by BA Tortuga
Tucker followed him like he was born to it, trusting him wholeheartedly, eyes lit up like Christmas.
He wanted to tell Tucker how beautiful he looked right now, how right this moment felt, how much he admired that trust. But it was so much joy that all he could manage was laughter. He tugged again, finding a spot that felt smooth for Tucker and matched his stride.
“This is fun! I don’t remember it being like this before.” Tucker squeezed his hands, sharing their joy. “You can’t paint this, honey. You can’t make this still.”
Calvin shook his head. No, you couldn’t take a picture of it either, come to think of it. It would just be one big blur. “Nope! You’re going to have to hold on to this in your mind, cowboy.”
Calvin didn’t remember it being like this before either. Nothing was the same with Tucker. Everything he did with the man felt like seeing things with new eyes.
They were moving along really well. Not superfast, but smoothly, and Calvin decided Tucker could handle more of it on his own. “Don’t change a thing, okay? Just keep doing exactly what you’re doing now.” He let go of one of Tucker’s hands and pivoted on one foot so he was moving forward instead of backward. “You’re doing great. Stay relaxed. You’ve totally got this.”
“Stay relaxed. I’m on it.” God, that laugh could fill up the entire rink. “This is working my butt muscles but good.”
The wind in Tucker’s hair made him seem so free.
“Don’t let yourself get tired. If you need a rest, take one. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” He snorted. “Jesus, I’m channeling my seventh-grade ice-hockey coach.”
“You played hockey? Did you like it?” The strangest things fascinated Tucker.
“I did. I played from first grade until my freshman year in high school. I did like it, yeah. I just wasn’t big enough, and I kept getting my ass kicked on the ice.” It wasn’t his size, really. It was because Jimmy Brandt came to watch him play—instead of Jimmy’s twin sister, Laurie. But his coach had insisted he just didn’t have enough bulk.
“My daddy wanted a boy to play football. I was always busy painting. I like using my body, though. I swim.” Tucker stumbled but recovered, face a study in concentration for a minute before he got his equilibrium.
“Yeah?” Well? He hadn’t been embarrassed by Tucker yet. What the hell. “I don’t. Swim, I mean.”
“No? I have a pool at my house. I spend a lot of time in it. Do you not like the water or you haven’t learned?”
“I never learned.” His dad was convinced that the lake was toxic, and his mom was positive he would drown, probably because she couldn’t swim either. “And then I moved here, so….”
“Right. Well, when you visit my place, I’ll teach you.” Just like that, so simple. When you come to my house. The trust was astonishing.
“Texas might implode.” Him in Texas. Ha. Then again, he could wear a cowboy hat. And chaps. Not that any of that mattered. He’d go there right now if Tucker asked him. “Hey, don’t freak out, but you just went around the rink twice by yourself.”
“You forgot the without-falling part.” Tucker winked. “You want something to drink? I’m dying of thirst.”
“I would love some cocoa.” He zipped ahead of Tucker and pivoted backward again. “You mind if I tear off a little? I’ll meet you over there in a minute.”
“I’ll grab drinks for us, huh? Go, be beautiful. I shall admire from afar.” Tucker grinned at him. “I love to watch you play.”
“Okay, just skate right over—without falling—and let the boards stop you. I’ll teach you how to stop later. That’s a bruise or five all by itself. Don’t fall!” He blew a kiss, turned and took off, breathing in deep and letting the cold air fill his lungs. A few more strides and he was flying, weaving around groups of kids, couples holding hands, and the occasional spinning skater with a twirling skirt.
Chapter Twelve
TUCKER WATCHED Calvin go with a bemused grin. Well, look at that.
He could admire that tiny little ass for a hundred years, but said fine man had requested hot chocolate, so hot chocolate it would be.
“Woo! That was awesome.” Calvin joined him finally, grinning and flopping into a chair, breathless and flushed. “I wonder if you can two-step on ice skates?”
“I’m sure someone can. I’m equally as sure that I can’t.” He wasn’t ever going to be good at this. Enjoy it? Fuck yeah, but not be good at it. “You can fly. I didn’t know if you wanted whipped cream, so I got one of each.”
He also got coffee to mix with the one Calvin didn’t want.
“I’ll go without, please.” Calvin ran fingers through a windblown and wild mop of hair, taming it again. “Which…?”
“The one with the little stopper deal.” He grabbed the other and added a big dollop of sweet goodness to his coffee.
“Thank you.” Calvin smiled at him, looking warm and happy. “You did fantastic out there. Stayed on your feet, moved along, you totally got it. Maybe next time I’ll bring some hockey sticks.” The wink let him off the hook.
“Give me a couple more times to try, huh?” Hockey was soccer with sticks on ice, if he was remembering right.
“As much as you like. I am loving this. And I’ve never heard you laugh so much.” Calvin was sitting there on the edge of the chair, sipping cocoa, bouncing one knee, and looking barely a day over seventeen.
“I am having a ball. It blows out all the cobwebs.” And the times where he didn’t have to worry about things seemed few and far between. This was simple, fun, but required his brain to be engaged so the work had to let go.
“So easy, right? Gliding along enjoying the wind? And when you can move faster, you’ll love it. I move so fast sometimes I literally don’t have time to think at all. It’s all about what’s in front of me. The speed is so much fun.”
“Swimming can be like that for me. I mean, I get into a rhythm and there’s no thinking, just moving like all get-out, so yeah. Yeah. I want to learn to do better.”
A silence fell between them. Calvin picked up his cup of cocoa again and gave it a swirl before sipping it. He reached across the table and took Tucker’s hand, and they watched the skaters, every once in a while pointing someone out to each other.
It was interesting how much better Calvin had become at letting quiet moments breathe when they were together, not trying to fill them with conversation. Calvin didn’t seem anxious and didn’t seem to need that constant assurance anymore.
Lord have mercy, Tucker loved Calvin like nothing going. Anxious. Calm. Goofy. Sleeping. It worked for him and made him feel like there was more than work.
“Thank you, tiger. That was the best hot cocoa ever. Good thing I need some calories today.” Calvin set the empty cup down and smiled at him. “You want to take another spin, or should we not tempt fate?”
“Let’s go play, honey. There’s precious little I’d like more.”
Calvin’s lovely blush was worth risking his backside. He took Calvin’s hand, and they headed for the ice again. “The hardest part is stepping onto the ice.” Not that Calvin had any trouble with it.
The sun was setting, and lights were starting to come on around the rink.
Oh, how charming was that. “Look, honey. It’s so fucking pretty.”
“It is. Romantic.” Music came on too. Calvin let go of his hand and skated around him in little circles and wide arcs, giggling and teasing him by getting close and cutting away again.
He felt a little like a Great Dane that was being seduced by a hummingbird.
“You are totally solid, Tucker, look at you go.” He pretended not to be concerned at all at the ice Calvin kicked up screeching to a stop beside him.
“Thank you, sir. I am trying to not make an ass out of myself.” He was going to have to sit in a hot water bath tomorrow and soak his butt.
“That’s fine. I’m doing enough of that for the both of us.” Calvin skated up close and took his hand, matching his stride so they
were skating smoothly together. Full darkness fell fast, as it always seemed to in the city, and the rink was sparkling now, colored lights streaking the white ice in the rink.
“Look at us, ice skating together.” You could have knocked Tucker over with a feather, he was so pleased.
“I’m not surprised. Just one more thing we’re good at, tiger. Trust me? Just keep doing what you’re doing.” Calvin skated in front of him and turned backward, slowing a little so he ended up skating right up close. Calvin caught his hips and kissed him, then skated away before their feet got fouled up.
“Damn, honey. I swear to God, you do it for me, more and more every day.”
“You’re so sweet.” Calvin circled him. “Don’t work tonight. Come to my place.”
“I can do that.” No question. Tucker wanted to stay in this bubble of happiness.
“Thank you.” Calvin skated around behind him and took hold of his belt, slowly pulling close until he could feel Calvin against his back.
“Oh.” His entire body lit up, bright and hot. “Damn, honey. I love that.”
Hands snaked slowly around his waist, and Calvin propelled them forward, adding speed. “Just move with me, we’ve got this.”
Okay. Okay, just move. Just let Calvin take him.
They glided together, Calvin’s feet on either side of one of his own and Calvin’s hip against his tailbone, for just one wide loop around the rink. He didn’t do much himself except follow Calvin’s rhythm, almost like they were dancing.
When they came back around to where they started, Calvin let him go and came up beside him, quietly taking his hand again.
God, if all the demons have to be a real thing, let this be real too. I’ll take all of it, if this can be real.
“That was amazing, tiger. You did great!” Calvin looked over at him. “Are you okay?”
“I am exceptional, honey, balls to bones.”
“That sounds so much more like you mean it than ‘head to toe.’” Calvin laughed. “Okay, your thighs and your butt are going to be screaming at you tomorrow. One last lap.”
“You’ll have to rub them for me,” he teased.
Calvin dropped his voice so low it was a wonder Tucker heard him over the skates and the music. “All you have to do say is please, lover.”
“I can do that.” He didn’t have a bit of trouble asking for what he wanted.
They skated together around one last time, Calvin zooming away and back, spinning, and showing off for him a couple of times. The flush in Calvin’s cheeks and the childlike antics made him grin. Lord have mercy, that was pretty as all get-out. He could watch that forever and never get bored.
He felt Calvin’s hands on his backside, and Calvin steered them toward the boards, slowing and stopping them both without either of them having to grab the rail. “Climb on out, cowboy. Let’s head home.”
“Sounds like heaven, honey. Lead the way.” Calvin’s apartment would be warm and cozy, the bed perfect for everything from gymnastics to snuggling.
“You’re going to need some dinner. We can stop and grab something on the way. Let’s get your boots.”
CALVIN WATCHED Tucker stomp into his boots. The man really was incredible; it seemed like he was having such a good time. That fearless thing he had going on really worked for him, something about just being willing to try making all kinds of new things easier.
It was getting simpler to coax Tucker out of his head and away from his work lately. It wasn’t always for a long day or overnight, but they’d had a handful of real dates in the past couple of weeks and they’d gone remarkably well. This one, though, was the best of all so far.
He probably shouldn’t have asked Tucker not to work, he realized. That wasn’t really fair. It did seem like Tucker dropped everything for him when he asked, and while that was wonderful, he worried a little that he was just another distraction. Not that he asked that often. He’d be careful, right?
“You okay with the subway?”
“Sure, honey.” The words were confident, the look in the bright blue eyes less so.
It wasn’t snowing. Other than money, there was no reason they couldn’t grab a cab. He debated whether he thought it would be better for Tucker to get used to the subway, but he was pretty sure Tucker could ride it a hundred times and still not ever get comfortable. It had been such a great afternoon, why stress him out now? “Actually, you know what? If we walk across town one block, we’ll be able to get a cab no problem.”
He slid his fingers against the back of Tucker’s hand, and Tucker took hold of him, the grip firm. He loved that it was so simple. It felt so natural that he’d bet Tucker didn’t even think about it anymore.
“Sounds good to me.” Tucker hummed a little, pulled his cap out of his back pocket, and popped it on his head. “I’m fixin’ to need a haircut. My hat don’t fit.”
The dark hair was on the shaggy side, and Tucker didn’t have stubble anymore. It was a full beard, the same color as dark chocolate.
“Maybe hanging out with me has made your head swell.” He laughed. “I have a guy. You thinking you’ll trim the whiskers too?” Kissing all that fuzzy was fun, but he liked that “I’m just too cool to care if I’ve shaved in the last four days” look better. It was way hotter. And scratchier. And now he was blushing. Oops.
“I’m thinking I will. I like how they make you moan. I just have to do it.”
Oh God. “Really? On a public sidewalk?” His cheeks were on fire, but he was more than blushing now. Still, he really liked that Tucker knew that, and that it mattered.
“Well, I doubt I can trim and walk at the same time, but if you have a pair of scissors at your place, I can fix myself up to make sure and thank you for today.”
“Ha!” He laughed. “You totally would too, wouldn’t you? Waltz right into my bathroom with my scissors.” Tucker wasn’t joking, Calvin knew that, but the idea made him laugh. “Lemme just trim up here so I can blow your mind.”
“Of course. I mean, I can stop at a drugstore and buy my own scissors or use a pocketknife, although that chafes.”
“Baby.” I am falling for you so hard. “You are too good to me.” He wanted to climb into Tucker’s jacket with him. There were times he’d be happy to disappear into Tucker, completely. Sometimes it was hard to get close enough.
“I want to hear you make that sound, the one you make when you’re fixin’ to come for me.” Tucker’s voice poured over him like honey.
He made a sound? Other than his heart trying to beat out of his chest? “You better kiss me if you’re going to talk like that, tiger.” He stopped walking and pulled on Tucker’s collar.
“You got it, honey.” Fearless and happy, Tucker kissed him like there was nothing on earth Tucker wanted more.
Worked for him—there was nothing he wanted more either. Their little tongue battle made him grin, each of them wanting a little control. He loved it.
He heard his cell phone ringing in his pocket but ignored it.
Tucker broke the kiss, eyelids heavy. “Taxi, honey. So we can get you home.”
Home? Oh, they were still on the sidewalk. Right. “Yes. Get me home.” He let Tucker see him lick his lips and then stepped to the curb to hail a cab.
It wasn’t a long trip. They headed down the east side to avoid Times Square, and it worked out great. He did have time to check the message on his phone, though. “Michael.”
Calvin. You’re a finalist for the Calvin Klein gig. I need you at your best next week. Four days. Call me tomorrow.
Whoa.
“I got the Calvin Klein audition.” He stared at his phone. “Holy shit.”
“No shit? Oh, honey! That’s good, right?”
“It’s really good. It’s exactly what I wanted! Oh my God.” He paid the cab driver and pulled Tucker out of the cab. “Oh my God. Four days next week. Shit, tiger. I guess you’ll get a lot of work done.” He laughed. “I didn’t think this day could get any better.”
Tucker laugh
ed, swinging him around. “Damn, honey! Good for you.”
He laughed, arms around Tucker’s neck until Tucker let him down. He couldn’t stop smiling, though. “Wow. What’s today, Wednesday?” He could have brunch with Tucker tomorrow, work out later in the afternoon, and then he’d have to be super careful after that. Oh. Tucker needed dinner. “What do you want to eat, baby? I’ll steal a bite. I’m celebrating.”
Tucker patted his hand. “I want pizza. Do you like pizza?”
“Who doesn’t like pizza?” It didn’t always love him when he ate too much of it, but it was just a bite or two. “There’s a great place right around the corner.” He wondered how many finalists there were. He figured he’d find out when he called Michael in the morning. “Wow.”
“I know, right? I’m proud. That’s damn cool.” Tucker grinned at him, eye lines crinkling. That was going to be so hot when Tucker was older.
“Huh. You’re the first person who’s ever said that to me. Thank you.” He never expected his parents to be; that was understood early on. He leaned on Tucker as they headed up the block.
Tucker held him, just as stable and strong as could be. “Well, I hate that no one’s said it, but I’m glad you know how I feel now.”
“I do, thank you, tiger. And it’s okay. I haven’t done much to be proud of until now anyway.” He pointed. “Two Boots. Best pizza in the city.”
Calvin was impressed with how many slices Tucker could put away. The cowboy didn’t hold back, that was for sure. He had three big bites and a big cup of water and was plenty full, so they both went back to his place happy.
Happy and horny, if Tucker’s grabby hands were any indication of things.
He played at slapping Tucker’s hands off his ass and ducking Tucker’s kisses all the way home. He wasn’t above teasing, and he was loving the way it made Tucker’s eyes narrow and his jaw square up.