Page 27 of Conquest

“You don’t have to be dressed to do that.” Evan headed to the nightstand and set the tray down. He walked around the bed, past Jesse to the curtains, and pulled them back to fill the bedroom with sunlight. He stayed at the windows, staring out at the lake.

Jesse’s breath slipped as he gazed at Evan’s lean body, his skin radiant in the sunlight. Looking at him, he couldn’t help but picture classical Greek sculptures that strove to depict the epitome of male beauty. It was impossible to look at Evan and think of him as anything but beautiful. Though, other words like stunning, breathtaking, captivating…

“Any regrets?” Evan asked, his voice soft.

Jesse stared at Evan’s back, too surprised by the question to answer.

“I knew we should have slowed down,” Evan mumbled to himself.

Jesse watched Evan’s shoulders rise and fall with a sigh. He walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around Evan’s waist. He kissed the back of his shoulder, laid his head against Evan’s, and gave him a strong hug. “No regrets,” he whispered.

Evan turned in his arms and rested his forehead against Jesse’s. “How do you feel?”

With Evan so close, his breath on his lips, Jesse’s earlier desire surged back to the surface. He edged his hips nearer to him. “I feel incredible.”

Evan felt Jesse’s cock rising against his own. “Sore?”

Jesse brushed his lips across Evan’s shoulder. “A little.” He licked up Evan’s neck to his left earlobe and sucked the two gold hoop earrings dangling there into his mouth. “But it’s a good kind of sore.” He moved his lips back to Evan’s neck. Evan closed his eyes and tipped his head to the side to give more of it to him. Jesse kissed the soft skin near the curve. “There’s a phantom feeling as if you’re still inside me.” He lightly nipped him. “But it’s a tease too, because it makes me want the real thing again.”

Evan smiled, and caressed up and down Jesse’s back with his fingertips. “You’re going to become addicted to it.”

Jesse traced his index finger along the inside of Evan’s pants. The tip brushed over the top of Evan’s hard cock. “I think I already am.”

Evan grazed his lips over Jesse’s. “Are you hungry?”

Jesse nodded. “I’m so starving I swear my stomach is crawling up my throat looking for food.”

“That’s a sexy image. I hope you like your eggs scrambled because it’s the only way I know how to cook ‘em.” Evan lightly tugged at Jesse’s boxers. “Why don’t you take these off and get back in bed?”

Before Evan’s fingers left his boxers, Jesse dropped them around his ankles. Evan moved his eyes over him, taking a long moment to drink in Jesse’s fully filled organ. He slowly raised his gaze. Jesse’s eyes showed no shyness or self-consciousness, not that Jesse had anything to be self-conscious about. His sleek, wiry body could have made Michelangelo weep at its perfection. He caught Jesse’s knowing grin. Jesse knew exactly how attractive he was, and it was clear because of that knowledge, he was as comfortable nude as he was clothed.

Seeing Jesse’s confidence made Evan’s cock strain to break free of his running pants. He slid one arm around Jesse’s lower back and pulled him in, covering his mouth in a kiss that sent his desire to him. He rubbed one hand down Jesse’s chest to his stomach, pausing when he felt it rumble under his palm. He smiled through the kiss. “You really are hungry.”

Jesse leaned forward to continue the kiss. “I can wait.”

Evan gave Jesse’s hand a pull toward the bed. “I have a feeling you’d starve to death before passing up sex.”

Jesse let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment, but followed. He crawled under the covers and propped the pillows up against the headboard. Evan set the tray over Jesse’s lap and slid next to him from the other side of the bed.

Jesse took a bite of the eggs and looked at Evan with a smirk. “Wow. The rock star can cook.”

Evan chuckled under his breath. “I do okay with some things.” He lowered his eyes to his plate, his mood suddenly somber. “Is that what you see when you look at me? A rock star? A celebrity?”

Jesse heard a hint of sorrow in Evan’s voice. He looked at him to see it reflected in the shadow of pain on his face. It reminded him of when he asked Evan about why he had left the music world behind and how Evan skated around the question. There was more to his leaving than wanting to explore the world. Had he grown tired of people only looking at him as a performer? From what he already learned of Evan’s personality, saying he was reclusive would be an understatement. Could he no longer stand having cameras shoved in his face everywhere he went, having reporters trying to dig out the dirty bits of his personal life? It couldn’t have been easy for him, being gay and trying to hide it to attain the highest level of success possible. Or did something else happen to drive Evan away from music? He couldn’t imagine anything being strong enough to make himself turn away from it.

Jesse brushed the backs of his fingers down Evan’s cheek. “I’m not going to lie and say I don’t admire the music you’ve done, or that I’ve never watched DVDs of your concerts and sat in awe of your stage performance. But just because your music has inspired me, it wouldn’t have been enough for me to be here with you like we are now. When I said things felt different with you, I meant you’re the first person I’ve ever been so attracted to beyond just the physical.”

He laid his hand over Evan’s and threaded their fingers together. “And last night, I felt something with you I’ve never felt before. Something deep inside me responded to you, and I wanted you like I’ve never wanted anyone. I wouldn’t have given it up to you if I didn’t feel that way. That’s what I’ve been waiting for. For a guy I felt comfortable with, someone I connected with deeper than just thinking they were hot.” He paused, his next words coming softer. “Someone I felt safe with.”

Evan gazed at him. Jesse felt comfortable, safe, with him. He wondered if Jesse was always so honest and open with his emotions. This was the exact thing he had feared, that he would find himself unable to resist wanting to be with him, that Jesse would genuinely like him and want more from him than only a single night of pleasure. Yet despite the trepidation, the joy he felt overpowered it to the point where he could delude himself into believing he had every right to be happy with Jesse.

Jesse gave him bright smile. “And how could I be attracted to you for your celebrity status? The Evan Arden I know is just a wicked sexy guy who hangs out in questionable parts of town desperate to catch a glimpse of the greatest singer he’s ever had the privilege of listening to.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Evan laughed.

Jesse bumped him playfully on the shoulder with his shoulder, then turned back to his food. When the last bites were eaten, Evan lifted the tray and set it on the nightstand. Jesse breathed out a contented sigh and slid down on the bed, lying on his back and stretching out.

Evan reclined on his side and propped his head up on his hand, tickling circles and swirls over Jesse’s chest with his fingertips. “I still think it’s amazing you don’t have a boyfriend.”