Chapter 5

The rest of the ride was silent except for the occasional honks of passing cars.

The car finally pulled into the driveway, Kai’s chest tightening as Noah got out first.

Kai followed.

Noah dropped his keys on the table the moment they got in.

“Your room is down the hall,” he said without looking at him, already turning away. “Second door on the left.”

Kai nodded.

“And Kai?”

He turned.

Noah was looking at him now.

Directly.

“Don’t touch anything that isn’t yours.”

Kai swallowed. “Okay.”

Noah held his gaze another second.

Then walked away.

“Well…that wasn't bad, let me just hope it will continue like this,” Kai muttered lightly walking towards his room.

Kai pushed the door open and was met with a simple but nice room: a king-size bed, a walk-in closet, a bathroom, and a small study space.

“Not bad…” Kai said into the empty room, placing his bags on the bed and unzipping them.

Kai was halfway through unpacking when he heard footsteps heavy ones.

The footsteps stopped right outside his door.

A knock.

“Kai.”

His stomach flipped.

“Yeah?”Noah pushed the door open and leaned against the frame.

“This doesn't change anything okay?” he asked.

Kai blinked. “What?”

“You…living here.”

Kai shook his head slowly.

“Okay.”

Noah stepped inside.

“Good.”

Kai’s pulse picked up.

Because last night still happened.

His throat went dry.

“And I don’t like an audience,” Noah added.

“Uh…I don't understand?”

Noah stared at him for a while and something finally clicked in Kai's head.

Ohh….

Kai flushed. “I didn’t…”

“Yes, you did. You stood there.”

“You told me to come in!”

Noah stopped in front of him, close, too close.

“Then maybe next time,” he said quietly, “you should leave.”

Kai’s breath caught.

Next time?

Is there going to be a next time? Is stroking his dick like a hobby or what?

Noah stared at him for another second, his lips curling into a small smirk as Kai stood there flustered.

Then turned and left.

Kai sat down hard on the bed, heart pounding.

He lives here now.

With him.

Him…the man who had fucked him the first time they met.

Uhhh…Kai groaned as he lay on the bed staring at the white ceiling above him.

The soft bed soon pulled him into Dreamland as his breath eased and steadied.

Kai's eyes fluttered open, and the faint glow of the golden sun streaked in softly through the curtains.

His bag lay on one side of the bed half-opened.

Kai dug in his pants pocket for his phone.

The bright screen of the phone made him shut his eyes for a second before opening them again.

“Fuck… 18:31? I slept for that long?”

Kai packed the rest of his clothes into the closet and rearranged the room to his taste by the time he was done it was already midnight.

His stomach growled loudly all of a sudden.

“Fuck I haven't eaten”.

“Is he going to be in the kitchen? Can't he be right?

I mean it’s already midnight, what would he be doing?”.

“Fuck Kai…” he murmured into the empty room as his stomach growled again.

He walked to the door…his hands gripped tightly at the door handle but didn't pull the door open.

“Fuck…fuck”, Kai murmured repeatedly, his back resting on the door.

“You're not a fucking kid”, he said to himself but still couldn't bring himself to pull the door.

Three minutes passed and he finally made up his mind, he pulled the door open and pushed his head out scanning the hallway before getting out.

Kai eased his door shut behind him, careful with the handle so it wouldn’t click too loudly.

The hallway was dark, only the low wall lights on, and for a second he thought he’d made it.

Kai shuffled down the hallway, bare feet soft on the wood. The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

His chest still hammered, his thighs still a little weak, and his mind… his mind wouldn’t stop replaying last night.

Every touch, every groan, every low growl. He hated how much he could still feel it. Hated that it was running through him even now.

Then…“Going somewhere?”

Kai froze mid-step.

Noah was leaning against the wall opposite, arms crossed, one shoulder pressed back like he’d been there a while. Watching. Waiting.

“Fuck what is he doing here in the middle of the night…stroking his dick again?” Kai thought.

Kai swallowed. “…Kitchen.”

“At midnight?” Noah’s voice was quiet. Flat.

Kai shifted on his feet. “People get thirsty at night, you know.”

Noah’s eyes dropped once. Took him in. Bare feet. Thin shirt. Loose sleep pants.

“…Or are you heading out?” he asked.

Kai frowned. “Out where?”

Noah didn’t answer right away. Just tilted his head slightly.

“For work,” he said finally.

Kai blinked. “What work?!”

Noah shrugs.

“Just wondering if I should be worried about strangers walking into my house at 2 a.m.”

“The fuck?” Kai yelled.

“You know,” Noah continues, pushing off the wall, taking one step closer. “Clients. Friends. Whatever you call them.”

“Don’t bring anyone back here,” Noah went on, like he hadn’t heard him. “I’m not interested in strangers walking around my house.”

Kai stared at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“If you need to fuck someone,” Noah said, pushing off the wall slowly, “do it somewhere else.”

“You’re not serious.”

You planning on bringing someone in,” Noah says casually, “or are you going out to meet them?”

Kai lets out a short, disbelieving laugh.

“Are you insane?”

“I just don’t want to wake up and find some random guy in my guest bathroom.”

Kai’s jaw tightens.

“I’m not bringing anyone into your house.”

“Good,” Noah replies simply. “Because I won’t allow you to fuck anyone in it.”

Silence.

Kai actually goes still.

“…Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Kai stares at him for a full second.

Two.

Three.

Kai’s mouth dropped open. “I told you I’m not a fucking escort!”

Noah hums.

Like he didn’t hear him.

Or worse like he doesn’t believe him.

Kai’s fingers curl at his sides.

“You’re not?” he asked.

Kai blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift in tone. “…No.”

A beat.

“Thank God you finally believe me,” Kai muttered.

Noah’s lips twitched.

“You don't need to be shy” he said quietly.

Kai frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Noah held his gaze. Didn’t blink.

“It’s your job, you don't need to pretend”.

“Oh God!!”. Kai yelled silently.

“I paid for someone to show up,” he said. “And you did, that can't be a coincidence.”

Kai dragged a hand down his face. “I wasn’t who you paid for. I don’t know how many times you

want me to say this. Your door was open, I came to tell you, and then I saw…” he stopped himself, jaw tightening, “...you know.”

“And you stayed,” Noah said.

Kai hesitated. “…Yeah. I stayed.”

“Could’ve left.”

“I know.”

“But you didn’t.”

Kai’s chest tightened, irritation rising with the heat crawling up his neck. “That’s my bad, okay? I admit it. I should’ve left. Happy?”

Noah’s gaze dropped again, slowly. Deliberate.

“You left before I could even pay you,” he said.

Kai made a strangled noise. “Because I wasn’t there to get paid!”

“Not very good business practice,” Noah replied again,it was like he wasn't hearing anything Kai was saying.

“I am not running a business!”

Noah hummed, low in his throat, like he wasn’t convinced.

Kai’s hands clenched at his sides. “You’re impossible.”

Silence stretched between them again. Close now. Too close.

Noah didn’t move back.

Kai ran a hand over his face. “You must be a fucking slut too, huh? Otherwise, why look for an escort?”

Noah’s jaw flexed. Just once. Enough to make Kai swallow hard.

He took one step closer.

“You really want to find out?”