Page 39 of Quiet
Briar slid his fingers behind Isa’s head, pulled him closer, and Isa stopped thinking altogether.
Briar ran a hand down Isa’s arm, tracing the bare skin exposed by the slit in his sleeve. It sent lightning coursing through Isa’s body, and he gasped. Briar took the initiative to lick into his mouth, and Isa twined his arms around Briar’s neck, pulling him closer.
He couldn’t get close enough.
Isa let out a little cry when he found himself shoved against the wall. He was drowning in Briar, and, god help him, he didn’t want to be rescued. The intense focus Briar had directed at him while drawing was now put to mapping out Isa’s mouth until the boy was left gasping for breath.
Isa pulled back and rested his forehead on Briar’s chest. “Briar?”
“Mmm?”
There was something very important he was supposed to remember right now. He just needed to catch his breath so he could remember what it was. “I don’t think—”
“No. No thinking.” Briar’s arms tightened around Isa. “You think too much.” He dipped his head and caught Isa’s lips with his, pulling him away from the thinking place full of doubts and worry.
“But—”
“You talk too much, too.” Briar put both hands on Isa’s waist and lifted him off the ground. Isa found himself wrapping his legs around Briar’s narrow hips and clinging to him, monkey-style. And then Briar was kissing him again, using the new position to full advantage, massaging Isa’s ass and pulling him in even closer.
Once he’d thoroughly reclaimed Isa’s mouth, he kissed along his jaw with such precision it made Isa think of how Briar drew. Right now, Briar was the charcoal and Isa the canvas. Only together could they create something beautiful.
Isa melted, feeling his body soften against Briar’s as he placed a kiss behind Isa’s ear and began working his way down the boy’s neck. A sharp, sweet pain surprised a little mewling sound out of him when Briar nipped at his skin.
Downstairs a door opened, and voices echoed up the stairwell.
He pushed against Briar’s chest in alarm, and, for a moment, Isa thought he wasn’t going to let go. Briar gave Isa a searching look before finally allowing the boy’s feet to drop to the floor. Isa stepped away and brushed at his clothes, trying to make them look less like he’d just been in a wind tunnel.
Briar gave a wry half smile and took Isa by the hand just as two young women came into view.
Isa’s heart was racing a mile a minute, and he knew he looked like a kid caught with his hand in the offering plate.
Both women greeted Briar and started to pass, but one stopped next to Isa. “Nice style. Your makeup game is on fire.”
“Oh!” Isa touched a hand to his cheek. He’d forgotten all about his face. “Thank you.” He wanted to tell her he had nothing to do with how he looked, but the woman and her friend were already walking away, continuing the conversation they’d been having.
Isa watched them climb the stairs until they were out of sight. The warmth enfolding his other hand reminded him that he and Briar had unfinished business to take care of. What on earth was he supposed to do now?
“Um . . . I should probably go back to my room and change.” Isa tugged on his hand, trying to get it free. Briar tightened his grip, making it impossible to escape.
“I’ll walk you there.” Briar’s voice was like honey in his ears.
“Ahhhh . . .” Desire burned low and deep. Isa stood motionless, now trapped in place by more than Briar’s restraining hold on his hand. Somehow Briar’s voice had gained even more power over him than before.
Briar released Isa and placed a hand on his hip, guiding him down the stairs.
The walk back was quiet. There was a touch of chill to the air, and it helped clear away the fog in Isa’s brain. What had just happened? He’d been so upset a few minutes ago, and now he was allowing himself to be led back to his room like a docile child.
He couldn’t help himself. Briar was wrapped around him like his own personal security blanket—a sexy one. Isa had really believed Briar had moved on. Knowing he’d just been trying to put Isa at ease made a flutteringsomethingin his chest struggle to break free.
In his own awkward way, Briar was trying to make Isa feel safe around him. The fluttering grew. This Briar was even more dangerous than the one who had been following him around drawing him. At least then, Isa had been so deep in escape mode that he didn’t have time to examine the feelings he was having. But a clingy, thoughtful Briar? Isa didn’t stand a chance.
No, he couldn’t give up without a fight. Too much depended on him not giving in.
When they reached his door, Isa turned to Briar and said, “Listen, I got caught up in the moment back there, but—”
Briar reached out and placed a finger over Isa’s lips. “No. No more of that.” He put a hand on the wall next to Isa’s head and leaned down, bringing his mouth close to the boy’s ear. “Isa . . .”
A hypnotic, tingling sensation spread out from Isa’s ear to cover his entire body. “Haaaa . . .”
