Chapter 21
Ryder floated in their Jacuzzi tub, a glass of wine in hand, just about as happy as a pig in shit.
They’d Thanksgiving’d until they were both fixin’ to explode. Then they’d gone to a football party and laughed their asses off.
Now it was Friday night, and he was feeling lazy and a touch tipsy.
“Thank you for thinking about us, gentlemen; we are having a lovely time. Yes, we’ll be in town for Christmas.
Same to you. Mhm. Bye bye.” Charles had been wandering the room in a robe that was tied so loosely it was basically useless and a glass of wine in one hand.
He set the phone down on the nightstand.
“River and Kayce and Vincent all say hello. They wanted to say we were missed at the club’s Thanksgiving dinner and invited us to Christmas. I didn’t make any promises.”
The robe dropped to the floor, and Charles stepped into the tub with him. “Oh. Nice.”
“Right? Hot bubbles. Roper’s going to come for Christmas. You know he is.” Ryder wasn’t going to bother to even doubt.
No way was Roper braving Momma without him.
“I’m sure he’ll be welcome to join us at the club, if that’s what we decide we want to do. And you know he’s welcome with us in any case.” Charles refilled their glasses, then eased into the water with a sigh.
“Mmhmm.” He floated right over, settling in Charles’s lap.
“Much easier to drink in the tub than the pool.” Charles curled an arm around him so he didn’t float away.
“Uh-huh. Hey, beautiful.” He lifted his face for a kiss. “Having the best time.”
He’d never had such a low-stress turkey day.
He got his kiss. Charles tasted like white wine and fresh fruit. “You make me want to drop everything and just travel with you forever. Make love in every tourist destination and back road B and B everywhere.”
“Mmm…that is an amazing goal. We’d miss home, eventually. You would miss my pot pie.” He winked to show he was teasing and stole another kiss.
Charles chuckled against his lips. “And your cookies. My God, would I miss those oatmeal whatevertheyare’s.”
“Mmm…oatmeal scotchies for the win, right?” He needed to make a batch when they got home, along with some shortbread.
“Scotchies! Yes, those would be very much missed. And I am somewhat attached to the lake house.” Charles winked. Ryder had made no secret that it was his favorite place too.
Charles set his glass aside. “We have to go home tomorrow, but we don’t have to be in the city for a week or so, correct? So we can try to hold on to some of this marvelous vacation energy for a little longer.”
“Vacation energy… I like that. Low key. Less phone. More one on one.” Ryder was in. He had stopped thinking about his phone, about stress. It was amazing.
His head had stopped hurting.
“More one on one.” Charles kissed him again, fingers sliding up his thigh.
His cock jerked, loving that touch. “Mmhmm…more exploring?”
“I believe so, yes.” Charles cupped his balls, giving them a gentle tug.
His lips parted and his hips rocked, back and forth, a moan escaping him.
“I was thinking we could have dinner in the room tonight, unless your heart is set on the dining room again.” Charles teased him with gentle fingers.
“Rooms are good…” He needed to focus…but how could he between wine and Mister Charlie?
“I thought so. I’m going to have dessert first though.” Mister Charlie kissed him, and those gentle fingers wrapped around his prick, gliding slowly from root to tip.
“Dessert?” He arched, showing off a little, licking his lips.
“Mhm. You.” Mister Charlie was watching, enjoying his show. “I’ve never made love in a hot tub before. Have you?”
He shook his head. “Not yet, love.”
But he was ready to try, hell yes.
“Well, it’s not the best idea from what I understand, but I have another idea, shall we try it?”
“I want to. Know. Try. The whole thing.”
Charles chuckled, fingers curling tighter around him and stroking in earnest. “You sound distracted.”
“Uh-huh.” He was distracted. He was dizzy with wine and love.
“Every time I touch you I wonder why I waste my time doing anything else.”
Oh, that made him soar, made him dive into another, harder, kiss.
Charles hummed and returned his kiss with such heat it was a wonder they didn’t both turn to ashes.
He held Charles close, tilting his head and feeding off all that need.
Charles groaned and turned him so he was straddling those strong hips, then wrapped a big hand around both of their pricks, squeezing them together. “Need you.”
“I’m yours. However you need me. Whenever you need me.” It was a vow, from every ounce of him.
“Mine. My boy. My own.” Charles worked their cocks together in long strokes.
“Uhn. Uh-huh. Uh-huh… Promise to God…” He was right there.
“Promise you—” Charles made that gorgeous, deep-throated sound he always did when he was about to shoot, then arched under him as that hand sped up.
“Love!” His balls drew up and that was that. He shot so hard his bones rattled.
“Yes—love.” Charles held them together as their cocks jerked and rolled. They rode the aftershocks for a long time, before they collapsed together.
He leaned back and took Ryder’s face in his hands. “I love you, Ryder. I haven’t had an opportunity to say it the way I want to yet, but I do want to. I want you to hear it. I love you.”
Ryder held his gaze, kissed him, long and slow. “Love you, Mister Charlie.”