You're Welcome- Love, Your Cat

by Clancy Nacht

  Back arching, Edwin struggled to take the increasingly brutal impacts, clutching Forrest with both hands and spreading his legs wider as if he could simultaneously escape the punishment Forrest’s thick cock dealt and merge more fully into him. Edwin twisted his hips restlessly, but he knew the only thing that would make him come.

  “Please,” Edwin begged, shameless with desire. His words were barely more than tortured breaths between slack-mouthed, panting kisses. “Need to feel it. Please.”

  Forrest bit Edwin’s shoulder as he climaxed, big hands pinning Edwin’s hips as he jerked into him hard and fast. The burn mingled with ecstasy as the sound of Forrest’s release drove Edwin to the edge. As he came, he felt Forrest’s teeth clamp down harder, marking him.

  Knowing Forrest wanted him that way—that he played for keeps—stripped another layer of detachment from Edwin’s defenses. He gasped and spurted over Forrest’s fingers. Every stab of Forrest’s cock forced more spunk from him in milky ropes that arrayed his belly and clung to Forrest’s hand to slick his merciless grip.

  When it ended, Edwin was wrung out and helpless, possessed from the depths of his being. It shouldn’t have happened, but it had.

  He belonged to Forrest now.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Edwin’s thighs gave out. Only the steel band of Forrest’s arm around his chest held him upright. He sobbed once in disbelief at finding this after so long, his will broken by the truth.

  He tipped up his face, gaze unfocused and full of trepidation as he looked at Forrest. His tongue felt thick and dry from his openmouthed gasping, useless now that he wished he could say something perfect, something to express his awe without spooking Forrest.

  As Forrest scanned Edwin’s face, his expression changed from bliss to concern. As he slipped from Edwin’s body, Forrest turned him in his arms and hugged him tightly.

  “I’m sorry, did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to get so rough. Got a little carried away.” As he murmured, he pressed kisses to each of Edwin’s eyelids, then down his nose to his lips.

  Edwin struggled for both breath and rational thought. Where Forrest had been so fierce, now he was gentle. It took his higher brain functions off-line.

  Trying to form words without success, Edwin shook his head and caressed Forrest’s lips with his own. His hole flinched, too tired and sore for him to ignore. If he’d been sleepy and sated the last time, this time he felt hyperalert and hungry for something so much deeper than another fuck that it frightened him.

  Pressing yearning kisses to that tender mouth, Edwin reached for Forrest’s hand and brought it down to press against his swollen opening, as if it were a mortal wound needing pressure to stanch it. Edwin rocked his hips into the comforting solidness of those strong, capable fingers. He opened his mouth on a careless syllable, and then he shook his head again and wrapped both arms around Forrest. Their dewy skin stuck and slid as he clung.

  Forrest groaned and pulled Edwin closer, his fingers circling his grasping entrance and then pressing in. They curled forward and brushed back, exploring.

  “You’re so amazing. God.” Forrest delved back into Edwin’s mouth like he couldn’t get enough. With his other hand, he squeezed Edwin’s ass cheek. “This is all for me, ain’t it?”

  Gazing into Forrest’s eyes, Edwin found his voice, hoarse and barely audible. “If you want to keep it for yourself, just say it.”

  Forrest’s eyes widened. He stared into Edwin’s and nodded. “I want it.” Then some of the hope dimmed in that earnest blue gaze. “If you mean it.”

  Forrest winced and looked down, biting his lip. “I’m kinda gullible, but I think you mean it. If you don’t or whatever, it’s okay. I think we got something good here, though. I’d like it to be just us.”

  Edwin stared at Forrest’s expression, the way all the power and fire left him. He was just a hurt little boy inside, but one who refused to give up, who still believed miracles might happen.

  Edwin wanted to give him the world. He kissed Forrest gently and nodded. “I wasn’t monogamous with Howard, but what do you think made me stay alone all these years?”

  Looking at Forrest’s reluctantly hopeful expression, he knew he had to give him something to hold on to. It broke Edwin to put it into words, but he had to try.

  “I regret that even though he implied so many times that it hurt him, I wouldn’t be only his.” Edwin held Forrest’s gaze, pleading with the younger man to understand. Then he closed his eyes and turned his face to the ceiling. He couldn’t look at Forrest when he admitted it.

  “He was my dearest friend, my staunchest defender, the one who never used me or lost interest no matter how pompous I got or how little he cared about Macedon or Persia. But I was young enough to think fucking around didn’t matter. Then he was gone, and what mattered was that I’d never appreciated just how precious he was. The last real conversation we had was about how he wished I was home more.”

  Edwin looked at Forrest and swallowed. His throat was so tight the simple action left him feeling bruised. A wan smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

  “I’m not repeating that tactical error. I’ve had years of practice being faithful to a dead man. If you want it, I’ll be so faithful, Forrest.” Edwin pressed Forrest’s lower lip with the tip of his thumb and smiled wider. “You’re worth it to me. That’s why I’m here.”

  “Howard was a good guy. There was nothing wrong with him.” Forrest didn’t wait for agreement, talking more to himself than to Edwin, like he was applying that situation to his own with Corey. “He was a good guy, but you were young, thought you had your whole lives ahead of you. Don’t expect something like death to happen.”

  Leaning in, Forrest kissed Edwin again and fucked him slowly with his fingers. Edwin clutched at them, relieved to still feel that connected. He hated dredging up the past, but who knew better than he did how necessary the past’s lessons could prove? Forrest had been wounded; he needed solid knowledge to cling to going forward to have any hope of believing in Edwin. With Forrest’s lips kneading his, that seemed like the most important thing in the world.

  “So this is exclusive?” Edwin looked into Forrest’s eyes, trying to read him. A little smile spread across his entire face until he felt silly from it.

  Forrest smiled, and the brightness returned to his face. “Yeah. It’s exclusive. Has been since…” He blushed and looked down. “Has been for a while with me. Like being with you more than other people.”

  Edwin curled closer against Forrest to nuzzle his hot cheeks. “Aww, Forrest James, were you waiting for me?”

  Just seeing how shy Forrest looked at those words made Edwin’s heart beat faster. It was like nothing he’d ever imagined, even when he was young and full of dorky hopes.

  “Just didn’t feel right, knowing I liked someone else better.” Forrest kissed Edwin’s forehead. “Should get us up off this floor. You gonna be able to walk? Should I carry you?”

  The question left Edwin disconcerted for a moment as reality reasserted itself. Somehow, Edwin had forgotten where they were. He’d been transported to some romantic place that only existed in his imaginings. But here they were in the grungy break room of the garage, and Edwin was at a loss for anywhere he’d rather be.

  He grinned and gave Forrest’s chest a playful shove. “Is it taking shameless advantage if I just want to be carried?”

  Clutching Forrest for balance, Edwin stood and gazed at him with fresh eyes. As Forrest gathered him in his strong arms, Edwin laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. His career might have been built on knowing everything, but maybe his relationships were better off built on the understanding that he never knew as much as he thought he did.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Edwin awoke to the sound of Francesca growling and hissing. Then he heard Susie’s voice.

  “Oh my God!”

  He blinked in the morning light that streamed through the dusty window of the little room upstairs from the garage. A queen bed much
too large for the room forced the bedroom door to remain open, and Susie was standing in the doorway, eyes wide and a hand over her mouth.

  “Oh God, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you’d be up here. I thought—I mean, sometimes I have to wake Forrest and…” Susie trailed off and turned around.

  Beneath Edwin, Forrest was slowly coming to. He squeezed his arms tightly around Edwin. “I’m awake.”

  Edwin wanted to stay in the shelter of Forrest’s arms. His ass was sore, but if Susie went away, he could go another round before work. Edwin tried to sit, intending to reassure her that all was well so she’d depart, then bit back a groan and gave up.

  Every muscle in his body ached and protested, and if he tried taking Forrest’s monster right now, he’d never make it across campus. He settled again into the crook of Forrest’s shoulder with a faint sound of disappointment at how unfair it all was.

  Something hard and cool pressed against his arm, and Edwin reached up to find Forrest had handed him his spectacles. He smiled and slipped them on, still resting his head against Forrest’s bare chest, then met Frannie’s gaze where she watched him from Susie’s shoulder.

  Edwin got the distinct impression the cat expected a situation report.

  He pressed closer against Forrest’s solid body. “Francesca, I don’t want you hearing it from Nasty, so I’m telling you myself. You’ll have to share me with Mr. Forrest now. We’ve decided to be a couple. I promise to love you just as much as ever, but he’ll need my attention sometimes too.”

  Forrest squeezed Edwin. His face lit up, and Edwin couldn’t remember having ever seen so many of Forrest’s slightly crooked teeth.

  Susie squealed, which caused Francesca to panic and squirm out of her grip. The cat jumped from her shoulder onto the bed, where she butted her head against Forrest’s chin.

  Nasty uncoiled from the end of the bed to sidle up next to Francesca.

  “Is it okay to look?” Susie demanded, already half turned.

  “No!” Forrest dragged the comforter over them, tucking it around Edwin’s body possessively. The blanket threatened to consume the cats, and they bolted out the door. “All right.”

  “Finally.” Susie turned and beamed at them. “I had a feeling about you, Dr. Blais. It’s eight, though. Don’t know what time you were supposed to get up, but lazybones here is going to need to pull it together soon, or I’ll be sending customers up here to ask him when he’ll get their cars fixed.”

  Edwin sighed and tilted his face for a quick kiss, then edged across the mattress toward the closet. He had a feeling his clothes were still in a pile on the break-room floor, but if he clutched the sheet to his chest and twisted a little, he could snag one of Forrest’s shirts from a hanger.

  It collided with the door, which couldn’t open any farther jammed against the mattress as it was, and a moment later, one of Forrest’s T-shirts fell into Edwin’s lap. He tugged it on over his wild hair and crooked glasses, then grinned over at Forrest, wondering if it felt as nice to see Edwin in his shirt as it felt to Edwin to be wearing it. It was at least two sizes too big, but so was Forrest’s cock.

  “I’m just going to wear this to work today, if you don’t mind.” Edwin wondered if anyone would realize what it meant, or if they’d just assume his washing machine was broken. He cut his gaze to Susie, smiling faintly. “I’ll make sure he gets dressed too. Thank you for the wake-up call.”

  Susie eyed them. “No problem. I’m gonna run down and make some coffee. And Forrest, the traditional thing is to leave a tie on the door when you have company.”

  Forrest blushed. “Don’t have a tie.”

  Susie snorted and started downstairs, calling behind her, “Then next time maybe you should take your boyfriend to your condo.”

  Sheepishly, Forrest rolled out of bed to see which clothes remained in the closet.

  “Yeah, uh, don’t think I live here or nothing. Just use this when I’m working late. Just didn’t want to… It seemed more romantical to carry you up the stairs.” He grabbed a pair of jeans and a white shirt. “Course, now I gotta run down and get your pants for you.”

  Edwin slipped off the bed to join Forrest, watching him haul snug denim up strong legs with both wonder and a faint sense of loss. It was almost as magical watching Forrest get dressed as it was watching him strip, but the result was less exciting.

  He slid his fingers beneath the hem of Forrest’s shirt, hands moving to the small of his back to draw him close. It wasn’t a long hug, but it was satisfying to know it was all right to hold Forrest just because.

  Forrest kissed Edwin’s temple. “Don’t think I ever had a boyfriend for real before.”

  “Yes, well, you’ve got one now.” Edwin released Forrest with a quick brush of lips. “And he’s very impressed. You may have never had a real boyfriend, but I’ve never been carried around by Prince Charming.”

  As he gazed at Forrest, Edwin wondered if the man had any idea how extraordinary he was, any inkling of how badly Edwin wanted this to work between them. He suspected not. Whatever wounds Forrest bore, they were far from healed.

  But, just maybe, they had time for that, if fate didn’t snatch this one from him too.

  As that thought struck Edwin, his throat closed and his eyes stung. Panic clawed its way up from inside him. Another man to love meant one more love to lose.

  Fighting a breakdown, Edwin fisted his hand in Forrest’s shirt and yanked him in for another kiss, full of his terror and the struggle to express how important Forrest was. Every touch begged him to be careful.

  Then, embarrassed, Edwin stepped back abruptly. He felt stupid standing there in nothing but a huge T-shirt and geeky glasses; his hands trembled with barely suppressed emotion.

  “So. Next time. Dinner tonight, or do you have plans?”

  Forrest’s eyes were wide, but he quickly calmed and reached for Edwin. “You all right? In spite of what Susie said, it ain’t that crazy around here. The guys can handle it if you need me to take care of you. Didn’t mean to be so rough.”

  Edwin let out a frustrated breath and squeezed his eyes shut to escape. Then he sucked it up and met Forrest’s concerned stare with a shake of his head. “No, I’m fine. I’m sore, but it’s not… Just promise me not to die anytime soon, okay? Just tell me there’s a next time and when to expect it.”

  “Oh. No, not gonna die. Promise.” Forrest blinked. “Dinner at seven? You could come over, see my place if you want.”

  The knot in Edwin’s chest loosened, and he breathed more easily as he nodded. “Perfect. I’d love that.”

  Seeing Forrest still hovering, Edwin processed exactly what Forrest had said: He was willing to drop everything and take care of Edwin if he needed him. It was almost too much to deal with after so long alone.

  Donning a reassuring smile, Edwin waved Forrest downstairs. “Just bring my trousers, or I’ll have to walk out in front of your mechanics like this.”

  “Can’t have that. Ain’t sharing any part of you with anyone.” Forrest’s edgy tone made Edwin wonder about his past experiences.

  Then again, if Forrest hadn’t had a real boyfriend before, he was probably sharing quite a bit. Before Edwin could inquire, Forrest was down the stairs.

  He returned two minutes later with coffee and Edwin’s clothes, neatly folded. Francesca and Nasty dashed past him and hopped onto the bed.

  “Don’t have much of a shower.” Forrest held out the clothes apologetically. “Hot-water heater has a mind of its own, but you can have at it. Susie’s making a kolache run.”

  “It’s okay. I should probably get out of your hair.” Edwin took his clothes, pleased to see he’d taken such care with them. Forrest may never have been in a couple before, but he certainly had good instincts.

  Edwin braced one hand against Forrest’s shoulder for balance as he stepped into his trousers, forgoing yesterday’s underwear. Once his trousers were on, he straightened and gave Forrest a self-conscious smile.

  “Is it bad
I want to smell like your sweat all day?” Edwin stepped more into Forrest’s personal space and slid one hand over the fitted T-shirt and into Forrest’s hair as Edwin searched his face. He wasn’t sure he was still sexy enough for this—whether Forrest wanted what he did, or if it was more emotional than carnal for the other man—but he’d rather know now. “I’ll shower at your place tonight so I’ll smell like your soap and shampoo, and you can mark me with your sweat all over again before I leave.”

  There was something fragile and shy in Forrest’s answering smile. “You wanna smell like me? Really?”

  Forrest set aside the mug, drew Edwin into his arms, and claimed him anew with a long, lingering kiss. His contented sigh smelled of coffee and made Edwin self-conscious about his morning breath, but Forrest just stole another kiss.

  “I’ll bring Frannie home with me. Nasty too, if he’ll let me. You could run by your place after work, pick up some clothes. If you want.”

  It was painfully obvious how casual Forrest was trying to be, and his voice and body language almost sold it. In fact, a few days before, Edwin would’ve missed the hint of panic in Forrest’s eyes.

  “I’ll bring over an extra set of Francesca’s dishes and her spare brush to leave there too. Then she can sleep over whenever I do.” The words felt too bold once they passed Edwin’s lips. He played off the nerves by reaching for the coffee, taking a few sips, and shooting Forrest a mischievous smile from behind the mug.

  It wasn’t quite the same as saying he’d be needing half the closet space, but Edwin hoped it struck the right balance between declaring his intentions and pressing his luck.

  Forrest stared at him in wordless wonder, blue eyes wide and bottom lip snagged in the white crescent of his teeth. He looked like he might be repressing a rather unmanly squeal.