Jardin's Gamble (Haven, Texas 9)

Carrick’s mouth moved against his, taking charge of the kiss. His tongue dipped between Jardin’s lips; sipping from him. Owning him.

His cock pressed against his pants. Aching and hard. Jardin ran his hands up Carrick’s thighs, feeling how muscular he was. Then he pressed his hand to the other man’s cock

Fuck. Yes.

Carrick groaned into his mouth. “Jardin . . .”

“Let me show you how much I want you. Let me prove it to you.”

Carrick shook his head.

It was like a bucket of cold water over his head. He’d misread him. Sure, he was rocking one hell of a hard-on, but it didn’t mean he wanted this.

“Fuck. Jardin. I just . . . I need a minute to think. Christ, that was everything . . . it was everything I ever wanted and yet . . .”

“You’re worried it might all disappear.” Jardin got it.

“Can you . . . can you get up? Seeing you on your knees like this, well, it doesn’t seem quite right. I don’t want you begging me. I thought I did. But fuck, it’s not like I didn’t make mistakes. We both know that. And you aren’t a man who gets on his knees.”

“I do for the people I love when they need me to. I do when I’ve been an idiot and it’s no less than I deserve.”

“I don’t want to punish you, J.”

“You don’t?”

Carrick’s lips twitched. “Okay, maybe I’d like to punish you a bit. But I messed up too. I just don’t know if we can come back from that.”

“And you don’t know if you want to try.”

“My life is in a good place right now. Not sure I can risk messing it up.”

“You’re not sure I’m worth messing things up for.” Jardin got it. “You’re likely right.” He started to get to his feet when Carrick grabbed his shoulders.

The other man groaned. “You’re fucking with everything I thought I wanted. That I needed.”

“I could say sorry, except that I’m not.”

“Bastard.” But it wasn’t said with ire. “Fuck.” Carrick leaned in and kissed him. Hard. Hot. He had to resist the urge not to take charge. Whatever Carrick needed to let him in, he’d give to him. No matter the cost.

Carrick finished the kiss, placing his forehead against his. “You’re holding back.”

Jardin stiffened.

“Because I’m a guy? Because I’m me? Or something else?” Carrick asked.

“Because you’re you. And I want to give you what you need.”

“Don’t do that, J.”

“Don’t do what?”

“Change your needs for me. Just don’t . . . things won’t work if you do that. We both know you’ve got to be the dominant one in any relationship.”

“You’re a Dom too. Have you ever thought about submitting?”

Carrick shrugged. “I enjoy being dominant in the bedroom. But there were times I watched you with Sally and thought about what it would be like to submit to you.”

“Yeah?” Jardin said huskily.