Sleeping Under the Stars
SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS
“Chris, don’t screw this up.”
Flick. Nope. Flick. Nope. Flick.
“I bring you fire!”
The tinder caught, and sparks turned to flames. Seconds later, the crackling spread to the log, and I had overcome the biggest hurdle of the night. The dwindling lines of light coming through the canopy speckled the stream of smoke. The burst of warmth pushed at the forest’s dampness. It was the final step to prepare for Bobby’s arrival.
I checked my watch. “6:58. He has two minutes.” Nothing about tonight required rushing. No plans required us to speed through our date. I went all out to embrace Bobby’s world. I was a terrible gift-giver. Before they cut through the first piece of tape, I’d blurt out the gift.
Nature had a rhythm, a softness in the way it spoke. Bobby’s truck disturbed it, seeming unnatural amongst the trees. I stood at the end of the driveway, waiting for him to turn down the small road. As he pulled in, the light reflected off his windshield, making it impossible to see him. This had been a crazy idea; I just hoped it was the right type of insane.
“What are you doing?” He climbed out of his truck. I told him to dress comfortably, but he had opted for a button-down and jeans. Him ‘churching it up’ was not lost on me.
“Do you want to hear how this happened?”
His eyes fixated on me as he chewed his bottom lip. When he reached for my hand, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Start from the top.”
I gestured to the giant square I had scratched into the ground. He walked to the clearing where he dreamed of building a cabin. I held up a hand. “Here, let me get that for you.” I reached for the imaginary door. It fought back, and I had to give it a vigorous shake before it opened. “That lock could use some oil.”
“I’ll get right on that.”
I guided him into the boundaries of the house. “Okay. I called Simon and asked if he could do something special for dinner. He suggested checking out the farmers’ market. So, I texted Laurel and asked her about your favorite foods. She didn’t reply, but thankfully, Dorothy at the grocery store knew you loved steaks.”
“Who didn’t you talk to?”
I held up a finger. “So then Laurel called and told me if I was going to make steaks, I had to do it on an open fire.”
“I knew there was a reason I liked her.”
“So, I went to the hardware store to see if they had grills. Then I talked to Junior, and he mentioned a camping grill. Once Logan showed up, he said we might as well go camping.”
I pointed to the tent in the back of the imaginary cabin.
“Have you ever gone camping before?”
“Does one time on a set count?” He shot me a concerned look. “I won’t confess how long it took me to set it up. Those directions might as well have been written in Japanese. Of course, once Logan and Junior got to asking me what type of camping I wanted to do, it got complicated.”
“There better be air mattresses. I’m not as young as I used to be.”
Score. Logan had said the same thing. Pulling down the zipper, I revealed the interior. Sleeping bags, a large air mattress, and a lantern suspended from the top.
“We can pretend we’re roughing it.”
“I don’t have words.”
Bobby covered his mouth, staring at the tent. When he turned to the fire, I thought I had overstepped and lured him into a date that went too far. We had skipped the part of dating where we encountered boundaries. He took a seat on a log I had dragged near the fire.
“What made you do this?”
I sat next to him on the log. What had started as a simple dinner and night by the fire had spiraled. “I can pack it up. I didn’t mean?—”
“No. No. I’m not mad. I’m curious.”
Why this?
“I realized at the dinner, that dating you will be impossible.”
“Not selling it, mister.”
“If I’m going to date Firefly’s beloved handyman, they’re all going to be involved. They want to see you happy. I want to see you happy. Why not enlist the troops to make an impression?”
Bobby slid over on the log. His hand rested on my thigh, giving it a squeeze. When he rested his head on my shoulder, I couldn’t image myself anywhere but here. The rest of the world could break through the woods and intrude on our moment. I kissed the crown of his head before wrapping an arm around him.
We sat like that for a while, watching the fire. After sitting behind Rose and Edward’s house, I realized that gathering by the fire slowed time. It had almost become therapy since arriving in Firefly.
“You asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.”
He never replied to my text. I assumed he thought it had been a joke. But apparently, it had weighed on his mind.
“I didn’t say anything ‘cause I’m not sure how you’re going to react.”
It had been an innocent question. When he pulled away, looking at me, I realized it had somehow struck a nerve. Short of him wanting to be a pool boy, what would have him this concerned?
“I am what I want to be when I grow up.”
My head tilted to the side. “I must be missing something.”
He shook his head. “You answer. What do you want to be when you grow up?”
What had once been a simple question had gotten complicated as of late. I wanted to keep acting, I think. Something about it needed to change, either the types of roles I took or… I looked up at Bobby, realizing the trap I had fallen into.
“You’re happy where you are.”
He nodded. “I am content being the town handyman. It pays the bills, and at the end of the day, I feel like I’ve made a difference. I don’t think I want that to change.”
My life, on the other hand, is complicated. One minute, I could appear on a red carpet, and the next, I’m filming in New Zealand. I loved my life, but…
“I’m just a simple guy with?—
“Mr. Wright.” He raised an eyebrow. I reached up, hand running through his beard. I pulled his face to mine. “You are anything but simple.” I tried kissing him, but I pushed too hard and he toppled backward.
He dragged me with him.
Lying on our backs, legs hooked over the log, I couldn’t stop laughing. The damp soil forced a shiver down my spine. We were anything but graceful. Our relationship had been haphazard from the beginning. It only felt fitting to be on our backs in the dirt while I tried to reassure him.
When the laughter ended, I took his hand, holding it against my chest. “I need simple.” Being with Bobby reminded me life consisted of more than my next job.
“You’ll get bored.”
“Or will I learn to appreciate the little things?”
“I don’t want you to stop acting. I’d feel like a grade-A asshole if you stopped doing what you love.”
“Would you be interested in traveling?”
“And live in Firefly?”
Whatever happened tonight, I felt my life was about to change. Firefly welcomed me, and I could see having a house here. But living here between gigs? I could foresee racking up a lot of miles in the future.
It was time to put it out there and speak my truth. “I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. My career is in a weird place. I don’t really need to act anymore. I could live the rest of my life comfortably.”
“But you love it.”
“I do. But I think I want to stop being an action hero and make movies that leave an impact. It might mean reinventing myself. I'm still feeling it out.” My career wasn’t the only thing I felt strongly about, not when I was with Bobby. “Is this one of those relationship conversations real boyfriends have?”
The blood had rushed to my head. Bobby gave me a gentle kick. “It is if we’re real boyfriends.”
“I’m lying on my back in the middle of the woods, ready to sleep in a tent. Your favorite food is in a styrofoam cooler, and I bought a good bottle of whiskey. I think we’ve entered real boyfriend territory.”
“Did you get the tent so you could say you’re the first boyfriend I’ve had at the cabin?”
I snorted. “Yes. Yes, I did. I’m not going to lie. Dammit, I want to be the first man to spend the night.”
He propped himself up on his elbows. “Play your cards, Mr. Wilde, and you might be the last.”
I didn’t hate the potential of that statement. I leaned over, giving him a peck on the lips. We'd both be covered in wet leaves when we got up. “It’s really an excuse to get you alone and naked.”
“Oh, really?”
“And not to worry about Rose bursting in on us.”
“It’s all a lie!” He cried. “You’re just trying to get in my pants.”
“Oh, I plan on it. But not until we get those steaks cooked. Can’t have my man wasting away.” I rolled onto my side and got up, brushing the leaves off my pants.
“Keep talking about steak, and I’ll strip before dinner.”
I wanted to skip dinner and get to dessert, especially when he gave me that devilish grin. However, Bobby wasn’t some random hookup. Tonight, under the stars with a fire I made, we had transitioned from benefits, to friends with benefits, and to boyfriends… with benefits.
I balanced on my sneakers as I tried to keep from getting my socks dirty. With a full belly, we spent the last two hours watching the stars through an opening in the trees. As the chill set in and the fire died, there was only one thing left to do. When I set this up, I didn’t realize there were rules.
Bobby, on the other hand, dropped his pants and crawled into the tent like a pro. He rolled up his clothes, tucking them into the bottom of his sleeping bag. When he pulled his shirt over his head, I found motivation to pick up the pace.
“You don’t want to wake up and put on damp skivvies.”
“Let me guess, every weekend you’d go camping with your dad?”
“Me? God, no. Laurel and Dad would go hunting, and I’d get the house to myself. When we were younger, she was the outdoorsy one. I’d rather sit in the basement listening to records.”
Throwing my clothes in the tent, I jumped inside. I flipped on the lantern and closed the flap. We had shelter, but the thin nylon walls didn’t stop me from wondering what animals were wandering in the forest.
“Are there bears?”
“Maybe.”
“Should we be worried?” We had secured the leftover food in the car and tossed the scraps far from the camp.
“Only of the bear in here.” The puns were inevitable. “Moose, though, they could storm through and kill us.”
“That’d be the lamest obituary.”
“I’ll include a moose on your tombstone.”
I crawled onto the air mattress, scooting close to Bobby. In the soft yellow light, his beard shimmered like gold. We had dined on the best steaks I ever had. We drank whiskey from the bottle like barbarians. Every so often, I’d grow quiet as I stared at Bobby and questioned my luck. What had I done to deserve this handsome man in my life?
“Keep staring like that, and you’re going to give me a complex.”
“Get used to it.” I draped half my body over him while resting my head on his chest. His beard brushed against my face, and I took it, pulling it to the side. “Somebody’s due for a shave.”
“But… that’s the source of my superpowers.”
I rested a hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. “For you? It’s all heart.” I rolled on top of him, the air mattress making it far more difficult than I anticipated. Kissing down his chest, I stopped at his sternum, rubbing my cheek against the hair.
“I’m going to need some enthusiastic consent for what I want to do to you.”
“Good sir, you mean to take advantage of me?” When I glanced up at his body, he lifted his head. The moment our eyes connected, he smirked. “Do I just say yes, or do you need a woohoo?”
“Save the woohoo for after.”
“You’re going to need to earn it.”
I pushed back, sitting upright while I straddled his thighs. He might be playing coy, but the bulge in his briefs said to move forward. Grinding my ass against his package, I pulled my shirt over my head. I didn’t know if sleeping naked was an option out in the wild, so I wanted to get my fill before we fell asleep.
“You are a beautiful man.” His hand ran up my thigh, brushing against my stomach before he couldn’t reach any further. I didn’t bother hiding the heat in my face. By now, Bobby deserved to know that he left me flustered.
“Says the sexy teddy bear.”
I reached behind me, shifting my hips as I dragged my fingers along his shaft. When it jerked, pulling at the fabric, I decided I needed to feel his skin against mine.
I dismounted, nearly toppling over. Rolling onto my back, I pulled my underwear off while Bobby did the same. It was impossible not to laugh while crammed inside such a small space, unable to keep our balance. When I straddled him this time, I gasped at the feeling of his cock resting against the crack of my ass.
“You’re huge,” I said. “I want that buried in me.”
He needed more than spit and determination. I lay across his body as I reached for my backpack. I unzipped the small pouch, fishing around inside. Huh. I moved to the next pocket, nothing. Did I plan a romantic night with a gorgeous man and not pack my sex kit?
“Funny story,” I said as I continued tearing through my bag. I sat upright, frowning, more than a little irked. Apparently, between buying a tent, steaks, bourbon, and plotting, I had forgotten the bare essentials. “You wouldn’t, by chance, keep condoms in your glove box?”
“I have one in my wallet,” he said. I wanted to throw a tantrum. “Dad gave it to me when he bought it for me.” When Bobby smiled, I couldn’t stay angry, even if it meant I didn’t get to feel him balls-deep in me.
“Well, that changes things.”
He held onto my wrists, pulling me closer until he kissed my nose. “It doesn’t change a damned thing,” he said. “I’m still going to make you come.” The fun-loving Bobby was still there, but now he reminded me of the first day in my bedroom. Those eyes held a feral determination.
“What did you?—”
“On your back.” He didn’t wait for a copy reply. He pushed me to the side, and I landed with a slight bounce on the mattress. “I have been thinking about this since we met.” He got onto his knees, trying to pull off his briefs. When he toppled, I couldn’t help but snicker.
“Tent sex is harder than I expected.”
He stared down at me, his hand running down my chest. Bobby’s fingers circled my belly button before traveling past my waist. When he gripped my cock, I let out a muffled groan.
“Oh, no. Out here, you’re not being quiet.” His fingers tightened, and my back arched. “I want to hear you.” He gave my cock a firm stroke.
“Fuck!”
“That’s more like it.”
He laid down, his head resting on my thigh. Shifting to my side, his cock brushed along my cheek. This close, it looked even bigger. I might not get railed tonight, but it gave me something to look forward to. Eventually, I’d feel Bobby’s hands on my hips as he used my ass for his pleasure.
“Holy shit.” I glanced down to see Bobby’s lips wrapped around the head of my cock. When he reached through my legs, his hand cupped my ass, guiding me deeper into his mouth. The strength in his arm and the coarseness of his hands made it even hotter.
I wasn’t to be outdone. I cupped his balls before wrapping my lips around his cock. We both took our time, taking a little more with each bob of the head. When he reached my groin, I moaned with him buried in my mouth. It took another minute for me to swallow the length of his cock. Even as he bumped the back of my throat, I had another inch to go.
I pulled off, gasping for air. “Damn, you’re big.”
Bobby didn’t stop, continuing a steady up and down. He reached down, hand on the back of my neck, guiding me to his cock. I didn’t need the encouragement, but when his hips bucked, I moaned. I had bedded a genuine stud.
He rolled on top of me, his hips moving in a steady motion, burying his cock before pulling out. Every few strokes, he’d push as deep as my throat allowed. Feeling him moan with my cock in his mouth brought me dangerously close to coming. To my surprise, he pulled off just before I reached the point of no return.
“Don’t stop,” he growled. I didn’t have any options as he pinned me to the air mattress. His pace picked up, each thrust hitting the back of my throat. I grabbed his ass, squeezing until he thrust as deep as he could. Holding my breath, I bent my neck, his groin finally pressing against my lips.
“Fuck,” he growled. His muscles stiffened, and he went from a low moan to a howl. I wouldn’t let him pull out, not while his cock pulsed in my mouth. When I couldn’t hold my breath anymore, I pulled back, inhaling through my nostrils. He continued coming, his entire body shaking. The taste of Bobby in my mouth made me want more. If given the opportunity, I wanted to find out how fast he’d get stiff again.
He didn’t speak. He swallowed my cock, one hand supporting his weight while the other kneaded my ass. I didn’t want to let his cock go as he bobbed up and down. Even as he softened, I wanted to nurse on it, ensuring I swallowed every drop. Then his finger slipped, brushing against my hole. No, not slipped. The tip pushed inside, just far enough that I spread my legs.
I moaned, surprised his cock hadn’t shrunk. His finger wiggled just enough to steal my focus. Greedy, I wanted more. My cock decided it didn’t need any more time. My legs stiffened, toes pointed, and the electric sensation rippled through my body. I moaned as loudly as I could, his cock muffling my need to come.
He didn’t stop. I turned my head, pulling his cock from my mouth as I panted. It was my turn to howl as I shot in Bobby’s mouth. With another thrust from his finger, I growled loud enough to scare the nearby wildlife. He gave one last lick before letting go, pulling his finger from my ass.
“That was tasty.”
“Damn,” I said, still gasping for air. “That was amazing.”
“Had to step up my game if I wasn’t going to fuck you.” He rolled onto his back, an arm wrapping around my leg. The sex was great… no, phenomenal. I’d want a repeat of that as soon as my body permitted. However, the way he rested his head against my leg, keeping contact, left me with a stupid grin.
“Hopefully, hunters don’t mistake you for a wild animal.”
“Says the wolf man.”
When he chuckled, the air mattress shook. In the middle of the forest, next to a town in Maine not listed on the map, I had found the most beautiful bear. As his whole body quivered, I couldn’t help but join in. Firefly saw through my wants and gave me what I needed. I wouldn’t have suspected it was this burly man, but I wouldn’t trade this moment for the world.
“Does this mean you’re the big spoon?”
The laughing stopped. His head shot up, his brow furrowed, and eyes narrowed. “I think you’ve misread the room, mister.”
I snorted. Bobby had an uncanny ability to transition from sexy time to humor like nobody I had met before. Never had I been more turned on while laughing.
“Does the big bear want to be held?”
He got up, wobbling as the mattress shifted under us. When he dropped, half-draped on top of me, he smiled. Bobby’s smile had the ability to push away every worry and keep me grounded in the here and now. When he kissed me, I couldn’t help but taste the cum, my cum, that he swallowed. I’d risk beard burn if it meant we could spend the night making out like teenagers on a first date.
“Assume the position,” he said, spinning so his back faced me.
“Not how that’s usually meant.” I reached up, fussing with the lantern until I caught the off switch. The moment it shut off, the darkness swallowed us. I couldn’t see Bobby, but I could feel the heat radiating off his body, the brush of hair along his legs and ass. My human furnace would keep me from freezing to death tonight.
“Is this what you had in mind for your first overnight guest?”
“Not even a little,” he said. “You’re setting a dangerously high bar, Mr. Wilde.”
“Guess I’ll have to figure out how I one-up myself next time.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too.”
He reached back, pulling my arm over his chest. I wiggled until I found a position allowing for maximum body contact. Even while my eyelids tried to shut, I’d force them back open. I didn’t want tonight to end. I finally let them close, promising myself that tomorrow would be another adventure and I’d be damned if Bobby wasn’t my partner in crime.