By My Side

by Grant C. Holland

  Derek rolled over on to his back and looked up at Yale. He said, “You know what, Yale. You are damn smart. You really are probably as intelligent or moreso than I am, but sometimes you can be so dumb.”

  Derek pushed himself up to sitting again and said, “And for that, I really really really think you deserve this.” He pulled the pillow out from behind his back and swung it connecting with Yale’s shoulder.

  Yale tumbled back against the headboard reacting with a moment of shock, but he was quick to recover. He pulled out his own pillow and planted it on the top of Derek’s head.

  Derek said, “Damn you,” and he swung his pillow again. Soon they were tumbling all around the bed swinging pillows at each other. The pillows gave way to actual wrestling. Yale knew the abandonment of the pillows in favor of grappling was the first step in his path to victory. In minutes, he used his superior weight and strength to have Derek pinned by the shoulders flailing and struggling.

  Derek grumbled, “You don’t play fair. You’re what? Thirty pounds heavier than me?”

  Yale said, “If it’s that much then it’s all muscle, and you know it.”

  “Yeah, this is why I need to start going to the gym.”

  Yale rolled over to the side and collapsed breathing hard. He said, “Yeah, I think I need the gym, too.”

  Derek poked at his belly. “Yep, looks like you maybe gained about two pounds right there.”

  “You wanna start it again?” asked Yale. “You know that I’m gonna win.”

  Derek held up his hands. “Okay, okay. I give up. You win.” Then he whispered, “Until the next time I’m in a wrestling mood.”

  Yale laughed. “I have a question about all of this.”

  “All of what?”

  “Well, you giving me the bookstore makes me so happy that I almost want to cry, but why do you want to give it up?”

  Derek looked up into Yale’s eyes. “My heart’s just not in the bookstore. I’m a writer. That’s all that I want to be. I want to get up in the morning and think about how much I want to write for the day, and then in the evening I want to celebrate in my heart what I’ve written. The bookstore really isn’t part of that. Writing and you, that’s all I really want.”

  “But it will stay in our lives if I’m running it…is that okay?” asked Yale.

  Derek said, “I didn’t say that I don’t like the bookstore. Every time I walk through the door it makes me think of Uncle Don. That’s a wonderful thing. It’s just that I don’t want to run it myself. There is way too much pressure from my family.”

  Yale scratched his head. “Since when did you stop trying to prove yourself to your family?”

  “Ouch. Well, I think the answer to that is, ‘When I told you I love you.’”

  Yale beamed. “Really? Is that true?”

  Derek said, “Well, I don’t know for sure if it was exactly that moment, but I know it has something to do with it. I’m sure Uncle Don’s comments in his letter helped, too. What I can say is, Yale, with you at my side, and you in my bed, it’s really not important what my family or anybody else thinks. As long as you are here, I know the world is on my side.”

  “I’ve just got this to say, Derek. You don’t need to carry everyone else all of the time. For once, you need to let yourself be carried, and I’m the guy to do that.”

  Derek raised up on his elbows and kissed Yale. He said, “Yes, that’s a very good lesson to learn.” He paused and then said, “You know, just because I said that I want to give it to you, I don’t want you to feel like you have to run the bookstore. If you would rather pursue something else or look at some other kind of job, don’t stay at the bookstore just because of me. We can find someone else to sell the business to.”

  Yale laughed. “Are you kidding? I’ve never had a job that I love walking into every morning. Those ladies today were a hoot. Did I tell you what they were looking for?”

  Derek smiled and said, “No, I don’t think you did.”

  “They wanted romance novels that were racier than what we already have. Essentially, I think they wanted smut.”

  Laughing, Derek said, “I hope their hearts can handle it.”

  Yale grinned.

  Derek said, “I know I’ve said it already, but I’m going to bring it up again. I think your ideas for improving the store are just amazing. You really are starting to think outside the box.”

  “It’s not really a big deal,” said Yale. “I just roam around and then think about what would be better to me if I was one of the customers.”

  “I love your idea about a cafe. We just might have to figure out a way to make that work. I don’t think you would need to make much of the food there yourself. Maybe just put together the sandwiches.”

  Yale nodded, “That’s exactly what I was thinking. I even figured we could get our coffee beans from the coffee shop downtown. We could get rolls and pastries from the bakery. Then we could label everything so people would know where they could find more of whatever it is elsewhere in Catlett’s Cove. I would love to serve some of Jess’ pies from the diner.”

  Derek said, “I love how good you are with people, too. Everybody who walks in that door sees that big ole smile on your face and they feel like they are at home. You are exactly what Catlett’s Cove is supposed to be.”

  Yale asked, “What do you mean?”

  “The whole small town thing. You’re warm and welcoming. You speak to them respectfully, and you’re always open to listening to everybody’s stories.”

  “Well, that’s just me being me. I think other people are interesting. How will I ever hear those fascinating stories if I frown and growl at them? I doubt they’re going to buy anything from Mr. Grumpy.”

  They both laughed. Derek said, “Yeah, I think that’s who they were starting to see for those few weeks when I was trying to run the bookstore. Can you imagine it? They walked in and saw the grumpy zombie with dark circles under his eyes and gaunt cheeks. I would have turned around and run out the door screaming.”

  “Oh, Derek, it wasn’t that bad, “ said Yale. “And besides, you’re always sexy even when you are at your worst.”

  Derek reached out a hand for Yale’s chin, gripped it, and shared a kiss. He said, “Thanks for that. I think it was a compliment.”

  Yale said, “I meant for it to be a compliment. You know, every time I see you, whether I’m just walking down the street with you, riding in the car, or I see you naked in bed, you just take my breath away, Derek. You’re so damn sexy. I can’t believe we didn’t figure this out years ago.”

  “Sometimes it’s not easy to see what’s right in front of your face, Yale. I’m not always very good at knowing what’s right by my side and has been there from the beginning. Thank God I didn’t go seriously looking for somebody else. It would have been a huge mistake.”

  Yale pushed himself closer to Derek and laid his cheek on Derek’s shoulder. He said, “This is the best place in the world, Derek. Just like this.”

  Derek said, “One more thing since we’re getting all of this out in the open. Yale, don’t let anyone ever tell you that you aren’t smart. You’re one of the smartest people that I’ve ever known. It may not come out on tests or in classrooms, but you are just as smart as me. Truth be told, if I let go of my ego, you probably understand the big picture of things quicker than I do.”

  Yale sighed heavily. He said, “Yeah, I know I’ve got a self-confidence problem. I could blame it on lots of other things, too. I could talk about my tyrant of a mother.” He smirked and said, “Okay, she’s not that bad. I’m just trying to say I could blame it on lots of other things, but now I know I have to take responsibility for it all myself.”

  “I bet it’s not easy,” said Derek.

  Yale frowned. “It’s fucking hard, but you know what?”

  “What?”

  “There was this guy that I met in junior high,” said Yale. “He was really smart, and he taught me how to ignore everybody who said I was stupid and h
e helped me with my homework. He was a little skinny, but I really liked hanging out with him.”

  Derek grinned.

  Yale continued, “Then, in high school, he trusted me so much that he told me he was gay. Not only that, but it was okay with him that I was gay, too.”

  Derek whispered, “Well, I was just hoping that meant that I would get to kiss you.”

  “Yeah, things sure would have been different if we just kissed back then and started dating. I don’t know why we didn’t do that. It would have made so much sense. We could have been like Emma and Jane.”

  “We needed each other as friends more than we needed a boyfriend at that point in time,” said Derek. “At least that’s what I’m going to tell myself from here on out.”

  “That’s a good story,” said Yale. “Can I use that one, too?”

  Derek smiled. “It’s all yours.”

  25

  Derek

  Derek asked, “Do you know what I want to do right now?”

  Yale said, “Well, I guess we should probably get a little sleep at some point. I have no idea how late it is, and I have…”

  His voice trailed off as Derek held up two fingers to Yale’s lips. He said, “I was just thinking…didn’t we just have our first argument?”

  “I guess we sort of did,” said Yale. “My voice got all high and squeaky, and I was worried.”

  “I was pissed at you,” said Derek.

  Yale said, “I guess it counts as an argument then. Why does that matter?”

  “Well,” Derek said. “Since we had that first, I think the fact that we’re still here lying in bed together rubbing our naked bodies up against each other means we get to have another first.”

  Yale’s eyes sparkled as he asked, “And what might that be? Is it something I’m gonna like?”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure of that, Yale. Do you know what people who are in love do after they argue?”

  “Some of them break up,” sighed Yale.

  Derek shook his head vigorously no. “I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about good couples and what they do after they have a silly argument and then they figure it out.”

  “No, I don’t know, but I hope you’re going to tell me.”

  Derek leaned in close. He rested the palm of his right hand against Yale’s cheek, and he stared into his eyes with a wicked grin. He said, “They get to have makeup sex.”

  Yale laughed and his laughing was cut off by an intense kiss from Derek. He slipped his fingers up over Yale’s buzzed hair and parted Yale’s tongue with his lips. He pulled back momentarily and asked, “Do you agree?”

  “Oh fuck yes,” moaned Yale. He slipped a hand under the sheets and walked his fingers directly down the middle of Derek’s abs. “Damn, were you hard the whole time we were talking about this stuff?”

  Derek said, “Can’t help it. Yeah, pretty much.”

  Yale kissed him hard again, and Derek pushed up to roll over so that his body was now splayed on top of Yale. “Nice move there,” said Yale, “But it’s not going to win you any wrestling matches.”

  “Doesn’t matter as long as it wins me the man I love.” Derek kissed the side of Yale’s neck and then licked gently just below his ear.

  “Oh fuck…that drives me crazy Derek.”

  Derek whispered, “I know.” He could feel their bodies rubbing against each other, and his cock was rock hard against Yale’s abs. He moaned softly as he licked again below Yale’s ear.

  Yale grunted and squirmed, “Damn…I don’t know if I can stand that.”

  Derek licked again.”You taste so good, Yale.”

  “Not half as good as you.”

  With one more lick, Yale performed Derek’s trick and reversed their positions.

  “Now who’s on top?” asked Yale.

  Derek grinned, “I think the bottom is on top.”

  Yale laughed and slid downward making sure his body rubbed firmly against Derek. He took a nipple between his teeth and tugged.

  “Oh fuck,” grunted Derek. “Bottoms aren’t supposed to be so aggressive.”

  “Are you complaining?” asked Yale.

  “It was just an observation.”

  Yale cupped Derek’s balls in his big hand. He tugged lightly and asked, “Are you gonna be inside me?”

  “Fuck, yes,” moaned Derek. “You’re getting me seriously riled up.”

  “That part’s on purpose,” said Yale. He gripped the sheets and pulled them open pushing all of the bed covers on to the floor while saying, “This gives me room to work.”

  Derek said, “Take all the room that you need.”

  Yale couldn’t get enough of Derek’s body. He had wanted it for years, and now he had it. He was all hands, tongue and lips for Derek. He kissed Derek firm on the lips, and then, gripping Derek’s stubbly chin with one hand, he traced kisses down the center of the chest and abs. Yale’s fingertips found nipples and rubbed at them while Derek moaned deeply.

  Derek wrapped his arms around Yale while the kisses, touching, and rubbing continued. He could feel the muscle ripple beneath the skin of Yale’s back. He slipped his hands lower and lower until each of his hands cupped one of Yale’s ass cheeks. They were perfectly round and firm with muscle.

  Yale howled when one of Derek’s fingers slipped down his ass crack. It found its mark in the small puckered hole. Yale looked up and stared into Derek’s eyes saying, “That is so fucking hot.”

  Derek stared back and asked, “Are you ready for me, Yale?”

  A shiver raced through Yale’s body as he said, “Fuck yes, I’m always ready for you, Derek.”

  Derek kept his gaze locked on Yale’s. He asked, “Are you sure about that?”

  Yale said, “I’m s…” and then he howled again as Derek’s fingertip pushed past his tight ring. He instinctively tightened the grip of his ass and pulled the finger in deeper.

  Yale slid forward over Derek’s body and reached out for the nightstand. He tugged open the drawer and fumbled for a condom wrapper.

  Derek whispered, “It looks like you’re ready, Yale. Are you going to put that on me?”

  “If you want me to,” said Yale. “I’m so fucking horny. I need you inside me, Derek.”

  Derek pulled the finger free and smiled up at Yale. He was lying flat on his back, and his cock was at full attention. It was pointing straight up perpendicular to his body.

  Yale tore open the condom package and proceeded to roll the sheath down over Derek’s throbbing cock. “On your back,” whispered Derek. “I want to see your eyes.”

  Yale followed the instructions without question. He lay back while Derek climbed to a kneeling position. Yale slipped his hands under his thighs and pulled them back waiting for Derek.

  Derek whispered, “Sometimes it’s still hard to really believe that you’re mine this way.”

  “I’m completely yours…forever.”

  Derek repeated the word, “Forever,” as he moved forward on the bed lining up his cock with Yale’s tight hole. He gripped the muscular thighs as well and pushed firmly with his first thrust.

  Yale stared up at Derek and pushed out to let the cock head past his ring. It worked and Yale swallowed hard. He bit his lip to stop himself from yelling out. As his cock head slipped inside, Derek shook his head. He said, “Don’t stop yourself, Yale. I want to hear it all. I want to hear the grunts, moans, and screams.” With that comment, he drove deeper inside Yale’s body.

  Yale yelled and dug his fingers into Derek’s shoulders. He was sure that Derek’s cock was driving clear up into his chest. The thrusts were strong and sharp. Yale squinted and then scrunched up his face until the intensity eased and Derek’s thrusts felt good. They felt very very good. He smiled up into Derek’s face proclaiming, “I love you so fucking much!”

  Derek grinned and asked, “Do you love me or do you love my cock?”

  Gasping for breath, Yale exclaimed, “I love all of it and all of it is mine!”

  Derek responde
d by thrusting even deeper. He grunted, “And you and this sweet, sweet ass are mine, too.”

  Derek wrapped his fingers tight around Yale’s hard cock and began to stroke it in rhythm with his own thrusts. Yale dug his fingers into the bed riding the intensity and feeling his own balls begin to tense.

  Yale gasped, “It’s not going to take much. I’m already on the edge.”

  “I’m so fucking close, too,” said Derek.

  When he could feel the wave of inevitability begin to crash over his body, Yale moaned, “I’m gonna cum, Derek. I’m gonna cum. Fill my ass, please!”

  Seconds later, Derek threw his head back bellowing like a bull as he bucked forward and back lost in a powerful orgasm.

  Yale watched, and his own cock erupted showering molten cum over Derek’s chest and abs. His cock spasmed pumping long strings of jizz through the air.

  Derek’s body dripped sweat over Yale until he pulled out and collapsed sideways on to the bed. He moaned, “Oh fuck, that was the most amazing yet. I can’t believe it just gets better. Yale, you’re going to wreck me.”

  Yale grinned from ear to ear and rolled over to face Derek. He said, “I’m not worried, and yeah, I think we’ll get even better with practice.”

  Derek laughed and said, “If it gets that much better, I’ll do one of two things. Either my entire body will simply explode, or I’ll completely black out. I don’t think I can handle much more intensity.”

  Yale pointed at the streaks of cum across Derek’s chest and said, “I made a mess.”

  “Yeah, you did,” said Derek, “and I love it.”

  Leaning in, Yale kissed Derek’s cheek and his neck. He whispered, “I love you so so much. I’m glad we finally came to our senses.”

  Derek wrapped his arm around Yale’s back and pulled him in tight. “Don’t you think it was inevitable? I mean, do you think we could both really go on for many more years with stolen glances at each other’s cocks?”

  Yale giggled. He asked, “You were doing that, too?”

  “Of course, and I have to say, Yale, you fill out a pair of jeans very nicely.”