by E M Lindsey
The force of it took him by surprise, and he collapsed down, his face buried in the crook of Will’s hip as his body trembled with the aftershocks. He felt almost numb for a moment, but he slowly came back to the feel of Will petting his hair, fingers drifting over his neck, moving to caress his jaw.
When he could move again, he managed to snag his shirt and clean his hand off before shifting toward the pillows, Will pulling off the condom and following until they were curled up, facing each other in the dim light. He wasn’t ashamed or filled with regret, but he wasn’t entirely sure what to say. It had been a new experience for him, and that in itself was a little frightening. There was a side to him he hadn’t often acknowledged in his past, and part of him didn’t know what to do with how eager Will had been to give that to him.
“Are you okay?” Will asked softly.
Sage nodded, reaching for Will’s hand and playing with his fingers. The touch kept him grounded and he started to regain a little more of his senses. “I’m good. That was…I don’t really have the words.”
Will laughed, the sound a little hoarse, and he lifted their joined hands to kiss Sage’s knuckles. “Me too. But, um…” He went silent, hesitating.
“Tell me,” Sage pressed. He had a feeling he knew what it was.
“Is it always like that for you? I mean, is that what you like? Being told what to do, or…”
Sage closed his eyes, breathing out. “I don’t want you to feel awkward if I talk about Ted right after you and I…you know…”
Will chuckled. “Well, I don’t think I’d want it to be every time, but I think there are things we need to talk about.”
Sage closed his eyes, moving forward to press a kiss to Will’s shoulder. “It wasn’t like that with him. Not really. We got close a few times, but it always made him uncomfortable, so I compromised,” he said, not quite sure how to phrase it. “It just feels good, not to think, not to second guess myself.” He took in a shaking breath. “If it’s too much for you…”
“It wasn’t,” Will assured him, his voice strong and sure. Sage opened his eyes and looked at the outline of his face, of his body, and his feelings pulsed stronger and more intense. “I liked it too. It was new for me, but giving you what you needed felt so good.”
Will reached for him, and Sage let himself be pulled in, losing himself in the feel of their limbs tangling together. Sage breathed in the scent of him, the soft musk and faint sweat, and he basked in it. “I want to figure things out with you as we go. I was afraid of the past creeping in and taking over the moment I finally got to be with you, but it didn’t. It was just us, and it felt right.”
Will turned his head at the same time Sage did, and their lips met, Sage’s tongue gently touching Will’s. They broke apart with soft pecks, and Sage felt exhaustion hit him right to his bones. He couldn’t stop his yawn, and grinned when Will laughed at him.
“Me too,” Will murmured, and he wriggled until he got the blankets up around their waist. “You good to sleep?”
“Yeah,” Sage murmured, already halfway there. It was strange to have another body beside him, and he knew it might not always be this easy, but the day had been long and he was happy to take the reprieve where life offered it.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Will didn’t relax until Joe was officially arrested again, and this time, he didn’t post bond. The vandalism of Sage’s car was added to the charges, and his lawyer was keeping him informed of any changes to the case. It would be a while before Joe would go before a judge for his official hearing, but he was in negotiations for a plea deal which Will was assured would come with some prison time, though probably not much.
“He doesn’t have a prior record,” Will explained as they wandered through Sage’s property, going over the new changes before the final state inspection was done. Will didn’t entirely understand what Sage had to do, but he knew it had something to do with the government helping out with funding, and having a few agencies who worked with troubled teens staffing the place. Will had also agreed to be one of the businesses who would offer employment to the teens, which meant he was getting a tax break—not that he cared about it. He just wanted to be able to help Sage out with his dream, and it was the best way he knew how.
They moved to the second bedroom where several bunkbeds were set up, and Sage walked over to the window to peer over the yard which was still being landscaped. “So, he gets nothing, all because he doesn’t have priors,” Sage said, his tone irritated. “How does that make sense?”
“He’s not getting nothing. I was assured he’s definitely getting jail time. I just don’t know how much. I think this is enough to keep him away from me,” Will said, though he wasn’t entirely sure that was the case. Maybe he’d never be free of Joe, but that was something he’d have to live with. As long as Sage was willing to stand by him, he’d learn to accept it for what it was.
Sage dragged a hand through his hair, sighing heavily before turning to face Will. “Sorry. It’s awful, but my attitude isn’t about that.”
“I could tell,” Will said, approaching carefully. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Sage shook his head. “It’s nothing new. Just bullshit with all this,” he waved his hand around the room, “taking a hundred years to get finished. While I deal with hoops and red tape, these kids are out there on their own, suffering. It drives me crazy that I can’t just do this on my own.”
“You probably could,” Will reminded him, “but it’s better to have the back-up, isn’t it?”
Sage rolled his eyes, but he reached for Will and drew him close. “Why do you have to be reasonable?”
“Because you like me that way,” Will said, looking up into Sage’s face.
Sage’s eyes softened and he licked his lips, almost like he was holding something back. “You’re right, I do. Anyway, the other reason I wanted to see you was to ask you if you’d mind scheduling a re-do of our date night.”
It had been three weeks since the tire incident, and though they’d spent several nights together, they’d never gotten a night to themselves. Will’s first instinct was to say no, to succumb to his fear of Joe somehow getting to Molly, but Joe was behind bars. And he would likely remain there for a long while.
“I’ll text Kat,” Will said, leaning up to kiss Sage on the mouth. It went deep and a little filthy, but Will kept it short in spite of Sage’s protesting groan when he pulled away. “Why don’t I call her and see if she’s free tonight. Or do you want a different night?”
“Tonight is perfect,” Sage said, smiling as he pulled out his own phone. “James has the bike—he’s been seeing Rowan for a bit now and I think they’ve been riding together. But we can take my car. Plenty of room for back-seat making out.”
Will rolled his eyes as he fired off a text to Kat, but he couldn’t help his cheeks heating up. “You’re ridiculous. But that sounds nice.”
“Dinner out or in?” Sage asked.
Will bit his lip, but he knew what he wanted. “Out. I want to go out and do something now that I don’t have to look over my shoulder at every turn.”
Sage approached him and kissed him again before letting him go. “Out it is. I’ll pick you up at six.”
Will smiled as his phone buzzed with Kat’s enthusiastic response, offering to pick Molly up from school and give him the afternoon free to be ready. He sent off a thanks, then followed Sage out to their cars to part ways for the rest of the day.
“You’re nervous,” Sage said as they approached the bend in the road which led to their usual spot. Will knew he was being obvious, but he couldn’t help it. Logic reminded him that Joe was behind bars, and that no one had jumped at the chance to help get him out of jail for a second time, but paranoia had him worried that one of his friends would take it upon themselves to go after Molly and hit Will where it hurt.
He knew Molly was safe with Kat and Tony—safer than anywhere else she could be—but not being close to her was setting him on edge.
At least at Sage’s, they were only minutes away, but being this far out of the city—even just a few miles—felt like a thousand.
“Sorry,” Will said as the car rolled to a stop.
Sage shook his head, a faint smile visible in the dim light of the glowing dash. “Don’t apologize. You’re allowed to feel whatever it is you’re feeling.”
“Nervous,” he admitted, leaning back in the seat. He rolled his head to the side to look at Sage, and his entire body felt warm and soft with affection. “But it also feels so good to be here with you.”
Sage reached over, gently brushing his fingers down the front of Will’s throat, making him shiver all over. “It feels good for me too. I didn’t know I could feel like this again, and I don’t want it to stop.”
“Are you afraid it will?” he couldn’t help asking. Sage was an all-in kind of guy, but it made Will wonder if Sage was also an all-out type too.
Sage’s smile was reassuring, though, and his hand pressed to the place where Will’s heart was beating out a staccato rhythm against his ribs. “No. I can’t predict my future, but I know that I want you in it.”
Will hummed, leaning forward and hooking his hand around the back of Sage’s neck to draw him into a soft kiss. It didn’t go deeper than a press of lips, though Sage’s hand drifted to Will’s hair, pushing through it, then pulling back.
“If I was ten years younger,” Sage said, leaning in to brush their noses together, “I’d probably try to give you an orgasm right here, but I’m pretty sure my body would make me pay for it now.”
Will laughed, harder than he probably should have, but falling in love was making him giddy and absurd. He kissed Sage one more time, then pushed his door open. “Let’s look at the stars for a while. Then we can head back and talk a little more about that orgasm thing.”
Sage groaned, but he followed suit, grabbing the blanket he’d brought along. He wrapped his arms around Will’s waist as they moved into the little clearing, tucking Will’s back to his front and placing a warm kiss to the side of his neck.
With Sage mouthing at his flush-warm skin, Will found just enough sense to spread out the blanket. He tugged Sage to the ground so they were on their backs, their sides pressed together like neither one of them could stand to be further apart than that.
“I’ve never done this before,” Sage admitted as they stared up at the still sky.
Will turned his head to look over. “Really?”
“I mean, I’ve looked at the sky before, obviously. I’ve watched a couple of meteor showers. I took Maisy to the observatory last year for the Perseids event they had, but I’ve never done this with someone I…with someone I care about.”
Will took in a deep breath, then he brought their joined hands to his mouth and kissed the tips of Sage’s fingers. “I haven’t either. One of our firsts, I think.”
Sage rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his hand. “I know there’s not going to be a lot of those,” he told Will, reaching out to trace a finger along the shell of his ear, “but I want to find as many as we can together.”
“Like this?” Will asked.
Sage leaned in and kissed him, a slow, drawn out thing. When he pulled back, Will’s eyes drifted open just in time to see a star streaking across the sky.
“Did you see it?” Will asked.
“Yes,” Sage replied. Will knew he wasn’t talking about the meteor, but it didn’t matter, because Will felt the same way.
Sage’s entire body felt alight, primed with the potential of what was to come. In the bathroom, he pressed his forehead to the wood and conjured the image of Will on his bed, spread out, stroking himself as he waited for Sage to get back.
The two of them had stolen as many moments together as they could over the last few weeks, but finally being together alone felt big. It felt important. Part of him felt a pang of fear, like he’d ruin it if he wasn’t careful, though he knew Will wasn’t the sort of guy to run.
Not with him, anyway. He met Sage blow for blow when it came to showing affection and making promises of the future, and it was exactly what Sage needed to finally feel grounded in their relationship.
They hadn’t exactly talked about it, not in explicit terms, but Will was it for Sage. He wasn’t curious what else was out there, and he wasn’t afraid of having something solid and permanent. He’d been ready to get married and settle down before, and though he needed time still, he didn’t have trouble imagining getting there again with Will by his side.
He wanted it, bad enough he could taste it.
With a sigh, he finished getting himself cleaned and ready, then strolled back into the bedroom where Will was waiting for him. It was nothing like he’d pictured—it wasn’t some heated, erotic moment of Will pleasuring himself on top of Sage’s blankets. The other man was lying on his stomach, his head halfway off the bed, hands hanging near the floor as he played a bubble game on his phone.
It shouldn’t have been sexy—it shouldn’t have made his cock stir to life—and yet it made his mouth dry with want, made his entire body tingle and ache to feel Will’s skin pressed to his own. When Will looked up and flashed him a crooked smile, Sage was done for.
He lowered himself to the edge of the bed, using his large hands to prod Will over, scooting him up toward the pillows as his mouth lowered, seeking, until a warm tongue pushed against his. He groaned into the kiss, grinding his hips down as he thrust against the soft hair on Will’s thigh.
“You look so good,” Sage murmured.
Will’s hands drifted down Sage’s sides, cupping his ass cheeks before parting them slightly. The cool air against the crease of his ass felt strange, anticipation making him clench around the place he was plugged. He tried to imagine what it would feel like when Will finally pushed his cock inside him, and he felt a dribble of precome leak from the slit of his cock.
“For me?” Will asked, curling his fingers around Sage’s cock and using his thumb to spread around the bead of wet.
Sage gave a full-body shiver at the sensation, pushing his hips forward and fucking into the circle of Will’s fingers. “Yes. All of it.”
Will licked his lips, then surged forward to take Sage’s mouth in a biting kiss. “Are you ready for me?”
“Yes,” Sage told him. He’d been preparing for this for a while, cleaning himself out, stretching with a plug. It had been sweet, intense torture every time he moved over the last few hours, but he knew it would be worth it.
Will smiled softly as his fingers moved to explore, touching around his stretched opening, tugging a little at the base of the plug which sent a zinging sensation of pleasure shooting up his spine. “You like that,” he said.
Sage just grunted, pushing back against his hand, his body begging for more. “Please,” he whispered.
“I’ve got you,” Will replied, pushing the plug in a little harder. Sage’s eyes fluttered shut, his breath leaving him in a rush, and his head bowed until his nose was pressed into Will’s neck. “Do you want to be on your knees or your back?”
“Knees,” Sage said, letting instinct answer rather than think too much. He knew he was safe there, knew he could put himself in Will’s hands and be taken care of without having to worry or stress about doing it right, and making it good. He went boneless as Will’s hands gently eased the plug out of him, the heavy sound of it hitting the nightstand reverberating through him.
Will gently maneuvered him to the side, then to his belly, and his face sank into the soft pillow as he heard Will rise to his knees and fumble in the drawer for what they needed. Sage had made sure they were prepared, though in truth, he hadn’t done this a lot.
Ted hadn’t enjoyed penetrative sex—top or bottom—so they found other ways to get each other off. It had always been good, even during the more awkward fumbling of trying to get to know each other’s bodies, but it had been so different to what Will was giving him. Sage didn’t think he would have wanted this then, not with Ted. He was a different person th
en, and it was almost as though his past had shaped him to be the man Will needed, both in his heart and in his bed.
The thought of it made him shiver, his hips restless against the sheets below him as he sought some friction. Will carefully reached under him, guiding him to his knees, and Sage let out a frustrated groan at the loss of pressure against his aching cock.
“Soon,” Will murmured, leaning over to nip at his earlobe. He licked around the gauged hole, then bit at his jaw. “I promise, I’m going to take care of you.”
“Yes,” Sage said on the edge of a sob. His desire and emotions were overwhelming him, and he wanted to squeeze his eyes shut and just feel. He didn’t want doubt or fear creeping in at this moment. He just wanted to let go, and he trusted Will to get him there.
Will didn’t make him suffer, didn’t make him wait. There was the quiet snap of the lube top, then the gentle pressure of two fingers filling his empty, stretched hole. They fit inside snug, his ass clenching around the intrusion, and it didn’t take long for Will to start skimming his prostate with easy thrusts.
“That’s it,” he said as Sage grunted and fucked back against his hand. “You’re perfect. You’re gorgeous.”
Sage squeezed his eyes tight, pushing up onto his elbows and letting his body do what it wanted. He was mindless about it, seeking pleasure even as somewhere in the background, he heard Will ripping the condom packet moving to get into position.
A firm, warm hand pressed to the back of his neck and pushed his upper body back down to the mattress. Sage’s arms collapsed under him, and he widened his knees to give Will the access he needed to push inside. He felt the wet, blunt head of Will’s cock against his hole and he braced himself.