Summer arrived with an unforgiving heat, just in time for your air conditioning to give out on a sweltering June afternoon. Now, sprawled across the hardwood floor beneath both the ceiling fan and the cheap oscillating one in the corner, the air still felt thick, unmoving, like you were breathing through steam.

Joel came padding in to lie beside you, shirtless, his chest slick with sweat. He groaned as his knees popped on the way down.

“AC’s finally back up and workin’,” he sighed, setting down his glass of ice water with a satisfying clink.

“I don’t feel it,” you groaned.

“Gonna take a bit to kick on, baby,” he said, sounding just as drained as you felt.

You turned your head, offering a tired smile, your hand reaching over to rest on his hot, sweaty arm. “My handsome handyman. Can always count on you.”

He chuckled, the sound rough and rumbling, “Damn right.”

The floor creaked as he rolled over to face you, arm brushing yours, the sweat-slicked skin warm where it touched. You tilted your chin up at him just as he leaned in, his mouth catching yours in a kiss that was soft, unhurried—

And cold.

You gasped, hand catching his shoulder. “Jesus,” you whispered against his lips, pulling back just enough to blink at him. “Your mouth’s freezing.”

Joel gave a crooked grin, the corners of his lips still wet from the ice water. “I was thirsty,”

“Take another sip,”

His brows lifted, like he wanted to make sure he heard you right, but the glint in his eye said he liked the sound of it.

He reached blindly for his glass, ice clinking as he took a long sip, swirled it in his mouth. Then he leaned in again, slow and smiling, and this time when he kissed you—God. The contrast of cold mouth on your overheated skin made your stomach flip, your chest pressing up into him more. It was like jumping into a lake and sinking into the warmth all at once.

Joel groaned into the kiss, catching your bottom lip between his. “You like that, huh? Feel good?”

“Mmhmm,” you murmured, chasing him when he pulled back.

“Well,” he said, voice a little rougher now, “maybe I could cool you off in another way.”

His hand hooked your sports bra, tugging the thin fabric down gently with his fingers. You sucked in a breath, but the heat that bloomed across your skin wasn’t from the summer air but from the look in his eyes.

"Oh, god." you whispered, anticipation making your blood go molten.

He popped a full ice cube into his cheek, then glanced up at you with that familiar, wicked glint before lowering his mouth to your chest. At first, it was just his lips and cool tongue, swirling, teasing, warming with each pass. But then he shifted the ice to the front of his mouth, and when it touched your nipple, you gasped loud and involuntary, a pulse thrumming between your legs at the sensation.

Your fingers threaded through his hair as he swirled the ice against you, the sensation an addictive shock of pleasure. You looked down just as he dragged the melting cube between the valley of your breasts, his mouth wrapped around the other, repeating the same delicious torment: ice cold, then warm, then cold again.

Goosebumps rippled across your skin. The contrast was maddening, every nerve ending alive and begging. You were gasping, mewling, legs shifting restlessly beneath him. It bordered on too much, nearly uncomfortable but it was so addicting you didn't bother to care.

Eventually, the ice melted, leaving your skin slick and tingling. Joel came back up, catching your mouth with his, your lips parting as you panted into him. You pulled him closer, breathless, clinging. He kissed you like he was starving—all tongue and teeth, the heat of him moving over you and pressing firm between your thighs.

His hands found the waistband of your shorts, tugging them down in one rough pull that had you gasping.

“Wait—are you about to—?”

He kissed the corner of your mouth, soft and quick, his voice thick with mischief. “Yeah, baby. Let me.” His hand slid slow along your thigh, coaxing you open. “You’re all hot and bothered, can hardly move in this heat. Least I can do is help you unwind. Help you cool off."

Joel shifted down your body, hands trailing as he went, grinning all the way down until he was kneeling between your thighs. In one smooth motion, he hooked your legs over his broad shoulders, settling in with a satisfied grunt. Your back pressed to the hardwood, warm and unforgiving against overheated skin, and now you were suddenly, undeniably naked and nothing between you but sweat and heat.

He reached back for the glass, plucked another ice cube from the water, and popped it into his mouth with deliberate slowness.

You could see the way his jaw moved as it melted, tongue working lazily, lips glistening. The smug bastard was enjoying himself.

And then he lowered his head. The first kiss to your inner thigh made you jump from the shock of cold and wet from his mouth, chased by the unbearable heat of his tongue. He mouthed at the soft skin there, taking his time, humming low in his throat like he had all day.

“You always feel so fuckin’ good,” he muttered against your skin, voice muffled and reverent. “So soft, baby. Or maybe it's just the heat makin’ me even more crazy for ya,”

You didn’t get the chance to answer, not when he licked a stripe through your folds, slow and deliberate. The cold from the ice lingered in his mouth, shocking your system in the best way. It had you gasping, hips trying to buck, thighs twitching over his shoulders. His hands gripped your hips hard, pinning you down.

Then he wrapped his lips around your clit and brought the ice cube directly to your most sensitive bundle. He switched between that and flicking his warm tongue against it, making your eyes roll back into your skull.

"Holy fuck—“ you moaned, back curving off the sweat slick hardwood. You cried out as he began working faster, and your fingers tangled in his hair, trying to pull him closer and push him away all at once.

The contrast was unbearable between the flicker of icy cold followed by the warmth of his breath. The hot drag of his tongue against overstimulated nerves had your thoughts lagging, only able to think about the rising swell of pressure in your belly. He’d retreat for a second, swirl the melting cube in his mouth, then press back in, letting it melt directly against you as he sucked and licked at your sensitive pussy.

The ice ran in little rivers at the corner of his mouth, mixing with your sticky arousal and sliding down your ass, your thighs, pooling beneath you as he worked you open with his mouth alone. You couldn't help the push and pull of your hips, the way they lifted and undulated against his face.

Joel lifted his head just long enough to grin, his chin shining with you. “You’re squirmin’, baby.”

“It's so—“ you choke on a moan as he flattened his tongue against you, "oh fuck, Joel,"

His smirk deepened as he dragged the final bit of ice down between your folds with the tip of his tongue, his hands tightening on your thighs just as your orgasm crested. It broke over you hard, your back arching off the floor, thighs trembling around his shoulders as you cried out.

He held you there, firm and steady, fingers gripping your skin while his eyes never left your face. He watched every twitch, every flicker of pleasure cross your face as your lips formed the perfect 'o' through it all.

You came down slow, panting, your body flushed and slick with sweat all over again. When you finally lifted yourself onto your elbows and looked at him, he was already moving up your body, kissing you deep and messy, tasting sweet and heady and salty. You welcomed it, sighing into his mouth.

He dropped down beside you with a groan, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath.

Without a word, you swung a leg over and straddled him, grinning as the surprise flickered across his face. You could feel him hard and ready beneath you, and you reached for the glass of ice water, grabbing a cube between your fingers.