Free Hard Case by Elizabeth Lapthorne

picture. Steve leaned in, caught his gaze. Troy grinned sheepishly, feeling sprung.
    “I was teasing before,” Steve insisted. “I’m quite happy for you to talk business, particularly seeing as it seems to be weighing on your mind.”
    Troy paused, then let it all out in a rush.
    “It’s just not coming together for me. This is always the part that frustrates me. I know this is all linked—James, the attempt to assassinate Marshall, possibly even your school and the PM. I’ve got these pieces, but nothing is fitting together and gelling in a significant way. It’s like holding a bunch of threads, but only seeing a mess when you know there’s an image or picture in there somewhere. I just don’t have it yet.”
    “Maybe you just need a break,” Steve suggested. “Step back for a few hours, let it settle and come back to it fresh.”
    “That’d be smart,” Troy agreed. “But I can almost never do that. It’s like a song that gets stuck in your head. Even if you get diverted for a moment or two, as soon as you let that go, the song returns and it’s twice as annoying.”
    “Then you’re not relaxing good enough,” Steve pushed aside his empty glass and lowered his voice. Troy felt the warm clasp of Steve’s hand on his upper thigh, out of sight from everyone. He lifted his eyebrows at the bold, but sexy, move.
    “Tell you what,” Steve continued, his tone thick. “We can go back to my place—or yours, whichever—and I’ll show you how to really unwind and let go of your cares.”
    Troy’s mouth went dry. Steve crept his hand up further, until the tip of his index finger pressed against the crease of Troy’s thigh, right next to his cock. Heat blossomed over Troy’s body and his dick hardened. Troy had to struggle to not move, the urge to press against the wandering hand intense.
    “My place is closer.” Troy breathed deeply, trying to catch his breath. His brain was leaking away as his blood congregated for a big party in his crotch.
    Steve stroked his fingers along the ridge of Troy’s zipper. He caressed Troy’s dick through his clothes. Troy panted, finding it difficult to breathe through the thick wall of his rising lust.
    “I’m ready to leave whenever you are,” Steve said in a calm tone Troy envied.
    When Steve lifted his hand away, it was as if a vise had been released from Troy’s chest. He could breathe, though he struggled to not gasp for air. Digging his hands into his pocket, he then pulled a bunch of notes out. He glanced at them to make sure there was enough money to cover his share of the bill. Steve placed a similar amount on the table and they both stood.
    Draping his jacket over his arm, Troy then walked in what he hoped appeared to be a calm manner out of the door. He used his coat to hide the fact he was partially erect. Heart pounding, he knew the short walk back to his flat couldn’t pass quickly enough.

Chapter Five
     
     
     
    “I could kiss you like this forever,” Steven murmured against his lips.
    Troy could only groan. He fisted his hand in the short strands of Steve’s blond hair and tilted his head down to taste that soft mouth again.
    They kissed slowly, with pants and sighs. Troy flicked his tongue out to taste Steve, enjoying the moan that rumbled in response. They had both stripped hurriedly upon entering his flat. Clothes lay scattered from the living room, down the hall and piled in a heap on the bedroom floor. Troy lifted himself up on one arm then pressed Steve back into the mattress when he moved to rise.
    “I want to look at you,” Troy said, voice thick with lust. “Despite the stolen kisses and that mutual fist-fuck—which you realize completely blew my mind earlier—I haven’t really seen you. Not fully. Now I’ve finally got the chance.”
    “I’m not the prettiest of sights,” Steve chuckled.
    Troy tilted his head, intuition telling him while not embarrassed, his lover mightn’t be used to someone staring at him. Troy ran his