The end credits rolled, and Riley turned off the TV. Thorne lifted his head from Riley’s shoulder and smiled at him. Riley shivered at the sight of the longing in Thorne’s eyes. Thorne cupped Riley’s cheek in his hand, thumb lightly stroking him.

“Umm…I guess I’ll be heading out now,” Marc said.

Thorne nodded, but he didn’t look away from Riley.

“Maybe I’ll go see a movie or something.”

Riley waved in Marc’s direction. “Bye.”

A few moments later the door shut, and Thorne kissed Riley, his touch soft, gentle. When Riley had all the gentleness he could take, he sank his teeth into Thorne’s lower lip and sucked on the plump flesh. Thorne opened for him, letting him explore, taste, revel in him. Oh, how Riley had missed the intensity of his reactions.

“Riley,” Thorne groaned. The sound of his given name buzzed through Riley, making him even more desperate for contact.

As if sensing what he wanted, Thorne shifted, straddling Riley. He didn’t seem the least bit concerned that he was rumpling his suit pants. Riley slid his hands into Thorne’s hair, holding him in place as they kissed so frantically they seemed to be trying to consume each other. Thorne ground against him, and Riley arched up, trying to get more contact. Finally Thorne pulled back and stared down at Riley, panting.

Riley’s pulse whooshed in his ears, and the room spun. “Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

“I meant to go slow,” Riley confessed.

Thorne climbed off Riley and stood. “We never were very good at that.”

Riley fought the urge to reach for him as Thorne gathered his suit jacket and long wool coat from the chair where he’d deposited them.

“I need to get back to work, and if this goes any further…I’ll be trading slow for fast and hard.”

Riley almost ordered him to get on his knees and to hell with slow, but he forced the words back down. “Okay. I can wait until next time.”

Thorne studied him for a moment, seeming to look right into him. Did he know how much Riley wanted him? “Next time? You mean—”

“I want to see you for Christmas.” The words burst from him.

“I have to go to my parents’ for lunch on Christmas Day, but I haven’t made any other plans. I’d wanted us to be together, but I didn’t dare hope.”

“I want to see you, very much.”

“I’d bring you with me to meet my parents if you wanted me to.”

Riley sucked in a breath, shocked. “You would?”

“I would. I’m not ashamed of our relationship, if that’s what this is now. I would tell the world that I…that…”

Riley smiled. Thorne might not be quite ready to say those little words, but Thorne loved him. He was certain of it now.