Okay, uhm… this was supposed to be the last chapter, but as life goes, the boys have their own will and decided that, yes, they want some more fun. And so there will be another chapter. But we agreed that part nine will actually be the last one then.

For now, enjoy :)

A touch of lips, hesitant, shy… an offer and a plea. The kiss… it is barely a kiss, yet it is more a kiss than any other they have shared. It leaves a tingling on Stephen's lips and a sweet ache in his heart that gets even sweeter as Phil follows him to keep the contact as he breaks it... that kiss. Phil's eyes open, delve into his and Stephen falls into their depths. He feels Phil's hands settle on his sides oh so carefully, feels them travel down and slip under his shirt. Fingers splay over his skin, the touch so warm and soft that his eyes close as the sensation washes over him.

His nostrils flare as the intoxicating scent of sandalwood and something uniquely Phil floods his mind with every breath he takes and with the other man's name on his lips as nothing more than a sigh, he rests his forehead against Phil's. His eyes open and suddenly there is a strange determination lying in those green orbs as Phil stretches up, sealing his lips over Stephen's in an almost needy way. And then the smaller man closes the gap between their bodies, pressing against him, making his skin prick as the hands on his sides move, fingers digging into the muscles of his back.

With a moan he angles his head, meets Phil's tongue half-way as it slips past his lips. His own hands leave the other man's face, finding to his neck and diving into the raven hair and with another moan he angles his head to devour that sweet mouth. The air between them hums and his body sings in bliss.

A surprised little gasp passes his lips as Phil suddenly draws back from him, gives him a hard push that sends him onto the couch, but Phil is right there with him, coming to kneel between his legs. He has barely a chance to catch up with the situation as his shirt is being tugged over his head and Phil pulls his own shirt off, too, before he leans down to latch on Stephen's neck. It is the feeling of a hand palming him through the thin fabric of his boxers that sobers Stephen's bliss-filled mind, shakes him and makes him realize that this shouldn't be happening. Not this way. Not this fast and… it just doesn't feel right. Only moments ago it has been perfect, innocent and right, but this now, it is like, let's get over with it.

"Phil…" he mutters, bringing a hand down to Phil's, stopping him.

There is a question lying in Phil's eyes as he sits back on his heels, meeting Stephen's gaze and Stephen sits up, too, bringing the other man's hand to his lips to breathe a kiss to its palm.

"I thought you… you want this…"

Stephen takes in the unsure note lying in the quietly spoken statement and sighs then. His free hand reaches up to cup Phil's jaw, gently running his thumb over his bottom lip. Why couldn't things simply be... easy?

"What, sex with yer? Gosh, yeah, I want sex with yer, but… let's go slow, okay? Phil, what I want is yer and to make yer happy," he says just above a whisper. "What I want is yer wanting me, okay? I don't want yer to do something because yer think I'm expecting it." He smiles tenderly as Phil turns his face into his touch and leaning in, he breathes a tiny kiss to the corner of the other man's mouth. "Tell me what yer want, Phil…"

Phil takes a deep breath that seems to stumble in his throat as he lifts a hand to Stephen's face, his fingertips softly travelling down his cheek.

"I want to be with you," Phil whispers then, shy and maybe even a bit scared.

While Stephen's mind doesn't expect Phil to say the three words, his heart silently wishes to hear them. But not now. Not yet. He hopes that one day Phil will say it, the day when he feels it and until then Stephen will do anything to make this man fall in love with him. For now he's happy that Phil wants to be with him.

"Okay," he says hushed, wrapping his arms around Phil to gently pull him with him as he lays back down, shifting until the smaller man beneath him. He can't help but notice how Phil's breathing quickens, becomes shallow as he hovers over him like that, thinking that maybe there are bad memories casting over this moment and so he steals a tiny kiss, whispering against those lips: "Let me make yer feel good…"

A hesistant nod is the answer. Phil looks so vulnerable this very moment… those beautiful eyes wide… his expression as unsure as his voice has been… his features somewhat tense… that he almost doesn't dare to touch him and he wonders, really wonders how much damage the bastard has left behind in Phil. It's even more disconcerting to see him like this, because the Phil Brooks he's known all the years has always been one of the toughest guys around. For a long moment Stephen only gazes into those vivid green orbs while his fingertips trail over the tense features in a soothing caress, before leaning in for another kiss.

The kiss is slow, exploring… tongues meeting in a shy dance and his heart jumps in joy as Phil's arms come up to pull him down until he is blanketing the smaller frame completely. For a long moment they get lost in that kiss, in the sweetness, in the warmth and the tingling if frees. It is spreading throughout Stephen's body, his mind… a bright sparkling… whispering, humming love and he hopes that Phil can feel it. There is Phil's addictive taste on his tongue, his scent all around him. He breathes Phil's scent, tastes him on his tongue… so addictive…

Phil's hands roam his back, mapping caressing, up to his shoulders and moving back down coming to rest on his ass. Stephen feels those hands squeeze his ass, softly first, but then much bolder, making him hum and into it laces a quiet moan from Phil. He lets a hand travel down over soft skin, along Phil's side, takes in the tiniest twitches of muscles, hears those quiet gasps which get lost between their lips and he can't help but smile at how sensitive Phil is.

With this smile on his lips Stephen breaks the kiss, silencing Phil's tiny sound of complaint with soft pecks, before he slides down the leaner frame, trailing kisses down Phil's neck, letting a hands roam up and down the other man's abs, caressing, teasing. For a second he stops over the pulse point of the other man's neck, feeling a faint rhythm against his tongue as he begins to suck a patch of that soft sking between his lips. Phil's mouth falls opened ever so slightly as he titls his head to give more access, rewarding Stephen with a cute little whimper, while hands settle on his shoulders and fingers dig into the muscles there.

Warmth coils up in his chest as he realizes that Phil... lets go, really lets himself drop...

After wasting a few more second there, he resumes his travel down, licking, nibbling at a collarbone, before sliding further down to the smooth, heavily inked chest where he stops, basking in all those tiny, wonderful sounds of pleasure Phil gives him. Those sounds alone are enough to send heat between his legs and he can't stop the groan that escapes his throat as Phil pushes his hips up, once, twice, as he feels a hardness pressing against him. Working more kisses down to Phil's belly, he sends his hand wandering all over that body he's allowed to touch now, as much as he wants to... feeling those muscles move against his palm, feeling a savoring shiver run through his friend as he scrapes his nails lightly over his skin.

With a sigh, he nuzzles his face against Phil's belly and feels fingers dive into his hair, combing, tugging gently as he licks his way down to a hipbone where he sucks softly at the skin again. The rumbling hum Phil gives him vibrates through Phil, through him... chasing a tingling down his spine. Phil's heart beat fast and hard enough for Stephen to feel it, like a soft trembling running through the smaller frame.

He draws back then, sitting back on his heels while his fingers hook under the waistband of Phil's boxers. Blue meets green and in his... lover's... he still couldn't really grasp it... in his lover's eyes he found something he wouldn't have expected to find there so soon and so clearly. It was undisguised trust. Lifting his hips in silent permission, Phil gives him room to slip the boxers down the slender legs.

Allowing his eyes to wander over the body lying spread out to his viewing pleasure, he thinks once more that although he has seen Phil naked so often before, that he has never really seen him. The slender body with that wonderful piece of art which is gracing the soft and sunkissed skin. Those eyes which are so beautiful.

And he reads in those eyes now that Phil is nervous and he is nervous, too, because he wants to make Phil feel good... and he has no idea how to do this right. With a quiet sigh he smoothes his hands languorously up and down the smooth thighs, trying to calm them both, before he shifts to lie between Phil's legs. Their gaze never breaks, not even as he lifts a thigh up on his shoulder, breathing a kiss to its inside.

He really wants to do this, yet it feels... he has no words to describe it. He has never before been so close to another man's dick, not to mention that he never ever has lost a thought about giving a man a blow job. From the corner of his eye he sees the fully erected manhood twitch slightly in anticipation and it causes his own hard dick to twitch, too. He wants this. He wants Phil...

"Huh… I have no idea how to do this right," he says then quietly, smiling over himself as he hears his voice quiver a bit. "Tell me if I'm doing it wrong."

"Stephen… you don't need to do this," Phil whispers. "You really don't need to, okay? Let me…"

"No. I want this. Tonight is about yer," Stephen cuts him off softly, dropping another kiss to the thigh. "Okay?"

The tiniest of nods is the answer.

He can do this. He's had his face stuck between a girl's legs countless times already and fuck, yeah, it isn't the same… yet in a way it is. He wants this man, so… yeah. He can do this… And... it can't be that difficult to make this right, can it?

Taking a few more calm breaths, he leans in then. His tongue darts out, licking... teasing... avoiding the rock hard, twitching flesh that is begging for attention and his reward as he sucks at a patch of soft, sensitive skin is a sweet whimper. A hand comes down to his shoulder, while a second settles on his head and fingers dive into his hair, combing through it. Looking up, he finds those green orbs gazing right back at him. Heat curls up in his belly as he brings a hand up, his fingers curling around the hard flesh, feels it twitch in his hold… before he takes Phil in his mouth.

Stephen's nostrils flare as he breathes Phil's scent, tastes him on his tongue, that new taste filling his senses as he swirls his tongue around the head. A throaty groan passes Phil's lips as he lets his head fall back, slightly lifting his hips while his hand in Stephen's hair pushes him closer.

"God, Stephen..." Phil breathes and Stephen feels him draw his legs up a bit, feels those thighs close around his head ever so slightly.

He loves it, this feeling, just like he loves the feeling of that hard yet soft body under his touch.

Encouraged by Phil's reaction, he begins to bob his head, slowly in the beginning but soon he moves faster, spurred on by the quiet mewl and those breathy little sounds he's rewarded with. Closing his fingers around the base of the shaft just a bit, he moves his hand in unison with his head. Fingers dig into his shoulder, grab his hair tightly and with a drawn-out moan Phil bucks his hip, shoves his dick deeper into the hot cavern.

Glancing up, he finds a slight flush on Phil's face and bliss. The bottom lip is caught between his teeth as he writhes in pleasure. Beautiful. Hot… The sight sends hot jolts of arousal to Stephen's already already achingly hard cock and he can't help but grind hips own hips, creating a bit of friction that fuels the heat between his legs. Seeing Phil like this is almost enough to make him come and he has close his eyes, trying not to give too much attention to what his own body demands.

He hums as Phil whispers his name like a plea, brings his hand down to cup the other man's balls, gently fondling them while he keeps on sucking, licking, grazing the sensitive flesh with his teeth, feels it throb in his mouth. A heavy shiver runs through the lean body. He can feel Phil's heart beat fast and hard enough for Stephen to feel it and it feels fucking amazing to know that it is because of him. The shivering increases as he sucks harder, pushes his mouth all the way down and Phil tangles his hand deeper in Stephen's hair, bucks his hips more forceful.

There's perfect bliss on Phil's face and his eyes are squeezed shut in growing pleasure. The quiet sounds are growing to desperate moans, groans and Stephen feels the tension in the other man growing, feels his movements become erratic and he knows it'll take only a little more and with a low groan he deepthroats the throbbing flesh.

With a loud, shuddering moan Phil pushes his hips up hard while his thighs close tighter around Stephen's head as he cums, exploding in Stephen's mouth and his body quivering hard as his orgasm rolls through him in strong waves. Swallowing all Phil has to give, Stephen takes in the sight, basks in it and in the feeling of satisfaction and contentment that washes over him.

Eventually Phil's legs losen their hold around Stephen's head, slide down to the cushion and Stephen releases the softening flesh, breathes a kiss right below the other man's belly button, before crawling up to settle beside him. Phil is still panting and in his eyes lies wonder as he stares at Stephen, before he lifts a hand and trails his index finger over Stephen's bottom lip.

Stephen takes his hand, breathes a kiss to the digit and leans down then to deliver a kiss to Phil's lips and a second one, sweet and soft.

"Yer are beautiful," Stephen whispers against those lips.

"Jeebus, how cheesy…" Phil snorts softly. Placing a peck on Stephen's lips he breathes: "Say it again?"

Stephen hums, smiles and murmurs: "Yer." Kiss. "Are." Kiss. "Beautiful…"

Kiss.

Something in Phil's eyes shifts suddenly, something Stephen can't put his finger on, but he is sure it is… good. Another kiss, this time to the tip of the other man's nose, then to his forehead. Gosh, he could go on like this the whole night… Phil's hand slips out of his own, settles on his waist then.

"What about you?" Phil says quietly and still a bit breathless, while the hand on Stephen's waist moves to cup his still hard dick. "What do you want?"

And although there are tiny sparks of anticipation running through him at the touch and his dick twitches in the need for more attention, he only shakes his head no and brings his… lover's… hand back up again.

"Not now," he replies softly. "We've got enough time. What I want right now is lying here with yer, holding yer. And some kissing."

The smile that grows on Phil's lips… is one he hasn't seen there before. It's bright and open and free. Breathtaking.

Mine. All… mine…

Sealing his lips over Phil's, because was allowed to and he wanted to taste that smile, he wrapped his arms tightly around the smaller frame and shifted until Phil was lying half on top of him. He feels soft touches on his face and his side, exploring… caressing. Goose bumps flare under tender touches, freeing tiny shivers and soon the air between is filled with pleased sighs and quiet moans as they get lost in lazy, worshipping kisses, all slow strokes of tongues and gentle pressure. Kisses that leave a tingling in both their bellies and create a sweet and warm ache in their hearts...

x

The first thing he becomes aware of is... sandalwood. All around him. Then... warmth, cocooning him and more warmth, spreading from deep within him. The glowing feeling of utter happiness, the soft feeling of contentment and floating ease. Turning his face into the pillow, he takes a deep breath, breathing more of that addicting scent and it brings a smile to his lips, because there isn't only wonderful sandalwood, but also something uniquely Phil filling his senses.

Phil...

Everything leads back to him. Memories of the past night ermerge, images, taking him back there for a few long moments and he can feel him in his arms, even taste him. And there is the echoe of his voice, saying Stephen's name in a way that makes his body tingle. All there is… is Phil… But isn't only Phil anymore, no, it is his Phil now.

Phil...

Stephen's whole body seems to sigh, as if the name alone gives him a badly neeed fix. His hand roams the space beside him in the need to touch Phil, to pull him close, because his arms feel too empty, but there's only... nothing. The small space beside him is empty. But it shouldn't be...

Blinking in confusion, Stephen sits up and looks around, finding the room empty. Quietness fills the house.

"Phil?" he calls, gazing over to the doorway as he waits for an answer.

Only that there is none.

Standing up, he slowly walks over to the hall, taking a quick glance into the kitchen. Empty. He listens into the quietness in the hope to hear the tiniest sound coming from upstairs. Nothing. Swallowing hard, he fights down a bad feeling, a voice in the back of his mind which whispers to him that Phil... has left.

"No," he breathes.

It couldn't be, could it? After last night? Last night has been perfection. Phil has come to him, has opened up and... has let him come as close as even possible. Finally. After everything... And last night hasn't been a dream. He can still feel his touches, can taste the kisses. He's seen in Phil's eyes that he wants this, too.

But what if all this has been too much for him? What if all this scares him and has made him run away? Again? What if he regrets that he has come here?

"No," he says, runs a hand through his hair. "Phil!" he calls louder, but again there is no answer.

Clasping his hands around the back of his neck he dips his head back, screws his eyes shut against a sudden burning in them.

"Fuck, no, nonono, don't do tha…"

Don't be gone.

Desperation tugs at him suddenly and it tugs hard. He can't let this happen… His mind begins to race, going through the options he has. Follow Phil to Chicago? How can he know that Phil has gone home? Maybe he headed for Colton's place? But neither has he Colton's address, nor his phone numb…

Wait. Phone number. John has somehow gotten him Phil's address, so maybe he can find out Phil's number, too?

"Phone," he mutters, quickly glancing around. "Where's me bloody phone?"

His eyes catch the small device lying on the coffee table and with big strides he closes the distance, grabs the phone and… freezes… as he finds a small piece of paper where his phone has been lying. A note.

Again running a hand through his hair, he closes his eyes for a second and takes a few deep breaths. He needs to read the note, but fuck, he doesn't want to, because he's afraid of what it will tell him. But not reading it wasn't an option. Reluctantly he takes the small piece of paper and looks at it.

With a breathless laughter he sits down on the armrest of the couch, lets the phone drop onto the cushion, while his eyes stay glued to the note.

- I'm out for a run. Will be back in an hour. Took your key. -

Phli hasn't left. Hasn't left him. For a few minutes he has actually really been afraid that Phil might regret his decision. His shoulders sag a little due to the relief that is running through him, washing a tension away he hasn't even noticed being there. Placing the paper back on the table, he gets up, exhaling a heavy breath as he makes his way to the bathroom and he can't help but smile as he finds some of Phil's stuff on the counter beside the sink. Some clothes are thrown over the rim of the tub. Instead of calling Phil like an idiot, he should have come up here in the first place to look for him and he would have seen that there is no need to freak.

Only a moment later a towel joins the clothes and Stephen steps under the shower while brushing his teeth with devotion. The trip to the bathroom doesn't take long and soon he heads down, clad in only sweatpants and barefooted, getting busy with the breakfast. It's the first time in a long while he has to make breakfast for two persons and silly enough it makes him feel giddy. Scrambled eggs, some cereals, juice, coffee, toast… replaying their breakfast at Phil place in his head, he sets the table, while his mind jumps from last night to how things will be in the future. Will it be like, one week over here, one week at Phil's place? Because not seeing Phil for days isn't an option. Nope. And yes, he acts like a lovesick school-girl, but who fucking cares? Huh, not long ago he has only talked as much as absolute necessary with Phil and now? Butterflies in his tummy. Warmth in his chest. A big smile on his face and the need to be with Phil every single second filling him. Eventually he ends up sitting on the counter in the hall, with a coffee in his hands and his legs dangling over the edge as he waits for Phil to come home.

He doesn't have to wait long.

A few minutes later the sound of a key in the lock causes Stephen's heart to jump and anticipation to knot up in his belly and it is ridiculous how a few seconds can feel that long. As the door opens, his finger curl a bit tighter around the mug and his heart runs a bit faster. Excitement runs in a warm tingle along his spine. And then Phil steps in and Stephen's heart trips and reaches out to the other man for a hold.

A hold it gets as green locks with blue.

There he stands, the man who has claimed his heart in record speed, still panting from the run and covered with sweat and the raven hair a damp mess. A few drops are running down the heavily inked chest. A wonderful glow shows up in those green orbs as they soften.

And Stephen thinks that he has never before seen someone looking so goddamn hot like Phil does this very moment.

Heat shoots through Stephen, pooling in his southern regions…

The door falls shut and Phil walks up to him slowly and the closer he comes, the more Stephen becomes aware of the intoxicating scent of sandalwood, fresh sweat and Phil and a sudden humming that lies in the air between them. It invades his senses and fuels the heat between his legs. The mug is taken from his hand. Their gazes stay locked as Phil takes a sip and sets the mug on the counter and only then the green eyes look away, roaming further down and over Stephen's bare chest. There is a glint in Phil's eyes and his bottom lip gets caught between his lips, drawing Stephen's attention to it.

Gosh…

A moment later his eyes find back up to Stephen's face as he steps closer and Stephen can't help but take a deep, deep breath.

"Morning sleepyhead," Phil smiles and leans in to kiss him.

Maybe it's silly, but hearing Phil say those simple words so softly makes his whole body sing. The kiss is shy and sweet. Stephen's hands find a home on Phil's waist as long as it lasts, but much too soon his lover draws back.

"Gotta hit the shower," Phil murmurs and steals another peck, before he steps away and makes his way up to the bathroom, leaving Stephen behind with a sigh on his lips.

It's how he keeps sitting there on the counter for another minute: his eyes fixed on where Phil has vanished, his hands lying on his legs and the coffee sitting beside him, while his heart laments Phil's fast retreat to the bathroom and it laments a little louder as the sound of the running shower fleets down to the hall, as if Phil could hear its call if it was only loud enough.

Another full minute… before he blinks and quirks an eyebrow.

What the fuck am I doing here? he thinks, mentally smacking his head.

Only a blink later he's already on his way to the bathroom, taking two steps at a time to get there as fast as possible, but he stops dead as he steps into said room.

Phil stands there with his hands braced against the tiled wall and his head dipped forward. The heat between Stephen's legs becomes brighter at there mere sight… Phil's back is turned towards Stephen, the water cascading down the lean body and Stephen just stands there for longs seconds, beholds the sight until Phil pushes away from the wall, reaching for the shower gel. And Stephen watches as Phil begins to soap himself up, taking in how the the muscles flex under the sunkissed skin. A grin grows on his face, because, hell, he's allowed to do this now. Walking though has become quite difficult he notices as he begins to move towards the other man.

He hasn't reached the shower yet as Phil hesitates and turns around, their eyes locking. Hooking his thumbs under the waistband of his sweatpants, Stephen pushes them down. He doesn't need them for what he has in mind and he notices how Phil's gaze flicks down to his obvious arousal, sees that glint again in the green orbs as Phil runs a hand down his chest… his abs… down to his own member and now it is Stephen who flicks his eyes down as Phil starts to pump his dick lazily. For a few heartbeats Stephen forgets how to breathe… so goddamn hot… and it takes all his willpower to wrench his eyes away from the sight and back up to those green eyes which darken as he opens the door to the shower and joins his lover.

Steam swirls up, wrapping around them like a silken veil and that humming he has felt down in the hall, it is there, getting stronger with very passing second until it feels as if the air around them vibrates and Stephen… lets himself fall…

Reviews are love :3