Chapter 9
Kellen
Being surrounded by Marco’s heat was unlike any sensation I’d ever had before. Sure, I’d fucked lots of guys. But it hadn’t felt like this. Tonight, nothing but giving him pleasure mattered. He was the first virgin I’d ever been with—I intended to make it good for him.
“You can go harder, Kellen.” He said the words through gritted teeth.
I could…but I’d save that for the next time.
Because there will be a next time. I’m not letting him go. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me…
“Kellen?” He pressed his thumb to my brow and wiped off the sweat.
Yep, the room was cold, and I was sweating.
He wrapped his legs around my hips and dug his heels into my ass cheeks.
I picked up the pace.
He stiffened, then a wet sensation hit my chest.
“Oh, thank fuck.” I thrust into him three more times before reaching my own climax. My vision whited out for a moment as I soared. This feeling—this euphoria—was unlike anything I’d ever felt.
He held me tight.
I sort of collapsed on him—mindful of my weight.
His breath was harsh as he gulped air.
As I tried to roll off him, he held me tighter.
“Is it always that good?”
I wanted to make a flippant comment, but the words died in my throat. Instead, all I managed was a nod. When I slid from him, though, he winced. “Sorry.”
“All good. Hopefully next time it won’t be…as awkward.”
I didn’t know if he meant everything or just the end part. I rolled off him, then removed the condom. I gazed at it.
“Kitchen garbage. I plan on taking it with me when I go.” He grinned. “Because I don’t intend for your father to show up and wonder what the hell I’ve been up to.”
“My father…” I echoed his words.
He pushed himself up, so he sat upright. “I think we both might have to have a conversation with our fathers. I certainly haven’t told my dad I’m bi. Or bicurious. Or, hell, gay.”
“No women?”
“Not really.” He shrugged. “I’ve always been so busy, I’ve never made time for anyone in my life.” He nudged my shoulder with his. “Maybe I was just saving myself for you.”
I liked that idea—more than I probably should. “Let me get rid of the condom. Then, uh, can I hold you?”
He grinned. “I would like that very much.”
“Yeah, so would I.” My feet nearly froze on the cold hardwood floor—an incentive to hustle back to bed. I tossed another log on the fire before crawling in with him. I pulled him into my arms…then put my feet against his calves.
“Jesus, Kellen.”
I grinned. “Go to sleep, we’ll sort everything out in the morning.” I should’ve cleaned us up. I had found extra sheets earlier. One of us could take these sticky, messy ones back to Vancouver and clean them up.
He snuggled back against me and, quickly, his breathing lengthened and evened out.
I envied him that sleep came so easily for him tonight.
A very long time passed before I was able to join him.
Come morning, though, I discovered my foot sticking out from under the blankets. Although I expected it to be an ice cube, it wasn’t. In fact, this was always how my body regulated temperature.
I shook Marco.
He turned onto his back and gazed over at me with sleepy eyes. “Good morning.”
“The power’s back on.”
He pushed himself up onto his elbows as he sniffed the air.
I didn’t have a clue what he expected to smell—but the grin on his face was heart-stoppingly adorable.
“It is. And today’s the day we need to leave. Well, that I need to leave. I’d prefer you come with me.”
“I can’t leave my dad’s SUV here.”
“Of course not. But we can drive in tandem back to Vancouver. That way, I’ll know you’re safe.
Warmth seeped into me—in places I’d long thought frozen forever. “Really?”
He pushed up and pressed a hard kiss to my lips. “Hell fucking yes!”
With a response like that, capitulation was the easiest response in the world. “Yeah, okay.”
“I’ll whip up some waffles—I left a few in a cooler outside. So far, the bears haven’t gotten in. Then we’ll close things up and head out. Oh, once we’ve got our vehicles running, we should each call our families. I assume the driveway will be plowed, yes?”
“If my father knows you’re here, then yes. He doesn’t give a shit about me.”
“Maybe give him the benefit of the doubt?”
I smiled—a little ruefully. “If I thought it would be fair, I’d bet you he didn’t. As it is, I don’t want to put you into a position that you’ll lose.”
He propelled himself fully upright, then pulled me into a tight hug. “If he’s that much of a shit, then we’ll find you a new family.”
I pulled back and scowled. “What do you mean?”
“That found family can be as important. Freddie and Andreas both felt alone in the world. Freddie became friends with my stepfather, Troy, then reconnected with Andreas after years apart. Now the couple are invited to my dad’s place all the time—they’re like family.
Found family.” He said the words, as it emphasizing their meaning.
For my part, I’d never heard of the concept—certainly had never contemplated it before. I simply believed I was destined to be alone with a string of men coming and going through my life. “That simple?”
He nodded. “My dad and Troy are going to love you. And we should introduce you to Freddie and Andreas. The latter is starting to gain traction as a well-known actor. He had some trouble a while ago. We don’t give a shit about any of that.
He got his life in order, and we’ve embraced him.
I mean, we probably would have anyway…but a good redemption story goes a long way. ”
I cocked my head. “Do you think I might be a redemption story?”
“If you make amends for past wrongs, then absolutely.”
“Oh, okay…” I scrunched my nose. “That sounds too simple.”
“Because it is. Sometimes we just see the error of our ways and choose a better path moving forward. I have faith in you.”
More than I had in myself, but I’d take that faith. Still, I needed to move away from this topic. “Who showers first?”
“Why don’t I? You can strip the bed and pack. Then I can pack and make breakfast.”
Packing sounded very final to me. If I could’ve done anything in the world at that moment, I would’ve chosen to stay. For the solstice. For Christmas. For New Year’s.
Forever, if that were realistic.
Alas, it wasn’t.
He had a job to get back to.
I had atonements to make. I had to find a way to move forward.
I had to figure out how to be a better man.
“Yeah, okay.” I pressed a kiss to his lips.
I wanted to tell him how much I loved him, but the words wouldn’t come.
For fear of rejection or something else, I had no idea.
I just couldn’t find a way to expression my true feelings.
Who knows? Maybe once I’m back in Vancouver, I’ll forget about him.
I wouldn’t, of course. I might believe myself unworthy—but I would never forget him. “Let’s go.”
“Yes, let’s.” He pressed a kiss to my lips. “We need to head south…and figure out what we’re going to say.”
“Yeah. That.”
And so we did.