Page 58 of Something Like Hail

He swiftly stooped to pick up the fallenkeys, and when Harold extended a hand for them, Noah decided hecouldn’t take it anymore. Those perfectly sculpted lips, theflawless white teeth, and the soft brown eyes that always seemed toglisten with sympathy…

Noah’s hands were on Harold’s chest, thekeys balled into one fist as their lips touched. Harold pulled backever so slightly, surprised and then amused before he reciprocated.When he did, Noah’s knees nearly buckled. The kiss was fine. Harolddidn’t possess some secret technique that Noah hadn’t experiencedpreviously. Instead it just felt right, like this was the guy hehad been waiting for his entire life, and the kiss somehowconfirmed that. Even though they still had so much to learn abouteach other, the potential was just beneath the surface, and if asimple kiss helped reveal it, then Noah couldn’t wait to see whatfurther physical contact would do. He pulled back, curious to knowif he was alone in these revelations.

Harold seemed pleased, but notlife-changingly so. Instead he made a joke. “What will theneighbors think?”

“That depends on how longit takes you to get the door open,” Noah said, handing him thekeys. He sounded confident, but inside he was holding his breathfor a reaction.

Harold’s eyes moved to the street, then backto Noah and over his body. His gaze stopped at one place. “I guesswhen you’ve got one that big, it’s not easy to hide.”

Noah was hard. That was no surprise. Whattook him aback was when Harold reached to rub a palm against hiscrotch, coming close for another kiss. By the time he finished,Noah was ready and willing to do just about anything.

“Wanna take it out?” heasked.

“Here?” Harold laughed.“Why do all my clients have weird fetishes?”

“Inside is fine too,” Noahsaid. “Just hurry up or I’ll break down the door.”

“Got a crowbar handy?”Harold said with half-lidded eyes.

“Sure do.” Noah put hishand on his jeans, like he was about to undo them. This promptedHarold to get the door unlocked. Noah thought they would stumbleinto the house and start groping at each other, but Harold swiftlyturned on the living room lamps and made a beeline for thekitchen.

“Thirsty,” he said when henoticed Noah’s confused expression. “Want something?”

Noah shook his head and watched as Haroldfilled a glass with tap water and leaned against the counter todrink it. He didn’t make eye contact while doing so. Not until hehad set down the glass.

“I’ve slept with friendsbefore. It can get complicated.”

Noah’s stomach sank, notjust because of his careful tone, but that word.Friends. “Complicatedhow?”

“Feelings.”

“Oh.” No sense denying it.“I like you.”

“I like you too,but—”

“Then we’re good. Itdoesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.”

Harold seemed uncertain, then shook his headas if he was being foolish. “Right. Of course. So, uh… What do youwant to do?”

“Got any pineapple juice? Iwas planning on drinking as much as possible. Then, in half an houror so, we’ll need to go somewhere waterproof.”

Harold gawped. Then he started laughing. “Imean it!”

“I don’t have as muchexperience as you,” Noah said, “but as far as I remember, thesethings don’t have to be planned. You start with a kiss…”

“We did that already,”Harold said playfully.

“And thenanother.”

“We did thattoo.”

“Three for good measure,”Noah said, walking forward. Interesting that he was forced to takethe lead. He had imagined Harold being more aggressive, certain ofhis own needs while detecting Noah’s. Instead he seemed nervous andshy, which only made him more endearing. Noah pressed against him,inhaling through his nose as they kissed once more, the musky scentof cologne driving him wild. He shifted his hips, his packagerubbing against Harold’s, which was definitely hard now. That wasall the confirmation he needed. They were both intothis!

Noah grabbed the hem of Harold’s T-shirt andpulled it up and off. Then he kissed the flawless skin of hisshoulder, tasting a hint of salt from their walk. He didn’t resistwhen Harold did the same to him, except when he felt his belt beingtugged.

“No way,” Noah said, takinga step back. “You’ve already seen everything I’ve got to offer, andthat was a whole ten minutes after we’d met. It’s yourturn!”

“Fair enough,” Harold said,gesturing at one of the kitchen chairs. “Let’s see if I can passthis job interview.”