Chapter 21
21
MARNIN
M y BMW glided along the winding road, surrounded by towering firs and snow-capped mountains that transformed into dark shadows as night fell. The engine purred smoothly. Man, I loved this car, even if I couldn’t drive it as fast as I would’ve loved to.
Next to me, Ennio was practically bouncing in the passenger seat, his excitement palpable. “Oh my god, Marnin, look at that view! Isn’t it breathtaking?” He gestured wildly at the landscape rushing past.
“It is pretty spectacular.”
“I can’t believe we’re almost there. I’ve missed Forestville so much.”
I glanced over at him, my lips quirking into a half-smile. “I have to admit, I’m looking forward to this weekend too. It’ll be nice to escape the city for a bit.”
The words surprised me even as I said them. When was the last time I anticipated something beyond a good fuck session? Maybe it was Ennio’s infectious energy, or perhaps I was ready for a change of scenery.
We were on our way to Forestville for the weekend. Sheriff Frant—Auden’s father—was turning seventy-five, and Auden and Ennio had organized a big birthday party for him on Sunday. I’d been invited too, much to my surprise. At first, I’d thought it was a polite invite or even a pity one, but Auden and Ennio had assured me his father wanted me there. Not gonna lie. That had felt good. The man had played an important role in my life, and I was relieved he still felt affection toward me.
“I need to take some pictures for one of my coworkers,” Ennio said, practically pressing his nose against the window. “Apparently, I raved about Forestville so much he doesn’t believe it’s all that magical, so I need proof.”
“It’s not magical. It’s a cute little town but not all that special.”
“Oh hush, Mr. Grinch. Don’t rain on my parade.”
“Calm down, bouncy ball, or it’s gonna be a long weekend. You’re like a golden retriever puppy.”
He shot me a contrite look. “Sorry. Is it too much? I’m just so happy to go home.”
I reached over and squeezed his thigh affectionately. “It’s all good, sunshine.” The endearment slipped out easily.
Apparently appeased, Ennio kept chattering away.
“We have to stop by Brianna’s Bakery. Cas said she has a new item, the most divine lemon tarts.”
I chuckled. “I thought this trip was about your dad’s birthday, not stuffing our faces with pastries.”
Ennio swatted my arm playfully. “Can’t it be both? Besides, you could use some sweetening up, Mr. Grumpy Pants.”
I rolled my eyes, but there was no real annoyance behind it. “I’m plenty sweet already, thank you very much.”
“Not how I would describe you—more the opposite, in fact—but whatever you say.”
“Did you just call me salty?”
He grinned. “I would never…”
Jesus, he was adorable. Not that I would ever tell him that.
Before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of Ennio’s charming little house. He practically leaped out of the car.
“We’re here!” he announced happily, grabbing his bags from the trunk. I followed suit, taking in the towering evergreens surrounding the property. The air smelled crisp and fresh, tinged with wood smoke, and I inhaled deeply. Nothing beat that kind of fresh air.
“Come on, slowpoke!” Ennio called over his shoulder.
I followed at a more sedate pace, carrying our bags and putting them in Ennio’s bedroom. Inside, Ennio was a whirlwind of activity, flitting from room to room, straightening picture frames and fluffing pillows.
As I watched him unpack, reveling over items he hadn’t seen in a while, it struck me how truly joyful he was to be here. His face was luminous, his eyes crinkling with delight as he rediscovered his home.
Clearly, Ennio had deeply missed having his own space, roots, and history. A pang went through me. What was it like to be that deeply attached to a place? I liked my apartment in Seattle well enough, but I highly doubted I’d be this joyous over returning to it after a few weeks.
Though I had to admit it’d felt more like a home since Ennio had moved in, probably because he left his stuff everywhere, which had changed my once tidy and maybe somewhat sterile apartment into an actual home. The thought unsettled me.
I unpacked the little weekend bag I brought, putting my stuff in a drawer Ennio had emptied for me. I never packed much. How many clothes could a man possibly need for one weekend? Ennio, of course, had brought half his wardrobe, but then again, looking as fabulous as he did took effort, or so he kept assuring me. It was all good with me. And he did usually look spectacular, so there was that.
Once I was done unpacking, I headed back downstairs. Ennio was in the kitchen, and when he saw me, he threw his arms around me in an exuberant hug. I chuckled and pulled him close, breathing in his citrusy scent. Ennio fit perfectly against my body, his slender form molding to mine.
A frisson of electricity sparked between us at the contact. Ennio turned to me, his blue eyes alight with joy and something deeper, more intense. “I’m so happy you’re here with me, Marnin,” he said softly, reaching out to caress my cheek.
His sincere, heartfelt words hit me like a punch to the gut. I struggled to comprehend the depth of emotion swelling within me. When had Ennio become so essential to my life, to my happiness? The realization was both exhilarating and terrifying.
Unable to verbalize the tempest of feelings inside me, I did the only thing I could—I kissed him. I captured his lips with mine, pouring all the pent-up desire, the confusing tenderness, into the kiss. Ennio responded with equal fervor, his hands fisting in my hair, his lithe body pressing against mine.
As usual, the heat between us ignited like sparks to dry tinder. He tasted like coffee, of the caramel syrup he loved so much, and I wanted to drink him in. I lifted him onto the kitchen counter, and he clung to me like a koala, rubbing himself against me.
Fuck, I wanted him. I always wanted him. Not once had my body betrayed me when I was with Ennio. I didn’t want to spend too much time analyzing why that was. Live in the moment, right? It had always been my motto.
Our shirts came off, and I reveled in his naked skin against mine.
“Not here,” Ennio moaned against my lips. “Not in the kitchen.”
Okay, fair enough. I lifted him off the counter, and we stumbled to the couch, mouths fused together, hands roaming restlessly. I somehow managed to fall backward with Ennio on top of me, and he straddled my lap, never breaking the kiss. I groaned into his mouth as he rolled his hips, our hardening erections grinding together through our clothes.
“Ennio,” I gasped, my head falling back as he trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses down my throat. “You drive me fucking crazy, you know that?”
He laughed breathlessly, nipping at my collarbone. “Good. That’s exactly what I want.”
With a low growl, I flipped us over, pinning Ennio beneath me on the couch. I rocked my hips forward, relishing his choked moan. “What you do to me,” I rasped, catching his lower lip between my teeth. “I can’t get enough of you.”
Ennio arched into me, his nails raking down my back. “Then take me. I’m all yours.”
A primitive, possessive need surged through me at his words. Mine. He was mine, just as I was his. The thought simultaneously thrilled and frightened me. But with Ennio warm and willing beneath me, I couldn’t resist him, couldn’t resist this. The heat between us was intoxicating, all-consuming, and I was more than happy to drown in it.
I kissed him again, fiercely, desperately, as I fumbled with his ridiculously tight pants. Jesus, I literally had to peel them off him, but oh, was it worth it. The skimpy, lacy red panties he wore underneath had me drooling. I took a moment to admire how they framed that pretty cock of his. “Turn around for me,” I said hoarsely.
Ennio shot me a seductive glance—as if I needed to be seduced at this point, really—and slowly turned on his stomach. The panties were a thong, I now saw, only a thin trail of lace between his luscious ass cheeks, making it look utterly delectable, like a perfect peach I wanted to bite into. “God, you’re beautiful.”
I unbuckled my pants and sent them to the floor, taking the packet of lube out of my wallet first. My socks and underwear followed. Hell if I was gonna wait until we were in the bedroom. No one could see us, and even if they could, I so didn’t care.
I slathered my cock with lube and squeezed the rest out on my fingers. I’d fucked Ennio every single day this week, so he needed little prep. Besides, he liked it when I went rough on him.
I pulled the string of his thong to the side and pressed two fingers against him. He pushed his ass back, letting me in with a little whimper. My fingers sank all the way inside him, and after pumping a few times, he was ready for me. He seemed to agree because he put a pillow underneath his hips and spread his legs.
I lay on top of him and lined up. Pushing myself up with one hand, I pressed inside him, forcing myself past that initial resistance of his body.
“Ohfuck-ohfuck-ohfuck,” Ennio moaned. “Don’t stop. Don’t fucking stop.”
I had no intention to, and I kept going until I was buried to the hilt inside him, our bare bodies pressed together, fitting perfectly like two puzzle pieces. I drew back just enough to drink in the sight of Ennio spread out beneath me, his pale skin flushed, his ass pushed back wantonly.
Another day, I’d savor the sight of him in those lace panties, but right now, I needed him.
Placing my elbows on either side of his head, I stretched out and rolled my hips, driving deep inside him. I fucking loved this position. Don’t get me wrong, watching his face as I pleasured him was amazing and the most arousing sight ever, but I could go so hard and deep like this.
After a few moves to ensure I had the angle right, I sped up. My hips snapped as I surged into him, and he met me stroke for stroke. We quickly found our rhythm, moving together in perfect sync like we were made for this, made for each other.
I nibbled on his earlobe. “Let me hear you, baby. Make those beautiful moany sounds for me…”
It was as if I had opened a dam. He whimpered, moaned, and grunted, and whispered, mewled, and gasped, and I drank in every little sound. My cock was like steel inside him, and he was so slick, so perfectly hot and tight around me. I fucked him until a haze came down over me, forcing me to go even faster.
My breaths panted against his slick skin, my moans mingled with his, and my balls tightened expectantly. Ennio kept pushing his ass back, urging me closer, deeper. I could feel how much he wanted this, wanted me. It was exhilarating and humbling all at once.
“God, yes, just like that,” Ennio moaned. “So fucking close. Don’t stop, don’t ever stop.”
I didn’t want to stop. I never wanted to stop. I wanted to stay buried inside him forever, wanted to capture this perfect moment and live in it for an eternity. Because nothing had ever felt as good, as right, as being with Ennio.
Too soon, I could feel myself nearing the edge. I slid a hand under him, grasping Ennio’s straining erection through the lace and stroking him in time with my thrusts. He let out a choked sob, his head tipping back, his body tensing.
“That’s it, baby,” I rasped, my voice rough with desire. “Come for me. I want to feel you.”
A few more firm strokes and Ennio was coming undone beneath me, my name falling from his lips like a prayer as he spilled over my fist. The sight of his pleasure, the feeling of his body clenching around me, was my undoing. With a harsh groan, I buried myself deep and let go, my release pulsing out of me in hot, powerful spurts.
We rode out the waves of our shared climax, clinging to each other like we were the only two people in the world. And in that moment, we were. Nothing existed outside of our sweat-dampened skin, our pounding hearts, our shuddering breaths.
As the aftershocks faded, I gentled my thrusts, pressing soft, reverent kisses to Ennio’s shoulders, his neck, and that sensitive spot behind his ears. He hummed contentedly, his body relaxed under mine.
With regret, I pulled out and pushed myself up. “Jesus, I should take a video of this,” I said hoarsely, trailing Ennio’s crack with my finger. A trail of cum was pulsing from his pink hole, wetting the lace. “This is the most arousing sight ever.”
Ennio looked over his shoulder. “Literally or figuratively?”
I looked down at my cock, still shiny with lube and my own cum, and to my surprise, it hardened again. “Apparently, literally.”
Ennio shot me a grin. “Bed?”
Fuck yeah.
He turned around, and before he’d even fully turned on his back, our mouths met in another scorching kiss, tongues tangling, teeth nipping. I swallowed every delicious sound he made, reveling in the way he arched and writhed beneath me as I rubbed my hardening cock against him. It was messy and crazy and deliciously dirty all at once.
Ennio dragged his nails down my back, leaving stinging trails of pleasure-pain in their wake. It only spurred me on, and I fucked his mouth with my tongue until he was restlessly moving against me.
“Bed,” he said again.
We stumbled off the couch in a tangle of limbs, still kissing feverishly, hands roaming greedily over heated skin. I lifted him, and he wrapped his legs around my waist as I walked to the hallway. My cock bumped against his slick hole, and that was it. Who the fuck needed a bed when there was a perfectly good wall right here?
I pressed Ennio up against it and, with a hard yank, ripped the panties off him. He hitched one of his legs up over my hip, and I sank into him again. He was still so slick and open from our first round that his body welcomed me readily.
The new position allowed me to go even deeper, and we both groaned at the feeling. I set a hard, fast pace, spurred on by Ennio’s gasps and moans, by the way he clutched me desperately. The hallway filled with the sounds of our passion—the slap of skin against skin, our harsh panting breaths, the low creak of the wall as I drove into Ennio again and again.
“Fuck, Ennio,” I growled, my face buried in the crook of his neck, my teeth worrying at the tender skin there. “You feel so fucking good.”
“Yes,” he whimpered, his head thumping back against the wall, his nails digging crescents into my shoulders. “Harder, Marnin. Want to feel you for days.”
A punched-out groan left my lips at his words. I redoubled my efforts, pounding into him with abandon, chasing that blissful oblivion that only he could give me. Ennio met me thrust for thrust, his hips rolling to take me impossibly deeper.
I had to work for this one, but somehow, I didn’t grow tired as I relentlessly chased another orgasm for us both. We were racing toward the edge again, the tension coiling tighter and tighter in my gut, in my balls. I could feel Ennio tensing as well, his muscles fluttering around my pistoning cock.
“Come on, baby,” I panted, reaching between us to stroke his weeping erection in time with my thrusts. “Come for me again. Want to feel you fall apart on my cock.”
Ennio let out a choked sob, his body going rigid as his orgasm crashed over him. I felt his release pulse over my fist, felt his channel spasm around me, milking my own climax from me. With a hoarse shout of Ennio’s name, I emptied myself deep inside him again, my vision whiting out from the sheer force of my pleasure.
We collapsed against the wall, our chests heaving, our hearts pounding in tandem. I peppered Ennio’s face with soft, sweet kisses as we caught our breath, both of us trembling. My cock slipped out of him, truly sated after two rounds.
I carried him up the stairs, and we made it to the bedroom, where I collapsed on the bed, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. The intensity of our encounters had left me feeling dizzy, almost drunk on pleasure. Ennio curled up next to me, his slim body fitting perfectly against mine.
“That was…” I trailed off, searching for words.
“Incredible? Mind-blowing? The best sex of your life?” Ennio supplied, his voice playful. “Also, you owe me a pair of lace panties. They’re not cheap, you know.”
I chuckled, running my fingers through his tousled blond hair. “All of the above…and I’ll happily buy new ones for you. I consider that money well spent. An investment, even.”
As my heartbeat slowly returned to normal, I replayed the night’s events in my mind. The way Ennio moved, the sounds he made, the look in his eyes when he came—it was all seared into my memory. He might have meant it as a joke, but the sex with him was different, though I couldn’t pinpoint why.
We had sexual chemistry, yes, but our connection moved beyond that. We were in sync, somehow, and that was a first for me. A softness spread through my chest that had nothing to do with physical exertion. It was a feeling I wasn’t used to, a sense of contentment, of rightness.
Eventually, Ennio’s breathing evened out as he drifted off to sleep. I was unable to look away from his peaceful face, illuminated by the soft light spilling from the lamp on the nightstand. He’d quickly become a central part of my life. The thought of not having him around made my chest tighten uncomfortably. Maybe I should create some distance between us?
A thought struck me like a slap to my face. This weekend would’ve been the perfect opportunity to spend some time apart from Ennio. I usually stayed with Tiago and Cas when I was in town, but this time, I hadn’t even considered that. Why not? Why had it been so automatic to go home with Ennio? To sleep in his bed, like we were a…
Like we were a couple.