Love Him Free (On the Market #1) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,30

then pinned him to the wall by the door and nosed along Simon’s cheek—right over a smattering of freckles that looked like the night sky. His lips were open, grazing Simon’s cheek, and he pulled back to give himself signing space.

‘I like you,’ he repeated.

Simon’s swallow was heavy, his adam’s apple bobbing. ‘I like you.’

Rocco’s mouth quirked in a half grin. ‘Kiss me good night.’ Yet again, not a question. He saw war waging in Simon’s eyes, fear with need with hesitation with raw desire. He let it go on only a moment more. ‘Kiss. Me.’ His signs were sharp, demanding, and eventually, Simon nodded.

Rocco was kind enough not to torture him more, not to make him work too hard for it. He closed the distance between them, tucking his hand behind Simon’s short curls, burying his fingers in the soft locks, twisting them around as his lips parted and he took the thing he’d wanted since he set eyes on Simon.

The kiss was hot—it was sloppy. It was unpracticed. Simon seemed unsure what to do with his tongue, with his mouth, but Rocco didn’t mind. He nudged Simon’s lips apart with his own, and took the lead. Simon tasted of oregano and tangy sauce and something else that was uniquely him.

Rocco groaned, he pressed his body hard against Simon’s. He felt him hard, throbbing, felt the way his pulse rocketed. He was close, Rocco realized. He was on the edge of coming. He thrust his tongue deeper, let his own erection—just barely—graze Simon’s, and he felt it when it happened. He felt the blaze of flush shoot through Simon’s skin, felt his body stutter, felt the way Simon’s fingers dug into Rocco’s arms, painful and present.

When he pulled back, Simon’s eyes were shut, but there was a look of hesitant shame on his face. Simon had come in his pants, like some teenager who had never been kissed, and something niggled at the back of Rocco’s brain. But this moment was fragile, delicate—thin ice across a lake and Rocco didn’t want to crack it just yet.

He dropped another soft, careful kiss on Simon’s lips, coaxing him present, urging his eyes to open. When they did, he smiled. ‘Goodnight, beautiful.’

Simon nodded. He didn’t move, and Rocco deliberately didn’t look down to see if the wetness had darkened the front of his jeans.

‘Tomorrow?’ he added.

Simon nodded again, his limp arms falling to his sides.

Rocco let out a small breath, then caressed the side of Simon’s face before reaching for the door. He didn’t break eye contact until he was in the hall, then he pressed the tips of his fingers to his mouth, offering Simon a last breath of a kiss, and he was gone.

He didn’t look back, didn’t let Simon know he was aware of what happened. He just put one foot in front of the other…and he started to make a plan.

Rocco had never been big on sleeping in. His routine had him up at dawn for a morning run, then weights, since he decided to make film his career—so even on vacation, sleeping until seven was a luxury. His body still ached from the drive and from sleeping in his car, but he threw on track pants and took James for a walk around the property. He had forgotten to ask about a gym, but he decided a few days off wasn’t going to kill him.

Hell, if it came back that he wasn’t going to be able to film for three years, what was the point anyway? Trying not to let frustration seep in, Rocco went back to his room and set James up in the little crate before deciding to check out the buffet for breakfast. He snatched his phone from the nightstand, then tapped out a good morning text to Simon before ignoring the ones from his brother and heading back out.

The mountain air felt good on his heated skin, even if it was drier than he was used to, but he felt like he could live there comfortably. And fuck if that was a thought he wasn’t expecting. He liked Simon—maybe not enough to propose marriage, but even that didn’t seem like the wildest notion for a future.

He wasn’t sure what it was about the guy that had him so captivated. He was the opposite of everything Rocco had ever looked for in a partner, but maybe that was just it. Rocco’s usual taste of spoiled twinks had gotten him nowhere except hiding out in