Along Came You

by Jerry Cole

  “We are. I just need to touch you.” I smiled as he arched into my hand. I stroked him through his thin boxers, just tight enough to make him crazy for me. He bit his lip, moaning as he moved with me.

  “Feels so good,” Owen moaned as I watched him close his eyes. “You feel so damn good.”

  I leaned forward to kiss his neck. “You feel good in my hand. I want you to cum for me.” He groaned, and I tightened my grasp just a bit, making him pant my name. “I love you.”

  “I. Love. You,” he breathed, jerking one more time before I felt warmth against the material, smiling as he leaned back against the pillow. “Get on your back. I have a favor to return.”

  I did as he ordered, watching him crawl over me with hungry eyes. Owen slipped my briefs down, leaning down to lick my tip with his firm tongue. I cried out, slipping a hand into his growing hair. “Mmmm, that feels good, babe.”

  He covered me with his warm mouth, sucking slow and hard. I gripped his hair, jerking forward as he took every inch of me. I never wanted another man, nor another person, to ever touch me again. I jerked several times into his mouth, finally filling his throat once he moved faster. I fought the urge to cry out as I came, panting through the intense orgasm.

  He cleaned up before joining me in bed naked, and I rested my head against his chest. That’s how I fell asleep, waking up in his arms the following morning.

  Rosa was gone by the time we went to the gym, working out for two hours. Owen had teaching and practice tonight, so he’d be home late. I planned to work the entire time, fending for myself for dinner. Rosa already claimed that she’d be home late all week.

  I finished two projects throughout the day, deciding to order a hearty salad for dinner. I ate it on the balcony at the bistro table set up out there, looking over the street as I sipped a beer.

  I missed the lake, the chaise lounges, and the fire pit. I wanted all of that for Owen and me, but we were too new to think that way.

  Weren’t we?

  I imagined a future where we lived in the house, years from now. We’d have two kids as well as Rosa and Taryn, and the kids would have known and loved their grandparents. They’d have the stability and love I never felt that I had.

  I closed my eyes, picturing it further before sighing. I was a long way away from anything like that. Owen and I were both building our futures right now and working hard toward that goal. There was no hurry for a house with a white picket fence just yet. This apartment and my loft would work just fine, for now, tucked into the city that I loved. It was life to me, but I felt as though life was changing.

  Owen walked in the door at nine, finding Rosa and me arguing about a reality show. They were our guilty pleasure, and her dark eyes flashed as she argued her point.

  “Hey, babe. How was your day?” I asked, rising to kiss him as she pressed her hands to her temples.

  “Good. Yours?” I assured him it was fine as he raised a brow at my best friend. “What is this all about?”

  “We’re arguing over who will win Top Model. We do this every season.” I wrapped my arms around him, kissing him one more time. “Love me, love my faults.”

  “Are you watching just the girls or both girls and guys? The latter is something special to me.” He laughed as my eyes widened. “I appreciate beautiful people, Peter.”

  “Wow, you get to argue with us,” Rosa said in awe as she stared at him. “This is the season with both.”

  “More pretty faces to look at.” He looked into the kitchen, then at me. “What did you do for dinner?”

  “Just cooked up some noodles. Nothing fancy.” Rosa jumped up, yawning as she paused. “God, I need sleep. Don’t take it personally, but I’m going to bed.” She kissed us both on the cheek before trudging to her room as we watched.

  “She works hard. You both do,” Owen said, pecking my lips.

  “You talk as though you don’t. You teach those kids and then practice for games. You don’t need to do that stuff, but you do because you love it. It’s a job, no matter how recreational you think it is.”

  “Sometimes, it feels like it isn’t enough. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels and not even playing hockey.” His voice was soft, and I knew he was thinking about the NHL.

  “I know, babe. I know that hurts, but you’re doing good in the world. Those kids appreciate everything you do for them.” I gave him a long, slow kiss. “I love you for who you are, Owen. All of you.”

  “Good. I love you.” He kissed me again before pulling back. “Any of those noodles left?”

  “I’ll make you some.” I walked to start some water in a pan for the pasta, grabbing the sauce from the fridge. “It’s ghetto spaghetti. We make it a lot.”

  “That’s fine by me.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Owen

  Life resumed to the standard days once we were back. We visited every weekend that we could get away since I didn’t want to miss every game. When we weren’t there, Taryn was here in New York. I knew how much she cared for Rosa by those gestures and just how they acted together.

  We all worked hard during the week. Peter wrote so much, earning respect as well as a hell of a lot of money. Rosa was the best at her office, working tirelessly to meet every deadline. They wanted to get ahead in life, and there was no doubt in my mind that they would accomplish that.

  I made myself feel inferior to them, but I loved working with the kids. The money wasn’t a lot, but with the nest egg in the bank, I was doing just fine. I loved playing hockey and feeding that addiction. It still rubbed me the wrong way some days that I lost my chance to play for the pros, but that was just life. I needed to move forward, so I didn’t sink into the depression that I felt before. It was rough on myself and my family.

  We decided to take a long weekend to visit my family in September. Rosa had the Monday off, and we had the entire weekend off from any games. It was the perfect time. We packed Thursday night and made the drive Friday evening. We dropped Rosa off at Taryn’s house, watching as they embraced tightly before pulling away.

  We parked in the driveway of the familiar house, seeing lights on in the living room. Peter got out, and I followed, helping with the luggage as we made our way to the front door. “Boys!” Mom exclaimed, opening the front door wide. “It’s good to see you. Did you drop Rosa off with Taryn?”

  “We did. They’ll be here tomorrow.” She hugged us both, kissing our cheeks.

  “Good. Good. Your room is all ready. Your father is asleep for an early golf game if you want to join him.” She rolled her eyes as I chuckled. “He works hard, and deserves it, but I’m glad it’s not your thing.” Mom lowered her voice for the last sentence. “Come sit down.’

  We caught up a bit before bed, finding out that Mom was all the way better, and Dad was doing great. He was the star at his physical therapist and making fast progress. The fact that he could play golf without much discomfort only proved that. I went to sleep a lot easier with that knowledge, holding Peter close.

  Our plans for the weekend were mainly eating and hanging out. Dad was grilling Sunday since we needed to leave on Labor Day, and we thought we’d go out Saturday night. There was to be a long hike, but that was it. I took Peter around town to see some of the memorable spots two trips ago, and he declared that he loved the town.

  I told him that I loved him.

  Taryn and Rosa were at the house during the day and evenings. They spent every night at Taryn’s, and I understood that. They were doing a long-distance relationship, and those weren’t easy. They needed time to get to know each other in every way possible.

  We decided to take them to our favorite diner on Saturday night. It was a greasy spoon that served the best burgers and fries, and I knew my friends would love it.

  What I didn’t love was seeing my ex-boyfriend walk through the door with another man. It caught me off guard since he didn’t even live here. Ray grinned at the hostess, following her to a table across the room. Maybe he wouldn’t notice m
e or even see me at all.

  I shrunk back, and Peter looked at me. “Are you okay?” He asked as I ran a hand through my hair.

  “My ex is here…the one that lives in the city. I don’t know why he’s even here.”

  “He’s not from here?” Peter asked, and I shook my head.

  “He went to college here. That’s how we met.”

  I watched as Ray sat down in the booth with the man side-by-side. I remembered when we used to act like that. I turned my gaze to the menu, deciding to order a bacon cheeseburger as the waitress approached our table. I focused on the conversation around the table, smiling as Peter placed a hand on my thigh.

  “Owen?” I looked up to see Ray. “You’re in town. Did you move back here?”

  “I still live in the city.” I kept my tone even, not wanting to respond to him in any way. “You’re visiting?”

  “My new guy has family here.” He blushed as I reached for Peter’s hand. He looked around at my family. “How are all of you doing?”

  Mom and Dad made polite conversation with Ray though I knew they didn’t like him all that much. They adored Peter much more than Ray. Taryn just looked at him coldly as Rosa looked between the two of us.

  “This is my new guy. Ray, Peter.” I watched as they nodded at each other and slipped my arm around Peter’s shoulders.

  “Good to meet you,” Ray muttered, shooting me a dark look. “I’ll see you around.”

  He turned to leave, and I shook my head at Mom. “Why?”

  “It’s fine. You’ve moved on with the best guy possible.” She smiled at Peter as he grinned. The waitress brought our drinks, promising that the food was on the way.

  “They never liked him. None of us did,” Taryn told Peter, tossing her hair back.

  The food arrived in a few minutes, and I watched as Peter moaned after a bite of his burger. “Like it?”

  “This is the best burger I’ve had in a while.” He dabbed at his mouth with a napkin, making me chuckle. “It’s messy.”

  “As any good burger should be,” I reminded him before kissing the corner of his mouth. We kept eating, talking about the cookout the following day with a few friends. Dad was up to cooking though we offered help, and Mom bragged about all the food she bought for dinner. When they cooked for people, they went big.

  Ray left before us, and I caught his frown as I glanced over. Wasn’t he here with someone new? He should be into that guy as much as I was into Peter, or else he was wasting the time of both of them. We left after finishing, picking up some ice cream from a local parlor before heading home.

  I dropped to the couch, pulling Peter down with me. Mom laughed and told me that she’d bring us dessert, and I closed my eyes. “Are you okay?” Peter asked as I squeezed his hand. “Did that bother you?”

  “Not like you might think, no. Just caught me off guard.” I smiled and leaned in to kiss him. “He’s not half the man that you are.”

  We ate ice cream and relaxed until the girls went back to Taryn’s house. Mom and Dad went to bed after that, and I secured the house before leading Peter to bed. We stripped all of our clothes off, and I pushed him down to take his cock into my mouth. I needed him to know how much he meant to me. I needed him to know that I loved him.

  I needed Peter to know that I needed him. Only him.

  We made love hard, me taking him from behind as he rocked into me. I gripped his hip with one hand, using the pillows for leverage with the other. “Baby, yes.” He dropped his head forward, jerking back harder. “Cum for me.”

  Every time he asked me to do that, it was practically instantaneous. I groaned, filling him as he slumped forward. “You drive me crazy when you talk like that.”

  “Good.” We moved beside each other, careful to stay on the towel so we wouldn’t mess up the comforter. “I don’t ever want to move again.”

  “Okay. We’ll sleep until dinner tomorrow,” I agreed, smiling as I pulled him close.

  “Sounds great.” Peter smiled against my lips before kissing me.

  We did sleep in a bit until nine. I knew that Mom prepped most of the food in advance, so we wouldn’t have too much to do. Today was about relaxing and eating, and little else. We showered, then dressed in jeans and t-shirts before going into the kitchen.

  The girls arrived right after we poured coffee, and we got them some. “You good?” Taryn asked me as she gazed into my eyes.

  I smiled and nodded, touching Peter’s shoulder. “Couldn’t be better.”

  We chatted as they helped Mom with anything she still needed to do. Dad strolled into the room after a golf game, looking pleased with himself. He showered and changed before joining us for a beer. The girls made margaritas, and Mom made the girls promise that they’d stay the night if they drank too much.

  Friends arrived in the afternoon, and we poured chips into bowls as well as setting a massive bowl of fruit salad on the counter. They were the friends that took care of my parents when we were in the city, the ones that cherished them. I knew that they were hit hard with the news of the accident, realizing what might have happened.

  Peter was a natural with the group. He mingled as he talked and laughed, and I smiled as I caught his gaze across the lawn. Dad started grilling the chicken, adding steak to the upper part of the barbecue as a couple of men gathered around him.

  The smell made my stomach growl as the meat cooked slowly, and Mom and other women brought out salads and rolls. We took seats at the large tables set up for the event, eating as we chatted about the coming season and holidays.

  Peter leaned against me once he finished his plate. “I think the holidays are going to be fantastic if this is any sign.”

  “You have no idea.” I grinned, looking around at the smiling faces. My family itself was on the small side, but I had a lot of friends that I called my tribe. Now there were two more people that were a part of it.

  “We’ve known a lot of these people since we were little. They’ve supported us for years.” I smiled as I looked around. “This feels like home.”

  “It does.” Peter reached down to take my hand, squeezing it tightly.

  The evening lingered on as we all stayed outside as long as we could stand the weather. Once we were inside, Mom served coffee and dessert, and we took seats around the house. It was past ten when people started leaving, and we all weren’t in bed until midnight. The girls stayed in Taryn’s old room, and we collapsed into my bed.

  We had a small breakfast before driving home to real life. I sensed that Peter hated leaving as much as I did, and based on the look on Rosa’s face, she felt the same way. It made me wonder if dating my sister was more detrimental to Rosa than good. They just looked so happy when they were together.

  We woke her up when we pulled into the complex, sitting in the car for a moment. It was quiet as we unloaded the car, unpacking enough to get started washing clothes for the week. Peter never had to worry too much about that, but Rosa dressed a step above business for her job. She met with a lot of clients and bosses, and needed to look professional and a little edgy. I mean, she was Rosa. The company embraced who she was, loving how hard she worked.

  Peter and I thought that she worked a bit too hard at times.

  She was in bed earlier than any of us, and Peter and I stayed up to watch a movie in bed. I held him tight, kissing his shoulder softly. “Are you going to keep your old place, babe?”

  “I thought it might be a good idea so we could have our own space sometimes or even Rosa. I’m kind of thinking there’s a chance that Taryn could move here and the girls might take it over. They’re getting closer,” Peter said as I gazed at him. “I’m not holding onto it, thinking that we’re not going to make it. Nothing like that.”

  “I know. It just seems like a waste to pay rent there.” I shrugged and drew his earlobe into my mouth.

  “You don’t let me pay enough here.” I rolled my eyes. We fought about this now and again. “Someone should get my money.”

 
“I can handle it just fine with Rosa here. The rent isn’t that much,” I protested, hearing him laugh. “I don’t need your money. I’m fine. I let you buy dinner sometimes so that you won’t fuss.”

  “Whatever,” Peter grumbled, pulling me closer.

  We fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms. I didn’t have to skate until practice later in the evening, so we both slept in. Peter made coffee and breakfast while I took a quick shower, plating food as I walked into the kitchen dressed in workout shorts. He handed me a plate, taking two cups of coffee to the table before heading back for his food. “Thanks.” I smiled at him as he nodded, looking sexy as hell with his messy hair.

  “No problem. It’s nice to be here together after the busy weekend,” Peter said, stabbing his eggs with a fork. “I loved it there, but that’s a lot of people to handle.”

  “Mom’s always drawn people in. She also loves to help her friends, so they’re more than happy to do the same for her.” I smiled as he nodded, chewing thoughtfully.

  “That’s good. My family never had that with any of their friends or other families. They kept to themselves a lot, and likely still do.”

  “You don’t want to call and tell them anything about your life here?” I asked, watching him shake his head no.

  “They wouldn’t support it or me. I don’t need that. I found Rosa and knew that she was my person. She loves me for who I am. Now I have you, and you seem fine with who I am.” Peter smiled, and I laughed at him.

  “That I am,” I leaned in for a soft kiss, closing my eyes as heat passed between us. “I love you.”

  “I love you,” I told him, feeling him nibble on my lower lip. “I think I know what I need after breakfast.”

  We went back to bed and showered together this time, drying off before dressing to go into the living room. Peter got to work, and I read through emails before heading down to the rink in the afternoon.