Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Here he was at his front door. Had accepted Ford’s invitation without hesitation. He hadn’t thought Dana would actually say no. The man had been giving off crazy vibes ever since Ford opened his big mouth and told the man he deserved better… falling just short of saying he was the one Dana deserved.
Ford reached for the doorknob and realized his hands were shaking. Fuck. He tightened his fists a couple times before releasing them and reaching for the knob again, this time turning it slowly. Dana stood there in a sweat suit with a big hoodie and no coat. His hair was slightly damp, like he’d taken a shower. When Ford stepped aside for Dana to come in, he meant to speak but his tongue got caught in his throat at the smell that blew in with the crisp breeze. A fragrance of masculine soap and clean cologne. His blood quickly began to head south and Ford had to close his eyes and count to three before he pounced like a dog in heat.
“Want a beer?” Ford asked, clearing his throat when it came out sounding like a frog’s croak.
“Nah. I’ll have some milk though, if you got it,” Dana said, pulling his hoodie over his head, making his undershirt ride up high enough that Ford could see his sweatpants were hanging so low he could see the top of Dana’s black briefs, and the slick brown hair that disappeared into them. Ford didn’t like baby smooth skin, he loved hair, the more the better. He hoped Dana liked the same, because he sure had enough of it. Enough that it turned most women off. He wasn’t usually self-conscious about his body or his body hair, but for some reason he found himself hoping like hell that Dana didn’t mind it.
“Milk?” Ford asked skeptically.
“You wanna know how I unwind after a bust, right?” Dana came into the small kitchen with him while Ford poured him a large glass of two percent.
Ford hadn’t bothered to turn on the kitchen light because there was enough filtering in from the small lamp in the living room. It was dim and quiet, their bodies taking up most of the confined space.
“I drink milk and I’ll exercise after exerting a lot of adrenaline.” Dana continued telling Ford about himself. “Usually push-ups, sit-ups. Or, if it’s not too late, I’ll run.”
Ford should’ve known these things about his partner already. If he’d been half as good a partner as Dana had been to him, he’d know he preferred milk to bring himself down.
“I don’t usually drink alcohol.” Dana nodded towards Ford’s beer. “I’m more of a social drinker.”
“Like you did tonight?” Ford said with a tilt at the corner of his mouth.
Dana didn’t try to muffle his deep, boisterous laugh. “Fuck you. Two hundred fifty bucks is not social drinking. That’s my grocery money for two months.”
“I hope that beer was good.” Ford continued to tease, secretly loving Dana’s smile and how easily he could loosen up.
“It was better than good.” Dana drank all of his milk before adding, “It’s something I’ll have to remember enjoying because I don’t think I’ll be having it again anytime soon.”
“I hear ya,” Ford answered, drinking from his beer. They were quiet after that, both of them just watching each other. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t believe how rusty he was at this. But the more he looked Dana up and down, the more he thought of how he’d moved like a soldier tonight, the more he thought of all the times the man had protected him, the more his body reacted until he was standing there panting like he was going into cardiac arrest.
Dana’s flushed cheeks and elevated breathing were just as noticeable, as well as the bulge forming in his sweats. Dana was just as turned on as he was, if not more from the way his hooded eyes were fixated on Ford’s chest.
Please take the lead.
As if he’d been able to silently communicate to his partner, Dana set his empty glass down and walked the few feet until he was standing in front of Ford. Neither one of them touched or moved, they just stood there in each other’s space, accepting the closeness, simply breathing.
“Ford. Are we really doing this?” Dana whispered. “Are you… are you okay?”
Ford didn’t even realize his eyes were closed until he opened them at the hint of concern in Dana’s hoarse voice. He wasn’t sure if he’d heard that tone before, but he knew he wanted to hear more of it.
“Yeah.” He couldn’t say any more than that since most of his brain function was restricted at the moment.
“Okay. Because. I want to… can I... can I just… touch you?” Dana asked breathlessly. He looked like he might pass out. His eyes were heavy and full of desire. That toned chest was moving rapidly behind the tight white t-shirt he had on. Ford fought not to groan and close his eyes. He needed to see that look of unbridled need in his partner’s eyes and know it was for him. No one, and he meant no one, had ever looked at him like that. In all his years, he’d found no woman or man who’d wanted him as badly as Dana was exhibiting at that moment.