17. Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Oak
I don’t think I’d ever come that hard before. I’d fooled around some at college, but having a bigger body, an older man bringing me off while his gaze burned with how attractive he found me? That was the stuff. Damn.
Of course I’d heard I was good looking before. I was on the pretty side of the scale when it came to how men looked. As a kid, I’d heard how my big blue eyes were so lovely and how my super blond hair made my eyes pop even more.
I don’t know what point those became bad things for a boy to have. When I didn’t turn into someone more masculine once puberty was well underway, I heard the whispers. People at the temple, my own family.
Then at college my looks became something more positive again. If I wanted to experiment, I could. I was too fucked up by my upbringing to do it much, though.
And so lying there under Law’s big, strong body while he looked as if he wanted to devour me whole? Yeah. We needed to do this again.
After a breather, we got cleaned up and a slight awkwardness settled in. Trying to think quick, I asked if he wanted to stay. When he seemed relieved that I’d asked, I suggested instant noodles and Schitt’s Creek on the couch, to which Law readily agreed. Salem joined us, and it hit me that the poor boy had seen things .
“Oh shit. Did we just corrupt your nephew?” I asked, wide-eyed.
Law snorted a laugh. “Knowing how liberated my brother is these days and what kind of a guy your uncle is, I don’t think we can show him much that he hasn’t seen already.”
I made a mildly disgusted face. “Dude, that’s a bit too much.”
“Well, you asked!” He grinned and put his empty bowl on the coffee table. “Besides, I’ve been conditioned by the kids to answer questions I’m asked. We always want to answer any of theirs.”
I smiled a bit wistfully. “I wish that’d be my childhood.”
He pulled me to his side, noodle bowl and all. “I’m sorry your parents are shitty.”
“Yeah.” It was what it was. Nothing I could change now. “I’m just glad you’re parenting like an actual compassionate person instead of a fake one, you know?”
He hummed, then cracked up at Moira Schitt’s antics, and we stopped with the heavy talk.
Later, when there was no good reason to prolong the evening anymore, Law got up and stretched.
“This was a good night,” he stated, smiling slightly.
I smiled back. “I think so.”
Then he got more serious, and I could tell he was going to ask something I wasn’t ready to answer. I didn’t want to label this or think about what it could be.
As he opened his mouth, I held up a hand. “Let’s… not?” I grimaced. “Can we just let it be whatever? For now?”
His expression gentled, and he nodded. “Okay.”
He went to put on his outerwear, and I watched with Salem in my arms so I wouldn’t try to keep Law there.
When he was ready, he hesitated as he looked at me. “Okay, so….”
“Oh!” I held up my finger and put the cat down. Then I grabbed my hooker bag and pulled out the long, blue scarf I’d made. I presented it with a flourish. “Here you go.”
Law leaned forward. “You put it on me.”
I grinned and shook my head fondly, then folded the scarf in half and put around his neck, then pulled the ends through the loop. “That looks good.”
When I lifted my gaze, he was looking at me with this warmth that spelled trouble. More trouble. Infinite trouble.
So instead of kissing him like I wanted to, I took a step back.
He seemed to understand what I was doing. Or not doing, rather. He smiled.
“Thank you, Oak.”
“Of course.”
“See you tomorrow?”
“Probably. If the weather holds, the boy and I are going to go skating again.” I nodded toward Salem. “He enjoyed hanging out.”
“He’s such a weird cat,” Law said fondly, scratching Salem under his chin.
“That’s your nephew you’re talking about.”
He snorted, then went to the door. “You grab him?”
I scooped Salem up and watched as Law opened and slipped through the door.
“Good night!” I called just as it was closing.
He grinned over his shoulder and said, “Night, Oak.” Then he closed the door behind himself.
I will not swoon. I will not swoon.
I might’ve swooned.
Somehow, I missed Law and the kids the rest of the weekend, and by the time Monday morning rolled around, I was itching to see him again.
I’d dreamed of falling asleep with him, which had messed with my brain enough to make me grumpy in the morning. Luckily, I still had Salem and needed to get him and myself to work, so I didn’t have time to wallow too much.
With the cat on my shoulder, I began my walk to the Inn, and saw Law drive away from the Yellow House on his way to take the kids to school. The kids noticed me and waved wildly. I could see Tristan’s mouth form the word “Salem” and the waving intensified until they were out of sight.
Salem chirped on my shoulder. He was looking around for Cricket, moving enough that I was afraid he’d fall. Luckily he didn’t, and by the time we made it to the Inn, she lumbered from behind the building, noticed us, and trotted closer.
I let Salem go to her, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to hold him back.
“Where were you, girl?” I asked her as she got headbutts from the purry boy.
She licked my hand and looked a bit sad. The explanation came in the form of Nic rounding the corner.
“Morning!” she said brightly. Cricket gave her a betrayed look which made her laugh. “I forgot to clean their ears and clip nails last night, so I did it just now. She didn’t appreciate being late for her rounds.”
“Does Steve do better with that?” I wondered, given that some idiot had cropped his ears unevenly when he was still a puppy.
“He submits to it but needs many treats after. He’s having a bone at our place right now. Cricket was too busy to get back to her routine to stick around.” Nic looked fondly at the big dog and the adolescent cat that was circling her.
As I heard a car and realized it was Charlie’s, I quickly snatched Salem into my arms so he wouldn’t run to his dad. I didn’t know if he recognized the car, but there was no way he wouldn’t recognize—
“There’s my boy! We missed you so much!” Charlie strode to us with his arms stretched, and I let the cat jump to him as soon as he was close enough.
“I think we’re not needed here anymore,” I told Cricket and Nic.
The latter snickered. “Looks like it.” Then, pointedly, she told Charlie good morning.
“Oh, yeah, good morning,” he replied, blushing slightly. “I’m sorry, it’s just that we haven’t been away from him for a whole weekend before and….”
“It’s okay. Understandable.” I snapped a photo of them cuddling and sent it to Uncle Teague.
Nic told us she’d catch us around lunchtime and left to do her thing. Cricket realized she was losing her buddy and went on her way, too.
“How was your weekend?” Charlie asked as we continued to the front doors.
Oh, I want to bang your brother like a screen door in a hurricane, but only got as far as to frotting on the couch and some hand action, how about you?
“Really nice. Salem behaved remarkably well. Might be the catnip treats, though.” I held the door open for them and asked, “How was yours?”
He launched into an explanation of the place they’d stayed at and the hot tub and how nice that had been. He blushed several times, which told me enough and too much about how good exactly the trip had been.
“You still making progress?” I stepped into the office with him and Salem and watched him put the cat into the crate.
Knowing what I meant, Charlie shrugged a little. “One step forward and all that. Although these days it’s more like three steps forward then two back. It’s still something I’m conscious of every day, but less so when I’m around Teague.”
“I’m glad.” I hugged him briefly. “Okay, I’m gonna go have some breakfast. Are you coming with?”
“Yeah, sure. Teague will come get Salem at lunchtime. He wants his mascot back.”
I chuckled and felt a wave of fondness for these men and their furry son. I was so fucking happy for them, too. Hearing that Charlie’s body dysphoria was more easily handled was something that made me feel especially good.
When he’d first moved into town and met Uncle Teague, he was constantly on high alert and hating people’s attention on him. Of course, Uncle Teague hadn’t made it any easier by falling headfirst into attraction, because let’s face it, no matter how Charlie saw himself, on the outside he was gorgeous.
He still wore long sleeves and pants most of the time, but maybe, come next summer, he would be comfortable enough to at least wear T-shirts? I hoped so. He deserved that freedom as much as the rest of us.
While we ate, I made sure to keep him busy by asking for Lake Placid stories, so that he wouldn’t ask anything about my weekend. I was sure the kids would tell him they’d been at our grandparents’ place, but he wasn’t likely to ask at that point. Besides, if he asked Law, I was happy to let him take the lead on this.
It was weird to think that we weren’t ashamed of whatever this was. Had been. Would be? In any case, it was just about getting off and well, feeling wanted in a way Law made me feel? Priceless.
“You zoned out,” Charlie pointed out suddenly.
“Oh, crap. Sorry. I swear I’m interested, I just didn’t sleep very well last night.”
Charlie winced. “Did Salem keep you up?”
No, but thoughts about your brother and vigorous masturbating did. In fact, I might’ve scarred your son.
“A bit, but it wasn’t too bad. Normal kitty zoomies two hours before my alarm went off.” I hoped Salem couldn’t hear me throwing him under the bus.
Charlie smile-grimaced. “That’s the worst timing!”
After breakfast, he went to do his job, and I started on mine.
Like always, I had my music on, bopping along to it as I went room by room. By the time I got to the end of the backside of the hotel and ducked into the room there, I was shimmying my hips along to W.I.T.C.H by Devon Cole, I was deep into my zone. I even hummed along with the funny, empowering lyrics.
As I turned to put the dirty sheets into my cart, I realized I wasn’t alone.
“Holy fucking shit!” I shrieked, then scrambled to pause the music.
“I didn’t know you cussed. Kind of sexy, along with the way you move,” Law said, smirking as he closed the door fully and took the few steps separating us.
“Well I don’t, normally, but if you give a guy a heart attack—”
He cut me off by grabbing me by the neck and pulling me into a kiss.
I melted. There was no other word for it. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed closer, surrendering into whatever he wanted to do to me in that moment, because I’d missed him. It wasn’t just the wanting , it was the rest of him, too.
Of course, the wanting was the main thing. Which explained the way I folded as soon as his hands were on me.
Law pulled away from my mouth too soon, and I whined, even though he didn’t step back yet.
“I know, I’m sorry, but I have to go make some plans with Nic. I just couldn’t not find you.” He looked almost startled when he admitted, “I missed touching you.”
I leaned up and kissed his jaw, then nipped sharply, aiming to leave behind a little sting under his stubble that nobody would see but maybe he’d feel for even a few moments.
He hissed, then shook his head, smiling. “I wish there was more time, too.”
“I’m sure there will be at some point soon. You’ll probably know where to find me.”
He palmed my ass and squeezed. “Okay, I really need to go.”
I grinned. “Yet you’re not moving.” My arms weren’t restraining him.
He kissed me quickly, more of a peck with closed lips than anything, yet it made my body tighten anyway. Then, without another word, he turned and went to the door. The last thing I heard was a mumbled “…too fucking tempting.”
I grinned and turned my music back on. I was in the mood for something sultrier now.
The next week was Marlie’s birthday, and Law had a surprise planned for her. Of course there would be a little party at the Inn, but he was going to take her to the shelter to see if she found a dog she wanted to adopt. Just one, Law told me, which… understandable but also funny because she would want to get them all. It was as if he was preemptively practicing saying no. I knew fuck all about parenting, but I was pretty sure she would understand the situation. If I was a betting man, I would’ve bet that she’d ask for more dogs for each of her siblings’ birthdays this year.
Either way, I was to go get Tris and Harper, because Law would pick up Marlie a bit earlier to take her to the shelter and a bit of daddy/birthday girl time. Everyone else was busy with their various jobs, and since I was always done by the time they got off school anyway, well, I had nothing but time.
I took Charlie’s SUV, because it had booster seats for the kids, because of course it would. That was who he was, after all. Driving Charlie’s SUV was a challenge, but by the time I made it to the school, I’d gotten a hang of the dimensions.
I parked at the parking lot and walked toward the front doors. I hadn’t been there yet, but I knew my name was on that list and Law would’ve told them about me coming to pick up the kids anyway. Some part of me was still hesitant, though. Like maybe they’d take one look at me and deem me too young or wouldn’t believe me or whatnot. Hello, anxiety, my old friend.
Since all the kids were in the same building, we’d agreed that they’d come to the front desk and wait for me there in case I was late. Because I was early, I went to the desk and smiled at the woman sitting behind it.
“Hey, I’m Oak Mulligan, I’m here to pick up Harper and Tristan Caldwell, once they’re let out.”
“Hi, can I see your ID?” she asked with a kind smile that told me this was a formality and nothing else.
“Oh, sure, of course. Sorry, I haven’t picked them up before so I didn’t think….” I dug out my wallet and handed her my driver’s license. The one that said Oak Mulligan. Showing it to someone made my chest tighten with elation every time still.
“It’s good to meet you, Oak. Mr. Caldwell told us you were coming, of course, and then Tristan told me again when he passed me in the hallway earlier.” She shook her head, but I could tell she was fond of the little hellion.
I chuckled as I put the license back and repocketed my wallet. “I can picture that.”
“You can wait right there,” she pointed to some benches nearby against the wall.
“Thanks!” I went to sit down, and within a few minutes, the doors and stairs started to pour down children of various ages.
A very tall man with broad shoulders and pink in his hair walked down the hall with a group of kids, then stopped near my bench to watch them go out the front doors.
He noticed me and smiled. “Hello, you must be Oak.”
I must’ve looked stunned, because he laughed and elaborated. “Sorry, it’s just that I’m Marlie’s teacher, Kellan Huntley. I heard all about today’s plan.”
I shook his offered hand and grinned. “Well, it seems that my reputation precedes me.”
“It’s good to meet you.”
There was that mutual moment of clocking the other person as queer, and it had nothing to do with his hair, either. He was very masculine, almost in the same way as Uncle Teague, but that something caught my gaydar or whatever you’d call it, and I smiled with some extra warmth.
There was blood and found family, and then there was the larger queer community which was also one kind of collection of human beings that often called ourselves a family, too.
Before we had time to chat any more, I heard Harper’s excited, “There he is!”
I didn’t know if she’d gone to get Tristan, but she was following him briskly, while he was running to me with his backpack bouncing wildly.
“Oak!” he screeched and dove at me.
“Oomph!” I grabbed him and gave him a hug. “How about we don’t crush anyone, buddy?”
Harper rolled her eyes. “I told him he couldn’t run.”
Mr. Huntley cleared his throat next to us. “What do we say about running in the halls?”
“We’re not supposed to, but it’s Oak!”
“Oh, is that so?” Mr. Huntley asked, trying to hide his smile.
“Can we go? What are we even going to do? Where did Dad take Marlie?” The questions from Tristan were endless and you would’ve thought that they’d cease by the time we were at Charlie’s SUV, but no.
“Okay, buddy, how about you stop quizzing me and just take the surprise?”
“Ooh, I do like surprises!” He nodded like a bobblehead when I made sure he was strapped in.
Harper, who had climbed in, too, looked as if she was so done with her brother. I wondered if she’d had a bad day or why her mood was a bit sour, but I wasn’t her parent and didn’t know how to approach such a thing.
We drove into town, and I parked right outside Sugar Rush.
“Right, here’s the rules,” I said, turning to look at them both. “We’re going to go and decorate some cupcakes at Aunt Regan’s for Marlie’s party. Yes, we’ll get to eat a few, but not too much, because if you’re good, we can go grab a bite to eat at Giacomo’s before we head home. Sound good?”
“Awesome!” Tristan crowed and fist pumped.
I looked at Harper. She was smiling too, even though I could tell she was a bit annoyed at her brother still.
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“Okay. Remember, we only go to Giacomo’s if everything goes smoothly here. This is Aunt Regan’s workplace, and that’s serious business, even though we’re going to have fun, too.”
Tristan nodded, getting serious. “I promise.”
“All right. Wait until I come get you, please,” I told him, then got out of the car.
Harper got out on her own, but she was old enough to know to be careful.
I grabbed Tristan and carried him to her. As soon as I put him down, he grabbed my hand, suddenly a bit shy.
“I wonder if Lacey is working today,” Harper said in a knowing tone, glancing at me over his head.
Oh. Oh. Did Tristan have a crush? Well that was all kinds of adorable. I knew something about crushes, too. Mine was just less adorable and more—okay, I couldn’t think about that right then, because I would only get maudlin or horny, and neither of those was good for the situation.
Harper skipped to the door and opened it for us.
“Thank you, my kind lady,” I told her, and she grinned.
“Of course, my liege,” she replied, and I wondered where she’d heard the expression before.
“There you guys are!” Aunt Regan called out and came to give us all hugs. “You ready?”
Based on my companions’ enthusiasm, there was only one answer to that.