by Mia Terry
“Will you miss our group when we’re gone?” Kris asked. His eyes sparkled too much for Rhys to take any offence at the leading question.
“You, Billy, Jai, and Luke have been such good company. Of course, I’ll miss you all.” Rhys replied, pretending to misunderstand the real motive.
Then at Kris’s raised eyebrows, he gave in. “Yeah, I’ve enjoyed having him around. He’s not my tourist of the week if that’s what you are thinking.” Ollie’s earlier comment still stung more than Rhys had let himself admit.
“No,” Kris reassured him. “I actually never thought that. The energy you guys have between you isn’t the energy that comes from those kinds of flings. You both are a little too raw and spend way too much time watching each other too carefully for that to be the case.”
Rhys couldn’t help the feeling of satisfaction that Ollie’s friends could see the emotions involved their relationship. He didn’t know why he cared so much that someone from the outside could see they were more than a fling. They hadn’t talked about the future, so they were still technically in fling territory. It was just in Rhys’s head that they had moved past their relationship being purely physical a while back and he wanted someone to acknowledge his feelings at least.
“Thanks,” he said. Kris was still looking at him so he must have drifted off into his own thoughts. “It’s nice of you to say so.”
“Hey, it’s nice to see that my very nice friend isn’t being taken advantage of.”
“Was this going to be one of those talks where you’d warn me against hurting your friend.”
Kris laughed. “Terribly cliché I know. However, I’m thinking it might end up being one of those talks where I try to warn you not to get too hurt.”
“Do you think that could be the end result?” Rhys asked, trying to sound light and charming, not crushed.
“I think you could both end up damaging each other without meaning to,” Kris said. “God, now I sound like the grim reaper of relationships which isn’t what I meant to say to you at all. I’m just a little concerned Ollie is so bloody ambitious, and I can see how much your life here means to you, so a future could be tricky. But that’s really not what I meant to say at all.”
“So, before we got so serious what were you planning to say to me?” Rhys asked, smiling like the man in front of him hadn’t just articulated his worst fears about the way he felt about Ollie.
“Well I was mainly going to be very nosy and maybe mention how happy Ollie has been looking,” Kris admitted, with a wry smile. “He is someone who is always smiling, always charming, but this week I’ve come to see a more genuine happiness, which has been a bit of a revelation.”
“We’ve both been looking very happy, except for Ollie’s minor grumps today,” Rhys said with a smile. No matter how much thoughts of the future scared him, knowing that, this week, at least, the feelings were genuine was going to have to be enough for now. “Now, you better tell me what plans you have with your gorgeous boyfriend for the next few days.”
Kris actually glowed when talking about his partner. That was obviously a real love match. “The resort has a big party at the end of the week, so Billy and I are looking forward to that.”
Rhys tried to suppress his smirk at Kris’s obvious enthusiasm. The couple certainly didn’t mind a bit of physical expression of their love in a semipublic environment. Remembering how hot those two had looked together, Rhys almost wouldn’t mind seeing that love in action again, though.
His thoughts were awkwardly pervy enough that he was quite relieved when Kris was tackled from behind by an enthusiastic Jai. It was hard to look a man in the face just after you had pictured him having sex with his very attractive partner and knowing your cock had given a bit of a jump at the idea.
“Please tell me the lunch isn’t that far away,” Jai complained good-naturedly. “I’m bloody starving.”
“We’ll have food in front of you in thirty minutes,” Rhys assured him. “It should be too early for the waits to have started.”
Jai laughed. “So not only do you have a very authentic Japanese restaurant up here in the hills, but if you go there sometimes you have to wait for food. God, I love this place.”
“Yeah it is a bit of a classic sometimes but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
Over half-an-hour later in the funky restaurant that was Doma, Rhys had made his selection quickly. The rest of the men looked to have been momentarily distracted by the unique character of the place. “It’s just country hipster meets Japanese,” Rhys had explained on the way in. But maybe the others hadn’t expected the chickens in the backyard or the unusual customer mix of local road-workers picking up their sushi to go, and well-dressed tourists who had driven into the hills for a bit of destination dining.
Having made his selection, Rhys got one of the larger tables over near the edible flower garden. He had a feeling Jai would like that. He was glad when Ollie was the next one to join him and came and sat close enough that their thighs touched. It was crazy how this man’s very physical presence calmed something in Rhys.
“Do you like it?” Rhys asked, unable to resist putting his head down on Ollie’s shoulder.
“Are you kidding,” Ollie said. “I love it. I’ll sound like you, but it’s very Byron.”
Ollie had punctuated that sentence with a light kiss on Rhys’s head and Rhys tried to ignore the flutter it caused in his stomach.
The others joined them, and their company was just so funny that Rhys couldn’t even resent their loss of intimacy.
A few hours later, he and Ollie were getting very intimate, and for less sexual reasons than usual. Ollie had found one squirming leach on his shoulder and after some rather girly sounding squealing had stripped off and was now waiting in the shower for Rhys to check the rest of him, armed with some salt.
“They are like fucking vampires,” Ollie complained. “Sucking the blood out of you.”
“You’re even grossing me out now, and I’m the son of a farmer, so be quiet and you might get the good news that the one you found was the only one.”
Okay, so that might have been a premature promise. The one on the back of Ollie’s thigh was large enough, and hard enough to remove, even with the salt, that Rhys was glad Ollie couldn’t see his machinations. He wrapped it in a tissue before Ollie could see it. If Ollie let out another scream like the one before, Rhys was sure Luke would run in here to check on them, whether or not they were naked.
“I can’t believe that I’m on my knees in the shower at the perfect height of your ass and it isn’t for sexual purposes. What a bloody waste,” Rhys complained, as he removed the last leach.
“Between that and the actual leaches I would call it a tragedy rather than a waste,” Ollie said, turning around and smiling. Though the brightness of the smile might have been because he was now leech free. “Now your turn. And I would like you to note my generosity of spirit in offering to come face to face with my personal nemesis.”
Rhys laughed. “I don’t think you looked closely enough at the leaches. They have more of a mouth than an actual face. But if it is too traumatic for you, maybe I can get Luke to check for me. He doesn’t seem like a man who is easily grossed out.”
No, you fucking can’t,” Ollie grabbed his arm, before he could even think of pretending to leave the shower. “Also, in the interests of your safety, I’d have to say that Jai would scratch out the eyes of any man who got undressed in front of his boyfriend.”
“Well in the interests of your friend’s relationship, you better do your duty,” Rhys teased. He put his arms out in the traditional pat down stance. “Search, baby, search.”
Apart from a muttered “piss off” Ollie seemed to take his duties seriously. He meticulously checked over every inch of Rhys’s body, and when he lifted up Rhys’s cock and balls to check behind them, Rhys couldn’t stifle a groan and a rapidly hardening dick.
“Don’t distract me,” ordered Ollie. His serious face was only given away
by the evidence of his arousal, which was definitely getting larger. His search was thorough, and his voice sounded a little disappointed when he announced he had found nothing.
“Maybe they sensed your fear and chose you,” Rhys teased.
“Any more of that and I’ll get out of the shower and not help you at all with the huge erection you’re sporting,” Ollie replied.
“Well, seeing you’re all about the charity today,” Rhys said, turning on the water, so it came on from all sides and stepping forward to rub up against Ollie and elicit a small gasp.
Hands covered in body wash, both men quickly forgot what it was they had gotten into the shower to do. The heat between them didn’t take long to ignite.
After a few minutes of more gentle play and body wash going everywhere, Rhys decided his earlier wounded feelings demanded a bit of relief and muscled a willing Ollie around in front of him, so Ollie’s hands were on the wall and he was half bent over the shower’s generous sex bench.
In this position, Rhys could thank the talented designers of this building, especially when the ledge filled with lube packets was within an easy arm’s reach. He ripped open a packet and could feel Ollie’s discreet shiver at the sound. To soothe the man in his arms, he kissed and then lightly bit at the soft nape of his neck. Okay, the bite may not have been for purely soothing purposes, but Rhys couldn’t help but notice that Ollie’s dick engorged even further in response.
Rhys just played with the lube around Ollie’s entrance. He wasn’t going to fuck him here in the shower, even though there were condoms nearby. He almost didn’t trust his body’s power here, when he’d been so worked up all day. But he was going to have some fun with Ollie’s body. And if the way Ollie’s dick was wet in anticipation was any indication, the man was ready to play.
Having slicked up around Ollie’s hole, Rhys let his dick get slick there too. Just having the head of his dick, raw, next to Ollie’s hole made Rhys even hotter. He couldn’t help but have fantasies of doing Ollie bare, of being able to come inside him. That reality was completely out of the question for now, but the fantasy held hopes of a future he shouldn’t be thinking about.
Determined to banish all those thoughts away, Rhys spread the rest of the waterproof lube along the inside of Ollie's thighs. Feeling the strength of those thighs, from all those hours rowing, heightened Rhys’s lust. When he threw the packet aside and positioned Ollie’s legs correctly his movements were almost savage. Rubbing his dick through the slick channel he had created was a euphoric experience. That the head of his dick pushed at Ollie’s sensitive balls and taint was a bonus, and the groan he got as he grasped Ollie’s cock told him the man was finding the whole experience a massive turn on too.
With a hand braced against the wall, Rhys let sensation drive. Being able to let go and find a natural rhythm was a major advantage of having a partner who was as strong as he was. He didn’t have to worry about hurting Ollie by unleashing the strength of his passion for his body. Hell, if the gasps of pleasure were any indication, Ollie loved this act of dominance on his body.
“Don’t stop, don’t stop, like that, but harder.” Yeah, the fact that he might be rutting against Ollie’s body didn’t stop Ollie being a bossy bastard.
The drag of his dick against the crease of Ollie’s thigh had Rhys momentarily unable to reply. It wasn’t as tight as being inside Ollie, but the different texture and the visual effect of Ollie’s body bent just so, just for Rhys’s pleasure, had him suspended on the edge. He held Ollie’s cock more firmly and added an almost rough twist to his strokes. That was enough, and Ollie’s body quaked against his, coming all over the shower’s seat and Rhys’s hand. The feel of the strong body coming apart against his, combined with the involuntary flexing of Ollie’s thighs, had Rhys following him over the edge.
The rush of pleasure had been so great, and that, combined with the hot steam from the shower meant that when Rhys reluctantly released his hold on Ollie, both men staggered a bit and Rhys had to brace himself against the wall. Looking up at Ollie’s pleasure-dazed face, didn’t help much with pulling himself together. Neither did the evidence of his spend, dripping down the beautiful man’s thighs.
Ollie was still breathing hard from his own release and ended up joining Rhys on the shower bench to recover as the water still beat down around them.
“Combine that with our morning walk and I definitely don’t have to go to the gym today,” Ollie said with a smile, lightening the mood.
“I did most of the work,” Rhys said, ignoring the fact that his voice was still a bit shaky due to the intensity of his orgasm.
“And I thank you for it.” Ollie’s thanks came with a gentle kiss.
The touch of Ollie’s mouth on his had Rhys’s dick stirring for a second, but he was done in. Even the sight of Ollie washing his thighs and dick wasn’t enough to get him back in the game. Well, probably both their bodies would thank them. They couldn’t spend twenty-four hours a day tearing each other apart, as appealing as the prospect was in Rhys’s mind. Anyway, tonight he had other concerns.
“I called my mum earlier and they are excited to have you for dinner tonight,” Rhys informed Ollie.
He wasn’t blind; he knew Ollie was nervous about the interaction, but he also thought it might do him good. There was something in Ollie that was holding him back from intimacy. Normally Rhys would shrug and walk away and figure that the man had some growing up of his own to do. But every instinct here told him this man was worth it. His instinct told him this man was special and maybe Rhys could help him on his journey.
Luckily too, Ollie was a good performer, so Rhys could barely see the nerves in the man’s reply. “That’s very kind of them. What can I bring tonight?”
“They won’t expect anything,” Rhys started, but quickly saw that Ollie wouldn’t find it an acceptable answer. “If you go over to the Main House, Mark will let you buy a bottle from the bar and he’s got a good selection. Mum and Dad both enjoy Shiraz so you can’t go wrong with that.”
Giving Ollie something to do with his nerves was obviously the right decision. Rhys decided the fact that Ollie took fifteen minutes anxiously discussing with Mark what the best bottle in his collection was, was cute rather than annoying.
Chapter 13
Ollie sat in Rhys’s van and wished he’d had enough time to add flowers to the bottle of wine he had at his feet as a hostess gift. Meeting the parents was something that should probably be saved for boyfriends, not men who were getting back on a flight for home in five days. That he was dreading the day he left Rhys didn’t make the time limit on his relationship any less real. But when Rhys had stood there and asked if he wanted to visit his family and then had not rescinded in the invitation when Ollie had behaved like a dickhead, meant Ollie couldn’t say no. The truth of the matter was that he hadn’t wanted to say no, dinner with Rhys’s parents meant another night with Rhys, and it was beyond Ollie’s self-control to deny himself that.
Pulling up to the house, the man in question turned to him and smiled, “I promise they’re nice people. It is just a relaxed dinner at home for us.”
Ollie made sure he smiled back. “I know they’re nice. I’ve met your mother remember. She was very welcoming.”
He didn’t mention that he hadn’t met Rhys’s father, and who knew how he felt about Rhys bringing home a man he’d just met. Especially one he was sleeping with. That Rhys felt the need to reassure him was more than a little mortifying. Ollie was obviously doing a much worse job of hiding his feelings than usual, though the truth was he rarely had quite this many feelings to hide. Luckily the boys weren’t here. They would be in hysterics. Ollie had been the Teflon man forever; he was always so sure of his welcome into any social occasion that nerves weren’t even a consideration.
Deciding that lingering out in the van's safety was definitely not the move of a man who had literally charmed more than one minor royal, Ollie got out, bottle in hand and made his way to the door. The hand R
hys stroked from his neck to the base of his spine was probably meant to be reassuring but mainly resulted in Ollie hoping not to get an erection. Damn it, he definitely didn’t want to be facing the man’s parents with a bulge in his pants.
Unfortunately, Rhys went right ahead with opening the door before Ollie could give a warning, kicking off his shoes and calling out, “We’re here.”
Ollie could only follow his actions, removing his own shoes with the rest of the neat collection in the hall and then following him to the large kitchen where Rhys’s mother, and the man who was presumably Rhys’s father, were standing at one of the kitchen benches preparing food side by side.
Rhys kissed both his parents on the cheek and Ollie was reminded again of the closeness between them. It was hard not to find a man appealing who gave and received affection with such an ease of warmth. It also probably went a long way to explaining the man’s fearlessness when it came to expressing his own affection. Ollie’s parents adored him, and their love had never been in question. But the closeness Rhys had with his own parents was rare enough for him to envy.
“Ollie, how lovely to see you again.” Rhys’s mothers greeting and her kiss on his cheek broke him out of his role of observer.
“Thank you for having me,” Ollie said. “It is such a pleasure to get to see your beautiful home again.”
Rhys’s father smiled at the compliment, as he offered his hand and gave an equally welcoming greeting. Even without an identification, Ollie would have known Andrew was Rhys’s father. His hair was shorter, and a hell of a lot tamer, but even for a man in his early sixties he was still squarely jawed handsome.
Ollie’s manners were a reflex, but his words about this house were sincere. This place was incredible, and it was no wonder his friends had laughed at him for assuming they had bought it on a farming salary. Now he was inside, he could see the sheer workmanship that had gone into its creation. The kitchen bench they were all gathered around looked like pure cedar and must have been at least half an ancient tree. The far wall of the dining area was glass and looked out onto the valley and the setting sun. The furnishings were all oversized and stylish enough to be custom made. For all its easy country living, this was a home where a lot of dollars had been spent.