Love By Number Read online

  He let himself be squeezed emphatically, and then watched with a touch of disappointment when Jesse went on to hug three of their fellow fans.

  Oh well, he couldn’t hog all of Jesse’s excitement. The guy was bursting with energy, and his smile was contagious. He turned to Aidan, beaming.

  “Ready to celebrate?”

  He really was.

  Chapter Six

  “To winning!” Jesse crowed, clanking beer mugs with Aidan. They’d done a web search for nearby bars and walked the ten minutes to a brewery. It had a sports feel inside, with plenty of Cardinals memorabilia on the walls and large-screen televisions hanging in each corner. They weren’t the only baseball fans in the place; several customers wore the Cards’ jerseys and ball caps.

  The television was playing highlights and commentary from the game, and broadcast announcers chattered about what to expect from Game 2 of the series. It seemed like that would be a good job for Aidan if he were more social. It was difficult to imagine him in front of the camera, but surely there were analyst jobs or consultant jobs available for sporting networks.

  Aidan grinned wide, cheeks flushed red and eyes bright, pushing all other thoughts out of Jesse’s head. The glow was more from happiness than alcohol, Jesse thought, since they’d barely gotten started and Aidan hadn’t had anything but water at the ballpark. Either way, it was appealing.

  “To math!” Aidan exclaimed with a small laugh as they clinked glasses.

  Jesse raised his brows. “I don’t know if I can drink to math. You were pretty awesome at the game with your predictions, but on the whole math and I aren’t friends.”

  “Oh, but math is great!”

  Jesse laughed along as Aidan began to extol the qualities of math and its place in the world around them. He wasn’t listening much, though. His focus had shifted to the low simmer of attraction heating his blood.

  “Take constants, for example. You can count on—”

  Jesse interrupted. “I’d rather drink to adorable math geeks.”

  He didn’t wait for Aidan’s response, but took a long drink from his mug while locking eyes with him. He saw the exact moment Aidan realized Jesse was hitting on him.

  Aidan’s cheeks got even redder. “Oh, um ...”

  Jesse laughed. “You don’t even know how adorable you are right now.”

  Aidan shook his head. “I’m not adorable,” he said, sounding disgusted.

  Jesse’s heart skipped, and he wondered for a fleeting second if he’d misread Aidan. He’d thought he’d caught more than one appreciative glance during the trip, but his gaydar wasn’t infallible.

  “No? What are you then?” he asked carefully.

  Aidan avoided his gaze as he answered. “Rugged.”

  Jesse snorted a laugh, relief zinging through him. “Rugged? I’ll give you cute, but not rugged.”

  “Handsome,” Aidan countered. “Handsome is a classic.”

  Jesse cocked his head and acted as if he were carefully considering Aidan’s words.

  “I’ll give you handsome,” he said. Then he leaned in closer over the small table and lowered his voice. “What I really want to know is if I can add the word sexy?”

  “Sexy?” Aidan’s voice squeaked a bit, and he cleared his throat. “You mean, you can’t tell?”

  “Well, I think I can. But I want to know for certain.”

  He locked his eyes on Aidan, trying to convey with a single look how much he wanted to rip off his clothes and experience Aidan’s brand of sexy.

  Aidan sat back and lifted his mug. “To the Royals!”

  Aidan’s sudden change of subject threw Jesse. He didn’t have much time for disappointment, though it was there. He’d expected Aidan to be flattered by his interest and eager to return it, not drawing the ire of half the bar. As Aidan shouted, more and more dirty looks came their way.

  “Aidan,” he whispered urgently, “not so loud.”

  “Drink up, Jesse, so we can celebrate the Royals DESTROYING the Cards!” he shouted even more loudly.

  Oh, fuck. A few guys swiveled in their seats, and one beefy guy stood up. “Check out these assholes,” he growled to a friend of his.

  Jesse stood and grabbed Aidan’s arm, tugging him up from the seat. “Shut up before you get us jumped,” he muttered.

  Aidan looked clueless. “Huh?”

  “Those are angry Cardinals fans. Use your head.”

  Jesse smiled and waved to the guys giving them an evil eye. “Sorry about my friend. He had too much to drink,” he said with a forced laugh. “No offense meant. The Cards will probably win tomorrow.”

  He nudged Aidan toward the door, while keeping an eye on the Cards fans to make sure no one started anything. He and Aidan weren’t likely to hold their own against this group. Aidan was stronger than Jesse expected, but he doubted he got into many bar brawls.

  “Damn right!” someone shouted in the bar. “Enjoy it while you can, KC! It won’t last.”

  “Actually,” Aidan argued, “it’s not that likely—”

  Jesse clapped a hand over Aidan’s mouth and dragged him out the door of the bar before he could make matters worse.

  “How drunk are you?” Jesse said as soon as they were outside. If Aidan was truly drunk, Jesse probably shouldn’t try to put the moves on him. After the brief flirtation inside, he was hoping to get a taste of Aidan before the night was over. Crazy man that he was.

  “I’m not drunk.”

  Jesse snorted, skeptical. Aidan was probably a lightweight. He’d had only one beer inside, but no one in their right mind would taunt rival fans like that. He called up the Uber app and requested a pick-up.

  “I’m not,” Aidan insisted.

  Jesse smiled. “Okay.”

  Aidan huffed, and in a move that shocked the hell out of Jesse, grabbed his shoulders and spun him toward the alley running next to the bar. He pressed Jesse up against a rough brick wall, caging him in with his body.

  “I am in my right mind, and I know what I want.”

  Jesse’s breath hitched. “What’s that?”

  “You.”

  Aidan slammed their mouths together. It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It wasn’t timid or refined or careful. None of the things Jesse would have expected from careful, meticulous Aidan. It was pushy and full of raw desire, and somehow that fit Aidan too.

  Aidan didn’t hesitate to push his tongue into Jesse’s mouth when he gasped at the sensation, and the man freaking owned him. Jesse hadn’t imagined Aidan would be so assertive after his shy response to flirting. But Aidan could be very blunt about his wants and needs, and he wasn’t beating around the bush now as he tugged Jesse’s hair to expose his throat to biting kisses.

  “Fuck,” he gasped. “You are something else.”

  Jesse grabbed Aidan’s waist, tugging him as close as he could. The feel of Aidan’s weight pressing against him, his cock a hard bar jabbing his belly, and his thigh pressing against Jesse’s rapidly hardening dick all conspired to make him whimper.

  Jesus, he hadn’t been this turned on by a hookup in ages.

  “You’re sure you’re not drunk?” he asked when they parted.

  “Seriously?” Aidan pulled back, allowing cool air to sweep between their bodies, and Jesse had to fight off a shiver. Jesse didn’t like the unhappy expression on Aidan’s face. “You think I must be drunk to kiss you? I’m sorry. Maybe I misread—”

  “No!” Jesse tugged Aidan into another kiss, but a gentler one. “You read everything exactly right. I want to go back to the room and get naked with you. I just don’t want to take advantage.”

  Aidan rolled his eyes. “We’re both adults and we’ve had the same amount to drink. Actually, you’ve had more because you drank at the game. Don’t treat me like some naive virgin. I might give off that vibe, but trust me, Jesse, I’ve had my share of experience.”

  Headlights swept the street, and Jesse squinted against the glare. “Good. I think our ride is here. Let’s go back to the room and ce
lebrate some more.”

  ***

  Jesse flirted with Aidan all the way back to the hotel, teasing him out loud about how he’d nearly invited violence at the bar and whispering in his ear how sexy that kiss in the alley had been.

  If Aidan had much chance to think it through, he might have decided sleeping with Jesse now wasn’t the best idea. Not when he was so dependent on him for transportation. Not when Aidan was a relationship guy, and Jesse struck him as a one-time hookup kind of guy. The last thing Aidan needed was another Josh, who had only wanted to use him for sex. But his cock throbbed, and there was a burn inside him that only Jesse could quench tonight. He wanted it, even if it was just once.

  He didn’t have much time to reflect on it, not with Jesse teasing him and slipping his hand behind Aidan’s back and pushing his fingertips down Aidan’s jeans. He ached for more when Jesse’s fingers grazed the top of his crack, and he leaned forward a bit to give him better access.

  Jesse chuckled in his ear, and then one finger slid lower, so close to where he wanted it, but it couldn’t quite reach. He let out a frustrated breath. If Jesse wanted to top, Aidan was more than willing to bottom. He’d tried it both ways and liked it both ways, as long as he was with someone who was safe about it. He didn’t have any worries with Jesse. He’d make sure it felt good. But Aidan could do without the teasing.

  “Someone’s anxious,” Jesse whispered.

  “You’re driving me crazy,” he said quietly as the car pulled up in front of the hotel. They’d agreed to share a room to save money — mainly for Jesse’s sake — but it was convenient now.

  Aidan slipped out of the car, relieved to be free of his touch until it could do more than tantalize. He needed firm hands gripping him, not light, grazing brushes over his skin. “You better follow through on all this teasing.”

  Jesse grinned. “Hell yeah, I will.”

  Aidan called on all his restraint to walk through the hotel lobby as if he wasn’t hard as fuck, and then rode the elevator to their floor without once touching Jesse when every inch of his body vibrated with want.

  Every few seconds their eyes would meet, and Aidan might not read people well, but there was no mistaking the heated way Jesse stared at him. When Jesse bit his lip, while watching him intently from a few feet away, Aidan had to hold in an audible groan.

  Jesse was the sexiest man he’d ever seen. And he wanted Aidan. It went against all the odds, but this was one time Aidan wasn’t going to question the math.

  Chapter Seven

  Aidan was so quiet on the way to the room, Jesse wondered if he’d pushed it too much in the Uber. It had been a bit presumptuous to go for Aidan’s ass. For all he knew, Aidan might not bottom. But the way he’d responded, practically begging for a finger against his hole, had Jesse pushing the envelope. If Aidan didn’t bottom, his body didn’t agree.

  The door clicked shut, and Jesse didn’t have time to worry about whether he’d messed up. Aidan shoved him down on the nearest bed and straddled him, leaning forward to kiss him hard. Jesse’s visions of topping evaporated as Aidan took control, kissing Jesse forcefully and shoving his hands under his shirt, stroking fingers over his stomach and up his ribs.

  Aidan stopped when his fingers reached Jesse’s right nipple. His pierced nipple.

  “Fuck. Is that …?”

  “Nipple piercing,” Jesse whispered.

  Aidan shoved Jesse’s shirt up, pulling it over his head and tossing it aside. His mouth latched onto Jesse’s nipple, teeth tugging at the barbell gently, and Jesse moaned.

  “Damn, Aidan.”

  Aidan lifted his head, eyes glazed. “Do you have any supplies?”

  He looked so frantic, desperate and worried and fucking hot. His brown hair was disheveled, his skin flushed with arousal, and he’d taken off his glasses at some point.

  Despite the teasing, Jesse knew some guys weren’t up for fucking right away. Even if all Aidan wanted was hands and mouths, Jesse was down for a good time.

  “You sure you want to fuck?”

  “Yeah. Is that okay? Blow jobs aren’t really my thing.”

  Jesse lifted his brows. “Really? There goes my plan to fall to my knees and worship your cock with my tongue.”

  Aidan’s breath hitched. “I mean, if that’s what you want, it wouldn’t be torture for me or anything. I just can’t come that way.”

  Jesse laughed, pushing Aidan back so he could slip from the bed and dig through this duffel. “Maybe a bit of both then?”

  ***

  Aidan stripped off his clothes while Jesse got the lube and condoms. His heart was racing, and he was nervous as hell. He hadn’t had sex since he broke up with Leah. He also hadn’t been with a guy in three years, and the second Jesse pushed his fingers down the back of his jeans, Aidan’s body had been begging for a cock inside him.

  It was unlike him to jump into sex this quickly, but Jesse was so gorgeous. Aidan had noticed his good looks the moment he’d first seen him at the stadium with his grandfather, but he never imagined Jesse would be into him. He was so boring, in his khakis and polos. Jesse was colorful, wearing maroon jeans one day that hugged his ass and loose, ripped jeans the next that exposed flashes of skin. He had a pierced nipple — how hot was that? — and hair that had sported at least three colors that Aidan had noticed through glimpses of him throughout the baseball season.

  Jesse returned to the bed, his eyes widening to see Aidan splayed naked in the center of it, his hand slowly stroking his cock.

  “You look ready to go.”

  “I’ve had enough teasing,” Aidan replied.

  “No worries. I’ve got you.”

  Jesse tossed the condom and lube on the bed next to Aidan and popped the button on his jeans. Aidan watched eagerly as Jesse hooked his fingers in the waistband of his jeans and underwear both and dragged it all down at once.

  His cock popped free, slender and curving slightly to the left, a nice size that would feel great inside Aidan without tearing up his ass.

  Jesse climbed back onto the bed, going straight for Aidan’s cock.

  Aidan held his breath as Jesse slid his tongue up and down his shaft, getting it wet, before moving his mouth to the more sensitive tip. He fluttered his tongue there, teasing touches that revved up Aidan without giving him what he really wanted.

  "Fuck, Jesse. I said no more teasing. Just suck me!”

  Jesse laughed. “Thought blow jobs weren’t your thing?”

  He swallowed Aidan down, taking him deep, before he could form a reply. Aidan groaned low in his throat. He liked Jesse’s mouth on him, but he could never quite reach orgasm this way. He wasn’t about to let Jesse tease him without some payback. He waited until Jesse was focused on sucking him to say, “Blow jobs are nice, but what I really want is your cock in my ass.”

  Jesse moaned around his cock, his whole body shuddering. A moment later a spit-slick finger circled Aidan’s rim.

  He sighed and relaxed into it, and when Jesse pressed a finger into him, he couldn’t stop the words from flying out.

  “Please,” he gasped. “It’s been so long.”

  Jesse let Aidan’s cock slide out of his mouth. “You want me inside you?”

  He pushed in a second finger and Aidan rocked down, taking it deeper. “Yes. Fuck me.”

  “You are an interesting contradiction.”

  Aidan couldn’t think as those fingers pumped inside him.

  “Huh?”

  Jesse withdrew his fingers and wiped them on the sheet, then slid on a condom and lubed up. “You were so forceful when kissing me, I thought maybe you’d want to top. But the way you were in the car ...”

  “I know what I like,” Aidan said. “I can be forceful and still take your dick.”

  “You’re right,” Jesse said. “It’s sexy as hell too. I’m just used to guys always asking me to bottom.”

  “Shit,” Aidan said, realizing that Jesse might not want to top him. “Do you prefer bottoming? I’m sorry if I was
selfish. I just really wanted—”

  Jesse shut him up with a kiss. “This is awesome. I want to fuck you.”

  “Okay.”

  Jesse pressed his cock against Aidan’s hole and pushed. Aidan bore down at the pressure, forcing his body to open. A burning stretch and amazing sense of fullness swept over him as Jesse slid inside.

  “Oh damn,” Jesse murmured, “you feel so good.”

  “You too,” Aidan managed.

  Then Jesse started thrusting, and he lost all his words.

  ***

  Aidan moaned and gasped and flat-out shouted as Jesse fucked him hard and fast. He kept trying to slow down so it would last, but Aidan’s reactions were driving him crazy. His whole body trembled under Jesse, and he kept moaning that it felt perfect.

  Aidan had said he’d been around the block, but his garbled words made Jesse wonder if he’d been in the closet suffering through celibacy or something. Although the man had certainly fucked before; there was no way it was his first time.

  “Harder,” Aidan panted. “I’m close.”

  Jesse redoubled his efforts, pounding Aidan hard enough the sound of his hips hitting Aidan’s ass echoed through the room.

  Aidan stroked his cock while they fucked and a hoarse cry left him as he tensed and shot cum between their bodies. His hole clenched around Jesse’s cock as Aidan reached his orgasm, bringing him close to the edge. Jesse slowed down and withdrew once Aidan’s body relaxed.

  He stripped off the condom and stroked himself over Aidan's still quivering body. Watching Aidan’s cum-streaked body trembling under him, paired with the memory of his hoarse cry of pleasure, pushed Jesse to climax. He groaned and shot onto Aidan's stomach, adding to the mess on his skin.

  He collapsed on him, breathing hard, and Aidan wrapped his arms around Jesse, holding him tight.

  Fuck, this guy. He could really like this guy.

  He withdrew, feeling shaky. “You good?”

  “Yeah,” Aidan said. Before Jesse could catch his breath, Aidan slid across the sheets and stood. “Gonna shower.”