by Lynn Stark
“Do you want me to—uh—stretch you?” Hank asked hesitantly.
“Yes. I would enjoy it, if you did so.”
There was a jerky nod in response to his statement. Fallon smiled and moved again, stretching out on the bed beside where Hank kneeled. He looked lost and more than a little out of his depth. Maybe asking that Hank top had been asking too much too soon.
Reaching out, Fallon took hold of the other man to pull him close, ignoring the lube smeared across his torso as Hank steadied himself. “Come here, baby. I want to kiss you.”
Capturing Hank’s mouth with his, Fallon saw the startled expression just before he closed his eyes and kissed Hank until they were both moaning and writhing together on the bed. Fallon was tempted to take over, but he let the kiss go on, giving Hank a chance to decide what he wanted. Fallon would never insist or force such a choice from Hank or anyone else.
Pulling back slightly, Fallon stroked Hank’s lips with the tip of his tongue. He smiled when he felt Hank tremble. He did it again, his arms tightening. Hank’s rigid flesh was pressed against his belly. The more excited Hank became, the more he would make tiny thrusts against Fallon. Sliding his hand along Hank’s spine, he reached the curve of the man’s buttock. He cupped it in his fingers, giving it a gentle squeeze. Hank moaned and began to thrust a little more vigorously. Fallon ached to be possessed by the other man. He had finally found his perfect match.
Their mouths separated, and they both panted for breath. Opening his eyes, Fallon stared at Hank. Hank was staring back, a mixture of emotions in his eyes. Passion burned brightly. There was no mistaking it. There was determination, too. It seemed the moment was right.
Hank shifted his body slightly away. Then he was reaching for the discarded bottle of lube and coating his fingers once more. Taking Hank’s wrist, Fallon guided it between his legs as he spread them, his gaze still locked with Hank’s.
A moan left Fallon as Hank began the process of preparing him. The man was incredibly gentle. That in itself was exciting. Fallon felt his heart begin to pound, sending his blood rushing through his veins. What would it be like, he wondered, to be able to make love for the remainder of their lives?
Cum spurted from Fallon’s cock and over his abs when Hank found Fallon’s gland and stroked it. It was obviously a very good trigger. He hadn’t lasted more than a few seconds that last time, either. It was almost embarrassingly quick, but Fallon couldn’t have cared less. Making love with Hank was incredibly exciting. No one could fault a guy for reacting with a hair trigger when in the face of such a challenge.
“Fuck me, baby,” Fallon whispered, pulling his legs back to his chest.
Watching Hank closely, he saw the flash of indecision. Then it was gone. Hank lined up his cock and pushed forward slowly, an intent expression on his face as he watched their bodies join. Fallon’s own gaze dropped. He caught his breath for a moment as he saw what Hank was seeing, their bodies joining, his muscles stretching to allow the other man’s complete possession.
Sweat beaded on their skin as the heat between them seemed to rise. Fallon’s excitement level was definitely rising. Never in his life had he felt such a perfect moment with another man. It was as if every failed relationship in the past, although there hadn’t been that many men, had been meant to fail because Hank was in his future.
Fallon’s head pressed back into the pillows as Hank began to pound away at his ass, driving deep into his body, filling and stretching him. Tiny electrical pulses of pleasure shot through him whenever the head of Hank’s cock would strike his gland. Releasing the hold on his legs, he let them slide along Hank’s body. Then Fallon reached up to take Hank’s face between his hands. Hank opened his eyes, and they stared at each other.
Fallon knew in that moment his heart was lost forever. Too bad he couldn’t decipher what Hank was feeling. Not being able to do so caused fear to work its way in, followed quickly by doubt.
Chapter Ten
Hank knew Fallon was wondering what was wrong with him. It had been four days since their fantastic night together. Hank just couldn’t sort out what he was feeling for the other man. His confusion was causing him to keep his distance when he knew Fallon wanted to share his own feelings.
Sure, Hank knew he loved Fallon. There was no questioning that. What he couldn’t figure out was what he could possibly do about it. He just didn’t think he was the right person for someone like Fallon.
What made thinking about the man he loved and his future incredibly difficult was the fact that he was almost in constant contact with Brodie and had been to court twice over the charges against him. It wasn’t looking good for him. Sure, there was a chance he would be cleared, but despite anyone having access to his car that night, and the fact that no fingerprints were on the package of heroin, it boiled down to his past coming back to haunt him and Zippy being his car.
If he went to prison that would certainly put an end to a relationship with Fallon, Hank thought dismally. The man seemed pretty accepting and supportive that Hank had problems he would have to deal with all his life. Substance abuse wasn’t an easy thing to overcome. He might have to fight it for years. He didn’t know, and only time would tell. What if he succumbed to the craving? Was it fair to Fallon to have to deal with it, too? Hank didn’t think so.
It was Hank’s day off, and he was just hanging out in Fallon’s apartment. He had tried to talk Fallon into letting him stay at the motel, but Fallon refused. Even Reagan, one of the town’s deputies and the owner of the house where Hank had been staying for the past few months, had told Hank that he could come home, that Hank’s living there would not be a problem for him. Again, Fallon had asked that Hank remain in the apartment above the department store.
So here he was, waiting for Fallon to come up for lunch like he said he would. Hank had made a large Italian sub and a pitcher of iced tea. It was in the fridge and would only take a minute or two to serve. Fallon was busy today, otherwise he said they could have gone out to do something fun. It was Hank’s day off, which sucked. He liked being busy. He had already cleaned the apartment, so he would have to find something else to do that afternoon. Maybe he would walk around town or go over to the community sports center. There was a huge pool and a gym. Hank usually went to work out or swim a couple of days a week, but he hadn’t done so since this whole drug fiasco had begun.
Sighing, Hank got to his feet, deciding it was getting too hot on the balcony. The sun was directly overhead, so he put up the new umbrella Fallon had bought a few days ago. After it was shading the table, Hank went inside to get plates, cups, and napkins. It didn’t take long to set the table. He was pleased with how it looked. This would be nice to share with Fallon all the time. It was tempting. Maybe having someone rock solid in his life was what he needed to help keep him on track.
“This looks nice,” a deep voice said behind Hank. His heart slammed into his ribs as he turned around to see Fallon standing in the open doorway. “You look nice.”
Hank swallowed, knowing he was a goner. The man treated him so wonderfully. Fallon made him feel as if he were the most special person on the planet. “Thanks. I was just getting things ready. If you want to wash up, I’ll go ahead and bring the food out.”
“If you wait, I’ll help you after I wash my hands. Have you been very bored up here by yourself?”
Shrugging, Hank headed inside. “Only the last hour or so. I cleaned all morning, and I looked around on the roof. It would be a cool place for a deck. You could really have a place to entertain out there when the weather is nice.”
“Great minds think alike. It was in the original plans, but I held off. Actually, I thought I might add something to the design, making it even more of an oasis.”
“What’s that?” Hank asked as Fallon washed his hands. Opening the refrigerator, he took out the plates with the sandwiches and covered in plastic wrap. He placed them on the island and went back for the pitcher of iced tea. “There sure is a lot of space up there.�
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“Well, with some structural changes for support, it could be a green space. I thought a greenhouse would be nice. Nothing huge, but large enough to have fun in, growing flowers in the winter would brighten the place up. I don’t know much about it, but you could probably grow herbs and things like tomatoes.”
Swallowing hard, Hank felt tears burn his eyes. He knew what Fallon was trying to say. Peeling off the plastic wrap gave Hank a moment to collect his thoughts, thoughts that had splintered and scattered with the idea that Fallon would have a garden and greenhouse built on the roof. It was unconventional, it was expensive, but it would be done because someone loved him.
Was he really so heartless that he could just throw Fallon’s love away because of his fears?
No, Hank decided, he couldn’t. It was time he did something else to improve his life. Turning away from the island, he faced Fallon. He could see the uncertainty, the doubt, and Hank knew he couldn’t allow Fallon to suffer a moment more.
“That would be really nice,” Hank whispered, a lump of emotion in his throat. “Maybe there could be box gardens for a few vegetables in the summer and a couple of potted trees. Stuff like that.” He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I love you,” he confessed finally, hoping he was putting Fallon out of his misery.
Evidently he had done so because Fallon closed the space between them to take Hank into his arms. There was a wide grin on his face.
“I love you, too, baby. But you probably figured that out,” Fallon said, his voice husky with emotion.
Hank nodded, feeling a smile pull at his mouth. “I did. Now what?”
“You can move in, if you want to.”
Chuckling, he pressed himself closer to the larger man. Fallon’s body was solid and tempting. Hank felt his dick stirring to life now that his anxiety had passed. “I think I already have.”
“Do you have anything else left at Noah and Reagan’s house?”
“A few things. Not much. I’m not really much of a collector of things.”
“Still, we’ll go get them later. Why don’t we eat these delicious-looking sandwiches and make plans while we do so?”
Nodding, Hank gave up his hold on Fallon. Fallon, however, pulled Hank back and lowered his head, capturing Hank’s mouth in a searing kiss. Hank’s toes curled in his shoes. His fingers dug into the muscles of Fallon’s broad shoulders, holding on tightly as the world spun around them. Fallon’s tongue stroked Hank’s, teasing until he was moaning and rubbing his throbbing dick against Fallon.
Fallon ended the kiss just when things were getting really hot. Hank moaned again and tipped his head against Fallon’s chest. He closed his eyes as he caught his breath. Now that confessions had been made, everything seemed to be moving at hyper speed.
“Come on. Let’s eat.”
They ate, but it took over an hour before they finished. Neither of them seemed to be in a rush. Hank thought it was sweet how Fallon moved their chairs close together, as if Fallon didn’t want to be too far away from Hank, even as they shared a meal. Fallon made a point of touching him, too. Yes, committing himself to Fallon would not be a hardship in any way. Why had he doubted it? Coming up with excuses to not love the man was at an end.
But he had one question for Fallon. “What if I go to prison? What then?” he asked quietly.
Fallon shook his head as he reached out to take Hank’s hand. He gave it a firm squeeze. “You’re not going to prison. Brodie really is the best lawyer around. The evidence they have against you is weak. I know for a fact that Grayson and everyone in the department are working their asses off to find those responsible.”
Frowning, Hank looked at Fallon. “It feels like you know something you’re not telling me. What is it?”
There was only a moment’s hesitation. Then Fallon admitted, “Footage from security cameras is being analyzed. Some of it wasn’t made with the latest equipment, so it had to be sent to experts see if it can be cleaned up. Every image they can recover is evidence against those responsible.”
“I know who is responsible,” Hank grumbled. “At least I think I do. Even if they’re not, I’d still like to kick their asses. Drug dealers are some of the lowest of the low.”
“I agree. And I would help you kick that ass.”
Squeezing Fallon’s hand, Hank was about to thank him for confiding in him what was taking place behind the scenes at the sheriff’s department when Hank was startled by a crow landing on the balustrade and squawking loudly. He stared as Fallon laughed when the large bird hopped to the table and began to deconstruct what was left of his sandwich, picking out a slice of salami. There was more squawking when Hank tried to shoo it away. This caused Fallon to laugh harder. A moment later, the crow was flying away with the salami.
“Did you see what that bird did?” Hank asked, amazed.
“Yes. He drank my coffee a while back. I don’t leave anything unattended out here now.”
“He didn’t seem to care that we were sitting right here.”
“Well, we’ll try to be less hospitable next time. Come on. Let’s go out to get your belongings,” Fallon said as he stood and reached for his empty plate and Hank’s. “Then we can come home and relax. Dad asked if he could work this afternoon, so I accepted his offer. I wanted to spend time with you.”
Hank knew the two elder Connolly’s enjoyed working at the store at least once a week. Sometimes it was in the office, other days they were on the sales floors.
“No point letting him get stale,” Hank said with a laugh, grabbing the empty glasses and the pitcher of iced tea. He wasn’t risking the crow coming back to wash down the salami with it.
They put the dishes in the dishwasher. Hank wiped down the spotless counter out of habit and put the cloth away.
“If you don’t have that much stuff, why don’t we take the Jeep? We can enjoy the fresh air. And I know a shortcut. It’ll be fun.”
The shortcut turned out to be the rocky, bumpy goat path, much of which seemed to be on the side of a mountain. Hank didn’t know if it was actually any shorter than the conventional route from Silver to Noah’s and Reagan’s house, but it was sure a hell of a lot of fun. Glad he was strapped in, Hank held on as Fallon drove expertly. They travelled through streams, up inclines that made him believe they would topple over the other side of the world, and then back down again, so that Hank’s heart pounded in delighted fear, the same kind he had experienced when riding an extreme roller coaster. They both laughed the entire time. It was a moment of clarity for Hank. This was how the future with Fallon would be. Of course there would be serious times, but the rest of it would be like this. Hank would never give Fallon any reason to regret loving him.
The ride was over far too soon as far as Hank was concerned. His legs were a little wobbly when he climbed out of the Jeep, causing him to laugh. The front door to the house opened, and Carla came out. She met Hank at the top of the steps, hugging him tight.
She leaned back and looked up at him. “How are you doing, buster?”
“Real good. I came to get the rest of my stuff. I’m moving in permanently with Fallon.”
Carla tipped her head so she could look around Hank to where Fallon was standing at the bottom of the steps. Hank motioned for him to join them. “That’s wonderful!” she exclaimed, grinning. “Congratulations. You guys are perfect for each other. Come on, I’ll help you get everything. I’m the only one home right now. Everyone’s going to be sorry they missed saying goodbye to you.”
Hank had become close to all the residents of the house. They all had something in common, with the exception of Reagan. He was the only one without a history of substance abuse. But Reagan had a huge heart and had agreed with his husband Noah that they should help others. Hank was fairly certain they had saved his life and he knew he would never be able to repay them for that.
As Hank had told Fallon, he didn’t have many belongings left at the house. During the past couple of weeks he had picked up more changes of clo
thes. With the exception of a few books, a tennis racket he had purchased at the secondhand shop, and an odd assortment of knickknacks, he didn’t own a lot.
“This is a very small room,” Fallon commented as he kept his back to the wall and edged his way between the wall and the end of the full-sized bed.
Laughing, Hank nodded. “At the time I chose it, it felt like a cocoon. I felt safe here. I got the stuff for my room at your store, remember?”
Fallon gave Hank a love-filled smile. His expression was soft as he looked at Hank. “I remember. How could I forget the day that changed my life forever?”
Returning the smile, Hank slid between the wall and the bed so he could get to Fallon. “It’s a very special day, one I won’t forget, that’s for sure.”
Strong arms went around Hank, pulling him close. “Would you consider marrying me on our one year anniversary?” Fallon asked softly.
Shock ricocheted through Hank, but it didn’t slow down his response. “Yes, Fallon, I’ll marry you.”
They shared a kiss to celebrate their engagement. The kiss was so hot Hank thought it might lead to other things, but Carla arrived with a box and a handful of newspaper, interrupting them with a cheer and a lot of laughter. After they ended the kiss and told her they were to be married, Carla climbed over the bed so she could hug them both.
Carla then helped Fallon wrap the few items Hank took from the small shelf on the wall and the top of the dresser. It wasn’t long before they were finished and he had checked dresser drawers, the closet, and under the bed.
Hank was surprised to go downstairs and find all his former housemates standing there waiting in the living room. Randy leaped on him, hugging Hank tightly. “Going to miss you, bud,” Randy told him.