"Start with the tip," Asher says, demonstrating by sticking out his tongue slightly. "Use your tongue to explore, to tease."
The visual makes my mouth go dry. Without thinking, I lean forward and capture Asher's extended tongue with my lips, sucking on it gently.
Asher makes a surprised sound that quickly morphs into a moan. His hands come up to frame my face, holding me in place as the impromptu demonstration transforms into a proper kiss.
It's different from any kiss I've ever had—more forceful, more equal. Asher's stubble scrapes against my chin, a friction that's new but not unpleasant. His lips are firm, his technique confident as he deepens the kiss, his tongue sliding against mine in a way that makes heat pool in my stomach.
When we finally break apart, both breathing heavily, Asher's pupils are dilated, his lips slightly swollen. "Quick learner," he murmurs, his voice husky.
"I've always been a good student," I reply, surprised by my own ability to flirt in this new context. "But I think I need more hands-on practice."
Asher's smile turns predatory. "I think that can be arranged."
Chapter 12
MY HEART POUNDS as I sink to my knees in front of Asher, the carpet rough against my jeans. This position—me kneeling, looking up at Asher—is a mirror image of our encounter in the library, roles reversed. The symmetry feels significant somehow, like we're completing a circuit that started hours ago between dusty bookshelves.
The thought makes my mouth quirk up in an unexpected smile.
"What's funny?" Asher asks, catching the expression.
"Just thinking about how we've come full circle," I admit. "You on your knees in the library, me on my knees here."
Asher's lips twitch. "Except I knew what I was doing."
"Are you saying I don't?" I challenge, surprising myself with my boldness.
"I'm saying," Asher replies, his voice dropping lower, "that you're about to learn."
The words send a shiver down my spine. I've always been a quick study—top of my class since elementary school—but this is an entirely different kind of education.
"You don't have to do this," Asher says, giving me one last chance to back out. "We can take it slower."
"I want to," I insist, and I'm surprised to find it's true. The nervousness is still there, coiled in my stomach like a spring, but it's overshadowed by curiosity, by desire, by the need to explore this new aspect of myself. "I want to know what it's like. What you taste like."
Asher's pupils dilate at the words, his breath catching audibly. "Fuck, Philip," he murmurs. "You can't just say things like that."
"Why not?" I ask, genuinely curious.
"Because it makes me want to skip the tutorial and go straight to advanced placement."
The academic metaphor makes me laugh, the sound breaking some of the tension. "I thought you were all about thorough education."
Asher grins down at me. "I am. Very hands-on learning."
As if to demonstrate, Asher's hands move to his belt. I watch, unmoving, as he unbuckles it, the leather sliding through the loops with a soft hiss. Then he unbuttons his jeans, the movement deliberate, almost teasing. The sound of the zipper being lowered seems impossibly loud in the quiet room.
My mouth goes dry as Asher pushes his jeans down, revealing black boxer briefs that do little to hide his arousal. There's a damp spot at the front where the head of his cock has leaked pre-cum, and the sight makes my own cock twitch in response.
"You can touch me through them first," Asher suggests, noticing my hesitation. "If that's easier."
I nod, grateful for the guidance. I reach out, my hand hovering for a moment before pressing against the hard length contained by the thin fabric. Asher's sharp intake of breath encourages me, and I explore more boldly, tracing the outline with my fingers, feeling the heat radiating through the cotton.
"That feels good," Asher says, his voice slightly strained. "But I think we can lose these now."
He hooks his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers and pushes them down in one smooth motion, freeing his cock. It springs up, hard and flushed, the head glistening.
It's... not as alien as I expected. Different from my own, slightly longer, curved a bit to the left, but fundamentally familiar. The sight of it—so close, so real—makes my heart race, but not with fear.
