by Jo Tannah
“Like what you see?”
Zach didn’t speak at first as he looked down on the hard chest beneath his touch and licked his lips in anticipation. Tristan reached and brushed his thumb on Zach’s lips before moving his hand to the back of Zach’s neck. Tugging, he pulled him down and Zach went willingly. Their lips touched.
“I’ve wanted you for so long, felt guilty for so long, you have no idea,” Zach said in a soft whisper against Tristan’s lips.
“Why?”
“You’re my father’s best friend and my best friends’ father. I thought you were straight, too. At first I didn’t know what I was feeling—all I knew was every time you were at the house, I couldn’t breathe. I was so confused and I tried to stay as far away from you as I could, sometimes risking going hungry, refusing to eat dinner when you visited Mom and Dad.”
Zach looked deep into Tristan’s eyes but saw no pity in them, only curiosity. He continued. “When you got the divorce, I felt sad for Margaret and the boys and wondered where it went wrong with you. Then I found out you were gay and I was so happy. I felt like such a traitor then. Margaret noticed, but I told her I was sad we were leaving for college. She didn’t know I had these dreams... or that I had such a huge crush on you.”
“What dreams?”
Zach leaned down and began pressing small kisses on Tristan’s chest. He reached a pale pink nipple and began to lave at it, teasing it to a hardened peak until Tristan spread his legs so Zach could lie cradled between them.
“I remember after I graduated from high school, I dreamed of going to your office, locking the door behind me and then seducing you.”
Tristan barked out a laugh. “You do realize if you’d done that then you would have been rejected right off, right?”
Zach nodded and continued to lick on the other nipple. “I know. I wouldn’t have understood why, but I do now. I would’ve expected nothing less from you.”
“You would have been what, eighteen?”
“Would you have been able to resist me?” Zach said, lifting his head to look at Tristan.
“It would have been difficult, but yes. Without question. Also, I was still married to Amanda, remember?”
Zach grinned, “I would have made it difficult for you and probably cried my heart out after the rejection.”
“What made you decide otherwise?”
Zach inched up, leaving a trail of wet kisses from Tristan’s chest to his chin. “You. I decided I wanted to wait even though at that time I wished you were gay and divorced. I thought I wanted to have a relationship with you as an adult, not as a kid. Thank God I waited. Now—”
“—you have me.” Tristan finished for him when he’d drifted off to silence.
“I have you.”
They leaned into each other for a kiss, breaths mingling, and then their mouths crashed together, hands grappled for dominance, legs entwined in a battle of who gripped whose hips. Tristan lifted his legs and crossed his ankles at the small of Zach’s back. Held firmly in place, Zach pressed his body over the length of Tristan. In a thrusting motion, he rubbed their cocks together, causing both of them to leak out, making their skins flush from the heat of their bodies.
Zach rose on his knees between Tristan’s, his focus locked on the hard length standing at attention. The sight mesmerized him. Hungry for the taste, he reached down and curled his fingers around the hard cock as he dug his other hand into Tristan’s leg. He pushed against it until he parted them wider. Looking up at Tristan, he purposefully raked his fingernails up against the soft skin of his inner thigh, eliciting a groan. Tristan arched his back off the mattress, writhing under Zach’s touch.
Zach bent forward and reached out with his tongue, touching the thick length with the flat of his tongue. He licked the hard rod from the base to the tip, tasting the salty tang, smelling the unique scent that was all man. He felt Tristan grip his hair and a pressure, pushing him down over Tristan’s length. Without protest, Zach opened his mouth and swallowed down the bulbous head. With a groan, he closed his lips tight around the rim of the glans. The clutch on his hair tightened. Murmurs of encouragement came from Tristan in gasps and moans. Zach bobbed his head, the rigid length sliding deeper into his mouth. Zach opened his mouth wider until the tip of Tristan’s cock hit the back of his throat. Zach continued to suck deeper, not stopping the rough caress of his tongue.
Zach felt Tristan’s fingers pull on his hair as though urging him to move faster. He did, and Tristan thrust up hard against his mouth. Opening his eyes, he looked up and watched as Tristan’s back bowed over the bed.
With a muffled curse, Tristan twisted up on the bed and grabbed on Zach’s arm nearest his reach. The move made Zach release him and he bit out another curse then pulled on Zach’s hip. Zach seemed to get the message and moved up. He lifted his leg and straddled over Tristan’s face. The new position brought Zach’s cock directly in line to Tristan’s waiting mouth. Tristan eagerly leaned up and swallowed him whole.
Zach gasped out loud, and closed his eyes against the pleasure. Tristan’s fingers dug into his buttocks and Zach bent to swallow down Tristan once more. Tristan hummed deep in his throat and Zach involuntarily jerked in reaction to the overwhelming sensations.
Against his lips, Zach felt Tristan’s balls tighten and he relaxed his throat. With a shout, Tristan’s hips left the bed and shoved his cock deep into Zach’s waiting throat. Zach was nearing his peak, too, and began to jerk in Tristan’s mouth. Together as one, their bodies began to spasm and jerk through their orgasms. Both their mouths moved to swallow. They sucked hard, swallowed and sucked harder until everything they had to offer each other was given in complete abandon.
Zach sagged against Tristan’s thighs, lazily licking his cock clean. After finishing, Zach breathed deep, a smile breaking over his lips. His body began to tremble and, as if his happiness was contagious, Tristan started laughing as well. Tristan slapped him lightly on the butt and he snorted out his nose, trying to keep his laughter down. He turned and stretched once more over Tristan’s body. They looked into each other’s eyes and the laughter faded. As one, they moved until their mouths met. Zach tasted himself in Tristan’s mouth and a rush of satisfaction ran through him.
When Tristan stood up and walked to the bathroom, Zach lay in bed staring up the ceiling, his eyes following the shadowy patterns from the floor lamps. He looked to the side when he heard the water stop and Tristan walked out with a wet cloth. Tristan sat on the bed’s edge and proceeded to wipe down Zach’s body, paying close attention to his cock and slit. When he finished, Tristan threw the towel inside the bathroom before turning off the lights. Zach scooted over to the edge of the bed when Tristan lay down beside him, but when he moved to get closer, Tristan turned him around until he faced the wall. When Tristan’s arms finally wrapped around him, Zach relaxed against his chest.
“I like this,” Zach murmured, shifting again until he found a more comfortable position.
Tristan pressed his nose into Zach’s neck when he finally stopped moving. “I like this, too,” he said softly, his voice tender. He ran a tip of a finger along Zach’s arm.
At the touch, Zach couldn’t help but push back. Minutes passed until eventually, he heard Tristan’s breathing even out.
“Never let me go,” Zach said quietly before drifting off to sleep.
* * * *
Tristan’s eyes snapped open. Did I hear correctly?
Tristan lay there, waiting quietly in the dark, staring up blindly at the ceiling. When he heard Zach’s soft snores, his heart skipped a beat and he gasped out. Zach’s words reverberated in his mind and thoughts of letting Zach go curiously made his chest feel tight. An inexplicable pain spread over his torso until it made breathing difficult. That was when he knew. He could never let Zach go, no matter how difficult the road ahead of them was going to be.
“I’m never letting you go,” he said in the darkness.
Chapter Seven
A low, incessant ringing woke Zach from his sleep. He reached out, feeling around blindly until his hand landed on the hotel phone.
“Hello,” he said into the receiver, rubbing his other hand over his eyes.
“Mr. Maxfield? Good morning, sir. You requested a wake-up call for this time today?” said the cheerful voice at the other end of the line.
“Uhm... I did? Okay, thank you.” Zach said absently, blinking his eyes sleepily.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Maxfield. Oh, and congratulations on your daughter’s wedding today.” The call ended.
Zach continued to blink his eyes as he stretched up his arms and pointed his toes to fight off the heavy feeling of a deep sleep. His movements must have disturbed Tristan beside him and he watched as Tristan moved to sit up.
“What time is it?” Tristan yawned out, wiping his face with a hand.
Zach peered into the face of the digital clock on the bedside table. “Uhm... six thirty.”
“Okay, we need to get up.” Tristan leaned over and kissed Zach’s cheek, then nuzzled their cheeks together. Their bristles rasped against each other, the sound sending an electric current straight to Zach’s cock.
“Tris, the wedding’s at ten, it’s still early. Stay with me for a little while,” Zach said, wrapping his arms around Tristan’s neck and trying to pull him down. He pouted when Tristan stood up instead.
“You tempt me, hon, but this wedding’s happening. I’ve been through this once before and we don’t have much time,” Tristan said as he turned around.
Zach admired the way Tristan’s buttocks flexed as he walked to the bathroom.
“Come on, get up. We need to go downstairs and eat breakfast with the boys, then get ready all within two hours.” Tristan said over his shoulder.
Zach frowned and tried to press his case one last time. “Tris, it’s six thirty, we have more than three hours. Come back to bed.”
Tristan turned, and Zach’s gaze dropped to Tristan’s groin. He grinned at the way his cock flopped against his leg.
“Zach, I love that you like to see me naked, but get up now, please. Come on, we have all the time later. Right now, we have to take a shower, have a quick breakfast and get to the chapel by nine.”
“Okay, okay. I’m getting up,” Zach groaned out, but didn’t move from the bed. Suddenly, he had a bright idea. “How about we order in? Have breakfast in bed?”
In four long strides, Tristan’s long legs ate the distance between the bathroom and the bed. Zach yelped when Tristan gripped his ankle and pulled him off the bed by the leg. Tristan let him go when his butt reached the edge. Zach glared up at his lover who now smiled down at him holding out a helping hand.
“I know how to get out of bed,” Zach griped, pouting at the offered hand.
“Yes, I know you do. I just gave you a little nudge so you could get on it quicker.” Tristan grinned wickedly.
“You know, I know Margaret’s your daughter,” Zach said, taking Tristan’s hand and pulled himself up off the bed.
Tristan frowned in confusion. “What?”
“You looked just like Margaret does when she’s acting like a spoiled brat.”
Zach walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
* * * *
Bewildered, Tristan stood naked in the middle of the room. When he regained composure, he twisted the bathroom knob. It didn’t give.
“Zach, hon, let me in.”
“You can use the other bathroom. I’m busy.”
“Hon, you do know this is my room right?”
“You don’t want me to get out there now, hon.” Came the snarky response.
Tristan frowned before comprehension set in. “Oh, okay. I’ll use the other bathroom.” He stepped back, pointing his thumb to the adjoining room.
“Good idea.”
Tristan shook his head, the curl on his lips betraying his amusement. He took his shower in Zach’s bathroom whistling a happy tune as he soaped the hair on his chest.
* * * *
Almost two hours later, they’d eaten their breakfast and were now back in their rooms. Zach scowled down at his tie. Why Margaret insisted on a bow tie was beyond him. It was a morning wedding, for crying out loud, not a prom.
“What’s wrong?” Tristan asked from behind him.
“I could never get tying a bow right. Look at it, it’s lopsided,” Zach said, pointing at his sorry attempt. From behind him, Tristan took him by his shoulders and turned him around. Zach watched him frown at the mess on his throat before wordlessly proceeding to untie it, stretch it out to remove some of the wrinkles, and loop it around his neck. In less than a minute, a perfect bow tie settled at just the right height over his throat. Still not saying a word, Tristan turned to a chair beside him, shook out his morning coat and helped him into it.
When Zach was done and looking handsome, Tristan kissed his nose. “There, you’re all set.”
“Thanks,” Zach said. For added emphasis, he fluttered his lashes at Tristan and kissed his cheek.
“Hon, you don’t have to continue tempting me with those eyes. I’m hooked already.”
Zach beamed at Tristan. “You are?”
Tristan frowned in consternation. “You’re acting strange this morning. What’s up?”
“Well, the hotel operator called me Mr. Maxfield this morning.”
Tristan’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, okay. Honest mistake. What has that got to do with anything?”
Zach looked down on his feet, liking the shine of his shoes. “Nothing.”
“Okay now, this is not you. Come on, what is it?”
“I liked it when she called me Mr. Maxfield, okay?” Zach said, his voice almost too low for Tristan to hear him.
“Ahh... ” Tristan looked lost. When he opened his mouth, Zach looked up at him, heart full of hope. It plummeted when Tristan remained silent.
“I told you, it’s nothing,” Zach mumbled before turning away. He picked up the key cards from the bedside table and handed one of them to Tristan, who pocketed it without looking at it.
They didn’t speak to each other when they left Zach’s room.
* * * *
“Zach! Help!”
Zach rolled his eyes when he entered the room where Margaret stood in her gown. The sight of her stopped him in his tracks. There she was, dressed all in white. The design she’d chosen screamed elegance in its simplicity. Absent of frills and bows, it hugged every curve of her lithe body, the material shimmering with every movement she made. Pinned to the back of her head and tucked into her chignon, the slight, unadorned veil fell in an almost transparent curtain down her back, the whole ensemble enhancing her features instead of overwhelming it.
“Wow. Just. Wow. You’re gorgeous.” Margaret had always been lovely today, however, the bloom in her cheeks, her barely-there makeup... she looked breathtaking. Giles was a very, very lucky man.
“Zach. Please. Help?” Margaret looked like she was about to cry, something Zach knew only happened when she was on the verge of a panic attack.
Zach walked over to the nervous woman and hugged her. “What’s wrong, baby? You look beautiful. I don’t see anything wrong with your gown and everyone’s out there getting ready. Your dad’s talking to the pastor.”
“I’m scared, Zach. It’s just all so... It’s really happening, isn’t it?” The tremor in her voice and the glitter of tears in her eyes were telltale signs of just how nervous Margaret felt. She gripped Zach’s lapels in a tight fist, making him cringe. The wrinkles would be impossible to iron out. Before Zach could assure her that everything was going to be fine, Joshua walked into the room in a rush.
“Zach, thank God you’re here. Mom’s not here yet. Isn’t she supposed to be here already?”
“I knew it!” In a millisecond, gone was the nervous, tearful young woman. Margaret picked up her skirts and quickly stomped out of the room. Zach ran after her and reached out to grab
her wrist. Barely.
“No. Stop it,” he said in a no-nonsense voice. Margaret started to say something, but at his raised finger, she closed her mouth. “Look, whether she’s there or not, you are walking down that aisle and you’re going to say I do like a good girl and that’s it. Understood? No tantrum. No shouting at your mother. Giles is out there waiting for you and that’s the most important fact.”
“Well... ” at Joshua’s quivery voice by the doorway, Zach looked sharply to him.
“Spit. It. Out.”
“He’s not there either.”
“That son of a bitch!” Zach turned his back on the siblings.
“No! I’ll fucking kill him!”
Zach tuned out Margaret’s screams, closed the door behind him and went in search mode for the errant bridegroom.
* * * *
Zach hurried up the aisle to where Tristan stood talking with the officiant. He still felt a little heartbroken over what had happened earlier, but right now he was determined to stay focused on the task at hand—to break the news to Tristan and make sure the wedding went on without any more hitches.
He ignored the whispers that began to rise in volume as the seated guests saw his face and determined steps. By their faces, they were beginning to realize something was going on. Tristan frowned at Zach’s approach and stepped off the dais where the altar was set. Meeting Zach halfway down, he bent closer. The officiant stayed behind looking just as confused as the guests did.
“What’s wrong?” He said in a whisper.
“Get to the bridal room and make sure Margaret stays there.” Zach quickly recounted what had happened.
“Son of a bitch! Where the hell’s Amanda?”
“She’s missing, too.”
Tristan made to take off looking like he wanted to kill the missing groom and ex-wife, but Zach tucked his arm around his waist and led him toward the exit. “Try to calm down, hon. Please, go to Margaret. She needs you right now. I’ll make an announcement then I’ll look for Amanda and Giles.”