11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
An hour and a half later, Henry adjusted his vest and grimaced at his reflection in the mirror.
He hadn’t worn his tuxedo in years and the thing fit better.
He liked the trimmer version of himself, but he wished he could get his damn vest to lie flat.
It looked ridiculous bunched up, but he’d lost weight since he’d worn it last.
“Ready?” Jack strode into the bedroom. “Damn. Everyone will be jealous.”
“Why?” He smoothed out the vest again. “Because I’ve got the best-looking date?” He threaded his arms around Jack. The man filled out his tuxedo well.
“No, I do.” Jack laughed. “And we’ll be the hottest pair at the dinner.”
“We will.” He loved how Jack had lightened up. Jack was still stressed from time to time, but he seemed to be managing it better. Maybe it was the runs they went on together or the extra sex they’d had in the shower. He didn’t know and didn’t care.
“Let’s go.” Jack escorted him to the garage. “Some of the couples arranged for limos.”
“For a dinner?”
Jack shrugged. “I guess. You’ve got to live with my car.”
“Don’t need a limo.” Henry settled beside him on the front seat. “I’m impressed Colin and Farin got the Chamber of Commerce situation sorted out so quickly. I thought it was a mess.”
“It was.” Jack backed out of the garage. “But when the new mayor stepped in, things got defrayed rather fast. Then again, the old mayor was too busy screwing his girlfriend to pay attention to finances. This one seems to care.”
“True.” Henry saw little of the scenery as Jack drove to the event center. He’d only gone past the place and had no idea what the ballroom would look like. “Have you ever been to this banquet hall?”
“I have.” Jack flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. “A friend had their reception there. It’s nice. Plush. The owners dumped a lot of cash into it.”
“I see.” He spotted the building. “It looks like a castle.”
“Inside and out. There’s a huge chandelier inside that dips way down above the dancefloor. Don’t ask me how many crystals are in it,” Jack said and parked. “Too many.”
He’d visited some fantastic places, a few real castles and been in the company of royalty, but none of those times compared to this. His nerves frayed. He wanted to make Jack happy. His stomach lurched. He also wanted to tell him how he felt.
He walked into the banquet hall. Colin, Jordan, Farin, Steve, Colt and Ashley were there, among others. Jordan grinned and nodded.
“What’s Jordan smiling like a fool for?” Henry asked. “He keeps looking at you.”
“He helped me out.” Jack lowered his voice. “He was handy when Ray showed up and helped me get rid of him.”
“We should thank him,” Henry said, but Jack grabbed his arm. “What?”
“He knows I appreciated the save.” Jack cleared his throat. “It’s cool. Besides, here comes Colt.”
Colt strode right up to them. “There’s the truly small business owner,” he said and clapped Jack on the shoulder. “I keep telling you. That shop is too small. You should have more seating. Maybe a to-go window.”
Jack shrugged. “I’ll go with what works for now.”
“You make a striking couple,” Colt said. “How’s working together and being a couple working out for you?”
“Good,” Henry said. “We see each other, but it’s so busy we don’t get much time to chatter at work. When we’re home, it’s just us.”
“Smart,” Colt said. “Shit. I see the media is here.” He ducked away.
Charlie approached and blushed. His sheepish smile wobbled. “I wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“Apologize?” Henry narrowed his eyes. Now he wanted to say he was sorry? Almost three months later? “For?”
“I overstepped,” Charlie said. “I’m sorry.” He nodded to Jack. “I’m sorry I interfered and poked my nose in where it didn’t belong. It was unethical and just plain mean.”
“Ah.” Henry straightened his jacket. “I see.” He’d forgive, but he wasn’t ready to forget.
“Don’t screw with people’s lives,” Jack said, his voice even. “It’s not cool and makes people dislike you. They might not want to talk to you—which makes being a reporter sort of impossible.”
“I know.” Charlie’s blush deepened. “I thought I had a hot scoop. I was wrong.”
“You were,” Henry said. “Way off.”
“He said I’d learn something good.” Charlie shook his head. “Ray gave me a hundred bucks to do it.”
“Ray?” Jack rolled his eyes. “Christ.”
The situation made more sense now. Henry shook his head. “If you’re going to be professional and not piss off your boss, don’t take money for stories. Okay?”
“Got you.” Charlie bowed his head and walked away.
Jack gestured to the table. “We’re supposed to sit. I believe we’re eating soon.”
He followed Jack. Small program booklets had been left at each place setting. Henry opened his after he sat down. He scanned the information and spotted the awards section. “Awards?” he whispered. “For what?”
“Commerce.” Jack shrugged. “I’m not even in the running.”
“Why? You have a great business.” Henry rested his palm on Jack’s thigh. “But I’m biased.”
“You are.” Jack draped his arm across the back of Henry’s chair. “My business is too small. I don’t bring in the kind of cash that a place like Colt’s diner does.” He stared at Henry. “Doesn’t matter. I don’t need an award because I got the C&C sticker for the window and the best award ever.”
“You did?” Henry cocked his head.
“I got you.”
Henry leaned into him and kissed Jack’s cheek. “I love you, too,” he whispered. He’d been impulsive, but he didn’t care. He’d spoken the words on his heart.
Jack’s eyes widened. “You do?”
“I do.”
“You love me?” Jack blurted.
“Too soon?” He regretted nothing and refused to take the words back.
“No.” Jack’s smile widened, and he closed his eyes. He caressed Henry’s shoulder, then opened his eyes. “I love you, too. I wanted to tell you tonight when we got home, but you beat me to it.”
He knew to his core that Jack loved him, but hearing the words out loud pleased him. “When this is over, I want you to take me home and make love to me tonight.”
Jack’s eyes flashed. “We need to stick around long enough to eat, grab swag bags, then say our goodbyes.” He rubbed Henry’s shoulder again. “But I like how you think. I can’t wait to get you into bed.”
Henry bit back a peal of laughter. Jack made him happy. He understood him and didn’t try to change him. A better lover wasn’t out there. He’d found the best. Henry couldn’t wait to get home and make love to his man.
Once dinner concluded, he and Jack couldn’t leave fast enough for Henry. Each time he glanced at Jack, he wanted to strip him naked. Jack loved him. Him!
“Ready?” Jack withdrew his keys from his pocket. “I’m bushed.”
“Let’s go.” He grasped Jack’s hand and walked out of the banquet hall. The chilly night air swirled around him in a welcome change. The hall had become too stuffy with the group of businessmen gathered.
“If I have to discuss one more budget, I’ll scream,” Jack said. He tapped the button to unlock the car. “They don’t know how deadly dull they can be.”
“They know.” Henry sank onto the passenger seat. Once Jack rounded the hood and settled beside him, Henry palmed Jack’s thigh. “They know and wanted someone to listen to them. You were a new audience.”
“I guess so.” Jack pulled out of the parking space, then drove out of the lot. “Still, it’s boring and I have to make budgets. I know they aren’t exciting.”
“Yep.” Henry slid his hand up Jack’s leg to his groin. He wanted to fuck Jack all night long. It wasn’t fair they had to wait until they got to Jack’s place. He wasn’t good at waiting, especially now that he knew Jack loved him.
“Henry?” Jack gripped the steering wheel.
“Yes?” Henry fumbled with Jack’s pants, opening them. He slipped his hand behind Jack’s zipper. His man was rock-hard. He stroked his lover.
“Henry,” Jack growled. “I should pull over.”
“No, you’ll drive home even faster.” Henry caressed Jack, then pressed his thumb onto the head of Jack’s dick. “You want to get home fast so you can get off.”
“I do.” Jack sped to his house and into the driveway faster than he should’ve. The garage door was only partway down when he finally parked and turned off the engine. He leaned across the vehicle. “Need you.” He kissed Henry, pushing past the seam of Henry’s mouth and sucking on his tongue.
Henry bit back a chuckle. He loved making Jack crazy for him. “Take me inside and you can have me.” He squeezed Jack’s shaft.
“Fuck. I don’t know if I’ll make it that far.” Jack palmed the back of Henry’s neck. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.” Henry withdrew his hand. “Go.”
Jack raced out of the vehicle. Henry followed and collided with him in the kitchen. Jack took control. He pushed Henry against the cabinets and kissed him. The collision forced a moan from him, and Jack swallowed the sound.
“Jack.” Henry pushed Jack’s pants down, then helped him out of his tuxedo jacket. The vest looked so sexy on him.
Jack slapped a bottle of lube onto the counter. “Now. Fuck. Me.”
“Can’t tell you no.” Henry turned Jack around and bent him over the counter. He shoved his lover’s boxers around his ankles. Such a hot ass. He swatted Jack. “Where do you want me?”
“In me,” Jack pleaded. “Now.”
“No condoms.” Henry unzipped. He lived for frantic sex with Jack. He stroked his cock. “Jack?”
“Don’t need one.” Jack held his ass cheeks open. “Don’t want anyone else but you.”
The words were sweet music in Henry’s ears. He dribbled lube over the crack of Jack’s ass, then caressed the pink rosette. He smoothed the slippery fluid over Jack’s hole before he breached him. He eased one finger into Jack.
Jack grunted and bore down on him. “Burns and I crave it. Crave you.”
He added more lube and worked his digit in and out of Jack. He craved Jack, too. “I won’t be able to go slow.” This was his first time going bare with Jack, and he wanted to savor it, but he knew better. Slow was impossible.
“Don’t want slow,” Jack managed. He flexed his fingers. “Do it.”
Henry pumped his finger, then added a second.
He dribbled more lube over his lover’s hole and worked him until he believed Jack was ready.
Although he wanted to keep prepping, Henry withdrew his fingers.
“Jack.” He lubed his dick and lined himself up with his hole.
He pushed. The sweet pressure of being with Jack overwhelmed him.
Sex was even better now that they’d admitted they loved each other.
He pushed fully within Jack. “That’s heaven. ”
“Yes.” Jack bucked against him. The sound of his grunts and his skin on Henry’s echoed in the room.
Henry moved with abandon. Each push into Jack heightened his need. His nerve endings sizzled. His balls grew heavy. He threaded his arms around Jack, holding him to his chest.
Jack tipped his head and kissed him. “Fuck,” he managed between kisses. “Right there.”
Henry’s thrusts turned frantic and Jack moved at his cadence. He flexed around Henry, giving Henry the last push over the edge.
“Fuck me,” Henry cried and surged into Jack. A shiver raced through him. His thoughts blurred and his knees weakened. He added three more thrusts, then stilled. He needed a second to get his bearings.
Jack groaned. “God, it’s hot when you come.”
And hot when Jack did, too. Now it was his turn to get Jack off.
Henry withdrew. He didn’t bother to put his dick away, but instead opened the button on his trousers. He knelt at Jack’s feet. “Babe.”
Jack faced him. “Damn, that’s a pretty sight.”
Henry stroked Jack’s shaft and flicked his tongue across the blunt head.
“Yes.” Jack palmed Henry’s head. “I love it.” He pushed into Henry’s mouth. Soon, he pumped his hips, working his cock in and out of Henry. He tensed and a shudder ripped through him. “God.”
Henry fondled Jack’s balls. He wanted to tell Jack to do it, come for him, but his mouth was too full. He alternated his strokes with his bobbing.
Jack dug his nails into Henry’s scalp. He pushed to the hilt in Henry. “Fuck.” He came hard, sending cum down Henry’s throat.
Henry lapped at him, not wanting to miss a drop. He bobbed his head again, licking Jack clean.
“Holy shit.” Jack let go. He eased his dick out of Henry’s mouth and slid to the floor. A dazed look filled his eyes. “Wow.”
Henry wiped his mouth. “You’re pretty wow, too.” He sat back on his heels and settled between Jack’s knees. “Everything is better when you’re in love.”
“It is.” Jack leaned forward and kissed him. “Think you could live with a restaurateur, be my work partner and life partner? You keep me level and happier than I ever thought possible.”
“Yeah.” He kissed Jack. He wanted nothing less. “If you can handle a writer with a mild obsession with a certain hot dog shop owner and traveling.”
“I can.”
“Then we do this,” Henry said. “All the way.”
“Us?”
“Us.” He was convinced he’d found the man of his dreams.
“Forever.”
Henry cuddled against Jack. He had the love he’d always wanted and the happy ending he deserved with Jack.
Cedarwood just might be the best place on earth. It sure was for Henry. He’d found his home