then smoothed his palm over to his shoulder and pressed his lips to the warm skin at the nape of his neck.

“God, Derek, you’re built like a god. And I have a thing for muscles and tattoos, and fuck ,” Jordan said as he scraped his teeth along his shoulder. “I think I just have a thing for you.”

Jordan knew he needed to shut his mouth before he said anything else incriminating. But before he did, there was one more thing… “Turn around for me. I want to look at what’s mine for the night.”

Then he took a step back.

DEREK SHUT HIS eyes for a second and willed his dick not to embarrass him. He’d been waiting for this moment for years, and there was no way he was going to come without experiencing, or at least fucking seeing, Jordan naked.

God, please let him get naked…