Shelton in Love

by Dianne Hartsock

  He should never have scared Nevil like that, making plans without discussing them first. Fortunately, this episode had been a mild one. Nevil's anxiety attack last winter had been very real, sending him to the hospital with the fear that he was dying or losing his mind—or both. Shelton had to be more careful with him.

  Nevil stirred on the bed beside him. "Are you awake?"

  Shelton grinned at the ceiling somewhere in the dark over his head. He knew that tone, and his body tingled in anticipation of the pleasures that usually followed when Nevil used it.

  "Maybe," he drawled, purposefully coy, giving Nevil the challenge he relished. Nevil moved closer and rested on an elbow. "You're so good to me." Nevil's fingers strayed to his chest and tweaked a nipple and Shelton shivered with pleasure.

  "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" he teased, losing his breath when Nevil flicked his tongue over the hardening bud on his chest. Nevil chuckled, reached for him, and captured Shelton's lips with a kiss while he slid his hand across Shelton's hip to cup his balls. Shelton stretched languidly, loving the feel of Nevil's sleek body against him as he lay wrapped in Nevil's arms.

  Nevil deepened their kiss and Shelton ran his fingers through the thick hair, smiling fondly. Nevil hated to have his hair messed with at any other time, but now he purred like a contented kitten. Nevil burrowed into his neck and Shelton pushed him off with a laugh.

  "None of that! It tickles."

  "Too bad," Nevil countered, trying for Shelton's neck again. Shelton wrestled with him and then lay back against the pillows and opened his arms.

  "Fine. Do whatever you like."

  "Damn straight," Nevil murmured and kissed the pulse beating rapidly in Shelton's neck. The dark head lowered, and a pleasant shiver ran through Shelton. The talented fingers and amazing tongue traveled the muscles of his shoulders and chest, pausing a second to nip gently at a vulnerable nipple before moving downward.

  Nevil stopped at Shelton's hip bone. Shelton trembled, his pulse rioting as the seconds ticked by and Nevil made no move. He startled when a finger brushed over his lips in the dark. Knowing what Nevil wanted, he drew the digit into his mouth, getting it as wet as he could. He shivered with anticipation when Nevil trailed his hand down Shelton's body, over his balls, and moaned when the wet finger nudged inside him.

  His dick ached for attention. He felt Nevil's hot breath and cried out when Nevil circled the sensitive tip of his erection with his tongue then dipped into the slit. Nevil pushed another finger inside him and swallowed his dick at the same time, driving Shelton crazy with pleasure. Nevil's fingers did amazing things while the skilled mouth licked and sucked him, sending him to the edge of orgasm.

  "Nevil—" He gasped in warning. Nevil chuckled wickedly around his cock and kept at it. Crying out in pleasure and love, Shelton came in Nevil's mouth, soaring into ecstasy. He sighed with bliss as he floated back into his body and his life with Nevil, his heart swelling with thankfulness for the wonderful future they still had together.

  Shelton’s Homecoming

  Chapter One

  Shelton slowed to a walk as he approached the glass doors of the emergency ward. He could see nurses and doctors bustling around on the other side of the barrier. Would they let him see Nevil?

  "Shelton!"

  He jumped on hearing his name and looked over his shoulder. Tera waved from further down the hall and he waited for her, heart racing as Nevil's twin came up to him. He blinked at her brilliant smile and had trouble speaking past the lump in his throat. "What…?"

  "He's not in there. He's doing so well they moved him to a regular room about an hour ago."

  They grinned at each other in celebration. Shelton switched his overnight bag to his left hand and linked arms with Tera. He'd come straight from the airport and was impatient to see the love of his life. "Take me to him."

  "This way."

  Tera led him back down the long hallway to the elevators and Shelton cleared his throat as the doors closed behind them. "I'm glad you came when you did. I wasn't sure they'd let me see him in emergency care. I'm not immediate family."

  "You could say you're married…"

  He found a spot to look at on the floor. "Nevil would have something to say about that."

  Tera made a small sound of protest and Shelton flashed a smile. "It's okay. So, Nevil's doing well?"

  "He is. He's been sleeping a lot, but the doctor says he should recover without any trouble."

  "Thank God." Shelton drew a deep breath. Relief washed through him in a wave that left him weak. Gathering his courage as the elevator came to a halt, he once again followed Tera down an endless hallway. He paused outside the open door to Nevil's room and then stepped inside, his gaze going at once to the precious man in the hospital bed.

  Nevil looked so pale! His dark hair and bruised eyes were a stark contrast to the pristine sheets and pillow. All of a sudden, Tera's frantic late afternoon call, the mad rush to the airport, and the crazy taxi drive to the hospital took their toll. Shelton brushed a shaky hand over his stinging eyes. I won't cry, damn it!

  He approached the bed and gently put his hand on Nevil's shoulder, needing to touch him, and drank in the sight of his beautiful lover. Shelton willed Nevil to wake up and prove he was okay. He'd been terrified on the plane that he'd arrive too late and Nevil would be dead. Tera's call had been almost incoherent; he'd imagined the blackest scenarios.

  Tera came up beside him and gave him an apologetic look. "There's a large lump on the back of his head. The whole thing was an accident, honey. Nevil stepped on some rotten floorboards in a building they're renovating and fell to the floor beneath. Maybe I shouldn't have called you until I knew how bad he was, but he was unconscious when they admitted him…"

  "It's okay. I want to be here. I was coming home this weekend anyway, and only had to take a couple of personal days. It's fine."

  He returned his gaze to Nevil's beloved face and tentatively caressed a bruised cheek, wanting him to wake up. He loved him so much. Remembering what Tera had said earlier about marriage, warmth spread through him. Husband? Sure, he could do that. He knew Nevil would smack him if he ever had the balls to call him wife and his lips twitched with humor.

  He took a deep breath. The point was moot anyway. They'd been to weddings of various friends, but Nevil had never shown the least interest in it for himself. Shelton smoothed the lines of pain from Nevil's forehead with a gentle finger. He knew Nevil was devoted to him and he would have to be content with that.

  Nevil's dark lashes fluttered and Shelton's heart stumbled. A gleam of turquoise flashed at him, and the tears he'd held off scalded his eyes. "Nevil?" he asked.

  Nevil's gaze was blank, but then awareness swept in, and he said in a weak voice, "Shelton? God! I must be dying if you're here."

  Shelton choked on a painful laugh. "Falling down on the job, honey?" he joked. Emotions tangled inside him; the strongest was the desire to feel Nevil's sweet lips under his own. He wanted to climb onto the bed and pull Nevil close, never to let him go. He'd been so damned scared.

  As Nevil watched Shelton, his expression softened and he reached out a hand to him. "Come here, love," he said fondly. Shelton sighed and sat on the edge of the bed and rested his head on Nevil's chest. He listened to the strong heartbeat under his ear and let the tears trickle down his face while Nevil stroked his hair. Relief unmanned him. What if Nevil had been seriously hurt or had died like he'd imagined?

  "Shelton," Nevil whispered his name.

  Shelton lifted his head and met Nevil's wonderful eyes which brimmed with love and exhaustion.

  "Shit, I'm sorry." He sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "Here I'm blubbering like a baby when you should be sleeping."

  "I am tired. They have me pumped up with something, but I won't sleep unless you kiss me goodnight."

  Shelton felt the warmth in his cheeks and he blushed with pleasure. Idiot! Nevil was fine, wasn't he? He gave a hasty look over Nevil's form under the sheets. "You'r
e not hurt anywhere else?"

  Sleepy, Nevil chuckled. "Want to search me? I'm perfectly fine, love. The doctor says I'll have this headache for a few days, but he sees no reason why I shouldn't recover fully. The rest is just bruises and achy bones from the fall."

  "You're lucky it wasn't your neck," Tera stated from the window where she tactfully waited. She came across to the bed and kissed Nevil's cheek. "Goodnight, dear. Shelton, I'll be in the hall when you're ready."

  "I think I'll stay here tonight but thanks."

  Nevil's expression turned stubborn. "You will not, Shelton! I'm fine. Go home; you're done in."

  "But…"

  "I think there are enough people here to help me if I need it. Go on, sweetheart. I promise I'll be okay. Besides, I'd feel weird knowing you were watching me while I slept."

  Shelton grimaced. He'd said that after one of their first nights together when he'd woken up to find Nevil staring at him. For a moment he'd felt self-conscious but was quick to change his mind. One of his greatest delights was to see Nevil propped on his elbow in bed watching him in the morning. Nevil's lips would form a provocative curl and Shelton's body would react instantly, springing to attention.

  Nevil gave him a lewd wink and Shelton shook his head and said, "You're such an ass. Good thing I love you so much or I might be tempted to leave you here for a week."

  "Doctor Franklyn is rather cute…"

  "That's not…"

  "Shelton, shut up and kiss me already."

  "If I have to," Shelton teased and settled more comfortably on the bed. He cupped Nevil's face, careful of the painful bruises, and leaned close to lick his top lip and gently suck on the fuller, soft bottom one. His pulse surged, cock responding to the memory of those delicious lips as they surrounded him and drew him into the heated depths of his mouth. He groaned and pushed his tongue between the sweet barrier where Nevil's tongue greeted him with delighted familiarity. Shelton deepened the contact; he wanted to climb into that honeyed warmth and lie safe in Nevil's embrace.

  All at once, he felt embarrassed and pulled back. Nevil was injured and in pain, and here he attempted to indulge his own needs.

  "I'm sorry. I guess I've missed you," he mumbled, trying to slow his heartbeat.

  Nevil gave him a sleepy smile and licked his lips. "I missed you, too. Mmm… that was nice. Once I'm home…" His voice trailed off and Shelton watched his eyes drift closed, face softening into sleep. A slight snore escaped Nevil's parted lips and Shelton's heart swelled with love.

  "Goodnight, sweetheart," he said, and he stole one more kiss to take with him. Shelton jerked upright when he heard a polite cough at the doorway.

  The doctor watched him with amusement. "Am I interrupting?"

  Heat warmed Shelton's face. "He's fallen asleep again."

  The doctor crossed the room and held out his hand. "I'm Doctor Franklyn. Tera warned me you were in here."

  Shelton shook his hand and then waited by the bed while he checked Nevil's vitals. Damn, the man was cute.

  "How is he?" he asked when the doctor straightened from listening to Nevil's heart.

  Franklyn gave him a kind smile. "I understand your concern, but he'll be fine. He hit the wall when he fell and might be concussed, which is why I want to keep him overnight. His hard hat saved him from anything worse. As it is, he'll have a headache for the next few days. He's also bruised his elbow pretty bad and has a fabulous bruise on his hip. I'll prescribe something for the pain, but there's no reason why he shouldn't be able to go home tomorrow."

  Shelton couldn't stop the grin that spread on his face. "That's good to hear."

  Chapter Two

  Shelton sat quietly as Tera drove him to the brownstone he and Nevil shared, at least on the weekends he was home. Nevil's consulting job in Colorado had come to an end last month. Now Shelton's promotion at the bank seven months ago and consequential move to Colorado, everything he'd worked so hard to attain, seemed like the worst mistake of his life. He'd forced Nevil into the compromise of a long distance relationship through his selfishness. He groaned into his hands. Without Nevil, he'd lived a half-life. The thought filled him with regret. He wouldn't do that anymore.

  "Shelton, are you okay?"

  Tera's concern touched him, and he smiled at her in the semi-darkness of the car. "Yeah. Tired and depressed, but nothing a good night's sleep won't cure."

  "I'm sorry I scared you."

  "Nonsense, I think you woke me up to what's wrong in my life."

  Tera gave him a quick glance but let him alone when he didn't elaborate. In a few moments, they pulled into the driveway of the house, and Shelton let out a relieved breath. He was home.

  "Thanks, Tera. I'll call you in the morning, okay?"

  "I have a couple of errands to run, but I can swing by and give you a lift to the hospital."

  "That's okay. I'll just catch the train in." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight."

  "Goodnight." She put a hand on his arm as he made to leave. "I'm really glad you're here. I know Nevil is too. Thanks for coming."

  Shelton gave her a nod and climbed from the car. He waved as she drove away then faced the brownstone. A weight seemed to drop from his shoulders. He fished his keys from a pocket, let himself in, and flipped on a light. The familiar sights and smells filled his senses and he smiled. Nevil's drafting supplies covered every available flat surface and his own books and artwork filled the shelves. Their lives meshed. He didn't need marriage vows to tell him that.

  Deciding to shower before anything else, he took his overnight bag to the bedroom. A smile curled his lips as he stared at the wide expanse of bed in the middle of the room. Nevil would be in that bed tomorrow. His heartbeat quickened and he laughed a little as his cock stirred. He hadn't been with Nevil in over a week. It seemed like an eternity when he craved his touch every night.

  Shelton closed his eyes and envisioned Nevil standing in front of him; he knew that decadent look on his face.

  Nevil cupped his chin and brushed Shelton's lips with his own in a kiss. His sweet tongue met Shelton's eagerly. Skillful fingers unbuttoned his shirt and undid the belt on his slacks…

  Shelton blinked his eyes open and hurried to strip. His cock jutted skyward as he crossed the floor to the bathroom and turned on the faucets in the shower. He stepped under the spray and sighed with bliss as the hot water struck his shoulders. He licked his lips and closed his eyes, eager to continue the fantasy he'd started in the bedroom…

  Nevil climbed in the stall with him, his gorgeous turquoise eyes gleaming with love and lust. He took Shelton's mouth in a kiss that burned him to the core.

  Nevil's fingers explored Shelton's body; they teased and tugged. He picked up the soap and rubbed it over Shelton's chest, his free hand tweaking Shelton's hard nipples, sending jolts of pleasure through him.

  "Face the wall," Nevil whispered in his ear. Shelton obediently turned and planted his feet apart, shivering with anticipation as Nevil stepped behind him. He moaned with need when a finger touched the small of his back and traveled down the crack of his ass to tease his hole. Nevil grabbed the lube beside the shampoo and soon his finger pushed inside Shelton. Shelton's muscles clenched around it at once, his legs shaking as Nevil messaged the tight ring. Another finger followed the first and they worked in unison to prepare him.

  Nevil reached around and kneaded his balls and Shelton threw his head back on Nevil's shoulder, groaning aloud as Nevil's fingers continued to push in and out of his hole, driving him wild. The fingers withdrew and Shelton braced for Nevil's thick, gorgeous cock taking their place and inching into his ass, filling him. Nevil shifted behind him and Shelton cried out, Nevil's cock sliding over that perfect spot. Nevil's hand then gripped Shelton's slippery shaft and pumped him while his deep thrusts continued to stroke his prostate, sending Shelton over the edge. He came with a shout and burst of semen while Nevil continued to move inside him, drawing out his pleasure…

  It took a moment for Sh
elton to catch his breath, and then he released his spent cock and pulled his fingers out of his hole. His body tingled wonderfully, but his fantasies were never as good as the real thing.

  Fishing the soap off the floor, he washed his body and then rinsed the shower tiles. When done, he turned the water off and stepped onto the soft rug, reaching for a towel. As he dried off, he decided he wasn't very hungry and left the bathroom to climb at once into the empty bed. He pulled Nevil's pillow into his arms and settled down to sleep, worn out from the emotional day.

  *~*~*

  Shelton woke with a start, confused and wondering why he was back at the brownstone. Memory flooded in and he sat up with a glance at the bedside table. The clock assured him it was only seven in the morning. Good. He'd have time for breakfast before visiting hours started at the hospital; he was starved.

  He padded naked to the kitchen and poured a bowl of cereal, sparing a scowl for the cold coffee pot. He'd forgotten to set it up the night before. Deciding caffeine was worth the wait, he added water and coffee to the machine and ate his granola while it dripped.

  The rich aroma made him drool and he quickly filled a cup. Impatient for a taste, he took a tiny sip and flinched when he burned his tongue. Damn. He carried the mug with him to cool as he dressed.

  He decided on well-worn jeans and noticed how the olive flecks in the brown sweater he'd chosen brought out the green in his hazel eyes. He ran fingers through his chestnut curls, tilting his head at his reflection in the mirror. Did he need a trim?

  Shelton smiled at himself and dropped his arms to his sides. He felt like a boy on his first date! Nevil wouldn't care what he wore. He gulped his coffee and then retrieved his keys from the pile of clothing on the floor along with his phone and wallet. After he packed a change of clothes for Nevil, he went to the front door, pulled on his boots, and grabbed a coat from the closet.