The Delicious Series: The First Volume

by Stella Starling

  “Yes,” Ben urged him, dipping his head down to breathe the word into Gavin’s mouth. He licked his way inside, swallowing the panting breaths and delicious moans that told him more clearly than words how close Gavin was. Ben was so hard he hurt, but he didn’t spare that a thought. His entire attention was riveted on the man who’d captured his heart. “Do it,” Ben said, tightening his hand on the upstroke. “For me.”

  Gavin’s body jerked against him, his mouth going slack as he finally tipped over the edge. His cock pulsed in Ben’s hand and then, with a hoarse cry, Gavin was coming, the hot spurts spilling over Ben’s fist and streaking across his stomach. Ben slowly stroked his softening shaft as he watched, ignoring his own straining erection in favor of milking every moment of pleasure out of Gavin’s release.

  “Oh my God,” Gavin said, smiling up at him with shining eyes once he caught his breath. “That was definitely worth the wait.”

  Ben agreed. “Gavin, that was…” Beautiful, was the word that came to mind, but Ben wasn’t sure if he could say that to a man. Regardless, the image of Gavin, lost in his ecstasy, wasn’t one he ever wanted to forget. “I definitely want to do that again,” he said instead.

  Gavin laughed. “You may need to give me a minute,” he said with a cheeky grin. Ben still had his wrists trapped, and Gavin tugged them free, reaching for him. “But I can—”

  “No,” Ben said, rolling away. “Don’t touch me.”

  Gavin tensed, a hurt look flashing across his face, and Ben realized he’d said it wrong.

  “You’re done ‘satisfying your curiosity’?” Gavin asked, his voice sounding strained.

  “No. Gavin… no. That’s not what I meant at all,” Ben said. He didn’t think he’d ever be done, not as long as Gavin still wanted him. He captured one of Gavin’s hands again, kissing the palm. “I’m just not ready for this to be over. Not yet. And if you touch me—” Ben moved Gavin’s hand down to his cock to test the theory. “—I won’t last,” he groaned, indulging himself for a moment as Gavin stroked him, then pulling away.

  The hurt look left Gavin’s face as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by something that made Ben think he might not last anyway. Not if Gavin was going to look at him like that.

  “Can I just touch you?” Ben asked. “Please?”

  Gavin’s dimples popped out, and he grabbed Ben’s hands, pulling them onto his body. “Oh, Lord, Ben. Do you know how many times I’ve fantasized about that since your little torture session a few weeks ago?” he asked laughing.

  Ben grinned back, skimming a hand over Gavin’s chest. He had, too. When he grazed Gavin’s nipples, the other man made a little sound that shot straight to his cock, and Ben rolled on top of Gavin before he could stop himself. His earlier desire to draw things out was eclipsed by the urgent need that spiked through him, and he pinned Gavin beneath him, tipping his head back so he could suck on his neck while he ground against him.

  “Gavin,” he said, just because he could. And then he repeated it, kissing his way back up to Gavin’s delicious mouth as the other man’s hands ran down his back, gripped his ass, pulled him closer to intensify the incredible friction that was threatening to make him explode. Ben couldn’t seem to form any words other than Gavin’s name, couldn’t think of anything at all as he got lost in the feel of the man beneath him, the taste of his mouth, the shuddering pleasure of Gavin’s hands on him.

  “I love the feel of you on top of me,” Gavin said, arching up under him. “God, Ben, do you know how many times I’ve thought of this?”

  “Me, too,” Ben admitted, a part of him still amazed that he finally had the chance to do some of the things that he’d fantasized about for so long.

  “Tell me,” Gavin said, reaching between them to stroke Ben’s cock. Which made it… really… hard… to answer. “I was convinced you didn’t think of me this way. Tell me what you wanted to do.”

  Ben flushed, thrusting into Gavin’s hand. Feeling the swell of the other man’s cock as it started to harden again between their bodies. He honestly didn’t know if he could speak, but he tried anyway, wanting to give Gavin what he asked for.

  Always.

  “I don’t… Jesus, Gavin… I don’t know what men are supposed to… do in bed… together…”

  Gavin grinned, clearly enjoying Ben’s inability to form a complete sentence.

  “Whatever we want,” he said, nipping at Ben’s neck and moving his hands back around to grip Ben’s ass again.

  The man did seem to like his ass, but the loss of Gavin’s hands stroking him made Ben want to whimper. But then Gavin moved underneath him, rolling his hips so that their cocks rubbed together, still slick from Gavin’s earlier release, and the sensation was so fucking good that Ben just about lost it. He moaned, letting his head drop down onto Gavin’s shoulder while he ground against him.

  “Oh, God…” he hissed, trying to hold himself back. “I want…”

  “What?” Gavin asked when Ben’s words faded away, replaced by hot kisses and quickened breath. “Tell me, babe.”

  Gavin was starting to sound deliciously breathless himself, and Ben ran his hand up Gavin’s sides, stretched the other man’s arms over his head and then biting at the sensitive skin underneath his ear. Down his throat. Across his chest.

  “What do you want?” Gavin repeated, definitely breathless now.

  “You, Gavin,” Ben managed to answer after a moment, which was a miracle, given that his brain felt short-circuited by the pure, unfiltered lust that consumed him. “God, I want…everything. I want… you. I want—”

  “Do you want to fuck me?” Gavin gasped out, his hips bucking under the weight of Ben’s body.

  Ben shuddered, his cock jerking so hard that he was surprised he didn’t come right then. Yes. Holy Christ. Yes.

  He wanted that.

  Gavin was looking up at him with blown pupils, moist lips parted and skin flushed with desire, and Ben could honestly say that he had, in fact, never wanted anything more in his entire life.

  Gavin shifted underneath him, spreading his legs in a clear invitation.

  “I want you inside me,” Gavin panted. “Please… tell me you have a condom.”

  “Really?” Ben groaned, mentally counting the steps it would take to get up to his bedroom and back. “Do we need—”

  “Yes,” Gavin said, his attempt at sounding stern almost spoiled by the teasing heat in his eyes. “Really. We do.”

  “Right, of course,” Ben said, rolling off him. Jesus. He wasn’t normally irresponsible.

  “Ben,” Gavin said, propping himself up on his elbows and looking so fucking tempting that Ben wasn’t sure he could make himself leave the room. Gavin grinned, his dimples popping out. “You’re a runner. Be quick.”

  “Right,” Ben agreed distractedly, sliding a hand over Gavin’s hip. Cupping his ass. Pulling him—

  “Oh my God, you’re torturing me,” Gavin groaned. “Go.”

  Ben went, making it back and suiting up in record time. And then he had Gavin underneath him again, and the other man was stroking him through the condom, slicking his cock with lube, guiding him to his entrance.

  “Have you ever done this before?” Gavin asked.

  “No,” Ben gritted out, forcing himself to hold still. Gavin’s hand alone was enough to do him in, and the hot promise of the tight pucker he pressed against was almost too much. “You’re the first man I’ve—”

  Gavin laughed, his fingers playing over himself. “I know that, babe. I meant, anal sex.”

  Ben let out an explosive laugh, shaking his head. But God, he wanted to now. Desperately. The idea of being inside Gavin—of thrusting into the man who consumed his thoughts, who filled his heart, who made his body shudder with an urgent need unlike anything he’d ever felt before—now that it was on the table, the vision held him in its grip and wouldn’t let him go.

  “It’s been a while for me,” Gavin said, biting his lip. “A… really long while. And you’re big, Ben, s
o—”

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” Ben said pulling his hips away. Jesus. He hadn’t been thinking.

  Gavin laughed, yanking him back. “I don’t want you to hurt me either, but I do want you to fuck me. Just take it slow, okay?”

  Ben would have thought that was impossible, given how painfully hard he now was, but the minute Gavin asked him, he knew he’d find a way. Nothing was worth hurting this man.

  Nothing.

  Gavin pulled his knees back, his cast slapping against Ben’s hip, and he laughed again. “Just wait until I get this thing off and can ride you.”

  “Jesus, Gavin,” Ben groaned.

  He surged forward, pushing against Gavin’s hole as the image of the first time he’d fantasized about the other man flashed through his mind.

  Gavin.

  Riding him.

  Was—

  “Fuck,” Gavin gasped, eyes rolling back. “Yes.”

  The resistance from his tight ring of muscle gave way, and Ben slid inside. He honestly couldn’t have said whether the low moan that echoed in his ears had come from his own throat, or from Gavin’s, he only knew that being inside Gavin felt… perfect. Hot and tight and so fucking good that even if Gavin hadn’t tensed underneath him, Ben would have had to stop for a minute just to keep from ending it before it started.

  “Give me a minute,” Gavin panted, hands skittering over Ben’s sides.

  “I’ll give you whatever you need, Gavin,” Ben promised, holding himself still as he bent down to kiss him. Breathing in the other man’s hot breath and sexy whimpers and then, finally—after Gavin’s hands found their way back to his ass and urged him to move—his needy, urgent gasps.

  Jesus.

  H.

  Christ.

  Making love to Gavin was his new happy place.

  Ben thrust into him, trying to take it slow until it became clear that Gavin didn’t need slow anymore. Didn’t want slow. Wanted Ben with the same burning need and desperate urgency and hot, sweaty, all-consuming desire that had Ben almost shaking as he tried to bite back the words that threatened to spill out of him in the heat of the moment.

  “Gavin… you’re… God… I love… this,” Ben said, instead of the other thing.

  Gavin started to smile, but when Ben shifted, finding better leverage, and thrust forward again, the smile was replaced with something else. Something that Ben recognized from before. Gavin’s eyes rolled back in his head, his face taking on a look of pure bliss, and Ben knew, without a doubt, that putting that expression on Gavin’s face was going to be his new mission in life. Gavin’s fingers dug into his back, and Ben leaned down and captured his mouth, whispering hot promises against his lips.

  “Oh my God, Ben you’re going to make me come,” Gavin panted. “You’re going to… Oh my… God… I need to…”

  Gavin reached for his cock, but Ben pushed his hand away. “Let me,” he said. “I want to be the one who takes care of you.”

  Gavin moaned his agreement, thrusting into Ben’s hand as he let himself go, and then he was coming undone… again. Spilling over Ben’s hand… again. And the sounds of his pleasure—a cascade of unrestrained abandon that tumbled from his lips and left no doubt about whether Ben had been able to give him what he needed—finally gave Ben permission to let go of the tight hold he’d kept on himself.

  Gavin’s body tightened around him, and he surged forward, driving himself deep.

  “Gavin,” he gasped, his whole world collapsing in an instant, until nothing existed but the man beneath him. “I—nnnnnggghhhhhhhh.”

  And that was it for him.

  Gavin was it for him.

  Ben came, his orgasm overpowering him in a powerful rush that raced through him like wildfire, so hot and fast that it whited out his vision, had his thighs shaking and his heart racing and his breath catching in his throat. And when his vision finally cleared—when he finally collapsed, scooping Gavin against him and rolling onto his side, holding him close, grinning down at the flushed, sweaty, gorgeous, utterly perfect man in his arms—Gavin was all he could see.

  All he ever wanted to see.

  16

  Gavin

  Emily’s eyes widened with excitement when Gavin slid the tray of wedding cake samples in front of her. She’d agreed to be his test case for Delicious’s new wedding cake division, and Gavin had to admit, having the time to play with recipes and cake combinations had been fun. Even though he’d been going into the bakery more often now that his foot was getting better, he’d been quick to take Ben’s suggestion that he use Ben’s house as his test kitchen. Ben had pointed out that it would keep Gavin from interfering with regular bakery operations, and Gavin had, in turn, restrained himself from commenting that it would also allow Ben to taste all the sample cakes.

  For all the man’s obsession with healthy eating, Ben had very little resistance when it came to anything he considered… delicious.

  “Where do I start?” Emily asked, poking a finger into the sample of torched-meringue frosting.

  “I think you just did, honey,” Danny said, sliding onto the stool next to her with a laugh.

  Gavin’s best friend had been over the moon when he’d heard that wedding cakes were a cautious go for the bakery, his enthusiasm even inspiring him to get out of bed before noon so he could spend the morning helping Gavin prepare for Emily’s tasting.

  Emily looked like a guilty little girl as she licked the frosting off her finger. “Sorry,” she mumbled, blushing.

  “Tasting them is what you’re supposed to do,” Gavin reminded her, grinning as he handed her a glass of water. “But cleanse your palate, and let me give them to you in order. Danny will take notes on what you like, so be sure to pay attention to texture as well as the flavor. And remember, even though I’ve paired them a certain way here, we can mix and match frosting, filling, and cake in any combination you want.”

  “It’s your day, honey,” Danny reminded her. “We want this cake to be everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

  Emily teared up, looking away quickly.

  “Did I say something wrong?” Danny asked, looking stricken. “Why do those not look like happy tears?”

  “No,” she insisted, dashing them away. “They are. I’m still just getting used to the idea that I’ve only got a week to finish planning my wedding, instead of two more months. I wanted Will to be here for this, but he couldn’t get away from the bank, and…” she paused to dip her finger into chocolate fudge ganache filling, sucking on it forlornly. “Don’t mind me. Pregnancy hormones are a real thing, and I can’t seem to keep my emotions in check.”

  “Are you sure you want to move up the date?” Gavin asked.

  “Yes,” she said, nodding decisively. “I can’t wait to marry Will, so that part is wonderful. And I’d like to say I’d marry him even wearing a burlap sack but—oh, God. Does it sound awful that I don’t want to let my dress out?”

  She rested a hand on her flat stomach, blushing.

  “Not at all,” Danny said, handing her the glass of water again. “Like I said, this is your day. You want to look back at the pictures ten years from now and have happy memories. Trust me, there is no way my man is getting me to walk down the aisle looking anything less than my best. I’m only doing this once, and I’m going to do it right.”

  “That’s just it,” Emily said, resting her elbows on the counter with a sigh. “I want everything to be just right. But… a week. Will has already managed to pull a lot of strings, so we get to keep the venue, which is a miracle, but now not everyone can make the date. And then there’s the cake still to order, and we’ve had to switch photographers, and—”

  “Breathe, Em,” Gavin said, trying not to laugh as her voice started to escalate. “We’ll make sure the cake, at least, is everything you’ve ever dreamed of. And if Will is anything like his brother, I’m sure everything else will come together, too.”

  “That’s right,” Danny said, pulling out his sketchpad. “So
sit back and let Gavin give you a mouthgasm while you tell me exactly what your dream cake will look like. Trust me, honey, if you can imagine it, I can make it come to life. Is there anything special you want to see on top?”

  She nodded, starting to tear up again, but this time she was smiling.

  “Sorry,” she laughed, accepting a forkful of the cinnamon vanilla cake and a tissue from Gavin with a little laugh. “Hormones,” she repeated as she dabbed at her eyes. “I think I want the traditional bride and groom on top, along with an empty ring box.” And then, with her mouth full, “Oh my God. What is this?”

  “A little slice of heaven,” Danny said, grinning at the rapturous expression on her face. “I’m doing that one for my wedding in December. Now tell me again, you want an empty ring box? I’m not judging, but are you completely sure that’s the symbol that you want to start your happily-ever-after with?”

  Emily laughed. “I know it sounds backward, but it’s how Will proposed to me.”

  “Oh my God. Spill,” Danny insisted, setting his sketchpad down and leaning his chin on his hand with a dreamy look.

  Gavin stifled a laugh at the sight. His best friend did love a good, romantic story.

  “I thought the empty ring box was how Jack proposed to Hannah…?” Gavin said, remembering the story Ben’s sister had told at family dinner the week before.

  It had been the first time that Gavin had been included at dinner as Ben’s boyfriend, instead of just a friend, and being around the Edwards family in that role had felt both comfortably familiar and unexpectedly nice. Ben’s father had been absent due to a meeting at the bank, but the rest of the close-knit family had been warmly excited to have him back, teasing him about missing the week prior and taking great delight in poking fun at Ben about his behavior around Gavin. The man was very… attentive, Gavin thought, feeling his lips curve up.

  Instead of the usual rambling dinner conversation, the entire night had been full of Edwards family stories, as if they all—Hannah and Charlie in particular—were determined to bring Gavin up to speed and accept him into the fold. But maybe Gavin had misunderstood which couple Hannah had been talking about with empty ring box proposal story.