Step Two

by Cole Bates

  With a mouthful of popcorn shrimp I said, “So…a whole weekend entertaining the parental units, huh?”

  “Yeah…um…actually not the weekend, the week.”

  I had just popped in another piece of shrimp. I thought that I was going to choke on it. It took a minute, but when I finally got it back under control I said, “A week? Why are they coming for an entire week?”

  He shrugged. “Marty’s taking his vacation then because he also wants to see one of your home games while they’re here. I guess they have a lot planned so I doubt we’ll have to do much entertaining. Mom said they were talking about a trip out to Ellis Island and Marty wanted to visit ground zero…”

  “But a whole week?”

  He laughed. At least he’s not pissed off at me. “We survived two weeks at home over winter break. I think it will be fine. They won’t be staying with us.”

  “Yeah…It’ll be fine,” I said. I wasn’t sure how but we had some time to think about it at least. I changed the subject before he had a chance to ask if I planned on telling Dad about us when they were here. “So, how is the play coming along?”

  “Really good. The sets are going to be amazing. I can’t wait.” I liked seeing him so excited. His love of the theater rivaled mine for baseball. I did feel bad that I’d been so busy with it lately that I’ve neglected him, though. That didn’t help the stress that seemed to be plaguing us both, I’m sure. I needed to remind myself to take time for what was really important and that was Alex, always.

  “Good, I can’t wait to see it. If the way you sing in the shower is any indication, you’re going to be amazing.”

  He laughed. “Thankfully the acoustics are a little better in the auditorium. You know…Mom and Marty coming here for a week isn’t all bad.” He wasn’t ready to let that go, I guess. “I know you’ll be thrilled for your dad to get to watch your first home game.”

  “Yeah,” I tried to sound excited but I’m not sure it worked. Everyone on the team knows about me and Alex, even coach. How the hell was I going to keep that from Dad? My dad is not the sit in the stands kind of guy. He’d want to meet everyone and get as involved as he could. The answer I was trying not to admit to myself was that I just won’t fucking be able to. His head will explode and I doubt that he’ll ever want to talk to me again. Dad never got past his days of being the big jock on campus. He went to the same school Alex and I graduated from and he’s still active on in all of the booster clubs and he even sits on the city council. I know he actually lost a few friends when he and Linda got married because he defended Alex to the small-minded men he shot pool and played flag football with on the weekends. I just don’t see him doing the same for me. I honestly think having a son who was labeled a jock and a player was the reason he was able to stand up for Alex and come around to the idea of having a gay step-son. It was like a buffer and when it came right down to it, Alex wasn’t his fault. He didn’t raise him. He raised the masculine son that ran with the popular crowd and played every sport, but most especially Marty’s favorite, baseball. I realized I’d been quiet for a long time and Alex was looking at me funny so I forced a grin and said, “Damn I can’t wait for the season to get started.” That much was true at least. Baseball feeds my soul. Before I fell in love with Alex it was really the only thing that did. Alex is just about perfect as far as I’m concerned, but if I could change one thing about him it would be that he loved the game as much as I did.

  “I’m looking forward to watching you,” he said.

  “Thanks, babe but this year the one to watch is going to be Tom. The MLB recruiters are going to be circling him like vultures.”

  “Good, they can watch him and I’ll watch you.”

  I chuckled and waited until the waiter had sat down our entrée’s before saying, “I love your loyalty but I wouldn’t be surprised if even you love baseball after watching Tom play.” Alex started eating his potato and I kept going on about Tom. I’d never personally known anyone who played the game like he did. It was like watching someone that was already in the major leagues.

  Alex took a bite of his baked potato and almost imperceptibly rolled his eyes as he said, “I’m sure Tom will give me a renewed love of the game.”

  I chuckled again. “You’re being sarcastic, but I’m serious. This guy is a pitcher who hits home runs on a regular basis. Do you have any idea how rare that is? He’s not just any pitcher either, he’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

  “Great. Do you think it might be possible to talk about something, anything else?”

  I felt a stab of hurt as I asked him, “Anything else other than baseball?”

  “No. Anything else other than Tom.”

  I hadn’t seen that coming. Was I going on too much about Tom? I must have been because I can’t remember ever seeing Alex jealous. He was always so easy going and even tempered. Although it was weird, I had to admit that it was also flattering to my somewhat fragile ego. It made me feel like I still had whatever it was that made Alex want me in the first place. The devil on my shoulder wondered if things might be hotter in bed for us if I let him think he had competition…but the angel on the other one reminded me how much I loved him and that he deserved better. I put my fork down and looked into his beautiful eyes as I said, “You know that I’m impressed with Tom’s skills on the baseball diamond and that’s it, right?”

  He put his fork down too and said, “I’m sorry. Shit. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  I reached across and took his hand and looked into his blue eyes. How can he not know how much I love him? I have to be failing him, miserably. “Nothing is wrong with you,” I told him, “This is my fault. I have been distracted with baseball and working out and the first night we have alone together I waste talking about baseball and Tom. You know how much I love you, right? You don’t have anything to worry about. I don’t want Tom. I don’t want anyone but you. I’m just an idiot.”

  “You’re not an idiot, not even close. And, I do know, I’m sorry for suggesting otherwise. I really don’t know what got into me.”

  I smiled and squeezed his hand. “Stop apologizing. We’ve both been on edge. Life has just been really overwhelming lately. I’m sorry for going on about baseball when we have so many more important things to talk about.”

  He grinned and said, “Now you stop apologizing. I have an idea that could release a lot of stress for both of us.”

  “Really?” I smiled. I knew by the look on his sexy face what he was thinking about.

  “Yeah…I think you should take me home and show me exactly how much you love me.”

  I couldn’t get the waiter’s attention fast enough. I had him wrap up the rest of our food and paid the bill. Alex and I walked hand in hand out to the car and when we got there I pushed him back into the passenger door and kissed him, hard. My cock was already swelling in my jeans just thinking about getting him home. I can’t imagine ever wanting anyone the way I want him. I was ready to show him just how much.

  I drove home a little too quickly and as soon as I parked the car I jumped out. Alex grabbed the take-out and carried it up to the door while I unlocked it. As soon as we got inside he went into the kitchen and put the bag of food in the refrigerator. He was always so fucking responsible. Sometimes it was sexy and other times just annoying. I followed him in there and as soon as he closed the refrigerator door I grabbed the front of his shirt and pushed him into the wall next to it. I kissed him again, ravishing his mouth, sucking on his sexy bottom lip and tongue. I ground my hips into him and he pushed back. I could feel that he was as aroused as I was and it made my cock throb even harder. For a second I considered fucking him right there up against the wall…but then I remembered that I was supposed to be showing him how special he was. More special than a quickie in the kitchen.

  “Bedroom,” I gasped out. He nodded and I stepped back and let him lead. When we got to the bedroom he put his arms around my neck and kissed me on the side of my face and then on the brid
ge of my nose and then softly on my lips. It was things like that he did and I didn’t do, that reflected the differences in the way we showed our love. I nudged him back down on the bed and then knelt down at the end of it. I took off his shoes and then his socks, then I stood up and unbuttoned his jeans. As I slid them down I let my lips follow them, first down the outside of his thighs and then across his hard sexy calves. Alex is not a big guy. His muscle is not bulky like mine, but he had plenty of his own. He had a lean runner’s body and it turned me on like crazy. I tossed his jeans aside and then started at his ankle and kissed my way up one side before kissing my way down the other. He moaned as my face brushed past the bulge in his underwear. It took everything in me not to reach up and grab it. I loved touching him. I love the sexy looks he gets on his face as I stroke him, or even better when I suck him into my mouth. I resisted, however. I wanted this to last, maybe all night long.

  Alex pushed himself up on his elbows and groaned. “You’re driving me crazy.”

  I smiled and winked at him. “Good. I want you begging for it.”

  His sexy body shook as he laughed. “I might just start doing that now.” I reached up and ran my hand over his cloth covered cock, squeezing it slightly and feeling it throb in my hand. I could feel the heat of his erection against my palm and it caused my own cock to throb that much harder. “Jesus Ryan,” he breathed out.

  “What babe?”

  His body shook again. I wasn’t sure if it was desire or if he was laughing again. “I need you.”

  “You’ve got me.” I got up on the bed and straddled him and then I leaned down and kissed him. He wrapped his arms up around me and we kissed like two starving men while grinding our hips into each other. Alex was moaning into me and I was just about ready to come in my own pants before I was able to tear myself away long enough to stand up and strip off my own clothes. He sat up and watched me and the look on his face was almost too sexy for me to take. He licked his full lips as I slid down my shorts and as soon as I was naked I reached down and pulled his shorts off, giving his throbbing erection a soft kiss as I did.

  I moved back up to his neck and I sucked on it and licked it and then I used my tongue to taste every inch of his chest, sucking first one nipple and then the other into my mouth and reveling in the way he arched up his back and made sexy noises as I rolled them around on my tongue. Alex wrapped his fingers up in my hair and pushed my head down. I knew what he wanted, but I just had to tease him. I sucked on his flat stomach and kissed my way across from one of his narrow hips to the other. “Oh God, you’re killing me.” I smiled again and pushed his thighs apart. I leaned down then and kissed the inner part of his thighs. “Jesus Ryan!” I let my tongue run from the base of his beautiful cock up to the tip and flattened it before circling the throbbing head and licking off the sweet pearl of pre-cum from the tip. He was flexing his hips up and pushing my head down even harder, desperate for me to suck that perfect cock into my mouth. I was almost just as desperate to do it, but I was having fun teasing him at the same time.

  I moved my face down and licked and sucked his balls. Alex was gripping onto the comforter and saying “Oh fuck,” over and over as I did. When I finally raised my head up and engulfed the entire length he let out a sigh that was a cross between pleasure and relief. I sucked on him and let my tongue run along the underside of his cock until I felt him swell and I heard his breath quickening to the point that I knew he was already just about to come. That was when I let his cock drop from my mouth with a pop and looked up at his face as he moaned in protest. I smiled up at him. His eyes were barely open and he groaned again. “What are you doing to me?”

  “Getting you ready babe. I want you to come when I’m inside of you. I want us to come together.” I reached over to the bedside table and took out the tube of lube. I squirted some on my fingers and Alex lifted his hips in anticipation. I kept my eyes on his face as I gently probed his opening. He closed his eyes and pressed down into me.

  “Oh God Ryan…God…” I let my finger slide in deeper and moved it around inside of him. He wiggled and writhed and my cock throbbed harder. I slipped in a second finger and he cried out my name. “More Ryan…I need more babe.” I moved them in further and leaned down as I did and gave his sweet cock another suck. Alex was thrusting and bucking and making the sexiest noises I’d ever heard. I couldn’t wait any longer. I couldn’t tease him anymore or I’d come all over myself. I pulled my fingers out of my lover and squirted another bit of lube on them. I ran them up and down my cock and gave it a few strokes. Alex bent his knees and put his hands on the backsides of them and pulled himself open to me. I straddled him and leaned down and slid my tongue into his mouth just as my cock entered him. Jesus, he feels so fucking good. How could he even consider that I’d ever want anyone else? I can’t even imagine anything else feeling this good. He’s so tight and warm…it’s like he was tailor made for me, and I for him.

  “You’re beautiful Alex,” I whispered as I moved in and out of him and looked down at his perfect face and body. He opened his eyes and looked into mine. In a breathless, raspy voice he said,

  “You’re beautiful. You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Hell, you’re the most beautiful anything. I love you, Ryan.”

  I pushed my cock in as deeply as it would go, pressing into his prostate and loving the way the lust colored his face with each thrust. He lifted his legs and wrapped them around my waist, locking his ankles behind my back and using the muscles in his legs to lift his hips as I thrust down into him. I felt the orgasm beginning to rise up from my toes. I was too far gone to hold back any longer.

  “I’m going to come,” I breathed out. I felt Alex reach down between us and wrap his hand around his throbbing cock and begin to pump it. I moved faster, fucked him harder while he stroked himself into my stomach. I felt a drop of sweat roll off my brow and I watched it fall and splash against his chest at the same time I exploded from the inside out. I cried out and then Alex did too. Suddenly my stomach was covered with his come and so was his. I pumped in and out a few more times before he let go of his cock with a groan and I collapsed down into him. I rolled to the side and slid my arm underneath him. Ignoring the come and the sweat completely I pulled him into me and held him while our breathing returned to normal. My heart was racing as I brushed my lips across the side of his face and let them land against his ear. “I love you Alex. I want you and only you, all the time, okay?” He tried to speak but all that came out was a squeak before he finally just nodded. “I’m hungry.” He hugged me tighter and laughed.

  “I love you.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  ALEX

  Ryan and I shared a shower and then he ate the rest of the leftovers, his and mine both. Once his appetite was satiated he crawled back in bed with me and pulled me into his arms. These were my favorite moments. These were the times that were mine and his alone. I held onto him and listened to his breathing change as he started falling asleep. I closed my eyes and reveled in the feelings he provoked in me and I thought about how lucky I was to be here with him. For the first time in his life Ryan could be anyone and anything he wanted to be…and he was with me. For a few minutes, I just let that thought warm me…right up until the green-eyed monster once again began to rear its ugly head. I suddenly had a vision of Tom. He wasn’t just giving Ryan a high-five earlier today like he had the other guys. He’d actually stopped and held onto Ryan’s hand and he’d given him a chest bump. I looked at Ryan’s face. He was sleeping peacefully and a small smile curled at the edges of his lips. I wondered if it was me he was dreaming about…or Tom. I rolled my eyes at myself. I had never thought of me as a jealous person. But for some reason lately I just can’t help but wonder if Ryan trapped himself into this relationship with me before he had a chance to see what else was out there, and now that he had, does he have regrets? I mean, he won’t even tell his own father about us. Is that an indication that he didn’t plan on being with me forever?


  I fell asleep at last and woke to the sound of my alarm going off a few hours later. Without opening my eyes I reached for it and realized it was laying in the center of Ryan’s cold pillow. I opened my eyes. Ryan had left already and in his place was my phone and a note that said, “Last night was amazing. I hope you have a good day. I will be late tonight, have strength training after practice. Love, Ryan.” The first place my mind went was to wonder if Tom had strength training too. With another disgusted sigh at myself, I pushed my jealous butt up out of bed and headed for the shower.

  For the next few hours, I immersed myself in biology and English Composition and stopped obsessing over Tom. By lunch time I was feeling even sillier for being jealous. Ryan’s a good person and he would never hurt me that way. He’s not a cheater or a liar and I was ashamed of myself simply for thinking that way. I decided to think about what I wanted to have for lunch instead just about the time I came face to face with Harry in the hallway.

  “Hey Alex, you want to grab some lunch over at the student union?”

  “You read my mind. I think a turkey sub would hit the spot right about now.”

  “Cool, I’m starving.” As we walked across campus Harry asked, “So, how was your night with Ryan?”

  “It was amazing, as always, and much needed.”

  “So what’s that look?”

  I laughed. Harry and I spent so much time together getting things ready for the play that he’s gotten to know me pretty well. “I have a look?”

  “Yeah. You always brighten up when we talk about Ryan, but there’s something else there…something not so bright. What happened?”

  I shook my head and pulled open the door to the Student Union. “Nothing happened. It’s me. I’m ashamed of myself.” Harry stepped inside and I followed him. We headed toward the student grille.