Zack and Richard

by L. J. Hamlin

  “If you need to stop, just say so. I promise I won’t be an asshole about it. I can take care of my dick if I need to. You’re not obligated to, just because we kissed,” Richard says firmly.

  “I appreciate that, but I kind of want to be the one to take care of things like that for you. Not saying you can never jerk off, but I’m here with you. We have nowhere to go, so I’d like you to make use of me any way you’d like,” Zack says, pleasure singing in his blood. He’s so close to Richard finally, their bodies pressed together, Richard’s hands on his bare chest. It makes Zack want things. He wants to feel everything.

  Richard chuckles. “I’d be careful making offers like that. There are an awful lot of things I’d like to do to you, with you.”

  Zack shivers at the heat in Richard’s deep voice. “I trust you.”

  “I hope I can be worthy of that trust,” Richard says softly.

  “You will be, you are,” Zack says. He kisses Richard on the lips, sinking into the kiss, his lips buzzing slightly when the kiss breaks.

  “Tell me if this is too forward, but I was thinking we could take this to my bedroom? More room than the couch, and Biscuit will stay down here if I tell her to,” Richard says, his fingers tickling slightly as they brush over Zack’s arms, making him squirm.

  “Not too forward. I’d like to see your room.” Zack nods.

  They pull back the tangled blanket and get up off the couch together. Richard grabs a dog treat and puts it in Biscuits basket, telling her to stay. Then he takes Zack’s hand and leads the way upstairs and down a hallway, through an open door into a bedroom. Richard pulls the door shut behind them.

  Zack looks around a little. Richard’s room is neater than his, a large bed in the middle of the room, a closet and a few dressers, some watercolor paintings, a dog bed in the corner.

  “I like it. It’s cozy.” Zack smiles, threading his fingers with Richard’s. His relationship with attraction has always been difficult and different than his friends and what he saw on TV, and that hasn’t changed with Richard. He’s sexually strongly attracted to Richard, but that’s developed over time. He’s always felt sexual and romantic attraction, but it just takes him a while to feel anything strong.

  Standing here now, in Richard’s bedroom, wearing Richard’s clothing like they’ve already been to bed, he feels comfortable. There’s no urgent pressure, but there is desire, which makes him think that Richard is probably the right guy for him to get involved with.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Richard says softly, closing the distance between them so their bodies are pressed tightly together. Then Richard kisses him softly, but deeply.

  “We can go as slow as you like,” Richard tells him, breaking the kiss.

  Zack takes a breath. “We’re snowed in. We have time for slow later. Right now, I want to feel you.”

  Richard growls slightly and tugs Zack even closer. “You’re the biggest temptation I’ve faced in years.”

  “I’m a big fan of you giving in to temptation.” Zack grins, loving the feel of Richard’s hands on his hips, around his waist, making him feel smaller than usual, even though he’s very much an average size, but Richard is big, tall, broad, thick bodied, perfect for him.

  “Any time you need a break or want to stop, just tell me. I won’t get mad. Like you said, we have a lot of time together, stuck indoors. No need to mess up before we even get started on our relationship,” Richard says, and Zack is glad that he’s thinking about their future together, not just this one time together.

  “We won’t mess up,” Zack tells him firmly and then kisses Richard, sliding his hands under Richard’s shirt and sweater, feeling his soft waist, one hand going up to rest on Richard’s broad back and the other sneaking down to grab a handful of Richard’s ass.

  Richard kisses back enthusiastically, his own hands exploring Zack’s body and using his bigger body to encourage Zack to walk back towards the bed. The back of Zack’s legs hit the mattress, and Zack goes with it, leading Richard on to his own bed. Their lips hardly even part as they get the right way up on the bed so they’re laying together, wrapped in each other’s arms and legs.

  Zack loves the feel of Richard’s weight pressing down on him, solid and so real. He pushes Richard’s shirt and sweater up in the back, bunching the material around his wrist.

  “Wait, I think under the covers before clothes come off this time. It’s cold,” Richard suggests.

  “Good plan.” It’s cooler in Richard’s bedroom without the direct heat of the fire.

  They pull back the covers and lie down on cool sheets. Once the covers are in place, they get to work on stripping off each other’s clothes. Richard has sure, steady hands, and he manages to get Zack naked quickly and covered with nothing but Richard himself, his body, his heat.

  Richard has on more layers, but they get them off, too. Then they’re kissing again, hands exploring every inch of exposed skin, and the sheets don’t feel cold for long. Zack shivers from pure pleasure as Richard wraps a hand around Zack’s cock, stroking it with the perfect firm touch.

  “Jesus Christ,” Zack hisses.

  “Atheist, actually,” Richard teases, kissing Zack’s shoulder. “You?”

  “My religion? I’m Jewish, but like, can we leave theology for when your hand isn’t doing that,” Zack says, stuttering his last words slightly as Richard runs his thumb over the head of Zack’s cock.

  Richard chuckles. “Sorry. We have time to learn those things. For now, I want to learn what makes you moan.”

  “Go right ahead,” Zack dares. He’s busy running his hands all over Richard, ignoring the slight chill in the room in favor of Richard’s warm skin.

  Richard keeps stroking him intimately. His cock’s starting to leak a little, making Richard’s hand glide more easily. They keep kissing, and Zack only breaks it to warn Richard that he’s going to come. Richard kisses him hard and keeps right on moving his skillful hand.

  Zack can’t keep in his moans, and Richard seems to like hearing them by the noises he makes in response, the way he’ll tighten his hold on Zack’s body after. Zack doesn’t last much longer after his warning. He comes into Richard’s cupped hand, his whole body shaking. Zack kisses Richard and lets the waves of pleasure wash over him.

  * * * *

  After, Richard reaches for a tissue in the cabinet beside the bed and cleans his hand, tossing the tissue away, trying to carefully keep the covers from slipping off them.

  “What would you like?” Zack asks, his hand on Richard’s chubby lower stomach. He loves the softness of the skin, the warmth of the roundness.

  “Anything you want to do, as long as I get to come. Touching you had me so turned on, my dick is aching,” Richard says, leaning in to kiss Zack again.

  “I’d like to taste you,” Zack tells Richard softly.

  Richard shudders and kisses him hard. “I’d like that.”

  Zack kisses Richard once more on his full lips and then slides down under the covers. He hasn’t got the most experience giving head, having been married to a cis woman for so long, and being faithful all that time. But Zack does really enjoy doing it. He likes the taste and feel of a man on his tongue.

  Richard keeps the covers up enough so that Zack is still getting plenty of air. He threads one of his hands into Zack’s hair, cupping his head as Zack does the same to Richard’s balls, rolling the heavy weight in his hand, massaging them slightly as he wraps his other hand around the base of Richard’s erection.

  “Fuck,” Richard hisses when Zack takes him in his mouth, just the head, and sucks.

  Zack chuckles slightly. He loves the noises coming from Richard. He can’t deep throat yet, but Richard is the kind of lover he’d like to practice that with. He doesn’t feel the need to get drunk to be with Richard, and Richard isn’t being pushy. His hand is on Zack’s head, but he doesn’t try to force more of his length into Zack’s mouth.

  He does take more, licking and sucking each bit of salty clean s
kin. Zack is turned on by going down on Richard, but he’s only just had an orgasm, so he leaves his dick alone and focuses on Richard’s pleasure. Zack keeps going until Richard babbles out a warning that he’s close. Zack pulls up a little so he only has the head of Richard’s cock in his mouth and swallows around Richard when he comes. He hadn’t liked the taste the first time, but he’s grown used to it. Richard doesn’t taste too strong, just a little salty, and Zack drinks down every drop.

  Once Richard has finished shuddering, Zack crawls back up the bed till his head is above the covers. Richard puts an arm around his shoulders and cuddles him close, kissing the top of Zack’s head.

  “Thank you,” Richard says softly.

  “You’re welcome.” Zack grins, kissing Richard, pleased that he’s got Richard off, his lack of sober hook-ups with men not seeming to have held him back.

  “You were perfect,” Richard praises.

  “I was a little worried I wouldn’t be good enough. My wife wasn’t a bad person, just unhappy, but her issues left me with a lot of issues. I hope I can be who you want me to be,” Zack says, suddenly nervous. He doesn’t want to ruin the afterglow, but he doesn’t want to start this relationship off by lying or hiding things. He had bottled things up in his last relationship from day one, and that hadn’t helped when things got rocky.

  Richard kisses the top of Zack’s head again. “Zack, you’re perfect just as you are. You could have a dozen flaws I don’t know about yet, and we can still make this work. People have flaws. It’s normal.”

  “So, I won’t get attached to you and then you’ll want kids?” Zack asks, letting out one of his fears.

  “Well, it’s not like we can have kids the old fashion way, both being cis men, but if we ever wanted to make a bigger family, we could adopt, so your fertility will never be an issue. I was adopted in my teens after my bio parents passed. My family was amazing and just as much my parents. There are lots of ways to have kids as part of your family,” Richard says calmly, and he sounds like he means every word.

  “I know this is way in the future stuff, but I just didn’t want it to always be at the back of my mind from day one. I’m sorry for your loss,” Zack squeezes Richard’s hand in his. Zack is close to his parents, his dad especially. He can’t even imagine losing them.

  “It’s good to start off honest, and in the spirit of honesty, I’m kind of cold. Want to borrow comfy clothes so we can try and get some sleep and see how the snow is in the morning?” Richard suggests.

  “It is a bit cold for nude afterglow. Yes, please.” Zack nods.

  “Stay here,” Richard says softly, slipping out from under the covers, and Zack misses his heat instantly.

  Richard opens a dresser and gets out two pairs of pajama pants and two long-sleeved T-shirts, and brings them back over to the bed. He gets under the covers again, handing Zack half the clothes. They fumble under the blankets to get clothes on, and after a few moments, Zack has an extra layer against the cold and is back under Richard’s arm.

  “If I stand up, these pants will probably fall off, so remind me to be careful,” Zack says, resting his head on Richard’s shoulder, loving the toasty warmth of body heat against his cheek.

  “No flashing Biscuit your ass. I don’t think she’ll appreciate it like I do.” Richard chuckles. He opens his bedside drawer and gets out a blue plastic asthma pump, using it once before putting it back.

  “You okay?” Zack asks.

  “Yeah. I always use it before I settle for the night, but it hasn’t been bad at night since I was a kid, really, unless I have a chest infection,” Richard explains.

  “You’ve always has asthma? Was that difficult?” Zack asks.

  Richard looks thoughtful. “A little. I love sports, always have. Used to play football, and it affected that a lot. But it was the way I was born, so I don’t know life with perfect lungs.”

  “You were a jock? And you have a book club? You’re like a weird mix of cool things. Never thought I’d get to sleep with a football player. I was a chess nerd.” Zack laughs.

  “Are you good? I’ve been learning chess. Maybe you can be my tutor? And I’m glad you think I’m cool.” Richard grins.

  “I won a few trophies, so I could probably teach you. My friend, Rick, in the city, and I used to play every Sunday, but we haven’t since I moved.” Zack sighs.

  “Why not?” Richard asks.

  “Honestly? I’m afraid to invite him, in case he won’t want to come be alone with me here, now he knows I’m bi. He was never the homophobic type, but so many straight guys think every queer dude is going to put the moves on them. My wife was there in the past.” Zack hadn’t told any of his friends these fears. Even though they treated him mostly the same as they always had, post his coming out and since his divorce, he was still afraid their friendships would never be the same.

  “Maybe you should talk to him. It might help,” Richard suggests.

  Zack presses closer to Richard. “Maybe if I’m feeling brave. I mean, I had the guts to admit I want you. That took a lot.”

  “God, I was nervous about coming on to you,” Richard admits, his fingers teasing Zack’s hair.

  “I’m not that intimidating, am I?” Zack presses a delicate kiss to the underside of Richard’s strong jaw.

  “We’d talked enough that I knew you’d most likely not be an asshole about it, but I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable if I was reading things wrong. I just couldn’t hold back any longer. I had to know.” Richard threads their fingers together in one hand beneath the covers, and it’s so simple, but it feels right, nice in a way intimacy hasn’t for a long time.

  “I’m glad we talked,” Zack says, yawning a little.

  “Let’s try and get some sleep and see how much shit we’re in tomorrow. I have plenty of food for us and Biscuit, plenty of my breathing meds and fire wood, so we’ll be okay for a while,” Richard assures him.

  “I left my phone next door, shit. I hope it’ll be okay, and my folks don’t try and call the National Guard,” Zack laughs.

  “We can try to dig out our way over to your place tomorrow to get anything you need,” Richard offers.

  “Good plan.” Zack yawns again and cuddles closer to Richard. He can’t remember the last time he did this either, slept as close as two people can get with another person.

  They cuddle close for more than warmth, and Zack falls asleep in Richard’s arms.

  He wakes up with a slightly stiff neck, from the way he’s had it resting on Richard’s shoulder, and for a moment he’s not sure what woke him up, but he’s sure something did. Then he hears it, banging and barking, the sound of shovels on snow.

  “Richard, wake up,” Zack says, shaking a lightly snoring Richard as he climbs over him and out of bed.

  “What’s wrong, babe?” Richard says sleepily, and Zack kind of likes the pet name.

  “Something is going on outside.” Zack holds his pants up and finds a sweater of Richard’s to put on. Richard is quickly out of bed and finding shoes for them both.

  They stumble down the stairs and find Biscuit barking at the front door. Richard encourages her to back off, and then he asks Zack to help him open the door. They do it together, and a few inches of snow tumble in through the opening, but over the mound of snow Zack can see trucks, snowmobiles, and lots of people outside his house. They’ve cleared a path all the way from the road and are banging on his front door.

  Zack puts his fingers to his lips and whistles loudly. Someone he recognizes as Rick even from this distance, looks up. He jumps on a snowmobile along with what looks like his friend Kelly, and is soon in Richards drive, scrambling into the doorway.

  “Zack, oh thank God you’re okay. I called your parents when I got no response last night, and they’d been trying to reach you, too. I emailed, called. You are okay, aren’t you?” Rick says in a rush.

  “I’m fine. My power went out.” Zack glances at Richard, who looks a little nervous.

  “This
is Richard. We’ve been seeing each other.” Zack doesn’t want to assume and say Richard is his boyfriend or partner, but he doesn’t want to act as if Richard is nothing to him but his neighbor.

  “Nice to meet you, Richard. Thank you for taking care of Zack. We were all worried.” Kelly smiles at Richard, and Zack wants to hug her for not being weird about his relationship.

  “Would you all like to come in? You must be cold. I’ll get the fire going,” Richard says, seeming happy to have them here.

  “Yes, please.” Kelly nods.

  “We hired some people to help. I’ll get them to clear a path to here as well, then I’ll come in,” Rick says, taking off a glove so he can use his mobile.

  “Is it okay if I make us all coffee?” Zack asks Richard.

  “Of course. Kitchen is yours. I’ll sort out the fire. Kelly, would you like to take a seat? Don’t mind Biscuit; she’s friendly,” Richard says brightly, and he heads over to where he keeps his inside store of firewood.

  “I can help with coffee,” Kelly offers.

  Zack nods and shows her to the kitchen area. He can’t help remembering cooking dinner with Richard last night, and he smiles. It’d been such a simple pleasure, and he hopes they’ll get to do it again.

  “So, you didn’t say anything about seeing someone last time we spoke,” Kelly says in a low voice as they start getting out mugs and preparing coffee.

  “I liked him then. We’d been talking as friends, but admitting we want romance, too, is a recent thing.” Zack doesn’t want to share how recent. He’s beyond touched that his friends were worried enough to come all the way out here, over an hour’s drive in snow, to see if he were okay after just a night being out of touch. But the timing could be better. He doesn’t want this fragile new thing with Richard to be ruined before they even get a chance to spend time together as a couple.

  “You’re happy, though?” Kelly asks.

  “Yeah. He’s special,” Zack says, blushing.

  Rick closes the front door, and the sound of shoveling continues.

  “You’ll both have access to the road in no time. It’s not too bad once you get to the main road,” Rick announces, wiping his feet on the mat.