Page 54 of Enemy of My Enemy

“Well… They won’t be talking about us for a while.”

“Should you call him?”

“Tomorrow. I’m sure he’s busy right now.” Jack stretched, letting his head fall back on the couch in his study. They’d escaped upstairs after chasing their staff out, insisting that they try to get some rest. The news from the day before had been awful, but they had to reset and move on, and they couldn’t do that while exhausted. “I can’t believe he’s been doing this his entire presidency.”

“I can see why he likes you.” Ethan nudged Jack with his knee. “Why you guys are friends.”

Jack rolled his head toward Ethan. “I guess we are both political rebels, huh?”

“Idealists was what I thought.” Ethan leaned back, and his face ended up next to Jack’s, their lips almost touching. “And good men.”

Jack’s smile grew slowly as he gazed into Ethan’s eyes. All the calamity in the world, all the dark and shadowy parts of governing, and all the moments when he felt like he was never enough, could be smoothed over by Ethan’s unwavering confidence in him. Who was this man Ethan knew, this rock star, this good man? He seemed like someone Jack would want to know.

Jack’s smiled faded. “Hasn’t been a good few days,” he whispered. Madigan’s resurgence. Their lost operatives. Almost losing Cooper and his team.

“Some days are tougher than others. But you never give up. You always want to make the world better.”

“It’s like you know me or something.” Jack repeated Ethan’s words.

“A bit.” Ethan winked and leaned forward, pressing his lips to Jack’s. Jack’s hand rose, sliding up Ethan’s neck and through his hair. Tugging, he pulled Ethan onto his lap until Ethan was straddling him and Jack was sliding Ethan’s shirt up and over his head.

His lips found Ethan’s skin, the fur of Ethan’s chest hair tickling him as he pressed lazy kisses across his muscles. Ethan shuddered when his tongue circled a nipple, and Jack’s arms wrapped around Ethan’s waist, dragging him closer as he kissed down Ethan’s stomach. He sucked a hickey onto each hip as he undid Ethan’s belt and unzipped his khakis. Slowly, he pushed down Ethan’s pants and boxers as Ethan kneeled over Jack’s lap.

Jack locked gazes with Ethan, looking up into his endless brown eyes as he licked his cock, slowly, from root to tip. Ethan cursed, and Jack lapped at the head, hollowing his cheeks as he sucked. His fingers traced circles on Ethan’s hips and then dragged over his ass, gentle strokes that made Ethan shiver and shake. Goose bumps erupted over Ethan’s thighs. Jack grinned up at him, Ethan’s cock resting on Jack’s tongue.

Gently, Jack’s fingers dipped between Ethan’s ass cheeks. He looked up again, questioning.

Ethan nodded, short jerks of his head.

He always asked, always. Making love to Ethan was a gift, one he was hyperaware of, and Jack would rather cut off his own hand than make Ethan uncomfortable or push him in any way. Ethan had been self-conscious at first about how he prepared himself for Jack, and Jack had let him have his space. Now, more often than not, Jack helped him in the shower.

Sometimes he reached for Ethan and Ethan wasn’t ready. Sometimes, like now, he was.

Jack’s blood seemed to sear, his veins burning as lust throttled through him. He wanted Ethan so badly, all the time. Wanted to be in his arms, wanted to hold his body close. Wanted to wrap their sweat-slick bodies up and forget the world, and just make love over and over again. His lust for Ethan had grown exponentially in conjunction with his love, and now, it seemed like making love to Ethan was another way he could say the words, could tell Ethan he loved him. That he loved him so much he would gladly unmake his whole world, his entire career, for the two of them to have a future together.

Ethan stumbled back and shimmied out of his pants. He tripped over his shoes as he toed them off. Jack pulled his shirt over his head and slipped out of his own suit pants, dumping them on the floor. Ethan clambered back into his lap and captured his lips, kissing him senseless while running his hands up and down over Jack’s hard cock. He spat in his palm then ran his slick hand over Jack again.

Shivering, Jack grabbed Ethan’s ass and squeezed, trying to drag him closer.

Ethan held back. “Do we have any condoms in here?”

Goddamn it. Exhaling, Jack slumped against the couch. “I didn’t bring any.” They kept their supplies by their bed—lube, condoms, and towels.

“Let’s get back to our bedroom then.”

“Wait.”

Ethan froze. He stared down at Jack. Jack’s hands clenched on his hips.

He opened his mouth. Hesitated. Damn it, why was this so hard to say? He tried again, inhaling before he spoke. “Can we get tested?” Jack breathed out, speaking fast.

Ethan’s jaw dropped. He stared down at Jack, shock and horror warring across his features, and said nothing.

“I’m sorry.” He tried to smile but failed, and his hands flew from Ethan’s hips. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. I—”

“Is this about the article?” Ethan’s voice was fragile, barely a whisper. “Is this about what you read?”

“No!” Jack’s hands closed over Ethan’s biceps, tense and hard beneath his fingers. “No, God, no. I just—” He pressed his lips together. Held Ethan’s worried gaze. “I want to make love to you with nothing between us. I want to ditch the condoms. Both of us getting tested… Isn’t that the next step?”