by Nicole Casey
“It’s all right,” I said. “I made it out with my bird and laptop, so everything wasn’t a loss.”
“Scottie!” the bird said.
“Ok, ok,” I replied. “I know you’re used to air conditioning, your highness.”
“Your bird’s a character,” Dion replied as he began to follow me up the walkway.
Ariana—who’d chosen to walk a slight distance behind us—raised one of her finely-waxed brows at me as I turned my head to ensure that she was still following me. I, in response, merely shook my head and forced a smile, mouthing, Chill before turning and inserting the key into the lock.
“If you want to help me,” I said as I turned to face Dion, “I could use some help getting the bird’s bigger cage in. It’s kind of heavy.”
“I’d be happy to help,” Dion replied as he turned and made his way toward the apartment door opposite my own. “Just let me get a shirt on and I’ll be right back out.”
With a nod, I waited until Dion disappeared into his apartment before turning to face Ariana, who continued to look at me with one brow raised. “What?” I asked.
“You’re flirting with another guy?” she asked, her voice filled with only the slightest hint of sarcasm.
“I wasn’t flirting with him,” I replied. “I just need a little help carrying the cage in. That’s all.”
“I thought you were interested in Dylan?”
“I am, but he’s not here right now, so I need someone to—”
The door to Dion’s apartment opened, cutting me off before I could finish.
The handsome black man—dressed in a tight-fitting white tank top that stretched over the wide expanse of his chest—smiled as he looked at me. “Ready?” he asked.
“Here,” I said, shoving both the apartment key and Scottie into her hands. “Let me get this settled and then I’ll be right back.”
“All right,” Ariana sighed. “See you in a minute.”
“All right then,” I said, turning to face Dion. “Shall we go?”
He nodded and began to follow me back down the sidewalk, toward where Ariana had parked her car.
The cage—visible even from this distance—was disassembled in the back seat, and would prove to be a chore to remove even with two people.
“So,” Dion said as we approached and then opened the car’s rear back doors. “This is it then, I take it?”
“This is it,” I said as I took note of the cage. “My life’s belongings.”
“At least you got out with your bird,” Dion said. “I mean, it could’ve been worse, right? You could’ve, well…”
“Yeah,” I said, interrupting him in the silence that followed. “I hear ya.”
We stared at each other for several long moments, during which time I struggled to comprehend just what I was feeling in the presence of this strange and charismatic man. There was definitely an attraction there—that much was already for certain—but was it his kindness that drew me to him, or something else?
It couldn’t be his abs, I thought with a slight smile. Or his smile, gleaming white like the moon at night.
“Something wrong?” Dion asked in the short moments thereafter.
“No,” I replied. “Nothing’s wrong. Why?”
“You just… paused.”
“Yeah. Sorry. Was just thinking.”
“Well, let’s get this inside and put together. Then I can get out of your hair.”
“You’re not in my hair,” I replied, taking a section of the cage and hauling it under my arm. “I appreciate the help.”
“I know,” Dion smiled.
I smiled back.
Shortly thereafter, we began to haul the cage back to the apartment, wherein Ariana—seated beside Scottie on the floor—was seated entertaining herself with a social media application on her phone.
“Woah woah!” Scottie cried.
“Woah woah is right,” I said as he began to whine. “Don’t worry, baby. Me and this nice man are going to put your cage back together.”
He began to bob his head enthusiastically in the moments that followed.
“Come on,” Dion said. “Let’s get the rest in here before he starts to throw a fit.”
We’d no sooner left the apartment when Scottie started screaming.
“That’s my boy,” I chuckled.
Dion only grinned before following me back to the car.
After we’d assembled the cage, Dion offered to take me to the store to pick up groceries and other essentials. Ariana, on the other hand, was quick to rebuff the man by saying that she’d planned on doing it.
“Are you sure?” Dion asked as he shifted his eyes from me, to Ariana, then back again. “I really don’t have anything to do, and I’d be more than happy to help.”
“I already made plans to do it,” Ariana replied, cutting me off before I could even begin. “Thanks for the offer though.”
“No problem,” Dion said, then extended his hand to shake mine. “It was nice meeting you again, Chase. You know where to find me if you need me.”
“Yeah,” I replied. “Thanks again Dion.”
With that, the man turned and walked out the open front door, only glancing back once before disappearing back into his apartment.
“What was that about?” I asked as I closed my apartment door. “You should’ve let him take me!”
“Why?” Ariana asked. “I already made plans for you.”
“What’re you—”
A knock came at the door, startling me from finishing.
“Who in the hell could that be?” I asked, turning toward the door. Ariana’s grin stopped me before I could approach. “Ariana. What did you do?”
“You’ll see,” she replied.
I turned and opened the door.
None other than Dylan stood in the doorway, dressed plainly in a T and shorts. “Hey, Chase,” he said with a smile. “Sorry if this is unexpected.”
“Dylan,” I replied, blinking. “No. It’s… fine. I just wasn’t expecting you was all.”
“I could leave, if you like. It wouldn’t be that big a deal.”
“Boy, would you look at the time,” Ariana said, looking down at her phone. “I’ve gotta go.” She then brushed past Dylan and I and began to make her way out the open door.
“Ariana!” I cried. “What about—”
“See you later!” the woman called back as she disappeared around the corner.
I could only frown as I watched her depart.
“What was that about?” Dylan asked, a frown tugging at the corner of his lip.
“I’m not sure,” I said, then smiled when it began to dawn on me. “I guess she just wanted to give the two of us time to ourselves.”
“I see,” Dylan said. “Can I come in?”
I shrugged, stepped aside, and waited for him to come in before closing the door behind him.
In the living room, Scottie watched us intently, as though waiting for something, and bobbed his head whenever Dylan and I got close to one another.
“He seems excited,” Dylan said after a moment’s consideration.
“He likes you,” I replied. “You did save his life, after all.”
“I know,” Dylan said, then smiled as he reached out to touch the bird’s head.
“I wouldn’t,” I started, knowing that Scottie was prone to biting strangers.
Instead, the bird bowed his head and allowed the fireman to scratch him, which instantly relieved me and caused a pent-up breath to be expelled from my chest.
“Question,” Dylan said after a moment of scratching Scottie. “Do you even have anything to sleep on? Like an airbed? Or a small mattress?”
“I haven’t gone shopping for anything yet,” I replied. “I figured I’d just have Ariana help me out with that.”
“Why don’t you let me take you shopping?” he asked. “I mean, at least for an air mattress. You’ll probably need a few groceries as well, considering that you’re just moving in.”
“I want to though,” the man said, sliding his arms around my shoulders and drawing in close to my chest. “I want to help, Chase. Don’t push me away.”
“I’m not,” I said, then sighed.
I did the unthinkable next—by bridging the distance between us and pressing my head against his wide chest. I listened to the sound of his heartbeat for several long moments, during which time Scottie buzzed and purred, and while doing this, I reveled in the attention this man set upon me—of the compassion he held for my situation even though he didn’t have to.
“So,” Dylan said after a moment’s hesitation. “Want me to take you to get some groceries and a cheap air mattress?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “Just let me set up something on the laptop for the bird to watch first. Then we can go.”
We ended up making our way to a local chain store, during which time we picked up groceries, the air mattress in question, a pair of blankets and pillows, and a small table and chair atop which I could place my laptop. Furniture shopping would come later, I’d said, when we had the day to actually inventory the various things I’d need and the time to do it. As things currently stood, it was getting late, I was getting hungry, and I knew I couldn’t keep Dylan at my place forever.
After we carried the groceries in, set up the table and the chair before it, and blew up the air mattress, I stood in the kitchen, staring at my cell phone as I contemplated what I wanted to eat, and waited for Dylan to say that he was departing for home. When he didn’t, however—and when he simply continued to stand in my presence, watching me with his intense green eyes that reminded me of emeralds pulled from the deepest crusts of the earth—I lifted my eyes to face him and said, “Dylan?”
“Yeah?” he replied.
“You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.”
“I know. I want to though, Chase.”
“You’re sure?” I asked as the sound of Scottie’s movie continued in the background. “It’s not like there’s much to do around here right now.”
“I know. I have tomorrow off though, so I figured… well… if you wanted, anyhow—”
“Just come out and say it,” I smiled.
“I figured I could spend the night and we could go get your furniture tomorrow, make a day of it.”
I stared at him intently, watching him for any sign of reservation or hesitation. When I found none, however—and when he made no move to retract his statement—I smiled and said, “Are you sure?”
“As long as you’re comfortable with me staying over here, I would be more than happy to. Besides,” he then added, “I’m not so sure if I want to drive home.”
“Lazy ass,” I smiled.
“Hey—lazy or not, at least I’m hanging out here with you.”
“Yeah,” I replied. “At least you’re here with me.”
I reached out.
I took his hand.
I accepted his lips as he leaned forward to kiss me.
The bird purred and began to bob his head as we held the kiss, then as our lips parted once, twice, then a third time.
When I pulled away, I smiled, licked my lips, and said, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For all your help. I really appreciate it.”
“I know you do, Chase.” Dylan retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and gave it the once over before flipping it over to reveal a fast food app. “Want to go get tacos?”
“Tia!” the bird cried.
“Yeah,” I laughed. “Tortillas it is.”
***
After we ate, and after the sun went down and Scottie was officially put to bed for the night, Dylan and I lounged in the room I had designated for my sleeping quarters. Shirts off, laptop set before me, I navigated my list of digital movies that I had downloaded to my computer’s external hard drive and tried to determine what, if anything, might be suitable to watch.
“Anything in particular you’re interested in?” I asked as I leaned forward and pushed my glasses up my nose.
“Yeah,” Dylan said. “You.”
He snaked a hand along my abdomen and pressed his lips against the back of my neck before allowing them to fall to my collarbone. Shivering, now, from the sensation of his facial hair across his smooth skin, I reached back to take hold of his head and sighed as he pressed several light kisses along my shoulder blade. “Dylan,” I said.
“Yeah?” he replied, pulling away.
I turned my head and pressed my lips against his, allowing his tongue to part my mouth and then slide into it. We kissed like this for several moments, parting mouths and sliding tongues across one another’s, before I pulled back and said, “Mmm.”
“You like that, baby?” he asked.
“I love it,” I replied.
“Then you’ll love this.”
He took my hand and placed it over the throbbing erection tenting his shorts.
“You have a condom on you?” I asked as I leaned down to pop his belt, then slide his zipper down his shorts.
“Do I ever,” Dylan said. “In my wallet. In my back pocket.”
I reached around, taking extra care to cop a feel of his finely-muscled ass, before withdrawing the wallet from his pocket.
Inside the front flap I found a single black condom, ready and willing to be opened.
As I slid the contraceptive out of the leather wallet, Dylan shucked his shorts, fished his cock out of his briefs, and presented it to my waiting mouth.
I didn’t hesitate to slide the condom on his dick, then my mouth over it right afterward.
“Fuck,” he moaned, reaching up to tangle his hand in my hair. “Shit, Chase.”
“You like that?” I asked, running my tongue along the throbbing head, which wept precome beneath the condom’s protective surface. “If so, then you’ll love this.”
I took a deep breath, prepared myself for what was to come, then swallowed him all the way down to the base.
He moaned almost instantly and bucked into my throat, causing his hips to rise off the air mattress and his tight hole to be exposed for one brief moment. My dick throbbed at the sight and caused the wet spot developing at the front of my pants to widen as fresh precome pumped from the head of my restrained dick. I reached down to paw at myself briefly before sliding my lips off of Dylan’s dick, slipping my thumb through the spit, then aiming my thumb at Dylan’s hole.
The moment my thumb touched his pink opening he groaned and threw his head back. “Yeah, Chase. Finger my hole.”
A guy who likes it both ways, I thought, then chuckled as I circled my thumb around his hole, causing the man before me to groan in feverish anticipation for what he knew was likely to come. I pressed the digit against his opening and pushed, gently, until it parted, and moaned around his cock as my thumb slid into his asshole willingly, his sphincter contracting around my digit with an intensity I hadn’t expected from a man whom I was certain was only a top until that moment.
Dylan, panting, leaned back and drove more of my thumb into him. “Fuck,” he groaned. “Fucccck.”
“I didn’t take you for a versatile man,” I said as I drew off of his dick.
“Not much for being fucked myself, but I like my hole being played with.”
Shame, I thought. Your tight ass would feel great around my dick.
Still, that didn’t matter. If we kept seeing each other, I would eventually wear him down. His ass would be mine someday. I’d make sure of it.
I chuckled as I returned to deep-throating him—as I fished my digit out from his anus and reached down to free myself from my sweatpants. I groaned as I touched myself and began to stroke my dick in tune to the way I sucked Dylan’s—first slowly, then quickly, then with more force. He bucked, several times, during these happenings, and though I desperately wanted him to fuck me, I didn’t have any lube in the apartment, so this would have to do.
“I’m gonna come,” Dylan said aft
er several deep breaths. “Keep sucking baby. I’m cuh-cuh-cuh—”
The condom ballooned beneath my tongue.
My cock throbbed once and I came all over Dylan’s leg.
I kept sucking as Dylan’s orgasm faded, as his hips bucked against my face and my fingers instinctively found his hole again. I penetrated him—with two fingers this time—and curled my fingers until I touched his prostate.
He cried out.
He came harder within my mouth.
When I finally drew back—when I looked at his body, prone and vulnerable, and saw the fresh coat of sweat gleaming upon his tanned skin, I smiled and said, “You know I’m going to fuck you someday.”
“We’ll see about that,” he laughed as he leaned forward and took hold of my face, kissing me deeply for several long moments, our tongues dancing and our lips melding against one another’s. He pulled away a short moment later and said, “We should shower and get some sleep if we want to get up and fuck around in the morning.”
“All right,” I said, a bit disappointed that we wouldn’t be going any further with this. “If you say so.”
“You sound disappointed,” he chuckled as he rose and dragged me out of the bed with him. “Shit, Chase. You came all over my leg.”
“Now you sound disappointed,” I laughed.
“Quite the contrary. I just don’t want to make a mess on your carpet.”
“I could care less about the mess,” I replied. “Besides—I just want to get you in the shower and soap you up.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Dylan said, then dragged me out of the bedroom and into the bathroom.
After we showered the sex and sweat from our bodies, we made our way out of the bathroom and settled down onto the bed, where we watched reruns of an old sitcom on my laptop while waiting to fall asleep. Used to late nights of writing and the adventures that came with them, I was still wide awake by the time Dylan passed out on his side of the mattress, one arm tucked under his pillow and his hard lean body rising and falling ever so slowly. His breaths—though soft—were comforting, and reminded me of a time and place when I was in a relationship.
You’re falling too fast, I was quick to remind myself. Remember that.
Still—it was hard not to be attracted to the man before me, to the savior complex within his DNA and the kindness that inhabited his heart. He’d remained behind for me: had taken me to the store and had promised to both help me acquire and then put together new furniture. It was, undoubtedly, bliss, and caused my heartstrings to fluctuate in response.