by BA Tortuga
“Will you show it to me? How do you decide what you want to show and what you don’t?”
“Marge helps sometimes. Sometimes I just know. Sometimes the gallery has an idea. This is my road.” He turned onto a graded road that was as familiar as his own breath. “Hit the button on the visor, huh?”
“Hit the… button. Got it.” Calvin reached up and pushed the button for him and laughed. “Did I just launch a missile or something?”
He chuckled and pointed to the huge iron gate, the thing slowly pulling back.
“What?” Calvin sat up tall, jaw dropping. “Get. Out. No way.”
He chuckled. “Now you are on Body-Williams land. Welcome.”
“Uh. Thank you. So when you said we were on your road, you meant we were on your road. Dude.”
“Yes. All this is mine.” The house was hidden from here, behind the rows of pecan trees and cottonwood trees climbing up the hill that protected everything from the wind.
He felt Calvin’s eyes on him and glanced over. Calvin was shaking his head. “All of this. Like everything I can see? That is crazy. I mean, it’s beautiful. And crazy.”
“Yeah. My granny willed it to me. I’ve lived here off and on my whole life.”
“Wow. I’d ask if you felt isolated out here, but I guess that’s the point.”
“Yeah. Yeah, it is sometimes. It’s quiet.”
Calvin kissed his chin. “We’ll make some noise. No worries.” The hand on his thigh shifted a little higher.
Oh. Oh, Calvin made his mouth dry. “I want you. I need you to know that.”
“I know.” Calvin was whispering, but his voice seemed to fill the cab of Tucker’s truck anyway. “It’s all over you. It’s sitting on your skin, tiger. You’ve got to know I’m yours.”
Tucker’s cock went from needy to painfully hard in a rush, his balls throbbing. “I do. I…. God, I missed you, honey. I missed your face.”
“I was wilting without you. We won’t put ourselves through that again.” Calvin sounded so sure.
They pulled down the road, past the trees, and up to the big house. It was a big limestone monstrosity, a ranch house that had grown organically as Granny and Pappy had been called to build on. Seven bedrooms, five baths, a courtyard—it was a magical building.
“Holy shit.” Calvin flew out of the truck as soon as he put it in Park. “Tucker! This is amazing!” He watched Calvin turn in a slow circle, taking in the trees and the sky and then the house again. “Oh my God. I love it.”
“It’s a good place, isn’t it?” He understood. It was inside him. “Let me grab your bags.”
“It’s magnificent. I’ve never been anywhere like this.”
Tucker grabbed Calvin’s things and then led the way up on the huge porch with its ceiling fans and rocking chairs. He opened the kitchen door and invited Calvin in.
“I could live on the porch, Tucker. It looks so comfy.” Calvin slipped past him and into the house.
“It’s the best place to be during a storm. I’ve slept out here a thousand times.” It felt good, seeing Calvin’s joy, approval. This was a good place, even as weird as it was.
“Oh, I can’t wait to do that. When was this place built? It’s nothing like the old farms in Vermont. I can’t tell.”
“The original house is from 1910, but it’s just a few rooms in the back. The last major add-on was done in the nineties. Granny liked to build on.” And her dream had been to have a huge family living here with her.
Calvin put a hand on his, gently coaxing him to put the suitcase down. “You think Granny would be happy I’m here?”
“She would. She wanted me to be happy.” He stopped and stepped close. He should get Calvin water, make sure he knew where the restroom was, all that. What came out was “I need to kiss you.”
“Please. I’m going crazy.” Calvin slipped warm hands around his waist.
“I love you.” Tucker said the words, then took his kiss, trapping the truth between them.
He tasted Calvin’s reply, sweet and strong on his tongue. Calvin leaned into his kiss, pressing close and blocking out the daylight. Tucker sobbed once and pushed one thigh between Calvin’s legs, giving them both something to push against. They devoured each other, tearing apart weeks and weeks of hurting, of lonely.
“You’re real, right? You’re real?” Calvin’s hands pulled at him, hips surging against Tucker’s.
“Yes.” He was as real as he knew how to be. “I got you.”
He held on to Calvin’s tight little ass and squeezed, dragging them together over and over until Calvin began to shudder against him. He watched, admiring, as Calvin’s head fell back with a gasp. “Tucker!”
He bent to nibble that long column of throat, nuzzling the smooth skin, hoping to make it sting.
Calvin sucked in air through his teeth, the hiss sharp and loud. “Fuck, yes!” Both of Calvin’s hands clasped behind Tucker’s neck, and Calvin went up on his toes, every muscle buzzing as he gave in.
He groaned and straightened, picked Calvin up and carried him back to the big bedroom. Tucker wanted to christen his bed, love Calvin in his room.
“Oh! Tiger.” Calvin held on, covering his neck with kisses. “I love you.”
“Good. Good. This is the bed. I want you.” He thought all those words strung together made sense.
Calvin’s clothing disappeared almost as quickly as he could put his lover down, and forceful fingers took him by the chin. “I want to see those…. Oh God. Your eyes.”
He tore at his belt, his jeans, wanting to feel their skin together, their bodies touching, skin on skin. He never looked away from Calvin; he was caught.
“I’m right here.” Calvin’s hands pushed under his T-shirt and stroked his chest. “Right here.”
“We’re real.” He gave up on his clothes and sat on the edge of the bed, drawing Calvin onto his lap so he could kiss and touch and hold on tight.
“Yeah.” Calvin lifted his shirt, helping him get it off, and then started in more gently on his belt. “Whatever you need, baby. And then we can rest. Talk. Make it new.”
“Uh-huh.” Tucker explored the curve of Calvin’s throat, the way his collarbones called to him.
Buckle, button, fly, and then Calvin was tugging at his jeans, the fabric dragging against his hips.
He moaned as he lifted up, Calvin helping his cock pop free of his clothes. “Oh. Oh, fuck.”
“Look at you.” Calvin’s fingers found him, sliding gingerly down his shaft to cup his balls.
His legs were caught by his jeans, the material digging into his thighs as he started to spread.
Calvin slid to his knees beside him and took time fussing with his boots. “So high maintenance, all this cowboy clothing,” he teased.
“I know. No wonder I work naked.”
“Hell, it’s warm enough down here I may never need to wear anything at all, ever.” Tucker caught the flash of a naughty smile as Calvin dragged his jeans, briefs, socks and all right off.
“I can live with that, honey. I swear to God. C’mere.” He wanted another kiss, wanted to feel Calvin’s skin against his.
Calvin climbed back up him and shouldered him backward on the bed. “Here.” Calvin’s lips hovered over his.
“Yes.” He pulled Calvin down to cover him, needing to feel the full weight of his lover on him.
“Mmm.” Calvin kissed him, the connection deep and slow, and rocked a hip against him. They fit together like tongue in groove, cocks slipping together and leaving him breathless. “Okay, tiger. Let’s make you happy.” In one smooth motion, Calvin slipped down his body and swallowed him whole.
“Calvin!” His shout was echoed in the way he arched, his entire body going tight and hard.
“Mmm.” Calvin hummed in response, tongue scraping along his shaft and letting the head of his prick rub against Calvin’s soft palate.
Tucker’s eyes rolled back in his head and he fought to breathe, his entire universe tightening down to t
he tip of his cock.
Calvin caught his balls up in one hand and rolled them, swallowing around him before giving them a quick, sharp tug.
He bared his teeth and rolled his hips up, Calvin’s name tearing from him like a prayer as he shook. Fuck. Fuck, so close.
Calvin shifted and released him to circle a hot tongue around the head of his prick. Fingers tightened around his shaft and stroked him. When Calvin took him in again, hand and mouth were working together, each stroke followed by a sweep of Calvin’s tongue.
“Gonna. Honey, I’m fixin’ to.”
“Mmm.” Calvin gave him a hum, lowered his chin and took Tucker into his throat.
That was all she wrote. Tucker’s head slammed back, and he shot so hard his head spun.
Calvin swallowing made him shiver, and Calvin followed that with kisses and nibbles up over his belly and into the curls on his chest.
He groaned softly, his hands shaking as he petted Calvin’s hair.
Calvin purred into his chest. “You taste good.”
“I feel amazing.” He bent one knee, rocking Calvin against him, nice and easy, his world still spinny.
“You carried me.” Calvin giggled, vibrating under his hands. “You were totally Tarzan there for a minute, Tucker.”
“I’m a stud,” he teased. “And I needed to see you in my bed.”
“Oh?” Calvin rolled slowly and stretched out, posing coyly like his own personal centerfold. “How do I look?”
“Exactly right.” He dragged one hand down along the center of Calvin’s body, touching nice and slow.
“You are a stud, you know. Even without the Tarzan thing. But I liked that. Keep it in your arsenal.” Calvin reached out and scritched his whiskers.
“I trimmed, just for you.” He knew it was silly, but he also knew Calvin would be pleased.
“I noticed, and I love it. I love how you think of me. Even if there may have been an ulterior motive.” Calvin’s smile was genuine, but a little naughty tugged at one corner of his lips.
“The ulterior motive is to make you feel good, honey. It’s my favorite drug.”
Calvin just shook his head at him. “I can keep you in a steady supply of the good stuff, no problem.”
“Fair enough.” He leaned down and kissed one nipple, then rubbed his chin over the tiny little bit of skin.
Calvin hissed and then exhaled heavily. “God. See?”
“Mm-hmm.” He did, and he wanted to see more.
Calvin combed fingers through his hair. “Tucker, I’m… still recovering. I don’t have all my energy back yet, you know? I’m sorry.”
“Shh. Sorry for what? I’m happy to be here with you, like this.” He wasn’t an asshole. In fact, he was trying to be a good man, as best he could. He could love on Calvin without worrying about the end result.
“I don’t know. I just feel like I owe everyone an apology right now. This is lovely. You’re good to me. Thank you.” Calvin curled back into him and rested against his shoulder.
“I get that. You don’t have to apologize to me. You just know I got you.” He had never had a man in his bed here. Never. It was a luxury that he’d never forget.
Calvin nodded. “I feel pretty damn good right now, though. I was so excited getting on the plane this morning. Timmy came with me to the airport, which was adorable. Oh! Remind me I have bagels in my carry-on for you.”
“Yeah?” Oh, that was spectacular. “I bought you groceries from the H-E-B I thought you’d like—shrimp and olives and pretzels and fizzy water.”
“Perfect. I’ve got a few more calories to spend on this trip, so that’ll be nice. Maybe you can cook for me.”
“I will do my best.” He grinned before casually mentioning “I have some Lucky Charms and some Froot Loops….”
Calvin laughed. “Yeah? When you give me the grand tour, make sure you show me where the garbage goes.”
“Butthead.” He pinched Calvin’s butt, careful not to leave a mark.
“Ow? I’m only looking out for your health, you know. When I’m feeling better, you’re going to need all your strength.”
“I’m ready.” He stretched, his sleepless few days catching up with him. “Tell me if you need me to turn the AC up or down or anything.”
“I’m fine. Nap for a bit? And then I want to see everything.”
“You got it, honey. Anything you want.” Tucker let his eyes close, let himself breathe, knowing Calvin was right there. It was just what he needed.
Chapter Nineteen
“TUCK?”
It was daylight when Calvin woke up. He sat up in bed and looked around the room, blinking the sleep from his eyes and breathing.
He looked around the room and laughed softly, realizing he and Tucker had been so focused he hadn’t gotten to see any of it before he’d fallen asleep. The room was gorgeous. All the heavy furniture, the natural light from tall doors that led out to the porch, the enormous bed he was sitting in the middle of—all of it suited his tiger of a lover so well.
His suitcase was sitting at the foot of the bed with a couple of towels on top of it, and he nodded, scooting out of bed to go clean up. He showered and shaved in a bathroom that felt like a palace, and dug out a pair of denim shorts and a white T-shirt, grinning when he noticed that the bagels were missing from his bag.
He headed out onto the porch after slipping on some flip-flops, just to take in the view and feel the warm air. It was hot, no joke, but it felt good for a few minutes. When he’d had enough, he headed back through the bedroom to either find Tucker or get lost trying.
The house was fascinating—weird mazes of walls that seemed to be built randomly and that opened up into random rooms. There was a TV here, a library there, a queen bed. As he wandered, he caught sight of a swimming pool, a hot tub, and a very naked Tucker in the sun, spattered with paint.
He stood there a minute, watching Tucker and admiring all that tan skin, thanking his lucky stars again for whoever sent him that beautiful bronze god. When watching started to feel more like he was stalking, he made his way along the edge of the pool toward his lover. “I guess I’m a little overdressed.”
Tucker blinked up, bright eyes shocked for a second, and then he got a wondering smile, this blinding, happy grin. “Hey, honey! How did you sleep?”
Tucker’s energy was contagious, and Calvin gave his lover a big, wide grin. “Great. Awesome. Better than I have since we… uh. Sorry. In a really long time. I feel great.” He did. He was relieved to see more of the man he was when Tucker had been in New York, smiling back at him in the bathroom mirror this morning. He scooted Tucker’s knees over and sat with him, feeling the sun warm his skin through his shirt.
Tucker seemed happy to sit there with him, soaking in the rays, quiet and still.
“You’ve been working?” A question that didn’t need an answer, given the paint all over that gorgeous tan, but he asked anyway. He hadn’t seen anything hanging up around the house on his way out here, so he assumed they must be in a studio in some part of the house he hadn’t found yet. He wasn’t even sure he knew how to get back to the bedroom anymore after winding his way around all the weird walls and corners.
“Yeah. I worked last night. I kept the door open so I could see if the lights came on, but you were tired.”
“I was beat. Where were you working? There are so many rooms I’m surprised I found you. I never saw your studio. What are all the walls for?”
“I don’t know. They amused me, I think. I like the corners. I get bored sometimes and build things.” Tucker shrugged, then stretched. “I haven’t spent a lot of time in the house so far. I’ve been out here or working.”
Calvin threaded his fingers between Tucker’s, wondering how lonely a man had to be to start building random walls in his house. It was good that he was here. He’d shut his mouth and open his eyes, and see what he could learn. He’d be careful with his questions so he didn’t make Tucker feel self-conscious in his own home. He’d do his best
to just fit in.
Ha. That was going to be pretty difficult. He’d never tried to fit in anywhere in his whole life. In fact, he usually made it a point to stand out.
“We can play hide-and-seek sometime. Naked. Winner gets to choose which room they want a blowjob in.”
Tucker’s laugh made a whole bunch of black birds fly up into the air. “I think that sounds like a fabulous idea. There’s a room in the back of the house that is a maze. It was supposed to have a big quilting machine in it, but she never managed to decide on which one she wanted.”
“Watch me get lost in it. I’m terrible with that stuff. I don’t think I could get back to the bedroom right now.”
“I’ll grab a Sharpie and draw arrows.” Tucker would too. Fancy arrows leading his way.
He just laughed. “Don’t. Getting lost and finding my way out seems like part of the point somehow. Will you show me what you’ve been working on?”
“It’s not you. I promise. I didn’t draw you.” Tucker took his hand. “It’s not good stuff. It’s not for anyone to see.”
What the hell was he supposed to say to that? Tucker had made it pretty clear he was going to paint whatever he had to, so he’d assumed Tucker had a closet full of paintings and sketches of him hidden in the house. He didn’t plan on looking for it, but he wasn’t stupid enough to think they weren’t somewhere.
Not wanting to show him the work, though? That wasn’t like him. “I’m not just anyone, tiger.”
“No, you’re most certainly not. You’re… special to me. You want a cup of coffee? I have hot and cold both.”
“Ice coffee sounds perfect, please.” So that was a distraction, but he’d let Tucker get away with it for now. Have some coffee, try another way. “Did you plug in my phone someplace? I didn’t see it in the bedroom.”
“In the kitchen.” Tucker stood, then jumped into the pool and swam the length before popping out and grabbing a towel. “Oh. Better. I was warm.”
Jesus. He tried not to stare, but watching all those muscles working in Tucker’s back kind of rocked his world for a minute. He started to say something but didn’t, figuring for now it would just be his own little secret.