Aftermath by Bailey Bradford (most important books of all time txt) 📗

himself battling a jolt of desire that seemed to slam right into his marrow. He’d somehow pictured Darren as the same gangly kid he’d been the last time Lee had seen him, but Darren wasn’t. No, the boy had grown into a man so stunningly attractive that Lee had had to use every ounce of his control to will his dick to behave.

And Darren was exceptionally handsome, his hair a slightly darker shade of brown than Lee remembered, more of a chestnut now than the light brown it had been. The roundness of Darren’s face had faded as he’d matured, making his cheekbones more prominent. Lee was sure Darren’s lips hadn’t been that full or that deep rosy pink, but then again, he hadn’t looked at the kid the way he was looking at the man. Darren was almost the same height as Lee, less than an inch shorter, just the right height to kiss and—

Lee stopped that train of thought and returned to his seat. He nursed his cup of coffee, sneaking sly peeks at Darren’s ass as the man bent to do one thing or another. Lee didn’t pay attention to what Darren was doing except to make sure no one messed with him.

But all of Lee’s training in the military wasn’t strong enough to keep him from getting hard as he watched that firm ass flex, imagined pulling those taut cheeks apart and licking deep into Darren’s body. Lee couldn’t even blame the desire raging through him on lack of sex, because he’d gone without for long periods before, a necessity when he’d planned to make the military his career. He’d never felt such an intense need before.

It should have made him cautious, made him question, since Lee rarely did anything without running it through his head a hundred times, examining his plan and looking for flaws. But it didn’t. What that need did do was make Lee determined to fuck Darren long and hard, if that was what the man wanted. Lee had seen the desire in those brown eyes, had felt Darren quiver with it under Lee’s hand. He was certain Darren wanted the same thing he did, but that might change once they talked. Lee hoped not, but he had to consider the possibility.

And plan a counter strategy if that possibility became reality.

Lee drained the last of his coffee as Darren came out of the kitchen, his gaze bouncing around the diner before settling on Lee’s. Fisting one trembling hand in his apron, Darren walked over, his body a contrast of emotions. Those long legs moved in steady strides, but the hand twisting in the apron was white-knuckled and a fine sheen of sweat glossed his forehead by the time Darren was close. He cleared his throat a couple of times, a sign of nervousness that reminded Lee of the skittery teen boy Darren used to be.

“Virginia—she’s my boss, well, and she’s the owner, obviously,” Darren began, stuttering every third word or so. “She said we can use her office, if that’s okay with you?”

Was Darren scared or turned on or both? Lee was leaning toward the latter, but a little clarification would be nice. He let his lips spread in a slow smile that he’d been told made a man want to drop to his knees. Darren’s eyes widened, his pupils dilating to chase out all but a thin ring of chocolaty brown to frame his pupils. His full lips parted on a gasp as his slick pink tongue darted out to wet the tempting flesh. Lee could easily spot the throbbing pulse at the base of Darren’s neck, and the hand that had been bunched in the apron was now splayed open over a place Lee would love to touch himself.

And Darren was definitely aroused, not afraid, at least not now. Lee wanted to keep it that way for a while, if he could. His smile stretched wider, became more genuine and less calculated as he cupped Darren’s elbow possessively. “Lead the way, Darren. I think it’s best that we do this without an audience.”

Chapter Four

Uncertain of what, exactly, Lee meant by that comment, Darren nonetheless agreed. He knew that first smile Lee had given him was calculated to make Darren melt into a puddle of lust, and he did. Internally, everything was heating and going soft on the inside while his dick was so hard he ached from it.

But that second smile, the one that seemed genuine and maybe a little smug, and was definitely loaded with a measure of the lust Darren was feeling—that smile had pretty much guaranteed Lee could have Darren, any way he wanted him. Darren had been alone too long, lonely too long, to say no to the offer that’d been in Lee’s smile. So, if Lee meant it, if he really wanted Darren, he was more than willing.

“It’s just up here,” Darren murmured, surprised his voice was steady when his heart was racing like a spooked thoroughbred. Lee didn’t speak, merely grunted, a soft, guttural sound that spawned images in Darren’s head of being bent over Virginia’s desk and taken hard and fast. His steps faltered as they neared the office. As much as he wanted Lee, this wasn’t the time or place, and Darren wasn’t entirely certain either of those things mattered.

“Don’t stop now,” Lee said as he tightened his grip. He pulled Darren along when he hesitated, stopping only when they came to the open door. “Is this it?”

“Yes,” Darren whispered, unable to think past the riot of need spiraling from his groin to his brain. He shouldn’t go in the office with Lee, should stop him from closing the door. The sound of the lock being set sent a shockwave through Darren, his little fantasy from a moment before suddenly turning into a very likely—and dangerous—reality in his mind. He jerked against Lee’s hold on his elbow, surprised when Lee let him go. Darren looked at the man, fear and desire