Gordon didn’t stop, and Dak found his way to the empty seat on the opposite side of the table. With an impish grin on his face, he said, “I like the catfish, too.”
“I think we all do,” said Brody.
Dak waved at the men behind Brody’s shoulder. “But these two have their own dinner waiting at home. As long as Puck and Ross are sitting for Penny, I think we should enjoy our night out.”
11
The Dam Breaks
Sid sprawled out to his full body’s length on Lewis’s sofa. He kicked his sneakers off, wrapped a sinewy arm around Lewis’s waist and pulled him up close. Placing his lips close to whisper in his ear, Sid said, “I’m sorry that I was so loud, but I had to laugh when you almost forgot to tell Brody he’d still have a job. He was willing to stay here and face the consequences regardless of the employment situation.”
“Well, I got a little caught up in the moment. Gordon was a ridiculous loser. He was almost as bad as me.”
Sid kissed the side of Lewis’s neck and let his tongue trail along the skin. “You a loser? That’s hardly the truth.” Sid rubbed his big paw of a hand against Lewis’s chest, kneading, and then reached for a shirt button.
“Oh, thank God you didn’t know me then. Full of myself, judgmental, asinine, absurd…you can stop me if you’d like.”
“Oh, I’ve got other things to hold my concentration.” Sid tickled Lewis’s earlobe with the tip of his tongue poking at it before his lips closed and sucked.
“Oh, man, okay. I won’t interrupt.” Lewis pushed back as close as he could. Sid knew that he’d be able to feel it. The thick, hard cock pressed firmly against Lewis’s backside. Sid was already hard inhaling the light, sweet scent of Lewis’s citrus-scented cologne.
Lewis gripped Sid’s muscular thighs through his jeans and slowly exhaled with a long, low hiss.
With warm, wet lips closed around the earlobe and a gentle gnaw of his teeth at the very tip, Sid asked, “Can you feel that?”
“As long as you don’t have something else stuffed in your pants, yeah.” He gently wiggled his ass. “I think I need a kiss.”
Lewis twisted himself to the side just enough for their lips to meet. Sid continued letting his fingers walk down his man’s chest unbuttoning his shirt along the way while the embers of their passion kindled into a bright, burning flame.
Looking into Lewis’s eyes, Sid said, “Stop me if it’s a step too far.”
“I’m starting to lose sight of what that is.”
“Does that mean?”
Lewis shut the conversation down by smothering it with another kiss. “Did I tell you how happy I am that you wore this shirt for me?”
Lewis rubbed the expensive cotton fabric of Sid’s button-up dress shirt as he reached for the first button.
“All for you, stud.”
While his shirt fell open exposing his chest, Lewis asked, “When I gave you the tour, did I take you upstairs?”
“I don’t think so. What’s up there?”
“The private suite.”
“Suite?” asked Sid.
“Nearly the whole second floor is a master bedroom suite.”
With a sly grin on his face, Sid shook his head. “No, you never showed me that.”
“I think it’s about time.”
“I’m all up for guided tours. First the bedroom suite, and then maybe you can show me around the parts of you I’ve not yet explored.”
“Oh, hell. You know where I felt that.”
They climbed off the sofa together. Lewis started to button his shirt up, and Sid reached around to stop him. “No, it looks great like that.” He traced a single broad finger down the center of Lewis’s chest. Leaning in close, he said, “I can see the trail and think about the treasure at the end.”
“Okay, but I’m going to be a little self-conscious. It’s not like me to walk around in a state of undress outside of the bedroom.”
“Maybe you should try that more often.”
Lewis climbed the first few steps up the staircase with Sid close behind. He whispered, “It feels damn good to have a man after me this way for a change.”
“And the rest of the whole fucking world is missing out because I’m the lucky one.”
Lewis had barely set foot inside the bedroom when Sid wrapped his arms around from behind and tugged the shirt off Lewis’s shoulders. As it fell to the floor, he kissed and gnawed gently at the nape of Lewis’s neck and left a sensuous trail of kisses down to the point of his shoulder.
Sid listened as Lewis’s breaths grew shorter and sharper.
Lewis said, “You know there’s one thing we didn’t discuss yet.”
Sid wrapped his arms around from behind. The fingers of one hand played with a nipple while the palm of the other slid its way over Lewis’s slim belly. He asked, “Do we really need to talk?”
“Well, this might—oh fuck—require a word or two.”
Lewis’s body was perfect to Sid. It was a smaller frame and slim with just enough muscle in the right places. He found a sensitive spot for his tongue just an inch below the right ear and asked, “What words are needed?”
“Top?”
“I’m either,” stated Sid as his teeth closed around the earlobe. “Versatile.”
“Oh man, I love when you do that.” Sid barely heard the words. Lewis intoxicated him, and he pushed his body forward from behind until he heard a yelp and Lewis lost his balance. They tumbled together onto the king-sized bed.
Rolling onto his side and cradling the back of Lewis’s head in the palm of his hand, Sid said, “I’m in no rush to get to that part, but it’s been so damn long. Would you fuck me?”
Lewis’s eyes opened wide, and he blinked fiercely. “Are you kidding me?”
“Oh, shit, my cock started to leak just thinking about it.”
“Damn, you’re so fucking…”
“Muscular? Masculine?” Sid grinned.
“How about I say stunning, awesome, incredible…uh, should I stop?”
With his stout, tightly-muscled build, most men started from the assumption that Sid was a top, but he loved that sensation of penetration, of being filled by another man. The first time his gaze landed on Lewis, the entire package thrilled him including the way Lewis’s ass fit into his khakis and dress pants, but it was that perfectly-shaped bulge in front that made his mouth water. He wanted to reach inside and wrap his fingers tight before guiding it…it was hard to look at Lewis without thinking about it.
Lewis lay on his back shirtless. “Let me help with that,” suggested Sid.
Lewis gasped at Sid’s idea of help. He placed a series of light nips and kisses down the center of Lewis’s chest and abs until his teeth found the belt buckle and slowly unfastened it while his fingers kneaded and massaged at the bulge.
“Fuck, I’ve wanted this from the first time I laid eyes on you.”
“And I wanted to see you naked.”
With the buckle open, Sid looked up. “Yeah, is that the moment you can’t wait for? When there’s not a stitch of clothing left, and you see my cock at full attention?” With a wicked grin on his face, Sid asked, “Is that what you want?”
“Well, uh, one of the things.”
Slowly climbing off the bed and standing to his full height, Sid prepared to give Lewis what he wanted. Seeing the eyes wide open, he slowly peeled the t-shirt off over his head shifting his torso slowly from side to side. Lewis sat up and reached out to touch.
“Not yet. Just watch.” Sid rubbed his right nipple with a thumb quickly turning it into a hard nub while Lewis stared and licked his lips.
“And now?”
“The rest. You get to see the whole thing first.” Sid kicked off his sneakers before slowly unbuckling his belt. With a thumb and index finger on his zipper, he asked, “Are you sure you want to see this?”
“Never more certain of anything in my life.” Lewis leaned forward. He sat on his hands to resist the temptation to touch.
W
ith a slow tug downward, Sid opened the zipper on his jeans and let them fall to his knees. Leaning over, he pushed them the rest of the way down and stepped out standing in front of Lewis clad in only red cotton briefs, the fabric clinging to an outline of his hard cock.
Stepping forward and placing a hand on Lewis’s cheek, Sid grinned and said, “I think you get to help with the rest.”
Sid didn’t think he could be more turned on until Lewis finished up “the rest.” With achingly slow, deliberate moves, Lewis peeled back the fabric of the briefs, reaching inside and tracing his fingertips along the shaft of Sid’s pulsing cock.
As the head finally popped free, Sid rolled his head back and gasped for air. He bellowed, “Holy fuck, I need you inside me! Please…now…”
With his slim fingers wrapped around the shaft, Lewis smiled as he said, “I want to make sure you really want it.”
“I don’t just want it. I need it.”
“Then show me.”
Sid turned and climbed onto the bed. He pushed himself up to all fours and did his best to present his naked ass for Lewis.
“Fucking hot, but I want to see your face.”
Taking it as an instruction, Sid rolled over onto his back, gripped his thighs and pulled them back. He swallowed hard as he stared at the cock standing out at full attention. He didn’t think he’d ever wanted anything more than to have it plunge deep inside his body.
Lewis climbed between Sid’s thighs and rose up on his knees. After finding a packet in the nightstand by the bed, Lewis slowly rolled a condom down the length of his cock and applied slick lube while the fire in their eyes fixed on each other raising the heat to an almost unbearable degree.
He started slow, and Lewis ground his hips in a slow circle while leveraging his weight by holding onto Sid’s powerful thighs.
Rolling his head back, Sid let out deep guttural moans feeling the cock fill his gut. It had been so long, and the sensation was incredible. Without thinking, he muttered, “Yeah, just like that. Aww damn…”
Lewis growled, “Look me in the eye. I cum even harder when our eyes meet. Open up and look at me!”
Sid obeyed the order. His instinct was to close his eyes, but Lewis was right, the locked gaze made the flames roar. His cum started to boil inside when Lewis gripped his cock.
In rhythm with the fucking, Lewis stroked. Gamely, Sid reached out for his hips, and he stared deep into those eyes while Lewis’s body rocked forward picking up speed.
Seconds later they both hung on the precipice. Both at the edge. Both ready to explode. Suddenly, Lewis growled, “Fuck!!” and the dam burst. His hips pumped hard as he shot.
Sid couldn’t hold it any longer, and his cock shot its load hard against Lewis’s chest. His jaw fell slack, and he fought to keep his eyes open lost deep in the dark brown depths of Lewis’s gaze.
In the aftermath, Lewis collapsed onto Sid’s broad, muscular chest and whispered, “A thousand times more…at least.”
A broad grin broke out across Sid’s face. “I won’t be satisfied with anything less than ten thousand.”
12
Forever
Dak was a bachelor for the last three days before the grand reopening of the Coldbrook Bend Home Pro store as Sexton Hardware and Home Goods. Brody practically lived at the store for the final seventy-two hours insisting that everything had to be perfect.
Dak made the mistake of saying, “It will be fine. You’ve managed that store for over a decade. Everyone knows it’s great.”
“But now it’s got my name on it, Dak! It has to be better than that!”
Brody fought the naming initially. He was too humble to want to have his last name in big, bold letters overlooking the parking lot. Auntie Erin stepped in and reminded him that it was his family’s name and part of the legacy of the town. Brody nodded meekly, relented, and the Sexton name went up in lights.
The day of the reopening was a Saturday, and Brody rolled over at 4:00 a.m. to kiss Dak on the lips. The response was one opened eye and a mumbled, “Go back to sleep. Wait for the sun at least.”
Five minutes later, Brody sat bolt upright in bed while Dak reached out with a flailing hand like he was blindly searching for the alarm clock button in the darkness.
Brody said, “You can sleep. The store doesn’t open until 9:00 and Seb will come with Lacey at 8:00 for setup. All the other workers come at 8:30. Bring Penny around then, okay?”
Dak barely heard the words.
He whispered, “Yeah,” before drifting back into glorious slumbers. He’d been dreaming about lounging on the deck of a paddlewheel steamer on the river with Brody at his side. With any luck, he’d get to pick up where that pleasant fantasy left off.
Dak thought he must have fallen into a deep sleep after Brody left. He’d planned to get up early enough to take Penny down to the river before the store opening. Unfortunately, when Dak woke up again, it felt like less than twenty minutes passed, but the clock read 8:00 a.m.
“Holy fuck! I was supposed to be up an hour ago!”
Dak hauled himself out of bed and raced to the bathroom to take care of the morning’s first business. Next, it was Penny’s bedroom to find out she was still sound asleep. He shook her shoulder hoping everything was okay since she rarely slept past 7:00.
That sleepy expression on her face as she asked the one-word question, “Dad?” melted Dak’s heart like always.
He said, “We’re running late for Brody’s store opening. You’ve got to get up and get dressed, or we’re both toast. We’ve got to stop by the bakery, too.”
While Penny sleepily sat up dangling her legs over the side of her bed, Dak raced to her closet pushing clothes this way and that until he found a pleasing, sunny dress for the occasion.
As he pulled it off the rack, Penny stepped up behind and said, “Uh uh. Wore that to Uncle Alan and Diego’s on Tuesday.”
Three dresses later, they settled on the right outfit. Dak said, “I’ll get dressed and take care of the pets, and you get ready—quick!”
Dak winced when the bakery door slammed behind him. He didn’t mean to cause a commotion, but he moved like a bull charging for the finish line when he was in a hurry.
Three other customers turned to look. Expressions of alarm softened into smiles when they spotted Penny at his side holding her dad’s hand.
Sadie, the owner of the bakery, stepped out of the kitchens in the back carrying a stack of four large boxes. She said, “I hope this is what you were expecting. Brody called and left a message at 6:30 saying you would be in to pick these up. This is only half of the order. I’ve got another stack of four large boxes.”
Dak grinned. Without having to wait for an order to be sorted and put together, he knew that he might make it to the store in time. “Let me take that, and I’ll be right back. We’re running a little behind this morning.”
The rest of the customers stood aside and cleared the way. A woman Dak didn’t recognize said, “Tell Brody we’re all proud of him. His store is a town treasure.”
“Oh, I absolutely will, and thank you.”
As they rolled into the parking lot of Sexton Hardware and Home Goods, Dak sighed with relief spotting Puck and Ross just climbing out of their car. Puck hauled Addie up onto his shoulders. Penny hurried out of Dak’s pickup truck shouting, “Addie!”
Puck stopped and turned. He grinned saying, “Penny! I thought you would all be here already. Ross kept poking me saying we’re running late.” He lowered Addie to the ground and asked Penny, “Will you take her hand?”
“Mmm hmm,” said Penny as she confidently nodded her head.
Dak carried one of the stacks of boxes and intercepted Ross. “I’m going to put you to work. There’s another stack like this on the back seat, and I don’t have time to make two trips.”
“I think I can manage that. Let me guess. Brody got up and left early, and you fell back asleep until you were running late.”
“Exactly. How’d you know?”
“Puck does the same thing. It’s happened more than once.”
“Aww, well I’d love to stand here and chat, but we need to get this stuff inside, or Brody’ll have my hide.”
A minute later, Dak recognized the worried expression on Brody’s face. He was pacing back and forth near the store entrance.
Brody said, “I was starting to think I’d have to do this without most of the best people in my life.”
“I’d give you a hug,” said Dak, “but my hands are full. You can relax. We’ve still got ten minutes before you open. Where’s all this go?”
Lacey and Seb stepped up. She said, “We’ll take care of this.”
Dak and Ross unloaded their stacks of boxes while Penny squealed again. “Boomer!”
“You let pets in the store?” asked Dak. He watched Alan and Diego’s basset hound with the doleful expression amble up to Penny.
“This is a one-time exception for good friends. Alan told me Boomer is good luck, so how could I say no?”
Alan followed behind Boomer, and he heard the brief discussion between Brody and Dak. He said, “Auntie Erin is to blame. She said there was no way that Brody could turn Boomer down. By the way, where is Auntie Erin?”
“I think Lacey took her back to the office to get some tea.”
As if on cue, Auntie Erin headed in their direction at Lacey’s side slowly sipping from a paper cup with steam rising from inside.
Everyone suddenly turned back toward the entrance when they heard pounding footsteps, gasping breath, and the voice of Lewis. “Did we make it? I think we flew from home, but we didn’t want to miss it.”
“Did you oversleep, too?” asked Dak.
Standing at Lewis’s side, Sid suddenly blushed. “Well, not exactly.”
Lewis chuckled. “But we got out of bed late.”
Dak shook his head. “Okay, I don’t need to hear any more details.”
Lacey pulled her cellphone from her pocket and looked around. She leaned toward Auntie Erin and said, “They’re all here. All at once. I think we have to get a photo before the doors open.”
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