Epilogue
JAX
Jax loved his life.
“Happy birthday,” greeted him as soon as he opened his eyes, and Jax couldn’t help but smile. Waking up next to a gorgeous man who loved and adored him was a peak experience; he would never tire of it.
“Thanks.” He accepted the soft, sweet kiss, quickly running fingers through Tristan’s beard. “I like seeing your face first thing in the morning.”
“I’m supposed to say that,” Tristan grinned, sitting back so Jax could see the nightstand, where a bouquet of fresh lavender roses sat in a vase, and Jax’s heart did a little flip in his chest.
“Tristan!” Slowly getting out of bed, Jax shuffled over to the flowers, inhaling their subtle scent. “These are crazy beautiful. Um, do you know anything about the language of flowers?”
“I do.” Also standing, Tristan ran the back of his knuckles down Jax’s cheek. “Lavender means enchantment or wonder. But it can also mean love at first sight.”
“That’s the one I like to go with.” Standing on his toes, Jax wrapped his arms around Tristan’s shoulders, giving him a proper thank-you kiss, and once they pulled apart, Jax’s phone buzzed.
Unplugging it from the charging cable, he blinked at the number of messages on the lock screen.
“Whoa.” Most of them said happy birthday , and Rain had sent a gay porn pic where the participants wore badly photoshopped party hats; however, the final text was from Stefan.
“Nice!” Jax punched the air in happiness. “We finally found a location for the cooking class.”
“Yes! That’s amazing!” Tristan cheered before making the bed.
“It’s really happening now!” Jax sent back a quick celebration emoji.
He hadn’t been sure if he was going to fit in with Stefan’s group, but after the first meeting, he’d felt invigorated.
Not only was he expanding his social circle with people who understood him on a fundamental level, but he’d also decided to teach a cooking class on different ways to work around allergens, and he’d been putting it together with several of his new friends to make sure that everyone would be accommodated.
If this went well, then Jax might do a series.
“How about you reply to all and shower while I get breakfast together?” Tristan asked, as if he didn’t have more up his sleeve, but Jax wasn’t about to let him go.
“Have you showered yet?” Glancing down, he focused on the bulge in Tristan’s gray sweatpants, and it shifted.
“N-No,” Tristan stammered, his pupils dilating as he immediately fell under Jax’s spell, and Jax couldn’t help but smirk, wanting to unspool Tristan again.
Pushing his sleep pants down, Jax stepped out of them.
“You should join me. I need someone to check if I’m clean and you’re just the man for the job,” he stated, walking into the bathroom and turning on the water.
Tristan lurked in the doorway with a much more prominent bulge, watching as Jax set a reasonable temperature and got in.
Actually showering, Jax shampooed his hair, making sure his ass was always visible, and by the time he was done with the conditioner, Tristan was naked, studying Jax through the frosted door.
So, Jax should put on a show.
Soaping up his cock, Jax made sure that he was very thorough, occasionally tossing his head back with a moan, and it took three of those for Tristan to reach a breaking point.
Stepping inside, Tristan slid the door shut behind him .
“It’s about time,” Jax pouted, his eyes roaming Tristan’s body, noting the lube in his hand. “I thought you were going to leave me all alone on my birthday.”
“I would never do that.” Tristan’s low tone wound around Jax, and he shivered, getting closer to Tristan and reaching up for a kiss.
That one kiss quickly became many, and Jax wanted to rock his hips, push himself against Tristan’s thigh, and come. But he needed to save his back, because he had a long day ahead of him.
Living happily and learning how to properly process his emotions had relaxed Jax’s nervous system, resulting in less pain overall. However, just because he could walk a bit better didn’t mean that he was cured, and he still had issues sitting.
But Tristan had been looking into different programs and doctors every day, wanting to make Jax’s life better in any way he could, and Jax couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. Not because of the things that Tristan did, but because of how much he cared.
He tried to put that into his kisses, wanting Tristan to know that the love was reciprocated. Tristan seemed to get the message because he hummed, cupping Jax’s face before pulling away with swollen lips.
“Turn around.”
Jax would obey anything Tristan said in that raspy voice.
Putting his hands on the tiled wall, Jax spread his legs as comfortably as he could while Tristan prepped him.
Those gentle fingers teased, pressing in just the right way, filling him almost enough, but not quite, and by the time Tristan was done, Jax couldn’t speak if someone paid him to.
“Can I lift you?”
Jax nodded, too foggy to realize what Tristan meant until he was in the air. Tristan held him like a bride, and then slowly tilted him up, pressing his cock between Jax’s cheeks.
“Oh,” escaped Jax when he realized what was happening, and Tristan looked down at him with a gaze full of promise.
“Are you okay with this?” At Jax’s nod, Tristan prodded a little more, and the head caught Jax’s entrance, making him gasp.
“C-Can you hold me this long?” Jax ground out, wrapping his arms around Tristan’ s neck.
“I don’t think this’ll take long,” Tristan huffed, sliding in a few inches, and Jax suddenly agreed. Arms solid, Tristan kept Jax’s body still as he sank all the way in, the sideways angle stretching Jax differently, hitting that place dead-on, and he couldn’t contain his voice.
Letting out a hitched cry that bounced off the walls, Jax could feel his dick leaking, and it only continued to drip as Tristan started thrusting.
Jax felt like he hung in suspended animation because Tristan barely moved him at all; instead, he did all the work, pumping his hips and enjoying it, because his cock began to grow, pushing against Jax’s walls.
Jax could tell from the pattern of breaths that Tristan was riding the edge. Good, because with the way that cock was filling him, Jax was about to come hands-free.
With a harsh breath and a groan, Tristan squeezed his eyes shut, and Jax could feel him coming, the pulse of that cock stretching him perfectly.
Pressing his forehead into Tristan’s shoulder, Jax gave himself up to sensation, and as his orgasm washed through him, it took some of his pain and tension with it.
This was definitely a great start to his birthday, even if it had left him so dazed that he could barely do his hair.
“That was a genius position,” Jax finally said once he could form full sentences.
“Consider it one of my gifts to you,” Tristan laughed, handing him his shirt as he finished getting dressed. “But I have a few more in the kitchen.”
“I’m always down for gifts!” Jax rubbed his hands together, following Tristan on somewhat noodly legs and grinning when he caught sight of them.
Sitting on the counter were several presents, including a large pastry box from Vice and Virtue, and a wrapped tube that had to be over five feet long.
“What is this?” Jax picked up the latter. It was lighter than he expected, and something rattled back and forth inside.
“You have to open it and see.” Phone out, Tristan waited with excitement as Jax tore away the paper, and a long aluminum pole with a handle on one end and a pincher on the other slid out of the cardboard tube.
“Sick! A grabber tool!” Jax grasped the handle, dropping a piece of wrapping paper on the floor and picking it up with the gadget. “I used to have one of these, until I broke it. But I’ll treat this one like gold, I promise!”
Tristan laughed, taking photo after photo. “I had it specially made for your height. And it has a hook to open drawers and a magnet at the tip.”
“Whoa, this is much better than what I had.” Glad that being on his toes wasn’t bothersome to his back, Jax gave Tristan a sweet kiss. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Open the next gift.” Tristan’s voice was still raspy, and if Jax wasn’t careful, then they’d end up in bed again, and he couldn’t miss his appointment.
“You’re spoiling me.” Jax smiled like a little kid.
“That’s my job.”
If Jax could, he’d bounce in happiness, but he did bend his knees a couple of times to show his excitement before opening the Vice and Virtue box, which held an assortment of Jax’s favorite pastries and a card that he picked up and opened.
“This is good for one laminated dough lesson in exchange for a ravioli tutorial? Wait, what? ” Jax almost dropped it, putting his hand over his mouth. “How did you talk the owner into this?
“I just asked,” Tristan stroked his beard. “I mentioned that my boyfriend is a chef who makes the best ravioli in the world, and that you love her pastry dough. She was intrigued.”
“I don’t even have the words…I love this!” Jax let out a long breath of relief. “I’ll finally be able to nail my sfogliatelle!”
“I still don’t know what that is, but it sounds delicious.” Tristan shoved another gift into Jax’s hands, and by the time he was done opening everything, he had a rare assortment of teas that he couldn’t wait to try and a jacket that he’d been looking at online.
“How did you even know I wanted this?” Trying it on, Jax modeled it, loving how the fabric was artistically shredded as it reached his waist.
“I pay attention.” Eyes shining, Tristan nodded in approval at the fit. “I saw it on your screen.”
“Ah, sneaky.” Jax gave him another thank-you kiss, this one a little longer. “By the way? This is already the best birthday I’ve ever had, and that includes when I did that three-day festival with Mae in the middle of the desert.”
Tristan wore a bemused and slightly worried smile. “I’m honored. How about breakfast?”