Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

maybe to pat Ethan's shoulder. He took a drink instead. "I never got why you divorced," he said. "You seemed perfect together."
    "Appearances can be deceiving," Ethan muttered.
    "So what, she beat you up?"
    That got a smile. "No. Things just...weren't working out."
    "Aha. She was no good in the sack."
    Ethan looked away suddenly, and drained the rest of his drink. "Let's not talk about Emily, okay?"
    Damn. Apparently he'd hit a sore spot. Couldn't he do anything right? "Hey, I'm sorry," he said. "I was just messing with you."
    "I know." For a moment Ethan stared out the windshield into the night, his expression blank. He finally relaxed and shifted to face Jude. "How about another drink?"
    It struck Jude then how adorable the man was, with his shaggy, sandy brown hair and stubble shadowing his jaw, and light hazel eyes that were almost green in the light from the lantern.
    And he absolutely could not think about Ethan like this. No way would he be able to forget about being hit on by a gay man, drunk or not. "Sure," he said, though he didn't sound as casual as he'd wanted to. With a hand that almost shook, he poured out another generous shot. "She was lucky to have you, you know." He bit back the rest of what he'd wanted to say— I wouldn't have let you go.
    The thought shocked him. If he had feelings for Ethan, he'd been repressing the hell out of them. And he damned well better keep on doing that, because this was dangerous territory.
    Ethan offered a dispirited laugh. "Right. Trust me, she's better off without me."
    "Hey, you're not that bad."
    "I am for her."
    Jude couldn't think of a response for that, so he drank more. Ethan did, too. The silence stretched to an uncomfortable length—and then Jude's mouth ran away from his brain as he said, "You ever let a man give you a blowjob?"
    Regret instantly burned through him. He didn't dare look at Ethan, so he stared at the floor and waited for the outburst.
    It didn't come.
    He risked a glance. Ethan looked puzzled, but not angry. "Why?"
    Jude found his breath again. Maybe he could pass this off as a joke. "Just curious," he said. "I've never had a woman, but they say a guy's better. We know our way around the equipment—what feels good, where." He tried for a grave nod. "It's a scientific fact."
    Ethan's eyebrows arched. "Scientific, huh?"
    "Bio-malogical, or whatever. Same difference. Anyway, it's better."
    "But you don't know that for sure." Ethan wore a little smile. "You'd need a woman to compare it with, right?"
    "Technically, yeah." He smiled back. Crisis averted, so he could keep going with the joke now. "You've had one, though. So you should try a guy sometime—like a scientific experiment."
    "Good idea. How about now?"
    Jude swallowed hard and stared at him. There wasn't a trace of amusement in Ethan's features. "You serious?"
    Ethan nodded.
    "I don't know, man." Even as he voiced his reservation, Jude's body disagreed. He really did want Ethan—right now, in any way he could get him. Despite knowing full well that he'd only be ruining one more good thing in his life. "You're drunk," he said, hoping like hell Ethan would take the chance to stop this. Because he didn't think he could.
    But Ethan just smiled. "So are you," he said. "Does that mean you can't prove that a man is better?"
    "No." Jude put the bottle aside and slid across the seat toward him. "I'm not that drunk."
    Stop me. Oh God, please...
    Ethan unfastened the button on his jeans and slowly pulled the zipper down. "Prove it."
    And Jude surrendered.
    CHAPTER 2
    Logical, careful Ethan, who knew this was a terrible idea and should've never in a million years summoned the guts to call Jude out on an alcohol-fueled joke, screamed somewhere in his head for him to stop this.
    But drunk, frustrated Ethan, who wanted Jude so badly it hurt, overruled the coward.
    Jude was touching him, one leg pressed against his—and it was enough to make him instantly hard. He could feel the heat of him, more intense than he'd imagined when he fantasized about kissing him. Should he do that now? No. Jude hadn't been serious to start with, and Ethan could hardly believe he'd agreed. Whatever spell this was, he didn't want to break it.
    Jude's tongue darted out to moisten his lips. "Take it out for me."
    Suddenly incapable of speech, Ethan eased his jeans and underwear down. A quick hiss escaped him when his cock sprang free.
    Jude stared. He lifted his gaze, and there were storms in his eyes. "You sure about