He motioned to the room. “Nothing has to leave this place.”
I smirked. “What happens at the beach house stays at the beach house?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Sure, if that’s what we decide.”
I averted my gaze because holy fuck, mind back in the gutter.
At the grocery store, we mostly loaded up on healthy foods as well as some chips and bakery items. When Blair picked up a box of fruit snacks and admitted the texture didn’t gross him out, I sneaked a second box in the cart, as if we weren’t on borrowed time. But he could easily pack them in his suitcase to head to his next destination.
Near the checkout line, Blair stopped short in front of a mini display that had a Charlie Brown-size Christmas tree with white branches and flickering lights that changed colors. Sort of obnoxious for such a small tree. But I saw the look in Blair’s eyes as he considered the boxes beneath the display.
“Are you serious?” I asked with a smirk. “I thought we were anti-holiday.”
“We are. But I like sparkly things, so this doesn’t count.”
I rolled my eyes as I lifted a box and placed it on the conveyor belt.
“Just this one thing.” His tone held a bit of whimsy, like a kid excited for a special treat, and I felt a strange stitch in the center of my chest.
Back at the house, we put the groceries away, but Blair left the alcohol on the counter. He’d bought enough wine to last us a month once I admitted I liked the kind we drank the other night on the beach.
“Plus, beer gives you a gut,” he’d said in the liquor aisle.
“We wouldn’t want that,” I’d quipped, looking him over, and he blushed, which was endearing, and Jesus, what was wrong with me? Except damn, was I enjoying hanging out with him, even without the kissing. But I couldn’t help imagining a couple other things that were bound to get me in trouble if I thought about them long enough.
After a walk on the beach, where the wind turned us chilly, we decided to head inside and finish our series. Our series? Nope, not going there.
I plugged in his cheesy tree, which he’d placed on the table near the entrance, then lit the fireplace. Blair poured us glasses of wine and cut the lights. We sank down beside each other on the couch to share a warm blanket, and the air grew thick between us as we discussed the plot of the episode.
“Do you think they’re traveling through time?” Blair asked in a throaty voice, which was almost like a purr and felt way too intimate.
I swallowed roughly. “Sounds logical.”
Our warm thighs were pressed together, and I felt a strange buzzing in my stomach. And also, completely turned on.
I was probably simply craving contact and maybe he was too—warm skin and shared history, nothing more to it.
Or maybe I was craving him, his lips against mine again, and I didn’t know what to do about it. But as I sipped more wine and the molecules in the air began to crackle and pop, I just went for it. Blatantly pressed closer so he understood my meaning.
He squirmed restlessly, and it was difficult to watch the remainder of the episode, but once the last scene finished, I lifted the remote to pause the series. When I felt his gaze searing into me, I was hit with this powerful urge to touch him.
As our eyes connected, I lifted my shaky hand to his jaw. The tips of my fingers brushed the soft strands of his hair that curled over his ear, and he opened his mouth in a soundless gasp.
“This okay?” I whispered, and he nodded, his eyes wide and searching.
I leaned forward, licked at his bottom lip, and heard a satisfying groan that warmed me all over. Then we were frantically kissing, my tongue sliding inside his mouth, and the taste of him was rich and vibrant like the wine we had consumed but also quintessentially Blair.
I moaned, my fingers digging into his hair as I tried to get closer. Taking my hint, Blair sank back on the couch, dragging me on top. He sighed when our hip bones connected and our stiff cocks lined up. And damn, this—feeling another man against me—was everything I’d imagined. So different than a quickie hand job with a stranger.
He was definitely no stranger.
But I thrust that thought away as my dick ached for more friction. I kissed him deeper and ground against him. Needy, desperate noises escaped my throat as his hands burrowed firmly in my hair, urging me on.
Before I knew it, our shirts had landed on the floor and we were skin to skin. Blair ran his fingers through the whorls of the hair on my chest, and I shuddered when he tweaked my nipples. “Mmm…sensitive, aren’t you?”
“Guess I am,” I replied honestly. “I didn’t really know.”
That seemed to snap him out of our perfect bubble, and his forehead creased in worry. “What the hell are we doing? I don’t want you to regret—”
“I won’t regret it.” My fingers skimmed his collarbones, and I marveled at his smooth skin. “I also don’t want to stop. I want to come.”
He stared hard into my eyes as if to make sure I hadn’t lost my marbles. Then he settled back on the couch and lifted his hands over his head, giving himself to me. “Then, make us come.”
I stood to kick out of my jeans, and he helped push his down to his ankles. Now we were only in our underwear, and as his gaze greedily drank me in, I flushed all over. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
“You’re not too bad yourself.” I reached forward to brush my fingers over his lean chest, but he grew impatient, which I freaking loved, dragging me down and sealing our mouths and tongues together. When our bodies realigned, he hissed as I ground against him.
“Pull yourself out,” he growled, and devoured my mouth again. So I reached inside the front panel of my briefs and drew my shaft out as he did the same. My hand encircled both our cocks like I’d seen done in way too many porn clips, and it was surprisingly harder than it looked as I sloppily stroked us a few times.
Still, his cock was hot against mine, the blood gathering around the head, and I clenched my teeth, so close to the edge. I wished I had more time to appreciate how smooth and long he felt, but I was so fucking turned on, I couldn’t see straight.
He seemed to be having the same problem as he moaned and squirmed, so I gave in, sinking down and rutting mindlessly against him, chasing my release. When his palms cupped my ass to anchor us firmly together, the sensation was too damned much. My skin buzzed, the hairs on my neck prickled, and I threw my head back and let go, my come spurting against his stomach.
“Oh God, Caden.” I felt him stiffen and heard him groan, and looked down in time to see his mouth open noiselessly and his features smooth out in relief. His eyes looked unfocused as he reached up to tenderly brush his fingers across my jaw. It made me shiver.
I was blissfully numb as we used our shirts to clean up, but still nervous Blair would have regrets. When he pulled me down to rest inside his arms, I realized I was craving that closeness, and apparently, he was too, or he just thought I needed it. I pushed the remorse aside and just enjoyed his warmth in the silence of the room.
After another minute, I heard his soft snoring and smiled to myself. Lifting my head, I watched him for a while, his long eyelashes brushing against his cheeks, his full lips puffy and wet from our kissing. He was stunning even in sleep.
It felt like a soothing cocoon with the sound of the ocean and the lights from the tree flickering against the walls, so I adjusted the blanket over us and finally succumbed to sleep.
13
Blair
My phone buzzed from the table, rousing me. I blinked my eyes awake…and became aware of Caden’s warm heat behind me. Somehow, we had shifted on the couch in the middle of the night so that I was lying in front of him, and waking up wrapped in his arms was unexpected, to say the least. Not only because he’d always been the younger brother who followed Christopher and me around, but because the way he got us off last night had been so confident and sexy.
I admit I felt strangely relieved that he didn’t attempt to untangle himself and escape to
his room in the middle of the night. I’d always liked being held, but it never felt quite right with other lovers. Yet somehow feeling Caden’s solid body wrapped around me made me feel safe and protected. Go figure.
Yeah, totally messing with my brain.
What happens at the beach house stays at the beach house.
The stuff we shared definitely wouldn’t leave my thoughts anytime soon. Even after I was long gone to Switzerland and then back to work. I might not have worked much out yet as far as my career was concerned, but Caden had been a nice distraction.
My phone buzzed again, but I ignored it, not ready for reality to intrude. No doubt it was another text from Finn or maybe Christopher, asking if I was okay. At least my parents were none the wiser, which was usually how it worked. I had always folded into their busy lives with little effort or resistance. It wasn’t that my parents were inattentive, just that they were pretty hands-off, and even as a kid had treated me almost as an equal, which meant I got away with tons of stuff. That also meant that my lessons in life were somewhat harsher. Regardless, they were supportive no matter what.
Truth be told, I probably could’ve used more watching over as an adult because lately I’d made a mess of a lot of things.
My stomach tightened as I remembered the year my parents almost split up. I was a freshman in high school, and there was a lot more silence in the house as well as hushed arguments behind closed doors. My dad stayed on the couch for a while, and I remember having inklings that maybe he’d strayed, but they never discussed it with me.
I’d been coming apart at the seams, questioning if any relationship could ever last. Mr. and Mrs. Bell must’ve noticed something was up because they sort of folded me into their family, no questions asked, assuming I’d show up for weekend sleepovers and nightly dinners. And fuck, I’d never forget how they’d essentially saved me that year until my parents finally reconciled and decided to stay together.
“Morning,” Caden whispered against my ear.
I hummed. “You’re like a furnace, which is great because I’m always cold.”
“Guess it worked out perfectly,” he said with a throaty chuckle, making my dick perk up.
But before I could wiggle my ass against his stiff cock, he sat up and stretched, which was probably for the best. He was wading in new territory, and I had gone there with him. I needed to know if he was okay with it.
“Gonna go for a run, then shower.”
“Sounds good,” I murmured, marveling that it didn’t feel awkward between us. “I’ll put on coffee.”
After showers and lunch at a small café in St. Armands Circle, we headed back to the house, floating the idea of watching the rest of the series later over dinner and wine, and who knew what other things we might get up to. But we stayed away from the topic, even though it made my stomach buzz with excitement. I would totally let him take the lead, and if it amounted to nothing further, I’d be okay with it. No way would I want him to move faster than he was ready. And besides, there were plenty of other men—better men than me—who could help him navigate through it. So why did that thought make me feel queasy?
I had just checked email and responded to a strange text from Christopher asking if we were around, when the doorbell rang.
It was such an unexpected sound that we both froze at the kitchen island.
“Who could that be?” Caden asked, moving toward the door.
I was dumbstruck as he swung it open. The first person I zeroed in on was Mrs. Bell, and directly behind her was Caden’s father, holding what looked like the end of a live Christmas tree still wrapped in twine from whatever corner they’d bought it from.
“Mom, Dad?” Caden asked in an astonished tone. “What the heck is going on?”
Behind them stood Christopher, Tabitha, and their daughter, Charlotte, who could not contain her excitement as she bounced up and down. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years other than in photos on social media, and she appeared much older and taller in person. She no longer had those toddler chubby cheeks, and had sprouted into a full-fledged five-year-old kid. At least I thought I got her age right.
She was giggling and covering her mouth, possibly because they had told her their visit was a secret. And boy, was it ever.
Mrs. Bell swept through the door, her arms opening wide as she approached Caden. “We couldn’t go without you. So we brought the holiday here.”
“Wasn’t the whole point that I wanted to be alone?” Caden countered as she kissed his cheek.
“But you’re not alone.” She motioned to me. “You’re with Blair, which is such a nice surprise.”
When she threw her arms around me, I hugged her back, feeling unsettled. Over her shoulder, Christopher’s cheeks were pink, an apology in his eyes.
“Why didn’t anyone stop her?” Caden complained.
“Stop your mother when she’s set on an idea?” his dad chided as he carried the tree over the threshold and rested it against the baseboard in the great room.
Caden threw me a look I felt to my bones. There went our quiet retreat. Bummer.
Still, it was hard to be pissed because they all seemed so earnest, and knowing the Bell family, it was done out of love.
Once hugs were passed around and Tabitha suggested retrieving some lights and ornaments out of the storage closet, Mrs. Bell seemed satisfied that her idea was taking shape.
“Mom, we weren’t going to—” Caden’s eyes snagged on our ridiculous tree that provided a soft glow against the stark wall. “Never mind.”
She eyed our purchase with disapproval, which made me feel defensive. But she usually went all out decorating for the holidays, so no doubt our small contribution simply wouldn’t do.
“Are you angry we showed up?” Mrs. Bell asked, her eyes wide and searching. For the first time since she stepped foot inside the house, she seemed uncertain of her spur-of-the-moment decision.
Caden sighed. “No, Mom, just taken aback,” he said, most likely not wanting to make her feel bad.
“Good. I needed to be with my son.” She pushed the hair out of his eyes, then glanced over to me. “All my sons.”
And damn if my heart didn’t grow two sizes too big for my chest.
Caden and I stood practically frozen in the center of the great room as everyone swung into action. The Bells plodded upstairs with their bags to claim the remaining two bedrooms, and I briefly considered what a plane ticket home would cost.
Snow and cold, I remembered. Fuck.
“What the hell just happened?” Caden muttered, looking completely overwhelmed.
“A Twilight Zone episode? I knew we shouldn’t have eaten those strange-looking mushrooms at lunch.”
We burst into nervous laughter, and that gave us the levity we needed just as Christopher came down the stairs.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, looking between us. We sobered immediately, as if we’d been caught with our hands in the cookie jar.
“The fact that my family invaded my holiday?” Caden supplied. “Brought a freaking live tree and everything?”
Christopher’s shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry. She floated the idea to us, and they were able to change their flight and we had frequent-flyer miles. She didn’t want you to be alone since you and Lauren…well, you know.” His cheeks pinked, and he turned away. It was a lame excuse, but we all knew Mrs. Bell was a force to be reckoned with.
“That was months ago,” Caden grumbled.
Christopher looked over his shoulder, as if to make sure she was still upstairs. “She thinks you’ve been…depressed. Have you?”
Caden scoffed. “No, I’ve been figuring stuff out.”
“Sorry,” he replied. “Maybe try telling her that.”
“Yeah, okay.” Caden sighed in resignation.
Charlotte squealed upstairs, and I turned toward the window to look out at the waves rolling in on the beach. There goes our quiet. And a bunch of other stuff too.
14
Caden
What in the hell just happened? One minute it was a peaceful week with a sexy guy I was getting to know again. Then the doorbell rang, and in walked my overbearing family, with a real freaking tree and so many bags, it was as if they were staying a month. I was definitely pissed they’d disregarded my request to spend time alone, but I was ticked for other reasons as well. Obviously.
I’d been doing my thing and enjoying my time with Blair. We’d kissed and gotten off with each other, and I supposed I was hoping for more since he was so carefree about it, which was refreshing. Now all that would be coming to an end. I guess I should’ve been thankful we hadn’t totally crossed the line yet.
What’s a little hand job in the middle of watching a Netflix series?
I nearly laughed out loud at the idea of my lunatic family showing up to put a stop to it all. So maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
Blair seemed as shell-shocked as me but also pretty amused as he watched my mother take action, assigning rooms and then tasks to my father and brother. He’d normally enjoyed my family, so it made sense that he could forgive their harebrained idea so easily. But I also thought he’d been enjoying our secluded little retreat as well.
Wait a minute, did I just call it ours? Here I go again. It was difficult not to think of it in that way after all we’d shared in only a handful of days.
Once everyone got settled into their rooms, we offered them cold drinks from the fridge, suddenly placed in awkward host mode even though it was Christopher’s beach house.
Then Dad set the balsam pine in a stand in the corner of the room, and Mom got started on stringing the tree with the tangle of lights Tabitha pulled from their storage closet. Mom seemed satisfied, which was a plus. She loved dramatic displays, inside and outside our house. But now that they’d moved to a smaller condo in the Columbus area, she’d had to downsize and donate many of her decorations.
Charlotte had pulled out her Barbies and settled in the great room on the area rug. Blair sank down on the floor with her, and from what I could tell, they were enacting a fashion show using a long swatch of toilet paper as a runway.
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