Gateway to Love

by Sarah Hadley Brook

  Not that much could happen. There were no walls in the cabin. The loft was open and only had a short rail over the living area below. There was a twin bed in the corner upstairs, though. Maybe he should sleep in it until they’d talked.

  But when Craig sat down next to him on the sofa, their thighs pressed together, Mitch knew instantly there was no way he would be sleeping in that twin bed.

  “Mitchell,” Craig whispered.

  “Craig,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

  “Miss me?” Craig’s voice was low. And hot.

  Yes. Fuck. He really was screwed. His heart raced and he knew there was no way he could hide his feelings. Not anymore.

  Adam joined them on the old sofa, a bag of Doritos in his hand. “Want some?” He held out the bag.

  Mitch and Craig shook their heads, and Mitch tried to focus on the screen, but he was too wired. His body was screaming “Craig’s touching me, Craig’s touching me” over and over. His dick was so hard, he was getting uncomfortable.

  “What’s the plan for tomorrow, guys?”

  Mitch looked at Adam and shrugged. “Want to hit Silver Dollar City first? Or we could go to their water park. I think it’s called White Water?”

  “No reason we can’t do both. Silver Dollar City first and then maybe the water park in the evening? Or we could get passes for more than one day and go back too,” Adam replied.

  “Yeah, I want to do the rides. Let’s hit Silver Dollar City in the morning,” Mitch said.

  Once they’d agreed to that, it seemed like the energy drained from the room. They’d all spent a lot of time in the car, and even with Craig’s thigh still pressed against his, Mitch admitted he was bushed.

  Adam was the first to call it. “I’m heading to bed. Not to kick you guys out or anything,” he said with a laugh. “You want to sleep down here, Mitch?”

  Mitch frowned at him. “Sleep with your snoring ass? No way.” He laughed, shoving his friend’s shoulder.

  “Yeah, ’cause that’s the reason,” Adam shot back, laughing.

  Mitch’s face heated up, and he knew he was bright red. He shot daggers at his friend, but Craig chuckled low, which only fueled his embarrassment.

  “I’m tired too,” Craig added, standing up and stretching. His shirt slid up and showed off a lightly hairy stomach, and Mitch wanted to lean in and taste Craig’s skin. Craig grinned at him, like he knew exactly what Mitch was thinking. “See you upstairs?”

  Mitch could only nod.

  Adam snickered, strode across the room to the bed, and flopped down.

  Craig headed to the loft, and Mitch sat, frozen to the sofa. His stomach was twisting with nerves. He wasn’t even sure what he was doing.

  “Get the hell up there,” Adam hissed. “Your man’s waiting on you.” He raised his head from the bed and grinned at Mitch, but Mitch flipped him off and stuck his tongue out. “Yeah, I think Craig has some ideas for that.” Adam grimaced. “Keep it down, though, okay? I’m single and in the middle of a sex drought. I don’t need to hear you guys fucking.”

  Mitch flipped him off again and headed for the stairs. Just for that, he felt like making a lot of noise when he got up there. If his damn nerves would calm down enough to let him actually do anything.

  He took a deep breath as he began the ascent to the loft. Mitch wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but he knew this time he would try to show Craig how he truly felt.

  Chapter Ten

  Craig

  CRAIG SAT waiting on the bed, fully dressed. He was out of his element, unsure what to say to show Mitchell how much he cared. He had a feeling his friend was confused. But Craig needed to show him this was real.

  God, he hoped Mitchell felt the same. A long talk was needed, but every cell in his body was vibrating with need, and his determination to do the sensible thing and talk first was slipping. He wondered what was taking Mitchell so long. Was he talking with Adam? If so, they were being pretty quiet. Craig assumed he’d mentioned their kissing to Adam on the car ride, but Adam hadn’t brought it up when they ran to the grocery.

  Although, Adam had said something a little odd. While they were in the car on the way back to the cabin, out of the blue Adam had spoken up. “I’m going to miss Mitch when he goes. I hope he makes the right move, though.”

  He hadn’t clarified and Craig hadn’t asked, but he wondered if he was talking about the actual physical move—to West Virginia or to California? He could have just meant the right move in regards to taking the job at the magazine.

  Soft footsteps came closer and his heart raced as he waited for Mitchell to show at the top of the stairs. When he came into view, Craig’s breath caught in his chest. Mitchell’s shaggy layers fell over his forehead and he hesitated at the last step. The way his T-shirt stretched across his lean chest made Craig ache to hold him.

  “Hi.” Mitchell’s voice was breathy.

  “Hi,” Craig answered, afraid to move. He didn’t want to spook him. Mitchell looked ready to dart at any moment.

  Mitchell finally stepped forward and walked toward Craig, not stopping until he stood in front of him. Craig reached out, grabbed his hips, and pulled him closer, so he was standing between Craig’s legs.

  “That’s much better,” he whispered as Mitchell looked down at him, eyes heavy-lidded.

  “Yeah,” Mitchell said, his hot breath gliding across Craig’s cheek.

  “We need to talk,” Craig whispered.

  Mitchell only nodded, his gaze glued to Craig’s lips.

  Craig cupped Mitchell’s neck with his hand and pulled him down to a kiss. It was soft and sweet, and he instantly needed more. More of Mitchell. All of Mitchell. And that broke through his lust-filled brain, making him pull away, but his body practically screamed at him to kiss Mitchell again.

  Craig gripped Mitchell’s hips tight and let his forehead fall to Mitchell’s chest, shivering when he felt fingers carding through his hair.

  “Craig?”

  He leaned back and looked into Mitchell’s eyes. Waited.

  “What did you mean when you said I could come to California with you?” Mitchell’s question was asked so quietly, Craig strained to hear.

  Craig furrowed his brow. “I meant you should come with me. Live with me.”

  Mitchell blew out a breath and shook his head. “But do you mean as a best friend—where we’re roommates again? Or do you mean as… something different?”

  It was Craig and Mitchell’s moment of truth, and Craig was going all in. He smiled, inhaled deeply, held it, and let it out. “Yes, I mean something else. I mean as my boyfriend. My partner.”

  A slow grin spread across Mitchell’s face. “So you…?”

  Craig nodded, keeping his eyes on Mitchell’s. “Have for a long time. I never thought you felt the same.”

  “Oh, for years, Craig.”

  Craig chuckled. “What the hell is wrong with us? All those times I was in my bedroom back at our apartment, practically hitting my head on the wall because I wanted you so badly, it took everything in me not to storm into your room and kiss you.”

  “We should have talked a long time ago,” Mitchell admitted, offering him a shy smile.

  “So, does this mean you’ll come with me?” Craig’s chest tightened as he stared at him, waiting for an answer. When Mitchell stepped back, Craig’s hands dropped from his hips.

  “I’ve accepted a job, Craig. My sister… she’s expecting me. How responsible is it for me to just drop it all and follow you to California? I don’t have a job there. I can’t mooch off you.”

  “You wouldn’t be! You’d still have your website job, right? You can do that from anywhere.”

  “Yes, but—”

  A tiny bubble of panic rose in his chest and he shook his head. “But you could write. That’s your dream.”

  Mitchell smiled and stepped back between Craig’s legs. “I’m not saying no, Craig. I just… need to think about things, okay?”

  Craig nodded, curling his f
ingers into Mitchell’s belt loops and pulling him closer, while his mind raced with the thoughts of convincing him to move to California. His heart quickened as Mitchell pressed his lips to his, then slid his tongue along Craig’s lips, urging him to let him in. Craig opened his mouth and Mitchell’s tongue swept inside, taking complete control of the kiss.

  He moaned as Mitchell stepped back a little and nudged Craig’s legs together with his knee until he could climb up and straddle Craig’s lap. Their chests touched as Mitchell ground his hips, sending sweet jolts of desire through Craig.

  He growled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Mitchell as he stood up and twirled around, then dropped Mitchell on his back in the center of the bed. Craig crawled over him and licked a hot wet stripe up his neck, smiling as Mitchell trembled.

  “I want you,” he admitted, his voice gruff.

  “I… I want you too,” Mitchell whispered. “But….” He gasped as Craig pulled away and tugged his own shirt off, flinging it behind him. Craig motioned for him to sit up, and when he did, Craig yanked Mitchell’s shirt off and flung it over his shoulder.

  Adam’s curse echoed through the cabin, and Craig realized he’d tossed it over the railing.

  “Fuck! I warned you I was in a dry spell. You guys are cruel,” Adam chastised from below.

  Their eyes wide, they stared at each other, trying not to laugh, but then Craig sobered.

  “I’m not going to let our first time be overheard by Adam,” he stated. Mitchell looked away, but Craig touched his chin, turning him back to look at Craig. “That doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun, does it?”

  When Mitchell bit his lower lip and nodded, Craig dove in, licking his sexy little nipples until they pebbled up under his tongue. He loved that Mitchell’s chest was almost smooth, with very little hair. The way Mitchell was writhing under him told Craig this was definitely a trigger spot, and he filed that information away for later.

  Because he did plan on there being a later. Many, many laters, in fact.

  He moved gradually down, licking and kissing gently in his quest for his ultimate goal. When he arrived there, he looked up to see Mitchell up on his elbows, watching him with those gorgeous eyes. He nodded, giving Craig permission, so Craig gently undid the button at the top of his shorts before unzipping them and pushing them to the side a little.

  He leaned in and nuzzled Mitchell over his tight gray boxer briefs, using his finger to tug at the waistband and lick at the slight V-shape just below his hip bone. Mitchell smelled musky and woodsy and sexy, and Craig wanted more.

  Mitchell reached down, raked his fingers through Craig’s hair, and pushed his hips up, letting Craig know to keep going. Not that Craig needed another sign—the light mewling sounds Mitchell was making from the back of his throat told Craig all he needed to know.

  He tugged at Mitchell’s shorts and boxers at the same time, pulling them down and off quickly. His heart thudded in his chest as Mitchell’s hard dick flopped back and smacked at his stomach. It was gorgeous. Hard and flushed an angry red, the head swollen and leaking. He leaned down, but Mitchell covered his dick with both hands.

  Craig looked up, confused.

  “You too,” Mitchell ordered quietly. “Your shorts.”

  Craig jumped up and slipped out of them, careful not to throw them this time, instead letting them drop to the wood floor. He settled back between Mitchell’s legs until his face was just over his hard dick.

  Giving head was something Craig loved to do. He loved the feeling of a thick cock in his mouth. His throat. Even gagging on it some. It was hot and dirty, and he always enjoyed it. But this felt different than with any other man he’d been with. He wanted to take his time tasting Mitchell. Touching him. Sucking him.

  He ran a finger up the underside of Mitchell’s cock and swiped across the head, wetting his finger. Mitchell gasped and reached down to grasp Craig’s head. But Craig just looked up at him and slid his finger, wet with Mitchell’s pearly fluid, into his mouth and sucked.

  “Fuck,” Mitchell breathed out. “You’re killing me.”

  “What do you want, Mitchell? Tell me?”

  Mitchell’s eyes flashed. “I want to be in your mouth.” His voice was firm. Authoritative. And it triggered something in Craig.

  He wrapped his hand around the base and licked up the underside, then stopped at the head to suckle for a moment. Gently. Mitchell’s hips thrust up, chasing his mouth, and Craig smiled. He slowly slid his lips around the head and down his cock, swirling his tongue, tasting everywhere. Craig moaned as it hit the back of his throat, and Mitchell gasped when Craig swallowed, pulling him deeper into Craig’s throat.

  “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” Mitchell swore quietly. “So fucking good.”

  Craig agreed. He could do this all night. Mitchell’s cock pulsed in his throat and he slid him out. He repeated the process several times, taking Mitchell to nearly the edge and then back out, over and over until his own dick was so hard he thought he would shoot any moment.

  He reached down and fondled Mitchell’s full balls, feeling the weight of them on his hand.

  “Please,” Mitchell chanted over and over. “Please.”

  Craig reached down and grabbed his own dick, then walked on his knees until he was straddled across Mitchell’s thighs. He moved so their dicks were together and wrapped his hand around them, using their fluids to lubricate them.

  Mitchell rested his hand on Craig’s, and they moved as one, their dicks sliding together, and Craig knew it wouldn’t take long. His balls pulled up, and he tried to hold back to make sure Mitchell came before he did, but his orgasm rolled through him just as Mitchell’s release shot out onto their hands. His own seed mixed with Mitchell’s and Craig cried out his name, pleasure stronger than he’d ever known lifting him to the sky and bringing him back down gently. Perfect.

  He reached for his shorts and wiped his hand off, then cleaned up Mitchell as best he could before tossing them back down. Craig crawled up and collapsed next to Mitchell, both still panting hard.

  “That was….”

  “Fucking amazing?” Craig offered, hoping he was right. Because that’s what it had been for him. Amazing. Glorious. Perfect. Better than any sexual act he’d ever had. With anyone.

  “Yeah,” Mitchell agreed as he moved away.

  “Where are you going?” Craig asked, his heart stopping.

  Mitchell turned back and grinned. “I’m just getting the blanket pulled back. It could get chilly at night.”

  Craig chuckled. “Oh. Right.”

  They got settled under the quilt, still naked, and Craig wrapped his arms around Mitchell, pulling him close so they were spooning. He kissed Mitchell’s cheek, and they drifted toward sleep. He knew they still needed to discuss California, but now wasn’t the time. No, now was too perfect. He didn’t want to break the spell that seemed to have surrounded them. He was happy. Mitchell was happy. Tomorrow, they would talk. Tonight, he could pretend everything was going to be wonderful, even if he found out it wasn’t.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mitch

  WHEN HE woke up wrapped in Craig’s arms, he’d been afraid to move. Afraid to burst that bubble of happiness in case it didn’t last.

  But Craig woke up just as Mitch snuggled back down, pressing his ass against Craig.

  “Good morning,” he’d whispered, kissing the back of his neck.

  Mitch had sighed, his anxiety flying away as he turned in Craig’s arms, eager to look into his eyes.

  Craig had smiled, and they’d kissed sweetly. Chastely.

  Until Adam had hollered up, breaking their spell. “If you two sleeping beauties are up, we need to get going!”

  Right. Adam. We aren’t alone. He’d dropped his head, pressing his forehead on Craig’s.

  “I guess we need to get ready,” Craig whispered.

  Mitch had torn himself away from Craig and stretched, missing his touch already.

  From below, Adam cleared his throat lou
dly, so they both laughed and got up. Adam wasn’t going to be patient.

  They’d all hurried to get ready, and the three of them had run through a drive-thru for breakfast because Adam had a thing about arriving to places early.

  They arrived at Silver Dollar City early, ready for the rides. They parked and walked over to where everyone else was waiting for the tram. Adam had been snickering all morning, but never said if he’d heard anything.

  Mitch was pretty sure he had, but he was too happy to care. As they waited for the tram, Craig moved behind Mitch, slid his arms around his waist, and pulled him back against him.

  Adam rolled his eyes and made a gagging noise.

  “Mature,” Craig teased.

  Mitch’s heart felt light as he rested his hands on top of Craig’s. They would find a way to talk, but being in Craig’s arms—out in the open like this—was amazing. Surely they were both on the same page about this.

  The tram pulled up, and Craig dropped his arms but grabbed Mitch’s hand and tugged him along with him. Mitch couldn’t stop smiling.

  Once they were dropped off at the entrance, they hurried through the building leading into the park, until Adam saw the sign for Marvel Cave, situated right under the park. “We need to take the tour, guys,” he insisted. “It’s included in the park ticket.”

  “The next tour starts in about ten minutes,” Craig said, reviewing the sign. “I’m game. Want to?”

  Mitch wasn’t thrilled about going underground, but he agreed. They made their way over to the line and waited while more people joined them.

  Fifteen minutes later, after a guide joined them and they’d been given all the warnings about being careful, as well as explained to them how they would climb around six hundred stairs throughout the tour, they were led down a set of steps, about three hundred feet underground, into a large area called the Cathedral Room.

  It was breathtakingly beautiful and the tour leader explained that it was one of the largest cave entrances in the United States. They learned that the cave was made of limestone and the park had been developed around the cave in order to allow the attraction to remain open to visitors.