Chapter Twenty #2
Tim slicked his fingers and shoved one into Lachlan’s arse without warning. “It’ll still be rough with lube,” he promised.
Crying out, Lachlan trembled. “Yes.”
Another finger.
Then Tim pulled out and pushed his cock inside. The ring of muscle was strong, but Lachlan bore down, head back.
He was so tight and hot and perfect. This way, Lachlan could control the pressure and speed, and Christ, Tim got to watch him.
Grunting, Lachlan took all of him, squeezing so tightly that Tim saw stars.
“Is this what you need?” Tim asked after a long groan.
“Yes,” Lachlan whined.
Leaning on Tim’s chest, Lachlan rode him while Tim stroked his thighs, rough hair tickling his palms. This time, Tim didn’t care if Ryan showed up with the entire lifeguard service. They weren’t bloody stopping.
“You feel so good, sweetheart,” he murmured.
Lachlan sucked in a breath, squeezing his arse around Tim. “Say that again.”
Pulling him down for a wet, messy kiss, he murmured, “Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart.”
Bending his legs and digging in his heels, Tim pushed upward, their flesh slapping. “Is this hard enough?”
Mouth open, Lachlan moaned, which Tim took as a yes.
Christ, he was beautiful. His brown skin was flushed pink, damp with sweat as they strained together, his nipples hard.
The cords on his neck stood out, his muscles tense.
Tim should’ve turned on the light to clearly see the freckles that dotted Lachlan’s cheeks.
He was inside Lachlan, but it somehow wasn’t enough. He still ached for him. Giving him up wasn’t an option. He’d get a job at Macca’s if he had to.
“Sweetheart,” Tim whispered, and Lachlan’s face lit up before his mouth dropped open, his hips moving even faster. Tim stroked Lachlan’s straining cock, ready to see him come. Feel it paint his skin and—
“Liam, wait!”
Tim and Lachlan gasped in unison and froze, their eyes locked in the gloom. Bloody hell, he’d been joking about the lifeguard service showing up.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he mumbled.
It was a male voice that had called out, and now more voices joined in the yard. They were arguing, and Tim knew he and Lachlan should stop, but Lachlan was squeezing his inner muscles again, and then he started jerking himself, clearly desperate to come no matter what was going on outside.
Tim reached up and cupped the back of Lachlan’s head with one hand, putting the other over his mouth. Grunting against Tim’s palm, Lachlan’s hand flew on his dick as Tim fucked him fiercely.
His cry was muffled as he came, splashing Tim’s chest and belly, his breath hot on Tim’s hand. Tim wasn’t far behind, coming inside Lachlan’s quivering arse, the pleasure searing his veins.
He drew Lachlan’s head down and whispered in his ear, “Lick it up.”
Whimpering, Lachlan unseated himself and shifted down between Tim’s legs. The rough swipes of his tongue on Tim’s skin and nipples as he licked up his own jizz had Tim’s balls tightening again with bolts of satisfaction.
When Tim pulled him up for a kiss, Lachlan moaned into his mouth, tasting sweet and salty and a bit like the chlorine at a pool. They breathed heavily as they nuzzled each other, returning back to earth.
“How could you just spring that on us?” Cody demanded outside.
Tim and Lachlan shared a glance. It wasn’t their business. But…
Without a word, they tiptoed to the high window closest to the door. Naked, shoulders brushing, they peeked out through the gauzy curtains.
Under the amber lights, a man was saying, “I’m sorry. Mum wanted to see you. She promised she’d be on her best behavior and wouldn’t bring Dad. I thought maybe it would be okay. That we could finally start fixing this.”
“Fixing what?” Liam demanded. “Me?”
“He’s not broken, Greg!” Cody balled his hands into fists, practically vibrating.
“I know!” Greg shook his head. This was clearly Liam’s brother. “Not you, mate. Fixing our family. Your relationship with Mum and Dad. I thought…”
“Clearly thought wrong,” Liam bit out.
“We shouldn’t be listening,” Tim whispered.
With a nod, Lachlan drew him away—and then outside, Greg demanded, “Cora, what the hell? Where are the kids?”
Tim and Lachlan shared a guilty look and returned to the window.
A short, curvy woman—presumably Cora—said, “Teddy and Jill took them home. Kids are thrilled. Barbie’s canceled, obviously. I couldn’t stop her from following!”
“Mum?” Liam blinked at an older woman who’d also appeared. She was in her sixties with big bleached-blond curls and sun-worn skin wearing hot pink capri pants and a floral blouse.
“Yes, I’m your bloody mother, Liam Harold Fox! And you can’t keep running away from me. I’ve had enough of this.” She inhaled sharply. “I want my son back.”
“I’m right here.” Liam hit his chest with a dull thud. “I’ve been here the past year. Haven’t heard a word from you.” Cody stood beside him, watching Mrs. Fox warily.
“No. I want the real you.” Her breath hitched, and she gestured at Cody. “Can’t you see how he’s twisted your mind?”
Greg, Cora, and Cody groaned in unison. Greg said, “Mum, for fuck’s sake.”
“What kind of language is that?” she snapped. “All I wanted was to see my baby boy today. Without him.” She glared at Cody.
Wrapping an arm tightly around Cody’s shoulders, Liam spoke more calmly than Tim bloody would’ve. “Cody’s my partner. He’s part of my life. He is my life. I had nothing before I met him.”
“You were the AFL’s first draft pick in your year. The Eagles’ rookie—”
“Jesus, Mum. That was a lifetime ago! I don’t care about footy! I was a, a shell. Cody changed that. Changed everything. Helped me accept who I am. He doesn’t judge me. Everyone else wanted me to be something I wasn’t. He loves me the way I am.”
Fighting tears, Mrs. Fox shook her head. “But it’s revolting!”
Beside him, Lachlan gasped softly, and Tim slipped an arm around him, pressing a kiss to his temple.
Mrs. Fox added, “It’s a sin!”
“Oh, since when do you care about the church, Leanne?” Cora demanded, tucking her loose, golden hair behind her ear.
“Stu sure as hell doesn’t. Neither of youse has stepped foot in a church in decades.
Honestly, what is the problem? Liam and Cody love each other!
They make each other happy! Who gives a rat’s arse if they’re both men? ”
“A man and a woman is the way it’s supposed to be,” Leanne insisted. “It’s the way of nature. To have children, to—”
“We’re getting married,” Liam said. “It’ll be official. Maybe we’ll have kids too. We can have everything a man and woman can.”
Leanne stared at him in clear horror, then turned to Greg and Cora. “How can you encourage this?”
Greg clenched his jaw. “We love our Liam the way he is. We love Cody too. I can’t wait to stand up as best man.” His voice wavered. “If Liam’ll still have me after tonight.” Shaking his head, he added, “I really thought after all this time that she was coming around. She was so keen to see you.”
“She’s right here, and she’s your mother!” Leanne sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes. “Don’t worry, she’s leaving.” She spun dramatically and walked—slowly—under the al fresco roof and through the garage.
No one followed.
Lachlan whispered, “Wow.”
“Poor Liam,” Tim murmured.
Outside, Greg was saying, “I’m sorry.”
Liam rubbed his face. “I know. It’s okay. I’m not—” He shook his head. “It’s good, actually. Sometimes, I wonder if I should give them another chance. That it’s my fault for not trying.”
“It’s not your fault,” Cody said firmly, sliding his arm around Liam’s waist.
“Let’s have a drink,” Liam said. “Will you stay?” he asked Greg and Cora. “I just want to forget that happened. Or, not forget. I dunno what I’m saying.”
Tim turned from the window to give them belated privacy—and knocked his metal water bottle off the kitchen bench. It clattered against the fridge before hitting the floor with more noise than he’d have thought possible.
After a beat of frozen silence, Cody called out, “Sorry for the disturbance, Bull!”
“No worries, mate!” Tim called back, cringing.
“You’re welcome to join us for a beer!” Cody added. “We could use a distraction.”
Tim exhaled. “Should we just rip off the Band-Aid?”
Lachlan’s eyes widened. “Now? We’re naked!”
“Well, I was thinking of getting dressed before going out there.”
“You want to just…tell them?”
Tim didn’t hesitate. “I do.”
“You’re not…” Lachlan laughed awkwardly. “Like, embarrassed?”
“Of you?” Tim took Lachlan’s face in his hands. “Never.” He kissed him fiercely. “Last night, when I thought for a second that I might lose you—”
“What? Lose me?”
“You were missing. Anything could’ve happened.”
“Missing? That’s heaps dramatic. I just needed to be alone for a minute. Get away from the tower. The beach. I wasn’t even thinking when I ran, and the cave seemed like a good place to escape.”
Tim stroked Lachlan’s cheekbones with his thumbs. “Even for a second, the idea of never seeing you again was unbearable.”
Lachlan made a soft little noise and kissed him, clutching his waist. “I’m here.”
“I don’t care who knows.”
“Even at work?”
“Well, maybe we wait until my last shift to tell everyone.”
Lachlan chuckled. “I think that’s a good plan.” He peered at Tim seriously. “Okay. Let’s tell Liam and Cody. We can trust them.”
Tim shouted that he’d be right out, and they cleaned up and pulled on T-shirts and trackies. He kissed Lachlan softly and straightened his mussed hair. “Ready?”
Threading their fingers together, Lachlan said, “Ready.”
Liam, Cody, Greg, and Cora sat at the round table, sipping drinks in silence. Cody glanced up and smiled—then did a double take. “Hey, Lachie. How you going, mate? Were you…” He frowned toward the pod.
“I’m okay. Yesterday was…terrible. But I’ll be right. Congrats on getting engaged, by the way.”
“Uh, thanks, mate. You’re holding hands with Bull,” Liam said, pointing as if they were unaware.
Lachlan motioned to Tim with his free hand. “Remember that older guy I mentioned?”
Liam gaped. “Wow.” He seemed to shake off the shock as he and Cody shared an incredulous smile.
“I’m sat,” Cora said. “Tell us everything.”
Greg shot her a puzzled glance. “We can see you’re not standing, Cors.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s what the kids say. I think. Cody, did I use that right?”
“Don’t ask me. I barely go on the internet these days.” Grinning, he pulled over another two chairs. “You know, the thought did cross my mind—about you two. Told myself I was imagining things.”
“You’re the gay guru of Barkers,” Lachlan said to Cody with a smile as he took a stubby from Liam. “Only fitting we tell you first.”
“Good on ya,” Liam said. “No one else knows?”
Tim grimaced. “Just Ryan.”
Cody and Liam winced, and Cora asked, “Who’s Ryan?”
“My best friend,” Lachlan answered. “His son.”
“You’d better ring Teddy and Jill,” Cora said to Greg. “We’re going to be here a while.”
“Anyone hungry?” Cody asked. “I’ll order pizza.”
In unison, Tim and Lachlan said, “Starving,” and Lachlan’s blush was just about the prettiest thing Tim had ever seen.