by K. C. Wells
No way was Luc about to stand for that. He grabbed hold of a couple of pillows and got to his feet. “This means war.”
“Bring it on!” Kel reached for his own supplies, but Luc was too quick for him. He dragged Kel off the couch and onto the rug, where he pinned Kel there and proceeded to pummel him with the soft cushions. Kel protected his face with his arms, trying to throw Luc off, but Luc was too strong.
“So I’m old, am I?” Whump. “Ancient, eh?” Whump. “Gonna take it back?” Whump.
“Nope!” Kel pushed against Luc’s body. “Give it up, old guy.”
Luc growled. “Old? I’m nearly twice your age and I can still whup your ass. How’s that for old?”
Suddenly Kel gave an extra hard push, and Luc ended up on his back on the floor. Kel straddled him in an instant, tugging the pillows from Luc’s grasp. “Surrender!”
“Never.” Luc tried to squirm out from beneath him, but Kel’s powerful legs held him prisoner. Luc knew when he was beaten. “Okay, maybe not never….”
Kel cackled, and sprang to his feet. He held out a hand to Luc, and heaved him up into a standing position. “Wow. You held out longer than I thought you would.”
Luc snorted. “It’s still not too late to give your ass a whupping.” He sank into the couch, Kel joining him. “About that movie…”
“You liked it. I knew it!” The triumphant note in Kel’s voice was so good to hear, after the way he’d started his day.
“Maybe ‘liked is too strong a word. It was okay.” Luc sighed. “You know what I’ve learned during the last two weeks? We don’t like the same food. We don’t like the same movies. We don’t like the same music. The only time we get close to liking the same thing is when it comes to TV shows.”
Kel shrugged. “So what? If we both liked the same thing, where would be the fun in that? I wouldn’t get to tease you, for one thing.”
“And you do that a lot,” Luc added.
“What’s wrong with the food I like?” Kel retorted.
Luc rolled his eyes. “Pop tarts. Cheez-its. Doritos. Rice Krispie Treats.”
“Hey, you forgot chocolate.” Kel was grinning.
“No, I didn’t. We both like that. But I swear, if I wasn’t watching, you’d fill the cart with snacks.”
“That’s because I can eat ’em without piling on the pounds.” Kel patted his belly. “See? Flat as a pancake.”
Luc laughed. “Oh, just you wait. The day will come when those pounds will sneak up on you out of nowhere, and before you know it, you’re buying a bigger size in jeans. It’s called age, sweetheart, and it comes to us all eventually.”
Kel’s smile faltered. “Yeah. Only some people don’t get their whole ration, do they?”
Luc stilled. “I’m sorry if my remark caused you any pain.”
Kel waved his hand. “It’s fine. I just have these moments, y’know? When it sorta sneaks up on me.”
Luc knew, all right. “Let’s call it a night, okay?”
“Sure.” Kel got up off the couch. As Luc switched off the TV and the lamps, he chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Luc asked.
Kel bit his lip. “‘Sweetheart’?
Luc made a gruff sound. “Yeah, no idea where that came from. Just a slip of the tongue, I guess.”
Kel laughed. “That’s fine—honey.” He scooted out of the way, laughing, as Luc picked up a pillow and took aim. Luc followed him from the room, his heart pounding.
The word had just… been there. That had been too close.
No more slip-ups, okay?
Chapter Eleven
June
“I see that.”
Kel chuckled. “Aw, come on. What’s wrong with Jell-O pudding?” He held up the packs for Luc to see. “They’re sugar free, see? They can’t be all that bad.” He loved this ritual that occurred every time they shopped for groceries. He’d try to sneak as many snacks into the cart as he could get away with, while Luc tried to remove them at the first opportunity.
Luc sighed. “Okay.” When Kel dropped a pack of vanilla puddings into the cart, he coughed. “Strawberry cheesecake flavor.”
Kel hooted. “Man, I’ve got your number.” Laughing, he grabbed another couple of packs and added them.
Luc gazed into the cart, his lips twitching. “I think it’s time to address your addiction, don’t you?”
Kel went with innocence. “What do you mean?” Like he didn’t know what was coming.
Luc reached into the cart and pulled out a box of Jif Power Ups that Kel had hidden under the produce. “Creamy peanut butter flavor Power Ups. Three jars of peanut butter. Grape peanut butter jelly stripes. Strawberry peanut butter jelly stripes. Peanut butter chocolate spread. Cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter.” He smirked. “I’m sensing a theme here.”
Kel shrugged. “So I like peanut butter. Bite me.”
Luc laughed. “Kel, you smear it on blueberry muffins. You’re an addict, face it.”
Two could play at that game.
Kel folded his arms. “All right then, Mr. I’m So Perfect. Wanna talk about your addiction?” He picked up a packet and dangled it in front of Luc. “Just how many bags of maple kettle corn does one man need?” He dropped it and grabbed another. “Or how about your chocolate-covered quinoa crunch thingies? Or your skinny-dipped almonds?”
“Hey, those are all healthy snacks,” Luc remonstrated.
“Not when you eat three bags at a time.”
Luc glared at him. “And just how would you know how many bags I’m eating?”
“Well, if you leave the bags in your trash in the office, don’t expect me not to see them when I empty it.” He smirked. “You need to hide the evidence better.”
Luc widened his eyes. “I need to hide things in my house?” His lips were twitching, however.
God, this was fun. After a month of living at Luc’s, the banter was a daily part of life, and Kel loved it. Luc teased a lot, but Kel gave as good as he got, and the result was a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. One thing Kel had noticed since moving in?
He was laughing a lot.
They’d gotten into a routine of sorts, and Kel had to admit, it suited him. They shared the cleaning, and Luc was widening Kel’s cooking repertoire. Along with that were Kel’s tasks, and they changed from day to day, week to week. He’d soon learned what was required to keep the pool clean and maintain it. He’d become adept at using a power washer to clean the patio, ridding it of any weeds or algae that appeared between the cracks.
What astonished him was how Luc had gotten him to consider doing stuff he’d never have thought about doing in a million years. When Luc had looked at garden arbors, Kel had suggested making their own, and to his surprise Luc had agreed, with one stipulation—Kel would be the one to construct it.
To Kel’s surprise, he found himself agreeing without hesitation, even though his carpentry skills were minimal at best. Thank God for YouTube. That was his current project, constructing a pergola arbor complete with porch swing, made from red cedar. Luc had downloaded the plans, ordered the timber and fixtures, and then Kel had gotten right to it.
“Kel?”
He dropped back into the present. Luc was holding up two boxes of crackers. “Plain or buttery garlic?”
Kel rolled his eyes. “Like you have to ask. Both, of course.”
“Stupid question.” Luc sighed as he added them to the cart. “How about chicken for dinner?”
“As long as we’re buying it ready cooked, fine. Then I can just make a salad to go with it.”
“Deal. I’ll go get one.” Luc pushed the cart toward the Deli counter.
Kel had to smile. Look at us. We get along just fine, like we’re a couple or something. The only dark spot on the horizon was the thought that one day he’d move back to the house next door. Okay, so it wasn’t going to be tomorrow, or even the following week, but it had to come at some point.
I don’t wanna go. I wanna stay with Luc.
Exc
ept he knew he couldn’t do that. Luc hadn’t said a word about moving back, but Kel wasn’t stupid. Luc had his own life, and although he’d given Kel several precious weeks to get his head together, this was never going to be a permanent arrangement.
No matter how much Kel wanted it to be.
Luc closed the cabinet door and surveyed the kitchen. All the groceries were put away. “You know what? I’m going to have a swim before dinner.” He’d been thinking about it all the way home. Not surprising, given the current temperature. It had to be in the mid-eighties.
Kel nodded eagerly. “I’ll join you.” He left the kitchen and Luc caught the familiar thump thump thump as he thudded up the stairs to his room.
“Bring me a towel?” Luc yelled.
“What about your swim trunks? Don’t you want them too?”
One look at the glorious sunshine that beckoned him through the window decided him. “Nope. In this heat, I prefer to go skinny dipping.”
The silence that followed his words brought home the situation. In all the time since Kel had moved in, they hadn’t once seen each other naked. The closest they’d come was him catching sight of Kel in a towel after a shower, and that had been enough to have Luc quickly retreating into his office. Because he did not want Kel to catch him staring.
What does it matter? We’re both guys, right? We’ve both got the same equipment.
The thought that followed was swift and brutal. And you really want to see his equipment, don’t you?
God help him, he did. He spent nights fucking his hand or his Fleshjack, imagining Kel’s dick, Kel’s ass, Kel’s hole, until he creamed his fingers, in a long, hot wave of guilty pleasure.
Luc wanted to call up to Kel, to see if he minded Luc baring all, but then he reconsidered. Don’t make a big thing out of it. Act like it’s totally natural. Which it was, for him. In the summer, Luc never wore swim wear. He’d suggested going bare because that was normal. What he hadn’t taken into account was the fact that Kel might consider doing it too. Maybe. He’d come out of his shell a lot since he’d been there. The fragile, vulnerable Kel had splintered off, piece by piece, revealing a more confident young man. Oh, Luc knew Kel still had his demons to deal with, and now and again, he got a glimpse of that. He had nothing but admiration for the way Kel was coping.
“Skinny dipping?” Kel appeared at the edge of the countertops, carrying two folded towels, one already wrapped around his waist. “This a regular thing?” He licked his lips, which by now Luc recognized as a sign of nervousness. Kel placed the towels on the counter.
Luc sighed. “If it makes you feel uncomfortable, then I’ll put on my swim briefs.” It wasn’t difficult to visualize what was going on in Kel’s head right then. Luc could imagine there had been lectures about modesty and covering one’s nakedness. He’d bet a million dollars Kel had a Bible quotation for that too.
Kel stood there, picking at the edge of the towel, not looking at Luc. Finally he raised his chin and looked Luc in the eye. “It’s fine. Not sure if I’ll go that far, but I’m not gonna stop you. This is your house, after all.”
Luc took a step closer and covered Kel’s hand with his own. “Uh-uh. We’ve been over this. While you’re here, this is your home too. And if it makes you uncomfortable, then—”
“Do it,” Kel interjected. “I’m a big boy, right? And it’s not like you’ve got anything I haven’t seen before in a college locker room.”
Luc said nothing. He knew how big his dick got when he was fully hard. Then he reasoned that most of the twinks he saw online had huge dicks, so maybe Kel was right.
Kel sighed. “We’re wasting swimming time. Let’s get out there.” And with that, he walked through the house toward the french doors.
Luc followed, trying not to look at Kel’s rear, the curve of his ass cheeks visible beneath the towel. Luc’s dick twitched, and he groaned internally. This might be a really bad idea after all.
They walked across the lawn to the opening in the cedar trees. The water sparkled in the sunlight, and the thought of submerging himself in it was heavenly. Luc pulled his T-shirt up and over his head, then folded it and left it on one of the loungers that stood on the paved area by the steps. He popped the button free on his shorts and tried not to look at Kel as he pushed them down to his ankles and stepped out of them. Without a glance in Kel’s direction, and resisting the urge to cover his stiffening cock, Luc walked toward the deep end, then dove into the cool water.
God, it was wonderful. He rose to the surface, bursting through into the sunshine, feeling rejuvenated. Luc swam to the pool’s edge with a lazy stroke, and leaned on it. “The water’s great.”
Kel stood by the other lounger, his towel still wrapped around him. Slowly, he loosened it and dropped it to the floor, revealing a pair of tight black swim shorts that clung to his body. Luc avoided gazing anywhere in the vicinity of his package. Kel didn’t need him staring at his—
His erection. Oh Lord.
Kel bit his lip. “Does it feel any different, not wearing anything?”
Stop thinking about that cock, nice and buoyant as he walks toward you across the pool. “It feels fantastic. Liberating. And it does have its advantages. No nasty wet thing to change out of.” He sighed. “It’s also really sensual. The feeling of water all over your body.”
Kel said nothing. After a moment, he undid the pale blue drawstring and loosened his shorts, before squirming to get them over his hips, bending to get them past his knees, and finally stepping out of them. He straightened, and Luc got his first glance at a naked Kel.
Oh dear Lord. He was magnificent. His body was sleek and hairy, firm and toned, and Luc was doing his damnedest not to stare at that semi-hard dick, its root surrounded by a dense bush of tight black curls.
Kel walked to the steps and hesitantly entered the pool, submerging the lower half of his body in the water. He let out a long breath. “Oh my God, this feels freaking fantastic!” His face shone with reflected light.
“Congratulations on popping your cherry.” When Kel blinked, Luc grinned. “Your first skinny dip. I bet you’re thinking ‘Why did I never do this before?’”
Kel laughed nervously. “It feels amazing. But you know my mom and dad would’ve had a fit if they’d seen me like this.”
“I figured.” Luc dove beneath the water and swam half the length of the pool before rising to the surface. Seconds later, Kel swam over to him, cutting through the water with clean, strong strokes. Luc loved the way he moved so fluidly, like an otter in its natural habitat. They trod water at the deep end, Kel’s face turned up toward the sun.
“This is awesome.” Kel’s blissful expression was wonderful to see.
“Want to race me?” Luc asked with a smile. “Ten lengths of the pool?”
“You’re on.” Kel grabbed hold of the pool’s edge. “On the count of three?”
Luc nodded. “One… two… three!” He launched himself through the water, head down, pulling hard with his arms, conscious of Kel swimming beside him. It was a close thing, the two of them neck and neck, but as they approached the end, Kel put on a spurt and touched the pool wall slightly ahead of him.
Kel threw his arms into the air in triumph. “Woo hoo!”
Luc laughed. “Can we remember something here? You’re half my age.”
“I was gonna let you win,” Kel said, his eyes shining. “But as we got to the last lap, I thought, ‘Hell, no.’”
Luc shook the water out of his ears. “And after that marathon race, I’m going to sun myself.” He couldn’t resist. “Another first, maybe? Nude sunbathing?”
Kel’s eyes widened, then he gave another nervous laugh. “Well, I’ve gotten this far, so why stop now? And it’s not like I didn’t know, right? You told me in not so many words the day you showed me the pool.”
They heaved themselves out of the water and went over to the loungers. Luc spread his towel out and flopped onto it, lying on his back. Judging by Kel’s contented sigh, this was
yet another discovery of something he would never have considered doing. Luc kept his eyes closed, although he was aching to see how Kel looked, lying in the sun, his body still gleaming.
“Luc?”
Nothing for it but to open his eyes. Luc turned his head to look at Kel, shading his eyes. “Yeah?”
Oh sweet Jesus, look at him.
Kel lay on his back, one leg raised and bent at the knee, water still beading on the hairs on his calves and thighs. His abs were a thing of beauty, a gentle ripple of muscle beneath the skin, his belly covered in a layer of fine hair, not as dense as the mat covering his pecs. His cock lay against his thigh, as if asleep. His chest rose and fell steadily. And warm brown eyes were focused on Luc.
“It seems I’ve spent most of the last month thanking you for one thing or another, but…” Kel sighed. “Thanks for giving me the courage to do this. The thought of being naked…” He sighed. “I don’t have to tell you how difficult it was to make my mind up to do it, do I?”
“No, you don’t. And I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it so far.”
Kel’s smile could have powered the whole county. “It’s awesome.” He laid his head back on the towel and closed his eyes.
Luc was happy to see him content. It was ironic that Kel seemed so relaxed, while Luc was in torment. Don’t look at him. Close your eyes. Enjoy the sun. Pretend he’s not lying next to you, naked and warm, and so goddamn touchable.
Yeah. This was torture.
Kel awoke from a light doze, feeling the best he’d felt in years. His body was warm and relaxed, and that sun on his skin was wonderful. Luc’s breathing was slow and even, as though he was asleep, and Kel couldn’t resist the urge to peek at him.
Luc lay on his front, his head resting on his folded arms, facing away from Kel. His legs were parted slightly. Kel took a moment to admire the curve of his spine, how it dipped above the swell of his ass.
That ass…. Round, firm cheeks were evidence of many squats in the gym.
Let’s face it. He’s gorgeous. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, at least not from that angle. Everything about Luc said strength. Kel ached to run his hand down that spine, to stroke Luc’s downy ass, to venture further, where he’d only dreamed of going. Instinctively, Kel reached for his thickening cock, stroking along its length, even though somewhere inside his head a voice was screaming, He’ll wake up! He’ll see you!