As much as it had seemed like a good idea at the time, for the next couple of weeks practicalities managed to conspire against them actually meeting up for sex or anything else. Between Cal being caught up with work—his teaching work that was—and Ben having a running battle with his suppliers, neither of them had a window to meet for a coffee or a beer, let alone afford them enough time to find any privacy for other activities.

Which was why, when Ben’s cell beeped with a text that simply said “You busy? My meeting got cancelled. I’m in Queens” he didn’t even bother checking with Charlie before typing “I can be there in 20. Send me the address.”

“I have to go take care of something.” Ben called out to his brother as he jogged down the steps of the site office and over to his car, managing to pull his jacket on with his cell still in his hand.

Charlie looked up from where he was looming over a set of plans spread out in the flatbed of someone’s truck. “Now?”

“I’ll be two hours, tops.”

Charlie frowned as he held up his wrist, pulling the sleeve of his coat back to check his watch. “You won’t. The architect’s coming at four, remember?”

Freezing mid-step, Ben cursed under his breath, and ran the flat of his hand across his mouth before quickly typing out, “I can’t stay long. Got to be back for four. Still want me?”

Three little dots waved at him as Charlie called over. “Everything okay? Is it one of the kids? Coz I can cover for you–”

The phone beeped. “Hell, yes. I know a place that rents by the hour 😉 See you in 20. C”

Ben huffed out a laugh as an address popped up on his screen. “Kids are fine, I just…” want to get laid more than I want to stand around in the mud listening to hammering and angle grinders? “I might have found us another supplier for the roofing.”

“Sweet.” Charlie seemed to accept the explanation which both surprised and disappointed Ben somehow. He didn’t think he was that good of a liar but he sure as hell hoped Charlie hadn’t always been so gullible. “You want me to come with?”

No. No I do not. Ben shrugged like he didn’t care much. “Nah, I’m not sure how it’ll pan out. Plus I need you here just in case I get delayed.”

Charlie gave him a half-hearted wave and a vague, “Later then,” then went back to trying to figure out the stupid plans before their meeting that afternoon.

As he hot-footed it through traffic that was mercifully moving, for once the guilt Ben was experiencing wasn’t about the fact he was gonna get his dick sucked but that he’d lied to his brother and skipped out on his job in the middle of the day to do it. A couple of months ago he would never have even considered being so selfish, not for anything, let alone for sex. It was like he didn’t even know himself anymore. But even that wasn’t enough for him to turn back, even though he had the opportunity more than once on the way.

When he found a place to park, which was only a quick walk from the motel, he was already half-hard from the anticipation and his heart was beating so fast he damn near ran the three blocks to the door just to have an excuse for being breathless when he got there. He’d had visions of some seedy fleapit when he saw Cal had texted him a room number but the place looked clean enough and he didn’t feel the need to hide his face when he slipped in the main doors.

The stairs up to the second floor weren’t carpeted but the hallway was, so his footsteps were muffled as he came to stand in front of the room. He paused only a second before knocking, then started to unzip his jacket ready to slip it off before the door even opened.

When it did, he was so taken aback by the pleased look on Cal’s face—the lustful slant of his smile, the way his shirt pulled tight across his chest and the lip gloss glinting in the artificial light—Ben lost his mind for a second, surging forward and cupping Cal’s jaw with both hands, drawing him into a kiss as he walked him back into the room and pressed him up against the wall as the door closed behind him.

Cal squeaked as Ben crowded into him but didn’t seem to object, carding his hands up into Ben’s hair for a second, pulling him closer before sliding his hands down and pushing Ben’s coat from his shoulders. Once it had dropped to the floor, Cal started pulling Ben’s shirt free from his pants, desperately working his hands underneath to roam over Ben’s hot skin.

“How long do we have?” he asked between kisses.

Ben softened his knees and bent his head down to suck at the sensitive spot below the hinge of Cal’s jaw. “Fifteen, twenty minutes.”

“Shit.” Ben wasn’t sure if Cal was cursing their window or liking what Ben was doing with his tongue. He figured it was the latter when Cal slipped a thigh between his legs and canted his hips up.

They both moaned at the sensation of the others erection against them and even fully clothed it felt wildly erotic. Ben found Cal’s mouth again, kissing him deeper, almost wanting to cry with how good it felt to have him close and needy. Cal seemed to be on the same page, his fingers dragging Ben ever closer, his nails digging into the meat of his back, scratching slightly as they rutted against one another. It should have stupid—juvenile or something—but Ben figured he’d never got to have this as a teenager so what the hell.

The urge for more and closer had him yanking Cal’s shirt up. Getting his hands on the pale skin of his hips made him moan, but it wasn’t half as delightful as when he realized he had enough room to slip his hand down the back of Cal’s pants and into his underwear. The way the firm globes of Cal’s ass tensed as he ground up against him was heavenly, but as he pressed one finger between them into the hot cleft, Cal’s head pulled away, falling back, his eyes closed tight.

“Fuck. Oh god, Ben, I’m coming. You’re making me…oh fuck.”

A sound came from Ben’s throat that he had no hand in making. The sight of Cal falling apart in his arms, had him rutting harder and his fingers more insistently finding their mark as he felt his own orgasm start to peak.

When Ben pressed his fingertip to Cal’s asshole, and Cal’s mouth opened softly and he started to pant, his whole body stiffening and his fingertips digging painfully into Ben’s back. The sight of him so open and vulnerable pushed Ben over the edge and he had to drop his head to rest on Cal’s shoulder as he grunted and came in his pants like he was closer to fifteen not forty.

It wasn’t until he was cleaning up in the bathroom afterwards—resigning himself to going commando for the rest of the day—that he realized he might have made a mistake.

Cal was sitting on the bed, scrolling through his phone when he stepped out, and looked up, smiling softly when he heard Ben close the bathroom door.

“I’m sorry,” Ben started as he pulled on his coat, then backtracked when he saw the concern sweep onto Cal’s face. “I mean…did I fuck up?”

Cal’s brow furrowed. “Uh, I don’t—”

“I kissed you,” Ben blurted. “I feel like I should have asked if that was okay but I just fucking—” barged in here and took you. The wide smile that spread over Cal’s face shut him up.

“You just managed to make me come in about thirty seconds without even getting my pants off and you’re worried about the kiss?” Cal’s tone was teasing but not cruel and Ben’s cheeks heated up. “I liked the kissing, Ben. I like it a lot, if you didn’t notice. You’re rather good at it.”

Instead of dying with embarrassment, Ben just dipped his chin down and said quietly, “Me too. I mean I liked it. Kissing you.”

There was a beat when either of them could have filled the silence but before they could, Ben’s cell beeped in his pocket. As if coordinated, their eyes met, they smiled softly, exhaled an amused huff and let reality seep back in.

“That’ll be work. I gotta go. Sorry.”

Cal shrugged as he stood up. “Hey. No problem. Thanks for, uh.” He let out a laugh as he walked Ben to the door. “Well, just thanks. It was fun.”

Ben opened the door and had to agree. “Yeah it was. Hey, you should let me pay for the room though.” He stopped reaching for his wallet when he saw the dismissive look on Cal’s face.

“My treat. You can get it next time.”

Next time.

“Sounds good. Let me know when you’re free, yeah?”

“I will.” Cal leaned against the door as Ben backed away down the hall, not really wanting to leave. “You have a good day. And Ben? I had a really good time.”

There was a second where Ben thought maybe he should go back, kiss Cal goodbye. But he didn’t, and spent the rest of the day vacillating between crushing regret and thinking he was an idiot for even contemplating it in the first place.