Page 24 of Wounded Soul
“What about you?” Jesse asked, taking the glass of whisky Cate handed to him. “Thanks.” He smiled at her, then turned to face Ian again. “Fair’s fair.”
“I’m thirty-one,” Ian offered, wondering if that mattered at all. Six years was nothing in his book, but some people got hung up on ages. “Not too old for you?”
A laugh burst out of Jesse, and he shook his head. “Not at all.” He drained his glass in one go and took a step closer, leaning in so his mouth brushed Ian’s ear. Ian shivered, eyes falling closed. “That’s enough small talk. Let’s dance.” Not waiting for Ian’s response, Jesse set his empty glass on the bar and headed to the semi-crowded dance floor, sliding seamlessly in amongst the other dancers.
The wicked smile he shot Ian promised all kinds of dirty things, and Ian swallowed thickly. “Fuck me.”
Cate’s laughter had him glancing over his shoulder. “You’ve got your hands full there.”
“With any luck.”
She gestured back to the dance floor with a nod. “Better get out there. You’re not the only one eyeing him up.”
Knocking back his beer, Ian strode across the room, his eyes never leaving Jesse. The way he moved to the music—like it played only for him—made Ian want to stop and just watch him. Dancing wasn’t really Ian’s thing; he normally needed more than a couple of beers to lose his self-consciousness and let himself go. But as he walked over, there were already a couple of lads dancing closer than Ian liked, their eyes raking over Jesse in obvious appreciation.
Ian shot them a fuck-off glare, not that either of them looked away long enough to notice. Figuring he needed to make it more obvious that Jesse was taken—at least for tonight anyway—Ian stalked up to him, slid his hands around Jesse’s waist, and pulled him back into his chest. The minute their bodies touched, everything else faded into the background, and all Ian’s focus narrowed to Jesse. The way he smelled—citrusy and spicy—the feel of rough denim under his hands where Ian gripped his jean-clad hips, and the way Jesse pushed back against him—each grind and roll making his fingers dig in that little bit more.
Tipping his head back onto Ian’s shoulder, Jesse whispered. “Took you long enough.” He nipped the side of Ian’s neck, the sharp sting going straight to his groin, and Ian moaned.
“I was enjoying watching.”
“Hmm.” Jesse put his hands over Ian’s, urging Ian to hold on tighter. “That so?”
“Yeah. I’m not really one for dancing, but you looked like you were about to get company.”
Jesse laughed, the sound low and throaty, and fuck, for a moment Ian wished he could take him home now.
He chased that thought away before any guilt seeped in. He’d promised Cate.
A couple of hours dancing with Jesse wouldn’t be a bad way to pass time. He inched his fingers inward, the tips on his right hand meeting the firm bulge where Jesse’s jeans pulled taut over his erection. Jesse hummed and moved Ian’s hand until he was fully palming Jesse’s cock.
On second thought, two hours of this was going to kill him.
With a hand around Ian’s neck, Jesse leant back into him, his arse pressing against Ian’s groin as he moved in time to the music with a sinewy grace Ian envied.
“I’m gonna come in my jeans at this rate,” Ian muttered, words lost to the pulsing beat as soon as they left his mouth.
Somehow Jesse heard them anyway, and he spun around, plastering himself against Ian’s front this time and looping both arms around his neck. “What a waste that would be,” he whispered, straight into Ian’s ear, once again making him shiver as Jesse’s breath tickled his skin. “I want to taste it when you come, or feel it on my skin. Maybe feel you lose control while you’re inside me.” He nipped at Ian’s ear, teeth sharp, and Ian gasped, both at the filthy words coming out of Jesse mouth and the sharp sting of his bite.
“You’re not helping.”
Jesse laughed. “Sorry.” He wound his fingers into Ian’s hair, tugging him into a kiss, and Ian sighed, giving in.
Their bodies moved as one. Ian had never felt this loose, this relaxed as he let Jesse guide him with his hips and his thighs and sank into a kiss he felt all the way to his toes.
They could’ve kissed for hours or seconds; Ian had no idea. Time seemed to both last forever and pass in the blink of an eye before Jesse was stepping back and taking his hand. “Come on. Let’s go get a drink.”
“Yeah, okay.” Though reluctant to leave Jesse’s hot embrace, it was probably a good idea to cool off for a bit.
They snagged a couple of stools at the end of Cate’s bar, well out of the way of people queuing for drinks. She spotted them, signalled she’d be over in a bit, and went back to serving the couple in front of her.
“Are you a professional dancer?” Ian blurted out, still a little dazed by their time on the dance floor. “Because you move like you could be. Should be,” he added with a smirk. He expected Jesse to laugh or at least be flattered, but a shadow past over his face. “Did I say something wrong?”
He seemed to shake himself, the smile reappearing, albeit a muted version. “No, I’m not a dancer.”
“Figures you’d just be naturally good at it.” Ian gestured to him with a huff of laughter.
“What?”
