Page 49 of Knocked Sideways

“Don’t be stupid,” Jed said. “Stand still.”

He looked down to grab the strap again, and this time, it was impossible to miss the way Remy’s dick was tenting the fabric of his shorts.

Jed’s brain shorted out for a moment. He was suddenly aware that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, either, and that they were standing less than a foot apart, and that his cock was also starting to harden under his thin sleep pants.

“You can, you know,” Remy said softly when Jed didn’t move.

“Hmm?” Jed asked, not even looking up. He was too focused on Remy’s bare skin, right there. On Remy’s nipples, which had hardened while Jed was looking down at him. The way that blush was starting to spread down over Remy’s chest, just like Jed had thought it might.

“Touch me.” Remy’s voice was low. “If you want.” Jed froze. Was Remy really suggesting that Jed touch him that way, right now?

“Let me just—” Jed paused. “You’re hurt.”

He steadied himself and tried not to breathe in the salt from Remy’s skin, overlaid with the citrus scent of his soap. He reached around Remy, almost like an embrace. Grabbed the strap and brought it around Remy’s chest, secured it quickly. Grabbed the other ice pack and did the same, all while Remy stood there like a statue, hardly breathing.

“Good?” Jed asked, without stepping back.

He knew he was too close. If he leaned in a little, his lips would brush Remy’s cheek. The muscles along Remy’s jaw were tight, like he was clenching his teeth. Jed wanted to smooth them, to cup the back of Remy’s head and rain kisses down his neck until he relaxed. He bit his lip and looked into Remy’s eyes, which were so blown out they were almost black.

“Yeah,” Remy breathed out. “Yeah.”

And he just stood there, waiting. Like Jed wasn’t finished. Like Jed was meant to rest his hands on Remy’s hips and kiss him senseless.

“Okay.”

Jed knew he wasn’t supposed to do what Remy seemed to be asking for. He knew there was some reason that he’d remember when he was back in his bed, alone—like the fact that Remy was hurting and maybe not thinking quite straight and might have regrets in the morning. He knew that Remy hadn’t even said out loud what exactly he wanted from Jed.

Except.

You can touch me.

He shouldn’t.

Not tonight, not like this. Not when he wasn’t sure what Remy really wanted, whether Remy really knew what he was asking for.

But somehow, his finger was tracing the edge of the bruise on Remy’s torso down to the waistband of his shorts, stopping at the top of Remy’s hip bone. Jed’s heartbeat thundered in his ears, and he was sure Remy must be able to hear it. Remy shuddered and then stood completely still, holding his breath.

Jed traced the edge of the bruise again, up and down, watching his finger slide over Remy’s skin like it belonged to someone else. Then Remy’s breath hitched, just a little gasp, and Jed looked up, and Remy was leaning up toward him and pressing his lips to Jed’s so gently.

Then Jed’s hands were somehow in Remy’s hair, holding him in place so that he could deepen the kiss. Remy’s lips parted, and his moan vibrated through Jed’s body. Remy pressed up against Jed, hot and hard and insistent, and then he gasped in pain as Jed’s hands closed around his waist to hold him in place.

“Fuck.” Jed couldn’t believe he’d lost control like that. “I hurt you.”

“No, I’m good. Don’t stop.” Remy lifted his face up toward Jed again, eyes half-closed, but now Jed’s head was spinning with how wrong it was for him to touch Remy like this when Remy was tired and in pain and maybe not thinking so clearly.

He needed to stop. They might both want this, but not tonight. They needed to talk; they needed to be adults about this.

Jed dropped his hands and stepped back.

“You’re hurt. I need you to get some rest tonight, okay?”

“Some rest?” Remy repeated. He blinked a few times and then looked to the side, like he couldn’t quite meet Jed’s eyes. “Right. Yeah. Rest is good. The ice’ll help. So, yeah.”

It took all of Jed’s willpower to hold himself still as Remy slipped around him and limped down the hall, leaving Jed to turn off the lights and wonder what the hell had just happened.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

REMY