Page 131 of Stop and Seek
Noah slammed back into him, over and over, each thrust shaking the bed, the whole apartment filled with the sound of skin on skin and Theo’s cries. He could feel Theo tensing under him, body tightening like it was ready to snap.
Theo screamed when he came, loud and ragged and completely undone. His body shuddered, going stiff and then boneless beneath Noah as he spilled over his hand, painting the sheets. Noah didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. He kept fucking him through it, harder, rougher, chasing his own high with a growl in his throat and fire in hisveins.
“Mine,” he said again, voice cracking as he came inside him. “You’re mine. Always.”
Theo trembled under him, breath coming in sharp little gasps, and Noah collapsed against him, panting, sweating, his body half-wrapped around Theo’s. His heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
Adjusting was probably a good idea. Maybe let Theo breathe better. He moved his hand off Theo’s throat. Kissed his cheek, then his jaw. Slow at first. Gentle. A little unsure of what or where to go after this. Like he hadn’t just fucked him stupid.
“You alive?” he mumbled.
“Mhm,” Theo hummed. “I’m fucking dandy. You gonna die?”
“Don’t make me laugh. Everything hurts. Mysocksare wet.”
Theo wiggled. “Good. Suffer.”
“You’re suffering with me.”
Noah buried his face in Theo’s and stayed there. Wet. Spent. Possessive.
He wasn’t moving. Not for a long, long time.
Sleeping wasn’t something that came to Theo easily. He got up too many times for Noah to count. Once to chug enough water to hydrate a camel. Another time to do something else, the bathroom light staying on for what felt like an eternity.
He came back without the jacket, at least. Skinny-ass arms ghostly pale in the light of the hall before it clicked off.
Noah finally propped himself up on one elbow, frowning at the shape Theo made in the dark. “Are you alright? Like,reallyalright?”
“Acid’s making my brain fucking spiral,” Theo mumbled. “I keep shutting my eyes and it’s—” He shook his head. “I dunno.”
“I’ll always listen if you wanna talk.”
“No.”
One word.
Final.
Noah was damn tired of hearing it. Not because he didn’t respect it, but because it meant Theo was shutting him out.Again.
And Noah had beenveryfucking clear that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Sleeping’s out of the cards?” he asked. Instead of bitching. Instead of demanding.
Theo grabbed his phone, soft white light washing over his face, highlighting the dark circles. “I have work in a couple hours.”
Noah let himself stare a minute longer, breath slow, heart doing that dumb fluttering thing like a teenager at a sleepover. He didn’t deserve to look this good sleep-deprived.
The riot of hair—wavy and soft—stuck to his forehead and cheeks like it belonged there. The red mark on his lips from Noah’s teeth made his chest ache. Proud. Horny. Something.
Theo looked over, eyebrow raised, glasses reflecting whatever was on his screen, and Noah grinned before he even meant to.
“Coffee?” Noah asked quickly. “With seven gallons of sugar and cream?”
The phone clicked off. “Yeah. Let me show you—”
Noah was already sliding off the bed. “You relax. I’m sure I can figure out where everything is.”
