Love in Xxchange: Rory's Last Chance by Bailey Bradford Page A

budge the man an inch.
    “Rory!” Well, if Max hadn’t known they were back, he surely did when Chance yelled.
    Rory raised his head, a lust-glazed look on his face. Chance cupped Rory’s cheek, pressing his fingertips down with enough force to focus the man’s attention.
    “Inside, Rory. We need to go inside.” Rory grunted and grabbed Chance’s wrist, whirling around and tugging him towards the house.
    Chance dug in his boot heels and brought them both to a stop. He wasn’t sure he liked feeling like a caveman’s catch.
    Wasn’t sure he didn’t, either.
    He jerked his arm back hard, spinning Rory around to face him. The expression on the younger man’s face almost undid Chance. Fear, hurt, need—they danced across Rory before the man shut them down. He thinks I’ve changed my mind, turning him away again, Chance realised. Chance stepped up to his soon-to-be lover, keeping his eyes locked on the younger man’s. He noted the fine tremor working through the big blond’s body, the sheen of sweat on his upper lip and brow, the choppy breaths Rory struggled to regulate. Chance noticed it all, and felt a piece of his heart break right off and fall at the younger man’s feet.
    “Just wanted you beside me, baby, that’s all. That’s all.” Chance slid his free arm around Rory’s waist, aching for the man now in more than just a physical sense.
    Rory stared down at him, so still now that he was barely breathing and not batting an eyelash. Finally he nodded and released Chance’s other arm, muttering as he did so.
    “What’s that, baby? What is it?” He wanted to know so he could do whatever necessary to reassure Rory.
    Rory shook his head. “Thought you were changing your mind again, s’all. Just stupid, I guess.”
    The moon was full and bright enough that Chance could see the red slashes on Rory’s cheeks. It made him feel like shit, because he knew he’d done this to the man. He clasped a RORY’S LAST CHANCE
    Bailey Bradford
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    hand to Rory’s chin and pulled his head around, waiting for Rory to meet his eyes. When he did, the sadness in that melting midnight gaze hit Chance like a kick to the gut. Now Rory wasn’t the only one shaking.
    “You’re not stupid, Rory, never that. I wouldn’t expect you not to be wary after the way I’ve done you, and I’m sorry.” The worry in those gorgeous eyes slipped away as Chance leant in for a soft kiss. “Nothing is going to stop me tonight, I promise.”
    The smile that lit up Rory’s face made Chance want to make the man all sorts of promises but he clamped down on that real quick. He was old enough to know better than to go mixing up sex with some gentler feelings. That would be just plain foolish—never mind that a part of him was afraid he’d already done just that.
    “Come on.” Chance left his arm around Rory’s waist as the younger man draped an arm over Chance’s shoulder. The heat coming off of Rory’s body had to be the rough equivalent of molten lava. Chance didn’t know how he kept from going up in flames.
    Once inside, he fought back the need to slam Rory against the door and fuck him until they were both brainless. After the look he’d seen on Rory’s face, Chance felt an even stronger need to take it slow and show the man just how much he was wanted.
    He did something he’d never done before with another man—slid his arm from Rory’s waist and twined their fingers together. It was an intimacy that Chance had always avoided, even though it was such a simplistic and innocent one. He could fuck, he could suck and do any number of sexual acts in between—but they were all sexual acts, not this melding of palms and fingers that could bring comfort and peace to both people. It implied something other than sex, which had always terrified Chance but now, with this one man, seemed so necessary and right.
    But that didn’t mean there was anything more than sex between them .
    Chance led Rory to his bedroom, watching as the