Page 52 of Mr. Perfect
Or maybe it was just easier.
Had he played so willingly into Coop’s plan? Had it worked? Did Jude turn to his roommate after they’d broken up? Felix’s mouth went as dry as the Sahara, and his throat burned like he’d chased a shot of moonshine with a flaming marshmallow. It hurt to breathe. Felix took a long drink of sweet tea, the ice-cold liquid momentarily extinguishing the hellish fire.
“Did you take Coop up on it?”
“Hell no. Even if I hadn’t been hung up on you, I wouldn’t have turned to Coop. I got a different roommate after my freshman year.”
“No,” Felix said, shaking his head. “It’s too convenient.”
“Are you saying that because you’d prefer I was the enemy, or do you actually believe I intentionally hurt you?” Jude moved around the table and took Felix’s face in his hands. “I didn’t betray your confidence, but I still failed you because I hadn’t earned your trust. The man standing in front of me now would demand more evidence, but the boy I worshiped hadn’t discovered his worth yet.”
In such proximity, it was impossible to dodge the emotional grenade Jude lobbed at him. Felix could step back and break their physical link, but fourteen years apart hadn’t severed their emotional bond. What would a few feet of separation do for him now?
Felix opened his mouth to respond, but the only thing passing through his lips was a ragged sigh. Jude must’ve taken it as a sign that he was getting through to Felix because he pushed on.
“I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder back then. I never should’ve given you three years to shore up your defenses against me. If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I would. I’d give us back the years we lost. Felix, I…” Jude briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When their gazes collided again, all Felix saw was the same kind of longing he felt deep down in his soul.
Fuck, I want to believe.
Jude hadn’t been the only one to take the path of least resistance. Hurting and doubting was easier than trusting and trying. Felix’s lonely heart urged him to have faith and lean toward Jude. That’s all it would take on Felix’s part—a mere inch of forward momentum, and Jude would do the rest.
“I let my broken heart and wounded pride steer the ship back in college,” Jude said, his yearning resonating with every syllable. Jude gently pressed his lips to Felix’s but didn’t linger or attempt to deepen the kiss. “The man standing in front of you realizes he should’ve fought harder for you back then. I’m prepared to wage a fierce battle now.”
Felix swallowed hard. Many people had taken him head-on, a few had battled beside Felix, but no one had foughtforhim.
“No one I know has better instincts than you do, Ace. Listen to them.” Jude dropped his hand and took a step back. “I think my five minutes are up. Shall I stay or go?”
Everything Felix had wanted and denied himself was right there for the taking. Which instinct should he call upon at this moment: fight or fuck? He’d been fleeing from his feelings for this man for far too long.
Felix fisted Jude’s dress shirt and dragged him the few feet separating them. He slammed his lips against Jude’s sinfully beautiful mouth. Felix wasn’t capable of the tenderness and finesse Jude had just exuded. Lust raced through his veins, heightening his awareness into a symphony of senses.
Jude’s gasp of surprise turned into a moan of pleasure when Felix pushed his tongue between Jude’s parted lips. Jude met his aggression head-on by closing his lips around the invader and sucking it deeper.
They reached for each other at the same time. Jude slipped his hand beneath Felix’s T-shirt while Felix tore Jude’s shirt open, sending buttons skittering across the hardwood floor.
Jude broke the kiss to glance at the damage. “This is my favorite shirt,” he said, his voice thick with arousal. When their eyes met again, Felix saw the blown pupils and knew they were on the same page.
“I’ll buy you two more just like it,” Felix said, shoving the shirt off Jude’s broad shoulders and down his arms. He reached shaking hands out to touch Jude’s hard chest but was derailed when Jude yanked Felix’s T-shirt up and off.
They crashed into each other, bare flesh to bare flesh. Felix melted into Jude’s heat. Their hands and mouths started roaming, each of them knowing where to touch the other to draw out whimpers and moans. Jude scraped his fingernails over Felix’s sensitive nipples before pinching and rolling them between his thumbs and index fingers. Felix trailed kisses and bites along Jude’s neck while getting two handfuls of Jude’s muscular ass.
Felix burned hotter with each suckle, kiss, nip, and touch. Much more of this and his organs might liquify, turning him into jelly at Jude’s feet.
“Tell me you haven’t been able to stop thinking about that kiss,” Jude whispered.
“I haven’t.” Then Felix latched on to the spot on Jude’s neck that made him insane. He sucked hard, knowing he was going to mark Jude. Felix relaxed his lips and pulled back, admiring the angry flesh. He ran his tongue over it to soothe, then continued licking a path upward until he reached Jude’s earlobe. He bit down before pressing his lips to Jude’s ear. “Nor could I stop thinking about what I wanted to happen next.”
“What was that?”
Instead of answering, Felix dropped to his knees and reached for Jude’s belt.
“Felix,” Jude moaned, fisting Felix’s hair.
Felix continued leaving love bites on Jude’s abdomen while he released the belt and opened Jude’s pants. He felt the arousal thrumming through Jude’s body, and when he pressed his nose against Jude’s briefs, Felix smelled it. He couldn’t wait for a taste.
“Felix, wait,” Jude said, pulling his head up to meet his gaze. “As much as I want to feel your mouth on me, I don’t want you to regret it afterward. There’s more we should talk about.”
Felix nodded. “Okay, fine. You didn’t steal my idea for your senior project. We’d all tossed out ideas during a round-robin session. I mentioned ethics in journalism as an option but ultimately didn’t select it for my final project, which made it fair game. You took the idea and ran with it and deserved the praise Professor Alexander heaped on you.”