“Sounds good, and I told you never to call me that.” Jerry laughed again, the tension that William’s phone call had put in his shoulders gently subsiding.
“What? What did I call you?”
“My treat,” Jerry repeated, then shook his head. “Never mind. Maybe we can do dinner out tomorrow night? William just called and I guess Cory’s been a no-show at the field the last two days.”
“Fuck,” David muttered. “We have to do something about this friendless phase of William’s. Now, I know that you don’t want to—”
“Have I ever told you how brilliant and perceptive you are?”
“No, but you always agree when I say it. Does that count?”
Jerry shook his head slowly, the smile still planted firmly on his face. “I was just thinking about the same thing. That’s why I fired up the barbecue, and I sorta promised William he could eat with his fingers.”
“Have I ever told you that you’re the best father in the world?”
“Many times,” Jerry said through his smile. “And maybe one of these days I’ll even believe it.”
“So back to our son,” David announced with a chuckle. “I was thinking of a sleep over with Lenore’s twins. Bring them to our place, give her a night off.”
“Works for me.”
“Okay then, I’ll set it up.”
“When are you getting home?”
“Same time as usual. Why?”
“Just wanted to know, so I can time the ribs just right.”
“Make sure you get the cloth napkins out, the big ones that are in the middle drawer of the buffet,” David said with a sigh of resignation. “You know that if you don’t, it’ll take me a week to get those sauce stains shaped like William’s fingers out of his clothes.”
“Yessir,” Jerry barked playfully. “Anything else, sir?”
“Just one thing, are you naked yet?”
DAVID said his goodbye, disconnected the call, tossed his cell phone onto the passenger seat of his car, and felt like doing a little dance. Jerry was cooking tonight, so David had nothing to do besides eat and thank Jerry in the way Jerry liked best.
He parked the car in the parking lot, as close as he could get to the soccer field, grabbed his cell phone and put it in his pocket, and then stowed his briefcase in the trunk. No need to tempt anyone with the promise of potential valuables. Sure, David told himself, I can see the car from the field, but who wants the hassle of having to run all the way over there to try and stop the thief and then file a police report. Besides, he rationalized, if anything gets broken on the car, it would be days in the shop.
He walked along the edge of the field and finally came to rest a few feet from the coach. “Hey, Don,” he greeted, as the tall thirty-something man turned to offer a nod and a smile. “Sorry to interrupt you, but do you know what’s going on with Cory?”
“What? You mean not showing up?”
“Yeah,” David said as he nodded and looked over to see William with the ball making a run down center field. “Has he left you any messages about why he’s missing practices?”
“Haven’t gotten one, yet,” Don responded as his eyes travelled back to his players on the field. “Besides, we’ve only got another couple of weeks anyway. And there’ll be no practices next week, just a game on Friday night.” Don looked at David. “He in trouble?”
“Trouble?” David wasn’t sure he understood the question. Cory’s not the kind of kid to get into trouble. “No, of course not. Why do you ask? Does he have that reputation?” William worked the ball really well, leaving most of the other kids in the dust. He approached the goal and faked out the goalie and landed the ball in the far right corner. “Way to go, William!” David waved quickly as William turned and showed that million-dollar smile.
“Mark!” The coach was yelling at someone David assumed to be the goalie. “You’re not coming out far enough.” Don turned back to David. “Not that I’ve seen, but the wife works at the high school—as you know—and when I told her that Cory wanted to do his twenty-five hours of mandatory leadership here with me doing soccer, she expressed concern because from what she can gather, Cory’s a bit of a pot-head and has an issue with anger management.”
“Really?” David couldn’t believe that he and Don were talking about the same kid. “And you haven’t seen him do anything inappropriate with kids, like talk about dope or try to sell it?”
“No,” Don said as his head moved up and down the field along with the players. David was no expert, but even he could see that no one was playing defense against the tall brunet who had the ball and was making his way, very quickly, to the same goalie whom William had just scored on and whom Don had just reminded of his need to come out further from the net. “In fact,” Don continued after a few moments, “Cory’s been a big help.”
“I know William thinks he’s the greatest.” David shoved his hands in his trouser pockets. “That’s why I’m asking actually. William wants to make sure that nothing bad has happened to him.”
“Sorry,” the coach sighed as he shrugged his shoulders. “I wish I knew more, but if I hear anything, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Thanks, Don.” David began to back away from the sideline, but then stopped. “Sorry, Don, one more thing? I’m kinda worried that William isn’t making friends. Do you see much of him during school?”
“Just for gym,” Don answered.
“Does he seem to be socializing well with the other students?”
“Far as I can tell, sure.” Don unfolded his arms from around his chest. “He’s never been in a fight inside the school, and I’m pretty sure not outside the school either. I mean, he’s a really shy kid, but he doesn’t seem to be lacking any kind of social skill.”
“Okay, thanks again, Don.” Again, David turned to walk the five feet where he would sit on the bench until the end of practice.
“And I mean this as a compliment,” Don said, his eyes still fixed on the soccer ball and how the players were passing and intercepting, “but I think one of William’s issues might be that he’s much more mature than the other students, academically and emotionally.”
“So, I guess time will tell, huh?”
“How are his marks?” It seemed—to David at least—like such an odd question for the soccer coach to ask, but David just shrugged.
“Eighty-five and above.”
“Hmm,” Don mumbled as he chewed his lower lip. “So then I guess he’s not bored?”
“What do you mean? Bored with school?”
“Yeah, I mean you and I both know that gifted kids tend to get bored pretty quickly with the work that they master far sooner than the rest of the class.”
“We’ve never had him tested, but I’ve always thought he was probably gifted.”
Don nodded in agreement, his arms folded once again over his chest. “I think he maybe needs an environment that is a little more stimulating, make friends faster with some kids who were at his level, if you know what I mean?”
“But he’s so small already,” David cautioned, “I don’t know if moving him into the next grade would help the situation.”
“Listen, David, I’ve been doing this job as long as you,” Don said as he offered a lopsided smile. “And we both know that there are other ways of relieving his boredom without sending him on to the next grade.”
“Yeah, I know, Don, thanks.” David finally made it to the bench and sat down. He knew that Don was talking about advanced or accelerated learning, and he knew that those kinds of courses would probably do wonders. But he also knew that it wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem of William not having enough friends of his own.
As he sat and looked at William, legs pumping to catch up to the other player with the ball, David wondered about home-schooling again. He could cut his schedule down to half-time after spring break and work with William in the morning, or afternoon, and then have William back in school for the courses he wouldn’t be able to do at home, cours
es like Metals Shop, Band and Physical Education. But David wasn’t convinced that this idea would not just serve to highlight the differences between William and his classmates. If William is having difficulty making friends because he’s brighter, putting him in a course that recognized this fact could only serve to alienate him even more.
He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard the coach’s whistle. He stood up from the bench and waited for William to remove his cleats and stuff them in his sports bag.
“Hey, William, way to hustle out there. That goal was pretty impressive!”
“Thanks,” William said, his blue eyes shining and proud.
“So, your dad tells me we’re eating ribs tonight.”
“I know, I love it when Dad barbecues.” William walked beside David to the car and then hopped in after he’d stowed his bag in the back seat. “Dad said I could stay up late and watch movies with you two.”
“He did, huh?”
“Please, can I?”
“Well, if your dad said you could, then there’s only one thing I can say.” David checked William’s seatbelt and William’s blue eyes glared at him. David suddenly remembered how much William disliked being fussed over. “Sorry, I forgot. I promise I won’t check your seatbelt again.”
“What’s the only thing you can do?”
“Drive us to the video store, so you can pick out a movie.”
Chapter 7
JERRY’S eyes opened, and he stretched, trying to loosen the kink in his spine, his hand brushing gently against the nape of David’s neck, the warmth giving him ideas. He rolled onto his side and snuggled up to his lover’s naked back, one hand moving slowly, but purposefully, around David’s waist so he could pull the warm body closer. While the other hand pushed under the pillow that cradled David’s head, Jerry began to touch his lips lightly to the soft skin behind David’s ear.
With David held fast against his body, Jerry continued kissing all available skin, the thoughts of where this was going causing his blood to heat and his cock to wake up. He felt David wake up and move his left hand so that it was caressing Jerry’s bare hip while his right hand stroked lightly over the hair of Jerry’s forearm. “Morning, baby,” Jerry whispered against David’s ear, feeling even more aroused at the shivers he could bring out in the smaller man. “You looked so warm and inviting. Sorry if I woke you.”
“Anytime, cowboy.” David turned in Jerry’s embrace so that he was on his back. Jerry moved his leg so that he was partially on top. “Sorry, but your hairy chest was tickling my back.”
“Can shave it, if you want,” Jerry teased as he placed his elbows on either side of David’s face and positioned his body so he hovered only a couple of inches above his lover’s naked body.
“Don’t you dare!” David reached out protectively and ran his hands over Jerry’s muscular chest, his fingers teasing and combing the salt-and-pepper hair that thinned out over the belly only to grow thicker again as it formed his treasure trail. “You’re perfect just the way you are.”
Jerry bent his elbows and brought his mouth to David’s, their two bodies shifting and aligning, almost as if by instinct, so that they fit together perfectly. Jerry felt David’s hands glide along the long, thick muscles of his back. “Love the way you touch me, David.” He nipped at David’s bottom lip and then moved his mouth to whisper in one of those sensitive ears, “Never get enough of you.” He couldn’t believe that it had been almost a year, and he was still able to make David crazy with desire, still make his body writhe and respond like the first time they’d made love to each other.
“Love it when you say things like that.” David bent his knees and brought them up toward his chest so that he could wrap them around Jerry’s waist. Jerry pressed his pelvis down in between David’s thighs and closed his eyes and pressed a little harder when he heard David gasp. “Oh, Jesus, Jerry, so big, so strong.”
“What do you want, baby?”
“You,” David whispered, his eyes closed and his hands kneading their way over Jerry’s back and arms. “Always you, just you.” Jerry looked down at the flush of David’s cheeks, the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed rapidly and deeply, both of them becoming filled with the need to please each other. He pushed himself up so that he could place first his arms underneath David’s knees, then his hands. With his hands on the backs of his lover’s thighs, he wiggled his way down to beneath David’s thighs, the familiar musk making Jerry as hard as it always did. He pushed his throbbing dick against the mattress, hoping for a little relief as his tongue began to lick and lap at David’s entrance. This was Jerry’s favorite part: the sight and the sound of David writhing, begging for Jerry to fuck him so that they could both come together. But a very close second was how David managed to contract his muscles, sending those waves of pressure up and down Jerry’s dick. Jerry worked his tongue over and around, in and out, his hands maintaining a light but firm pressure on the backs of David’s thighs.
“Oh, God, Jerry,” David panted as he reached out with his hands and caressed Jerry’s head. “Baby, so good, so good.”
Jerry closed his eyes as he pushed his cock into the mattress again, feeling the pre-cum as he searched for some relief from the pressure that was building inside him. He felt David relax even more and gave his hole a few more moments of attention before kissing and licking his way up his lover’s body until his mouth was at David’s ear yet again. “Ready?” Jerry whispered, his prick aching at the whimper that escaped from the younger man. With his hands braced against the backs of David’s thighs, Jerry lifted his torso up and made sure his dick was right at David’s entrance, and then he hooked his arms under each of David’s knees, the movement allowing Jerry to push slowly into his lover’s heat. Jerry heard the sharp intake of breath the moment David must have realized what his lover was doing. Jerry had discovered this particular move quite by accident one night, and tried not to use it too often; it was a combination of sensations that usually made David come within minutes. And when David was so turned on that he could come just from Jerry moving in and out of him, Jerry always came within moments of David’s muscles clamping down on his engorged uncut dick.
As he pushed himself in, up to the base of his cock, Jerry let his torso come to rest on top of David’s, and with his mouth resting at one of his sensitive ears, began to pull out and push in again, slowly. “So tight, baby, so sexy,” Jerry whispered against David’s ear. Jerry had realized during their first night together that it was a combination of pillow talk, kissing and licking these sensitive ears that made the smaller man lose all control.
As if on cue, Jerry felt David’s hands begin moving their way over his back; his right hand would come up and caress the back of Jerry’s head and then the left would trail further south, grasping and clutching at the firm ass, encouraging Jerry to move faster and deeper. Jerry heard David’s breathing stop momentarily—as it always did—when he thrust deeply enough to peg his prostate. Jerry nibbled at David’s earlobe for a moment while he pulled out and then pushed back inside the tight heat. “Breathe for me, baby,” Jerry whispered before he let his tongue outline the contours of one sensitive ear. David had no words to answer, but the firm grip that his hands had on Jerry’s neck and ass were all the reassurance that Jerry needed.
Raising himself off of David’s torso, just slightly, Jerry could get a better angle to continue to peg David’s gland as he increased the speed and depth of his thrusts. Their eyes met and Jerry noticed that David’s eyes were beginning to lose focus, opening and closing almost involuntarily. “Nothing between us, David. Can feel all of you. So hot, ’s like an oven in there, mountain lion,” Jerry whispered in David’s ear. “So tight, so beautiful, so sexy, baby,” Jerry said and began kissing David’s ear in earnest.
“Come for me, mountain lion.” Jerry brought his knees forward slightly and began to piston his dick in and out in short, controlled movements.
“Oh, baby,” David grunted as his hands clenched an
d released over Jerry’s body. “There, right there, oh, Jerry.”
“So fucking hot, mountain lion,” Jerry whispered into the same ear again and again. “Come for me. I’m not going to come until you do. Come! Come!”
Jerry felt the familiar tightening around his dick as David’s eyes began to roll back into his head. David’s grip on his ass tightened even more, and Jerry recognized his cue. Pressing his torso down again against the flushed, writhing body beneath him, he let his tongue and hot breath work their way in and around the sensitive ear. “So beautiful when you come, David. I wish you could see yourself.”
David’s eyes closed at last, and Jerry saw the look he’d been waiting for. He thrust one final time, pushing inside as far as he could, and then felt the liquid heat splash against his belly, his own eyes closing as he felt the vice-like grip roll, like waves, over his rigid cock. He felt himself lose control as David’s arms came around his neck and back, holding him there while his muscles began to shake, and his seed spilled inside of his lover.
“Sweet Jesus,” Jerry sighed against his lover’s ear as the muscle tremors subsided. As David’s hands caressed his neck and head, Jerry breathed rapidly, nuzzling his way along the smaller man’s neck and shoulders, placing gentle kisses on whatever skin he could reach. “I love you, David,” Jerry whispered against David’s mouth before kissing him passionately, their tongues finding each other again.
“Jerry, love you too,” David sighed as his hands held and caressed his lover’s face. “Can’t imagine what my life would have been like without you and William.”
“My family. Our family.” Jerry brought his knees up closer to David’s ass and pushed himself up slowly so that he was upright, his own ass resting on his heels while his eyes feasted on the sight of his lover splayed out on the bed beneath him. Jerry brought David’s ankles to his shoulders and then softening his grip, guiding his lover’s legs back down to the mattress.
An Earlier Heaven Page 6