Somewhere on Mackinac

by Jeff Adams

“And it’s very good.”

  “Cheers and thank you for everything.” Miles’s eyes reflected the light around the room. He lifted his wine glass and I did the same.

  “Cheers and you’re welcome.” Our glasses gently pinged.

  “I consider myself one lucky man for meeting you,” Miles said after we drank. “Not only have you saved my business, but I haven’t met anyone I wanted to make my boyfriend in a long time.”

  Wow. He threw that out there calmly. I loved hearing it, but it didn’t do anything for my earlier jitters.

  “I’m lucky too. This island’s been magical, showing me what’s missing in my life. Helping you with your business was nothing compared to how happy I am that we’re doing this.”

  Miles’s expression was hard to read, and I suspected I knew why. Sunday was fast approaching, and while we’d agreed to try long distance, we hadn’t talked about what that involved.

  “After dinner I’d love a tour of the rest of the house.” I moved to a much safer topic. “It’s quite something.”

  “It’s a lot of house for one person, but, like the stables, I don’t want to let it go.”

  “Nate didn’t want the house?”

  Miles shrugged. “If he did, he never mentioned it. He stays here when he’s on the island, but that hasn’t happened in months. Do you have siblings?”

  “Nope. Just me. Raised in a run-of-the-mill suburb of Chicago. My parents still live in the house I grew up in, except my room’s become Mom’s craft room.”

  He softly laughed. “Plenty of room for crafting here. There’s four bedrooms upstairs, plus a workshop out back.”

  “How do you keep all this up with just you?”

  “Someone comes in once a week to clean. I’m pretty tidy anyway, but I don’t want dust all over the rooms I don’t use much.”

  I nodded. “So Nate just decided to up and leave even though he took on one of the stables?”

  I might have been treading on something that wasn’t my business, but I was curious.

  “Dad and I’ve talked about it. We’re sure Nate thought he was doing the right thing. But a girl who was visiting turned his head. He decided to sell and move. To his credit, he’s still with the girl.”

  “That’s something, I suppose. Does it ever get old, living in such an isolated place?”

  “It’s home. It’s always felt like home. And I love what I do. The tourist season’s exciting because you meet so many different people. The off-season’s great because there’s a little more rest. And, the community is really tight, which I like.”

  “You don’t mind freezing up here?”

  “I’ve heard about Chicago when the wind is whipping off the lake. I’m sure we both sometimes wish we lived in Florida.”

  “You’re right about that. That desire to bolt usually crops up in February.”

  “So Chicago’s where it’s all at for you?”

  “Except for school it’s the only place I’ve ever lived. I’ve never thought about anywhere else. Never had a reason to.” I locked eyes with Miles as I spoke, and I could’ve stayed in that moment forever because his gaze was enthralling.

  For a moment neither of us knew where to go with conversation. We focused on eating in a comfortable silence. It was one of the best meals I’d shared with anyone.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “WOW,” I said as Miles snapped on the lights, illuminating the back porch.

  “This was Mom and Dad’s hideaway. A lot of parents make it the master bedroom, but for them it was to sit outside, hold hands, and talk about the day. I need to put the storm windows up, but the heater will do just fine for tonight.”

  The porch was screened in and hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny white lights along the ceiling provided soft illumination. There were a couple of chairs and a small couch on one side and a small round table with chairs on the other. For some people this much space would be a studio apartment. Here it was a cozy enclave.

  “Hang tight. I’ll get the cobbler and coffee.”

  Miles darted back into the house before I could say anything. I looked out and up to the star-filled night sky. It was even quieter here than at the inn. I guessed because the house was tucked away from the main part of town. In the summer it’d be stunning spending an evening here as night enveloped the island.

  Clattering behind me signaled that Miles was trying to open the door. I hurried over to assist.

  “Thanks,” he said as I took the book he had jammed under his arm so that he could better maneuver with the tray. “Coffee, cobbler, and photos.”

  “Perfect.” I took a seat next to Miles on the couch and served the chocolatey dessert while he poured the beverage.

  I moaned as I inhaled the bowl of molten chocolate goo. I couldn’t get a bite in fast enough. Is this what living with Miles would be like? Stunning landscapes, delicious food, curled up on a couch with him in the evenings? Chicago had nothing on this.

  “That’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” I followed up immediately with another bite.

  “Right. It’s crazy good. The chewy brownie, the liquid chocolate. I’d be happy to drown in a dish of it.”

  He set down his bowl, wiped his hands on one of the napkins he’d brought, and opened the book between us. The first page featured a black-and-white picture of the Grand Hotel with film equipment surrounding the porch.

  “The pictures I promised,” he said. He flipped pages slowly as he told stories. “Dad was on the transportation crew helping haul stuff around the island with our carriages so he was usually at the major filming locations. He had a Brownie camera, and he took tons of pictures. It was a pretty old-school way to take pictures even in ’79, but he loved it. He actually developed these in the workshop.”

  “These are fantastic. They should be on the DVD extras.”

  “When they were doing the most recent version, they asked if he’d license some, but he declined. It was one thing to show them at the Grand for the convention goers, but he didn’t want to outright sell them.”

  He talked through page after page of pictures from the various places that I’d seen on the location tour. We took turns with who ate and who turned the pages, careful to keep the book clean. The candids with the stars as they were setting up scenes were my favorites. The last page of the book was the best of all—Christopher Reeve squatting down to the same level as a young Miles, dressed in his Superman T-shirt.

  “That’s amazing.” I skimmed my hand just over the surface of the photo. It was easy to see the man sitting next to me in the child from the photo. He was adorable, looking at Reeve with awe. “You look like you’re actually meeting Superman.”

  “I thought I was, or meeting Clark Kent, anyway. My dad says that I asked him where his glasses were.”

  I laughed. “Oh my God. That’s way too cute.”

  Miles took the book and set it on the coffee table, next to our empty dessert dishes. He snuggled in next to me, arm across the back of the couch, but close enough that it brushed against my neck. Despite only knowing Miles less than a week, I felt like I belonged here. It didn’t make sense, but I wasn’t going to question it.

  I scooched over and nestled in as his hand dropped to cover my shoulder. I was pretty sure I could stay here, forever.

  “You cold?” Miles asked, voice barely above a whisper.

  “Nope.”

  Miles kissed the side of my head with the softest peck, and I let go of a long sigh.

  “I haven’t felt like this in a long time,” I said without moving.

  “How so?”

  “This… comfortable.” I adjusted so I was still snuggled close but angled my head so I could see him better. “You make me feel like I’m supposed to be here.”

  We held each other’s gaze for a moment before he spoke. “Maybe you are.” He ran his free hand over his beard. “We’ll just have to see where it goes.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. I can come up here often.”

 
; “I’ll come to see you too, especially in the winter when business is slow and the staff can handle everything.”

  “Caleb will like that,” I said as Miles raised an eyebrow. “You can’t tell me that Caleb isn’t grooming himself to take over the business with all the work he’s doing.”

  A happy laugh spilled from Miles. “He’s definitely got a future with horses if he wants it, whether it’s with me or a place of his own.” He shifted the conversation back to the original topic. “Do you think it’s foolish to try this long distance?”

  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the movie, you have to take certain chances when it comes to finding the love of your life. I need to know if that’s you.”

  “I knew from your bumbling words when I took you to get the fudge that I felt something with you.”

  Heat warmed my face as Miles hit the embarrassment button.

  I brought his head to mine so I could kiss him. The kisses were tender. Getting to know Miles on a more intimate level was intoxicating. It was a good thing we were sitting because I wasn’t sure if I could stand.

  Time had no meaning while we were making out. In the moments I stole glances at him, he looked blissful, and if I caught him with his eyes open, they were alive with passion. When he pulled back just enough so I couldn’t reach his lips, it felt like a lifeline had been pulled away.

  “I hope I’m not too forward by asking this, but would you like to go upstairs?”

  I’d never seen him look so shy, or sexy.

  I nodded as I stood and offered him a hand. He kept my hand in his as we went back through the kitchen to the stairs at the front of the house.

  “We’ll save the tour for later.” His tone was playful as he led me into one of the bedrooms and flicked the light switch.

  The room fit him perfectly with its warm earth tones. It had a modern edge with the furnishings streamlined and less antique than what was downstairs.

  “This isn’t romantic lighting at all. One second.” He zipped across the room and turned on a lamp that was behind a cozy-looking leather chair that appeared to be part of a reading nook. He returned and extinguished the overhead light. “That’s better.”

  My heart was about to pop out of my chest since my anticipation level was off the charts. I was drunk, but not because of alcohol—it was this man who was gorgeous, powerful, and yet so gentle.

  “I don’t know what I want to do.” Shyness crept into Miles’s voice. “I don’t wanna mess us up.”

  “I’m glad you’re nervous too,” I whispered. Again, we looked at each other and he made me feel like the most special person on Earth. “I know what I want to do, though.”

  His response was the smallest nod. I grabbed the hem of his shirt, lifted it slowly, revealing a flat stomach with a dark blond treasure trail disappearing into his jeans. He raised his hands so there was no trouble getting the shirt off, but I took my time. Once I got past his stomach, fine blond hairs, similar to the dusting on his arms, led the way up to his chest. The higher I went, the more there was and the darker it became to match what I’d seen around his belly button. His nipples were taut, either from the chill outside or his arousal. I grazed one as I continued lifting the shirt. He gasped and I grinned at discovering the sensitivity.

  Once it was off, I unceremoniously dropped it to the floor. I’d wondered for days what he looked like shirtless, and I wasn’t disappointed. Hard work honed his body, just like I thought it would be—with powerfully built chest and arms. I ran my hands over the exposed skin, making sure to gently brush each nipple. A small sigh escaped both of us.

  “My turn.” His grin was impish. “This sweater looks great, but it’s time for it to go.”

  He wasn’t slow in getting the sweater off. My body wasn’t like his, but I was fit enough. He seemed to like what he saw as he drew me in and wrapped his arms around me. When he started running his hands across my back in a sort of massage, I was putty in his hands and the moans made that clear.

  The bulge in his jeans made itself known, and feeling it against mine made it difficult not to grind into him. I pulled back just enough to give us space to kiss. It wasn’t gentle this time. Pressed against his bare chest, a fire lit that I wasn’t going to ignore. He clearly felt the same way as we went at it with an intensity that made our previous make-out session in the office seem G-rated. Every time I slipped my hand between us and tweaked one of his nipples, he shuddered. I loved that.

  “Can we please get out of these?” He pulled on the waist of my jeans.

  He was working the button of his jeans before I could respond. It was a race to see who could become pants-less first. He ended up in a pair of red briefs, and I could see why I’d felt him through the jeans as the fabric strained to contain him. My boxers were far looser, but my tent was also quite pronounced.

  “Don’t stop there,” he said before dropping his briefs.

  “Nah, I’m good just looking at you.” I put my hands on my hips. “You’re one big boy, kinda all over.”

  It was hard to tell in the low light, but I swear the slightest bit of blush crept across his cheeks. I licked my lips, trying to hold my ground rather than just pouncing on him.

  He raised a questioning eyebrow before coming deliberately toward me. It felt like it took him forever to close the space, and that only raised the heat factor.

  “Please?” He slipped a finger under the waistband and moved it along my skin. He didn’t pull them down, but he teased me just right.

  “How can I say no to that?”

  This time he raised both eyebrows before he lowered his gaze and pushed the shorts down with both hands.

  The smallest grunt escaped his lips before he spoke. “So perfect.”

  He grabbed me by the hand, led us to the bed, and pulled me on top of him. I positioned myself so one of my legs was between his, which aligned our bodies just right.

  I didn’t make it back to the inn because neither one of us felt like leaving after getting to know each other very well. It was all we could do to clean up just enough so we wouldn’t wake up in a sticky mess.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “HEY, MILES, this is a pleasant surprise,” I said as I answered my cell phone. I did my best to sound awake even though the alarm had only gone off a couple of minutes earlier.

  After a stunning few days with Miles before I’d returned to Chicago, we were talking multiple times a day. I missed him terribly, but the phone calls were getting me through. This was an odd call because it was ridiculously early in the morning.

  “Didn’t wake you, did I?” he asked.

  “Nope, but I haven’t gotten out of bed yet either.”

  “Perfect,” he sorta growled. “Me either.” My phone dinged with a text message. “See?”

  “Oooh. Let me look.”

  I flipped over to the message and found a picture of Miles, covers just above his waist showing his beautiful stomach and chest. He wore only a sleepy smile. I’d seen that look in person several mornings, because after we slept together the first time, I was in his bed every night. My room at the inn had become only the place I worked during the day.

  “Oh, man.” I brought the phone back to my ear. “Wish I was waking up to that sexiness in person.”

  “Me too.” He spoke sleepily, lazily. “Show me you.”

  “You’re bad this morning.” I put him on speaker so I could maneuver the phone and take a picture like his. “What’s gotten into you?”

  “Like you have to ask. It didn’t take long for me to get addicted to you.”

  “Coming back at you.” I sent the photo.

  It was weird sending it. The one time I sent Drake a shirtless pic, he told me not to do that because someone might steal it and post it somewhere. I didn’t get the big deal since you couldn’t see any more than if I was at a beach. Getting the sexy surprise from Miles was awesome and something I wanted to encourage.

  “So I know you haven’t even been gone a week, but I was thi
nking I’d come down this weekend. If it’s okay with you.”

  “Hell, yes!”

  “That was even more enthusiastic than I was hoping for.” His happiness radiated out from the speaker.

  I got rid of the blanket so the tent my cock made against the sheet showed clearly. I snapped a pic and sent it.

  “How’s that for enthusiastic?”

  “That’s not fair,” he said through a moan, “showing me what I can’t have.”

  “It’s all yours this weekend.”

  “Hmmmmm…. Mine’s happy to hear that.”

  As if the initial moan wasn’t enough, he groaned on, making my cock pulse under the sheets. The phone chirped again.

  “Fuck me.” It was barely a whisper and I couldn’t be sure Miles even heard it. I made sure to speak louder. “Talk about no fair.”

  The picture was him, holding his erection with a drop of precum right at the tip. I grabbed my dick. If he was going to play like that, so was I. I clicked off another picture with my free hand.

  “Oh yeah,” Miles said shortly after I heard the ping of the image arriving on his phone.

  “You gonna save that for me?” It wasn’t a fair question since I was gently pulling on my cock, knowing I wasn’t going to be able to save mine.

  “What do I get if I save it? It’s a long time until Friday.”

  The idea of him saving a load was appealing. What could he build up if he gave it some time? I squeezed the shaft to release more precum so I had some lube to work with. I was suddenly a horny teenager again, getting off to pics of hot men.

  “You seemed to like it when I sat down on that massive tool. What if I do that again?”

  The low, long growl meant I’d struck a nerve. “You were so tight. I’d have a hard time not blowing before you got all the way down.”

  “I bet.” I paused to make him wonder what I might say next. “I can make you hold on until I’m ready for you to blow.”

  Miles was breathing harder. I’d gotten to him just like I wanted. The first time he was inside me, he lost himself quickly. I hadn’t minded because the pleasure running through both of us triggered me to come at practically the same time. I’d never taken someone as big as him and it’d been a long time since he topped, so it was nearly impossible to make it last. I knew how to control a top, though, and the next time he wouldn’t unload so fast.