“Perfect. That was just perfect,” he said before falling asleep, holding Nathaniel tight like he didn’t want to let go. Or maybe that was just his wishful thinking.
37
Tristan
Tristan had to admit to bracing himself when he woke up. The sex last night was fantastic and left him feeling invigorated. Sure, his body was protesting at the physical exertion, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. He hoped it was the beginning of something for them. He prayed that Nathaniel didn’t have buyer’s remorse.
Seeing the empty bed next to him briefly brought a slight twinge to his heart until he saw the time and realized he’d overslept. He hoped that Nathaniel hadn’t snuck out of the room because he was having second thoughts. He was praying it was just him getting up with the kids. The man was an awesome dad, but he sure was OCD about his routine with the kids.
He stretched quickly, wanting to jump out of bed but slid out instead. He wasn’t back at peak strength yet, and his body was letting him know. Well, except his cock. He was very pleased with last night's activities, hoping for round two and three, and many, many more rounds.
He wanted back in that snug, warm heat that was Nathaniel. The man would just have to be on top next time. He couldn’t wait to see the man ride his cock anyway. All that luscious hair framing his face. He wanted to see the man’s eyes drunk on desire again. Yup! There was definitely going to be a repeat. At least he hoped.
He looked around, finally realizing they had ended up in Nathaniel’s room. Tristan loved it. He loved being surrounded by Nathaniel’s scent and his most intimate possession. He hoped one day it wouldn’t just be Nathaniel’s room, but that it would be theirs.
He loved the interior of the room already. It was a lovely mix of gray and navy blue. With long windows, high ceilings with exposed beams in the sitting area, a custom upholstered chair that looked comfortable, floor-to-ceiling drapery, neutral-tone design, and not to mention the awesome custom king bed, the room was utterly masculine but still very comfortable and welcoming.
The room looked lived in with Nathaniel’s books on the bedside table. Tristan couldn’t wait to see what he was reading. Maybe it would give him insight into the man’s mind.
He wanted to snoop through the contents of his drawers. Maybe he would find a sexy jock, or maybe Nathaniel had a thing for lace. He had no idea, but he would be on board for that. He wanted whatever would help him get to know the introverted man better.
His sexual fantasies these days were very specific. He imagined burying himself in Nathaniel’s body. All he needed was to hear the man’s voice or see his face and he imagined them entangled in bed. Last night was just a mere appetizer. Something to whet their appetites as to what they could be together. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw himself tangling his fingers in that mass of glorious hair. He wanted more. He wanted it all.
He was the father of his daughter, and that gave Tristan warm mushy feelings. It wasn’t why he was attracted to Nathaniel, but it certainly added an extra layer. It didn’t help Tristan lying here lusting after him. The time for waiting was done. He was going to brush his teeth and go plant a kiss on Nathaniel, he thought decisively. That was how he wanted to start his day. He could see himself starting every day that way if he was being honest with himself.
He walked to his room with renewed purpose. He hoped today was the beginning of a new level of his and Nathaniel’s relationship. He went through his morning routine with some pep in his step, even though it was almost one in the afternoon. Tristan hoped he could get alone time with Nathaniel without the kids. He hurried through his shower and getting dressed, needing to set eyes on Nathaniel to reassure himself that the man hadn’t run scared between last night and now.
38
Nathaniel
Nathaniel was just serving lunch when he spotted Tristan coming down the stairs. He’d gone for simple today with sandwiches and soup. He was heating up the soup the chef had made the day before, while he made sandwiches for everyone.
The girls were keeping themselves occupied. He decided on a slow day for both of them today. So it was indoor stuff, coloring, puzzles, that kind of thing. They were currently having their own tea party. He loved seeing their delight. He had never had siblings to play with like that, and he just loved that the girls now had each other.
He planned to put both girls and Wyatt down for a nap after lunch. And maybe he’d have a chance to talk to Tristan. He really needed the clarification of “the talk.” He didn’t want to make any assumptions and then end up with egg on his face.
The girls let him know that Tristan was in the kitchen before he heard the man’s voice. He looked up and saw Tristan in the doorway. He couldn’t help but flash to leaving the man naked in his bed with all that golden skin on display. Yum!
While hugging the girls, Tristan looked straight at him and said, “Hi.”
There was a wealth of meaning behind that one word that made Nathaniel blush like a teenager. The look in Tristan’s eyes said I’ve seen you naked and I can’t wait to do it again.
“Um… Hi,” he replied, ducking his head to hide his blush.
Tristan was still hovering in the doorway, even after the girls had gone back to their tea party. So Nathaniel said, “Why don’t you sit down? Can I get you something to drink?” When all else failed, go for polite civility, he thought.
“I’ll take a cup of coffee,” Tristan replied.
While he got a cup of coffee for Tristan, the man took a seat at the island directly in Nathaniel’s line of sight. He took a surreptitious look at Tristan out of the corner of his eyes and caught the wince the man tried to hide. He wanted to feel guilty because he knew it surely had something to do with their activities the night before, but he couldn't bring himself to. It was a good enough reason to pamper the man today.
He took the coffee over to him, pretending not to notice the discomfort on Tristan’s face. He didn’t want to make a fuss yet. He had figured out the best way to get Tristan to do anything was with subtlety as opposed to brute force.
He was already plotting how to get Tristan to lie down the rest of the day.
He served the girls their lunch and gave Wyatt a slice of bread to chew on since he had already fed him sweet corn and sweet potato mash not too long ago. He put a bowl of soup and few of the mini sandwiches in front of Tristan without asking if he would like something to eat.
Lunch was a quiet affair for them. The girls talked between themselves, but it was a little stilted if not flat out awkward between him and Tristan. There was an elephant between them loudly trumpeting, I fucked you stupid but where do we stand now? It wasn’t exactly a conversation they could have with the girls around, so he studiously avoided meeting Tristan’s eye, even when he felt the man’s gaze on him.
He focused on his own meal, even if he wasn’t particularly hungry, courtesy of the knots in his belly.
Nathaniel couldn’t help but wonder if last night would have happened if he and Tristan were just two guys that met at a bar or something. Would things still end with them together? If they’d met in a more regular way, would they do the dating, living together, and then the kid’s thing? He couldn’t help but wonder if Tristan would choose him to be the father of his kids if he’d had a choice.
But life didn’t work that way. Samantha, Emma, and Wyatt may not exist if that was the case. And no matter what, he couldn’t regret the path his life had taken that led him here, hard as it may have been.
Once the girls were done with lunch, he called Ms. Bea to settle them down for their nap. As she shepherded the girls away, he noticed Tristan trying to rinse the plates for the dishwasher and tidy up the lunch mess.
Nope! That wasn’t happening. It was time to get the man to rest up.
“I’ll finish cleaning up. You go put your feet up,” he said to Tristan. His tone allowed no room for argument.
He rushed through the loading of the dishwasher and wiping down the kitchen. He hadn�
�t really made a mess anyways. He went to the fridge and got out a carafe filled with water, and a glass from the cupboard. He also got Tristan’s pain pills and put it all on a tray to take out to him. Regardless of what happened next between them, he couldn’t stand knowing the man was in pain.
He went to the living room and saw him sitting up. He could tell from the set of his mouth Tristan was in pain. Why he hadn’t settled into the L-shaped sofa was a mystery to Nathaniel. Stubborn man.
Without even thinking twice, he set the tray down and lifted Tristan’s legs gently off the floor and turned him onto the couch. The man must have gotten the hint because he moved his body accordingly. He filled the glass with water and handed Tristan his pill bottle. He took two out without complaint. That alone was an indication of the level of discomfort he must have been feeling.
“You need to rest now,” Nathaniel said after Tristan downed the pills, and he had fluffed the pillows around the man to his satisfaction.
“I’m fine,” Tristan said. “Stop fussing.”
Nathaniel went to leave, but Tristan reached for his hand.
“Please, don’t rush away. I’ve wanted to get you alone. We need to talk.” He shifted and patted a space on the couch next to him.
“Sit here.”
Time alone with Tristan was what he wanted, so of course, he sat, even though he was sure the man really needed to rest. His heartbeat went haywire as he wondered what he wanted to talk about. Last night, before they’d made love, they’d talked, but nothing felt really settled. What did the future hold for them?
Tristan leaned in for a kiss, and Nathaniel obliged him, his longing matching Tristan’s. Tristan stroked Nathaniel’s lower lip with his tongue, and heat rushed over him. Unable to contain himself, he sank deeper into the kiss, following Tristan’s retreating tongue.
It reached the point Tristan absolutely had to release him or drag him down into the nearest bed and do something about relieving the ache in his balls. He backed off, breathing like he had just done a Usain Bolt worthy sprint. The kisses, the caresses, the pleasure, he could drown in it. But sex was easy; it was the rest he needed some clarification and reassurance on.
He didn’t want them to just be sex. That fizzled out after a while. No, what Nathaniel wanted was the kind of relationship and love that grew over time. He wanted the kind of love that still went strong, even with wrinkled hands that had known each other’s touch for over fifty years. The kind of love you kept working at and never gave up on. He didn’t want the flash bang of lust. No, he wanted love and commitment. The kind that only got sweeter with time.
He longed for someone who would stay and hold on through hard times. He guessed he wanted a love that made someone stay. That was all he’d ever wanted. Someone that saw him and stayed because he himself was enough. Not his business, not his bank account. Just him.
39
Tristan
From the moment he walked into that kitchen, he’d wanted to wrap his hands around Nathaniel’s waist and bury his face in the luscious waves, drinking in Nathaniel’s scent. But the man hadn’t exactly given out any “ravage me now” vibes. So, he managed to stay put as he served them lunch.
He would never admit it, but he was kind of grateful Nathaniel sent him to the living room for couch time. He was feeling a bit worse for wear. Not that he minded in the least. He hoped with the girls down for their afternoon nap he would have a chance to talk to Nathaniel and maybe mess around a little too. He wasn’t ready to revert to just housemates and co-parents or whatever they had been before last night.
Tristan remembered all that smooth, tanned skin over lithe muscle. Yup! He definitely hoped Nathaniel wasn’t about to go back to polite detachment. Now that he had tasted the man, there was no going back. At least for him. He hoped Nathaniel felt the same.
When he came in with pain pills for him, he saw that as the perfect opportunity to set things straight about where he stood. But before he could even get a word in, he just had to kiss the man. He loved how Nathaniel melted into him every time.
He was glad the other man pulled back, or he would have had to have him naked if they kept going. He adjusted his dick in his sweats and thought conversation. He should make conversation.
“Yeah, so when I woke up, and you were gone, I…” Tristan wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence, so he changed directions.
“I’ve been wondering, and I hope you’re not having second thoughts.” The tension in the set of his shoulders belied his calm tone.
“Did I rush you into something you’re regretting?”
“I don’t regret it,” Nathaniel replied.
Tristan let out a breath he wasn’t even aware he had been holding.
“And we didn’t rush,” Nathaniel added with a small laugh. “I would say that was waiting to happen since the hospital.”
Tristan nodded, agreeing with Nathaniel. He was glad he wasn’t the only one that had felt the tension growing between them. He knew the attraction wasn’t one-sided, but he was glad Nathaniel said it nonetheless.
“I’m glad you feel that way and that you’re not sorry.”
It surprised him more when Nathaniel without prompting added, “And before you ask. No! I won’t regret it later.”
Tristan was very happy to hear Nathaniel say that. He didn’t want the man to ever regret anything that happened between them.
He held out a hand to Nathaniel. “I’m…not a casual sex kind of guy. This means something to me.”
Nathaniel nodded without saying anything. But Tristan saw the small smile on the man’s face, and that was enough. For now.
He like that Nathaniel didn’t pull his hand way. Instead his fingers tightened. He felt the strength, determination, and caring that made this beautiful man who he was. Or maybe he was a fanciful fool basking in all the intimacy going on between them and making a molehill into a mountain just by holding hands.
It wouldn’t be hard to love him, Tristan thought. He looked at the way their hands were intertwined, and he could see himself holding those same hands through the years; graduations, weddings, all of that.
A whole life together. His heart was pounding so hard, he slowly dragged his gaze from their hands to meet Nathaniel’s and saw a glint in his eyes that made him feel thrilled and frightened at the same time. Maybe he was imagining it, but somehow he knew Nathaniel was on the same page as he was.
Tristan knew he wasn’t ready to use the L-word, but he needed Nathaniel to understand how he felt about him. He wanted there to be no misunderstandings between them.
“I don’t understand how or when it happened. But somehow, you’ve become very special to me. I care about you a lot. And I want you to know nothing that happens between us is just anything…” He ran his fingers through the short strands of his hair in frustration. The words were not coming out the way he wanted them to, so he tried again.
“I just need you to know that it’s not just sex. I know it’s quick, and how we met isn’t exactly conventional, but I need you to hear me when I say this thing between us is a whole hell of a lot more than me just getting my rocks off with the person closest to me.”
Nathaniel must have heard what he was not saying, or the man wanted to stop Tristan’s babbling because he smiled shyly at him and reached up. Nathaniel put his hand behind his neck and pulled his face forward until it was just inches from his. Then he slowly brought his face forward until their mouths met in a gentle kiss. The kiss didn’t last long, but when he pulled back, he didn’t let go of him.
“You are very special to me, too,” Nathaniel said, looking into Tristan’s eyes.
He loved that the man was the one that initiated that kiss. It let him know that Nathaniel was getting more comfortable with this side of things with them. He was even more convinced of this when Nathaniel kissed him again.
But this kiss was stronger, more passionate. He suddenly felt the man's tongue teasing at his upper lip, requesting admittance. He opened for him, an
d the next thing Tristan knew, their arms were around each other, and they were groaning into each other’s mouths. His cock was so fucking hard he could cut glass, and he could feel Nathaniel pressing against his through their sweats.
Tristan was definitely not expecting what happened next. He definitely was not expecting Nathaniel to reach down and pull his sweats off. Not that he was complaining. The man pulled his sweats and boxers down, freeing his aching cock.
Tristan was not a praying man, but he would thank whatever deity had given Nathaniel this new found confidence. He promptly took his shirt off and helped Nathaniel out of his too. The man took off his own sweats and shucked them aside.
He lay back on top of Tristan. Nathaniel’s arms slid around him, pulling him closer, and his mouth found his again in a hungry kiss. He ground their naked cocks against one another. Tristan groaned as they kissed hungrily and clung to each other tightly.
Tristan was loving this take charge version of Nathaniel. He felt Nathaniel’s hand gently run through his hair as they writhed together in a frenzied embrace, their mouths kissing and nipping.
He was pushed on his back by Nathaniel, and the man slid down his body until he was between his legs. He lifted Tristan's hard cock from where it rested on his abs and, looking him in the eyes, brought it to those pretty, plump lips.
Nathaniel's tongue flicked out and swiped across the head of his cock, lapping up all the precum it was producing. Tristan groaned at the feeling, but Nathaniel gave him no chance to recover before he had his cock buried in his warm, wet mouth and was sucking on it.
“Ahh! Fuck! Yeah! Suck my cock! Fuck!” he moaned.
Tristan felt lust like never before sweeping over him, and he was becoming lost in a haze of pleasure. The man slid farther and farther down on his cock. Tristan’s hips raised of their own volition, and he tried to jam his thick, nine inches down Nathaniel's throat. Fuck! The man sucked cock like a pro.
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