Page 102 of Too Close To Home

That was all Jake needed.

And suddenly there was tongue and heat and stubble rasping with the rough inhale of breath between them as the kiss went frantic without force. No more wondering whether Harrison wanted this. He did.

Fuck, he did.

It felt as though it’d been building from the start. The first look. The first conversation. Every time their eyes had caught since.

Jake had no idea where it was going.

Strangely, he didn’t need to.

Because for the first time in longer than he could remember, he didn’t want to rush towards whatever came after the kissing. He didn’t want Harrison up against the tree so he could get his hands under his clothes. Didn’t want to drag him back to the van or find somewhere they wouldn’t be seen.

He wanted this.

Harrison’s mouth on his. His hand gripping his arm. The warmth of him against Jake’s body. Kissing him slowly enough that Jake could actually fucking feel it instead of already thinking about what came next.

And that might have been the strangest part of all.

A rustle from somewhere below broke through it though.

Jake jerked back, head snapping towards the sound. “What the fuck?”

He glanced down. Harrison’s phone had fallen somewhere in the scuffle, and the torchlight cut a beam through the clearing to shine on a badger. Nose twitching. Judging. An indignant grunt following.

“Hey—shoo.” Jake nudged his boot towards it. “Fuck off.”

The badger squealed in outrage before disappearing into the undergrowth, and Jake turned back to find Harrison quietly laughing, still half clinging to his arm.

Fuck, he liked that sound too.

Jake shook his head, smiling, and leaned in until his forehead rested against Harrison’s. “Drawbacks to kissing in the woods.”

“Yeah.” Harrison looked at him, still slightly breathless. “So… we should probably not do that.”

Jake licked his lips, still tasting him. “You sure?”

“It’s… not particularly appropriate.”

“That weren’t what I asked.”

Harrison’s eyes met his, and Jake could feel every warm breath against his mouth. But he said nothing.

So Jake dropped his gaze to those inviting lips. “One more.”

He gave Harrison enough time to object.

Harrison didn’t.

So Jake kissed him again. Just once. Nothing like before. A slow press of his mouth to Harrison’s and lasting a couple of seconds longer than it probably should.

When he pulled back, a smile tugged at his mouth. “Christ, you’re nice.”

“Nice?”

“Aye.” Jake licked his lips, still tasting him. “Really fucking nice.”

Harrison swallowed. “We should go.”