by Ellee Hill
“Huh. I never thought of that.” Gordon looked doubtful, but Mitch had definitely noticed how Gordon wasn’t giving Buddy back. “What if she doesn’t like him?”
“Then I’ll take him back to the shelter,” Mitch said. “Lots of people want young cats. They always find homes for young cats!” he added quickly, to stop the look of horror that flashed across Gordon’s face.
“Okay. I guess I’ll try it, then,” Gordon said. He turned toward Chelsea in her carrier, then back to Mitch. “You’d probably better stay here, just to be on the safe side.”
Mitch nodded. “Good idea.” He kept the door open too, in case he had to run.
“Hey, sweetheart, look what Uncle Mitch got for you,” Gordon said as he carefully knelt in front of Chelsea’s carrier. He had Buddy in both his hands, holding him out like an offering. Chelsea climbed to her four paws and stretched out so she could sniff Buddy through the mesh. “Yeah, he’s another kitty-cat, just like you! What do you think?”
Chelsea hissed.
Buddy purred.
Chelsea growled.
Buddy purred.
Gordon looked at Mitch over his shoulder. “He seems pretty easy-going.”
Mitch nodded. “I asked for a laid-back one.”
If Buddy were any more laid-back he’d be comatose. He was still purring, apparently content to just dangle there with Chelsea hissing at him. Chelsea for her part was now only hissing in little sporadic bursts, as if she didn’t know quite what to with him.
“Maybe you can open the door?” Mitch suggested, whispering.
Gordon nodded. He unzipped the mesh door of the carrier as carefully as if he was defusing a bomb. He put Buddy on the floor.
Buddy flopped over, still purring.
Chelsea sniffed his nose, hissed again, and then stepped on him as she got out of the carrier. Buddy squeaked a bit at the weight, but Gordon petted him and he went back to purring. Chelsea jumped delicately onto the couch, curled up, and closed her eyes, as if she’d decided the best way to deal with the interloper was to ignore his existence.
Gordon looked at Buddy, then at Chelsea, then at Mitch. “Do you think she likes him?”
Mitch shrugged. “He’s not dead, so… yes?”
Gordon stood up and came toward Mitch, carefully stepping over Buddy. “Thank you,” he said, beaming. “Maybe I won’t have to give Chelsea up! Won’t that be fantastic?”
“Fantastic,” Mitch agreed, smiling wanly. “Absolutely fantastic.”
And hey, with Gordon so happy? Maybe it was.
THE cats had a tumultuous relationship.
Chelsea seemed to mostly tolerate Buddy, whereas sometimes Mitch couldn’t tell if Buddy even knew Chelsea shared the apartment. Chelsea would hiss and growl and Buddy would purr until Chelsea was aggravated beyond endurance. Then she would pounce on Buddy, who would animate enough to fight back until they ended up in a violent, writhing mass on the floor. Cat fluff was everywhere, constantly. Mitch had no idea why either cat wasn’t completely bald.
But sometimes, when Chelsea had collapsed in exhaustion, Buddy would flop down next to her and they’d sleep like that—curled back-to-back like bookends. And Chelsea ignored Mitch completely now, which hurt a little but was still much better than her trying to kill him. And Gordon had his cat, and Mitch had Gordon, and that was what was really important.
They also got to have sex, which was also really important, especially since Gordon was so very, very good at it. And they could have sex with the bedroom door closed. Most of the time.
And the next time Mitch had to go the emergency room, it wasn’t because of Chelsea; it was because he’d tripped over Buddy in the middle of the night and whacked his head on the coffee table. At least Buddy hadn’t done it on purpose.
Mitch was pretty sure he hadn’t, anyway.
AUNDREA SINGER was born in Canada and has been an avid fan of sci-fi and fantasy since her mother read Lloyd Alexander and Madeleine L’Engle to her at a terribly impressionable age. Despite this, she was well into adulthood before giving up her aspirations to normalcy and embracing her geekitude—whereupon she naturally fell in love with an engineer and moved to Texas. She started telling stories before she could write and will always be enthralled with how words can be used to create entire universes. She is grateful to her husband that she is now able to write full time.
Aundrea still lives in Texas with her much-beloved husband, three cats of varying levels of insanity, and the most wonderful little boy in the entire world. Her penname is a small homage to her parents, her heritage, and her husband, as well as a salute to the gaming buddies she left behind.
You can contact her at [email protected]. Visit her web site at http://taste-is-sweet.livejournal.com/.
SLIPPERY WHEN WET
K. Lynn
DAVID was still in that in-between state of not quite awake, but not quite asleep, when he felt Jake move away from him and get off the bed. David smiled into the pillow, content to follow Jake's progress in his mind. It was the same routine every morning, and David liked that his husband was so predictable. Jake always tried to be quiet, not wanting to wake David, but it never failed that he would make a noise sometime during the process.
First he went to the en suite bathroom and turned on the shower over the large tub. They often joked that they could both sit in the tub and still have space, though they had never tried. And it always took a few minutes for the water to warm up for the shower, which was one of the downfalls of living in such an old house. They both agreed it was a small sacrifice, though, because they adored their home and what it represented. They were together, married, and focusing on their future. It still made David smile to think about that.
With the shower running, Jake then moved back to the bedroom and opened the top dresser drawer to grab a pair of briefs and a T-shirt. Jake refused to leave the bathroom naked after his shower, a fact that David would not stop teasing him about. It didn't matter that Jake had no qualms about stripping and getting sweaty during late-night sex; when morning came, he insisted on being clothed.
Jake tried to pull open the top drawer slowly, since the wood tended to creak if it wasn't moved just right, but that was a skill Jake had yet to master.
“Shh,” Jake said, as if talking to the dresser would help.
David turned to muffle his laugh so that Jake wouldn't realize he was awake yet. It was silent for a moment, as if Jake were checking to make sure David hadn't been disturbed; then he walked back to the bathroom and clicked the door shut.
With his husband sufficiently sequestered, David opened his eyes. The bedroom was still a bit dark and, when David turned to look at the bedside clock, he saw that it was only eight o'clock. He longed to sleep in, but he knew he couldn't. Once Jake was finished in the shower, he'd convince David to get out of bed so they could cook breakfast together. David would rather drag his husband back under the covers so they could have some fun, but that was unlikely.
David turned his head and looked at the closed bathroom door. A thought was forming in his mind. Jake had rules about morning sex in bed, but he’d never specified anything about the shower. They hadn't tried it before, instead focusing on flat surfaces all over the house, but David was sure it would be fun. Plus, adding another possible location for sex was never a bad thing.
Decision made, he threw back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. David stretched his arms and legs, banishing the last remnants of sleep from his body before he stood. He walked over to the bathroom door, careful to turn the knob slowly so as not to alert Jake of his presence.
The room was filled with steam, fogging up the mirror and making the air damp around him. He could see Jake's shadowed form behind the shower curtain, facing the spray of water as he washed his chest. He was humming a tune David couldn't place. Jake probably made it up, just to entertain himself as he washed. Well, no need for that. David could entertain his husband just fine.
He stripped out of
his boxers, the only piece of clothing he wore, stepping out of them once they dropped to the floor. The tile was a bit cool under his feet, despite the heat the shower had built up, and David tried not to voice his displeasure as he crossed over the small distance to the shower. It was only when he opened the curtain, letting the air in, that Jake was startled and turned around.
“Hey,” Jake said, his face breaking out into a smile. Once David had stepped all the way in, Jake leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “What are you doing up?”
“Figured we could start the day together,” David said, running his hand along his husband's chest. The strong smell of Jake's shower gel hit him, a mixture of citrus and something crisp. Jake was addicted to the stuff, electing to use it instead of soap whenever possible. “Conserve water so I don't have to wait for the tank to heat up again.”
“Environmentally sound too.”
“True,” David said, giving his husband a smile. “Turn around and I'll wash your back.”
“A naked man who's going to bathe me?” Jake asked, raising his eyebrows. “I must have been a very good boy.”
“You're something, all right,” David said, taking the bottle of shower gel and washcloth Jake handed him.
Jake turned back towards the spray and waited. David lathered up the cloth with some of the green gel, then set the bottle aside so he could focus on his task. He ran the sudsy material over Jake's shoulders, feeling the muscles relax under his touch.
“What did you want to do today?” he asked, trailing the cloth down Jake's spine and up again. He wasn't doing a very good job cleaning, but made an effort, at least.
“Mmm, breakfast?” Jake said, arching when David dug into a particularly tense area. “We could make waffles and sit out on the porch.”
Ah, that sounded nice. The weather had cleared up yesterday, and the temperatures were supposed to stay cool all weekend. It would be nice to spend the morning sitting outside, enjoying each other's company.
“And after that?”
“I don't know. You seem to have something in mind,” Jake said, looking over his shoulder. “What are you thinking?”
“Well, it was more a right-now activity,” David said, leaning closer to press against Jake's back, “but how about you and I christen the shower?”
Jake stiffened at the suggestion, turning to face David. “You mean,” he lowered his voice, “sex?”
David let out a laugh. He had no idea whose ears his husband was trying to protect. “Yeah, why not?”
“We've never done that before.”
“First time for everything,” David said, leaning in for a kiss. “Come on, let's give it a try. If we don't like it, at least we'll know. Check it off the list or something.”
Jake seemed to be thinking it over, his lips pressed together as he looked at David. “Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt.”
“Fantastic!” And if Jake found out he liked it, David had a new way to wake them up in the morning. This was going to be great.
“Do you wanna go get the lube or…?”
“Nope, no need,” David said, leaning down to grab the shower gel. “This will work fine.”
Jake looked horrified at the suggestion. “No, really, I can jump out and get some. It'll only take a minute.”
David grabbed him around the waist, pulling him close so he couldn't get away. “Be spontaneous. I promise I'll even buy you some more.”
“Two bottles,” Jake said. “And you have to promise to go to the farmer's market with me next weekend, no complaints.”
David rolled his eyes and released his hold. “Fine, okay. I can't believe we're negotiating about this. It's like you don't even want to have sex.”
“I didn't say that, I'm just making you work for it,” Jake said with a grin before turning around and spreading his legs. “Okay, I'm ready. Show me what all the fuss is about.”
David shook his head as he poured some of the gel into his hand. “You're such a dork.”
“But you love me, so it all works out.”
“True,” David said, rubbing the fruity gel along his growing erection. It wouldn't take him long to become fully hard, especially with Jake flashing his ass like that.
David squeezed some more gel into his hand, ready to prepare Jake as well. He had a brief moment to wonder about the safety of shower gel as lube. David knew that people used all sorts of things in a pinch, but he wasn't sure. Turning the bottle around in his hand, he started reading the back. David couldn't find a warning against internal use, so he figured he was good.
“Are you going to take all day?” Jake asked.
“I'm getting there, hold on,” David said, setting the bottle down on the side of the tub.
After coating two of his fingers with the shower gel, he moved down to Jake's ass. When he dipped into the crack, he felt Jake stiffen under his touch.
“Here we go,” he said, pressing against the edge of Jake's hole and pushing in. The shower gel seemed to have the same amount of give as their normal lube, so he had no problems getting his fingers inside Jake's body.
“Feels good,” Jake said, widening his stance to allow David better access.
“Gotta get more,” David said, removing his fingers and coating them once again before returning to his task. Jake's body was pliant under his touch, relaxing and welcoming his fingers.
“Mmm, don't know if I can last long,” Jake said, pushing back onto David's fingers, squeezing his ass around them before relaxing again.
David was enjoying the rhythm, scissoring his fingers in time with Jake's pressure. “Just a little bit longer. Almost there.”
Jake grunted, moving back and forth on David's fingers. Then his movements changed, as if he were trying to twist away from something, turning his hips a little from side to side.
“It's starting to tingle,” Jake said, looking over his shoulder. “Are you sure that stuff's safe to use inside?”
“No warnings,” David said, keeping up his preparation. “As long as it does its job, it's all good.” He pulled his fingers free, wiping them on the washcloth before discarding it. David gave his husband a smile. “Only downside is you'll probably have a fruity ass all day.”
“You're not funny,” Jake said, turning back to the shower spray. “And if you don't hurry up, the water's going to run cold.”
“Complain, why don't you?” David slapped at Jake's thigh. “Prop your leg up on the side of the tub.”
Jake grabbed hold of the soap dish that was attached to the wall, giving him leverage to prop his foot up for stability. David grabbed his husband by the hips, pulling himself forward so that his cock was teasing at Jake's ass.
“Ready?”
“Been ready,” Jake said. David could see Jake reaching forward with his other hand, probably grasping his own erection if the slow motion of his arm was any indication.
David sank into Jake, the warmth surrounding his cock immediately. It was familiar and safe, their bodies having done this so many times before. Jake's ass immediately clenched around David's cock in greeting, as it did each time they made love.
David couldn't suppress the shudder that passed through him, arousal flowing full force now. When he was younger, the last thing he needed was to be tied down to just one person. He had been determined to find pleasure in whatever man he could pick up for the night, going from one to the other after he had tired of them. But then there was Jake, with his blue eyes and tempting smile and refusal to be just a one-night stand. And David was lost, never looking back or regretting leaving his single life behind. Jake was it for him, forever, and the love they shared was not based on merely sex. Though it was a nice bonus.
David pulled back and started in again, the friction eased by the liberal amount of gel he had used. Jake jerked when David hit his prostate, gasping out as his arm moved faster. David wondered which of them would come first.
“I love you,” David said, pumping into Jake, closer and closer to release.
Jake d
idn't respond, just grunted and pushed back into David, closing the gap between them. David could feel himself on the verge, his body tensing up in the split second before release, and then he was coming. Jake's ass was clenching around David's cock, squeezing and releasing and squeezing again. David was lost in the feeling, happiness blanketing his mind as his fingers pressed into Jake's hips.
“Fuck, so close, so close,” Jake said, his arm picking up speed before his entire body went rigid and his ass clamped down on David's cock almost to the point of pain. It was only a second or two before Jake released his body's hold on David's cock—then he was moaning as he came, the warm spray of the shower washing over them both.
David started to step back, pulling out of Jake, but Jake had moved as well. Jake's foot must have slipped on the edge of the tub because his body twisted to the side and in an instant he was falling, bringing David along with him. They crashed down onto the hard bottom of the tub, Jake letting out a pained yelp as his body landed and then another moan when David fell on top of him.
But David had little time to focus on Jake's welfare because a pain shot up from his crotch with such intensity that he almost blacked out. It felt like someone had kicked him and then kneed him for good measure. He couldn't catch his breath, trying desperately to get air into his lungs and tamp down on the overpowering feeling the something was horribly wrong.
“Get off,” Jake moaned, sounding like he was almost on the verge of tears. “Please get off me.”
David tried to pull in a breath, his heart beating fast against his chest. Ignoring the pain he was feeling, he put his hands on either side of Jake's body and pushed back against the slippery surface of the tub. He lost his grip once, his right hand skidding up, and his chin came down hard against Jake's ass cheek.
“Son of a bitch!” Jake cried out, kicking his legs under David's weight.