Chapter 18

After the kiss, Chen Ang pulled back slightly, bracing one hand against the table as he looked at Xu Heng.

His eyes were red, his nose red, even his lips were red. His shoulder-length hair was a mess, making him look a little pitiful and adorable. Xu Heng sniffled loudly, then pressed his lips together, clearly embarrassed, and mumbled, “Got sand in my eye.”

Chen Ang didn’t call him out. He wiped the corner of his mouth, picked up the jacket he had left nearby, and said, “You’re still sick. That nasal voice is strong. I’m heading back.”

“Ah…” Xu Heng was caught off guard. “You’re leaving just like that?”

It was unexpected. Every time Chen Ang came over, he never left until he had thoroughly enjoyed himself. But this time, he suddenly acted like a gentleman. Watching Chen Ang put on his coat and head for the door, Xu Heng found himself reluctant. Once the door closed, he’d be alone again. The apartment would fall into silence unless he turned on the TV.

Chen Ang paused by the door. “I’m going now. Get some rest.”

Xu Heng wanted to stop him but couldn’t bring himself to say it. Asking him to stay felt no different from begging for sex.

The words died in his throat.

Chen Ang saw it all but said nothing. He closed the door behind him and walked out. In the dim hallway, he stood still for a moment, then began walking slowly down the stairs, counting in his head.

Five, four, three, two—

The door opened.

Xu Heng’s voice followed behind him, hesitant and soft. “Hey, wait a sec…”

Chen Ang stood on the stairs, hands in his pockets, turning back with just the right amount of confusion. “What is it?”

“I’m not sick anymore.”

“Really? You still sound pretty stuffed up.”

“I mean it. I’m better.”

“Then you should rest properly.”

“I said I’m better!”

Chen Ang burst out laughing. Xu Heng flushed from his toes to the tips of his ears. Embarrassed and annoyed, he started to shut the door again. Chen Ang hurried up the steps in a few strides, pressed a hand against the door, and forced his way inside, trapping Xu Heng between the door and the wall.

The door slammed shut.

Xu Heng was pressed against the door, chest to chest. He blinked.

Chen Ang leaned in and kissed him again. His hands slipped under Xu Heng’s shirt, exploring the lines of his waist before pulling him in tight. He kissed along the edge of Xu Heng’s jaw, down his throat, every touch light and intimate.

Xu Heng closed his eyes as Chen Ang lifted his shirt. Lips trailed down to his navel in gentle, teasing pecks that made him shiver. He was already breathing hard, fingers tangled in Chen Ang’s short, rough hair. “Go… go to the bed…”

Chen Ang scooped him up and carried him to the bedroom, biting playfully at his ear as they stumbled along, their legs tangling like a clumsy tango.

Lying on the bed, Xu Heng draped one arm over his eyes while Chen Ang tugged away both their clothes. The weather had already cooled, but the warmth of bare skin against bare skin brought a strange kind of comfort.

He lay flat, no complicated positions. Chen Ang pressed over him, leaned close, and whispered at his ear, “It’s a bit cold.”

The lubricant was cool when it touched him. Xu Heng lay with his legs spread, Chen Ang opening him up slowly, one finger at a time, two, then three. Everything about him tonight was unhurried and tender, almost to the point of torment. Xu Heng parted his lips, breathing heavily and silently. Chen Ang’s hand cupped his waist, lifting his hips slightly. His other hand supported the back of Xu Heng’s head, fingers threading through his hair.

“I’m going in.”

Xu Heng’s body was already responding to desire. His cock, trapped between their bodies had hardened in anticipation of the pleasure to come. But just as the heat started to build, a wave of something sour rose in his nose. That old feeling, the one buried under banter and distraction, rushed back in without warning.

Chen Ang’s thick cock pressed in slowly, stretching him open, filling him with heat. Xu Heng whimpered, covering his face with one hand as his rim tightened around Chen Ang.

Chen Ang froze, startled. He stopped pushing in, gently pulled Xu Heng’s hand away, and wiped the tears from his face.

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?”

Xu Heng shook his head, wrapped his arms around Chen Ang’s neck, and buried his face in the crook of his shoulder. He hooked his legs around Chen Ang’s waist, his cock rubbing against the ridges of his abs. His voice came out soft and low.

“No. Move.”

Chen Ang did as he was told, holding Xu Heng close as he began to thrust slowly. Once Xu Heng adjusted, his entrance warm and pliant, Chen Ang found his rhythm. His pace was steady, unhurried, but each thrust was deep and forceful, grinding against Xu Heng’s prostate again and again.

Xu Heng clung to his neck and let out breathy, choked moans. Every time he was driven hard into, he bit down gently, but his limbs never let go. He clung on like a stubborn koala, unwilling to be shaken off.

The early autumn night was cold, but the bed grew hotter with every movement. Their bodies were slick with a sheen of sweat.

When it was over, Xu Heng was completely spent. The crying, the moaning, left him even more drained than usual. Chen Ang didn’t let him get up to shower. He wiped him down with a warm towel, pulled the blanket over them, and curled up close, skin against skin.

Xu Heng fell asleep quickly. Tear marks still lingered on his face. But Chen Ang lay awake beside him.

He felt like something had cracked open in Xu Heng tonight. Something on the surface had peeled away, revealing a softness underneath. In that moment, when Xu Heng trembled and leaned into him with everything exposed, Chen Ang’s heart skipped. He couldn’t tell whether he wanted to keep fucking him harder or stop completely just to hold and kiss him.

Buzz—

His phone vibrated.

Chen Ang held Xu Heng closer, pulling him tighter into his chest with one arm. He reached for his phone with the other, unlocked it with a swipe.

A new friend request popped up on WeChat.

The message read, Hi, I’m Lu Yiran. Uncle Chen gave me your contact info.

It ended with a playful emoji.

His finger hovered over the green “Accept” button. He stared for a few seconds, then locked the screen, turned the phone off, and tossed it aside.

Xu Heng murmured something in his sleep and nestled deeper into his arms.