Category: Flash Fic Friday

**Oh Ben and Zack, how I love thee.  This week brings our story to a close, and Ben is taking over the narration again.  I’m not saying we’ll never see Ben and Zack again, because you never know where they will pop up, but their coda is complete with this week’s challenge of a moving mishap, questioning commitment and serenity.  Enjoy!**

He was so quiet it was starting to become unnerving.  And the less he spoke, the more nervous and quiet I got in return.  We’d been home—well, back in New York at any rate—for one day, the moving van had arrived with my things, and as we unpacked the boxes and crates, Zack had all but ceased speaking.

I had to wonder if he thought he made the wrong decision.  Now that I’d invaded his home, he may have changed his mind.  He possibly discovered that he wasn’t as committed to this as I was, and he didn’t want to be with me forever.  While I wished he’d figured it out before I moved all the way across the country to be with him, I couldn’t really fault him.  Sometimes, it took something that big to open one’s eyes.  I didn’t doubt Zack’s love for me, I just thought that he felt we were moving too fast.

I’d have to live with Josie until I found a place of my own.  Or went back to California.

“Ben, I need to talk to you.”  Zack’s voice was soft, contrite, and full of worry.  Here it was.  He was going to tell me he’d made a mistake and that we would have to part ways and slow down.

“All right then,” I responded slowly, shoring myself up.

Zack took a deep breath, and then he took my hand, pulling until I followed him upstairs and into his spare bedroom turned office.  The movers had shoved my desk up against the far wall.  Zack’s hand trembled as he reached out and opened the box set on top, and then, with another deep breath, tilted it so I could see the contents.  Inside was the antique hot chocolate pot that had belonged to my father’s grandmother, the one she’d protected on the journey across the ocean.  It now lay in three pieces.

“I’m so sorry,” Zack whispered, and I heard the anguish in his voice.  “I swear I packed it carefully, did everything I could to ensure that it would be safe.  But it wasn’t enough, and I found it hours ago and I didn’t know how to tell you and—”

“Zack,” I said, cutting him off and pulling him into my arms.  We were basically the same height, I only had maybe an inch on him, and I loved that I could look right into his deep blue eyes.  “Is that what’s had you so upset?”

He blinked.  “Well, yeah.  It was a family heirloom and it got busted in the move.  The move you made for me.”

I kissed him, quick and hard, my relief making me giddy.  Later, I would tell him what I’d thought, and I knew he’d get indignant that I’d questioned his commitment to me.  But for now, I was so relieved that his behavior had been over a piece of broken porcelain that I couldn’t help but pour that into the kiss.  Zack responded in kind, and it was only when he needed to breathe that he pulled back.  He lifted his hands from where they were clutching my waist so that he could cup my face and tilt my head until he could look right into my eyes.

“You aren’t mad?” he asked like he couldn’t quite believe it.

“I’m not mad,” I responded honestly.  “I’ll glue it back together and set it in the cabinet.  It’s not like it was ever used, and it has more sentimental value then monetary.  It’s fine, I promise.”

“Oh thank fuck,” Zack breathed.  Then he gave me a wicked grin.  He pushed his body a little bit closer, his hands and hips working in conjunction to position me the way he wanted me, which was trapped between him and the desk.  “We’ve worked long and hard today.  I’d say it’s time for a shower, to wash off all the sweat and grime.  And we should probably call it an early night.”

I shivered at his commanding tone, and nodded eagerly, happy to follow behind when he tugged me out of the room.

***

Later that night, Zack was snoring softly beside me.  Even in sleep, he refused to let me get far.  Every time I moved, he moved to match my new position.  I didn’t mind one bit.  Sated and pleasantly sore, I snuggled closer into his embrace.  This was what it was all about.  The deep seeded contentment, and peace I felt in his arms.  Our beginning was not the easiest, and I was certain we’d have arguments and disagreements in the future.  I didn’t expect smooth sailing, and that was just fine.  Nothing worth having was ever easy, and working at a relationship had never scared me.  Just being with him settled something inside me, and it had been like that from the first.  We would have to put in the work to keep things good between us, but we had a solid foundation.

I sighed happily, and pushed even closer, loving that Zack immediately pulled me in tighter.  As I fit my body to his, a sense of true serenity washed through me.  I savored it, knowing it was the kind of thing that didn’t happen often.  It might have taken me decades to find it, but now that I had it, I was never letting it, or Zack, go.

**What to say about this week’s fic?  What the Admiral demands, is what you get.  So more Ben and Zack, as they navigate their relationship.  And also, NSFW.  Enjoy!**

Ben had joined the ranks at Marley, Leonard and Smith seventeen years ago, and had been a junior partner for the last five.  So I wasn’t surprised the firm was throwing my boyfriend a farewell party.  I just hadn’t expected it to be so lavish.  Gourmet food and an open bar combined with tailored suits and cocktail dresses had me feeling completely out of place.  The last time I’d dressed up was when I had to chaperone the senior ball last spring.  I was so far outside of my element, it was all I could do to keep from constantly fidgeting.

But despite the pretentious atmosphere of the restaurant, Ben’s colleagues were pleasant and cheerful.  I got the feeling that they would genuinely miss him, but that they were glad for him at the same time.  I appreciated how much they cared for Ben, and I liked them all.

Well, all except that bitch Clarissa Deveraux.  She was staring at my man like she wanted to unhinge her jaw and swallow him whole.  And then take his office.  I kept an eye on her, just in case.

The party, though lively, wasn’t anywhere close to what could be described as raucous.  It was pleasant, and fun.  But I was more than ready to go home.  I didn’t know any of these people, and though I’d been visiting for five weeks, I’d only been to Ben’s office a handful of times.  I’d met his secretary, Riley, and one of the file clerks, whose name escaped me but that was it.  But I tried to keep my weariness inside.  This was about Ben, who was changing his life for me, and I would not begrudge him his need to reminisce and celebrate with his colleagues.

Two hours later, things finally would down.  As the guest of honor, Ben was among the last to leave.  He was smiling uncontrollably, and his cheeks were bright red.  He let out a contented sigh and leaned heavily against me.  I had to smile.

“My baby is a little bit drunk, huh?” I said softly, guiding him toward the car.  I suspected I’d be the one driving home when he’d returned from the bar with his second glass of wine.  Glass number three confirmed it, and the fourth was just a bonus.

“Not drunk,” he said with a warm, delicious sounding laugh.  “Just tipsy.”

I was sure he was right and glad to hear it.  I pointed the car toward home, and had to concentrate on navigating LA traffic.  The restaurant wasn’t terribly far from Ben’s condo, but everything in LA was a drive and it took us nearly forty-five minutes to get home again.  When Ben didn’t pass out during the drive, I knew he wasn’t lying when he said he wasn’t drunk.

Ten or so minutes from home, he put his hand on my knee, then slowly slid it higher up.  His fingers curled around my thigh, and then devilishly brushed toward my groin.  I sucked in a breath and adjusted my position in the seat, spreading my legs just a bit more.

Ben’s laugh was wicked.

“You know I love you.”  It wasn’t a question.  Ben’s statement was soft but firm, and I spared him a glance to see his brown eyes just glowing.  The man looked hungry

“I should hope so,” I responded even as I tilted my hips to better feel his fingers.  “You’re moving across the country to be with me.”

“Yes.  I am.”  Ben breathed the words like a vow, even as his tone was filled with heat and want.

I barely bit back a groan, and I grabbed his hand and placed it firmly on my dick, curling his fingers around the bulge.  As always, Ben took direction exceedingly well, and he squeezed with exactly the right pressure.  I almost missed the turn onto his street, but I made it just in time.  I literally sped to his driveway, whipping his sedan into its spot with little finesse. I threw the car into park, and then twisted so I could grab his head and bring his lips to mine.

I devoured him.

When I finally pulled back it was only so I could breathe.  Ben’s lips were swollen and red, his entire face flushed with arousal.  I wanted him, right then and there.  But I had enough decorum not to fuck my boyfriend in his car.  Instead, I pulled back farther, unlatched both our seatbelts, and pointed toward the house.

“Get inside,” I commanded, my voice low.  “Now.”

Ben moved quickly. He was always eager, and he loved it when I took charge.  That worked well for us because I loved being in command. I was only seconds behind him and I caught him just as he crossed over the threshold.  I barely took the time to shut the door behind me before I was pressing his body against the entryway wall.

With one hand, I pushed his chin up so I could bite and suck on his neck; with the other, I unhooked and unzipped his pants.  They fell to his knees the instant I had them open, and I felt his cock straining at the fabric of his underwear, wanting to be free.  I would let it out in just a minute.

“Get out of those pants,” I growled, stepping back just far enough to open my own pants and shove them and my boxers down to my thighs.  I kept my gaze fixed on Ben as he struggled to kick out of his shoes.  As soon as he got one leg free, I trapped him again, yanking is underwear down.  Finally, I had it over his socked foot, the rest still hanging off his other leg.  I didn’t care.  I pressed in with my hips, and reached down to grab the back of his thighs.

Ben understood what I wanted immediately, and he wrapped his legs around my waist.  I braced my feet and slid my hand up the back of his thigh and to his ass.

“You still loose?” I asked softly, right in his ear.  He shuddered when I licked the lobe, and arched into me when I bit down.  At the same time, I worked a finger into his ass.  He was still slick, and though not stretched, his muscles gave easily under my touch. “It’s only been a few hours.  Want me back in here?  Want me to fuck you hard up against his wall, baby?”

“Yessss,” he hissed out, rolling his hips so his cock left a wet smear on my shirt.

It was ridiculous.  We were grown men, nearly fully dressed, and unable to control ourselves, ready to fuck in the hallway.  I might have cared if I didn’t want him so damn bad.  If I didn’t know he wanted me just as fiercely.  With a little maneuvering, I was bracing Ben’s weight and had enough leverage to thrust up.  Only when I was ready, did I make sure I had his full attention.

Ben’s eyes burned bright with lust, and I kept my gaze fixed on his ensuring he couldn’t look away as I slid inside his body.  It had only been three days since we dispensed with the condoms, and the feeling of going bare was still new and novel enough to make my eyes roll back.

I set a hard and fast rhythm, knowing it was what we both wanted. What we craved.  Ben’s grip on my shoulders was tight, and I saw the strain in his shoulders as he tried to find leverage enough to meet my thrusts.  Neither one of us wanted to last that long though, so I pounded hard, angling my thrusts until I hit his spot and made him howl.  The relentless pressure inside him made him go over the edge, his entire body tensing as he came.

He pulled me over with him, and I thrust hard into his ass, pushing him into the wall, as I came hard and long.

By the time we finally untangled, Ben could barely stand.  The combination of two orgasms in six hours, four glasses of wine, and a belly full of good food had him lethargic and sleepy.  I loved that look on his face, and the way he leaned against me, trusting me to hold him up.

I loved him too much to ever let him fall.

**Ready to see what’s going on in Ben and Zack’s life since we left them last?  Good!  I’m so glad to hear it.  Because I’m telling you, the Admiral has outdone himself with the challenges, and I only hope I can do them justice.  Enjoy!**

“My parent’s never let me have a dog.”

“What’s that now?”

I grinned, knowing I shouldn’t have just shouted that out from two rooms away.  I stood and traipsed off to find Ben.  He was in his office, sitting it his rolling chair and contemplating the bookshelf with a seriousness that was surprising.  I leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb and smiled.

“What’re you doing?”

“Deciding what to pack and what to get rid of.  I’m only going to take the ones that will be of help to me.” Ben let out a small sigh, and the swiveled to smile me.  “What was it you were saying?”

I walked farther into the room and then parked my ass on the edge of his desk.  It was a beautiful piece of furniture.  Big, heavy, made from cherry and stained a deep, rich color.  I had a feeling I’d have to insist on Ben bringing it along.  But I had no idea where we would put it.  Truth was, I had no idea where we were going to fit most of his stuff.  My duplex wasn’t that big, and while I was happy to get rid of just about anything I needed to in order to make room for Ben’s things, I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.  We would probably have to get a bigger house.  Anxiety started to bubble in my gut.  I’d lived there for five years, right next door to my sister, having moved from her place when the adjoining home became vacant.  I couldn’t imagine not being so close to her.  We had our own space, our privacy, but she was literally seconds away if either one of us needed anything and—

“Zack?” Ben cocked his head to the side.  He looked at me with concern, and then slid a little closer so he could put his hands on my hips.

I forced a smile.  “My parents never let me have a dog,” I repeated, faking a lightness in my tone.  “I never got one after I lived on my own because it didn’t seem like the right time.  I thought maybe we could get one, when we got back home.”  I swallowed hard.

Ben rolled even closer, and wrapped his arms around my waist.  I spread my knees so he could fit between them.  “I guess we could.  Something small and not too yappy maybe?  Or a cat would be better.  I didn’t have pets growing up.  Mother thought they were too messy.”

Oh hell, his mother.  His father had passed years before, and I had lost my own parents, but Ben’s mother was still alive.  Not that he had much to do with her.  The occasional phone call just to check in, but nothing more.  She had problems with his chosen profession, his sexual orientation, and where he’d bought his home.  Ben always tried to sound like it wasn’t that big a deal when he spoke of her, but I thought she was a judgmental bitch. I hadn’t met her, and I didn’t know if I would.  And despite the fact that Ben didn’t get along with his mother, I couldn’t help but suddenly worry that he would regret moving so far away from her.  She was his mother after all, and in her seventies.   Surely that was enough to make Ben rethink moving to the other side of the country.

I wanted him with me, and I agreed that it made sense for him to come to New York, but suddenly I couldn’t see how it would work.  It was too big and too much to change.  There was no way he could be happy, not in my tiny little duplex on the opposite side of the country where it snowed.  Hell, he wanted a cat, not a dog, and as much as I loved him there just couldn’t be—

Soft kisses to the bare skin of my belly distracted me, and I looked down into Ben’s warm brown eyes.  Then he took a deep breath, and blew a raspberry on my skin.  I laughed and shied away, unable to help the ingrained reaction.  Ben’s laugh was rich, and he grabbed my hips tightly to keep me from moving.

“Stop thinking,” he said softly but firmly, tugging me down onto his lap.  I was too big to fit, but a few minutes wouldn’t be a problem.

“Ben,” I said quietly, reaching up and pushing my fingers into his thick hair.  “Are you sure you want to give up your life here for me?”

His face turned serious, and I knew by the way he looked at me that he wanted my full attention.  I gave it to him, and his smile was warm and reassuring.

“I’m not giving anything up,” he said, his tone full of conviction.  “I’m readjusting.  There’s a marked difference.  Yes?”

I nodded face, and Ben’s smile grew.  He pulled me in, and hugged me tightly.

“I love you,” he whispered against my ear.

“I love you back,” I said in the same tone.  And then pulled back far enough to glare.  “But I’m not getting a cat.”

Ben threw his head back and laughed.  “Once we get settled, we’ll revisit the dog discussion then.”

I nodded, and grinned.  I would win.  I wasn’t above resorting to using sex to my advantage if I needed to. In fact, there was no reason we couldn’t indulge a little right now.  I stood and took his hand, pulling him up and tugging.  I loved him and he loved me. Everything else could wait.

**Oh, you guys.  On Monday, my newest novella released, and I love these guys so much.  But you know what that means.  Fridays in June, following along on the continuing saga of Ben and Zack.  The Admiral came up with some great challenges, starting with this one.  A drive, a date, and a dance–this time from Zack’s POV. Enjoy!**

The thing I really couldn’t get over was the lack of humidity.

I was well aware that it made me strange but I’d been here for five days, and I still couldn’t believe the air wasn’t an oppressive wall of heat.  Back home, eighty-five degree days would have me begging for mercy, the air so thick with moisture it was hard to breathe.  But not in California.  It was dry here, despite the ocean being so close, and I just couldn’t get over the difference.  Ben stopped teasing me about my wide eyed wonder on the second day.  Now I just got indulgent smiles.

Saturday morning dawned bright and clear, and the AC had already kicked on.  It didn’t make a difference to me.  I was snug and cozy in Ben’s bed, with Ben wrapped tightly around me.  Every morning I woke like this I felt luckier than the last.  A week ago, I still wasn’t sure that I could have this.  I knew now we’d be spending our lives together.  But that didn’t diminish the wonder I felt at being in his arms.

If I were honest, I hoped it took decades before that feeling faded.

I could tell the moment that Ben started to wake up, because his body went from that heavy, relaxed state to tense for just a moment before he stretched.  I remained still, knowing he still wasn’t used to having someone else in his bed.  After a moment, he pressed his nose into the back of my head, inhaled deeply, and then kissed my neck.  I smiled and slowly rolled over to face him.

“Let’s get up and go for a drive.” He didn’t even bother with a good morning or a kiss.  His eyes were alight with excitement, and I wouldn’t be the one to dampen it.  I would do whatever he wanted.  He was the one packing up his life and moving across the country for me.

I kissed him first, deep and hard, before I gently slid out of bed.  “Sure.  Drive to where?” I asked as I headed for the bathroom.  Suddenly my bladder was making itself known.

Ben just grinned and waggled his eyebrows.  A secret then.  I chuckled and shut the door, crossing the cold tiled floor to the toilet.  If he wanted it to be a surprise, that was fine.  I trusted him and I knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.  As I bent to lift the lid, I shouted out, “Fine!  But make me coffee.”

Ben’s laughter was a beautiful sound.

***

We ended up driving for more than an hour on the Pacific Coast Highway.  I craned my neck, trying to take it all in.  This was the famed PCH, highway number 1, right along the coast.  The tourist in me was desperate to see it all.

“It’ll be better on the way back. The ocean will be on your side.”  Ben gave me a grin, and squeezed my knee.  I captured his hand and brought his fingers to my lips.  I loved this man and I wanted him to know it.  I never wanted him to doubt his decision.  And I was a bit afraid, that with a view like this, he would change his mind.

Eventually, we reached our destination.  Malibu was gorgeous and when we parked the car, Ben was quick to come around to open my door.  He took my hand and pulled me in close, his extra inch or two of height making it so that I had to crane my head back, just a little.  One of his hands came up to cup my jaw, his thumb brushing my bottom lip.

“Here’s to a date you’ll always remember.”  His voice was soft and sultry, and I had to swallow hard.  He had to know that I’d never be able to forget this.

We walked on the beach.  We ate at a sweet little restaurant that had the best seafood I’d ever tasted.  Ben had the scallops and angel hair pasta, which he let me taste.  I had beer-battered halibut that was to die for. We walked on the pier and stopped in the souvenir shops.  It was a fantastic day, and when we made our way back to his car, I was feeling relaxed, happy, and joyful.

I was transfixed to my window on the way back, staring in awe at the ocean.  It wasn’t the first time I’d ever seen such a vast amount of water, but this coast seemed even more beautiful and majestic than mine.  Again, I was worried that Ben wouldn’t want to leave all this behind.  New York had its own beauty, things that I was overly fond of, but I had been raised in it.  Hell, I even loved the snow.  But New York was so vastly different from California, I was worried Ben would regret his decision.

I was so absorbed in the ocean and my thoughts that I didn’t almost didn’t notice when Ben pulled off the PCH and into a scenic lookout.  There were no other cars in the gravel space, but it afforded a gorgeous view of the sun setting over the ocean.  I scrambled out of the car without even sparing Ben a glance.  I needed to see this up close and personal.  The steep edge was protected by large boulders, and I walked right up to them before I stopped.

A moment later, Ben was behind me, wrapping me up in his arms and pulling me back against his chest.  We were quiet for a long time, soaking in the peace and the crashing waves, and the bird calls.

“Are you going to miss it here?” I finally got the courage to whisper.

Ben squeezed me tightly.  “Of course I will,” he said easily, and my heart sank.  But he kept talking.  “We’ll have to come back and visit at least once a year, don’t you think?”

Just like that, everything seemed lighter.  Ben was the master at compromise, and I couldn’t be luckier because he loved me and wanted to make a life with me.  I laughed as I turned in his arms, pulling him in close, and starting to sway.  Looking up into his deep brown eyes, I hummed a tune as I moved our bodies.  Ben matched my movements immediately, joining in the dance without qualm.

I was the luckiest man on earth, because Ben Winters loved me.

**Oh this one was a challenge at first, but once I got the right combination, the words flowed freely.  The Admiral’s challenge this week was a new place, a forgotten friend, and an old folk’s home.  I hope you enjoy!**

I stood there in the barren living room, boxes at my feet and only one curtain on the window, trying my best not to let melancholy and ennui consume me.  It was a nice house.  Beautiful in fact.  A little smaller than the one we had left, but not by much.  It had an adorable breakfast nook and copper pipes, and real hardwood floors.  There was a fireplace in the living room and another one in the master bedroom.  It was a great house, and I knew I’d come to love it in time.

Problem was, I’d really, really loved our old house and I was still having trouble letting go.

Henry walked in, his steel toed work boots thumping on the floor, and he gave me a sad sort of smile as he came closer.  I let him pull me into his arms.  I love the way I fit underneath his chin, the way his big arms enveloped me and held me tight.  I sighed and snuggled in.  He kissed the top of my head.

“I know how hard this is for you,” he said softy, right in my ear.  “Thank you for doing this.”

I squeezed him tightly. “You don’t have to thank me.  I miss our house, but I’ll get used to the new place before you know it. This was the right thing to do.  It’s a hell of a lot closer.”

Henry pulled back enough so that he could look me in the eye.  “And that’s why I’m thanking you.” I saw the sincerity in his face.  “I love you, Jack.”

I grinned.  “As I love you.  Now get out of the way of the movers, all right?”

Henry nodded and laughed, moving and taking me with him so we were clear of the two men carrying in our couch.

Yes it was a tough transition because I didn’t like change.  But it was necessary, and I didn’t regret it in the least.

***

Early the next day, we both tumbled out of bed and showered, dressed and ate breakfast in relative silence.  I knew where Henry’s head was and I didn’t want to break into his thoughts.  This was the reason we had moved back to the city where he’d grown up instead of continuing to live more than two hours away.  I was fortunate; I could do my job anywhere and I worked from home as an editor.  Henry was less lucky, as he’d had to find a new job.  But it was worth it, it was the right thing, and we both knew it.  We were both willing to make concessions.

I was just shutting and locking the front door when a jovial shout caught my attention.  I turned to find my boyfriend hugging a man wearing nothing but basketball shorts, sneakers, and sweat.  They laughed, and Henry’s smile was huge as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and started typing things in.  I walked slowly off the porch, trying to rein in my jealousy, but by the time I made it down the front walk, Sweaty Runner was running away and Henry was shaking his head and staring at his phone in disbelief.

He looked up when I approached.

“Who was that?” I asked as innocently as I was able.

Henry just laughed, not fooled by my tone in the least.  “A friend.  Tom.  From high school actually.”  He looked me in the eye.  “He and his partners live around the corner.  I haven’t seen him since we graduated.  Christ, I’d forgotten he even existed until now.”

I relaxed and tried for a smile.  “Partners?”

Henry nodded, took my head, and led me to the car.  “Yep.  Apparently the three of them are very happy together.  Tom said they’d invite us over for a cookout once we got settled in.  Maybe next weekend or something.”

“That’s nice,” I said, trying to mean it.  Henry gave me a knowing grin and a light poke before he started the car and began driving.

What used to take us two and half hours, including a stop to pee, now took us fifteen minutes with red lights.  When we pulled into the parking lot of the nursing home, I could tell how happy Henry was that we were now so close.

It was an amazing place, as far as nursing homes went, but I knew how much the decision had weighed on Henry to put his father here six months ago.  And even though we made the journey once a week, that in and of itself was taxing.  My man was a solid rock of awesome, but this was a terribly emotionally wearing thing.  Henry loved his dad, and to watch the elderly gentleman wither had been hard.  But Alzheimer’s was stealing his father, despite that the man was barely seventy, and Hal could no longer take care of himself.

We checked in without fuss.  The staff knew us well by now from our Sunday pilgrimages, and it was a simple process of signing in and getting our visitor badges as they already had copies of our licenses on file.  Joelle was working the front desk and she gave us a smile and a wave as we moved around the corner and down the hall to Hal’s room.

The man was sitting in his rocking chair by the window which had a great view of the courtyard.  It was too chilly to take Hal outside today, but next week would probably be better.  Hal looked up when we entered. He blinked his rheumy blue eyes, and then swiped a hand over his frizzy gray hair.

“You’re early today,” he said with a voice like shoes on gravel.  But both Henry and I grinned widely.  Apparently today was a good day, and Hal knew what was going on.  There were times when we visited that he didn’t; when he couldn’t remember his son was gay let alone had been in a loving relationship with me for ten years.  All three of us liked it much better when Hal had his wits about him.

“Yeah,” Henry said, smiling even wider and leaning down to kiss his father’s cheek.  “We moved back to town, so I can come see you more often.  And so we don’t have to drive as far every week.”

Hal’s brow creased.  “Did I know that?”

Henry worked to keep his smile in place.  “Yeah.  But that’s okay, I forget shit all the time.”

His father scowled, because he hated it when Henry tried to blow things off like no big deal.  I steeled myself for an explosion.  Hal had always had a bit of a temper, and there were moments now when it was so much worse.  But instead of getting angry, Hal turned his attention to me.

“Well then.  Jack, show me the pictures I know you have on that gadget.”

I breathed out a sigh, pulled my phone out of my pocket, and perched on the arm of his chair so I could show him all the pictures of the new house.  Henry took up position on Hal’s other side so that he could give a running commentary.  Hal, for his part, was interested and asked questions.  He even expressed an interest in seeing it.  Since he was having such a good day, Henry went to sign Hal out for the day as I crossed to the closet to get Hal a sweater.

“You’re a good man, Jack,” Hal’s voice was soft and creaky and stopped me in my tracks.  “You love my boy and you do what’s good for him.”

I turned around, sweater clutched in my hand, and tried not to cry.  “Well, Henry makes it easy to love him.  He had a good role model, growing up.”

Hal opened his mouth, then shut it with a snap. He averted his gaze “Gimme my sweater.”

I smiled as I helped him into it. This was absolutely the right decision to make, and it was turning into a wonderful day.

**I really do have a thing for alliteration.  It’s why I wanted to do Flash Fic Fridays in the first place.  The Admiral indulges me once again with fries, Fate, and fortune.  Enjoy!**

“Fries?  Really?  You got fries?  There’s, like, seven thousand things to choose from at the buffet and you come back to the table with a plateful of fries?”

I huffed out a breath as I sat down, and tried not to be grossed out at the food piled high on my best friend’s plate.  Not only was everything touching—just the thought of that made me shudder—but there wasn’t a single item there that I would eat. Kyle had shoved just about anything he could on his plate, and I nearly gagged at the sight.  I averted my gaze, and reached for a fry.

“Well,” I said quietly, trying for diplomatic.  “You know I’m not a big fan of Chinese food.”

Kyle paused, a piece of chicken dripping sweet and sour sauce halfway to his mouth.  “Shit,” he cursed, sounding truly remorseful.  “I forgot you hate Chinese food.”

“Not hate,” I corrected softly.  “Just don’t like very much.”

“Yeah, well.” Kyle shook his head, then put his bite in his mouth and chewed, swallowed, and shrugged a shoulder.  “Man, I’m sorry.  You could have told me no.”

I had, in fact, tried to say no.  But Kyle hadn’t been hearing me, and when I realized that he had his heart set on it, I couldn’t say no.  Besides, it was a buffet and while I really wasn’t overly fond of Chinese food, I knew there’d be at least a few things I could and would eat.  Like the fries.

“Its fine,” I assured him, smiling wide and eating another fry.  “I’m perfectly content to partake of the fries.  And probably pudding.  Maybe ice cream after.  Oh!  And I do like fortune cookies.”  I reached for the two cookies on the table, and I closed my fingers around one.

Lightning fast, Kyle caught my wrist and squeezed.  “Have this one,” he said gruffly, directing my hand to the other cookie on the table.  I shot him a glance, but I couldn’t discern his thoughts from his passive visage.  I shook my head, and picked up the cookie he indicated.

It only took moment to peel away the plastic and snap the cookie in half.  I removed the slip of paper and tossed half of the cookie in my mouth, chewing while I read my fortune.  My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, and I if I hadn’t chewed so thoroughly, I would have choked.

“What does it say?” Kyle asked, his voice low.

I shook my head, ready to crumple the bit of paper and shove it in my pocket.  “It doesn’t matter. It’s not even a real fortune.  Eat your lo mein.”

“Finn, come on.  What does your fortune say?”

It was then that I noticed he’d abandoned his food, his regard fixed only on me.  He had the other cookie clutched in his hand.  He’d opened the wrapper, but he hadn’t yet broken into the cookie to read his own fortune.

I nodded toward his hand.  “You tell me yours first.”

He blinked, surprised, and it seemed to take him a moment to get himself together.  Then he shook his head, and his voice dropped an entire register.  “Please Finn.  What does yours say?”

He was so earnest, so intent, I knew something else was going on here.  With his undivided attention, I was certain something else was at work.  I didn’t need to look at the paper in my hand to accurately quote it, and even though I had to swallow hard to say the words out loud, I couldn’t deny him anything.  He was asking, and so I answered.

“Your best friend is in love with you.”

Kyle’s breath caught, and he kept his gaze fixed on mine as he cracked open his cookie.  He barely even glanced down at the paper, before returning his regard to me.  “It’s fate.  That’s what this is.  Because my fortune says ‘you are in love with your best friend.’”

“I don’t think you understand the definition of fate, Kyle.  Fate is—” I stopped short when I realized exactly what was going on here.   My heart started to pound. “Kyle?”

“Okay, so.  I love you, Finn.  And I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Suddenly it all made sense.  His insistence on this restaurant.  Him directing me to a particular cookie.  Hell, even the fact that he wasn’t wearing his ever present ball cap and dingy t-shirt should have clued me in.  We spent all our time together, and I knew him better than I knew myself.  I should have seen this coming.

But I’d been so caught up in my own feelings, and being certain they were unrequited, that I hadn’t seen the bigger picture.  I took a deep breath, and then another.  Then I reached across the table and took ahold of Kyle’s hand.

“The fortunes could have just as easily gotten mixed up,” I said softly.  “And then would have been equally true.”

It took him a moment to work out what I was saying, but when he did, his smile was bright enough to light the entire room.  I grinned back, knowing we were at the start of a new level in our relationship. And that this story was going to be a fantastic one to share when we were ninety and sharing a room in the nursing home.

**The admiral indulges my love of alliteration this week–lighthouse, logic, and Lords and Ladies.  Enjoy!**

The historical lighthouse was open for tours during the day, but on the first Saturday night after the first Friday of every month, it was a gathering place.  The men and women in tuxedos and ball gowns wore masks to obscure their identity.  The masks were elaborate creations, adorned with feathers, beads, and gold and silver.  Trying to guess who was behind which mask was one of my favorite parts of the evening.  It wasn’t an easy task.

The Society of Lords and Ladies was all about secrets.

I’d been a member for five years, and attended meetings regularly.  In the real world I was Joe Johnson, mild mannered accountant and sci fi nerd.  But when I donned the tux and mask, and set foot on the small island that held the massive lighthouse, I was the suave and debonair Lord Covington.

The evenings were filled with intellectual conversation and lots of champagne.  I always limited myself to one glass, but there were those members who liked to overindulge.  Lady Smythwick, whose purple gowns were always a bit garish and whose mask ended up on the floor by the end of the night, often had six or seven glasses herself.  But for the most part it was a gathering of fifty or so people who liked to have fun, good conversation, and a little good humored role playing.

Tonight, the main floor of the lighthouse was packed, and the buzz from the multiple conversations was loud.  I’d had my glass of champagne, and several hor d’oeuvres. Though the lighthouse was a good fifty feet in circumference at the base, I was feeling the crush.  Having not drawn the attention of anyone in several long minutes, I took a chance and slipped to the base of the spiral staircase.  I was in fairly good shape, and it took me no time at all to climb the thirty feet to the lantern room.  This particular lighthouse had been decommissioned a good twenty years ago, and the light no longer worked.  But my goal was the peace and quiet, and on this balmy summer night, I slipped through the door onto the widow’s walk.

I was alone only for five or six minutes, before the door creaked open.  I turned to see a large, broad shouldered man in an ivory and black harlequin half mask step through.  He looked strong and capable, his skin a sunkissed bronze that made me think of him lying in the sun.  He smiled when he saw me, showing off his white, even teeth in the moonlight.  I couldn’t help but grin back.

“Lord Covington,” he greeted, his voice a deep rumble.

I inclined my head and stepped to the side so he would have more room.  “Lord Temple.”

Lord Temple stood close enough that I could feel his body heat.  I wanted to lean into him.  Over the past six months, I’d found myself in conversation with him more often than not.  He was fascinating, and the way his mind worked never failed to engage me.  Several months ago, we’d gotten into a heated argument over the legislature’s proposed amendment, and it had taken me an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize he was simply playing the devil’s advocate.  He was sharp, intelligent, and kind.  I wished I knew who he was outside of the Society.

“Would you care to engage in a wager, Lord Covington?”

The man’s question caught me off guard, and for a moment I was shocked.  I recovered quickly, and considered his offer.  “What are the stakes?”

“If I win, you agree to an evening out with me,” Temple said.

I squinted suspiciously, tilting my head a little to see him better through the eyeholes of my mask.  “And if I win?”

Temple’s grin was smug.  “You won’t.  But if you do, you can claim whatever prize you wish.”

I was thoroughly intrigued now.  I took a fraction of a step closer.  “Terms?”

Lord Temple lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug.  “I will tell you about yourself and you will answer honestly if I get it right.”

“All right,” I said after a second’s hesitation.  There was no way he could know who I was.  One of the tenants of the Society was that everyone’s true identity remained a secret.  While there were no clandestine dealings going on, it was part of the fun.

“Your name is Joe, and you are an accountant.  You’ve been working for the same firm for at least ten years, and while you like it, you don’t love it.”

I took a huge step back, putting space between us.  “How in the fuck did you know that?” I hissed.

“Logic,” Lord Temple said with a smug superiority that really should have pissed me off.

“Bullshit,” I accused.  “Someone had to have told you.”

He shook his head, and some of his arrogant demeanor vanished.  “No really.  You look around anytime anyone says Joe.  You have a body honed from the gym, which leads me to believe that your physique is not from a physical job and therefore you most likely work in an office.  Three months ago, we got into a discussion about fiscal responsibility and your head for numbers and figures lead me to believe you work with numbers on a daily basis.  Accountant is the most logical profession, though there could be others.”

I was impressed and did my best not to show it.  “And knowing I’ve worked ten years at the same place that I don’t love?”

He smiled then, and leaned closer like he was sharing a secret.  “Last month, you complained that ten years on the job was enough to drive anyone crazy.  Later in the same conversation, you said you liked your job, but that you wouldn’t be opposed to a change.  I…inferred.”

I loved his brain.  That he’d not only heard what I said, but pieced the information together to begin to form a picture of me.  That he’d taken that kind of interest made my pulse pick up. I thought it had been one sided on my part.  Now I knew it wasn’t.

I closed the distance between us, and reached up for his mask.  He caught my wrists, but didn’t pull my hands away.

“If I’m going on a date with you,” I said softly.  “And you know so much about me, don’t you think I should at least see your face?”

Lord Temple grinned.  Then he let go of my wrists, and I pulled away the mask.

My smile was bright enough to outshine the moon.

** This one was a fun one to write.  In fact, it surprised me with some of the bits.  For this week’s challenge we have maid service, an ugly dog, and a big change.  Enjoy!**

The Fairlaine Hotel had been built in the 1860’s.  Its castle-like stone façade had maintained its original beauty and the grounds were painstakingly maintained by an exceedingly excellent staff of groundskeepers.  The interior had been updated on numerous occasions, and the current incarnation had all the amenities of a 5 star hotel while still looking like it belonged to another time.  I managed the whole operations, a coup for someone my age, and I loved every stressful overworked second of it.  I was never completely off duty, though the night manager did take some of the burden from my shoulders.  I very rarely left the property though, because I needed to be on hand to take care of any situation

One of the best things about living in a hotel was the maid service.  I never had to worry about towels, or making the bed.  I never had to vacuum or dust.  My suite of rooms was always neat and tidy.  The guest rooms were always catered to first, but once that had been taken care of, the staff suites were also cleaned.  Usually my rooms were done by the time I managed to make it up there at about eight P.M.  So I was surprised when I walked down the hall and saw the maid cart outside my door, which was propped open.

It all made sense when I walked in.  Leo had only been on staff at the Fairlaine for three weeks, and this was his first shift on his own.  It made sense that it would take him a bit longer to complete his tasks until he really got into the swing of things.  I stood there and watched him work for a moment.  Leo was efficient, though slow, and I had no doubt that he’d eventually handle himself well.  I was pleased with his progress, and with the young man himself.

Until I heard a bark.

Shocked, my gaze shot to the corner where a dog was sitting patiently on a pile of towels.  Not just a dog though.  It had to be the ugliest dog I had ever seen.  It was some sort of mix, but it had gotten the worst off all the traits.  Its ears were long and hairless, its snout somewhere between smooshed in and long and pointy, and its fur was mottled brown, red, white, and gray without any discernable pattern.  It looked like someone had taken a bunch of leftover parts, tossed them into a blender, and this dog was the result.  I would have felt sorry for it, except I shouldn’t have seen it in the first place.

I was going to hate to fire Leo—he had promise—but pets were not allowed in the hotel.  Animals of any kind were banned, unless they were a registered service animal.  This dog, happily panting in the corner, was most certainly not.

I cleared my throat.  Leo startled and jumped, then whirled around, eyes wide.  He colored prettily, even as he started to stammer out an apology.

“Mr. Carpenter, sir!  I’m sorry.  I can explain.”

Oh this I had to hear.  I motioned for him to go on.  Leo took a deep breath. “I was a little slow today because I had to keep running and checking—” he cut himself off with a shake of his head, and then let his head drop low.  “I swear I finished all the guest rooms in a timely manner.”

“Leo,” I said as gently as I could, and waited for him to look up at me.  “First of all, I told you already, you don’t have to call me Mr. Carpenter.  No one does.  Okay?”

He nodded and kept his wide eyes fixed on me.  I smiled to soften the next words.

“But dogs aren’t allowed in the hotel.  Ever.  No exceptions.”  I gave him a stern glare, but as I saw the true sadness creep into his eyes, my “boss” persona faded.  I held open my arms and he came running into them.  I squeezed him tightly and kissed the side of his head.  “Sorry, love.  You knew that when you moved in here with me.  Where in the hell did you get that mutt anyway?”

“Found him,” Leo mumbled into the skin of my neck.  “He was dirty and hungry and obviously it had been awhile since he was loved.  But he’s friendly and so sweet.”

I gave Leo an extra squeeze.  “I’m sorry, but we can’t keep him.”

Leo nodded and pulled away.  He looked up at me with his big blue eyes, and I was ready to promise him the world.  He knew it too, but I had to give him credit for toning it down.  This wasn’t something I could change.  Or could I?

“You know,” I said thoughtfully, my gaze straying to the happy, ugly dog in the corner.  “I bet a lot of our guests would like to bring their pet along.  I bet we’d get twice as many bookings if we were pet friendly.”

“What are you thinking?” Leo asked.  I saw hope light his eyes.

“That there’s that shed by the pond that’s sitting empty.  And it would make a great place for a pet spa and daycare.  That allowing guests to bring their animals would mean higher revenue in the long run.”

Leo nodded.  “Yeah, but…” He paused and glanced at the dog.  “Can you really make that happen?”

“It’d be a big change,” I said absently, my mind working.  “It would take some convincing to get the owners to agree.  I’d have to go to them with a solid plan.  And there would have to be someone who would dedicate themselves to being Animal Guest Liaison.”

Leo caught on fast.  I always knew he was smart.  “I’d be an awesome Animal Guest Liaison.”

“You would,” I agreed.  I pulled him in tight again, and kissed him soundly, only to be interrupted by the dog barking.  I pulled back with a scowl.  “In the meantime, you have to find somewhere else for the dog to stay.”

“Krissy would take him, as long as I didn’t make her keep him indefinitely.”

“Your sister is a gem.”  I nodded, then stepped away.  “Finish your work, take the dog to Krissy’s, and then we’ve got research to do.”

Leo nodded, and moved to do as I directed.  But then he stopped and turned, gracing me with his biggest, most heartfelt smile.  “I love you.  And I love that you would do this for me.”

“It’s not just for you,” I protested.  We both knew it was a lie.  I laughed.  “I love you too, babe.  Get to work.”

**Friday is here again, and this week the Admiral said snails, an accident, and the last dance.  I hope this suffices.  Enjoy!**

“It was an accident.  I didn’t mean to!”

I was trying not to be pissed, but it wasn’t working very well.  I was sitting across from Shayne, and I just stared.  I knew he hadn’t meant to knock me over on purpose.  I know he hadn’t seen the giant puddle of muddle rainwater.  But somehow I didn’t think that would have stopped him, even if he had seen it.  And that was why I was really upset.

“It was a snail,” I said, keeping my voice low.  That didn’t stop the anger from creeping in though.  I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then lifted my gaze to look him directly in the eye. “A tiny, harmless, innocuous snail.  I couldn’t do anything to you.”

Shayne wrinkled his nose in distaste even as he blushed.  “There were, like, a dozen of them.  And they are so disgusting.  I just—” He shook his head.  “I’m sorry, Jack.  I am.  But I freaked out when I saw them all.”

He was sincere, that much was easy to see.  But I’d been the one who had spent the entire wedding reception sitting in wet pants.  I’d done the best I could to dry the off in the bathroom, but it had done little to help.  As it was, the pants were ruined.  They’d been one of my nicer pairs.  The ones I pulled out when I had to actually dress up at work in order to impress a client.  Perhaps even more than that, they looked fantastic on me.  I had a pretty nice body to begin with, but these pants did really good things for my thighs and ass.  They were a total loss now.

But deep down, I knew he hadn’t meant it.  He’d just reacted.  And if I were completely honest, Shayne’s passion was one of the things that had drawn me to him in the first place.  He reacted to everything with his whole heart and mind, and I absolutely loved that about him. So a few dozen tiny snails in the parking lot grossed him out, and he reacted as only he could.

Another deep breath, and I tried again to let the anger go.  It wasn’t worth it.  And when I caught sight of him staring at me from across the table, his big eyes pleading, I knew I’d forgive him.  He’d been overly solicitous all night, running to the bar whenever I wanted a beer, fetching my food from the buffet, and bringing back the biggest piece of cake that he could find.  He hadn’t complained once about staying so late either, which was a record in and of itself.

The reception was finally winding down.  The brides had left an hour or so ago, off to a sweet little bed and breakfast in the Adirondacks for a week, and the only guests left were us stragglers.  I’d spent most of the nice holding court at my table, entertaining family and friends.  But now, there were only a few dozen people left and the DJ was ready to pack it in for the night.  She announced the last song, and a slow love song started playing.

I looked back across the table at the love of my life, and found myself smiling.  Without saying a word, I held out my hand. Shayne was quick to take it.  I tugged gently, and he stood.  We joined the last few couples on the parquet floor.  I pulled him into my arms, loving the way he fit, and started swaying to the music.

Shayne snuggled in even closer, wrapping one arm around my waist.  I tucked his other hand against my chest, right over my heart.  He smiled, his face lighting, and I found myself returning the grin.  We moved to the sweeping ballad, our bodies in perfect sync.

“I love you Jack,” Shayne breathed, his gaze intense.  “And I’m sorry I accidentally pushed you into a puddle because of the gross snails.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped.  “I love you too.  And you can make it up to me, once we get home and you take off my pants.”

For just a second, his eyes widened, and then his lids dropped to half-mast as he caught on.  “Can we leave now?”

I pulled him in tighter.  “We have to finish our dance.”

Shayne melted against me, laying his head on my shoulder, and breathing out a sigh.  Somehow I was certain that the last dance was just the beginning

**Okay, so this one is different than the normal fics.  For one thing?  It’s not so much a flash as it is a short story in three parts.  For another?  It’s NSFW.  The Admiral wanted firsts; First Kiss, First Time, First Love.  So that’s what you get.  Young love, and a string of firsts.  Enjoy!**

First Kiss

Caleb was the most beautiful boy in the world.  Tall, strong, blond haired and blue eyed, he was the All American ideal of perfect.  He was the senior class president, popular as all hell, and kind and generous too.  He was everything I wanted, and everything I knew I could never have.

I was a lowly junior, a year younger, five inches shorter, and at least twenty pounds heavier.  I all but worshipped him, and he starred in my nightly fantasies.  But I knew that he would never look my way.  At least not the way I wanted him to.  And though I did my best to keep my adoration of him from showing on my face, I was pretty sure he had at least an idea of the way I felt about him.

We were friends, of a sort.  We ran in some of the same circles, and we were both members of the Gay Straight Alliance at our school.  I was definitely gay.  Caleb was bi.  He had both girls and boys fawning all over him, and he was nice to them all.  I had garnered the attention of no one, except the creepy guy in algebra class who sometimes stared at me without blinking.  I was still not sure whether he wanted to kiss me or chain me up in his basement.

I was working hard to get over my crush.  I knew it would never go anywhere.  A person couldn’t help who they were attracted to.  I couldn’t change the fact that Caleb did it for me anymore than I could change that I didn’t do it for him.  I understood that’s how it worked.  It wasn’t easy though, because I genuinely liked the guy on top of wanting to strip him naked and do dirty things with him.

As usual, these thoughts swirled in my brain as I shouldered my bulging backpack and started trudging toward home.  The final bell had rung since it wasn’t Tuesday, the day that the GSA met, I had no after school activities.  The only thing on my agenda was to go home and start my homework.  Fun.

The sound of a car approaching had me squeezing over to the side of the road.  There was no sidewalk here on the tiny street that led out of the back of the school property, which I thought was stupid.  And I hope whatever jackass in the car was going to be polite and not run me into the grass. That happened more often than not.

But the car slowed to a crawl and then was barely moving as it pulled up alongside me.  The whir of the window lowering had me looking, ducking just a bit to see how was inside, and coming face to face with Caleb.

“Hi, Nick,” he said in that low, happy tone he almost always had.  “Need a ride?”

I swallowed hard.  I reminded myself we were sort of friends and that Caleb was just a really nice guy.  That way, I wouldn’t read too much into it.  “Thanks, but I don’t live far.”

For a fraction of a second, a frown marred his pretty face.  “Get in anyway.  Your backpack looks really heavy.”

I contemplated him for a moment, decided he was for real, and opened the door.  “Thanks,” I said as I slid into the seat.  I had to work at fitting my bag between my feet on the floor.  “Teacher conspiracy today to pile on the homework.”

He laughed, deep and hearty.  A warm feeling spread in my stomach at having made him do it.  I grinned.

“I know that feeling,” he said when he calmed down.  “So, where’m I going?”

I gave him directions and he started driving again. It only took me ten minutes to walk home on a bad day, and in a car we were pulling down my street about three minutes later.  We didn’t even have time to start a conversation, let alone for the silence to grow awkward.  I reminded myself again that Caleb was a really nice guy.

“You weren’t kidding,” he said when he pulled into my driveway.

“Yeah.” I tried for a smile.  I was sad that our time was already at an end, and kicking myself for sitting there quietly when I could have been talking to him.  I reached for the handle.  “Thanks again.”

His hand on my arm stopped me, and I turned to look at him.  He was biting his plump bottom lip, and then he released it and took a deep breath.  “Nick, hey listen.  Are you dating anyone?”

I couldn’t stop the snort of disbelief.  “Yeah, right.”  What the hell?  Was he making fun of me?

“I’m serious,” Caleb said, and his tone made me think he was.  “You’re adorable.  And sweet and funny and…” he stopped to blow out a breath.  “Are you?”

Holy shit.  I swallowed hard.  “No.”

“Good.” And then he did the impossible and reached out to cup my cheek.  For a moment he did nothing but stare, and then he lean forward, gently brushing his lips against mine.  I made a noise I couldn’t even describe.  He was kissing me.  Not just a kiss, but my first kiss. His lips were warm and dry, soft against my own, and even better than I imagined.  But just as I was getting over the shock and really getting into it, he pulled back.

“What?” I said, just staring at him but not really focusing.

His thumb brushed against my bottom lip.  “I want more of that.”

“Um, I.  You see—.”  What in the actual hell?

“I’m sorry it took me so long to really see you,” he said softly.

I nodded, sucked in a breath, swallowed convulsively.  I reached for the handle again and took a firm hold of my backpack.  Then I turned and glanced back over my shoulder.  “Want to come in for a while?”

His beautiful smile said it all.

 

First Time

 

Caleb’s parents were gone for the entire weekend.  He was eighteen, so he got to stay home.  We’d been inseparable since that kiss in the car three months ago, and we’d done everything but…well, butt sex.  I knew what he tasted like, how he felt in my hand, the sensation of him coming on my skin as we rubbed off on each other.  But we’d never gone all the way.

I was scared.

I wanted it.  It was all I thought about.  But Caleb had done it before, with both guys and girls, and I was a virgin.  The thought of his cock going in my ass was slightly terrifying.  Caleb had been really good about not pressuring me, but there were times when I knew it was all he wanted.  He even offered to bottom our first time, but I had no interest whatsoever in pitching.  I knew it would feel good, eventually.  I’d read everything I could get my hands on.  And I knew Caleb would be careful and do everything he could to make it good.

But there was no way it wasn’t going to hurt.

Now was the time.  With the weekend looming before us, no parental supervision, and nothing but us and a bed, it was the perfect opportunity.  I knew it was now or never.

I loved Caleb’s skin.  I could spend hours pressed against him, running my fingers over his back and chest. I loved the way he kissed, slow and deep, and it always left me panting, hard and aching.  I couldn’t count the number of times we’d laid here just like this, touching and rubbing until we both came. But it was different tonight, and nerves made my hands shake.

Caleb pulled away for a moment, and then came back with the bottle of lube he’d put on the floor beside the bed.   I swallowed hard, my exhale shaky.  Caleb’s smile turned soft, and he lifted a hand to cup my cheek.

“We don’t have to,” he whispered.  I knew he meant it, but I also heard that slight edge of disappointment.

I shook my head and pulled him tighter to me. “I want to.  I’m just nervous.”

He studied me for a long moment, his blue gaze tracking all over my face, before he nodded and kissed me.  When he pulled away, I was so busy trying to remember how to breathe that I didn’t notice what he was doing until the tip of his finger slid into my ass.  I immediately tensed up, and Caleb went still.

He put his lips against mine. “Breathe,” he murmured.  “Relax for me.”

I did, slowly, matching my breaths to his and focusing on all the other places our bodies touched.  This was Caleb, I trusted him.  Eventually, my muscles unclenched and he slid his finger deeper inside me. Oh.  Okay.  Not bad.  Weird.  Different.  But not bad.

“Okay?”

“Yeah.”  I nodded, panting.  And then he moved that finger, in and out, slow but steady and my entire world lit up.

“Oh fuck!” I breathed out.  Everything was so sensitive, and it still felt weird.  But weird was slowly sliding away in favor of very good.  I wanted him to move faster, to push hard, to do something more.  I wiggled my hips, not knowing what I needed, but needing just the same.

Caleb lifted up far enough to kiss me, his tongue sweeping in and battling with mine.  I clutched at his shoulders, hanging on and kissing him back with everything I had. When I was fully engaged with his lips and tongue, Caleb slid another finger inside me.

I reared back, sucking in a breath.  Ow.  Okay, that burned. Caleb soothed me with soft murmurs and gentle touches of his free hand while he waited for me to relax.

“Nick?”

“Keep going,” I gritted out.  I breathed deeply for a long minute, wiggling a little to try to adjust.  I knew if I could just get passed this, it would start to feel good.  “Move.”

Caleb did, but he kept his gaze fixed firmly on my face.  Once again, the more he touched me and fucked me with his fingers, the better it got.  My cock had wilted, but even though my body was betraying me, I wanted this.  I wanted him inside me.

Caleb kept watching me as he thrust with his fingers, searching, and suddenly I was howling, my balls going tight and my dick suddenly hard.

“Oh fuck!” I yelled out, electric shocks shooting everywhere through my body.  “Oh my god.”

“Good?” he asked, but his smirk was a little smug.

Holy hell, why hadn’t we done this before?  I knew what I had read, but nothing came close to actually feeling what it was like to have my prostate touched.  “Do it again,” I demanded.

He did, his fingers moving faster and occasionally touching that gland and making me jerk and writhe for him.  I was panting, sweaty and desperate, clawing at him by the time he finally pulled his fingers free and smoothed on a condom.  I was hard enough to pound nails.  I wanted to come.

Caleb slid between my thighs and when he put his hands behind my knees and pushed them back toward my chest, I turned a brilliant shade of red.  It was sort of embarrassing, being on display for him, but it helped that he was looking at me like I was the best fucking thing ever.  He adjusted his position, and mine, until he was happy.  And then I felt the pressure of the blunt head of his cock at my asshole.

“Ready?”  He was checking, and I appreciated that.  But I just wanted him in.

“Go slow,” I said anyway, because my nerves were coming back full force.

He nodded, kissed me one more time, and then did as I asked.

“Ow.  Fuck,” I hissed.  “Ow.”

Caleb went still.  “Nick?  Baby?”

I tugged at him, wanting him in even as it hurt.  And it did hurt, less than I thought it would, but there was still pain.  I tried to breathe and remember that part of me could stretch, that he really could fit.  I was fighting the urge to force him out, because I wanted him in so badly.

“Caleb,” I moaned, tugging some more.  “Please.”

It seemed to take forever, but finally he was balls deep in my ass.  My dick was limp, and I was sweating and shaking, but he was inside me.  Caleb’s cock was all the way inside me.  And the longer he stayed there, the less it hurt and the better it felt.

“So fucking tight,” he murmured, the strain of remaining still in every line of his body.  He slowly moved one hand until he could take my cock in his hand.  And even though I’d completely lost my hard on, his touch felt good.  He tugged at me, gently but firmly, and my body started to react.

“Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop.”  Everything felt good now, and I wanted more.

“Won’t,” he promised, and circled his hip.  Oh my fucking God, that felt so good.  With him inside me and my dick hard again, I was suddenly ready to go off.

“Gonna come,” I grunted, a bit surprised.

Caleb started thrusting, and time sped up.  I was about to fucking go off like a rocket, the pain and pleasure all mixing together.  When Caleb started to aim, and found my gland again, I practically screamed as I shot, every muscle in my body locking down.

I came back to awareness a few moments later just as Caleb grunted and pushed his way into me one last time.  He came hard and long and then collapsed on top of me.  I couldn’t make my arms work, so I just turned my head and kissed his forehead.

A few minutes later, he pulled out, and I winced and groaned.  Ouch again.

“You okay?” he asked softly, not looking at me as he pulled off the condom.

I managed to lift an arm and place it on his back.  “Yes.  That was good.”

He turned just enough to peer at me over his shoulder.  I could see the disbelief all over his face.  “Sore?”

“Yeah,” I admitted softly.  My ass felt tender and swollen, and I wasn’t sure my legs were still connected to my body.  I grabbed onto his upper arm and tugged. Caleb moved slowly, until he finally laid down beside me and carefully wrapped me in my arms.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

His head popped up and he looked at me in shock.  “For what?”

“That was good. Really good.”  My voice was still quiet but I didn’t have to force my smile. “Bet it gets even better the more we practice. We should practice a lot.”

A laugh burst out of him, and he pulled me in close and hugged me tight.  “Yeah.  We should.”

I couldn’t keep the grin off my face.

First Love

I didn’t count the days, weeks, and months we’d been together.  I didn’t count the number of times we’s sneaked off to some secluded place to fuck like bunnies.  I didn’t count the touches, the kisses, the dinners out, or when we held hands.  I was counting something much more important.

I was counting the days until Caleb left.

Sure, the college he was headed for was only three hours away.    He had a car that could make the trip with no problem. And he was making plans for weekends home, and how we would spend our breaks.

But everyone said it couldn’t last.  They said that once Caleb got into the joys of college, he wouldn’t have time for a boyfriend stuck in high school.  Caleb insisted it wouldn’t be that way.  He swore that he would be back as often as he could, that we’d still text all the time, and talk every night.  But it was a lot easier to believe all the naysayers than it was to believe Caleb.

I still had four weeks, six days, and eleven hours to go.  And I was determined to make every last second of them count.

When Caleb showed up at me door wearing a grin and my favorite T-shirt, I left the house with him without a thought.  I needed to be with him.  He took my hand immediately, and we meandered through my neighborhood.  We were mostly silent, only sharing a few words here and there.  It was comfortable and peaceful, and I loved our moments like this.  When the park loomed into view, I wasn’t surprised that Caleb headed straight for it.  Dusk was starting to fall, so it was fairly deserted, and it didn’t take us long to find a quiet spot leaning up against a huge maple. Caleb pulled me in between his legs, and I pressed my back to his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.

“You’ve been quiet the last few days,” he said softly.

I didn’t know what to say, so I kept my mouth shut.  I had been.  When we’d been together, I’d purposely kept my mouth shut and did everything I could to soak up his presences.  I sighed and leaned more heavily against him as if I could somehow capture his heat and keep it with me when he was gone.

“Nick?” Caleb prodded gently.  He shifted our positions just enough so that he could look me in the eye.  “Tell me what’s up.”

“I’m going to miss you.” It was all the truth I had for him.

“Oh baby, I’m going to miss you too,” he said fervently.  He squeezed me tight and placed a kiss on my temple.  “But we’ll talk all the time, and see each other whenever we can.”

I nodded.  He believed that.  Now. But I knew things would change.  He’d be busy with school work and new friends, and he’d meet all sorts of good looking people.  Before too long, his high school boyfriend would be a distant memory.

Caleb squinted at me.  “You don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that,” I assured him quietly. “I just think that things are going to change once you get there and…” I trailed off with a shrug.

“Nick,” he said seriously, his gaze piercing.  “I love you.”

“I know.”

He gave me a little shake.  “Hear me.  I am in love you with you.  Bone deep, over the moon, stupid in love with you. That’s not going to change.  So unless you’re breaking up with me—”

“No!”  My interruption was fast and loud.

Caleb smiled.  “Then stop worrying about it. You’re stuck with me because I love you.”

He was so serious, so confident, that the weight I was carrying let go and floated away. He loved me. Completely and for real.

“I love you Caleb.” My response was whispered because I could barely speak around the lump in my throat.

He nodded once.  “Then that’s all that matters.”  He kissed me, deep and slow, and when he pulled back, he gazed into my eyes.  “Just because we’re young doesn’t mean it can’t last.  Just because it’s our first love, doesn’t mean it isn’t our last love too.”