Page 44 of Spilled Coffee

Logan raked his nails down Ethan’s back, feeling the muscle tense. His pulse thundered, cock straining in his jeans. A wolflike growl tore from his throat as Ethan’s hips rolled, stoking the fire.

“Me too,” Logan surrendered, his carefully constructed shields cracking apart. His grin matched Ethan’s, eyes running over him, the red in his cheeks, the raw want staring back.

He swallowed hard, then hauled Ethan in for another kiss, all heat and teeth.

They’d deal with the mess later—doubts, regrets, whatever. Right now, it was just this: skin, sweat, everything they couldn’t say pouring into every grab and kiss.

Ethan’s grin lit up the room, it was pure and wild, like he’d just won the lottery. The knot in his shoulders eased, and the tension that had coiled all evening melted away.

Naked, no shame, his body lit by the lamp’s warm glow, he rolled off the couch.

His bare feet were muted thuds on the hardwood floor as he padded toward the bedroom. There was no hesitation in his stride, only a magnetic pull that seemed to beckon Logan without a word.

The bedroom door stood ajar, dark against the beige walls like a threshold to another world. Streetlight slipped through the blinds, throwing stripes across the floor. Cracked ceiling, scuffed boards—it shouldn’t have felt special, but suddenly it did. It wasn’t just a room anymore, it was a boundary they were crossing.

Ethan half-turned, locking eyes with Logan before he slipped inside.

Logan sat up, the couch groaning loud in the quiet. He moved slowly, like he was fighting himself, hands rubbing his temples, trying to shut out the shitstorm raging in his head.

What the fuck am I doing?It hit him hard as want tangled with panic, hope edged with second-guessing.Is he even sober enough for this?The question nagged at him—just hours ago Ethan had been blackout drunk, barely standing. But the clarity in those eyes when he’d locked gazes with Logan just now... that hadn’t been alcohol. That had been pure, unfiltered desire.

Logan pressed his palms against his temples and blew out a rough breath, letting go of more than just air.

He got up, and there it was again… hot and demanding, refusing to be ignored. All his earlier resolve, his carefully constructed rules, his self-imposed lines in the sand, he now found himself crossing them.

His fingers hit the fly of his jeans, popping it undone without thinking.

The denim clung stubbornly as he shoved them from around his hips and down his thighs. Then, kicking them free with a sharp flick of his foot, they crumpled in an untidy heap, along with his doubts.

CHAPTER 23

The windowin the bedroom was shut, but the crooked blinds let dim light from the street streak in.

A rickety dresser sat against one wall, its top covered in stuff from life on the go—a dead cellphone, the screen smashed in a spiderweb pattern, a half-empty glass of water, some loose change and a new pack of gum, foil wrappers poking out like discarded confessions.

The bed dominated the room, the gray quilt was all messed up, the mattress sagging from too many restless nights. But Ethan waited there, sprawled out naked on the sheet, like one of those figures carved from marble and shadows. His sandy blond curls looked good against the white pillow, his flushed lips tipped up in an inviting grin that cast out and reeled Logan in.

Logan’s breath stopped as he took in the scene, and as he pulled off his t-shirt a buzz kicked up in his chest—half hype, half nerves.

His skin prickled in the chill air, nipples stiff as he climbed onto the bed.

Ethan’s grin widened, his arms hooking Logan’s waist, pulling them close—chest on chest, no gaps between them.“There you are,” he said, voice low and easy as he swung a leg over his thighs possessively, anchoring them together.

As Ethan’s hand cupped Logan’s cheek and his thumb brushed over the rough stubble on his jaw, there was an intimacy that sent sparks flaring along his spine.

Logan’s pulse quickened. The feel of Ethan’s skin was smooth under his fingers and as he grabbed his waist, it nearly undid him.

“Relax.” There was both invitation and command in Ethan’s tone, and as he tilted his head, his eyes darkened. They searched Logan’s face with a quiet intensity that made it harder to breathe, before he pressed their lips together.

The kiss started slowly, Ethan teasing Logan’s mouth open, tongue exploring. But when Logan surrendered, it deepened, his tongue sliding in, hot and rough.

It wasn’t just a kiss; it was an unraveling—it was letting go of all the stuff they held back: walls, stalling, whatever had kept them apart.

Logan groaned, both hands clamping Ethan’s back tightly before they dropped to his ass.

He kissed harder, teeth catching Ethan’s lip, then running his tongue over it.I want you so much.

Their breaths came fast, short gasps that fueled their heat. And when they pulled back, they were both breathing hard. Ethan kept his eyes focused on Logan as he slid down his body, lips brushing his neck and collarbone… a nipple.

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