Vulnerable [Suncoast Society] (Suncoast Society #29)(32)

Nuzzling the nape of Jesse’s neck, Leo gently nipped the back of his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Green, Sir,” Jesse whispered.

Leo felt Jesse’s body trembling under him. Concerned, he sat up and grabbed the blanket, draping it around him.

Keith stepped in. “Take him over to one of the couches,” he said, pointing. “I’ll take care of the benches and implements for you.”

“Thanks.”

He grabbed Jesse’s backpack and helped him up off the bench. Grabbing the towel, too, he led Jesse over to one of the vacant couches and settled there with him. Jesse wrapped the blanket around himself and curled up, facing Leo, his head in Leo’s lap.

Leo wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to do for the man, but he draped an arm over him, pleased when Jesse adjusted the blanket so he could hug himself around Leo’s arm with it pressed against his bare chest.

Leo rested his other hand on Jesse’s head, stroking his hair. Glancing over to the bench, he saw Keith wiping it down with wipes from one of the canisters scattered around. Then Keith started cleaning the implements off.

What Leo wanted to do was unzip his jeans and let Jesse suck his cock, but that would be…

Well, against the rules. Not wrong.

Not anymore.

Thoughts and needs he’d long tried to ignore, to suppress. Thoughts and needs he’d thought were wrong…weren’t.

To wonder how to work around to find something equivalent to make him as hard for Eva as he felt right now.

Definitely not a wrong thought.

After several minutes, Jesse took a deep breath and looked up at him.

“Are you okay?” Leo asked.

Jesse’s hand snaked up, caught the back of Leo’s neck, and pulled him down for a long, deep kiss. “I think I’m better than I’ve ever been in my life, Sir,” Jesse said.





There had been an energy, almost electricity, flowing between them. Jesse felt it with Leo in a way he’d never felt it before. Could Tilly skillfully beat his ass?

Absolutely.

What she couldn’t do—through no fault of her own—was bring out the emotions and the desire Jesse now felt washing through him. He wanted to bare his throat to the man, be completely vulnerable and emotionally exposed to him, not just physically.

If he turns out to be a douche and breaks my heart, I’m going to swear off sex and invest in Fleshlights, I swear I will.

Jesse ran his fingers through Leo’s hair. “Please don’t dye your hair,” he whispered. “I love it like this.”

One of those quirky smiles curved Leo’s mouth. “Thanks. Wasn’t planning on it, don’t worry. Eva always tried to get me to do it.”

“Stupid woman.”

Leo’s smile faded. “She’s not my favorite person in the world sometimes, but she is the mother of my child. I’ll always love her for that, if nothing else.”

Jesse felt guilty. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I know it’s…weird. But she’s sort of stood up for me, too, I just found out. I wouldn’t feel right not standing up for her anymore. It’s kind of been my job all these years, anyway.”

“No chance of you canceling your divorce and going back to her, is there?”

“No. Not a chance.” Leo’s smile reappeared. “Especially not now.”

“Why?”

“Because this…” Leo’s fingers slowed in Jesse’s hair. Jesse loved the way they felt gently raking against his scalp. “This is a dream come true. I can’t ever go back. I have to go forward.”

“I don’t normally ask guys home on a first date, but will you please come home with me?”

“Technically, if we count dinner at Keith’s, I think this is our second date.”

Jesse grinned. “Hot damn! That makes me not a slut!”





Chapter Thirteen


Once Jesse was steady on his feet again and had gotten dressed, Keith wanted a quick debriefing with the two men.

“If I don’t, Tilly will kill me,” Keith said. “You okay, Jesse?”

Jesse nodded. “Better than okay.”

Leo watched the man. He didn’t think he was lying just to spare his feelings.

“If it wasn’t good,” Leo said, “I want you to tell me the truth. Be honest. I won’t learn to do it better if you don’t tell me.”

“It was good. It wasn’t perfect, but I have no complaints. I could have taken a lot more.” He held Leo’s hand. “We’ll talk to Tilly next time she’s in town. We’ll have her show you some stuff. You’ll have to learn your own techniques.”

“Sorry I was hands-off,” Keith said, “I wasn’t going to jump in and touch him without having discussed it with both of you first.”

Leo was a little surprised to find himself glad Keith had stayed hands-off. Not that he would have thought Keith was trying anything inappropriate, but…

Leo realized he felt jealous. Territorial.

He’d never felt like that before.

Not even about Eva. Protective of her, absolutely. Responsible for her, definitely. In more ways than one.

But never…

Mine.