Chapter 2: After Hours Tension

Chapter 2: After Hours Tension

The city lights shone through the big windows of Rivera Fight Gym. It was almost midnight, and the place was completely empty except for the two of them. The usual loud noises of the day, the heavy bags, the music, and the coaches shouting were all gone. Now it was completely quiet, except for the low hum of the air conditioning and the sound of their breathing.

​Noah had lost count of how many nights he had spent here, watching Zach train or pretending to help while mostly just keeping him company. Tonight, though, the air felt different and thicker between them.

“Are you sure you’re not too tired for this?” Zach asked, throwing a pair of gloves to him. His deep voice echoed in the empty space, making a shiver run down Noah’s back.

​Noah caught them and forced a smile he didn't quite feel. “I’m fine. Someone has to make sure you don’t get lazy after your big win.”

Zach grinned... that cocky, devastatingly handsome smile that always made Noah’s knees feel weak. Without saying another word, he pulled off his black tank top and threw it on the floor, revealing the sculpted perfection of his torso, broad shoulders, rock-hard abs glistening with sweat, and that large dragon tattoo curving over his left shoulder and down his powerful arm. The dim overhead lights made every ridge and valley of muscle stand out, highlighting the raw masculine power of his body.

Noah swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. He looked away quickly, busying himself with wrapping his hands.

Get it together, Noah told himself, his hands shaking slightly. It’s just Zach… your best friend, but his mind wouldn't listen, it kept drifting to the way Zach’s sweat would taste if he ran his tongue over those abs... Damn! He looked so good and tempting.

​They started with basic training, hitting the pads and moving around the mat but the mood quickly shifted. Zach moved fast and smoothly, every strike powerful and controlled. Noah wasn’t a fighter, but years around Zach had taught him enough to keep up… most of the time.

“Come on, Noah. Stop holding back,” Zach teased, circling him like a predator, his voice low and husky.

​Noah lunged forward to tackle him but Zach countered effortlessly, sweeping his leg out and sending them both crashing down onto the thick mats. They rolled around, wrestling and laughing together.

For a second, it felt just like old times… playful and brotherly.

Until it wasn’t.

Zach ended up on top​ pinning Noah's wrists above his head with one powerful hand, and the laughter stopped completely.

They were breathing heavily, their bodies pressed tightly together from chest to thigh against each other. Noah could feel every hard inch of Zach’s sweat-slicked muscle against him, the heat of his bare skin felt burning hot against the thin fabric of their shorts, the massive weight of him pressing Noah into the mat.

​And then Noah felt it… lower…

​Something unmistakably hard, thick, and throbbing pressed right against his thigh.

Zach's cock.

It was fully hard, pulsing against him with obvious arousal.

Noah's breath stopped for a moment. A fierce rush of heat hit his face and moved straight to his belly. His own cock twitched hard in his shorts, betraying him completely. He could feel the outline of Zach’s length and big size as Zach shifted his hips against him.

“Fuck. He’s huge… and he’s hard because of me.”

Zach froze above him, his blue eyes darkening with raw hunger and the playful grin on his face melted into something far more dangerous, hungrier and predatory.

“You’re getting too easy to pin down lately,” Zach whispered, voice low and rough. His hot breath brushed against Noah's parted lips, sending a jolt of electricity straight down to his groin.

Noah’s heart hammered wildly in his chest, his whole body went tight. His hole clenched on its own at the overwhelming sensation of Zach’s thick erection grinding slowly against his thigh. Wetness was already starting to leak from his own tip, soaking into his shorts. The ache between his legs grew unbearable.

“This is Zach, your best friend. Stop it. Stop wanting him to fuck you right here.”

“Get off me, you big brute,” Noah muttered, trying desperately to sound normal. But his voice came out breathy and wrecked, almost like a moan.

Zach didn’t move right away. His gaze dropped to Noah’s flushed lips, then lower, as if he could feel how hard Noah was too. The tension crackled between them like electricity.

Finally, Zach released his wrists and rolled off, but not before deliberately letting his hips drag slowly against Noah one last time in a teasing way.

​Zach stood up and offered a hand to help him up. Noah took it, his legs shaking as he was pulled to his feet.

​But Zach didn’t let go of his hand.

His strong fingers lingered around Noah’s wrist, thumb stroking slowly and sensually over his racing pulse. The air between them felt suffocatingly charged, thick with unspoken desire, sweat, and the heavy scent of their arousal.

​Zach's dark eyes stayed locked on Noah's. He looked like he was barely holding himself back. For one crazy second, Noah wondered what would happen if he just stopped fighting it. If he leaned in and let his best friend completely ruin him.