Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
GABE
You’d think by this point in my life I’d be over getting startled by ghosts, but I’m not. I’m halfway off the couch in an instant, and poor Tom is scrambling to his feet, looking around frantically. “What?”
“Carter, you can’t just let yourself in!” I scold, and Tom exhales with relief and slumps back onto the sofa.
A second later, there’s a slight surge, and Tom’s gaze focuses on the spot where Carter’s standing as he uses energy to make himself visible. At least he has that much courtesy.
“I didn’t want to disturb you if you were busy,” Carter, a former farm manager of the estate, protests. “I thought I’d just dash in, see if you were free, and leave if you were doing things.”
He doesn’t specify what those things are, but I’ve heard enough from the others about how Carter likes to watch gay sex to suspect that he wouldn’t actually have left if that’s what we’d been doing.
“Was there something you needed?” There’s little point scolding or arguing with ghosts. They’re always going to get the last word, what with already being dead and not having anything better to do.
“Just checking in. These are dangerous times, you know, and it’s good for us to look out for each other.”
Uh-huh. Tom smothers his smile and looks at the floor.
“Well, we’re all good here. Everything in order up at the house?” I ask.
“Sure, sure. Only two guests tonight, and they already went up to their room.” He lingers, seemingly waiting for us to… what? Invite him to stay? Never going to happen.
“That’s great. Gives Josh some time to himself. And you ghosts get some peace to watch TV.”
Carter nods like a bobblehead. “It sure does. Is that what you’re going to do? Watch TV?”
I don’t think I can keep a straight face. Luckily, Tom comes to my rescue. “We were talking, actually. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other.”
I swear, he lights up so fast, I want to look for a switch. “Ohhhhhh, that’s right. You’re dating now. Giuseppina said she told you to.”
Say what now? I glance over at Tom, who’s shaking his head in resignation. “She suggested I ask you out, but believe me, that wasn’t the deciding factor.”
“Ha, no, I’m just shocked she approves of me enough for me to date you.
” I’m also a little surprised that she’s okay with him dating any man, after what Tom told me.
But then, I suppose death tends to give people perspective.
A lot of ghosts change their minds about things when they realize how short life really is.
“Oh, Giuseppina loves you, Gabe,” Carter declares with suitable flourish. “She’s always talking about how we just have to trust that you’ll find a way to save us all. She’s positive you’re going to be a big hero.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and then open them, sure I must be hallucinating. “She… what?”
“She’s an interfering old lady who’s missing a few marbles,” Tom snaps. “And you can tell her I said that, Carter. Now, go. Gabe and I are busy, and you’re not welcome to stay.”
Carter’s jaw drops before an offended expression takes up residence on his face. “Giuseppina says you’re a good boy, but I fail to see any evidence of that.” He sniffs, then pops out.
Tom waits a beat. “Is he really gone?”
“He’s really gone.” I reach out and draw him to his feet, then lean in and kiss him. “It’s just us.”
“Mmm.” His lips curve up. “Should I be worried that Carter visited and then suddenly you’re all handsy?”
I freeze midway to kissing him again. “I can’t believe you said that. Now I’m gonna need brain bleach.”
He laughs and pulls me in for another kiss, and soon all thoughts of Carter vanish.
“You got any salt?” he murmurs against my mouth. “Because I really don’t want to be interrupted again.”
“Bedroom.” I start moving backward in that direction, tugging him with me. “It’s lined with salt to keep the ghosts out.”
“Smart.” His approving tone is edged with laughter as he follows. “Gotta say, I never thought salt would be an essential part of sex.”
I snort. “I grew up with Norval poking his nose in whenever he could. Salt was on the shopping list with condoms and lube.”
We step carefully over the salt line that protects my doorway, then tumble onto the bed in a flurry of hands and kisses.
Despite our earlier urgency, for a long time, we just lie tangled together and make out.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had this—someone to just be with.
I’ve been so focused on my education and work and, until a few years ago, raising Matt.
That didn’t leave a lot of time for relationships, so mostly I relied on hookups for sex.
Unfortunately, most of the time hookups don’t want to just cuddle.
Tom hooks his knee over my hip, letting me feel his hard dick against mine. We’re definitely not just cuddling today, though. I want that cock inside me.
Suddenly impatient, I roll him onto his back and break the kiss. “Clothes off.” I tug at his shirt.
His grin is instant. “Whatever you want.” He gives me a little push, then yanks his shirt over his head.
I scramble back and do the same, then get to work on my pants.
By the time I’m naked, my clothes flung carelessly aside, so is he.
I take in the long, muscled length of him—kendo certainly keeps him in great shape.
He leans in to kiss me. “What do you want? We probably should have talked about this earlier.”
I sink into the kiss for one long moment. “I switch. But tonight I want to be fucked.”
“Supplies?”
I turn to grab them from the nightstand, and his hand slides over my ass. I push back against it, and his fingertip catches on my pucker. My breath catches, and his ghosts along my skin as he leans over to pepper kisses along my spine.
“I’m vers too, but I’m totally on board with fucking you tonight.”
I get the lube and a condom in record time. “How do you want me?” It’s stupid, but I hold my breath waiting for his response. It’s not like I think he’ll ask for anything I’m not willing to do, but I know what I want.
“Hands and knees,” he orders, and I obey. My cock is so hard, it’s almost uncomfortable. “God, Gabe, your ass is a masterpiece.” I give a little shimmy, and he lightly slaps one cheek. “Tease.”
“Not teasing,” I say, looking back over one shoulder. “Need me to prep myself?”
“No, I’ll do it.”
And he does. He makes a very thorough job of it, and clearly I haven’t experimented with ass play enough, because I’ve never been this turned on just from being prepped.
He’s the tease now, first coaxing my ring to relax, then exploring every millimeter of me and tormenting my prostate until I’m sweating and begging.
Only then does he withdraw his fingers and reach for the condom. I hear the crinkle of plastic, and a moment later, his hands are bracing my hips.
“You good?” he asks, and I look back at him. His curls have fallen forward onto his forehead, and his eyes are glazed with desire. I love that look on him.
“I’m perfect.”
The smile he gives me is beautiful and does funny things to my insides; and then he lines himself up with my hole and all other thoughts disappear. Even with as relaxed as I am, there’s that slight burn as he pushes forward. I push out, and the burn eases as he slides further in.
“Still good?” He sounds a little breathless now, and I experiment with a little muscle clench. The moan that tears from his throat tells me more than words could.
“Still good,” I assure him. “Fuck me, Tom.”
“Jack yourself, and I will.”
Yeah, that’s not an idea I’ll say no to. I shift my weight to my left elbow and fumble underneath myself, then change my mind and hold out my hand. “Lube me.”
Tom reaches for the lube, and we both groan as the movement brings nerve endings to life. He glops lube into my palm, and then as I grasp hold of my cock, he withdraws his and thrusts back in.
“Fuck, that’s good,” I gasp as he does it again.
“Not good enough.” He adjusts his angle on the next thrust, and I cry out as he nails my prostate. “That’s better. I don’t see your arm moving, Gabe.”
I never thought I’d find bossy in bed so hot. Obediently, I start jerking myself, trying to match his rhythm. He picks up the pace, and so do I, losing myself in the floods of sensation, the sounds of our ragged breathing and occasional choked-off word or grunt.
My balls draw up tight, and I gasp, “Tom, I’m gonna—”
“Come,” he demands. “Come so I can.”
I let the wave take me under. His yell echoes distantly in my ears, but all I care about is how my whole body is racked with agonizing pleasure.
When I can think again, I’m facedown on the mattress, face smushed into a pillow, and Tom’s carefully easing out of me. I turn my head so I can breathe and meet his gaze as he collapses onto the bed beside me.
“We’re gonna need more condoms.”