Page 85 of Jackrabbit

system.

But he damn well couldn’t imagine anyone but Colt was going to quench this thirst.

And he couldn't let Colt touch him.

So, really, he was fucked.

He didn't turn when Colt came out of the bedroom, but he tracked his movement anyway. Down the hall, to the kitchen, where he stopped and took a long sip of the drink. Toast made a soft ‘mrrt’ sound, the one he made when he jumped up on the counter, and started to purr.

“Look at you,” Colt murmured around a mouthful of food. “You're such a big baby, aren't you? I missed you, too.”

Beau still hadn't taken a drink when he heard the sink running a few minutes later, dishes being rinsed and dropped in the dishwasher. Footsteps headed his way, sure and bare.

He'd expected Colt to stand in front of him or sit on the floor, or even drop onto the couch. That was not what happened. One leg slid into the chair with him, wedged between his thigh and the arm, then the other on the other side, and Colt settled himself on Beau's thighs. Warm and heavy, smelling like Beau’s soap.

Colt plucked Beau’s glass out of his hand and set it on the table beside the chair, and Beau finally looked up. Swimming in Beau’s Alice Cooper shirt, his curls wet and shrinking against his forehead, Colt was watching Beau like he could see right through him. Beau’s eyes tracked down to Colt’s thighs, bare except for his bright red boxer briefs.

“There's no way in hell I'm fitting in your underwear,” Colt told him as he wiggled into a more comfortable position. “Giant.”

“What are you doing, Colt?” Beau settled his hands on the tops of Colt’s thighs.

Because he was weak. Weak and just as pathetic as his cat.

One of Colt’s hands slid onto Beau's bare chest. “Well, I've been thinking.”

“Dangerous,” Beau murmured.

“You're rude.”

Colt pinched one of Beau’s nipples, and Beau jumped. “Colt!”

Unrepentant, as always, Colt grinned at him. “Be nice, and I'll be nice back.”

Beau squeezed Colt’s thighs, digging his thumbs into the muscles there just to see Colt squirm. Sadist, Colt had called him. “I'm always nice. You sayin’ what I did out there wasn't nice?”

“Nice is not the word I'd use.” Colt shifted on Beau's legs, his muscles flexing under Beau's hands. “Now stop that unless you want me dry humping you into oblivion. I have no pride. Left it on the hood of your truck. And I'm trying to have a real talk here.”

“Alright,” Beau drawled, slow and deliberate as he gentled his hands. No part of him wanted to have this talk, and at the same time, every part did. Especially with Colt warm and alive in his lap, looking at him with those big, green eyes.

“We’re both adults here,” Colt started as he gently carded his fingers through Beau’s chest hair. “Andclearlykeeping our hands to ourselves is not going well. Why does it have to be complicated?”

Beau sighed. “For a million reasons, boy. Which I've listed. Multiple times.”

“I'm not asking for forever, Beau.” Colt's other hand came to Beau’s face, his thumb running across Beau’s mustache to his cheekbone. “I'm gone in four months anyway, and you're…well. Whatever you are, it's clear ‘open to commitment’ isn't in your vocabulary. But you want me.”

He paused, watching Beau’s face. Colt wanted an answer, and Beau couldn't deny him that. “Yeah.” He slid his hands up Colt’s thighs and bit down the jolt of fear that hit him with the admission. “I do.”

The smile Colt gave him, all sunshine and dimples and teeth, was almost worth it.

“Look at this. Honesty. Communication. We're so grown,” Colt teased, his cheeks turning pink. “That's all this needs to be, right? You want me. I want you to bend me over every surface and show me a new religion.” Beau rolled his eyes, and Colt tugged on Beau's hair. “Hush. I'm talking. Why can't we just… have that?”

“Just that, hm?” As if there was any such thing when Beau had felt that horrible, sucking fear watching Colt on the track. When he couldn't stay away, even though he knew he should.

“Yup.” Colt nodded. “A real-life situationship. No feelings, no strings. You get what you want, I get what I want, and when Liberty comes knocking, we end it. Out of our systems.”

Out of our systems. Like Colt was a fever Beau could sweat out, like four months would be enough to forget what it felt like to have all that wild, desperate want in his hands. The lie settled in his chest, heavy as a stone.

Beau rubbed circles on Colt’s thighs. “That's what you want?”