Don't Try This at Home

by Ellee Hill

  “I….” His words ended in a groan as his lover cupped his erection in one large hand.

  “Someone is… tense.” Greg’s voice rumbled against the sensitive shell of his ear before perfect white teeth nipped it. Parker swore. The brunet knew exactly what that did to him. He was so intent on the naughty things his partner was doing to his ear that he didn’t realize the other man had undone his pants. He made a choked sound as Greg stroked his hot length before grabbing his lover’s wrist.

  “We can’t,” he panted.

  “You mean you don’t want me to do this?” Greg purred again just before he dropped to his knees and took Parker’s shaft deep into his mouth. A cry tore from his throat as his cock was engulfed in hot wetness. Immediately, he buried his fingers in Greg’s hair, pulling the tie out of the silken strands on instinct and habit. He hated his lover’s hair tied back. The flicking of the other man’s tongue was making rational thought almost impossible. His brain was trying to tell him there was a reason they shouldn’t be doing this right now. His body was telling it to shut the fuck up, because he wanted nothing more than to come in Greg’s mouth, to feel the other man swallowing around his cock. He loved that.

  “G… Greg.” He stumbled over the name as he tried to collect his thoughts.

  The doorbell rang… again. Parker flew into a panic, yanking up his zipper dangerously fast. He whipped around to go answer the door and heard Greg give a painful yelp. Looking back, he saw long strands of rich brown hair sticking out from his lover’s head. Confused, he followed them with his eyes, which widened when he realized he had caught Greg’s hair in his pants zipper. The doorbell sounded a third time.

  “Shit,” he growled.

  “You’re telling me,” Greg said as he reached for Parker. “That hurt.”

  Parker slapped those wicked hands away from his groin, knowing it would be a bad idea if they got anywhere near his cock. Another chime had his hands fumbling and Greg swearing at him.

  “Damn it, Parker,” his partner snarled. “Fucking hold still! You’re ripping my hair out!”

  “The door,” he pointed out.

  “Potential bald spot,” his lover shot back. “I thought you were the calm one?”

  They managed to free Greg’s hair and Parker rushed to the front door. He paused before it, made sure his clothes were straight, and took a deep breath. Then he opened it, a smile on his face. Silently he prayed the brunet was pulling his ten minute shower and dress routine. He also prayed that when his lover did appear, he would be appropriately dressed. A guy could hope.

  GREGORIO strode into the living room a few minutes later to greet their guests, dressed in tan dress slacks and a cream-colored shirt that he knew did amazing things for his brown hair and bronzed skin. In fact, he had chosen his clothing for the express purpose of what it did to Parker. His lover was a sucker for a sharp-dressed man, and he wanted to remind the luscious blond that he cleaned up nice.

  “Ms. Marconi.” He greeted the petite lady with a charming smile. “It is lovely to see you again. You’re looking as radiantly beautiful as ever.”

  “And you’re still the charmer, Gregorio.” She laughed. “Allow me to introduce Gitano Firenze, a business associate from Italy. Signor Firenze, this is Gregorio Montesano.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Signor,” Greg said in Italian as he shook the older gentleman’s hand. “You are welcome in our home.”

  “Grazie, Signor Montesano. It is a pleasure to be here,” the portly Signor Firenze said with a wide smile. “I must admit to an overbearing interest in those delicious smells. I am a restaurateur. Food is my business and my passion. It smells like my grandmother’s kitchen!”

  “Well, then shall we adjourn to the dining room?” Greg said with a smile and a wave of his hand.

  Signor Firenze offered Jade his arm in an old-world gesture and escorted her into the dining room. Greg watched them go. A gentle touch on his arm had him turning to look at Parker. His partner gave him a small smile before placing a light kiss on his lips.

  “Thank you,” he said quietly, slipping his hand into Greg’s larger one.

  “For?”

  “Dressing up for me.” Parker answered. “Although, you do realize I’m going to be fantasizing about getting you out of those clothes for the rest of the evening, don’t you?”

  “Why do you think I chose them, love?” He laughed as he led his lover through the archway.

  PARKER groaned as he was pulled along behind Greg. This was going to be a very long night. Once seated at the table, he watched the brunet fill everyone’s wine glass, offering the cork to Signor Firenze, a gesture that, in all honesty, astonished him. Though he and Greg had been together for four years, there were still facets to the other man’s personality that surprised him. His lover didn’t come across as the best cook he’d ever encountered upon first meeting. In fact, he’d appeared to be a typical grease monkey when Parker had first laid eyes on all the deliciousness that was his partner. Their first date had shattered any illusions he’d had about being able to tell what kind of person Greg Montesano was from observation alone. Parker chuckled softly to himself. That night had been the first time he’d ever had sex on a first date, mind-blowing, scorch the socks off the devil himself, steaming hot monkey sex.

  Shaking his head to clear it of such… unproductive thoughts, he turned his attention to the conversation. Making Signor Firenze a home-cooked meal hadn’t been an option, but he hoped the older man enjoyed it. Later he’d have to ask Greg which restaurant he’d ordered from, he thought, as the other man brought out the first serving dish.

  “The first course in any traditional Italian meal is called the antipasti,” Greg said as he set the dish down in the center of the oblong mahogany table. After lifting the lid, he used the serving tongs to place two of the folded leaves on each of the small plates. Then he placed one before each of their guests.

  “Ah, stuffed radicchio leaves,” Signor Firenze said, the delight in his voice clear. “It is one of my favorites. What did you use?”

  “It is goat cheese and herbs,” Greg answered easily. Parker hoped that little lie by omission didn’t backfire. Surely a restaurateur could tell the difference between homemade and restaurant quality. He watched with a little trepidation as his partner served their guests and Signor Firenze took a bite.

  “Bellisimo!” the man declared. “It is perfect.”

  Parker smiled, relieved, and took the plate Greg offered him. One bite and he had to agree with their guest. It was perfect. Of course, it would be, otherwise the restaurant his partner had ordered it from wouldn’t be in business. Pushing the thought aside, he turned his attention to Ms. Marconi and Signor Firenze, joining the conversation easily. Every once in a while, he’d glance at Greg to make sure the other man hadn’t fallen asleep.

  He could talk for hours about architecture, buildings, designs, and everything else related to his work. He knew Greg would listen attentively. He might even ask a few questions, but the topic was not what interested him. Greg could discuss many different things, but his passion was cars and Parker knew it. The thing was, the brunet was doing a wonderful job at playing host when it wasn’t something he enjoyed, and Parker knew Greg was doing it for him. It made him love the other man even more. He was definitely going to have to thank him properly when they were alone.

  He took a sip from his wineglass as Greg rose and cleared away the first dish, went into the kitchen, and returned with another serving tray. This one was a little deeper than the last, being more of a serving bowl than tray. The brunet set it down between their guests at the center of the table and removed the lid.

  “Il primo, pasta with prosciutto and lettuce,” he said as he began serving.

  Once again, Signor Firenze pronounced the dish perfect and ate with gusto. Greg had once mentioned that all Italians ate with enthusiasm. Of course, the look in his eyes had indicated he was talking about more than just food, but the flirting was one of the thing
s Parker loved about him. His lover always made him feel desired. Sex was never a problem for them and probably never would be.

  “IL SECONDO, grilled Tuscan chicken,” Greg announced with a smile as he removed the lid. He watched the glee in Signor Firenze’s eyes. It was nice to see the hard work he and his Nanna had done appreciated. Even more, he enjoyed seeing the pleasure in Parker’s eyes when the restaurateur pronounced this dish as wonderful as the last. Two more courses to go and nothing had gone wrong.

  Upon last check, the soufflé had been close to done. The roasted red peppers for the contorno, or fourth course, were warming in the second oven, and the wine had gone over well. He’d selected a second bottle to go with il dolce, or the sweet, and hoped their guests enjoyed it. Wine was more Parker’s thing than his, though. He preferred the food; wine was a bit of an afterthought to him. Still, things were going well and it looked like the dinner was a success. What more could he ask for?

  Not to open his mouth, even inside his own head. Greg looked at the Soufflé al Cioccolato and cursed softly. The damned thing was flat. He wanted to kick himself for choosing something so freaking delicate. He should have known better. All the opening and closing of oven doors had probably caused this dilemma. What was he going to tell them? Parker would be upset.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Speak of the devil and he’ll walk into your kitchen with those big green eyes filled with concern, making you want to push him up against the counter and lose yourself in him. Greg sighed. Now was not the time to indulge in his favorite thing of all: making love with Parker. He had a crisis and didn’t know how to fix it.

  “No, nothing’s wrong,” he said as he grabbed the cordless phone and pulled open the freezer. His grandmother answered on the second ring. “Nanna, the soufflé fell. I’m drawing a blank.”

  He glanced over and saw Parker’s eyes widen. Panic was setting in more quickly than normal. Apparently, today hadn’t been a good day for his lover either. He’d fix that as soon as they were alone, even if it meant taking him on the floor in the foyer. Oh, now that was a delicious thought. Greg shook his head as his Nanna called his name.

  “Yes, it is,” he said into the phone. “When did you make that? I don’t… ah, okay. Parker must have…. Yes. Nanna, you are ridiculously awesome, mil grazie.”

  “Greg?” Parker’s voice had him turning his head as he hung up the phone. “What are we going to do?”

  “You are going to go back out to your guests and dazzle them with your intellect,” he said as he turned him around. “I am going to pull out the crystal dessert bowls and serve dessert. Now scoot.”

  “I would.” Parker’s voice was a husky moan. “But you have your hands down my pants.”

  “Yes, well, I was fantasizing about fucking you in the foyer and my hands really liked the idea. I guess they decided to get started,” he said with a husky chuckle of his own.

  “Your hands, huh?”

  He could just see the raised eyebrow even from behind his lover. Slowly he kneaded the flesh in his palms, delighting in Parker’s penchant for going commando. Underwear could be such a bother. Dessert forgotten, Greg nuzzled the back of his lover’s neck, nipping gently. Using his larger body, he pushed the blond up against the counter, pressing his erection against the rounded curves of his partner’s buttocks as his hands began their frontal assault.

  “Do you think they’ll notice if we don’t come back for a few minutes?” he purred as he grazed his teeth along Parker’s neck, making the other man gasp.

  “Yes, yes.” The blond swallowed and tried not to sound like he was about to come. “Yes, I think they’ll notice.”

  “Damn.”

  Reluctantly, he stepped back. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath to calm his body. Unfortunately, certain parts of him were merrily telling him to go to hell. As much as he wouldn’t care if he was seen, he wouldn’t embarrass the man he loved by walking into the dining room with a hard-on. A gentle caress of his face had him looking, no, drowning in the green pools of Parker’s eyes. This man had had him from the word “go.” Love at first sight was rare, his Nanna said, and you had to grab it and hold on tight. He’d done just that. The beautiful man before him was proof of that.

  “When they’re gone,” the slightly shorter man whispered against his lips, “I am going to ride you until neither one of us can walk.”

  “That,” he growled, nipping his lover’s full lower lip, “is not helping me calm down. Keep it up and I’ll fuck you right here, and to hell with them.”

  “I’d say I’m keeping it up.” Parker chuckled as he stroked him through his pants. Greg made a choking sound and gripped the edge of the counter so hard his knuckles turned white. Then, just like that, the delicious sensation was gone. He jerked his head up to see his lover sauntering into the dining room.

  “Oh, you’ll pay for that, you adorable bastard.” He laughed a bit breathlessly.

  PARKER smirked as he watched Greg walk into the dining room carrying a tray holding four crystal dessert bowls. They were filled with what looked like chocolate ice cream. His brows furrowed. He didn’t think ice cream was Italian. Of course, he hadn’t imagined soufflé being Italian either, but cooking was so not his forte.

  “And now il dolce, the sweet,” Greg said as he placed a bowl in front of each of them. “I cannot claim credit for this as it is solely my Nanna’s doing. She made it from scratch: chocolate gelato.”

  “It looks like ice cream,” Jade commented as she daintily scooped up a small bit.

  “It’s similar, but not quite the same thing,” Greg explained as Parker took a bite.

  Chocolate: it wasn’t just a weakness for some women. Parker adored anything chocolate, and this gelato was no exception. The flavor smoothed across his tongue and his eyes closed in pleasure. Nanna Montesano was a goddess, he was sure of that now. No earthly being could make something this delicious.

  “Immaginati che ce l’abbia cosparso su di me e di leccarlo via mentre si scioglie sulla mia pella,” Greg purred quietly in his ear. He wasn’t sure what Greg was saying, but his entire body shivered at the images that sped through his brain. Wicked, mischievous man, that’s what his lover was, and he wouldn’t change him for the world. Any time Greg spoke Italian, it always got him hot. And doing it in front of their guests… that was just added torture. When he looked up, Greg was watching him with that small, smug smile on his face. Then the bastard licked his lips as he took a spoonful of gelato into his mouth. Those deep-brown eyes burned with heat, and Parker wished he could kick everyone out just so he could feel the results of that warmth all over his body.

  Though it was only a short time, it seemed like hours before Ms. Marconi and Signor Firenze were making their departure. His boss hung back and looked at him with a smile on her face.

  “You did it, Parker. Signor Firenze was impressed with everything.” She glanced back into the house and chuckled. “He even enjoyed the flirting between you and Gregorio.”

  Parker blushed furiously and tried to look everywhere but at his employer.

  “I’m sorry about that,” he began.

  “Don’t be. Signor Firenze is open enough to accept it and besides, the food was delicious. You should thank Gregorio profusely… all night long. Good-bye.” She laughed as she walked down to the black Lexus waiting in the driveway. One strong, bronzed hand reached over his shoulder and pushed his jaw upward, shutting his mouth. Then arms he adored wrapped around him and pulled him back against Greg’s broad chest. He leaned into his partner with a sigh of contentment.

  “Thank you,” he whispered to his lover.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I thought, at first, you’d ordered from a local restaurant,” Parker admitted. “I knew there wasn’t much time and had no idea when or even if you’d gotten my message.”

  “I got it at about three or so,” Greg said as he placed a kiss just behind his ear. “I’d been working on Mrs. Demopoulos’s car most of the da
y.”

  “How did you get it all done in time?”

  “Ha, I did the smart thing.” The brunet chuckled. “I called Nanna and then brought everything over to her house. She helped me with it and slipped the container of gelato in when I wasn’t looking. You must have put it in the freezer before I noticed it. Just in case, she said. Soufflé isn’t really a good choice in a high-stress situation like this. Nanna is a wise woman.”

  “Nanna Montesano is a goddess,” Parker corrected.

  “She’d laugh to hear you say that,” Greg said as he pulled him into the house and closed the door with his foot. “Then she’d give you a swat for shamelessly flirting with an old woman.”

  “She’d beat me with a stick if she could see all the things I’m imagining doing to her beloved grandson right now,” he purred as he turned in his lover’s arms.

  “We do have some unfinished business, don’t we?” the brunet rumbled as he lifted him.

  Parker wrapped his legs around his partner’s waist and claimed his mouth in a fierce kiss. All the pent-up frustration and desire that had been building between them all night flowed out in that one kiss like a tidal wave. He didn’t care where they were or who could see them through the open curtains of their living room. He wanted Greg and he wanted him now.

  They never made it beyond the short hallway to the stairs. The minute Parker opened Greg’s shirt and tweaked his nipples, the other man had dropped to his knees and laid him out on the floor. They watched each other as buttons slipped through buttonholes. Parker had to touch all that bronzed flesh, had to have it beneath his tongue. He sat up and took one dusky nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue before nipping it gently between his teeth. A large hand cupped the back of his head as he continued to tease the tender nub to a stiff peak, delighting in the moans of pleasure that slipped through Greg’s lips.

  Meanwhile, his hands were hard at work removing the clothing that had kept him at a steady hum of desire all night. As much as he adored seeing his partner all dressed up, he loved getting him out of those clothes even more. Soon he had his lover naked and kneeling over him.