by Sean Michael
“I…. They were good people, Jessy. They loved me.”
“I know. And then they left you.”
Mike nodded. “No one knows what happened, exactly. They were on vacation with the girl Pop coached.”
He nodded. “And there was a boating accident.”
It was amazing, really, how much Mike still loved the water despite the fact that it more or less took away his parents.
“Yeah. They didn’t find my mom for a few days, but Pop and Ronnie—Veronica—they found them right off.” Mike sighed. “I was at my granny’s, getting ready for Christmas. We kept hoping they’d find Mom swimming away.”
He squeezed Mike’s shoulder and stroked the short hair. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I did okay.” Mike closed his eyes, cheeks red as he fought back tears.
“Did you grieve? Or did you hide it all inside and throw yourself into the swimming?”
“I stayed with Granny until school started, then Aunt Kathy took me. I never even saw our house again. They sold it.”
“Were you ever asked what you wanted? How you felt?”
Mike laughed softly. “You haven’t met Aunt Kathy yet, have you?”
“A force of nature, is she?” He stroked Mike’s cheeks, drying the few tears that had been allowed to slip through. “You can’t pretend it didn’t happen or that it didn’t affect you.”
“I don’t. It was a long time ago. I… I was lonely for a long time, but it got better.”
“When did it start getting better?” He figured if they kept talking about it, eventually Mike might spill the reason why he was getting sick every Christmas, year in and year out.
“Hmm… I guess when I got into high school. There was a swim team there and at the club, so I swam for both of them. All fall, all spring.”
He chuckled. “It’s always about the water, isn’t it.”
Mike nodded. “I hated winter break. Aunt Kathy had her kids there; the pools were closed and it was so loud.”
He bent and kissed Mike’s head. “And it was the anniversary of your folks’ death and your cousins had their parents with them.”
“Yeah. Christmases before they died? We went to the beach, the three of us. It sounds stupid, but that’s how they fell in love—during the winter on the beach.”
“It sounds romantic and like something you’d miss having, that time for the three of you.”
Mike nodded. “It was neat. We would gather shells Christmas Eve and decorate the tree with them.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun. We’ll have to do something special to start our own traditions.”
Mike’s dark eyes blinked up at him. “You’d want that? With me?”
He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well… because you have family, traditions, a plan. You have a real family.”
He chuckled. “Oh, Mike. I show up on Christmas Eve. We go to church. We do presents and the big meal the next day. I go home. It’s hardly a big, important tradition. It’s more a habit. I want to have a tradition with you, to share the holiday with the most important person in my life.”
Mike blushed dark, face hidden against Jessy. “Oh.”
He rubbed Mike’s shoulders. “If you didn’t know that, I obviously haven’t been doing a good enough job letting you know.”
“No. No, it’s not that. I just… I’m not used to being… looked at, maybe?”
“You’re going to have to get used to it, because not only am I not going anywhere, but the more medals you win, the more interested people are going to be in you.”
“I’m good at being not-noticed, Coach. I just want to swim.”
“I know. But I’m never not going to notice you. In the water and out.”
“Never?”
“Never.” He bent and kissed Mike softly.
Mike pulled away, a little. “You might get my cold.”
“Somehow I don’t think so.”
“No?” Mike cuddled in, kissing him again. No, not with the fact that the reason Mike was sick was a depressed immune system stemming from years of routine, not at all. And he was planning on breaking that routine, on making a new one between them.
“I love you, baby.”
He got a wide, sweet smile. “I love you, Jess. Honest.”
“I don’t doubt it, Mike. At all.”
He pressed another kiss onto Mike, tasting his lover’s mouth. Mike opened wide, rubbing against him, snuggling in. He moaned, moving his hands on Mike, enjoying the sensation of satin skin. So sensual, so eager for sensation, for touch. Sweet, lonely boy.
They were actually a lot alike—both loved the water, swimming was their lives, they were both quiet, loners, alone. Lonely. He pushed Mike back into the pillows, following, need suddenly strong. Mike wrapped his hands around Jessy’s shoulders, holding on. No. Not alone. Not lonely. Not anymore.
Never again.
He rubbed against Mike, their cocks full, hard and hot, sliding.
“Love you.” Mike leaned up, slammed their lips together. So hungry.
He met Mike’s hunger with his own; they were together in this too, in the need shared between them. Mike rubbed beneath him, panting, needing.
“Want you.”
“Yours. Take me.”
“Yeah, mine.” He moved his hand down to tease Mike’s hole. Mike spread, moaning low, ring of muscles shifting under his touch. He pushed the fingers of his other hand into Mike’s mouth. “Get ’em good and wet.”
Mike nodded, sucking hard, making him ache. He moaned, pushing hard against Mike, pulling his fingers out of Mike’s mouth with a pop. Mike actually lifted his head up, following Jessy’s fingers with his lips.
“Fuck, you’re sexy.” He shuddered, Mike making him want so badly.
“I just need you.” Mike drew his legs up and back, making a clear offer.
He purred, pushing two fingers into Mike, the heat and tightness amazing. Mike moaned, sliding his hips, taking Jessy in. “Oh, baby. Yes.” He groaned, fucking Mike with his fingers, finding a nipple and biting.
“Jess….” Mike bucked, moaned. “M… more.”
He pushed in another finger, always willing to give Mike more loving. Mike took him in, squeezed his fingers tight.
“Christ.” He bit down hard on Mike’s nipple, wanting to send his lover as over the moon as he was.
“Yes! Jess!” Mike bucked, groaned, riding his fingers. “Gonna.”
He growled, finding Mike’s gland and pegging it as he moved to Mike’s other nipple and bit it as well.
Mike shot, shaking hard, eyes rolling. “Oh. Oh, Jess….”
“Yeah. ’S good.”
He waited until Mike’s ass loosened around his fingers and then slid them out, replacing them with his cock.
Mike nodded, still lost in the lingering aftershocks. “Good.”
He pushed right in, moaning as his prick was swallowed up. His Mike looked so sexy, so right, filled and loved and happy. Groaning, he started to move. Christ, it felt good. Fucking amazing.
“Love you. So much.” Mike stretched up tall. “So full….”
“Yeah. Full of me.” He kept moving, sliding in and out.
Mike nodded. “Need this. Need you.”
“You got it.” It was good not to need alone.
Mike wrapped his legs around Jessy’s waist, tugging him close. He groaned, fucking Mike harder, searching out that sweet gland.
Mike shifted, shook, then those dark eyes flashed wide. “Jess!”
“Oh yeah. Right there.” He kept hitting that spot, sending them both flying.
“There. Fuck. There, Jessy. Please.”
“Yeah.” He kept hitting Mike’s gland, Mike’s ass tight and hot around him.
Mike arched, panting, cock leaking and dark, slapping against Mike’s flat belly.
He wrapped his hand around it, tugging hard. “Beautiful.”
“Y… y… yours. Yours. Yours.” It was like a prayer.
“Min
e,” he growled. “Mine.”
Harder and harder he thrust, Mike like a drug in his veins, making him soar. Mike squeezed him, coming hard, the cry raw and needy. He met it with a cry of his own, seed pushing deep into Mike’s body. Mike moaned, relaxing into the mattress.
He let Mike take his weight, burying his face into Mike’s shoulder, breathing in the scent of them together.
Mike cuddled. “Love.”
He reached up to stroke Mike’s hair. “Yeah.”
Mike yawned. “Pizza later. Need a nap, Jess.”
“Sleep, baby, I’ve got you.”
“’Kay.” Mike wrapped a hand around his shoulder, eyes closed.
He shifted slightly, so he wasn’t crushing Mike, sliding his hand possessively around Mike’s hip. Mike sniffled a couple of times, then eased into sleep, a little smile on that face.
He stayed awake, watching his baby.
Chapter Eight
MIKE GRINNED as he hung up the phone. Aunt Kathy had teased him about becoming a merman and made sure the check she sent was good for a few months. She made him crazy, but she loved him, was never mean to him.
Still, he was looking forward, sort of, to the holidays with Jessy. The school pool was closed; they were off-season. He wasn’t sure what they were going to do.
Jessy was in the kitchen, humming a Christmas carol as he unpacked and put away stuff from his “big grocery run.”
Mike wandered in, grabbed Jessy’s ass. “Hey. Aunt Kathy says Merry Christmas.”
“That doesn’t feel like Aunt Kathy grabbing my ass.” Jessy turned and wrapped him in warm arms.
He laughed, lifted his face for a kiss. “You get anything fun at the store?”
“Chocolate whipped cream in a spray can.” Jessy gave him a light kiss and then another. “And a few other things.”
“Mmm… yummy.” He wasn’t sure if he was talking about the kisses or the whipped cream.
Then Jessy licked and pushed his tongue into Mike’s mouth, and he was pretty sure he meant the kisses. He pressed close, rubbing, snuggling. Feeling.
Jessy purred. “Ten days. With nothing to do but enjoy each other’s company.”
“Sounds like heaven.” He rubbed their noses together, loving the warmth in Jessy’s eyes.
“Yeah.” Jessy kissed him again, licking at his lips before sliding along his jawline to his ear.
Mike shivered, panting a little, curling his toes. “Yeah.”
“Uh-huh,” Jessy murmured, sounding more than a little distracted.
“Love you.” He licked the curve of Jessy’s shoulder, moaning low.
Jessy groaned, dropping his head back. “I know.”
Mike smiled, nuzzling in, kissing and licking and sucking.
“Christ, if we do nothing but this for the whole holiday….”
“Then it’ll be a merry, merry Christmas.” He chuckled, feeling good, easy, happier than he could ever remember.
“Yeah.” Jessy locked big hands in the small of Mike’s back and lifted Mike off the floor, then carried him into the front room.
“Show off.” Mike laughed, relaxing, letting Jessy move him.
Jessy chuckled and let him down, then tugged them both down onto the sofa. He snuggled right in, humming nice and low, pulling Jessy’s sweater up and off.
Jessy purred for him. “Someone’s hungry.”
“Always. Always for you.”
Jessy took his mouth, tongue pushing in, fingers pushing beneath his sweater and sliding on his skin.
The kisses melted, one into the other, making his head swim. Mike rubbed and nuzzled, humming low. His sweater was pushed up too, their kisses breaking only long enough for it to go over his head, then Jessy pressed his mouth to Mike’s again.
Oh. Good. He met Jessy’s gaze, hoping that his needing and happiness and everything were visible. Those blue eyes gazed into his own, and he thought he could read that same need and happiness there.
He traced Jessy’s tanned skin with his fingers—forehead and temple, jaw and cheek. All the while, they slid and slipped their tongues and tasted. Jessy never stilled his hands either, finding Mike’s nipples and teasing them until he wanted to scream. The kisses got sharper, harder, his hips rubbing restlessly.
Jessy pushed a hand into his jeans, pressing against his cock.
“Oh. Jess.” He bucked his hips. “Please.”
Jessy squeezed his cock and then opened his jeans and started to stroke him. He purred, arched up, rubbing against Jessy’s touch. Jessy didn’t say anything, just loved him, hands sending him flying, mouth finding his nipples and finishing it.
His orgasm was rich, deep, tingles moving all through him. Jessy hummed, sliding his mouth along Mike’s neck, licking and kissing.
“Mmm… ’s good. So good.” He purred, rocking easily.
Jessy’s hand was still wrapped around his cock, moving with him. “Yeah. So sexy.”
“For you.” The pleasure was almost too big, too vast.
Jessy pushed him down onto his back on the couch, covering him. He held on, and stroked the wide shoulders.
“Want you.” Jessy started tugging off Mike’s jeans.
He wiggled, helped, lifting his hips off the sofa. Jessy kind of growled and slid down his body with his pants, licking at his cock, eating him up.
“Oh!” He blinked, pushed up harder, cock twitching. “Jessy. Hot.”
Jessy looked up at him, blue eyes twinkling, shining. “You are.”
“I … I’m only me. Just love you.” He reached down, touched Jessy’s face.
Jessy nuzzled into the touch, smiled. “Yeah. Christ, I’m a lucky man.” Oh. Oh, that warmed him all through, made him blush and smile, made him ache.
Jessy licked at his balls, nuzzling them, taking each one into the hot mouth and sucking gently. His lover’s long fingers weren’t still, teasing his hips, his thighs, his belly, staying away from his nipples. His cock slowly filled, resting against his belly, so hot.
Jessy hummed, moving his fingers up Mike’s body again, almost touching his nipples this time as Jessy slid his tongue beyond Mike’s balls.
“T… tease.” He chuckled, lifting his shoulders up.
Jessy’s head popped up. “Me?” Jessy barely brushed one finger over his left nipple.
“Uh… uh-huh.” His nipple drew up hard and tight.
“Mmm… so responsive.” Jessy treated his other nipple to the same almost touch.
“Oh.” He parted his thighs a little, tilting his hips.
“Wanton,” Jessy accused, smiling at him.
“Yours.” He leaned up, begging for the touch.
Chuckling, Jessy slid back up him, licking at his nipple this time. He moaned low, twisted beneath Jessy, heat filling him.
“So sensitive. I should give you one of your Christmas presents early.” Jessy’s blue eyes were dark with passion, looking into him.
“Yeah?” He licked Jessy’s lips, moaning low. He liked presents.
“Mmm… yeah.” Jessy pressed a quick, hard kiss on his lips and took off into his office.
Mike sat up, shaking his head. “Do you want me in there?”
“No, I’ll bring it.”
Jessy came back a moment later, holding a small box wrapped in silver paper. “Happy early Christmas.”
“Oh. Thank you.” He took it and pulled Jessy down into a kiss, happy with whatever it was already.
Jessy chuckled into their kiss, sliding his tongue along Mike’s lips as their mouths parted. “Open it. And then we can go back to playing.”
He slid the silver paper off, popped the box out. Inside were two small silver… clamps? Jessy looked at him expectantly.
He tilted his head, picking them up. “They’re shiny.”
Jessy chuckled. “They’re partly for ornamentation.”
“Ornaments?” He opened them, closed them, trying them on his finger. Firm.
“Partly.” Jessy was watching him, letting him figure it out for himself.
“But mostly they’re meant for sensation.”
“Sens….” He blinked, looked up. “Oh. Oh, do they hurt?”
“Some. These have fairly dull teeth—they’re more tight grip. Some have sharp teeth to add a bite. I thought I’d start you off slow.”
“Sharp? Really?” He closed them around his finger again, cock jumping at the bite.
Jessy nodded and sat next to him, mouth close to his ear. “They don’t go on your fingers, though.”
“I… I know.” He shivered, goose pimples raising up all over him. “I know, Jess.”
Jessy blew into his ear and then licked the shell of it. “Good.”
“I. Uh. Oh. I want.”
Jessy growled, turning his head and kissing him hard, pushing him back down onto the couch, body moving. Jessy’s jeans rubbed against his bare cock, not quite painful. He met Jessy head-on, so hungry, so needy.
Jessy ground down against him, guiding Mike’s fingers to his nipple, pressing the metal against his skin. He whimpered, arched. God, he felt so… sexy. Sensual.
“Put it on,” Jessy growled, eyes so hot as they gazed down at him.
“I….” He fumbled the clamp, unsure. Jessy guided his fingers, helping him get the clamp closed over his nipple. “Oh.” Oh. It. Not hurt. But. Oh. Oh, wow.
“How’s it feel?” Jessy asked, looking down at his nipple, circling the flesh with his finger and then moving the clamp.
“I. Uh. Jess. It squeezes.”
Jessy chuckled, the sound low and sexy. “Good squeezing?” Jessy pinched his other nipple.
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh.” It was almost as good as the collar.
Humming, Jessy took the other clamp from him and place it on his nipple. “Christ, you look sexy.”
“Oh. Oh, I. Damn.” He couldn’t stop rocking, couldn’t stop shaking.
Jessy kept purring, pushing down, giving him something hot and solid to rock against. His mouth was taken, one of Jessy’s hands in his hair, tilting his head so Jessy could kiss him deep. He opened wide, holding on tight and moving, rocking against his Jessy, his lover.
Jessy pressed a hand between them, undoing the offending jeans, pushing them down, and kicking them off, and then they were rocking together, skin on skin.