Page 16

CHAPTER 16

AXEL

J ace grabbed the slatted wood headboard with both hands and started banging it against the wall, rocking the bed back and forth. A loud crack reverberated as the wood hit the wall, like a player slamming into the boards. In this space, with nothing except a bed and a few boxes, everything echoed loudly. And I was pretty sure that thanks to that air vent, everyone else in the house heard the racket.

“Oh God, oh fuck, yes!” Jace moaned loudly, moving faster.

Every time he shook the bed he rocked his hips, and I could so easily imagine what he’d look like naked in the same position. With me underneath, my legs wrapped around his slim waist as he pounded me into oblivion.

Whoa.

I’d never been on the receiving end, but suddenly, my ass clenched tight at the very idea.

“That’s it,” Jace growled. “Touch me right fucking there. Don’t stop.”

I had to be hallucinating because it sounded like Jace was having sex in this bed. With me. Every part of my body was on fire, and I was sweating like mad, my pits soaked, my face flushed, perspiration trickling down my hairline. The only other time I got this hot was after the end of a game with all my equipment on.

Jace turned to me and licked his lips and without thinking, I slowly slid onto the bed and joined him. Hoping like hell that he was so involved with his ‘performance’ that he wouldn’t notice the very huge bulge in my jeans. When I glanced over, however, I could tell he was in a similar state.

My mouth was no longer dry.

I grabbed the headboard and added my weight to it, rocking back and forth, the loud slam as it hit the wall almost deafening. The noise didn’t help my hangover, but it sure as fuck would wake everyone in this house.

“I want to eat your ass,” I moaned before I could stop myself.

Jace’s face flushed but he didn’t stop moving.

“Do it,” he demanded as he locked eyes with me. “Fuck me with your tongue.”

The filthy fantasy played out in my head as I reached down with one hand to palm my covered dick, rubbing hard, desperately needing friction. Instead of staying where he was, Jace moved and kneeled behind me, his crotch to my ass, his arms bracketing mine as we both held on to the headboard like a lifeline, knuckles stark white with strain.

“I’m going to lick every inch of your gorgeous body,” he replied, his hot breath teasing my ear.

Jesus, he was good at this. I almost believed that he really wanted me.

My body locked up tight, pleasure spiraling, running hot in my veins. For me, this wasn’t acting, it was real. I canted my hips and rubbed my ass against Jace. Against his hard cock. Oh man. This was real, alright. It didn’t feel strange like I was expecting. If anything, it turned me on and made me flush all over.

“I’m gonna kiss and suck and bite,” he continued. “Leave you with marks, make sure everyone knows that you’re mine, and only mine.”

A violent shudder wracked my body.

Why was that the hottest thing anyone had ever said to me?

“Jace,” I growled deeply, rocking my hips.

Jace humped my ass like a man possessed. I should’ve been freaking out. What did I know about fooling around with a guy? But it felt entirely natural to grind against Jace. Sexy images bombarded me, raw and dirty, and once I started, I couldn’t stop.

The heat of his body enveloped mine, the heady smell of our sweat and arousal. I closed my eyes and dropped my head forward as he writhed and moaned against me, his hot breath teasing my neck. We hadn’t kissed but already it was the best sex I’d ever had. And when his hands moved to interlock with mine, my climax threatened to let loose.

This was supposed to be a prank on Ethan. Once again, the joke was on us.

“I’m almost there, Jace,” I said breathlessly. “So close.”

“Come for me. Do it now.”

“Jace. Oh God, oh fuck.”

I undulated again, and the movement had me pushing against the headboard as I came hard, wet, sticky cum filling up my briefs.

Jace let out a loud moan, and I felt his body stiffen behind me. He gripped my hands tighter as he whispered my name in that filthy, raspy voice of his.

“Axel. Fucking hell.”

I could hardly breathe, gasping for air. Did both of us win this time? It sure as hell felt like it.

We stopped pushing the headboard against the wall, but our hips kept moving, rubbing against each other. And then there was just the sound of our heavy breathing and the squeak of the mattress underneath us.

“Are you done now, you assholes?” someone in the house roared.

Jace and I both burst out laughing. Since he was still behind me, I felt the vibration of his laughter settling into my back, my body lax and lazy with pleasure.

“Looks like the plan worked,” I admitted.

There was a bang, and a strange voice echoed from the air vent. “Did someone break into the house, or did they just break one of our beds?”

“Mission accomplished,” Jace chuckled as he slowly let go of my hands and slid back.

I shivered at the loss of contact, unsure how I was going to talk my way out of what just happened. The joke that went too far. It was the first time I ever fooled around with a guy, and it wasn’t funny in the least. It imploded what I thought I knew about myself.

Would I do it again?

I turned my head and found Jace staring at me with those intense green-gold eyes. His stunning face was close, his cheeks a gorgeous shade of pink, his eyes bright with pleasure. Without thinking, I angled my head and leaned back, tasting his soft lips, wanting to kiss him more than I wanted to breathe.

I had to know if this was real, or an alcohol-induced dream.

When his hot tongue slid against mine—bold and sensual—and his scruff teased my lips, there was no question.

I was walking a dangerous line before, but I was in even deeper trouble now.

Jace

I’d once been told by my high school science teacher that my smart-ass jokes were going to get me into a world of trouble.

I didn’t believe it then, but I sure as fuck knew it now.

What started out as a simple prank to get back at Ethan turned into the hottest fake—not-so-fake—orgasm I’d had in forever. Not to mention that kiss. Axel’s mouth took mine without hesitation, stealing the remaining breath from my body. There was something urgent and primal about the way we kissed. It was rough and messy and possessive, like neither of us was going to survive if we stopped. I cupped his face, feeling the scratch of his scruff under my palm, then slid it into his thick hair and tugged, angling his head, shoving my tongue deeper into that wicked mouth of his. The low rumble of his responding growl had my cock jerking hard.

Suddenly, over the furious rhythm of my heartbeat, I heard the stomp of footsteps.

Someone was coming up the stairs.

Shit.

Axel nipped my lower lip, gave it a teasing lick, and then pulled back. The loss of contact had me shivering hard. I was finally able to take a full breath. Not that I wanted to breathe or needed to. I’d willingly forego oxygen for another taste of Axel’s mouth. Or, to watch him come again. Hearing and feeling Axel unleash was unexpected and so incredibly hot that I came in my jeans embarrassingly fast.

What the fuck do I do now?

I watched him slide off the bed in one smooth move, like he wasn’t affected by our kiss at all. Like he kissed a guy every day. And me? I was so fucked out by what had just happened that I nearly tumbled off the bed and onto my ass.

A loud knock at the door had me scrambling to move. Luckily, I didn’t land in a tangled heap on the floor. Instead, I reached for my jacket and pulled it on. Then I noticed Axel did the same, covering up the wet stain on the front of his jeans. Fuck, I could smell his musky cum, and I wanted to shove him back on the bed, yank those jeans down, and lick up every drop.

The door opened and a grumpy, rumpled-looking Ethan came barreling into the attic, dressed in white briefs and a stained Cougars t-shirt.

“We should’ve locked you in the goddamn basement after all,” he announced, running an agitated hand through his long hair.

“Did you enjoy the show?” I quipped, thankful that I was able to form words again. “Did your frat bros like it too?”

Ethan gave us two middle fingers.

“Half of them came knocking on my door. I’m gonna get reamed out at the next meeting,” Ethan replied with a sigh and then paused, staring at me. “Your show was damn realistic, by the way.”

“Watch a lot of gay porn?” I teased.

“I watch a lot of porn, period,” he quipped as he looked at me and then Axel, his narrowed eyes ping-ponging between us. “Smells like cum in here.”

Fucking hell.

“That’s the bed,” Axel replied quickly. “You guys probably never wash the sheets.”

Ethan shook his head. I wasn’t sure he was buying Axel’s explanation.

Instead of worrying about it, I crossed my arms and faked boredom, giving a huge yawn.

“Well, we’re gonna head back to the dorm and get some sleep,” I declared.

Ethan rolled his eyes. “It’s almost four in the morning. Just sleep here and I’ll feed you breakfast in the morning.”

“You’re not going to put laxatives in our eggs or anything like that?”

Ethan walked up to me and flicked my forehead. “We have a game coming up. Don’t be dumb.”

“But afterwards?” I asked.

“Then, fair’s fair,” Ethan quipped, and I glared at him. “Kidding.”

He wasn’t. Just like his frat bros and hockey teammates, Ethan was competitive as fuck and wouldn’t let things go. Payback was coming, one way or another.

“So, have you made up now?” Ethan smirked. “Did forcible confinement work? Are you best buddies?”

I glanced at Axel, but he gave me a look that I couldn’t quite interpret. In his eyes, I saw a mixture of surprise, confusion, and tension, all at once. I had a feeling that I looked very much the same.

What the hell had we done?

“Not best, but we’re still breathing, so that has to count for something,” Axel responded quietly, never losing eye contact.

Speak for yourself. How could I breathe after that kiss?

“Good.” Ethan grinned and made his way back to the door. “Now get some sleep. Fuck knows we need it.”

“I’ll grab the couch downstairs,” Axel replied, following our teammate.

That was a smart idea. Space. Distance. Axel and I needed all that and more. And we didn’t need a repeat of that incredible, but incredibly stupid, kiss. I could chalk it up to too much drinking, but I was never one to lie to myself. Both of us wanted it. I think? I certainly did. Maybe it was just curiosity for Axel. Or, worse, maybe he was playing a game with me that went far beyond the rink. Was his reaction an act? Was he trying to get close just to toy with me? The idea that Axel could be as manipulative as my ex had my stomach clenching hard.

Stop angsting. It was just a kiss. No harm, no foul.

And erections don’t lie.

It didn’t change anything.

It didn’t mean anything.

I’d had plenty of kisses. And none of them left me feeling anything more than pleasure in the moment. It was done, over. There was nothing to worry about, and nothing to replay.

When Axel left the room, I should’ve felt relieved. Instead, a gnawing ache nagged at my chest. It was probably just too much booze. Or the stale air up here.

I threw off my jacket and lay back down on the bed. But sleep, unfortunately, didn’t come as fast as I did.