Shadow Tales

by L. J. Hamlin

  "Let me grab some wine, and I'll be back," Tommy says, and Joel is a little disappointed when Tommy lets go of him. That warmth, that strength, had felt so good pressed against his body.

  Joel gets comfortable on the rug, pulling a few pillows down to help with that. Tommy isn't gone long before he's back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. He gets down on the floor with Joel, getting comfortable beside him before pouring them each a glass of wine.

  "Here's to snowstorms and strangers becoming friends," Tommy says, raising his glass.

  Joel echoes his words and touches his glass to Tommy's before they both drink.

  "I'm having a really good time," Joel says.

  "Sometimes a simple date can be the best. It all depends on the person you're with," Tommy says softly.

  "How are you so perfect?" Joel asks, reaching out to brush Tommy's long hair back off his forehead. It's soft, a rich brown flecked with gold. It looks like it's been done at salon, not by a man who mentioned that he cuts his own hair.

  "I'm far from perfect." Tommy laughs, catching Joel's hand before he can take it back and holding it between them.

  "Give me an example?" Joel demands.

  "I snore. I yell too loudly at football on TV. I suck at board games. I have a lousy poker face. I'm bad at lots of things, but no one's ever perfect in my opinion. I really like you. I want to take you on another date after tonight, and you don't need to be perfect for me to want that," Tommy says softly, all the while rubbing his fingers over Joel's knuckles.

  "None of those things sound so bad. But you're right: looking for perfect is harder than looking for a yeti, and it's not something I actually need or want. It's if someone is perfect for you that matters," Joel says thoughtfully.

  "Yeah, I like the way you think. So will you'll agree to another date?" Tommy asks.

  "Yeah, I'd like that a lot. It'll take something to beat this, though: a warm fire, cold wine, good company. Yeah, this is a pretty awesome date." Joel smiles.

  Tommy leans in and steals the smile off his lips with a tender kiss.

  "Oh," Joel says.

  "No pressure. Nothing has to happen tonight. I just needed to taste your lips once," Tommy says, stroking the fingers of the hand not holding Joel's down Joel's cheek, just touching the corner of his mouth.

  "I'm not usually a one-date kind of guy," Joel admits, but he can feel his body yearning to be closer to Tommy's.

  "That's not what I want either. However far we go, I want to see you again. I've enjoyed getting to know you, but I'm aware there's more to find out, more to learn about you, and I want to keep doing that. I won't lie: I do want to get into your pants, but I can wait." Tommy sounds like he means it, but Joel's only known him one evening. He doesn't know if he can be sure about Tommy's words. He wants to believe them. He wants to believe that over time, this spark they've found tonight will grow.

  Joel's head says to be careful, but his body is telling him he'd be a fool to miss out on getting to feel more of Tommy.

  "I don't need you to make me any promises. You don't owe me anything, but I'd appreciate honesty. When the snow clears enough for me to leave, if I give you my number, will you use it?" Joel asks.

  "Yes. You believe in yetis. Well, I believe in fate. Something brought you to my door today. Something thinks you should be in my life. I want to see if it's right. I haven't put myself on the line for a guy in a long time, but maybe it's time I took a risk," Tommy says in a rush.

  Joel leans in and claims a kiss, pleased when Tommy responds by wrapping his arms around Joel and pulling him closer to that strong body, crushing their lips together. Joel can't help letting out a small moan that gets muffled by Tommy's mouth. They kiss until Joel's lips feel bruised and his dick is aching in his jeans. He's sweating, and not because they're in front of the fire.

  And that's when Tommy suddenly stops.

  "What?" Joel groans.

  "Depending on how far we want things to go, I need to go get some things," Tommy replies, and thankfully one of them is still thinking with his upstairs brain. Joel's has gone to mush, and all he wants is to feel more of Tommy.

  "I, ah, think you should get some stuff," Joel says, because he doesn't do things halfway. If he's going to spend the night with Tommy, it's going to end how Joel dreamt it would.

  Tommy nods and gets up, kicking off his shoes. He grabs a blanket off the couch and throws it over Joel before he heads into one of the other rooms that Joel hasn't been in yet.

  Feeling daring, Joel strips under the blanket. He gets rid of every layer and is grateful for the blanket and fire. He can hear the wind howling outside and the snow beating against the cabin, and he's very glad not to be out in it—for more reasons than just the cold.

  The rug beneath his naked back is soft and tickles the sensitive skin of his ass a little. The blanket on top of him is a little rough on his skin, but he doesn't mind. The friction of it against his dick is a sweet torture. He wants more, yet at the same time as he wants it to stop.

  After a few minutes, Tommy reappears, holding a tube of lube and a package of condoms. The lube has been used before, but the condom package is new. As Tommy gets closer, Joel slowly draws back the blanket, revealing every inch of his naked body to Tommy's hungry blue eyes.

  "You look amazing," Tommy says softly, setting the lube and condoms on the rug. Still standing, he pulls off the sweater he's wearing and then unbuttons the undershirt. He drops them to the floor, revealing his broad muscular chest and defined abs. He has a tattoo of a dragon on one pec, and Joel gets the crazy idea to taste the tattooed skin to see if it's any different under his tongue than the bare, un-inked skin.

  "Thanks. You're wearing too many clothes. Lose the pants and join me under the blanket," Joel replies.

  "Your wish is my command." Tommy grins. He starts unbuckling his belt, and Joel can't help watching Tommy's hands move. He loves those hands, so strong. He bets they could hold him down easily. He wants to feel them on his hips, on his ass.

  Tommy gets his belt unbuckled and then moves on to the buttons and zippers. Eventually he's pushing his jeans down his legs, till he's left in nothing but a pair of fitted boxers that showcase an impressive bulge.

  "I showed you everything. It's only fair," Joel teases.

  "I'm not shy, just taking my time. I don't want to rush this. We may be rushing into bed, but we can take it slow once we're there," Tommy says, but he hooks his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear and pulls them down.

  His trimmed pubes are the same brown and gold as his mane of hair, and his cock is long and thick; it's uncut, unlike Joel's cock. He's seen a foreskin before. He's never been bothered by them either way, but when he looks at what Tommy has between his legs, his mouth waters.

  "Are you secretly a porn star in your spare time?" Joel asks as Tommy kneels down on the rug before lying down, getting closer to Joel. He can feel the heat coming off Tommy's body, better than any fire to drive away the chill of the snow.

  "No? Why?" Tommy asks, clearly confused.

  "You're seriously hung and buff. You'd clean up online," Joel replies. Feeling brave, he reaches out to stroke Tommy's firm chest.

  "I think I'll stick to taking pictures of animals." Tommy grins, and he reaches for Joel again. They fall together, bodies getting to feel each other's bare skin for the first time.

  Tommy kisses down from Joel's mouth to his neck, his lips soft, but his beard slightly scratchy. The combination of rough and smooth is surprisingly pleasurable, and Joel arches his neck, giving Tommy more access. He's so caught up in Tommy's kisses that he doesn't notice Tommy's hands have been moving until one wraps around Joel's cock. That he notices right away. Tommy's hand feels even bigger wrapped around his dick. His skin is soft, apart from a few calluses, and Joel arches up into Tommy's touch.

  "I could get you off just like this: my lips on your neck, my hand on your cock. I know you like it. I could make you come just like this," Tommy purrs into Joel's ear, making him sh
iver, and Tommy keeps stroking, making Joel's hips buck up. "Unless you want more, unless you want to come with my cock inside you," Tommy adds, and Joel flushes hot at the words. He wants that. Just thinking about it makes him dizzy and his dick leak, but he finds it hard to say the words when Tommy's kissing his neck and stroking his cock.

  "I want… Damn it. Option two." Joel can't bring himself to say it, as much as he wants it. He's not as bold with his words as Tommy is.

  "Whatever you want. I want to make you come so hard that I ruin you for anyone else, make sure I get that second date," Tommy teases. He moves so he's between Joel's legs, pushing them wide apart, and then slinging them over his shoulders as if they weigh nothing.

  Joel isn't a huge guy, but he's not tiny. However, being with Tommy makes him feel tiny; that big strong body of Tommy's makes him feel small. Tommy's surprisingly gentle, though. He strokes his hands over Joel's thighs, lifting him up more so that his ass is exposed. Then Tommy reaches for the lube. He slicks up his fingers and trails them between Joel's crack.

  "I'm pretty big, so are you sure you want to do this? I won't be pissed if we have to play another way," Tommy says.

  "I want this. Just use plenty of lube and finger me some first," Joel replies.

  "Of course." Tommy adds more lube to his fingers, rubs one against Joel's hole and starts to press it inside. "Tell me if I'm hurting you," Tommy says as he fucks Joel gently with one finger.

  "It feels good."

  Tommy slowly adds fingers and more lube, stretching Joel. He keeps going longer than Joel thinks he needs, but eventually he withdraws his fingers and grabs the packet of condoms. His fingers keep slipping because of the lube, so he passes the condoms to Joel.

  Joel gets the packet open easily and then rolls the condom on Tommy's long, thick cock, loving the feel of it in his hands, eager for what it'll feel like inside of him. Tommy wraps a hand around the base of his cock and guides it to Joel's hole, starting to push in gently.

  "I can take it," Joel says, frustrated with how slow Tommy's going. He wants to be full. He wants to feel every inch of Tommy inside of him, fucking him.

  "Don't rush me," Tommy insists, swatting Joel's thigh.

  The slight sting actually makes Joel's dick ache more, and he groans. He tries moving his hips, arching his back to take more of Tommy, but Tommy has a grip on Joel's hips and controls the pace completely.

  Finally Tommy is inside of him, their hips flush, and Tommy begins to move. He's gentle, and pleasure zaps through Joel's body with every thrust. He wraps a hand around his cock, stroking it slowly.

  "Yeah, stroke your pretty cock. I want to feel you come while I'm inside your tight ass," Tommy pants, and he really is kind of a talker during sex, which is a nice surprise.

  Joel can't really talk, apart from curse words between panting and moaning. It all feels so good. Tommy is thick and long inside of him, touching all the right spots to light Joel up like the Fourth of July.

  "Are you close?" Tommy asks, thrusting slow and deep, and Joel rolls his hips with every thrust, taking it the best he can.

  "Yeah." Joel speeds up his hand on his cock, head hanging back, his body feeling as tense as the string on a violin.

  Tommy leans in, practically folding Joel's body in half as he leans in for a rough kiss. The new position drives Tommy's cock even deeper. After just a few strokes, Joel's orgasm hits, and he comes between them, every curse word he knows spilling from his lips. Tommy moans, his hips jerking unevenly. He keeps kissing Joel as he starts to lose control.

  Not long after Joel's orgasm left him shaking, Tommy's hits, and he almost crushes Joel when he collapses forward. But after a few seconds, he rolls to the side, and Joel can breathe again. Tommy pulls out carefully and gets up on wobbly legs, going to the kitchen to clean up. When he gets back, Joel is still boneless on the floor.

  Reaching out, Tommy helps Joel get to his feet, and Joel feels a slight twinge in his ass. He has a hunch he's going to be feeling this for a while, and he's oddly pleased about that.

  "Want to wash up?" Tommy asks.

  Joel nods, and Tommy keeps an arm around his waist as he leads Joel to the bathroom. It's too cold to shower, so they just fill up the sink and sponge themselves down, Tommy commenting that they're lucky the pipes haven't frozen yet.

  "Was that okay?" Tommy sounds nervous. He's watching Joel, who's examining the marks already blooming on his skin: beard burn around his lips and on his neck, slightly swollen lips, and faint finger marks on his hips.

  "More than okay," Joel replies.

  "Good enough for a second date?" Tommy asks, eyes twinkling. The way he's looking at Joel as he cleans up makes Joel think that, if he's up for it, they'll have another round tonight.

  "Yeah, you earned my number." Joel winks.

  Tommy lends Joel something comfortable to change into while his snow-damp stuff dries off. Tommy's clothes are huge on him, but it's better than being in damp ones. They finish off the bottle of wine and head for Tommy's bed. They sleep for a while, and then sometime in the middle of the night, they come together again, this time with Tommy spooned behind him. It's slow and sleepy and kind of amazing.

  Morning comes, and they have breakfast together. The phones are working again, and the storm has stopped. They get dressed, and Tommy offers his snowmobile to get Joel back to the main road where he left his car, as well as a shovel and his muscles if the car needs to be dug out.

  They are outside loading up the snowmobile when, watching Tommy, Joel gets an idea. He wants to remember their first date, so he takes out his camera and starts taking a few pictures of Tommy as he walks around, getting everything they need to make their way through the heavy snow, and then he puts the camera back in his pocket.

  Joel gets on the snowmobile behind Tommy, wrapping his arms around Tommy's waist. They're both bundled up in lots of layers, but Joel would swear he can still feel Tommy's heat against his front. It's cold out, but the sky is clear today.

  They get to Joel's car pretty quickly, and it does need digging out a little, and then it's time for Joel to leave. He hesitates and then kisses Tommy good-bye, glad when the kiss is welcomed and given back.

  "You have my number and email," Joel says.

  "I'll be in touch about that second date," Tommy replies.

  Joel goes back to his apartment on the university campus, showers, and puts on his pajamas. He turns on his laptop and plugs in his camera. His phone chimes with a text from Tommy, making sure he got home safe through the snowy streets. He texts back, smiling, because he thinks this new thing with Tommy has potential.

  It's hard to tell after one date, but when you have chemistry, you have chemistry, and they certainly have that. It'll just be a case of getting to know each other better, sharing each other's lives and seeing if there's a place for each other. Joel thinks he could make a place for Tommy.

  He scans through the photos, thinking of where to take Tommy on their next date, seeing as Tommy hosted the first date and cooked. He gets to the last pictures, the pictures of Tommy, and this time he full-on grins.

  But then he notices something in the second picture. There's something in the trees behind Tommy, something big, bigger than Tommy. Joel clicks on the next picture, and it's a little clearer: a large, fur-covered creature. Joel clicks again, his heart racing, and there it is.

  A yeti.

  Seems that Tommy was his good luck charm, because if it weren't for wanting to capture Tommy's handsome face, he never would have snapped the so-called mythical creature he's found. Normally Joel would call his team with the news, or the university, but Joel knows who he wants to share the find with, and it's Tommy. Joel dials his number, his heart skipping a little when he hears Tommy pick up, and, well, that says something, doesn't it?

  Maybe Joel has found something just as rare as a yeti, something that's taken him just as long to find: a man to go on adventures with.

  Cat Scratch Fever

  The roar of his motorcycle
is comforting, even with the tension building in his body. Travis West has been riding for days. He's just glad he knows a shifter friendly bar close by, ready for the harvest moon.

  The moon makes the lust in shifters supercharged, and unless they have sex, the rapacious appetite they experience is maddening. Travis has gone through a few harvest moons alone since he hit puberty and his sex drive kicked in, and he prefers a night of sex to feeling like he wants to rip his own skin off.

  Pulling up outside the bar, it's already busy, even though the moon has just come into the sky. The longer the moon is in the sky, the busier it'll get, the more all shifters will feel the pull. Travis stores his stuff carefully, not that any shifter is interested in stealing tonight, unless it'll get them laid, and no human is stupid enough to come out to a shifter bar—on a full moon to boot.

  He walks over to the entrance, his skin prickling. They have two bouncers on the door, a pair of very grumpy looking wolves. Travis stops in front of them, even though he's in a rush to find a drink and a fuck.

  "We need to check you for drugs and weapons. That gonna be a problem, big guy?" one of the wolves asks, and Travis isn't offended. He's six foot seven inches, dressed in leather pants and jacket, with a black shirt. He's all muscle and a bear shifter. Not all bikers are trouble, not all Grizzlies are a problem, but when they are, they're not easy to contain.

  "No problem," Travis says, holding his arms out and spreading his legs. It's not the first time he's been searched, not by a long shot.

  He doesn't really want the hands of someone he's not attracted to on him. As a shifter, if you don't desire the person who touches you on a harvest moon, it's painful for both parties. That makes not hooking up with the wrong person easier and prevents pushy assholes from giving unwanted attention, since the more they touch, the worse the pain gets.

  The wolf doesn't take long though, clearly not wanting to touch Travis any more than Travis wants to be touched by him. Travis does like men—he likes women too, and pretty much anyone in between—but this guy isn't doing it for him, and neither is his silent companion.