Bad Ideas (First & Forever 4)

After I jogged across the street and up the stairs, I made use of the brass knocker. Then I waited.

It took Theo a while to answer the door. I was about to make a comment about keeping me waiting, but as soon as I got a look at him, I forgot what I was going to say. Instead, I murmured, “My god, you’re sexy.”

His dark hair was damp from a recent shower and tousled into soft waves, and he was wearing the least likely outfit I ever could have imagined for him. He was barefoot and dressed in a pair of ancient Levi’s that were torn at the knees, paired with an oversized, black AC/DC T-shirt.

I was about to mention how much I loved that band, but then I met his gaze. There was stark vulnerability in his eyes, so I asked, as gently as I could, “Are you okay?”

He nodded and tried to pull up a neutral expression, but it didn’t really work. When he stepped back to let me in, I hesitantly took a few steps into the foyer, and he closed the door behind me. I gently wrapped my hand around his wrist and discovered his pulse was racing. “Talk to me, Theo,” I pleaded. “Something’s clearly bothering you.”

When he spoke, his voice was little more than a rough whisper. “I’ve never had anyone over before.” I assumed he was referring to random sex partners and people he barely knew, like me. “I didn’t know it would make me feel so…exposed.”

I really wanted to give him a hug, but I didn’t know if that would be welcome. “I can leave.”

I started to turn toward the door, but he blurted, “No. Please don’t go. You’re already here, and I’m just being ridiculous.” When I looked at him, he raised his chin and tried to gather up some of his usual bravado. “Let’s go upstairs. I want you to fuck me, and then you need to leave. Got it?”

“Anything you say. One thing, though. I came here straight from the hospital and always take a shower when I get off work. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Follow me.” He headed for the stairs, and I fell into step behind him.

The interior of the house wasn’t what I expected. I’d assumed it would all be designer-perfect and sterile, to match the flawless exterior. Instead, it was cozy and a bit haphazard. There were lots of potted plants, and countless piles of books, and the mismatched furniture seemed to have been chosen for comfort rather than style.

A lot of the second story was taken up by a huge master suite with a four-poster mahogany bed. Several area rugs created a patchwork across the wood floor, and a cluttered seating area in front of the fireplace looked inviting.

He pointed to a door and muttered, “It’s through there. Help yourself to whatever you need.”

I thanked him and went into the gray and white bathroom. It was perfectly clean, but there were a lot of things sitting out on the marble vanity. I stripped down as the water heated up, then got into the shower and borrowed his body wash. It was nothing fancy, and that too was surprising. I would have thought someone with his background would throw around money on high-end products.

After I finished showering and dried off, I wrapped a plum-colored towel around my hips and fished around in my backpack. It was always stocked with a few basic supplies, for times when I worked double shifts at the hospital and wanted to be able to freshen up. I brushed my teeth and combed my hair, then went to join Theo.

He was still dressed and sitting on the edge of his bed. There was an empty glass in his hand and a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s on the nightstand, on top of a pile of books. I crossed the room and stood right in front of him, then took the glass from his hand and placed it beside the bottle. He whispered, “Fuck,” and ran his palms across my chest as his gaze slid over my body.

I picked him up and tossed him onto the mattress, and his breath caught. Then I climbed on top of him and kissed him, supporting myself on my knees and elbows. He returned the kiss almost frantically, then pushed his hips against mine. As he pulled the towel off me and threw it on the floor, he nuzzled my ear and murmured, “I need you to fuck me so hard, Casey. I want to ache for a week.”

He slurred his words a little, so I sat up a bit and asked, “How much have you had to drink tonight?”

“Lots.” He tried to pull me back down, and when that didn’t work he propped himself up on his elbows and kissed the side of my neck.