Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
E zra was of two minds. One–he was snuggled against Chaz, who had kissed like the world was ending. Two–they were going to get eaten by a bear before he could take advantage of Chaz’s amorous mood. Ezra wasn’t sure where to focus his thoughts, but the prudent decision was one with his safety in mind. Stupid predators.
“Have you ever camped like this?” Ezra scoured the trees just beyond the firelight. Was that an animal? Ezra kept asking questions he was sure Chaz had answered because it was a perfect distraction from the beasts outside his sightline.
“Yeah, up in Algonquin. It’s not that bad, though having a nylon barrier between you and the bears is better for your state of mind than the openness we’re experiencing right now.” Chaz bussed a kiss on the side of Ezra’s head, sending him straight to the moon. “Relax, Ez. Nothing’s going to happen. The animals aren’t going to approach us, I promise.”
Chaz’s confidence didn’t stop the niggling doubts threatening to take over his thoughts. The situation they were in was wrong in every instance. This mission he’d been so excited for had all the earmarks of going completely and utterly sideways with the added bonus of being attacked by wild animals. Ezra prayed no one would put that in the mission report.
“I’m not prepared for any of this. I didn’t expect this stupid trip would be two or three days long! And that was before we got dumped out in the middle of the bush!” His chest hurt as he spoke, and his vision swam from not breathing. Chaz pinched his chin and forced his head down so he could meet Chaz’s stern gaze.
“Ezra, stop freaking out. Nothing is going to happen,” Chaz assured him or tried to. Ezra wasn’t sure it worked. His worries still spun, and he pictured ravenous beasts tearing through his flesh. “Ezra. Stop. Thinking. Right. Now.”
“That’s like asking the sun to stay down. Very rarely works,” Ezra mumbled. He jerked his head away from Chaz’s grip and rested against the damp rocks. “Fuck. This sucks.”
“Come on, isn’t there anything here that’s awesome? It’s not all bad, is it?” Chaz batted his eyes, and Ezra snorted. The coy look was weird on a guy like Chaz. “Ha! You smiled.”
“I did not. I snorted. Completely different.” Ezra sniffed before taking a deep breath. The teasing helped unclench the knot in his chest, allowing him to relax. “I’m being terrible. I’m sorry.”
“We’re not in the most ideal situation, so honestly, you’re holding up like a trooper. Because you’re here with me, hanging out with a bear doesn’t feel as dangerous as it could be.” Chaz stretched out his legs and pushed Ezra’s head down on his shoulder. “We’ll be fine. Talk to me about your home life. What’re your hobbies?”
“Are you trying to distract me again?” Ezra nuzzled the spicy-scented shirt. He was going to commit this to memory. No way was Chaz going to want to see him after this. His lack of outdoor skills did not work well with Chaz’s desire to camp or fish. They seemed so incompatible.
“Yes, absolutely. Tell me anyway. You’ve seen my place. So, spill.”
Ezra blinked at Chaz’s honesty and thought hard about what he did for fun. His home wasn’t like Chaz’s. “It’s a condo. I have computers, and I’m trying to be the best assistant I can be, so it’s a mess?”
Ezra didn’t know how else to describe his hobbies. He was sort of boring. And going out with friends was a drag because he always caught someone’s eyes and had to answer intrusive questions. They stopped him for directions, grabbing things high on store shelves, and sometimes, price checks.
“That doesn’t say much. What do you enjoy? Come on, you talked my ear off earlier.” Chaz laced their fingers together and brought them up to kiss the back of his hand. Ezra stared at Chaz, gobsmacked by the sweetness of the action.
“I’ll share if you explain why you’re being all romantic. This morning, you barely tolerated the sight of me, and now…” Ezra paused as he became stumped by his thought process. “I don’t get it.”
“Me neither, Ez. It feels right, and I like doing things that feel right. You make me laugh and enjoy the moment. No one else in the world can do that for me. I kissed you earlier because it seemed like a good time to, and it rocked my socks. I’m curious to figure out what it is about you. Can we stop trying to understand every moment?” Chaz dropped Ezra’s hand to toss more branches into the fire. The heat was nice on his legs and distracted him from the bomb Chaz set off in his chest.
“Sorry. This is why I don’t date much. No one likes me when I question how the world works.” Ezra glanced up at the roof of their shelter and pouted. The stars were much better to stare at than mossy rocks. “I hate being on the wrong side of the story. I like to be able to have all the information, not the piecemeal shit people always dole out because they know better.”
“Ahh, okay. I will try not to do that to you. I was telling the truth. I’m curious to see where this leads. Maybe not in this setting. We’re having fun, right?” Chaz asked. Ezra raised an eyebrow at Chaz’s determination. He might not have been able to see Chaz’s face clearly, but his words rang with sincerity.
“No more dead bodies. That’s a bucket list item I never expected to ask.” The slack face in the Bigfoot costume would haunt his dreams forever.
“Same, same. You do remember I'm retired right? I’ve been trying to get out of this gig for years. I mean, if April stopped trying to drag me back in every couple of months, I’d be happy. So, when I do actually stop answering her calls, the amount of dead bodies we encounter should reduce to zero.”
Ezra snorted at Chaz’s humour. It was a bit off the cuff and morbid. Not the reassurance he was hoping for. “What if I find them when I become a stooge for SPAM?”
“You said you’re an office grunt. I don’t think they let dead people hang out there, so we’re good.”
“You’re not as concerned about this. Why not?” Ezra picked at the edge of his shorts while he listened for the rustling sounds to come closer. So far, the predators had remained where they were.
“I’m doing my best to take your mind off the dead bodies.” Chaz shook Ezra before stealing his hand back. “Come on, live a little. Where else can you have a date in the middle of the woods?”
“With bears–”
“Ah, ah. None of that talk. Focus on the good. Like now, this is good, kinda sexy, eh? Under the tree canopy? All alone. No one to interrupt us. We can have some private time, getting to know one another without anyone butting in.” Chaz jiggled Ezra’s thigh. “Instead, I have you trying to sabotage us.”
“I have concerns, Chauncey,” Ezra shot back, using Chaz’s full name on purpose. Chaz dropped his head and groaned dramatically. Ezra arched his eyebrow at Chaz’s behaviour. If he was forced to pull out the Chauncey gun, he’d abuse that bad boy. “There are bears and coyotes on the edge of our light, listening for the precise angle from which to strike.”
“That makes no sense. Anyway, we have a fire, and we’re talking pretty fucking loud. Our stalkers will avoid us because they’re scared of people,” Chaz countered. “Tell me about your favourite food. Do you have a dog or a cat?”
Ezra nodded. Chaz was right. Ezra had to stop thinking negatively. It was endangering them both. “I like cats better. I have one at home. He’s my best friend.”
“Hmm. I like dogs. I was figuring on adopting a mutt once everything is set up at the cottage. Can you imagine walking along the beach chasing a dog?”
“How about chilling on your couch by the fireplace with a cat lounging in front, purring like a maniac?”
“Oh, you’re gonna come back to my place, are you?” Chaz teased. Ezra didn’t have to look at him to know Chaz was grinning like a loon. Ezra glanced to the side and stifled his own.
“Well, yeah. It’s a gorgeous waterfront. Who wouldn’t want to take advantage?”
Chaz pushed him over before the sentence was out of his mouth. His hands were up Ezra’s shirt, tickling him while he attacked Ezra with snuffling kisses along his neck.
“Hey! Watch it!”
“Hmm, no.” Chaz crooked his fingers and pounced once more, seeking Ezra’s sensitive spots and making him squirm and yelp. They played like that until Ezra met Chaz’s impossibly blue eyes.
The fire caused the colour to shimmer, and his lips glistened. Ezra traced his fingers lightly across the bristly cheek until he touched Chaz’s mouth. Every moment of their headlong adventure had led to this. The fear of bears faded away. All Ezra could hear was the sound of their breathing. Ezra leaned forward, his lips slightly puckered as he dared for a kiss.
Chaz was better than chocolate and tasted like cranberries as Ezra pressed harder against Chaz’s mouth. Light at first, Ezra began experimenting, using pressure and angles until he found the one that made him happy and Chaz gasp. With his head tipped to the left, nirvana exploded before him. Everything worked. He kissed Chaz, and Chaz let him. It was an improbable moment as Ezra touched Chaz’s lower lip with his tongue. Chaz groaned deep in his throat, and he wrapped his arms around Ezra’s body before rolling them over to the soft pine needles. Chaz kneaded the muscles along Ezra’s side while they kissed.
Ezra was controlling this fierce man with only a kiss, and it amazed him. How did he have this power? Ezra stretched his torso, aching to feel Chaz’s fingers on his skin but too shy to ask.
Chaz chuckled, which nearly broke Ezra’s momentum, but somehow, he knew what Ezra wanted. His hand slid up Ezra’s torso to tweak his nipples, and his mind exploded with sensation.
“Oh my God, Chaz!” Ezra gasped as Chaz’s delicate pinches sent shockwaves throughout. Every single lustful thought in his head went rampant as Chaz played with his body. His dick, which had been not reacting, was fully mast and straining against his khaki shorts. He’d never gotten this hard, this fast with anyone before. Chaz had discovered the secret to unlocking Ezra’s pent-up desires. “Please.”
Chaz wrestled with Ezra’s shirt and had it over his head before Ezra could notice. When Chaz started peppering Ezra’s chest with biting kisses, Ezra moaned deeply. This he liked. He loved the attention Chaz gave to his nipples. No complaints. He writhed on the ground, mindless.
“Ez, you good?”
“What?” Ezra blinked at Chaz, confused by the question and unhappy Chaz wasn’t kissing him anymore. “Why’d you stop?”
“Checking. Don’t want you to do things that go against you.” Chaz placed a kiss in the centre of Ezra’s chest. His gaze was sincere as he waited for Ezra’s answer.
Ezra fell down the rabbit hole of confusing emotions, ricocheting between desire and heart-melting swoons. Chaz’s concern was sweet. “Yeah, I’m good. What about you?”
“I’m exactly where I want to be,” Chaz whispered as he stretched up to kiss Ezra on the mouth.
Ezra whimpered as Chaz licked and nipped his lips. Somewhere he'd lost control of the situation, but if this was the result, then he was A-OK. Chaz played his body like a maestro, and he arched and writhed under his tutelage. At that moment, Ezra realized Chaz was it for him. Chaz was the key to everything, and Ezra had to do whatever it took to make sure he kept Chaz.
Ezra flexed his fingers as he brushed at the front of Chaz’s shirt. His brain insisted permission was required while his heart said fuck it, go for the skin. Ezra listened to both and slid his hands down to where Chaz’s shirt had pulled away from his shorts. Chaz was soft and so warm, different from what Ezra had imagined.
In his head, Chaz was a rugged camper guy with rough skin everywhere. It blew Ezra’s mind to encounter such delicate textures. Without his knowledge, his fingers danced up Chaz’s spine and mapped out his back. The knobby vertebrae, the wave of goose bumps, were beautiful as Ezra caressed every inch. And he could explore with no kickback. Chaz tangled his tongue with Ezra’s and stole all his thoughts. Ezra loved every second as he tasted Chaz. Kissing Chaz was heaven.
Then Chaz became ballsy. His hands travelled along Ezra’s body, stroking his sides while keeping Ezra high on the endorphins. Chaz pushed past the waistband barrier and touched skin not usually discovered by other people. Ezra turned his head and gasped.
“Ez?” Chaz dotted kisses on Ezra’s cheeks while sweeping his thumbs against his belly. At least Chaz stopped sliding his hand down. Ezra was sure if Chaz grazed him anywhere near his pelvic zone, he’d wreck his only shorts. The night would be ruined.
“Gotta hold on. It’s just when you touch me, this whole whatever is gonna end super-fast. I mean, for me. Maybe not for you. I don’t know. You could be an old hand at this,” Ezra babbled. This wasn’t what Chaz was looking for. Ezra word-vomited the dumbest shit at Chaz, so of course he’d stop.
“Shh, relax, Ez. We’re fine. You’re not going to ruin your pants. Do you want to take them off?” Chaz placed his hands on the button, which had to be a sneaky trick on Chaz’s part.
“Isn’t that the opposite of slowing down?” Ezra covered Chaz’s hands while taking a deep breath. The sharp sting of arousal with the desperate need to fuck faded, allowing Ezra a chance to think.
“Question still applies.” Chaz drew down the zipper and trailed the tips of his fingers along the length of Ezra’s dick. Ezra swallowed as goose bumps washed over his skin. What would it be like if Chaz held his dick with his whole hand?
“Yes. Yes to your question.” Ezra squirmed out of his shorts and kicked them off. The fire flared a tiny bit and sent sparks their way. “Shit.”
Chaz, his heavy blanket, left him briefly. His skin was bronzed from the glow of the fire. Ezra’s mouth watered as he imagined licking Chaz whole. This muscular beauty of a man desired him. Chaz picked up the shorts and placed them on top of the T-shirts. With an arched eyebrow and devilish smirk, Chaz straddled Ezra’s waist and fiddled with his own fly.
“You’re drooling, Ezra. See something you like?” Chaz raised his arms above his head as though stretching. “What if I showed you this?”
Ezra gulped as Chaz kicked his shorts off toward the pile of clothes before returning to Ezra’s lap. The heat of his cloth-covered cock against Ezra’s belly had curiosity champing at the bit to explore.
“I need–I need some more… More proof? I think?” Ezra’s gaze was drawn to how well Chaz’s cock filled out his dark boxer briefs. He reached out to touch the length and inhaled sharply as it thumped against Chaz’s belly. “Fuck me.”
“Can I? Cause I really believe you’d give me quite the ride.” Chaz leaned forward and rested his arms on each side of Ezra’s head. “What say you?”
The sensation of Chaz leaning over him and realizing it was Chaz’s ass against his legs caused Ezra to almost swallow his tongue. He groaned as Chaz’s cock nestled against Ezra’s belly. So much was happening in his brain that Ezra forgot what Chaz asked. “What?”
Chaz rolled his hips, and his groin lit up in a firework of joy. Ezra hadn't believed he had so many erogenous zones in one section of his body. Like his lower stomach or his leg. Holy fuck. Without pausing to consider the ramifications or his doubts, Ezra wrapped his fingers around Chaz’s hard cock and stroked the soft fabric surrounding the hot flesh. The feel of someone else’s erection was fucking sexy. He rubbed the shaft gently, enjoying the silky smoothness and wished he could do that all day.
“Ezra? Fucking hell, I need you to stop.”