Next To You

by Rebecca Brochu

  “Sure. You have anywhere or anything in particular in mind?” Ricci fumbled with his phone until he could hit the speaker button. Then he rolled out of bed so he could hunt down something clean and warm to throw on while he waited for Layton’s answer.

  “I hope I don’t come across as terribly blunt or out of line, but I was hoping we could go back to your place and sleep.” Ricci froze for a moment too long and only snapped out of it when Layton called his name again. “Ricci? I didn’t overstep, did I? That was something that was seriously on the table, right? If not then we can just pretend this entire conversation didn’t happen.”

  “Are you sure you want to come back to my place? I mean, we can do whatever you want to, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable or anything.” Ricci desperately wanted Layton to say yes, to say he wanted to come to his house. He wanted Layton in his bed, wanted his scent on his sheets and his pillows. This was his chance to have everything he’d been thinking about for days now.

  “I’d invite you back to my place, but to be perfectly honest it’s tiny and well you’re entirely too large for my bed. Plus, I’d love to see the house you seem so proud of. I’ve been imagining it since you talked to me about it, and I was hoping to get the chance to see it sometime.” Layton’s voice was low and soft.

  Ricci heard the rattle of keys in the background, and the knowledge that Layton was just as eager as he was hit Ricci full force. “Sounds like a good idea to me, Layton,” he said.

  “I could hire a cab if you’d be kind enough to give me your address.”

  Ricci debated over it for a second before he made a noise of disagreement with Layton’s suggestion. “It’d cost you an arm and a leg.”

  “It’ll be worth it. The last thing I want to do is have to sit at a bus stop at this hour or anything of the like.” Layton sounded determined and Ricci’s resolve quickly crumbled.

  “Fine but I’m at least paying for half the fair since you’re the one doing all the traveling.” Ricci rambled off his address and listened to Layton repeat it back to him as he kicked the shoes he’d been about to slip on back into his closet and made his way downstairs.

  “If you say so. I’ll be there shortly.” Layton replied and then the call was over.

  Ricci took a deep breath, looked around his messy and half-finished house, and immediately went to work straightening up. He did the best he could and was thankful that he was a relatively neat person even as he berated himself for being so nervous.

  He passed the rest of the wait in a state of agitated and impatient excitement. Ricci paced until he finally forced himself to go back upstairs and sit on the end of his bed and stare uninterested at the television. He didn’t even bother to try and act casual as he jogged down the stairs and towards the door when the chime sounded.

  When Ricci opened the door, he was greeted with the sight of Layton wrapped in his regular black coat and what looked like comfortable sweatpants with his messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

  “That was fast. I figured I’d be waiting on you for a while since it’s so late.” He looked over Layton’s shoulder and noticed the taxi had already pulled away. “I told you I’d split the fair.”

  “Did you? Must have slipped my mind. You can split a bill with me some other time if you’d like.” Layton smiled up at him and Ricci’s mind went blank for a split second before he stepped back and ushered Layton inside.

  “Ignore the mess if you can. I’ve got the hall, the kitchen, my room, and the two bathrooms done at the moment, but everything else is still a mess.” Ricci ran a hand through his hair as he turned and hung the coat and bag Layton had stripped off and handed to him on the hook by the door.

  “As long as your bed is in one piece, I don’t care at the moment. Not to be rude but I came to take total advantage of your sheets, not for a dinner party.” Layton grinned up at Ricci, eyes dark and obviously tired.

  Before Ricci could say anything, Layton stepped into his personal space. He reached up and wrapped a long fingered hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down into a soft but still heated kiss.

  Ricci groaned, reached out, and pulled Layton closer with one hand as the other snuck up and buried itself in Layton’s wild hair.

  Ricci was quick to take control of the kiss and pushed his tongue past the barrier of Layton’s lips with ease so he could explore the wet heat of Layton’s mouth. He tasted clean and cool like mint, and Ricci wanted to kiss him forever. He was tired and in no shape to go where this was leading, but he didn’t want to stop. Especially when Layton began to give back as good as he got, pushing his tongue up against Ricci’s and dueling him for dominance of the kiss.

  Thankfully, Layton took the choice out of his hands and broke the kiss with a soft sound.

  Ricci closed his eyes and sighed long and deep as Layton reached up and ran the palm of his hand across his stubble-covered jaw and then leaned in a pressed another kiss to the center of his chin.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for ages. Since I saw you that first night actually,” Layton confessed.

  “Me too.” Ricci cleared his throat when he heard how raspy his voice had become, but Layton just smirked up at him.

  “I’m wearing my pajamas, I’m desperately attracted to you, and I’ve had maybe two hours of sleep in the past twenty four hours, so I can’t do much about it at the moment,” Layton said, his voice steady and quiet even as he pressed his forehead against Ricci’s collarbone. “I want to sleep beside you without any interruptions, no alarms, and no end of the line calls. Then when we both wake up, I’d like you to touch every inch of me at least twice. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.” Ricci couldn’t think of any other answer he’d want to give as Layton finally stepped back. “You can kick your shoes off down here if you want. And I like the right side of the bed.” Ricci turned, made sure the door was locked, and then grabbed the now barefoot Layton by the hand and led him up stairs to his bedroom. He watched Layton look around, watched him take in the frankly indulgently large bed with approving eyes before he turned back towards Ricci.

  “With a bed this big you may never get rid of me, Ricci,” Layton said as he stripped off the large sweater he was wearing to reveal a pale but nicely toned chest before he sat down on the left side of the bed.

  “I’m beginning to believe I won’t want to if we’re being honest here.” Ricci followed suit and stripped off the shirt he’d tugged on earlier over his sleep pants.

  Layton arched an appreciative brow at him as Ricci made his way around the edge of the bed, hiked up the edge of the blanket, and crawled in.

  Once he was settled, Ricci waited for Layton to do the same and then he reached over and clicked the bedside lamp off and plunged the room into darkness.

  A few seconds passed in total silence and then Ricci sighed low and long, rolled onto his side, and reached out so he could tug Layton closer. He settled him into the curve of his chest. Then he buried his face in Layton’s hair and felt the tension in his shoulders completely drain away for the first time in what felt like forever.

  Layton hummed approvingly in front of him and settled deeper into Ricci’s hold without any complaints.

  Ricci closed his eyes and listened to the steady sound of Layton’s breathing. He was asleep within minutes.

  Chapter Six

  Ricci woke to an empty bed, the sound of approaching footsteps, and the distinct scent of coffee. He felt the edge of the bed dip in as someone sat down, and he had a moment of confusion before memories of Layton rushed back to him and he opened his eyes to peer groggily at the figure beside him on the bed.

  “Good morning, or well afternoon.” Layton’s cheerful and still rough voice sounded out. Ricci grunted back as he sluggishly rolled over far enough to rest his head against the mattress and wrap an arm around Layton’s waist.

  “Coffee,” Ricci rasped out as he squeezed the sharp line of a hip that Layton’s low slung pants had exposed.

  “You’ll have to sit up
for that, and I hope you like it black and strong enough to peel paint, because it’s the only way I know how to make it.” Layton teased as he sipped his own coffee for a few seconds and then placed the mug on the bedside table. Ricci finally gathered himself enough to unwrap his arm from Layton’s waist and sit up so he could take the mug Layton held out to him.

  The first sip scalded the inside of his mouth a bit, but Ricci gulped the coffee down like it was nothing. When he was done, more awake than before and decidedly more rested than he’d been in weeks if not months, he finally took a moment to really look at Layton. He was still shirtless, pale chest bare and leanly defined. Ricci could just make out a line of freckles across the sharp cut of his shoulders in the early afternoon light that was filtering in through his curtains.

  “I’m going to kiss you now.” Ricci blurted it out and watched Layton’s eyes go wide and then soft and hot. He reached out and put the empty mug on the bedside table beside Layton’s.

  “If that’s how you react to coffee, I’m definitely going to have to cook breakfast…” Layton’s teasing was drowned out as Ricci pushed forward and kissed him.

  It started slow, just like the kiss from the night before. Ricci teased the seam of Layton’s lips with his tongue, licked at the corners of his mouth leisurely for a moment before he swept inside. He chased the taste of coffee around Layton’s mouth, learned the curve of his teeth and the wet, hot strength of his tongue all over again. It was good, better than any kiss Ricci could remember at the moment. It only improved when Layton pressed closer until Ricci was forced to lean back completely against the headboard so Layton could crawl forward onto his lap.

  They broke the kiss slowly and stayed where they were for a moment, faces pressed close as they both panted for air. Layton moved first. He slid his hands up the wide expanse of Ricci’s chest and then down over the curve of his shoulders as he ducked his head so he could place nipping kisses on the base of Ricci’s neck.

  Ricci groaned and tipped his head back to give Layton better access while he clenched one hand in the sheet beside him and trailed the tips of the fingers on his other hand down Layton’s bare back until he could palm the curve of his ass.

  Layton whined, a sweet high-pitched sound, when Ricci squeezed his ass lightly and then he set his teeth to Ricci’s skin harder in response.

  Ricci bucked his hips upwards as he hissed at the sting. They both groaned low and long when the rapidly hardening jut of his cock pressed against Layton’s through the thin fabric of their sleep pants.

  “You said I could touch you.” Ricci’s pulled Layton closer to him with the hand on his ass and finally untangled his other from where it had begun to claw at his bed sheets. “I really hope you meant it.”

  “I meant it.” Layton’s words were broken by the way he panted against the curve of Ricci’s neck. “I definitely meant it.”

  “Good.” Ricci took control suddenly and surged up off of the headboard. Layton’s eyes widened in surprise, and Ricci used that to his advantage. He flipped them over until Layton was beneath him, long pale body stretched out length-wise across the massive expanse of his bed. Layton’s sleep pants sat so low on his hips they might as well have been off, so Ricci hooked his fingers in the waist band and pulled them down as far as they would go. They tangled Layton’s legs together at the ankles, but Ricci didn’t let them stop him.

  He pressed one of his knees down against the mattress between the inviting spread of Layton’s thighs. Then Ricci swooped down for another kiss even as he reached out and wrapped one hand around the long, heavy weight of Layton’s cock. The head was flushed a dark, angry red, with beads of pre-come already glistening at the top. Ricci wanted to swipe his tongue across it, wanted to have Layton’s taste burst across his tongue unhindered and unobstructed. He held back, reminded himself that safer was smarter when it came to both of their health and instead contented himself with jacking Layton off for a few minutes. He went about it almost leisurely until Layton was twisting and bucking his hips up into Ricci’s grip with ever mounting urgency.

  Ricci watched, fascinated, and hardly realized he’d brought his free hand down to palm his own cock through his pants until Layton lashed out, caught him by the wrist, and tugged his hand away.

  “Yours too,” Layton said, more of an order than a request as he arched his neck back and reached out to tug impatiently at Ricci’s pants.

  Ricci reared back and moved away so he could quickly pull them off, and Layton took the opportunity to kick his own completely away. Ricci twisted again, reached for his bedside table, and wrenched the drawer open so he could rifle through it long enough to toss a tube of lube and a string of condoms up onto the mattress beside Layton.

  “Ambitious aren’t we?” Layton grinned at him as he held up the condoms between them.

  Ricci laughed, happy that they were comfortable enough with each other to joke, that they’d already fallen into that space when it had sometimes taken Ricci’s partners weeks, months, to get there.

  “I’ve had plenty of sleep for once, so yeah I think I might just be.” He grinned as he crawled back up the bed so he could hover over Layton again and lean down to steal another, sweeter kiss. Ricci slotted their finally bare cocks together with a downward push of his hips. They both moaned and the kiss turned heated and deep as they pressed against one another, their way eased by the fine sheen of sweat that had sprung up on Layton’s stomach.

  “Now.” Layton finally panted out this single word a few minutes later. Ricci didn’t even think to protest, just pulled back and reached over so he could grab the tube of lube and lay it on Layton’s chest.

  “You do it.” Ricci said as he sat back on his heels between Layton’s spread thighs.

  “Fine, but you’re returning the favor next time,” Layton said as he popped the lube open, messily slicked up his hand.

  “Sounds like a plan to me.” Ricci had no problem with the idea, or the fact that ‘next time’ implied that Layton didn’t intend for their encounter to be a one-time affair.

  “You’re refreshingly accommodating.” Layton took a moment to grin at Ricci, pale face flushed and eye bright. Then he canted his hips up so he could reach properly.

  “No.” Ricci stopped him before he could work a single finger inside. “On your stomach. I want to see.” Just the thought of watching Layton finger himself open, make himself slick and loose and ready was enough to make Ricci’s cock twitch and his balls draw tight in want.

  Layton huffed but slid up a little on the mattress so he could flip over onto his knees. Ricci was quick to brace him with a steady hand on his hip, but his mind went blank when Layton pressed a slick finger tentatively against his own rim.

  Ricci watched Layton play for a minute, arm stretched around his back in a way that made his lean muscles bulge as he circled and then pressed one slick finger slowly inside of himself.

  Ricci heard Layton hiss when he sunk his finger in to the last knuckle. Ricci lightly squeezed the hip he still held in his grip in support but made no other move to interfere. He could feel Layton tremble as he slowly slicked himself up inside, his wrist working slow and steady as he began to add a second finger. He could tell the moment Layton brushed up against his prostate from the way his breath stuttered and his body went ridged for a moment.

  Unable to simply spectate anymore, Ricci let go of Layton’s hip and used the excess lube that slicked the other man’s skin to press one of his own fingers in alongside Layton’s two. Layton keened, a low wounded sound, and his breathing went ragged as Ricci felt his muscles tighten and flutter around his finger.

  “You alright?” Ricci asked as he stroked his free hand up the pale expanse of Layton’s back to gentle him.

  Layton nodded, a short jerky movement, but Ricci didn’t move until Layton’s breathing even out and the rhythmic movements of his finger started back up again. Then he managed to find the rhythm that Layton had established and worked his own, thicker finger deeper into Layton�
�s body. They moved together in relative quiet, only the wet sound of their hands and their breathing filled the room until Layton finally broke the silence.

  “I’m ready.” His voice came out as a breathy pant.

  Ricci wasted no time. He pulled his finger from Layton’s warmth with one quick motion. He then reached over and ripped a condom from the bottom of the string he’d grabbed earlier. His hands fumbled a bit when he tore it open, but he managed to get it smoothed down the length of his cock with little difficulty before he reached back out for the lube and made sure he was good and slick.

  He gripped Layton’s hip with one hand and wrapped the other around the base of his own cock to steady himself and he pressed slowly into Layton’s ass. The ring of muscle gave with only a slight push, and Ricci paused for a second to give Layton a moment to adjust. Layton just huffed and pressed his hips back against the pressure of Ricci’s hand.

  “I’m not going to fucking break, Ricci.” Layton practically snarled and Ricci stopped trying to be gentle.

  He pushed forward hard and didn’t stop until he hissed out a long breath as he finally bottomed out. Layton inhaled sharply, and his body clenched around Ricci’s cock.

  Ricci’s hips thrust forward once more. Layton cried out with him, a choked off sound that made Ricci’s eyes clench shut. Ricci didn’t give Layton a chance to adjust again; he just pushed his hips tighter against Layton’s ass with another harsh thrust. He pulled back until only the tip of his cock was still inside and then Ricci pushed back inside. He tested out a few angles first, until he paced his thrust just right so that he hit that spot inside of Layton that made him twitch like he had before. Ricci laughed, low and dark and pleased, when he found it and then set up a harsh rhythm that was at odds with their earlier almost playful foreplay.

  Layton’s arms gave out on him quickly, but Ricci pushed him back down when he tried to get his balance back and instead draped himself over Layton’s back so he could lick and suck at his earlobe. Layton’s hips shove back to meet him at the gesture and Ricci didn’t try to gentle his pace at all after that. He pushed as deep into Layton as he could with each thrust, setting up a rhythm that was both hard and exquisitely slow.