To say the ride home was an exercise in restraint would be an understatement. As if the two of them had come to some kind of arrangement when they'd left Officina. they each sat in the back of the car in silence as it wove its way through the city toward home.

Harry was situated with his back half against the seat and half against the door, so he could keep an eye on Tom, who had one hand on his thigh drumming out an impatient rhythm, and the other oh so casually resting on the back of the seat. But there was nothing casual in the way Tom was watching him.

When they'd slid inside the vehicle around five minutes ago, Tom's eyes had invited him to come closer, but Harry had only just managed to get his body to cooperate so he could walk from point A to point B. There was no way he was going to let Tom get his hands on him again until he was somewhere, he could do something about it. So, for the moment, that meant he'd have to settle for the intense gaze Tom was subjecting him to. And hell, if that wasn't just as dangerous to his peace of mind as Tom's hands, mouth, or words.

Lust glittered in Tom's heavy-lidded eyes as he trailed them all over Harry. And when Tom caught the direction of his gaze, he scraped his teeth along that full lower lip, and it was all Harry could do not to dive across the back seat so he could lay Tom out flat on it.

The arrogant expression that crossed Tom's face did nothing to bank the fire he'd just lit, as the car finally pulled to a stop at the front of their building and Harry realized he had to actually move. As a chuckle left Tom, he pushed open the passenger door and climbed out. Then he got out of the car and found Tom waiting for him.

With his jacket buttoned and his hands in his pants pockets, Harry knew right then that Tom was having just as much trouble keeping his hands to himself as he was. He tugged the hem of his vest into place, and when Tom caught his breath, Harry slipped his hands into his own pockets and strolled toward him.

"Something wrong?"

Harry asked, as he stopped opposite Tom just outside their lobby door. Tom leaned in, careful not to touch him, and said in a ball-tingling voice,

"Yes. We're still standing outside."

Harry grinned as he stepped around Tom and opened the door for him,

"That's not my fault. You're the one who lingered."

As Tom went to walk by him, he stopped, looked Harry dead in the eye, and said,

"I wasn't lingering. I was making notes in my head."

Harry narrowed his eyes, but followed Tom over to the elevator, which, thankfully, opened immediately. They each got in, taking opposite sides, the silent agreement still in place. Then Harry pressed the button to their floor and said,

"Notes?"

Tom nodded, his eyes once again dipping down to what Harry was wearing,

"Yes,"

he said, shoving off the wall,

"I was making notes on the best way to get you out of this outfit you're wearing tonight."

The modicum of self-control Harry had managed to keep throughout the ride vanished at Tom's words, and as he pushed off the wall to reach for him, Tom took two steps back.

"Oh no. Not yet,"

Tom said, his eyes darkening with all kinds of illicit intentions,

"You put the no-touching rule into play."

"No, I didn't."

The elevator dinged as it hit the floor, and Tom winked,

"Yes, you did. Now you get to wait for it."

As Tom left the elevator, Harry palmed the erection Tom had teased to attention by merely being in his breathing space. Then he stepped out into the hall and went in search of the man who was without a doubt going to make this night one he wouldn't soon forget.


He had just made it to the bed when he heard the front door shut. He smiled at the loud slam, knowing that Harry was on a mission and didn't care about anything other than getting in the same vicinity as him. And he was right, because only seconds later, Harry strode through their bedroom door and scanned the space until he spotted him.

He had tossed his jacket over the arm of the couch when he'd gotten inside, and as he held Harry's stare, he unbuttoned his cuffs and tugged his shirt out of his pants. Harry walked farther into their room, and when he stopped at the foot of their bed and reached for the buttons of his vest, he said,

"No. Don't do that."

Harry's fingers stilled,

"No?"

"No,"

He said, as he removed his wallet and tossed it on the table,

"I told you, I made notes."

"Can I at least take my shoes off?"

"If you make it quick."

He did the same, and then he walked barefoot around to the end of the bed, where Harry was waiting for him,

"It's been a while since we got into bed at the same time. Even longer since we spent the night tearing up these particular sheets."

"It has been."

He touched a finger to the top button of Harry's vest,

"Let's make sure that never happens again."

"Deal,"

Harry said, his voice a raspy promise.

"Good. Now that that's decided, how about you turn around and remind yourself what our bed looks like? Because you're about to become intimately reacquainted with it when I take you in it all night."

Harry's jaw bunched, and Tom knew he was biting back either a curse or a groan. He knew he was,

"Turn around, Harry."

Harry did as he was instructed and pivoted so he was facing the bed with his legs slightly spread, and he moved so he was standing directly behind him.

Harry's lean body and trim waist were framed beautifully by the snug vest, and thanks to the cut of it, the hem rested right at his lower back, showcasing the matching pants, which hugged the curve of his hips in a breathtakingly intimate way.

He took a step closer and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders before nuzzling his nose into the thick curls sweeping the collar of the shirt. He said,

"I've missed being with you like this."

Harry shuddered, and he raised his head as he smoothed his hands down Harry's back,

"Missed talking with you. Laughing with you,"

he said as he took hold of Harry's waist and pulled him back against himself,

"Just being with you."

Harry relaxed against him, letting his head fall to the side, and the second his mouth connected with the warm skin of his neck, a groan rumbled out of Harry's throat.

"Mmmm, you've missed it too. Haven't you?"

He said and trailed his fingers along Harry's black leather belt until they reached the square metallic clasp.

"Yes,"

Harry said, as he freed the buckle and unbuttoned the top button of Harry's pants,

"Missed you so much, Tom."

He nipped at Harry's lobe and then whispered in his ear,

"Never. Again,"

before he pulled one end of the belt and slid it free. It dropped to the hardwood floor with a clunk, andthen he was unzipping Harry's pants and tugging his shirt from its restrictions,

"Never,"

Harry agreed, and then his breath caught as he reached inside his pants and boxers to wrap his fingers around Harry's erection,

"Ohhh…Damn…"

He hummed from the sublime pleasure he got from finally having his hands back on Harry,

"I'm going to put my lips on every inch of you tonight. Then I'm going to sink my cock back inside you where it's dying to be."

Harry's hips punched forward, his agreement loud and clear, but he wanted the words. Wanted to hear what Harry wanted because this would always be the most sensitive thing between them. Harry's consent and willingness would always matter because of the hell he'd been through,

"Is that okay with…"

"Yeah. But…"

Harry's words faded as he grabbed the arm he had wrapped around him. He stilled his fist as Harry's fingers dug into his forearm, and the sound of Harry's heavy breathing was the only noise now in the bedroom. He felt concern well up in his heart as he inquired,

"But?"

Harry turned his head, his lust-laden eyes finding his, as he took in a shaky breath and said,

"If you don't stop that, I'm going to come before you get my clothes off."

He licked his bottom lip as the concern abated and slowly released his hold,

"Well, we wouldn't want that now, would we?"

Harry's eyes flicked to his mouth,

"No. I'd much rather come somewhere else."

There was no way he was going to last if Harry kept talking like that. So he stepped around in front of him, took hold of either side of his face, and crushed their mouths together.

Harry opened to him immediately, and he sank his fingers into Harry's soft hair, twisting them around the silky texture. The hand Harry had on his arm came up to rest on his chest, and when his fingers curled around the material of his shirt, Harry tugged him in as close as they could get with their clothes on. He growled as he gave his tongue to Harry, who sucked on it, and then he slid his hand down to the back of Harry's neck to hold him in place so he could get a more thorough taste of him.

"Tom…"

Harry panted when he tore his mouth free. His lips were swollen and wet, and when he slicked his tongue along them, he reached for the buttons of Harry's vest, understanding exactly what he wanted. Harry went to undo his shirt then, but he was quick to put a stop to it.

"Uh uh. I'll take care of that,"

He said, just as the vest parted and he ran his fingers down the length of Harry's tie, removing the silver tie bar,

"Let's work on getting you naked first."

Harry's mouth curved as he lowered his arms to his sides,

"Don't let me stop you."

"Not a chance of that happening,"

He said, and made quick work of the tie, tossing it to the floor.

The buttons of Harry's shirt were next, until it and the vest hung open, exposing a wide strip of mouth-watering skin. He placed his palms on Harry's chest and slowly slid them up to his shoulders, moving in to scrape his teeth along Harry's jaw as he pushed the material down his arms and then finally to the floor.

His fingers went to Harry's pants then, and he flirted with the edge of the material before his wandering hands went to either side of Harry's hips. He sucked on Harry's earlobe, and when a moan left him, he raised his head, smiled, and then gripped either side of his pants as he lowered down in front of him, removing the remainder of Harry's clothes.