AN UNFAMILIAR beeping pierced the fog of Connor’s sleep. Had his brothers changed the ringtone on his phone again? If they did, it wasn’t as atrocious as their normal choices. Connor didn’t want to open his eyes. His lids were heavy and a dull ache throbbed behind his eyes. And that stupid beeping wouldn’t stop. Connor tried to bury his head in his pillow, but instead of squishy fabric, his forehead rubbed against something warm and firm. The pillow that wasn’t a pillow shifted, and the annoying noise finally ceased.
Connor forced his eyes open, squinting against the light that filled the room. A swatch of red fabric came into focus. The scent he associated with Graham, fruity hair product and something green, like grass, infused his senses, and the hard warmth under his cheek registered. He levered himself up and looked down at a bleary-eyed Graham.
“Morning.” Graham’s voice was husky, rough from sleep.
Connor reached down and pushed a patch of black hair away from Graham’s eyes. “Morning.” Connor trailed his fingers across Graham’s forehead and down the side of his face, sweeping his thumb under those ice-blue eyes. The eyeliner that was already smudged from the night before had smeared further, making it look like Graham had two black eyes. Connor was intrigued by Graham’s wide mouth, the mobile lips surprisingly soft. He traced the fuller bottom lip. “Jesus, you’re pretty.”
Graham didn’t say anything, just lay statue still while Connor explored his face. It took a minute for Connor to notice the wariness in Graham’s look and the lack of movement. Reality crashed into Connor. Last night. Shit, last night he’d had some kind of meltdown and fell apart like a baby, and here he was, petting Graham like some kind of puppy.
He groaned and rolled onto his back, covering his face with an arm. “I’m sorry. You must think I’m some kind of freak.”
“No.” Graham shifted so that he leaned over Connor. “Not at all. It’s only that last night—” His voice cut off as Connor let loose another groan, but then he rushed on. “Last night was kind of intense. I wasn’t sure how you’d handle it this morning.”
“Apparently I decided on avoidance. I didn’t remember that part until now. Only the parts where we were dancing and kissing.” His voice softened, warmed. “In case I forgot to mention it, it was the best night of my life.”
“Even the panic?”
“That part wasn’t cool.” He shrugged, trying to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. “But the rest was worth it. Especially since it’s back to the real world as soon as we leave this room.”
“You plan on pretending that this weekend never happened?”
Something dark twisted in Connor’s chest. “I have to. I just, I can’t….”
Graham stilled, his face a blank mask that hurt Connor’s heart. After what felt like eons, Graham spoke. “So, once we leave this room, it’s back to the way it was.”
Throat tight, Connor nodded.
“Then,” Graham said, drawing the words out, “we should make the most of the time left, yeah?”
“What do you mean?”
Graham didn’t say anything. Instead, he leaned down, slowly enough that Connor could stop him in plenty of time. Connor licked his lips, anticipation jittering through his body. Graham’s lips touched his without the aggression of the previous night’s kisses. Softly, almost romantically. Connor returned the kiss with as much reverence. Graham shifted, settling fully on Connor. Connor loved the weight of him, the closeness that simple movement brought. Graham tilted his head, changing the angle of the kiss, deepening it, until Connor was lost in the dance of lips and mouths and tongues.
Graham pulled back, sucking in a few deep breaths.
“Wow.” Connor was pretty sure that kiss had fried each and every one of his brain cells.
“Yeah, wow.” Graham’s eyes were unfocused, his face flushed.
Connor’s grin felt like it would split his face in half. “Can we do that again?”
Graham tucked his head into Connor’s shoulder and chuckled. “Yeah.” Before he could get back to the kissing, Connor rolled, taking Graham with him until he’d reversed their positions.
“My turn.”
He didn’t do anything at first, just stared down at Graham in wonder. He really was beautiful. Even with hair tousled from sleep and eyeliner smeared on his face, Connor could get lost in the angles and planes of his face. Like the center of a flame, the blue of his eyes burned hot and bright. Connor cupped Graham’s cheek, sliding his hand into the black hair. His fingers got caught a bit in the tangled, hair-sprayed strands, but somehow it was so absolutely Graham that Connor didn’t even hesitate. He tugged on Graham’s hair to tilt his face up. Their lips melded seamlessly in a slow, thorough kiss that went on and on. Connor arched up when he felt Graham’s hand slip under his tank and slide across the muscles in his back and along the sensitive skin of his side.
Connor broke away, taking great, panting gulps of air. “You twist me up.”
“Same.” Graham leaned up to nuzzle Connor’s throat, scraping his teeth lightly across his Adam’s apple.
Mouths fused again, and Connor completely lost track of time. The firm press of Graham’s hands on the bare skin of his back caused him to arch into the caress like a cat. Connor took advantage of the opportunity to explore Graham the same way. He shifted to his side so he could trail his hands across Graham’s chest. Graham turned into the caress. Encouraged by this, Connor moved lower, tracing the defined lines of Graham’s abs through his shirt.
Connor grabbed the bottom edge of Graham’s shirt and started to drag it up far enough to get access to those amazing muscles. Suddenly Graham jerked back and managed to roll away from Connor’s heavier body.
“I’m sorry,” Connor blurted automatically.
Graham laughed, a bitter exhalation of sound. “For what?”
“For whatever I did wrong, I guess.”
“Connor, you didn’t do anything wrong. But we need to stop. Things are getting a little out of hand.”
“Out of hand?” Connor hoped steadying his breathing would somehow clear away the fog of lust in his brain.
“You’ve only started to figure things out. And, well, you have a girlfriend. I shouldn’t have started this. I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret later.”
Connor’s brain finally started to kick in. Oh shit. Graham was right. Things had been getting intense. And Allyson. He closed his eyes. “Oh God.”
Graham flung his arm over his face. “Yeah.”
When his breathing had steadied, Connor turned back to Graham. “Um, thanks. For stopping, that is. I was a little… caught up.”
They lay there quiet for a moment.
Connor scooted up until he sat with his back against the bed’s headboard. “Graham?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you tell me about the scars?”