Reese’s eyes moved over his face. “And if I make a move?”
Brantley’s cock jerked at the thought. “If you’re askin’ if I’ll turn you away…” Brantley grinned. “You’d have to make the move to find out.”
***
Reese wasn’t surprised Brantley was putting it all on him.
Did he want to make a move?
Yes and no.
As he lay there, staring at Brantley’s face, his hair mussed from sleep, the stubble on his jaw darker today than yesterday, he couldn’t deny he was tempted. Probably a lot of people in the world would’ve been. Even from a straight man’s eyes, Brantley Walker was nice to look at. One of those guys who exuded power and a raw sexuality simply by breathing. And though Reese had never had an intrinsic attraction to a man, he wasn’t surprised he did with Brantley. Animal magnetism, he believed it was called.
And the urge to explore him on a physical level was potent. Not all that different than what he’d felt for various women in the past. The idea of pressing his lips to Brantley’s, feeling him move against him, hearing the heated moans as he got worked up … it was simple lust. A natural response.
Problem was, this was dangerous territory. Reese could cop to the fact he was drawn to him, but that was a far cry from wanting to be intimate with the man.
What happened if he kissed Brantley and hated it? Where would that leave them?
He did have an answer for that because he’d spent endless hours thinking about it. For starters, there would be a huge rift between them that would threaten the fragile relationship they’d established up to this point.
Was that a risk Reese was willing to take?
For fuck’s sake, the guy had become his closest friend in the past month and a half. And while Reese had plenty of acquaintances, he didn’t have many friends. No one he spent a lot of time with. And this friendship … it was growing because they had so much in common. And being around Brantley was easy. Even now, when Reese should’ve been freaked out that he was lying in bed with a naked man.
“I don’t wanna fuck this up,” Reese said softly.
“Then don’t.”
Shaking his head, he tore his gaze away from Brantley and stared up at the ceiling fan. “Is it really that easy for you?”
“What?”
“The no-strings thing? You and Cyrus … you might not see it, but that man has it bad for you. Yet, as an outsider, even I can see the feeling’s not mutual. I don’t want to be that guy for you.”
Brantley sighed. “It’s all an act, Reese.”
“What is?”
“Cyrus doesn’t have feelin’s for me any more than I have them for him. We’re friends. Damn good friends. Cyrus is one of those guys who’d lay down his life for me. I feel the same for him. But there’s never been the illusion our friendship would morph into anything else.”
“Then why—”
“Does he act like he’s jealous? He’s tryin’ to get a rise outta you, Reese. That’s all it is.”
The fact that Reese had taken the bait … that was telling, right? Had Reese not wanted something from Brantley, he wouldn’t have cared.
Brantley rolled to his back, stretched. “I’m not pushin’ you, Reese. I don’t want to fuck this up, either. I need a friend like you in my life.”
Rolling his head, he turned his attention away from the drywall. “A friend like me?”
“Yeah.” Brantley glanced his way again. “One who doesn’t coddle me. You don’t hover and worry. I’ve got enough of that in my life, so it’s rare to be around people who don’t treat me like I’m gonna break. I appreciate it.”
“So what you’re really sayin’ is you don’t wanna fuck me?”
Brantley laughed, a deep, throaty sound that had Reese’s entire body hardening.
“Oh, I wanna fuck you. Nine ways to Sunday, in fact. I’m just good at self-restraint.”
Yeah, clearly.
Brantley sat up, dropping his legs over the side of the bed. “You hungry?”
He was, sure. But rather than allow the subject to drop, for them to move on with the rest of the day, pretending this never happened, Reese didn’t respond. Not with words.
Rather than take the out he was being handed, Reese’s hand shot out and he gripped Brantley’s arm, dragging him back down to the mattress. There was no resistance on Brantley’s part; the man just let himself be manhandled until he was pulling his legs back up, his attention shifting to Reese.
Reese rolled to his side, propped himself up on his elbow, leaning over Brantley.
“You can’t undo this.” Brantley’s softly spoken words were a warning.
Oh, he was well aware of that.
Still, he didn’t stop.
Their eyes met and held as Reese leaned in, closing the distance between their lips. Time seemed to stand still as Reese’s mouth eased over Brantley’s. No hesitation, no second-guessing. He went full throttle before he could change his mind.
