11. Chapter 11
Chapter eleven
We stopped at the Blue Star in town and picked up fried chicken with some fixings and headed over to Alfred’s new place, which was way, way on the other side of town.
It was cute, a small cottage with all the storybook arches and gingerbread trim.
Hell, it even had a section of latticework on the side of the oversized porch that had overgrown and half-dead roses crawling up it. “This will clean up nice.”
“I’m hoping. It’ll be great, right?”
“I can see you having coffee here in the morning or a glass of wine at night. Maybe fresh roses.” I gestured toward the trellis.
“It’s falling apart. Might have to replace the entire thing.”
“I’ll help.” I wanted to reassure him that I’d be there for him no matter what. I didn’t think he understood that. “It’s what we do here, Al.”
He bit his bottom lip and focused on unlocking the door. Inside was wall-to-wall boxes, and I wondered if he’d actually gotten anything unpacked yet. “This is it.”
“Where should we start?”
He shrugged. “Let’s put the food in the kitchen. Maybe start there?”
We maneuvered around boxes and into the closed-off kitchen.
It had been upgraded at some point but still seemed small, even with the arched opening and shiplap walls.
There was an eat-in area with a table set beside a window.
I scooted behind it and opened the shutters.
“That’s better.” Light filled the space but didn’t make it feel much bigger.
Alfred put the food on the counter. “We need to open up some of these to find dishes.” He pointed at the line of boxes that ran the length of the kitchen and stacked against the far wall.
“Let’s do it then.” It looked as if he hadn’t unpacked anything since he’d been here, and it kind of felt sad. And for me, scary. It meant he still wasn’t invested in staying, but I was ready to get busy and change that.
We managed to get through the kitchen, dining room, and even made a small dent in the living room before breaking for lunch.
The chicken was a good call, since it kept well.
Afterward, Alfred found some towels and we washed up.
“Thanks for all your help. I think it would have taken me a damned month to do this much by myself.”
“Pfshh…I’m sure it wouldn’t, but it does help to have someone to work with.
” I slung my arm over his shoulder, not expecting anything.
I was only being friendly, but Alfred leaned into my side.
I turned to look at him, and he kissed me, lips soft against mine.
I wanted more, but I had to let him lead.
This was his rodeo. However fast or far he wanted to go, I would be satisfied with it.
He slid his tongue over my lips, and I opened, letting him in, letting him rub his tongue against mine.
He pulled away and took his time looking at me.
I let him, silently hoping he liked what he saw.
I was really a simple guy. My hair was red, and that came with all the freckles everywhere, and my build was average at best. I’d always been the sparky little friend of Brock’s.
He was the big beefy guy. But I managed to make up for any shortcomings with my vibrant personality.
I never felt small. But did Alfred like that?
“Let’s go sit outside. The back porch is nice.”
I followed him out. He had already set up a patio table and chairs overlooking the huge yard. “There’s more than enough space here for a pool if you want one.”
“I think so. Come on.” We walked across the yard.
In the very back was a small copse of trees that blocked the view of a small clearing from every direction, and in the center was an oversized lawn chair that looked more like a reclining love seat.
It was definitely built for two. He sat in the chair and leaned back. “Join me.”
I didn’t need to be asked twice. I climbed on beside him, and he immediately snuggled up against me. “Nice.”
“Yeah. I like having this little spot tucked away from everything. Makes me feel alone. Not lonely, but…I’m not getting the right word here.”
“I get it. Feels secluded.”’
“Yeah.” He sounded so vulnerable, and I suspected it took a lot for him to even show me this spot he’d already carved out. Hell, he hadn’t even opened the kitchen boxes. It said a lot about who he was and what was important to him.
“Thanks for sharing this with me.”
He leaned over, half on top of me, and pulled me into another kiss. It didn’t take long before we were writhing against each other, and I felt his hard cock pressed against my leg. “Jackie…”
“What do you want?”
“Fuck. Friction. Something. Clothes off.”
“I can help with that.” Then we were tugging at clothes, denim shimmying down thighs.
“Another nice thing about living out in the country. No one can see us. There’s no one for miles.
” His nearest neighbors were probably a quarter of a mile away, but out here among the trees, it felt like they didn’t exist at all.
“Shh…” He grabbed my cock, giving it a couple of good tugs, then he moved closer, pulling us together so our dicks touched.
Frotting against him felt like heaven. I ran my palm over both our heads, collecting the pre-come to slick up our slide. Alfred humped against me, rolling his hips and moaning softly.
I licked and sucked along his neck, but not enough to leave marks, only enough to get him to lose control. He shivered and made more sexy noises. “Fuck, Al…you feel so good.” I had one hand on our cocks and the other skimming up his back beneath his shirt.
“You…ugh…” He humped harder against me. “Faster…” I squeezed and he exploded as he moaned my name. “Jackie…”
Pushing him on his back, I used his come to jack off and come, squirting all over him. It felt like marking him and did strange things to my brain. “You look so fucking sexy like that.”
“Like what? Covered in your spunk?”
“Yeah…” I tried to stay serious, but we both cracked up laughing. “Something like that.”
“Smooth, Jackie.” He looked more relaxed than I’d seen him, and I wanted to give that to him often. “We should go clean up.”
I lay down beside him again. “In a minute…”
After some back and forth, Alfred agreed to go out to dinner with me.
I was picking him up at his place and then driving to Miller’s Point.
They had a fancy restaurant there, and I wanted to show off a bit.
I wore my best slacks and dress shirt and shined up my shoes.
I thought I looked pretty damn good as I drove over to his place.
But when I got out of my car and walked up to his porch and he stepped outside…“Hi.”
“Alfred…” He left me speechless.
He wore a black dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, and beneath that, a strand of pearls.
The contrast of the black and white made them stand out.
I scanned down his body, tight-fitting slacks that ended on high-heeled boots.
And I mean high heels. Not chunky, low man’s heels, these were thin.
Not stiletto but sexy as all get the fuck out!
“Is this okay?”
“Y-Yes…” I suddenly felt like Danny at the end of Grease when Sandy walks out in her skintight pants and his mouth hits the ground.
“I mean, you look fantastic.” His hair was fixed in a wavy style that framed his face and glided over his shoulders.
I liked it down as much as when he wore it in a bun, and even better, his smile was sweet. He did not even know what he did to me.
“Good. I’m hungry. Are we going?”
“Yes. Of course.” I took his arm and escorted him to the car, helping him into the passenger’s side and shutting the door. Hell, he deserved the gentleman’s treatment, and I was more than eager to give it to him.
On the way there, I asked him how work was going.
He made a disparaging noise deep in his throat. “It’s fine. I mean. Normal stuff, but that would bore you to death.”
“What would you like to talk about?”
“Well…what about you? How’s your blog going?”
“Oh, it’s going better actually. I’m working on one about my trip to Seattle and the differences between there and Foggy Basin.”
“That sounds…I don’t know. I know something about that.” He chuckled. “I’m learning all about it. Guess it’s fitting. I’ll be sure to read it.”
“Yeah, you did help inspire it. Not going to lie.”
“Oh.” He was silent for a minute before picking the thread back up. “What else are you writing about?”
“I have a few projects going on. Uh…one thing is about growing up with Brock and swimming in the river behind the house.”
“You have a river behind your house?”
“Yeah, I’ll show you next time you’re over.” I hoped that would be soon. “We swim there all the time.”
“I’d love that. I’ll wear those hiking boots, and we can go exploring.”
“Sounds like fun.” I already imagined getting naked in the woods, and maybe skinny dipping with him when the weather got a little warmer. It still wasn’t quite summer and a bit too cold for that.
“I bet you and Brock got up to all kinds of trouble as kids.”
“Ha! We did. But what makes you say that?”
“Imagining you as a feisty kid and probably pulling Brock into your shenanigans constantly.” He drummed his fingers on the arm of the door.
I laughed, trying to relax him. “You are not wrong. I give it to Brock, though. He hardly asked questions before jumping in right beside me in whatever we were doing.”
“He’s been a great friend to you.”
“The best.”
We talked more about my childhood with Alfred asking me a lot of insightful questions until we finally pulled up at the restaurant. I parked, jumped out, and circled the car, giving him my arm as he stood. I’d made reservations, so we were seated quickly.
The thing I liked about this place, though I hadn’t been here often, was the seating along the far wall that overlooked the mountains. The view was magnificent, and I was thrilled that we were placed there. Alfred oh’d taking it in.
The fancy steakhouse was a great venue for wedding receptions and shit like that, especially in the spring and summer.
The grounds around the main restaurant were panoramic, creating a sweet atmosphere with a charming lagoon and party lights.
The works. There was even a structure in the far back that looked like an old saloon and functioned as a secondary bar.
The main dining area was rustic with mountain charm from the chairs to the chandeliers to the huge, stacked stone fireplace, which looked like you could actually cook a meal in it.
Alfred’s gaze bounced around, taking it all in.
“This is not, I mean, certainly different than…”
“Relax, Al. I wanted to take you somewhere you may never have been. I’ve only been here a few times, but it’s great. I’m definitely getting a steak.”
“Sure, that’s what they do, right?”
“It is.”
We ordered beer and salads to start, then steak and potatoes, but skipped dessert. The food did not disappoint. And we were both feeling relaxed and full by the end of the night.
I took him home without expectations. Which was good, because I got a kiss at his door, and that was all. It felt like going backwards while building more tension between us.
I went home.
He certainly left me wanting a lot more, but I wasn’t going to push him.
He’d made a huge effort to go out with me and get to know me.
But as I lay in bed alone, the thought of those pearls around his neck and those mother-fucking heels tortured me.
Alfred was the sexiest thing to hit Foggy Basin in like… ever.
I wanted to see him beneath me wearing nothing but those pearls. Pounding into him, licking his neck, teasing his mouth. I stroked my cock, imagining it. I already knew what sounds he made, and I wanted to hear them again and again like a soundtrack to our lives.
How he had gotten so deeply ingrained under my skin, I didn’t know. But I had his name on my lips as I came, squirting out all over my fingers, wishing it had been him.