Heart's Home

by E. Davies

  “Pleeeease.”

  “When I come, you get to come,” Hunter murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to his jaw. “How about that?”

  Logan would have protested further, but the arousal already felt amazing. Hunter filled Logan up with each thrust, the warm length nestling perfectly inside him until he next slammed inside.

  “Oh, god,” Logan moaned, his hands curling into tight fists with the desire to stroke his own dick. “God, you're fuckin' perfect.”

  “So are you,” Hunter whispered, meeting Logan's eyes again and catching them for several long moments.

  Logan's heart flopped. He didn't have time to think about what Hunter might mean. He groaned with pleasure at Hunter's perfect, rhythmic thrusts, breaking the gaze by rolling his head to the side. “Oh, I wanna feel you come on me today,” he tossed out there.

  “On you?” Hunter grinned.

  “God, yes.”

  Hunter nodded, running his hand down Logan's thigh. “I can do that,” he promised. “Now, what were you saying about--?”

  His broad, warm hand wrapped around Logan's cock.

  Logan lost track of whatever response he'd planned to give as he cried out his pleasure. He felt too sensitive at first to process the touch properly. After a few moments, though, he could handle the gentle strokes and wanted more.

  Hunter watched his expression. When he was ready for it, Hunter tightened his grip and slid his hand up and down the sensitive length, running his palm over the head now and then for extra sensation.

  Between the feeling of a tight hand around him and a hard cock in him, Logan easily came within a minute, his passion coating his stomach and chest as Hunter wrung every last drop from him until he softened and gasped for air.

  Then, the older man drew back, letting Logan's legs drop down to the bed again. He knelt over Logan's thighs, leaning back on his heels and stripped off the condom, tossing it in the nearby trashcan.

  Dressed or no, Hunter made a fine sight when Logan was staring up the length of his body, watching the underside of his cock work through his fist and reappear. The flushed, pink length was practically twitching already, and within moments, Hunter came.

  Logan had the best view of all as he watched Hunter roll his head back, his mouth opening as he struggled to breathe, his muscles clenching and tightening, then twitching and shivering as his cock spurted out several thick loads of stringy, warm liquid across his stomach to join the come already splashed across him.

  Oh, fuck, this was addictive. Logan already knew he wanted to go to bed with the man again. He wanted to see what else Hunter had up his sleeve. He wanted every inch of him in every way. Maybe after their date...

  It was almost terrifying not to be deciding how to avoid talking to a one-night-stand ever again, let alone to be anticipating a proper date.

  “God, I like you,” Hunter breathed out as he gazed across the length of Logan's body. His tone sounded almost like he was murmuring it to himself. A moment later, he murmured a quick, “Oh,” and leaned forward to release Logan's wrists from the cuffs.

  Logan nodded. “So I've gathered,” he commented with a smile once Hunter knelt back again. He slowly sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. As he cleaned himself up, he glanced over to Hunter. “So...” he added to draw Hunter's attention. “When's the romantic date?”

  The normally overconfident man swallowed hard, zipping his trousers up. For the first time since Logan had known him, he looked nervous. “I'm not – I'm not sure. I mean, you'll be busy with building and I'll be busy with business, and... all that.”

  It was a weird moment for someone who had practically confessed his desire for Logan in more than sexual ways. Logan decided to let it pass and nodded, getting dressed quickly. Once his shirt was buttoned up, he asked, “Gonna let me know, then?”

  “Yeah,” Hunter murmured. They sat on the edge of the bed side-by-side now, Hunter's eyes still on Logan.

  “I'd better go, then.”

  “I could drive you back--”

  “Nah,” Logan shook his head. Not if it'll be this weird. “I'll see you soon anyway. Gonna start building this week.”

  “Oh. Okay. Well, you know... text me or buzz at the side gate,” Hunter told him, rising to his feet when Logan did.

  The young man nodded, trying not to think about Hunter's sudden shift to almost suspicious neutrality. Had he gotten what he wanted? No – Logan doubted that. Was he nervous about not hearing that Logan liked him in return in that moment?

  And Logan did like him.

  He didn't want to encourage Hunter's feelings to turn into anything sillier than they were now... anything more romantic. He didn't know why it was making him even more nervous than romance usually did.

  Was this the beginning of something deeper? God, he hoped not. He'd never live it down if he ended up falling for a smarmy billionaire.

  “See you,” Logan nodded, raising a hand and seeing himself out of the house before Hunter followed, his steps quick and his head down. For the first time, he felt the desire to stay after sex. He hadn't felt that in so long.

  By the time Logan walked down from Halton Heights to the bus stop, he'd missed the bus by a couple of minutes. The long wait in the cool summer evening gave him time to decompress, but he found himself rubbing his forehead as he leaned forward on the bench, his elbows on his knees and hands in his hair. He made the best of his wait and tried to untangle his feelings for Hunter, but everything was too fresh.

  He'd need a lifetime to figure out what this entire affair with Hunter – the most unlikely of men to catch his eye – had been about so far, let alone what might still be coming.

  Chapter 8

  Logan

  Logan didn't take long to realize why he was so fixated on Hunter, why he was giving in to everything the billionaire guided him into, and why he was so hotly anticipating their date.

  He liked Hunter.

  Which was fucking messed up, because Hunter was the opposite of the kind of guy who deserved it. Sure, he was giving up some land to him on an idle whim, but... he was still arrogant and cocky and opposed to just about everything he stood for.

  But he could let himself privately crush on the hot man who was paying him attention; at least, until the title got signed over. Nobody else had to know.

  That explained why Logan gasped as his cellphone went off with a text message while he was at home that cloudy Saturday afternoon. He grabbed his phone and scanned the message, then laughed.

  Need to pick up that straw? I can drive a truck. Chains optional on you, mandatory on load.

  “Oh, good, he doesn't hate me, then.” Logan hadn't thought he would, but one never knew exactly what went through anyone else's head. He quickly answered:

  I need to pick up straw, yes. We can discuss chains tonight.

  Within a few more text messages, it was decided that Hunter would come pick him up in front of his apartment building and they'd drive to the farm, pick up the straw, and store it under tarps on the property.

  Logan chose casual, holey, faded work jeans and a green plaid shirt. He felt the teasing coming already, but he intended to be prepared.

  He was in for a surprise when a shiny white truck pulled up in front of his house and Hunter rolled down his window. “Going my way, farm boy?” Instead of his suit or even his “casual” collared shirt that still cost twice as much as he'd ever spend on a full outfit, Hunter had dressed practically. More surprising still, Hunter's shirt was a red plaid pattern.

  “Oh my god, we're Christmas,” was the first thing Logan thought aloud.

  Hunter paused for a moment, then laughed and leaned over to open the passenger side door for Logan to climb in.

  “You have a truck, too?” Logan followed up with, shaking his head. He wanted to see if Hunter could do farm work, construction, and all the manly, sexy tasks he wanted to put him to work on.

  Hunter grinned and shook his head. “Borrowed it off a friend.”

&nb
sp; “And this friend knows you've borrowed it...?”

  Hunter's laugh was hearty as he settled back in his seat, driving out towards the country and the farm that had offered the straw and pallets for free. “Of course. What kind of friend do you take me for?”

  “One who does impulsive things sometimes,” Logan grinned, watching Hunter. He gave him a stern look then. “Like chatting up a guy until he gets him into a romantic moment, then practically fleeing...”

  Hunter's grin faded into a sheepish smile. He raised one hand from the wheel, running it back and forth across his chestnut-brown hair before he rested it along the bottom of the window in his door. “Yeah, I... guess so. That's fair. I owe you an apology.”

  Logan nodded slightly. “It's okay. Just... will it happen again?”

  Hunter shook his head, casting him a quick glance before merging over a lane. “It might. I can't guarantee anything. But I'll try not to be too, you know... emotionally distant.”

  “That would be weird, since I've been the emotionally distant one so far,” Logan told him. He was curious about what exactly was going through Hunter's mind, though. “You've been out there with your feelings so far.”

  Hunter abruptly said, “I'm not out.”

  “Pardon?”

  “I'm not... out... to my parents.”

  Logan paused for a moment, then stifled a chuckle.

  Hunter frowned, his eyes narrowing. “What's funny about that?”

  “Sorry. It's not funny at all itself. It's just... strange,” Logan admitted. “Seeing that the one percent still have those problems. I mean, you of all people...”

  Hunter offered a slight smile instead of his frown. “Yeah. You'd think so, huh?”

  “Well, why not? Are they homophobic?” Logan asked.

  Hunter thought about it for a moment. “I don't know for sure. Mom? I don't think so... but Dad is.”

  “Oh?” Logan frowned. Romance was off the table if Hunter wasn't going to come out for him sooner or later. I guess that's the ultimate question.

  Hunter nodded, going quiet again as he watched the road.

  After a moment, Logan added, “Are you... okay with taking me on that date anyway?”

  Hunter cast a quick glance over. “Yeah. I'm fine with that. I just can't tell my family.”

  “Won't people see?”

  For an odd moment, Hunter looked nervous, but he shook his head. “They can't hold anything over me.”

  Logan trusted his word. “Will you ever come out? I mean, wasn't Charlie your boyfriend for a while?”

  Hunter nodded. “That's one of the things that, um... got between us.”

  So he's deep in the closet. Despite himself, Logan couldn't help but feel a little vindicated. He'd been sure something had to be wrong for Hunter to fall for someone like him. Maybe he thought Logan would be grateful enough for his attention that he'd keep quiet--

  No, he stopped his own train of thought. You know him a bit better than that by now, right? He's not that selfish.

  “The farm's around this corner,” he told Hunter, and they didn't bring up the conversation again as they climbed out of the truck. The farm owner had left the bales of straw in the front yard, so Hunter pulled up right next to them.

  As Logan unlatched the back, he was surprised at Hunter rolling up his sleeves and grabbing one side of the straw bale. The man had as much muscle in his arms as he did in his hips. That was lucky. Logan had worried that he'd be stuck lifting the bales on his own.

  One at a time, they hefted the bales into the truck bed in a single layer, then a second layer on top.

  “You're strong,” he commented when they turned to the final bundle of compressed straw. This wasn't top-grade stuff, but it would do fine for insulation. It was dry and relatively clean, and that was all he could ask from free straw.

  Hunter grinned. “Thanks. You're no weakling yourself.”

  “Oh, I work out... with garden hoses and lumber and full watering cans...” Logan grinned, teasing Hunter's imagination. “You know, shirtless and sweaty under the hot noon sun...”

  Hunter laughed. He grabbed his side of the last bale, heaving it into the back of the truck and slamming the back closed behind them. “You're a terrible man.”

  “I think I'm pretty awesome,” Logan disagreed with a playful shrug. He tightened the last load strap across that bale, then nodded to himself when he was satisfied that they were secured before jumping down from the side of the truck bed.

  The moment he was on the ground, Hunter reached out to run a hand up Logan's spine. “We'll see about that when we unload these bales... in the privacy of the woods.”

  Oooh. Even the suggestion sent shivers running through Logan as he envisioned what Hunter meant. Ugh, he wanted that strong body pressing him to a tree...

  “Climb in. I'll take you for a ride,” Hunter winked, getting into the driver's side of the truck. Logan immediately obeyed, climbing in without a glance and buckling up. Moments later, Hunter pulled out of the lot and drove to the Halton property.

  Although they started in comfortable silence, it didn't take long before Logan spotted an oddly uncomfortable expression on Hunter's face. Sure enough, a minute or two later, the man spoke up.

  “Er, there's one more thing,” Hunter said.

  “Mm?”

  “My parents are in town.”

  Suddenly, everything made sense. Presumably this meant they lived elsewhere, so after they left, Hunter would be back to normal instead of freaking out and ditching him after a romantic moment. Logan only hoped so.

  “So, um, until they leave...”

  “I'll be careful,” Logan promised, though he frowned to himself. He had a strict policy against dating men in the closet, but fuck, for Hunter...

  Was this another rule with an exception for Hunter?

  Hunter nodded. “I don't want to hide you or anything,” he clarified. “I mean, that's shitty. I just don't want to tell them today when we aren't even dating, you know?”

  That sounded fair enough. Logan nodded. “I'll say I'm a friend. But I'm not pretending to be your bloody pool boy, Edgar or Edmund or whoever he was--”

  “Edward. I'm not asking you to,” Hunter promised with a laugh. “Thank you.”

  If things ever get serious... Logan distracted himself by turning on the radio in the truck. “You're welcome.”

  Once they arrived at the lot, Hunter pulled the truck off the road close to the entrance clearing, which was about the size of one car and then turned into a short trail to the building site. It would be a marvelous walk when Logan landscaped a little and got solar lights for the path.

  Logan made to climb out of the truck, but Hunter caught his arm after he unbuckled.

  “This is the first official day of construction. Before we unload anything, we should sign that contract.” Hunter reached into his coat pocket to pull out several sheets of paper, smoothing them out and handing them over.

  Logan glanced over the contract. It was short and fairly straightforward, not at all the tome he'd been expecting, and it was in line with what Hunter had told him about giving up the deed once the rezoning was complete. When he reached in his pocket for a pen, Hunter patted himself down before pulling one out to hand him. “Thanks,” Hunter nodded. “My attorney will get off my back now.”

  “No, thank you,” Logan said with a small, sincere smile as he shoved his copy into his jeans pocket. The two shared a look for a long moment before Logan's face broke into a grin. “This is home now.”

  “This is home,” Hunter agreed. He was genuinely happy for Logan. “Welcome home.”

  A shiver ran down Logan's spine at the words. He didn't know why, but he wanted to hear them again and again.

  He quickly fumbled for the door handle and climbed out of the truck. Though he had been here before, it felt far more special now that they had an official agreement in place. A part of him that he hadn't known had been holding his breath was relaxed now.

  His own l
and – the community's land, nature's land, too – and home.

  Hunter worked with him remarkably easily to carry the bales through the trees and underbrush until they reached the clearing where he was building the house. One by one, they set the bales on a tarp to keep the straw dry until they could use it in the walls.

  “Are you putting it in the walls? Cavity walls?” Hunter asked. “What R-rating is it?”

  “You know a bit about building,” Logan observed, unable to keep the surprise from his voice.

  Hunter nodded. “I've done it myself, bits and pieces. Not for a while, but I flipped my first property or two mostly on my own.”

  Logan chuckled. “What, didn't hire anyone? Not like you can't afford it...”

  “Nah, I wanted the experience,” Hunter told him. “If you hire a guy and you don't know what he's doing, you can be taken advantage of. He can take shortcuts, overcharge you, take too long to do the job...”

  “Ah, so you don't trust us lowly peasants,” Logan retorted, but he smirked as he said it.

  Hunter rolled his eyes as they strode back through the woods to the truck. “If you want to put it that way.”

  By the time the last bale was unloaded and the second tarp was pulled down across the pile of material, they were both too hot and tired to argue, even playfully.

  “There,” Hunter said and dropped down to sit on the ground. He'd long since shrugged off his long-sleeved plaid shirt in favor of his t-shirt and jeans. Logan spotted a trail of sweat down his spine and beading across his forehead. He couldn't help but think that it was fucking sexy to see the man of refined tastes and high-class living sweating it out in the sunshine with him, too.

  “So...” Hunter murmured, gazing up at Logan. “All alone in the woods with nobody to see or hear...”

  “Now who's terrible?” Logan crouched next to Hunter.

  “You know what you can put to work next?” Hunter murmured, his eyes dark with need.

  Logan licked his lips, gazing up and down Hunter's body before scooting over to kneel between his legs. “I have a pretty good idea, yeah.”

  “Do it, then,” Hunter told him quietly. His voice was no less commanding in a whisper than it was at full volume. “I went to all that trouble of borrowing a truck for you... driving you around... helping you unload the bales... you owe me, Logan.” His tone made Logan's cock stand to attention almost instantly. “And you're going to repay that debt.”