Only You by Jerry Cole (the top 100 crime novels of all time TXT) 📕

someone. “Should be here any minute – ow!” he yelped when Sherman slapped him. “What was that for?”

“Come here.” Sherman stepped into Bradley and gave him a big, wet, passionate kiss on the lips. It was perhaps a little much for an airport kiss, but he didn’t care. It had been months since he’s seen Bradley last and it was all he could do to leave it at just a kiss. “You taste good.”

“You smell good,” Bradley added as he pulled away. He lingered slightly as he did too, as if he didn’t want to let go.

It was silly, but Sherman was happy to see – and feel — the intent and desire behind Bradley’s touch. Bradley was a verifiable hottie and there was always that hidden fear in Sherman that one day he’d wake up and realize how much better he could do. Seriously, he could throw a stick in a gay bar and hit a better-looking guy than Sherman. It was dumb shallow shit that shouldn’t have mattered... only, it did.

But Sherman wasn’t going to let that deter him. Bradley might have been the looker of the two, but Sherman was the money and he intended very much to use his ample bank account to keep Bradley close, always wanting more, and remembering just how good he could be.

It started with the apartment, which Sherman took Bradley to right away. Not only did Bradley have a bunch of bags and things to drop off before anything else could get done, but he wanted to show the place off... and, of course, bask in the accolades of having done such a wonderful job.

“Ah... wow.” Bradley walked into the apartment and then froze as he took it in; his mouth hung open, his eyes were wide as they moved over the large, modern space.

It was the exact response that Sherman had been after.

“You like it?” Sherman pressed. He slid up behind Bradley and wrapped his arms around his waist. “I got lucky with the pricing.”

“I’ll say – this is really only two hundred a week?” He didn’t sound like he believed it.

“I’m as shocked as you are.” Sherman quickly pulled out his phone and then brought up the lease agreement. He scrolled down the where Bradley had to sign and handed him the phone. “So you better sign quick, before someone else snatches it.”

Bradley didn’t have to be told twice. “You’re too good to me,” he mused as he finished up. “Dead set, sometimes I wonder how – hold on.” He blinked a few times. “An email just popped up for you. It said urgent.”

Sherman snatched his phone back and pocketed it without checking. “Nothing to worry about – just work stuff, is all.” He finished with a relaxed smile that he hoped deflected from the email.

It must have, as Bradley was done looking worried and was back on the apartment. He left his bags where they were and wandered through the living room and into the kitchen. Then into the bathroom and into the bedroom. And every room he walked into, he shouted out something like ‘Holy shit’ or ‘Look at this place!’ He really was that impressed.

Unfortunately, Sherman wasn’t able to follow so as to bask in the gratitude. Instead, he hurriedly pulled out his phone, read the email and then turned it off again. He had been expecting that email, and knew it wouldn’t be the last. As of the moment there was a... a rather big issue at work that he was doing all he could to ignore today. He didn’t want any distractions.

“So, what now?” Bradley walked back into the living room, just as Sherman finished pocketing his phone. He looked beyond relieved, and exceptionally grateful. Which was good, because that’s just how Sherman wanted him.

“You think this place is nice...” Sherman grinned wickedly at Bradley.

When they arrived at Sherman’s apartment some ten minutes later – it really was that close! — the look on Bradley’s face when he walked inside was all that Sherman could have hoped for. It was like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, like he had stumbled into the wrong apartment, like this was some sort of dream.

“You live here?” he wandered through the entrance way and then took a right into the reading room. It was a small room, but richly decorated. “Here!”

“Did you see me pick the lock?” Sherman wandered in after Bradley, but he was already darting toward the main bathroom and ogling the hot tub.

“You have a hot tub?!”

“Never seen one before?” Sherman called out jokingly. Before he could reach Bradley though, he’d made his way into the living room which was, in Sherman’s opinion, the best room in the house.

“This view!” Bradley exclaimed. The living room had a wrap-around window in place of a wall; the view was of the city skyline less than a block away. When the sun set later, it would light the room up orange and give it the appearance of being on fire.

“Not bad, hey.” Sherman waltzed in behind Bradley and wrapped his arms around his waist. This time though, he proceeded to kiss his boyfriend on the neck. “Feel free to get used to it.”

Bradley moaned as Sherman worked his wet lips up the side of his neck and then started to nibble on his earlobe. “I think I might.”

“I might even let you crash here a couple of nights a week... if you’re good to me.”

“How lucky.” Bradley had his head tilted to the side now, his eyes closed as he relished in Sherman’s kisses.

“You will be.” He had forgotten how good Bradley tasted. He had forgotten how good Bradley felt. He had forgotten the way that Bradley’s entire body shook when he became turned on.

As he continued to kiss and nibble at Bradley’s neck and earlobe, he slipped