Page 41 of His Christmas Love Song

“So I’ll make you a deal,” Ryan says slyly. “You get me off, but you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

Jesse lets out a laugh at that. The idea of touching Ryan, of bringing him to orgasm and not wanting to come himself is patently laughable. Ryan’s right, maybe they do just need to rip the band aid off. Though he’s fairly certain the process will be more enjoyable than the metaphor implies.

“Okay, fair’s fair. I did promise you an orgasm, and I always keep my promises,” Jesse says. “But not in the bath.”

Ryan stands up faster than he should be able to with one working arm. “Done.”

Jesse, anticipation buzzing in his gut, reaches for a towel.

NINETEEN

Ryan’s hungry, and a little thirsty, and he’s no doubt due for some more pain meds, but nothing is going to stop him from getting Jesse’s hands on him. He dries off quickly, returns to the bedroom, and has a terrible thought.

He does an about-face and nearly runs into Jesse coming out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his narrow waist.

“I didn’t bring any condoms,” Ryan says. “I know we don’t necessarily need them, but—” To his consternation, Jesse turns around and walks back into the bathroom without answering.

Ryan sighs. He thought he’d convinced his boyfriend to take him to bed, but maybe he needs to work on his game. Jesse’s turning out to be a lot less easy, for lack of a better word, than Ryan expected.

Not that he doesn’t understand the nerves. What they’re embarking on is different from any other relationship Ryan’s ever had. They have years of one type of intimacy built up, and all of a sudden they’re leaping into an entirely new category. They’re bound to have to make adjustments, have a few misunderstandings and false starts. But Jesse’s smoking hot, and Ryan wants him so badly. And from the way Jesse’s been looking at him all day, touching and kissing him, it’s not as if Jesse thinks he’s repulsive.

So why is he standing naked in a bedroom alone?

Jesse comes out of the bathroom holding a box of condoms and a bottle of lube.

“I ordered them along with the Epsom salts,” he says, shrugging. “Just in case.”

“You’re a genius,” Ryan says, before launching himself at Jesse. He leans up to kiss him, and his elbow gives a twinge. He groans. “This arm is a real spoilsport.”

“Here.” Jesse puts his offerings down on the table next to the bed, then smooths back the covers. “Lie down, get your arm comfy, and let me keep my promise.”

“Yeah?” This is more like it. Ryan does as he’s told, settling onto the cool sheets, propping up his arm on an extra pillow.

Jesse sits down next to him. His skin is smooth and there’s so much of it. His chest is appealingly dusted with dark wiry hairs. Ryan reaches up to touch, and Jesse lowers himself down so it’s easier for him. Then he starts kissing Ryan, but not on the mouth. No, he starts at the hinge of his jaw. Ryan shivers at the sensation. He kisses Ryan’s ear, and his neck, his collarbone, a nipple. His tongue flicks the tiny nub and Ryan shivers again, his nipples both standing to attention, waiting for Jesse to do whatever he wants to them.

What Jesse wants is to tease, apparently, licking the other nipple, then returning to Ryan’s mouth, which he captures in a deep, open-mouthed kiss that has all the blood in Ryan’s body concentrating in his dick.

“Jesse, please,” is all Ryan can manage to say before Jesse’s moving south, kissing along Ryan’s breastbone, down the soft swell of his stomach. He’d be self-conscious about it—he’s never had abs of any discernible articulation in his life, not the way Jesse’s flat tummy seems to harden into perfectly sexy little ridges when he’s shirtless and working out or playing basketball in the driveway of his Austin house. But Jesse doesn’t seem to care, just nuzzles Ryan’s stomach, kissing his way to his hip bones, until he’s so close to Ryan’s aching dick he can feel Jesse’s warm breath ghosting over it.

“Come on, Jess, you’re killing me,” Ryan says, aware of the distinct note of begging in his voice and unable to care.

“Gonna make it so good, Ryan,” Jesse says, then he pulls back. Ryan wants to cry with frustration, but Jesse goes for the lube. He drizzles some into his hand, holds it for a moment as he looks at Ryan. Ryan’s confused, until he realizes Jesse’s warming it up. God, he’s got the best boyfriend in the world.

“You’re really fucking hot,” Jesse says while they wait.

“You are, too.” Ryan realizes Jesse’s still got a towel around his waist and though he’d gotten a glimpse of him naked in the bathroom, he’s never seen Jesse hard. “You want to lose the towel?”

“This is about you.”

“While I love that sentiment, I really, really want to see you,” Ryan says. “Please?” He puffs out his lips in a way that’s been known to get Jesse to do what he wants in the past. Jesse rolls his eyes and uses a single finger to flick open the towel, which falls onto the bed, revealing the thick line of Jesse’s erection jutting out from dark curls. It bobs a little as Ryan watches, and he suddenly realizes that Jesse’s not fully hard yet. He’s not sure how much more Jesse has to go, but either way, his boyfriend is a monster. Ryan swallows slightly nervously. “Um.”

“Something the matter?” Jesse murmurs as he slowly, firmly, and expertly wraps his slick palm around Ryan’s shaft and starts to stroke.

It takes Ryan a minute to find words among all the pleasure signals his brain is putting out. “Gah—no. All. Good.” Wet, slick, hot pressure from Jesse’s big hands, his cock being confidently stroked, his balls being tugged deliciously, and he’s ready to throw his head back and come thirty seconds into the Jesse Arlyn hand job experience.

Jesse chuckles, increases his speed. “That’s right. Just feel good for me, darlin’. There are so many ways I’m going to make you feel good. This is just the start. I’m going to blow you. I’m going to fuck you.” Jesse touches Ryan’s hole with one hot, slippery finger, and Ryan bites his lip hard to keep from coming right that instant.

“Is that something you want?” Jesse asks, rubbing at Ryan’s entrance firmly but not penetrating him. “Have you thought about me fucking you, Ryan?”