Lust like Noah had never felt, exploded inside him. But it was more than that too. Pride and gratitude that being with Noah sounded so important to Cooper, that he would actually regret walking away. Every little thing inside Noah fought for the chance to have Cooper. “Coop…”

“I’ve never even touched a man, Noah. I wouldn’t know what to do. I don’t know how I would react, but I crave it from you at the same time. All last night, I remembered what it felt like to see your hand on me. Jesus. I’m getting all sappy here.” Cooper laughed, but Noah couldn’t bring himself to do the same. His dick ached. His skin felt too tight. His hands itched to reach for Coop. To show him exactly how another man liked to be touched.

“You’re not alone in this. I couldn’t get you out of my head last night, Coop.”

At that, Cooper’s eyes shot toward him. His skin glistened with nervous sweat. Noah wanted to wrap himself up in nothing but Cooper.

“Try it again… Not a lot, just like last night. Go slow… Just…just…touch.”

Noah almost came right there. His cock pulsed in his jeans as fear spiked to all new levels inside him. “No. I can’t do that, man. I don’t want you to hate me for it.”

Cooper took another drink of coffee before turning to the side, so he wasn’t facing the table anymore. His thumb tapped against the top, as though he didn’t know what to do with it.

“I’m asking you to do it. I need you to fucking do it. I have to know, man. I have to feel it to make sense of it.” He turned his head to look at Noah. “You know I’d never hate you for anything.”

Even if he wanted to, nothing would hold him back now. Slowly Noah pushed to his feet. His legs were weak, but nothing was going to hold him back from going to Cooper. Nothing.

He couldn't explain how his body felt as he moved. Adrenaline ripping through him, begging him to hurry the fuck up, but like lead settled into his bones at the same time.

It was only a touch. He knew that and no matter how much he wanted it, he would never take more than that today, but Christ did he want his hands on Cooper.

When he stood in front of his friend, Coop looked up at him. His nerves showed in the crease lines on his face. Noah almost backed up, but then he saw it. Cooper eyes skating over his bare chest. A chest he had seen hundreds of times before, but never looked with the blaze of desire that he had right now. "Christ, you are so fucking brave."

"You know why," Coop rasped his reply.

"Don't do that. If you tell me to walk away right now, you're not running. You wouldn’t be running today just like you weren’t running that night with your parents. You did what you were supposed to do, Coop."

He ignored the part about his parents and the fire when he spoke. "I'm not telling you to walk away."

Noah’s desire amped up, yet another notch. He went down to his knees in front of Coop, kneeling between his spread legs. "Where?" His voice actually cracked as he spoke.

"I don't know. My arms. My chest. Like last night, just go slow." Cooper closed his eyes.

"No. Open them. I need you to look at me. I need to know you see who's touching you. Or if you want me to stop."

Slowly, Cooper's blue eyes opened. Noah didn't waste any time after that. He reached out, and let his fingers trail over Coop's right shoulder. They both watched his hand as he did it. Noah savored the heat of Coop’s hot flesh.

"Both hands," Cooper whispered, so he did. His hands ghosted down each shoulder, to his chest. Fuck he wanted to run his thumbs over each nipple. To get them hard, and see if Cooper liked it, but he held back.

Noah explored his stomach, his sides, traced the muscles in each section of his six-pack.

Cooper hissed. "Your hands are rough."

That was one of Noah's favorite parts about being with a man, the roughness. "Do you like it?"

Cooper's eyes left Noah's hands and met his state straight on. "I like knowing it’s you."

His already hard cock swelled even more. "You're testing me. I don't know how much I can handle."

Urgently Noah Jerked to his feet.

"Where are—"

"I’m not leaving." He stepped around the back of Coop, knowing he would lose it if he didn't try. Noah started by massaging Coop’s shoulders, digging his fingers into his hard muscles, as Cooper sat in the chair.

"Fuck, man. That feels good."

Noah wanted more. He ran his hands over Coop’s pecs. Brushed his thumbs over each nipple. When Cooper froze, so did he, but when his friend moaned out, "No. Don't stop," he started moving again.