Page 57 of The Wild Charge

Their waiter returned, face carefully schooled in a way that said he’d overheard their conversation – of course he had, Reese never bothered with social proprieties, talking as loud and casual as if they were discussing the weather. God, but Tenny loved the idiot.

“Can I get you gentlemen anything else?”

Tenny gave the poor man his most lecherous grin. “Just the check.”

~*~

Tenny insisted on paying for both their dinners, and told Reese to put his wallet away when he tried to get it out.That’s not how a date works, love. Reese had no opinion on words like that – words likedarling. He knew they were affectionate, but he knewyou stupid titwas affectionate, too, in Tenny’s mouth.Darlinghad affected Tenny earlier, though; he’d watched him stiffen all over, gaze drawing inward and a little panicked for a moment.

He seemed to have decided something since then, though, much more relaxed as they left the restaurant. He seemed settled, now, the smirk on his lips more of a smile, his eyes bright with an emotion Reese couldn’t begin to parse.

A touch landed on the small of his back, under his cut, when they reached the bikes, and another on his arm, halting him, drawing him around until they faced one another. The picture Tenny made, backlit by a streetlamp, hair tousled by the wind, face smooth and free of his usual scowls or sneers hit Reese right in the chest; left a physical ache behind.

Then Tenny raked his fingers through Reese’s hair, messing up his bun, cupping his skull gently. He tilted his head to the angle he wanted, leaned in, and kissed him. Slow, and deep, and full of promise. He drew back only a fraction, after, noses brushing, breath warm on Reese’s lips, his voice low and velvet. “This is how it is on a date,” he murmured. “It isn’t just straight to the main event.” Another clinging kiss. “We have to test the waters.” Reese could feel the shape of his smile at the corner of his mouth. “I have to make you want it.”

Swallowing took a remarkable amount of effort. “I do.”

Tenny kissed a slow trail along the edge of his jaw, until his lips were at his ear, and Reese had goosebumps. “Then, you say, ‘Let’s go back to my place, baby.’”

Reese had never said anything of the sort before. His breath hitched in his throat. “Let’s…go back to my place. Baby.”

Tenny hummed, and kissed the hinge of his jaw. “Good boy.”

The praise washed through him like a warm tide. He’d been told he was good before: when he’d killed someone; when he’d successfully completed an op. A terse, unfeelinggood.

But no one had ever beenpleasedwith him, before Tenny. No one touched him, and kissed him, and purred in his ear, and wanted him. Only Tenny.

He reached to grip Tenny by his waist; liked the way his thumbs fit just right in the grooves of his abdominals. He turned his head, chasing another kiss – but Tenny drew back, blue eyes glittering.

“You want to take me home?”

“Yes.” He wanted that desperately.

Tenny’s grin was like a knife-wound, narrow and sharp-edged. “So, take me.”

The ride back to the clubhouse seemed to take forever. Reese kept sneaking glances over at Tenny as they went, buzzing with anticipation, imagination laying out scenarios that left his fingers flexing on the handlebars.

There were bikes parked in front of the clubhouse; it was so rarely empty these days.

Tenny didn’t say anything, but slanted a low-lidded, unmistakably smug glance at him before they headed inside. Reese could do nothing but follow; it felt like there was a hook in his belt, dragging him along behind, desire a steady pulse inside him.

Boomer, Deacon, and Evan sat in front of the TV with beers and snacks. Reese didn’t spare them a thought. But Tenny leaned over the back of the couch to take the remote from Deacon – “Hey! What the hell?” – and thumbed the volume higher. “You’re gonna want that pretty loud,” he said, smirking, as he dropped the remote into his lap and continued on.

“Aw, no, ew,” Boomer complained, making a face.

“Meanwhile, you sound like a symphony of angels when you’re shagging,” Tenny shot back as he headed down the hall. “Reese, come on.”

“Wait, do they have a girl, or…” he heard Evan wonder aloud.

Reese didn’t stick around to enlighten him.

Tenny led the way to Reese’s room, and Reese was hot on his heels as he went through the door, expecting to be grabbed at, ready for it to go fast, and reckless, and hurried, tripping over their clothes as they strove to get out of them.

But when Tenny closed the door, and turned to him, it was unhurried. His gaze was hooded, anticipatory – and something else. A little bit wicked, maybe. He closed the distance between them with deliberate slowness, movements telegraphed as he once again reached for Reese’s head. He stepped in close enough that their chests pressed together, and reached to pull the tie free from Reese’s hair, combing it out with his fingers, after, arranging it along the sides of his face.

It was the gentlest he’d ever been.

“You’re shaking,” Tenny observed, and tucked his hair behind his ears; swept his thumbs along his cheekbones, his jaw.

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