Page 38 of Finley
He daringly flicked his tongue over his teacher’s ear, and his balls tightened when the fingers on his ass flexed and practically slipped between his cheeks.
“Say it,” he demanded again, wanting to hear Brantley say his name, and more than aware that he was close to begging.
Then Professor Hayes turned his head and tipped his face up to trace his tongue along his jaw, and Daniel’s breath got lodged somewhere in his throat.
Fuck,this was the hottest fucking thing he’d ever done, and his professor hadn’t even kissed him yet. But when that teasing mouth found his ear, Professor Hayes whispered, “Kiss me,Finn.”
And nothing could’ve stopped him.
DANIEL SAMPLED BRANTLEY’Slips as his eyes slid shut and he let every part of the experience take him over.
The first kiss out in the hallhadbeen like an attack. He’d wanted to stamp his ownership back on Brantley before they went any further with whatever this was. Even if it was for only a day, a week, or two, he wanted to be crystal fucking clear that while he was there in Brantley’s bed, no one else would be.
This kiss, however, was a totally different experience. Brantley’s fingers glided up the back of his neck and then played with his hair as Daniel tangled his tongue with his. When he sucked on it, the groan that rumbled out of Brantley was worth every second of the ravenous way he was devouring him.
He ran one of his hands through Brantley’s thick hair and then twisted his fingers into it to pull him back a little. When he was looking up at him with swollen lips and heavy eyelids, Daniel told him, “You are still the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. Don’t doubt that. Not ever. Okay?”
Brantley slowly nodded. “Mhmm. Okay.”
“Plus, I don’t look the same either. I mean, look at this haircut, andyoustill like me.” As he bumped his pelvis against Brantley’s, he grinned and then released him.
“I think it looks very…sophisticated.”
“My mother thinks I look ‘city.’”
“You do. But that’s not a bad thing.”
“Sure it isn’t.” Daniel laughed.
“Well,” Brantley said, taking a much-needed step back, “are you hungry?”
“Fuck yes. I’m starved.”
“Andthereis my Finn.”
That comment had Daniel’s laugh coming to an abrupt end. Because the truth of the matter was that he wasn’thisFinn, not anymore. And it was best that the two of them understood that from the very beginning and didn’t try to delude themselves into believing that this could be anything other than what it was.
Two weeks. And nothing more.
Chapter 11
BRANTLEY CURSED HIS own stupidity as heohso casually left his bedroom and ran toward the kitchen.
What was I thinking, saying that?He had no excuse. Well, none other than the little trip down memory lane that had blurred with the present and had his brain and his emotions all twisted up around themselves.
The expression on Daniel’s face when he’d said it, though…Damn it.It had been tight-lipped and closed off. They’d finally started to take steps forward, and with one stupid slip-up, they were right back where they’d started. But Brantley wasn’t going to let it bother him, he decided as he opened the fridge and checked out the contents.Yeah, right.
It wasn’t his fault that that was how he thought of Daniel. He’d always beenhisFinn. From that moment in the club, Daniel had been his. And when he’d seen him just the other night, it had still felt that way.
After grabbing the Brie, some grapes, and a bottle of Chardonnay, he closed the door and went about cutting up small triangles of cheese. He arranged it all on a plate with some crackers, reached for two wine glasses that hung under one of his cabinets, and then carried it all on a tray out to his balcony. After setting it down on the table, he walked over to the railing overlooking the beach.
He needed to keep a clear head over the next two weeks. A clear head and a wary heart. Daniel had told him straight up that he was different. Told him that he had changed, and while the chemistry was obviously still simmering between them, they needed to overcome so much other baggage before they could truly enjoy it.
“Thought I might find you out here.”
When Brantley looked over his shoulder, Daniel was stepping out onto the balcony. He’d put on a pair of Aviator sunglasses, and as he strolled toward him, Brantley thought he’d never looked more handsome.
Danieldidlook different, extremely different, and his mother was right when she’d said that the city element had shaped the man stopping beside him. But with the glasses, the loose linen pants, and the shirt, Brantley still saw the blond surfer he’d first fallen for.