Page 40 of Numbers Boy (Working Boys #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Steve

I’M BACK IN the dressing room, heart racing and mind whirling from the high of performing.

All of the other performers are gone, either having performed already or waiting in the wings since we’re nearing the end of the show.

Helen pops her head in to give me a quick “you killed it” before rolling on past to get in place for her next number.

I holler my thanks after her as my phone vibrates.

It takes a second for me to remember where I stashed it, but when it buzzes again, I fish it out of my bag to see it’s texts from Stu and Henry.

Stu-boo: Fuck. Yes. That’s how it’s done.

Hen: Eve was *fire emoji* *fire emoji* *fire emoji*

Hen: You are phenomenal and I love that I get to be your friend

Warmth floods me at their praise and support, but I am a little confused as to why it’s coming over the phone instead of in person. Henry’s not one for many boundaries, so I’m surprised he isn’t bounding in here to tell me all of this himself.

I hear a quiet knock on the door. Looking up, my eyes lock onto Noah’s in the reflection of the dressing table mirror, and my confusion clears up in an instant.

His gaze is smoldering, whiskey eyes almost glowing and intent on my own, but he stays there, leaning against the doorway like he’s trying to hold himself back. My pulse, already beating fast, kicks up another notch to have that heat directed at me. And not just me, me as Eve.

“Hey, handsome,” I greet, deciding to keep a little bit of Eve’s sass around for a little longer. “You lost or something?”

Noah shakes his head, finally entering the room and closing the door behind him. My heart thuds, and my cock kicks from where it’s tucked up against my body when the latch clicks shut. Still, I don’t turn from the mirror, letting him come to me.

“Nope. I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” he says, steadily walking closer.

Well, fuck, my heart’s melting now, too. I carefully remove Eve’s wig, setting it on the foam head on the vanity I’ve been using tonight. “Well, I’m glad you’re here.”

Thick arms snake around my waist, toying with the clasps on the front of my corset before tugging me to him until my back is flush to his chest.

“You were magnificent out there, beautiful,” he croons, warm lips skimming up my neck.

I tip my head to one side to give him better access, and he wastes no time before taking advantage. With my shoes still on, I’m a few inches taller than Noah, but he licks a stripe as far up as he can reach, causing a shiver to race down my spine and goose bumps to appear along my neck.

Turning in his embrace, I fight back another shiver at the bare want I find waiting in his eyes. Want and something else. Something warmer, more lasting.

Before I can speak, Noah takes my mouth with his.

His kiss is full of those same emotions I saw in his eyes, and I do my best to reply with my own.

Noah’s hands slip down over my lower back until they’re cupping my ass, and I moan into his mouth.

He greedily swallows the sound, gripping tighter and kneading my cheeks in a way that is both soothing and arousing.

“Need you, Princess,” Noah rasps, lips trailing along my jaw and up to my ear. “Want to show you just how sexy you are.”

My stomach melts along with my heart, liquid heat pooling low in my groin.

“Have me.” Noah goes to kneel when my brain kicks back online for a second. Now that I’m not onstage, my feeling of invincibility starts to waver as reality sets back in. “Wait.”

He looks up at me, molten brown eyes burning into mine as he pauses. “What do you need, love?”

My heart, apparently still the teensiest bit solid, flips at the endearment. “I’m all sweaty.”

“I don’t care,” Noah says without pause, hands going to my nylon-covered thighs. “Just want you.”

I squirm, mind warring between wanting to get those hands on other parts of me and the thought of how gross I might be.

Yes, Noah is looking at me like he wants to devour me.

But I’m a hot mess under this bodysuit. My feet are cramped and sweaty, and that’s nothing compared to where I’m all tucked away.

Not many guys would want to be up close and personal with what I’ve got going on.

Then again, if I were in Noah’s position, a little sweat wouldn’t stop me.

“I…” My words falter, not quite sure whether I’m arguing because I really want to or if it’s because it’s what’s expected of me.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear,” Noah says with a growl, causing any further protests to die on my lips.

He stands tall again and grips my chin firmly, but oh so gently.

He always treats me with such care, and I can’t get enough.

Will never get enough. “I. Don’t. Care. Now, if you want to go home and shower because it would make you more comfortable, we will make that happen.

But if you’re saying all this because you think it will make me like you less to see you sweaty and less than perfect, let me tell you that that is not a possibility.

You are perfect in all forms. Made-up or makeup-free.

In your nicest clothes or in your ratty sweats that you hide at the bottom of the drawer.

You are more than a princess, Princess. You are more than a queen.

You are a deity among humankind. Let me worship you. ”

The certainty and heat in his eyes make me believe him. “Okay,” I breathe out, limbs finally relaxing.

“I think I know who put those ideas in your head, and I’m going to love you until the only thought in your head is of me.

” He slowly starts to slide down my legs again, unsnapping my bodysuit and easing down my pantyhose.

He follows every inch of uncovered skin with kisses, soft and warm.

With each kiss, another doubt falls away.

“Until all you hear in your head is my voice telling you how utterly perfect you are.”

A quiet whimper escapes my lips when he gets to my ankle, lips brushing over the bone there as he unzips my shoes, working them off so the stockings can slip from my feet and the last vestiges of doubt slip from my mind. Without hesitation, Noah’s fingers take their place.

He kneads my sore arches gently, and my limbs go slack from how good it feels.

For as much practice as I have in heels, as much as I can wear them for hours without flinching, they never fail to leave me sore once they’re off.

But, fuck, his nimble fingers are my new favorite way to bring my feet back to life.

Between the massaging of his fingertips and the hypnotizing way he’s still caressing my leg with his lips, I could almost fall asleep like this.

Almost, that is, if not for those lips making their way back up my exposed skin.

My cock, now fully hard and making its presence known now that a few layers have been removed, throbs as Noah brushes his stubble over the sensitive skin at the side of my knee.

His eyes must somehow catch the movement, and a wicked smirk hitches his lips up as those whiskey-colored depths grow darker with lust. He pulls away the thin gaff separating my cock from freedom and watches intently as it rises from between my legs. Thank fuck I chose not to tape tonight.

“Gorgeous,” he mutters into my flesh before resuming his tantalizing path over my thighs now.

Soon, he’s kneeling between my legs, hands resting lightly on the tops of my thighs and mouth hovering inches away from my swollen cock.

Without dropping my gaze, he leans closer.

Slowly, like he’s giving me a chance to stop him if it’s what I truly want.

But what I want is him. I want him to keep looking at me like I’m the center of his universe.

Like there really is nothing that could make him think less of me.

I want to continue going on dog walks with Stacy and hearing about the other animals he cares for.

I want a lifetime of couch snuggles and playdates with his nieces, and dates that are equal parts fun and sexy.

I want Noah, in every way, shape, or form that I can get him.

When I don’t say anything, my chin dipping infinitesimally in agreement with what he’s doing, Noah finally closes the gap between him and me.

He nuzzles his nose into the crease where my thigh and groin meet, his eyes closing as he inhales, followed immediately by a groan.

Seeing this big, strong man on his knees for me, wanting to be as close as he can be, makes something in my chest burst. Similar to earlier tonight, when I knew without a doubt that I was done taking any shit from Adam, I know now that I will spend the rest of my life loving this man.

“Fuck, Princess,” he practically purrs. “You smell like sweat and citrus. I can’t wait to add our cum to that mix.”

“Do it,” I tell him, breathless from the pure need coursing through me. “Mark me as yours. Your princess.”

“My everything,” he breathes, tongue taking a broad swipe up my length as he straightens in front of me once more.

Without hesitation, Noah unzips his jeans and pulls himself out.

Sliding one arm around my back to support me, he wraps his other hand around both our lengths and pumps.

My eyes flutter shut at the sensation, but I make myself open them back up so I can watch the enthralling sight of us being thrust together.

The contrast between us makes me moan, my cock flushed light pink against Noah’s reddened shaft.

My slit leaks a drop of precum, and Noah rolls his palm over our tips on the next upstroke, using it to ease his way.

Noah’s lips find their way back to my neck, pressing hot kisses into my skin as he works us higher and higher. His fevered words sink into me like brands, pushing me closer and closer to the edge. “Can’t wait to see you come. Want to make it last, but need to see it.”

My breaths come out as gasps, hips pumping into Noah’s grasp. I can feel my release barreling down on me. And when Noah sucks my earlobe into his mouth and murmurs, “Come for me,” I have no choice but to obey.

I cry out as ropes of cum paint his fist and cock. Noah quickly follows me over, grunting while his own cum joins mine. We both sag against the vanity, Noah never moving his hand from supporting my back, even as he drops his head to my shoulder.

“So good,” he pants. Then he brings his hand to his mouth and licks off our combined cum, causing another pulse of arousal to go through me. “So.” Lick. “Fucking.” Lick. “Good.”

On his last word, Noah reaches his hand out to me, and I stick my tongue out to lap up the last bit from his thumb.

A satisfied hum leaves my lips as Noah slowly pulls his hand away.

But he doesn’t go far. He pinches my chin between his fingers like before to pull me forward into a slow, sloppy kiss, and I get lost in him all over again.

A knock at the door is what finally breaks me out of my Noah-filled trance, and I pull back a few inches. I tilt my head in question when I see the amusement in Noah’s expression.

“I’m not quite sure who’s out there, but one of our friends is playing lookout.”

I bite my lip against a smile when not a second later, Henry’s laughing tone floats through the now cracked-open door.

“It’s me, you absolute beast of a man. But there’s another queen who needs the space, so ready or not, here she comes.”

“Sadly, it sounds like they already did the coming without me,” another voice adds teasingly, and I can hear her and Henry go back and forth as Noah and I hurry to tuck ourselves away so we’re not completely indecent.

A second later, one of the queens I just met tonight sashays in, hand placed dramatically over her eyes, but with wide gaps between her fingers.

She lowers it and pouts when she sees we’re mostly put back together.

“Rude, you didn’t want to share your boy toy, Eve? ”

“Sorry, this one’s all mine,” I say, giant grin plastered across my face when Noah tugs me into his arms and kisses my cheeks.

“Damn right, I am. Now, let’s go home, Princess.”