Page 31 of Sour Candy (Sour Candy #1)

Noah waited until they were pulling up to the gala before he gave in, covering Benji’s vibrating knee with his hand.

“You’re going to be fine,” he assured him. “Just be yourself.”

Benji let out a strange, brittle laugh. Noah had been expecting to find him shy and grinning, draping himself over Noah in the backseat.

But Benji stayed stiff and rigid, barely even looking at him.

He’d only remembered to thank Noah for the car when they got down to the street, his eyes wide and apologetic and so obviously full of worry that Noah let it go.

He gave Benji’s knee a comforting squeeze. Then he finally said what he’d been holding off on saying for the whole drive.

“My brother,” he started.

Benji twitched, looking over at Noah for the first time since he’d apologized about the car.

Noah grimaced. “He’s… a little overprotective. If he knows we’ve been seeing each other this long, he might be a little hostile. And he’ll want to dig into your past. He’ll probably assign someone to follow you. If you’re not ready for that, we can lie. Say it’s new or casual.”

Benji didn’t balk, like Noah had expected. He didn’t even make a face or tell Noah that he had a weird family. He just sat there, rigid, his knee still trying to bounce under Noah’s hand.

“Sure,” he said finally. “Let’s do that.”

He gave Noah a tight smile. Then he twisted to look out the tinted window, the gala building towering above them.

“You don’t have to be nervous,” Noah tried. “I’ll be with you the whole time.”

He took Benji’s chin, turning him back and kissing his tense mouth. It took a second for Benji to melt into it. He even made a noise as Noah drew back, soft and almost pleading. For a moment, something huge and terrible flickered through his eyes, and Noah started to ask if he was okay.

Then Benji smiled, bright and almost steady. “I know you will.”

The gala was in full swing by the time they arrived. People laughing, dancing, and picking food off of trays. Predictably, Tia ambushed them before they even got to the open bar.

“Here we go,” Noah said, taking Benji’s arm. “Remember, she’s harmless.”

Benji nodded, looking dubious as Tia descended upon them in a shiny golden suit and bedazzled glasses.

“You must be Benjamin,” she cooed. “It’s so good to meet you! Noah’s told me so much.”

“Great,” Benji said, voice high with panic. “Awesome. Love hearing that. You’re Tia, right? The assistant?”

“That’s what it says on my resume,” Tia replied. “Assistant, cat enthusiast, and when Noah bribes me, reluctant jogger. I like your suit.”

“I like yours,” Benji said. He actually seemed to relax a little bit, eyeing the undeniably tacky outfit that was getting her stares from the other gala-goers. “It’s… energetic.”

“Right?” Tia tapped her sparkling vest buttons. “Gotta show these rich weirdos that everything doesn’t have to be all sleek and elegant. You can have fun . So, you’re in college, huh? That must be—oh, shit.”

She stopped, staring at something over his shoulder.

Noah turned.

Michael was standing at the open bar, his hand clenched tight around a whiskey glass as he nodded at something a blonde was saying. Even before she turned, Noah knew it was Yvonne—no one else could coax that reaction out of him.

“Woof,” Tia muttered. “Hope he gets that out of his system before he comes in on Monday.”

Noah wrapped an arm around Benji’s slim waist. “Glad you two finally got to meet. If you’ll excuse me, I owe this boy a dance.”

He tugged Benji onto the dance floor. It was sparse, with only a few people dancing to the slow piano music playing over the speakers.

“I still don’t know how to dance,” Benji said, watching their feet as Noah pulled him in. “Seriously, I’m gonna step on your feet.”

Noah shushed him. He guided Benji’s hands, placing one on his shoulder and keeping the other one entwined with his, leading him in a slow, simple box step.

“Just follow me,” he told him. “I have you.”

Benji’s throat clicked. Noah waited for him to glance down at his feet. But his gaze stayed on Noah’s, his dark eyes even more beautiful than usual in the bright gala light.

“Good boy,” Noah murmured.

Benji shivered. They were pressed so close that Noah felt all of it, heat curling in his stomach along with a swell of pride. He leaned in to brush his lips against Benji’s cheek, only stopping when Benji spoke up.

“That’s the blonde lady from the bagel place,” Benji said. “Right? His ex?”

Noah pulled back. Benji was watching the open bar, where Michael was a few ounces of pressure away from shattering his whiskey glass with his bare hand.

“Yvonne,” Noah explained. “She was going to marry him. Then we found out she was only in it for the money.”

Benji winced. “Shit.”

“Yeah. Hopefully that’ll distract him enough to keep him away from you tonight.

” Noah stroked Benji’s palm, trying not to think about the alternative: his encounter with Yvonne could also push him to be even more vigilant with anyone Noah was seeing.

Even if they convinced him that Benji was new, that might not be enough to stop him if he was even more determined than usual to stop the Yvonne situation from playing out with his brother.

“Wish I had seen it,” Noah continued. “I wasn’t as good at reading people back then. It really hurt him.”

“I bet,” Benji muttered.

He still sounded stressed. Noah stepped in even closer, winding his arm tighter around Benji’s waist until they were cheek to cheek, Benji’s startled breath landing on Noah’s ear.

“You, uh…” Benji hesitated. “You never worry about that?”

“Sure, I do,” Noah said easily. “But not with you.”

“No? I’m the type to take advantage, man. Student debt, no job, no prospects.”

His hand was shaking. Noah stroked his waist, hoping to calm the raging storm inside his head. “If you were only in this for the money, I could tell. I see you, remember?”

Benji laughed nervously. “You gotta stop saying that.”

“Why? Isn’t it a relief, finally having someone see you?”

Benji’s hand tightened in his. He turned, chapped lips skimming Noah’s cheek. For a strange moment, Noah thought he was going to admit something terrible. Then Benji said, “I-I never thanked you properly for the car.”

“You don’t have to,” Noah said. “You seem?—”

“I want to,” Benji said, too fast. “I have a surprise.”

Noah pulled back again, considering. Benji was obviously still nervous, but he looked eager. Almost desperate. Wanting Noah to take him out of his head, make him forget whatever was weighing on him. Turn him as light as air.

Noah kissed his cheek. “Come with me.”

Benji was on him before he could even lock the bathroom door.

Noah huffed a laugh against his mouth, fumbling the lock closed behind him.

“You’re hungry tonight,” he said, pulling Benji back with a gentle hand in his hair. “Did you touch yourself today?”

“No time,” Benji said, pulling against him. Trying to reach his mouth. He made a lost noise. “Noah, come on .”

Noah took pity on him and leaned in. Benji kissed him eagerly, fumbling for his belt.

“ Very hungry,” Noah gasped as Benji pulled him free of his slacks, stroking tight and slow, just the way he liked. “Is this my surprise?”

“Sort of.” Benji hesitated. Then he turned, bracing himself against the bathroom sink as he undid his own belt, sliding those dark green slacks Noah had chosen for him over down to his thighs. Then he bent over, exposing the black thong and the large silver plug tucked in his hole.

Noah felt a surge of satisfaction. His baby was getting so confident. He was still blushing, Noah could see it in the reflection, but he was baring himself so wantonly. Ready to get what he wanted.

“I’m going to get you naked later,” he told Benji, rubbing his half-hard cock on Benji’s ass cheeks. “Lie you out. Take my time. But we don’t have time right now, do we, baby?”

“‘S why I wore the plug,” Benji said breathlessly. “I know you like opening me up, but?—”

“We have to be fast. I know.” Noah pulled at the plug, watching Benji’s hole flutter around the wide base. “Look at you, making sure you can take my cock in a hurry. So good for me.”

He pulled Benji up, pressing his mouth to his neck and breathing in the cologne Noah had bought him. The suit, the panties, even the plug—and now he smelled like he belonged to Noah.

“Mine,” he murmured, nuzzling his throat. “My sweet, good boy.”

Benji shuddered. It took Noah an embarrassingly long moment to realize what was wrong: Benji was silent. Even the first time, shy and barely able to meet Noah’s eyes, he’d been spilling over with moans and gorgeous little whines.

Noah looked up at their reflection. Benji was hard, but the look on his face wasn’t the dazed anticipation that Noah expected.

Benji was crying. Big, silent tears rolled down his face. He blinked desperately, but it was too late: they’d seen each other.

“Hey,” Noah said, turning him around. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” Benji sniffed. “I’m just— I really want it.”

“You’re crying.”

“I cry all the time during sex!”

Noah thumbed the edge of a tear. “This isn’t like that. Something’s wrong.”

“I’m fine!” Benji sniffed harder, smearing his sleeve over his cheeks. He made a face, presumably imagining the dry-cleaning bill. Then he leaned in, aiming for a kiss.

Noah caught his chin. “Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not .” Noah’s grip tightened. “Tell me.”

Benji’s face crumpled. For one horrible moment, all his pain was on display, and Noah’s heart broke for his baby. Then it flattened out, and Benji yanked Noah’s hands off.

“I’m FINE,” he snarled. “Jesus, quit fucking smothering me! No wonder your exes thought you were too intense.”

He stormed out of the bathroom, only pausing to swear at the lock before he got it open.