Aiden
I closed down my computer and headed for the elevator, heart fluttering.
Knight had spent the past two weeks healing. The last of his bruises had faded. The hitch in his movements that betrayed his pain had smoothed out. And this morning, he’d proclaimed himself ready for that date I’d promised him.
He still wouldn’t divulge any details. I normally didn’t like being surprised, but Knight had gone through some heavy shit and found his way out the other side. I couldn’t have said no, even if I wanted to, and I was too curious about what Will Knight planned for a perfect date to do any such thing.
Drs. Rose and Foley were standing in front of the elevator when I arrived.
“Heading out?” Dr. Rose asked.
“Yes.”
“Over to the clinic?”
“Not tonight,” I said. “But I’ll volunteer tomorrow.”
She nodded, watching me with her head tilted. “You’ve really taken to the work over there.”
“Understatement,” Foley muttered.
“Yeah. I’m sorry if you kind of got a bait and switch,” I said. “I told you I wanted to go into surgery, and you expected me to follow through—”
She laughed. “Don’t be silly, Aiden. The only commitment you gave me was to your research for this year. As long as you see that through, your future is yours to set.”
“Wait,” Foley said. “Did I miss something?”
“Aiden has expressed interest in a residency with Dr. Meadows next year,” Dr. Rose said.
Foley’s eyes widened. “Shit.” He grimaced. “Er, sorry, Dr. Rose. I think maybe I messed up. I was giving Aiden a hard time about his feelings about surgery, and um…” He bit his bottom lip, looking uncharacteristically uncertain. “I was being a jerk. I’m sorry. I’m sure you’d still make a great surgeon.”
“No, you were right,” I said. “Also kind of a jerk, but a smart one.”
Dr. Rose laughed. “He’s usually that.”
I jabbed the button to call the elevator. “The way you felt about the OR is how I felt about working one-on-one with patients. It’s why I couldn’t go this whole year on research alone.”
“If we’d let you assist in the OR—” he started.
“No,” I said. “That part I could do without.”
He nodded. “Okay, then. Good luck over in primary care.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be here doing research for Dr. Rose for the rest of the year. You can’t get rid of me that easy.”
He laughed, and shockingly, Foley looked almost nice. “Well, can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Dr. Rose clucked, admonishing him, but Foley’s tease was practically the nicest thing he’d ever said to me. I’d take it.
The elevator arrived, the doors gliding open, and I stepped inside. “See you guys Monday.”
Knight was waiting when I got home, already showered and dressed in black jeans, a thick belt with a chain, a skin-tight white tank that practically glowed against his skin, and his leather jacket.
My mouth instantly watered, and the night we first met surfaced in my mind.
“Look at you.” I fanned myself. “Is this date in bed?”
He grinned. “Play your cards right, and it might end there.”
“Might?” I raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to assume you said that because it might also end in the car or the side of the road or behind some trees…”
He laughed, eyes sparkling. “Go get changed, Angel. Wear something nice enough for dinner, but comfortable enough for dancing.”
So, it was like that, was it? I smiled sweetly. “Give me two minutes.”
Forty-five minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom, showered, shaved, dressed—three times—and styled.
Knight whistled low, eyes dark as he took in my ensemble.
I wore a mostly transparent white top embroidered with small daisies over a bedazzled, teal tank top that stopped sort of my midriff. I’d paired it with snug black jean shorts—a little more discreet than booty shorts, but still exposing a good amount of thigh.
Based on Knight’s reaction, I’d gotten the effect I was going for.
“Damn, Angel.” He wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me against him. “You are tempting me to be so bad.”
I grinned. “Not until I get this mystery date.”
“Right.” He gave me a hard kiss. “Let’s go before my willpower hits its limit.”
I proceeded him out the door, flicking a glance back to see his gaze locked on my ass.
I raised an eyebrow.
“Just appreciating the effort you put in,” he said playfully.
I laughed. “If you got it, flaunt it, right?”
“Hell yeah. You can flaunt anything you want in front of me.”
Knight headed toward the car. I strode over to the bike instead and gave him a look.
He hesitated. “You don’t want to take the car?”
“I’d hate to ruin that hot look you’ve got going with my dusty old hatchback.”
He smirked. “Well, okay. I love to ride. But…” He glanced at my legs. “I can’t promise you won’t get absolutely shredded if we have an accident. It’s why I wear the leather jacket.”
I nodded. “I trust you’ll be careful with me.”
“I will.” He handed me a helmet. “Put that on and hold on to me.”
He swung a leg over his bike, settled into the seat, and pulled on his own helmet. I got mine fastened and climbed on behind him, my pelvis sliding forward until I nestled against his back and ass. Fuck, this left little to the imagination, huh? I wrapped my arms around his waist, enjoying the feeling of his stomach flexing under my hands as he kick-started the bike.
“Lean into the turns,” he called. “Don’t fight it. Just trust me.”
He walked the bike back out of the driveway, got us turned, then rolled the throttle. The bike jolted forward, sending my heart into my throat as we took off like a shot.
I gasped and held on tighter, my cock hardening with the burst of adrenaline flooding my body. Fuck, yeah. Why hadn’t I asked to ride on Knight’s bike before now?
We cruised through the park, then turned onto the highway, and he sped up, our surroundings flashing by. The initial fear settled into exhilaration, and I found myself grinning like a loon as I huddled against Knight’s back.
Knight didn’t head for town, but continued on the highway. I had a feeling I knew where we were going, and when the first Omaha sign appeared, my stomach jumped. We’d met in an Omaha nightclub. It only made sense he might bring me back here.
I hadn’t expected it. I’m not sure why. Maybe because those steamy Omaha memories and our days in Riverton felt like two different lifetimes.
Knight didn’t take me straight to the gay club. First, he drove us to a nice tavern called the Black Sheep. The interior was dimly lit with a polished wooden bar that curved along one side of the room, matching booths, and a scattering of tall pub tables. A chalkboard to our right announced the specials, including shepherd’s pie, smothered pork chops, or lobster mac-and-cheese.
“Will, there’s no spicy food,” I teased. “What will you order?”
He chuckled. “This date is for you, Angel. I’ll suffer through it.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a spice jar of red pepper flakes. “For emergencies.”
I laughed. “Oh no. You didn’t!”
“Always be prepared, right?” he said with a wink.
That made me wonder what else he might be prepared for. Perhaps in that nightclub back room, like the night we met?
My pulse spiked, and Knight smiled knowingly.
The hostess arrived to seat us at one of the booths, and we both settled in to order. I ate light, thinking about what else the night might hold. I encouraged Knight to go all in on the foods he wanted.
He had plans for this date night, but so did I. Plans that made my palms sweat. Plans that twisted my stomach with nerves, but the good kind.
We talked while we ate—not about anything serious, but about our favorite movies and music, our hobbies, and our vices. It was first date type stuff. Things we’d missed by living together as former hookups, instantly close without having to get to know each other as strangers would have.
“You have an unhealthy obsession with coffee,” Knight said as I ordered my second expresso martini with dinner.
“Says the man adding his own red pepper flakes into the cajun chicken Alfredo.”
He grinned. “I know my vices, Angel. You’re the biggest of them all.”
I pretended to gasp. “Are you suggesting I’m bad?”
“You’re very bad,” he said. “But also very good.”
I tapped my lips. “I don’t know if you can have it both ways.”
“That’s too bad, because I intend to have exactly that tonight.”
I squirmed a little at the thought. Cleared my throat. “Ready to get the check?”
He smirked. “Eager for the rest of the night?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Fuck yeah. I’m not even going to pretend otherwise.”
“Good.” I finished off my martini and sat back. “Maybe you can redeem yourself for insulting my television choices.”
“Hey, I’m not shaming,” he said. “You want to watch reality trash, you do that. Anything that helps you relax is good with me.”
“Are you saying I’m not relaxed?” I challenged.
“Well, yeah. I know you, Aiden. You’re incredibly focused on your work, and you’re an amazing doctor, but you barely give yourself permission to breathe.”
I wanted to argue, but he wasn’t wrong. I’d been pushing for so long to be the perfect brother, the perfect doctor, the perfect survivor that I didn’t know any other way to function.
At least, I hadn’t before I met Knight. Before I moved to Riverton and got closer to my brother. Before I started to see all the ways that I was containing and trapping myself in a prison of my own making.
The server arrived with the check, and Knight handed off his credit card. When they’d gone, he reached for my hand.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it was a bad thing. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
I blinked hard. “I’m not perfect, Will. I try too hard to be. You’re not wrong. For such a long time…”
“I know.” He squeezed my fingers. “You deserve everything good in the world, Angel. You don’t have to earn it. It’s already yours.”
“Does that include you?”
“Since the night we met,” he said, eyes holding mine. “I’m yours.”
Knight drove us over to the club where we’d first hooked up. He offered me a drink, but I’d had plenty with dinner already.
“Let’s dance first,” I suggested.
He led me onto the dance floor, placed his big hands around my waist, and I slid my arms around his neck. Glistening, sweaty, half-naked bodies surrounded us. The smell of sugary drinks, body spray, and hair gel all mixed into a cocktail as heady as anything they were serving at the bar.
My pulse matched the thrumming bass, my body moving with the rhythm of the music.
Deja vu hit when Knight pulled me tighter against his strong body, the hard planes of his chest beneath mine, his hard-on digging into my lower stomach. I rolled my hips, making us both gasp.
Knight turned me away from him, placing a hand on my stomach, our bodies rolling with the music, his lips brushing the back of my neck teasingly. Hot breath against my ear. The wet tip of his tongue tracing the shell of my ear.
I shuddered, a small whimper escaping me.
“That muscle jock is watching you,” he said. “See him?”
My gaze skimmed over the dancing couples until it landed on a guy in tight jeans and a white tank staring at us, his hand idly stroking his crotch.
“I see him,” I said breathlessly.
Knight stroked the skin of my exposed belly. I’d taken off my outer shirt and left it tucked in a saddlebag on Knight’s bike, so I was wearing only the tank top. He slipped his fingers under the edge of my tank, raising it a fraction. Then a little more.
My breath hitched.
“Can I touch you in front of him?”
“T-touch me?”
“Just your chest. Nothing too revealing.”
“Okay.”
He hesitated. “You sure? We can take this someplace private.”
“Do it,” I ordered, heat pouring through my veins.
Knight tugged my shirt up, pulling it over my head and tucking it behind my neck, fully exposing my torso. I wasn’t anymore naked than half the guys in here. But with the stranger’s eyes on me, watching Knight’s every move, it felt more taboo.
Knight brushed his thumbs over my nipples, then pinched them lightly. I arched my chest into his hand, and he ground his dick into my ass.
“Fuck,” I gasped. “I need you.”
He grabbed my hand and dragged me through the back hall toward the little shadowy alcove full of the sounds and smells of sex. He pushed me against a wall and kissed me hard.
“Mind if I join?” a raspy voice asked beside us.
I jerked in surprise. Knight broke the kiss. “Sorry. No one touches Angel but me.”
“Too bad. We could have had some fun.”
He drifted off, but the mood was broken. “Guess we shouldn’t have teased him like that,” I whispered.
“Eh, we gave him a nice show. We never said he was invited into your pants.” He paused. “Unless you wanted—”
“No.” I kissed him. “I just want you.”
“Good. How about we continue this where we have some privacy then? I think I’m done sharing you with lusty men for the night.”
I smiled. “Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.”
Putting on a little show was exciting—and it had made me nostalgic about the night we’d met —but when it came down to it, I wanted Knight to myself.
We got home just after midnight. The drive home tempered my lust into a warm, lingering arousal. As soon as we were inside, Knight reeled me in for a long, languorous kiss.
“Was it too much tonight?” he asked. “Showing you off like that?”
His concern was sweet but unnecessary.
“It was sexy fun,” I said. “But what we have goes deeper than that, and tonight I really want to share something more…intimate.”
“Me too,” he murmured. “I wanted to see you let go a little. Like you did that first night in Omaha. You live in your head so much. But I would never want to overstep.”
“You didn’t,” I said. “You wouldn’t ever because you pay attention to me like no one else ever has.”
“Yeah?” he said, a smile in his voice.
“Mm-hmm. Which means you can tell I really want to be in your bed right now.”
He laughed, low and rough. “Yeah, I can.”
He kissed me with a little more heat, our tongues sliding together, and then broke away to lead me toward his bedroom.
He tossed his leather jacket aside and pulled off his tank top. I placed my hands on his chest, tracing over the swell of his pecs. “We should have shown you off in the club,” I teased. “You’ve got the hottest body.”
He smirked. “Next time, maybe.”
Arousal curled through me. There would be many more times with Knight. Quiet, intimate times in this bedroom, but sexy, fun, adventurous times at a nightclub, too. Whatever we wanted. We could have it all.
He started to unbuckle his belt when his arm caught my attention. “Wait. Your tattoo is done?”
His arm had been covered in layers of cellophane the past two weeks as he’d gotten his biker club ink redone—and I’d only been able to make out some flowery shapes before now.
Knight turned, giving me a closer look. A caduceus? But that was a symbol for…
My gaze caught on the word Angel, scripted above it.
“Will,” I said softly.
“If I have ink pledging myself to someone, I want it to be you,” he said gruffly.
I pressed a gentle kiss to the new ink, the skin still slightly red but healed. “Thank you. This is really…”
He cupped my face, lifting me for a kiss. “I love you, Aiden. You’ve helped me see my own worth. I don’t take that lightly.”
My heart thundered. “I love you too. That’s why…”
The words failed me. I kissed him, pouring my need into it as he jerked open my jean shorts and pushed them over my hips.
His hand wrapped around my hard-on, making me moan against his lips.
“Can’t wait to feel this inside me,” he murmured.
“No.”
He pulled back a fraction to look into my eyes. “You want something else? We can just—”
“Fuck me,” I blurted. “I want you to do it.”
He loosened his grip. “I thought you didn’t…”
“Not usually.”
He hesitated. “I’m perfectly happy doing anything you want, Angel. As long as we both enjoy it, it’s all good.”
I nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m asking. I know you won’t push or take too much. You’ll give me exactly what I want.”
“Yeah…”
I wet my lips. “I want your dick inside me, Will. Is that okay? Will you give me what I want?”
“Fuck.” He groaned. “Yes.”
Knight shoved me down to the bed. I kicked my shorts off my ankles and removed the rest of my clothes while he stripped.
He came down on top of me, all hard muscle, hot breath, and grasping hands.
It was overwhelming in only the best ways.
Before I could do much more than coast my hands up over his broad back, he was sliding down between my legs, forcing my thighs apart with strong hands, and engulfing my cock in the sweetest wet heat.
I cried out, but he wasn’t done assaulting my senses. While he swallowed my dick, he grasped my ass and parted my cheeks, grazing my hole with a fingertip.
I clenched around nothing.
He slid a finger into his mouth, alongside my cock, getting it wet. Then he slipped it down to gently circle my rim, softening me up.
I twisted to reach for the lube sitting on top of the bedside table. I tossed it to him.
He pulled off my cock. “How much prep do you need? Have you ever done this?”
“I have. It’s been a long time.” I swallowed. “But, um, I prepared before our date.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? You knew then?”
I nodded, eyes fixed on his. “I don’t want to hold anything back. Not with you.”
He rubbed my thighs, more soothingly than sensually. “Tell me if you need me to stop.”
I wouldn’t need that. But I knew better than to suggest that to him. I nodded.
He pushed my legs back, rolling my ass toward him, and lowered his mouth. This time, he bypassed my cock and gave my balls a tongue bathing before venturing back to my hole, flicking the tip of his tongue all around the rim, making me gasp and squirm.
He grasped my cheeks and spread them, exposing every part of me, and then pressed his tongue inside with a growl.
It was the sexiest—but also disturbing—thing to listen to him lick and nibble my ass as if he was starving for it.
Heat speared through me, and I grabbed my cock, stroking slowly, not wanting to come but needing some relief from the pressure. Eventually, he reached for the lube and slicked his fingers. He pushed one finger inside, then when I could take it easily, added a second.
“I’m no doctor, but I think I can find your prostate anyway,” he teased, crooking his fingers.
I arched as he hit the bundle of nerves. “There!”
“Mm. Feels good, right?”
“Y-yeah,” I said, panting. “Need you to fuck me now.”
“You sure you’re ready?” He withdrew his fingers a fraction.
I groaned and bore down, taking him deeper. “Yes. Please. I need more.”
“Okay.” He withdrew his fingers. “Condom?”
“We haven’t used them lately.”
“But that was you fucking me? I just want to make sure—”
“No condom!” I exclaimed. “Just your bare dick in my bare ass. Do it.”
He chuckled as he slicked up and positioned. “You’ve got a way with words when you’re horny, Angel.”
“Shut up and fuck me.”
He pushed in, stretching me so wide I wondered if I had rushed it too much. A sweet burn blossomed and spread.
“Easy,” he murmured, pressing his lips to my neck as he came down over me. “Relax for me.”
I blew out a breath, eyes closed, as he filled me. His cock was thick and hard, and I wrestled with the feeling of invasion.
I didn’t let anyone in. Not easily. But this was Knight. He wasn’t just anyone. I wanted him closer, deeper.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, raising my hips, and he slid an inch deeper.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
“You okay?”
“Yes,” I said softly. “You’re with me. I’m always okay when I have you.”
He pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “I feel the same.”
“But I need you to move,” I said, squirming on his dick.
He pulled back and rocked in, taking it slow at first, then building up speed and force as the moans spilled from my lips.
Bursts of pleasure exploded inside me with each thrust. I tipped my hips up, meeting every thrust a little harder than before. Wanting everything he could give me. Every drop of his love and attention and passion.
“You feel so good, Angel,” he rasped. “Fuck, I could do this forever.”
He sat back on his knees, hefting my ass in his hands, and fucked me even harder.
I grasped the headboard above my hand, bracing myself so I didn’t scoot up the bed. It stretched me out, exposing my upper body, and Knight’s dark gaze ate up every inch of me.
“So sexy,” he murmured as he wrapped his hand around my cock, stroking me in time with his thrusts. “No one else can ever have you like this. Just me.”
His possessive words only made the fire in me burn hotter. “Yes.”
“This ass is mine now.”
“Yes!”
He grunted, tendons standing out on his neck as he fucked me harder, looking almost as violent as he had in that fight.
It shouldn’t have been the thing to send me over the edge, but there was a fine line between sex and violence, and he found mine.
I cried out, balls drawing up and cock erupting in an inferno of pleasure that drowned out every thought.
His movements grew frenzied, and he plowed into me with no finesse, just pushing deeper and deeper until he shuddered with a hoarse growl.
My ass was still pulsing with pleasure as he came inside me. My cock gave another halfhearted spurt as aftershocks washed through me.
Knight collapsed over me, and I held him close, both of us trembling.
“I hope I get to do that again,” he murmured into my neck.
“Yeah,” I said. “I think, uh, that can be arranged.”
He lifted his head to gaze at me. “Was it good? Please tell me it was good or we’ll never do it again.”
“It was good. So good. I promise.”
His eyes held mine. “And you’re okay? No regrets about—”
I pulled his head down and kissed him. “No regrets. I love you.”
“I love you too,” he murmured. “No matter what we do in bed.”
“Good.” I tightened my legs around his waist. “Because I’m going to fuck you as soon as we both recover.”
He smiled against my neck. “Fuck yeah. Take anything you want. I’m yours.”
They were just words. Sexy ones, at that. But I knew with Knight, they were more than that. They were a promise.
A love confession.
This man would give me anything I asked. He’d do it happily. But I wasn’t like his ex. I wasn’t going to take advantage of that. I wasn’t going to take and take and take his love without giving anything back.
So I wrapped my arms around his neck and murmured in his ear, “I’m yours too. Anything you want, Will. Don’t forget that.”
He nuzzled into my hair. “We’ll take care of each other, then. How does that sound?”
It sounded perfect.
No, not perfect because I was trying to let my notions of perfectionism go. To choose happiness and fulfillment, family and love, over some benchmark of achievement.
I held the man I’d come to love tighter, affection flooding me. “That sounds like exactly what I want.”