The music is too loud and Ethan Kovac is still hung-over from the night before. His assistant Karen came over in time to drag his ass out of bed and throw him in the shower, but not before she shooed away the pretty twink who’d followed him home. She got the twink into a cab and made whatever threats or promises she usually made to get a guy to stay quiet about who he’d spent the night fucking.

Somewhere in all that, she made Ethan look presentable if scruffy, and made sure he got to the upfront presentation on time. This was his second network upfront, and it was a special form of hell, corporate cheerleading.

“Leading the pack of this season’s great new comedies,” says the presenter, some suit from the network Ethan doesn’t recognize, “is one from the master of the sitcom himself, Gilbert Randolph. One Way or Another gives us three neighbors in a Manhattan building, each just trying to make it in the big city. Starring Emmy winner and Grammy nominee Samantha Jensen, two-time Emmy nominee Isaac Duncan, and former Disney heartthrob Ethan Kovac, the pilot tested higher than any pilot we’ve seen in the past ten years!” There’s applause, and the clip rolls.

Samantha kicks Ethan in the foot and hisses, “Hey, stop looking so bored. You’re delighted to be here, remember?”

“‘Former Disney heartthrob’?” he hisses back. “Really? I was nominated for a fucking Tony Award, you think they could mention that, maybe?”

On the other side of her Isaac leans over and flashes him a grin. “They’re TV people. They think Tony Awards have something to do with Tony Danza.” He winks. “Smile, man. It’ll be over soon and before you know it we’ll be getting drunk in front of reporters.” The idea of watching Isaac get loose-limbed and friendly holds enough appeal to make Ethan smile for real.

He keeps his smile plastered on and watches the four minutes of footage from the handful of episodes they’d shot so far. It’s not a bad show. Sam and Isaac are great to work with. Him and Sam go back to their days with Disney, but she got out before he did. Back then she’d been an adorable blond pixie with crooked teeth, now she’s a red-headed bombshell who collects boyfriends by the dozen if you believe the tabloids. Since the tabloids regularly include Ethan on that list, he knows they’re full of shit.

Isaac Duncan is another matter entirely. Nobody that fucking perfect should exist. Six feet tall, broad shouldered, warm brown skin and a smile that could melt a nun’s panties, what he’s doing in a sitcom pilot, Ethan has no idea. Isaac’s been featured in movies that Ethan would’ve paid to be an extra on, while Ethan was busy playing the dumb pretty boy in the latest made-for-TV Teen Girl Goes on Vacation and Has Hijinks movie.

The awful perky theme for One Way or Another starts to play, bouncing around the walls of Ethan’s skull.

He already knows how the clips are going to end, and he’s cringing in anticipation.

Onscreen, Ethan and Samantha are eyeing up their new neighbor, Isaac, who’s carrying in moving boxes, shirtless and showing off some serious muscle. Ethan purses his lips and nudges her. “Girl, you better get it before I do!”

The Big Gay Reveal (as Ethan and Sam had started calling it) brings down the house. The audience, full of a few ringers as well as the advertisers, whoops and laughs as the screen goes dark and the lights come up.

“We’re proud to have our three stars here with us today. Ladies and gentlemen, Samantha, Isaac, and Ethan!” the presenter howls and the spotlight flashes over to where they’re sitting.

The three of them stand up and turn around and wave, all smiles, before sitting back down.

Sam squeezes his hand. “There, all done except the party.”

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The party’s at the Hard Rock Cafe, and it’s well underway when the three of them arrive. Cameras flash as both Ethan and Isaac turn to help Sam out of the car, the three of them laughing as she tosses her hair and takes both of their arms. They head down the short red carpet.

The paps call out questions. “Samantha, who are you wearing?” “Sam, how does it feel to have two gorgeous costars?”

“Why don’t you ask one of them that?” Sam volleys over her shoulder as they sweep into the restaurant.

“At least they didn’t ask which one of us was your boyfriend,” Isaac says, snagging a glass of champagne from a waiter.

“That’s what will be in the papers tomorrow,” Sam murmurs, then smiles at one of the suits approaching her.

She’s whisked away, and Ethan grabs his own glass as several reporters descend on him. He glances back and sees that Isaac is right at his side.

A blonde from TV Guide fires the opening salvo. “You guys have to be so excited to be co-starring with

Samantha Jensen. What’s she like to work with?”

“She’s great,” Ethan says truthfully. “We’re old friends. It’s nice to have a chance to work together again.”

“Yeah, you oughta see the two of them on set,” Isaac says. “Trading hair secrets. I think Sam’s trying to teach him how to braid her hair.”

“We gotta do something to keep ourselves busy while the makeup people are oiling you up for your next scene,” Ethan retorts. There’s an easy warmth moving back and forth between them that has nothing to do with the champagne. They’ve been sassing at each other since the first day of shooting. Having an audience to play for just ups the stakes.

“So does that mean we get to see more scenes of you shirtless?” the reporter asks, all but batting her lashes at Isaac.

“You would not believe the money they saved on wardrobe,” Ethan says. “I’m surprised they bothered with pants, have you seen this guy? I started going to the gym just to keep from vanishing behind him.”

The reporters are laughing, which is good for two reasons: they aren’t asking stupid questions, and if they like Ethan and Isaac, they’ll give the show a favorable write up.

After a few minutes of back and forth, the reporters wander on to the next group. “Hair-braiding?” Ethan raises an eyebrow. “Man, that was lame.”

Isaac laughs. “Come on, give me a break. I can’t be witty all the time.”

“Yeah, I know how it is,” Ethan says, sipping from his glass. “Gotta be hard, coasting on nothing but good looks and talent.”

“Sucks to be us, huh?”

Ethan grins. “You saying I’m hot? I’ll take that.”

“Dude, how hard did you hit it last night?” Isaac eyes him with a sly grin. Ethan’s first thought is for the guy

Karen sent packing that morning. Does he know? “You were looking rough when you showed up this afternoon.”

Oh, the hangover. “Yeah, my agency party was last night,” Ethan says.

“Don’t get me wrong, ‘rough’ works for you. I’ve seen you show up for shit looking like you rolled out of bed five minutes before and were still half-drunk, and you still wound up on the cover of something.” Isaac shakes his head admiringly. “I forget to shave and people start gossiping about what’s gone wrong.”

“Yeah well, at least you don’t wind up on ‘Top Ten Disney Stars Gone Wild’.” Ethan drains his glass. He tries not to think about Isaac, unshaved and rumpled, lying on equally rumpled sheets, half-awake and wholly-sexy. Stop fantasizing about your co-workers, Kovac.

“Definitely sucks to be us.” Isaac tips him a wink before the next group of reporters descend.

This group are from the gossip mags, and at first all they want to know about is Sam’s love life. Was she seeing anybody? Had there been anybody special hanging around the set? Then someone from OK! asks the question Ethan has been dreading all night.

“Ethan, we learned from the clips today that your character Eric is gay. What was it like playing a gay man?”

It’s a role I’ve been rehearsing for my whole damn life, he doesn’t say. Instead he puts on his most charming smile. “Not really any different than the other roles I’ve played, although it’s probably a safe bet in this role I won’t be the one getting the girl,” he says, tilting his head towards Isaac. “Eric’s a great character. He knows who he is and what he wants, and he’s going after it. Which doesn’t just mean the hot guy who just moved in across the hall from him and Sarah.” He pauses for laughter. “He’s got a lot of faith in himself, you know?”

The deflection is successful: she turns to Isaac next and pounces. “Are we going to see some on-screen chemistry with you and Samantha Jensen?”

“Naw, man, I’m angling to get the writers to write a kiss with Ethan’s character. Let’s just break all the taboos at once. Black/white, two guys, it’ll be great!” Isaac says it with his trademark grin, but Ethan senses a little bit of tension coming off him.

Everyone laughs, especially when Ethan gives him a shocked look. They go on to talk about working with such a legendary director as Gilbert Randolph. Randolph is a cranky old bastard, but both Ethan and Isaac rave about what a master of the craft he is, like everybody else who’d ever worked with the old fart.

Isaac is on his third or fourth glass of champagne that Ethan can see, and he’s showing it. Every time a photographer approaches him, he slips his arm around Ethan to pose. Ethan beams for the cameras and tries not to think about the feel of Isaac’s waist beneath his hand, the firm press of his hip against Ethan’s, the muscled arm around his shoulders. And he smells good. How is that even fair? Ethan is going easy on the champagne himself, otherwise he’d be fighting a strong urge to bury his face in Isaac’s chest and climb him like a tree.

Not good. Definitely not good.

It’s like trying not to think of an elephant. The more he fights it, the more his brain keeps giving him mental images of running his hands and his mouth all over Isaac’s broad chest, which he’d seen plenty of during filming. Cornering him in a dressing room and getting his pants open. The last thing Ethan needs is to get photographed with his cock at half-mast. He has to get himself under control.

He gets separated from Isaac when some old Disney co-stars call him over, and he spends some time posing with them and Samantha like the band is getting back together. It helps, but only a little. He keeps looking through the crowd for Isaac, straining for a glimpse. His brain is still supplying images and the images are getting filthier and filthier. The final straw is the mental image of going on his knees so he could take Isaac’s cock into his mouth. The hunger hits so hard it sends a jolt through him.

Ethan excuses himself from the others and makes a break for the VIP floor, which is quieter, but more importantly, has a bathroom with a lock on the door.

He pushes open the door and is all the way through before he realizes the room isn’t empty. Somewhere since Ethan has seen him last, Isaac has shed his suit coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He’s in front of the urinal, but it takes Ethan about half a second to realize he isn’t pissing.

Ethan is frozen in place, watching the tell-tale movement of Isaac’s right arm, listening to the quiet steady breathing of someone trying to keep from panting. This is either going to be awkward as hell or it’s going to be the gay equivalent of a letter to Penthouse—unless Ethan just backs out quietly before Isaac realizes he’s there.

Then Isaac makes a breathy little moan and Ethan isn’t going anywhere. He does clear his throat though—he isn’t a total creeper.

“Fuck.” Isaac lowers his head and without turning around says, “I don’t suppose I can get you to walk out and forget you saw this, can I?”

Ethan leans back against the door and turns the lock, insanely grateful that Isaac had forgotten to do so. “I’m pretty sure I’m never going to forget seeing this,” he says, his voice soft and rough-edged. “Don’t stop on my account.”

“Shit,” Isaac swears again and drops his head to the arm propping him against the wall. “Don’t laugh, okay?”

“Laughing was about the last thing on my mind.” Ethan stays where he is until Isaac tentatively starts stroking himself again. Then he takes a few steps closer. “You stole my idea. Although I was gonna lock the door first.”

That makes Isaac laugh, the breathless sound sending all the blood in Ethan’s body south. “There’s a lock? Damn it.”

“Yeah. It’s locked now,” Ethan says, and hears a little catch in Isaac’s breathing. “I know what got me going, but what got you all worked up? Somebody fall out of her dress at you?” He walks over to the urinal next to him and undoes his pants like they’re just two guys doing what guys do in a bathroom. Except Ethan breaks the quintessential guy rule and looks over.

Figures even Isaac Duncan’s cock would be perfect. In his head he can hear his agent screaming at him that no cock was worth risking his career over, but Mike wasn’t looking at eight inches of thick, uncut, dark brown perfection sliding smooth and slick through a strong, broad hand—and Mike is straight as a pin besides.

Besides, Isaac’s a good guy. He isn’t the type to out anybody, Ethan hopes. He takes a deep breath and murmurs, “You want some help with that?”

Of all the possible responses Ethan had imagined, a harsh gasp and wide-eyed stare is not one of them. “Oh god.” Isaac looks like someone had nailed him between the eyes, and his hand tightens around his cock like he’s trying not to come right there.

“That... looks like a yes,” Ethan says, stepping over next to him, feeling the heat radiating from his body, “but I’m gonna have to hear you say it.” He runs his hand up Isaac’s free arm, feeling the muscles quivering under the gray dress shirt. Isaac is still staring at him slightly open mouthed, so Ethan curls his hand around the back of Isaac’s neck and gently presses his mouth closed with his thumb under his chin.

“Yeah,” Isaac whispers. “Fuck, yes.”

Ethan nudges him around so his back is against the cold tile wall, then leans in against him. Before he can even think about it, Isaac cups his face between both hands—both warm, and the right one slightly damp, which makes Ethan’s balls start to throb—and pulls him in for a kiss. Ethan rests his hands to either side of Isaac’s head on the wall and takes control of it. It’s open-mouthed from the start, hot and wet and sliding and so good. Isaac groans into his mouth and Ethan rubs his hips against him, their cocks brushing for just a hint of contact.

“Please.” The word spills from Isaac’s mouth to his like nectar. Ethan reaches down between them and wriggles his hips a little until their erections are aligned, then wraps his fingers around both cocks.

“Tell me what you want,” Ethan pants.

“I don’t—I don’t know, I’ve never done this before,” Isaac says. “I mean, not with a guy.”

“Lucky for you, I have.” Ethan kisses him again, unable to resist the sweet thrust of their tongues together. He gives Isaac a slow, easy grin as he pulls away, acting like this wasn’t what he was fantasizing about not half an hour before, and sinks down to his knees.

“Oh my god.”

Ethan smiles up at him through his eyelashes and licks his lips, gratified at the way Isaac is staring at him, staring at his mouth. “Hold on to something,” he teases. He keeps his eyes on Isaac’s as he leans in and lets the tip of his tongue drag over the gleaming wet head of Isaac’s cock, curling to tease where the foreskin is pulled back. Isaac had been pretty far gone when Ethan found him, so he doesn’t want to tease too much. He wraps his lips around the head of Isaac’s cock and tongues at the slit before slowly taking him in, using his hand to stroke what he can’t reach.

He’s sucked off straight boys before. Usually they close their eyes and get into it, and probably pretend he’s a girl. Isaac doesn’t stop staring at him, except when his eyes briefly flutter closed at something that feels especially good. It’s like he thinks Ethan is the best thing he’s ever seen. In fact, Ethan is going to have to close his eyes in a minute, because the look on Isaac’s face is driving him crazy.

The second his eyes close, he feels Isaac’s hand rest on the back of his head, and he shudders. Ethan’s torn between using the hand that isn’t on Isaac’s cock to grab Isaac’s hip (maybe getting a handful of his ass in the process), and wrapping it around his own cock, which is stiff and aching, pointing up from his half-opened pants.

He wants to keep his focus on Isaac. If this is his only chance to fuck him, he wants to make it memorable for both of them. He works his tongue and lips over Isaac’s silky hot skin, listening to the way his breathing changes, tasting the thin bitter pre-come. He’s had more than one guy—and at least one girl—tell him he had a mouth made for sucking cock, and he’s never denied it. It’s a rush, having that power over someone, feeling the tingling stretch of his lips and the ache in his jaw. Isaac’s cock feels so fucking good in his mouth, he could stay here all night.

There’s no way Isaac’s going to last that long though.

“Oh fuck, man. Ethan...” It’s a warning, probably, as far as Isaac’s concerned. For Ethan, it’s a promise.

He moans encouragingly, not wanting to stop long enough to tell him to go ahead. Isaac’s fingers tighten in his hair and he sees stars behind his eyelids, moaning a little louder. His own cock is leaking so much it’s gonna look like he wet himself.

Isaac comes with a swallowed cry, thumping his head back against the tile wall. He loses enough control that he uses the hand on Ethan’s head to fuck his mouth for a few thrusts, and Ethan could almost come from that alone. He feels Isaac’s knees threatening to buckle as his cock starts to slowly soften in Ethan’s mouth. Ethan takes his time, licking Isaac clean and swallowing him down until the sensitivity makes Isaac pull him away by the hair—which is so fucking hot Ethan moans louder than he means to, the sound echoing in the room.

Isaac’s a quick learner; he pulls Ethan to standing by his hair, and to Ethan’s surprise, brings him in and kisses him hard and deep, tongue searching and sweeping through Ethan’s mouth. They break apart, both panting.

“I don’t—I don’t think I can top that,” Isaac says. His eyes are moving over Ethan’s face with a startled cast to them, like he’s never seen Ethan before.

“No, you don’t have to—”

Isaac spins them around so Ethan’s the one pressed against the wall. He’s only an inch or two taller, but he’s broader, so he looms over Ethan before kissing him hard, pinning him to the wall with every inch of his hard, lean body. Then he moves just far enough to slide his hand up the length of Ethan’s cock, and oh fuck Ethan wants to see that, so he pushes Isaac back a little so he can see that great big hand wrap around him and start to stroke.

“I figure at least I know how to do this,” Isaac says, low and dirty into Ethan’s ear.

Ethan laughs, trying to remember how to breathe. “I don’t wanna come on your suit.”

“Yeah well, lucky for you I was raised to carry a handkerchief all the time.” He licks Ethan’s ear and there is no way, there is no way Isaac’s never fucked a guy before; he’s too at ease.

Ethan feels like his bones are turning to jelly and he can’t resist thrusting his hips into Isaac’s hand. They hit a rhythm that sets his skin on fire and everything below his waist, his gut, his balls, his ass, his thighs, everything is so tight it hurts just waiting for release.

Isaac fishes out his handkerchief and gets it ready without looking away from Ethan’s face. He’s going to watch, and that’s the hottest thing yet. Ethan bites his lower lip to try and stay quiet, and Isaac murmurs, “That’s it, baby, I got you.”

Ethan has never been caught in an explosion, but it must feel something like this. He feels like he’s going to turn inside out, like he’s going to keep coming until there’s nothing left of him but a pair of shoes empty on the floor. At the last second, he presses forward and buries his face against Isaac’s shoulder, biting at his shoulder through his shirt to keep from screaming.

When it’s over, he’s shaking from head to toe, slumped against the wall. Isaac’s pressed against him, murmuring into his ear and cleaning up his cock, getting him tucked back away into his pants and refastened. Ethan has no idea what this means, but he reaches up and grabs Isaac by the back of the neck and brings him back for a long kiss.

When it ends, Isaac is grinning. “That mean I did okay?”

“That you did—” Ethan stares at him before bursting into laughter. “Okay? Dude, I thought my shoes were gonna come out my dick. Yeah. You did ‘okay’.” He rolls his eyes. “Actors, man. I should know better than to fuck actors.”

Isaac laughs with him, but keeps him close, on the pretense of straightening his tie. “You, uh, fuck a lot of actors?”

“Not so much lately, they’re a pain in the ass.” Ethan watches his face for a sense of regret or horrified heterosexuality returning. “There’s a reason I’m not out.”

“Does Sam know?” Isaac lets him go, and starts putting his own clothing back together.

“Yeah, she caught me with a guy when we were still with Disney.” He shrugs. “I’m not the type to kiss and tell, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Ethan walks over to the sink and washes his hands and his face, double-checking his face and neck for beard burn or marks by reflex. “Look, we work together, so don’t worry that I’m gonna make things weird.”

Isaac is washing up at the other sink. “I’m not worried.”

This is already more talking than Ethan usually manages after a hook up. “I’ll go out. You wait about five minutes and follow. We should be fine.” He unlocks the door and walks out before things have a chance to get awkward.

When he gets to the main party again, Samantha finds him and grabs him by the arm. “There you are! Gilbert’s looking for us. Have you seen Isaac anywhere?”

Ethan shakes his head. “Nope. Last I saw he was with some of the network brass.” “Well come on, Gilbert wants us to do some photos.” He lets her drag him away.

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Ethan heard that Isaac was planning to go to the MTV party next with Samantha and some others, so Ethan changes his plan and heads over to make an appearance at the Disney Channel party instead. The potential for weirdness is always way too high after a co-worker hook-up, and a straight co-worker hook-up... man, what the hell was he thinking?

Some Disney alumni are more welcome at Disney events than others, and with the sitcom happening, and a lack of recent drug arrests, Ethan’s on the thumbs-up list. He stays as long as he has to in order to make a decent showing, then goes home. By the time the cab drops him off at his building, his hangover is threatening to come back full force.

After a shower, he grabs a bottle of water. He should eat something, he’s always too distracted to eat at parties. Karen knows him well. She’s left a plate in the fridge and he just has to heat it up. He’ll probably regret eating pasta tomorrow morning, but right now it sounds like heaven.

He settles on the couch and turns on the TV, flipping around looking for entertainment news. The network parties and presentations are the main stories. Finally the talking head on screen says, “All of the buzz surrounding Gilbert Randolph’s newest show, One Way or Another, about three neighbors living in Manhattan, only intensified after FBC showed their clips at the upfront this morning. The show, starring Samantha Jensen, Isaac Duncan, and Ethan Kovac, made a surprise reveal that hunky Ethan Kovac, previously thought to be playing Jensen’s love interest, is actually playing her adorable gay bestie, in a scene that brought down the house.”

Well at least they don’t show the actual clip.

He’s finishing dinner when his phone rings. It’s Samantha.

“Where the hell are you?” she shouts into the phone. He can hear loud music in the background, and he can also hear that she’s drunk. “I thought you were gonna show up here!”

“Sorry, Sam. I had a rough night last night. I hit the Disney party and came home early.” He mutes the TV. “How is it?”

“It’s great! You went to Disney? God, why? Isaac was asking about you, so I said I’d call. Does he not have your number?”

He ignores the flutter in his stomach. No way, Kovac. Fucking your straight co-worker is one thing. Don’t go getting a crush on him. “I dunno, I thought he did. Tell him I said sorry.”

“Tell him yourself!”

Before Ethan can say anything, she hands over her phone.

“Hey,” Isaac says. “Did I hear Sam say you skipped the hottest party of the week to go to a Disney party? Man, that has gotta be a new low.” He sounds completely normal. Like nothing happened.

“Cut me some slack. Some of us party more than one night a month. I gotta pace myself.” It feels good to be able to joke, but he’s dying to know what Isaac is thinking.

“No sympathy,” Isaac teases, but he can hear Samantha yelling for Isaac to get off the phone in the background. “If Disney is your pace, you need a pacemaker.”

“Yeah, all right, if that party is so hot, why are you talking to my lame ass?” Ethan challenges, lying over on the couch. He’s wearing a stupid grin.

“Nothing lame about it,” Isaac says, and then before Ethan can respond: “What are you doing tomorrow?”

That’s unexpected. “Uh, I have some scripts to read, an overdue appointment with my trainer down at the gym, that’s about it.”

“Can we meet for lunch? Your place? I’ll cook.”

“You can cook?” is what Ethan asks, although there are about a thousand other questions he has that are more pressing.

“Hell, yeah. One o’clock okay?”

“Sure, I’ll text you my address.” He can’t resist poking. “So you’ll have my phone number, too.”

Isaac laughs, and Ethan swears he sounds a little nervous. “Yeah, I had it, but I think I lost it when I got a new phone.”

Ethan lowers his voice deliberately and purrs into the phone, “You’re a shitty liar, Duncan. You better not be late tomorrow.” Then he hangs up before he can find out if he misread the situation.

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After getting his ass kicked by his trainer, Ethan races home to shower, then is stuck trying to figure out what to wear. If Isaac is coming over for a repeat performance, he wants to look good, but if he’s coming over for a “I’m sorry about last night, but I’m really not gay” conversation, he doesn’t want to look desperate.

Would you cook for someone if you were making an apology? But if you were looking to get into someone’s pants again, wouldn’t you make dinner instead of lunch?

Oh fuck it. He pulls on his favorite pair of jeans because they make his ass look good, and one of his favorite t-shirts. It’s a little small, but that’s why it’s one of his favorites. He might not be as muscle-bound as Isaac, but he does okay. He takes some extra time with his hair and decides he’s hit a happy medium between trying too hard and looking like a slob.

His doorbell rings at one o’clock on the dot. Isaac is on his doorstep, carrying some paper bags and looking edible himself. He’s gone with a t-shirt and jeans too, but has a deep blue jacket over them.

“Come on in,” Ethan says, his heart racing as he closes the door behind Isaac and takes one of the bags.

“So, I have to confess,” Isaac says, with no prelude, “I lied to you last night.”

Ethan puts the bag on his small kitchen counter. “Oh?” He knew it, he knew Isaac was too comfortable about fucking a guy. Of course he’s done it before.

“I... can’t actually cook.” He grins at Ethan sheepishly and sets his bag next to the first one. “I brought take out.” And not just take out, but as he starts bringing out cartons and Styrofoam containers, he’s brought a decadent brunch from the little bistro around the corner from Ethan’s apartment. There’s eggs Benedict that he knows from experience is to die for, a collection of little pastries that will melt in the mouth, a pile of strawberries that look too perfect to be real, and—a bottle of champagne. “I didn’t get orange juice,” Isaac says, “but if you have some...”

Ethan leans one hand on the counter and smiles up at him. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to impress me.”

Isaac glances away, one hand going nervously to the back of his head. “Well, you could say that.” He bites his lower lip, and it’s so fucking adorable Ethan can’t keep from smiling. Then Isaac visibly steels himself and says, “I was thinking ‘seduce’ more than ‘impress’, actually.”

“Damn, I wish you hadn’t said that,” Ethan says.

The look Isaac gives him is surprised and a little hurt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

Ethan takes the bottle of champagne from him and puts it in the refrigerator without looking. “That eggs Benedict isn’t going to reheat for shit.” Then he steps into Isaac’s arms and pulls him down for a slow, easy kiss.

“Hang on. Come on, man, I had this all planned out,” Isaac says, but he clasps his hands behind Ethan’s back. “I was gonna woo you real sweet, and you’re just gonna give it up that easy?”

Ethan grins, “Well, yeah. You have a problem with that? Because I gotta tell you, I suck at playing hard to get.” He slides his hands up Isaac’s back beneath his jacket. “When I know what I want, I don’t mess around.”

Their mouths meet once more, this time Ethan parts his lips, sliding his tongue against Isaac’s. He turns them to press Isaac’s back against his refrigerator as the kiss gets hotter and more intense, then Isaac reaches down and cups his ass with both hands.

Ethan murmurs against his mouth, rubbing his body against Isaac’s, “I thought you were straight.”

When Isaac laughs, it’s out of breath and a little dazed, and Ethan thinks of ways he could keep making Isaac sound like that. “Until last night, I thought I was too. Now I might not be so sure.” He trails kisses across Ethan’s cheek and down his neck, biting and licking while his hands squeeze and stroke over the curves of Ethan’s ass, pulling his hips in to grind against Isaac’s. His lips graze Ethan’s ear. “After you left, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I wanted more.”

Ethan shivers and runs a hand down Isaac’s chest, tweaking a nipple through the thin fabric. “I think I can give you more. Come on.” He pulls away and takes Isaac by the hand, pulling him toward the bedroom. Isaac’s grin is a flash of white teeth that matches the gleam in his eyes. “What about brunch?” “Later.” Much later, if Ethan has his way.

He’s grateful he made the bed with clean sheets this morning, just on the off-chance—oh be honest, on the burning hope—that they’d wind up here. Before he can turn to Isaac, Isaac grabs him by the back of the neck and tilts his head just so, bringing him in for the kiss of a starving man. It’s all Ethan can do to fist his hands in the back of Isaac’s jacket, letting Isaac devour his mouth with a low groan.

“What did you do to me,” Isaac murmurs between kisses, biting down the angle of Ethan’s jaw until he’s gasping and squirming in Isaac’s hands.

“I couldn’t help it,” Ethan tries to protest, trying to push Isaac’s jacket off at the same time. “I wanted you.”

“Want me some more.” Isaac lets him push away the jacket, and raises his arms to let Ethan strip away his shirt.

“Too late, never stopped,” Ethan manages, leaning down to press open-mouthed kisses over Isaac’s chest, tonguing the pebbled skin around his nipple and feeling him jerk in response. He reaches for Isaac’s jeans button, but Isaac stops him to pull off Ethan’s shirt first. Isaac strokes down his ribs, his palms dragging warm and heavy over Ethan’s skin like sunlight. Then he reaches for Ethan’s zipper and button, unfastening them and pushing away his jeans and briefs all at once.

“Lie down. Let me look at you.” Isaac’s voice is molten sugar, sweet and hot enough to burn, and Ethan almost trips over his own feet trying to obey. He lies on his back endlessly shivering as Isaac looks him over, working to unfasten his jeans with agonizing slowness. “Yeah, I like that,” Isaac says, as if talking to himself. “I like that a lot.”

“Well get down here and do something with it, then,” Ethan says, reaching out one hand.

Isaac pushes away the rest of his clothes, and crawls into Ethan’s bed, naked and gorgeous. The sunlight gleams against his skin and he glitters as if he’s been dusted in gold. Ethan half-expects it to rub off on his hands as he runs them up Isaac’s chest. He settles against Ethan, both of their cocks half-hard and brushing together. Isaac bites his lip and Ethan feels both of them getting harder. He pulls him down so he can feel every inch of that luscious body pressed against his, then nips at Isaac’s mouth until he stops biting his lip and kisses him back.

“You ever decide what you wanted?” Ethan asks.

“I thought of a few ideas since last night,” Isaac says, and Ethan would swear his cheeks darkened a little. He brushes a hand through Ethan’s hair and kisses him. “Can I try something?”

Ethan laughs, the sound bubbling up from some place he didn’t know existed inside of him. “Anything. Just warn me if it’s going to hurt.” He reached up and cupped Isaac’s face. “Think of me as your own personal playground right now. If I don’t like it, I’ll tell you.”

The light in Isaac’s eyes flare and the smile that had been a little shy shifts to something a little more wicked. “Anything, hm?” He rocks his hips forward experimentally, and sighs at the result. Then he turns Ethan’s head to the side and leans down to lick at his neck. “This might hurt,” he says, then starts to bite the muscle where his neck and shoulders meet.

It hurts, but it’s the kind of hurt that makes Ethan writhe and moan beneath Isaac. His teeth send sparks of pleasure mixed with the pain and even if he has to spend the next week covering it up with makeup, he wants Isaac to mark him, to leave a sign that he’s been here.

“You like that,” Isaac says against his skin. “Let’s find out what else you like.”

Ethan’s never usually a passive partner, but he wants Isaac to have this, this time to explore and play. He arches as Isaac’s warm lips find his nipple, and stifles a whimper as Isaac keeps moving lower, licking and biting his way down Ethan’s belly. When his cheek brushes against Ethan’s hard cock, Ethan moans.

“Be patient, I’m getting there,” Isaac teases. “My mouth may not be as pretty as yours, but it might be able to get the job done.”

It is though, but Ethan doesn’t have the breath to say it. He props himself up on his elbows to watch as Isaac drags his full, soft lips over the head of Ethan’s cock, tasting experimentally. He can’t resist reaching down and brushing his fingers over Isaac’s short, tightly curled hair, rewarded by a glance up and a smile.

“Tell me if I get it wrong,” Isaac says, his lips moving against the head of Ethan’s cock.

“Just don’t bite me,” he grins. “You oughta know that rule. No teeth on the dick.”

“Hey, sometimes a little bit of teeth feels good,” Isaac says before mouthing up the length of Ethan’s shaft. Any smart ass remark Ethan might’ve had vanishes at the warm wet slide of the mouth on his cock.

Maybe Isaac’s a fast learner. He teases Ethan with his mouth, licking and tasting every inch of him until Ethan is throbbing with need, then slowly—but not tentatively—wraps his lips around the head and starts to slide down the length. Watching his cock disappear into Isaac’s mouth is like seeing one of his dirtiest fantasies come true. Watching is going to make it end too fast though, especially when Isaac glances up to see his reaction. The spark when their eyes meet spirals into Ethan’s gut, and he has to look away. He drops his head back and falls back onto the bed with a long, low groan.

He can feel Isaac fumble a little, trying to find a way to get just the right amount of suction without any teeth involved. It’s awkward but hot as fuck, and more than a little endearing. And when he finds something that works, it works. Ethan can’t stop moaning, feeling the head of his cock brushing against the roof of Isaac’s mouth, feeling his tongue working the shaft as he sucks, his head bobbing up and down.

He wants to come like this, but isn’t sure if Isaac’s ready for that. He struggles to put words together. “You, uh, if you don’t want me to...”

Isaac pulls off. “Oh, I want you to,” he growls, then goes right back to sucking, one hand stroking Ethan’s thigh, the other reaching down to cup his balls.

Ethan grabs onto the sheets to keep from grabbing Isaac’s head instead, struggling to keep his hips still and let Isaac have control. “A little faster, oh god yes, like that.” He can’t keep from thrusting just a little into that hot wet mouth, and Isaac whimpers when he does. The sound and the vibration send Ethan over the edge, and he jerks as he comes in Isaac’s mouth.

Isaac’s a trouper, and tries to hold on before pulling off, wet and messy, spilling over Ethan’s cock before swallowing. Ethan lies panting on the bed, glancing up in time to see Isaac make a mildly disgusted face as he licks his lips.

“You didn’t have to swallow,” Ethan laughs weakly, trying to catch his breath. “Go get a drink of water, it’ll get better.”

“It wasn’t bad, just, unexpected.” Isaac grins and crawls up the bed.

“Last night you damn near tongued my tonsils trying to get at the taste, and now you don’t like it?”

“Shut up and kiss me.” Isaac silences him in the best possible way, and Ethan has to admit the taste is better secondhand.

They kiss lazily for several minutes, despite the insistent press of Isaac’s cock against his thigh. It’s warm and easy like this, arms wrapped around each other. It’s been a while since Ethan’s had someone in his bed that he doesn’t want to kick out right after he comes. Isaac’s eyes are closed as he traces fingers over Ethan’s skin, eyelashes a dark shadow against his cheeks. Already he can feel his cock trying to stir again.

He reaches down and drags his fingertips up the sweet hot skin of Isaac’s cock. “Tell me what you want.”

Isaac opens his eyes and watches his face before responding. “I want you to fuck me.”

At first Ethan isn’t sure he’s heard right. “You mean like—”

“Yeah. I want to feel your dick in my ass.”

Ethan bites his lip hard enough to taste copper, a jolt shooting straight down his spine to his cock. “You’re, uh, not messing around, are you?”

“Don’t want to do anything halfway.” Isaac smiles brilliantly. “I’ve had things up my ass before, you know.”

He can’t help but grin in response. “Some chick’s finger doesn’t count for much.”

Isaac laughs and leans in to lick his ear, dropping his voice low and dirty. “Does it count if I let her hold me down and fuck me with a strap-on?”

Ethan gasps and lets out the air with a groan. The mental image is one he’ll be jacking off to for weeks: Isaac spread out on a bed while some pretty girl talks dirty to him and slams a dildo up his ass. “Uh yeah, I think that counts.”

“So will you?” Isaac’s eyes are bright as he leans over Ethan.

“I already said anything you want,” he says. “I’m not gonna take it back now.” He licks his lips. “So tell me about it though. You let her be on top? In control?”

Isaac wriggles against him and settles against his chest, grinning like an exuberant puppy. “I did. Is that what you want?”

Ethan strokes down his back, his pulse starting to rev up again at the thought of what he’s planning. “No. I want you to be in complete control of how deep and how hard.” He starts to say more, but Isaac dives for his mouth, and they lose a long time to kissing and groping each other. In spite of what he just said, Ethan rolls him over and settles himself between Isaac’s thighs, rutting against his belly and feeling his cock start to respond again. “Do you like fingers? Tongue?”

Isaac whimpers when he realizes what Ethan’s asking. “Either. Both. I don’t care.”

Ethan sits up, running his hands over Isaac’s thighs, savoring the hard muscle beneath smooth brown skin. “Turn over. On your knees.” When Isaac obeys, Ethan leans down and nuzzles at the round curves of his ass, unable to resist biting one cheek gently. “Ow, hey.”

“You’ve been biting me all afternoon,” Ethan laughs. He trails his fingers up the back of Isaac’s thighs, tracing down to his perineum before reversing and sliding up between his cheeks. When his finger brushes over Isaac’s hole, Isaac jumps and gives a small moan. “You like that, huh?” He does it again, then wets his finger and does it a third time, and this time the moan is even louder.

“Yeah. I want it in me.”

Ethan sucks in air through his teeth. “All right. There’s a bottle in the nightstand to your right, toss it to me.” Before he uses the lubricant though, he can’t resist leaning down, pressing Isaac open, and swiping his tongue over him. Isaac moans loud enough to shake the walls, so Ethan does it again, pressing the tip of his tongue just inside and wriggling.

“Please,” Isaac gasps. “No teasing.”

A hot (nominally) straight boy is begging Ethan to fuck him up the ass. This might be the best day of his life. He slicks up his fingers and presses inside, easing in and out as Isaac writhes back against him, every breath a soft cry.

“Come on, let me. Please let me fuck you,” Isaac’s all but babbling now, and Ethan is so hard he could hammer nails. The temptation to grab Isaac’s hips and start driving into him is almost too much. He grabs a condom from the nightstand and falls back to the bed on his back. Isaac swarms over him, kissing and biting and still moaning even though Ethan’s barely touching him anywhere.

Ethan strokes his thighs to gentle him, rolling on the condom and slicking it with one hand before pulling Isaac into position over his hips and angling his cock up. “It’s right here for you, take it.”

Isaac’s hands are shaking as he reaches down to line up, his thighs quivering as he lowers himself down onto Ethan’s cock. The heat that surrounds him as Isaac takes in the head makes him bite back a cry. Isaac is so tight, but in the best possible way, enveloping more than resisting. It’s slick and sweet as he takes in more than Ethan would have thought he could, then pauses a moment before sliding back up, the sensation curling Ethan’s toes.

Isaac has gone absolutely silent, his head dropped back and his lips parted in either concentration or bliss, Ethan isn’t sure which.

“You okay?” he murmurs.

“Never better,” Isaac answers, and starts rolling his hips slow and easy, reaching for Ethan without looking down. Ethan takes his hands and just stares up at him, watching the little smile on his lips as he rides Ethan like he’s meant to be there.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Ethan gasps, moving his hips just enough to match Isaac’s rhythm. The pleasure at the base of his spine is already building, but he wants to try and hang on as long as he can.

Isaac leans down and presses their joined hands back to the bed, kissing Ethan deep and wet and messy, tongues and teeth and hot breath. Ethan’s not even close to being the one in control, right now Isaac owns him and it’s the hottest thing he’s felt in ages. He just holds on, thrusting up and trying to give Isaac what he needs, letting him take what he wants.

The faint creak of the bed is punctuated by their gasps and soft sighs, broken up by a moan when one of Ethan’s thrusts is just right. Isaac sits up and moves Ethan’s hand to his cock, which is still half-hard. It swells in Ethan’s hand and Isaac’s breathing gets louder. “Yeah, just like that,” Isaac says, so Ethan keeps stroking him, keeps meeting his thrusts. Isaac tightens around his cock and he sees stars.

Isaac starts rocking faster, pushing down harder each time, his cock swelling in Ethan’s hand. He comes with a choked cry, his back arching as he spills over Ethan’s belly. He’s still twitching when Ethan follows, a sharp sudden shock slamming through his body and leaving him breathless.

Isaac collapses against his chest, panting in his ear. Ethan isn’t always a cuddler afterwards, but he wraps his arms around Isaac and holds him there, nuzzling at his cheek and neck until his cock softens and slips from Isaac’s body. “Aren’t you glad I didn’t make you work for it?” he teases. “If I had, we might still be eating brunch right now.”

Isaac’s breath huffs against his ear. “Mm. Don’t think you’re getting out of that, though, I’m starving.” Neither of them seems inclined to move, exchanging kisses and little nips. Ethan’s sure he’s wearing the stupidest smile, and he’s got to stop that. He can’t afford stupid right now.

Finally Isaac rolls off him, grimacing at the stickiness between them. “Shower, then food?”

“My shower’s tiny. You go, I’ll go after.” Ethan wants, no he needs, a little bit of space between them right now. Grand gestures and declarations from Isaac that his orientation’s changed are well and good, but this is a complication neither one of them can afford.

Today. He can give himself today. They’ll eat, they’ll maybe go another round, maybe Isaac will even stay the night, but then it has to stop.

Just... not yet.