Chess

by Sean Michael

  “I like when you play with it.”

  “Mmm. I suppose you’re hungry.” It would be rude to turn around and leave after just getting here, getting naked and jumping at sheets, right?

  “No, but Les works hard and it’s important to him, that we share the meal.” His lover was both good and thoughtful.

  “Sounds good, darling.” He squeezed Luke’s hand, content to sit for now.

  “We won’t have to stay long. And the vegetables will be good.”

  “I don’t mind. You’re just…ah, inspiring.” Temple gave Luke an arch look.

  Luke blushed, smiled at him. So beautiful. So wanton. Temple needed to offer the universe a huge thank you for this man.

  Everyone eventually came to sit in a circle on the patio stones that made up the ‘deck’, sharing bottles of water and beer. They talked about whatever came into their minds, shooting the breeze, laughing. It was amazing how these men and KT all accepted him in, laughed and teased, goofed off with him.

  Luke had a good place here. It made Temple glad, knowing that. Luke deserved it.

  Reaching over, Temple took Luke’s hand. Luke turned to look at him and he smiled.

  “You two are adorable.” Marco plopped down. “Totally.”

  Temple chuckled. He was pretty sure he’d never been called adorable before.

  “Thanks, asshat.” Luke grinned, though.

  “I don’t mean to be pushy, but someone said something about vegetarian munchies?” Temple was feeling more than a little peckish at this point. And for more than just Luke.

  Les grinned. “There’s an entire meal, are you kidding?”

  “I don’t eat meat,” Temple noted.

  “I know, but there’s lots to eat—no meat for you and KT and Marco.”

  “Oh.” Temple smiled and he felt it come up from deep inside. “That’s awesome.”

  “Yeah. We’re inclusive.” Les looked proud.

  Donny chuckled. “You’re a show-off.”

  “Showing off, inclusive, call it what you want, I think it’s great not to have to search out food and to not go home hungry.” Temple knew that his diet was not taken into account more times than it was by friends and strangers alike.

  Smiling at them, Luke opened his shirt, soaking up the sun.

  “Is there any sunscreen lotion?” Temple would spread it on Luke himself.

  “Mmm. I’m sure there is. I’m okay, though.”

  “You’d deny me my chance to rub lotion into your beautiful skin?” And call him paranoid, but he didn’t see a need to be sitting in the sun without the proper protection.

  “What? No. I’m not interested in denying you.”

  “Then let me slather you up.”

  Donny tossed the sunscreen over. “About time someone lubed you up, Luke.”

  “Oh, that was a terrible pun.” Temple spurted a bunch of sunscreen onto his hands and began to rub it onto Luke’s chest.

  “Donny thinks he’s a fucking comedian.”

  Temple decided he didn’t like the sound of cursing from Luke’s lips. It sounded crass when his lover was so fine. If Luke were his, truly his, he would forbid it. And he was pretty sure he wanted Luke to be his. Sure it was quick, but the universe had put him right here and he’d learned to listen to it. Besides, life was fucking short. Truly fucking short.

  Temple spent his time—far longer than needed—working the lotion into Luke’s skin.

  “Temple, you’re going to make me hard,” Luke whispered.

  “Good,” he whispered right back. “I already am.”

  The sun was setting, officially making his rubbing in of lotion totally unnecessary, and the fairy lights were beginning to glow everywhere in the yard. Magical.

  A slow song came on over the speakers someone had set up and he wiped his hands on his T-shirt. “You want to dance, darling?”

  “I’d love to. I love dancing.”

  Why wasn’t he surprised?

  Standing, Temple held out his hand, and when Luke took it, he tugged Luke up against him and began moving slowly to the music. Luke moved like a dream, humming with the music, and soon the others got up, dancing in different configurations. It felt good, better than good, actually. Like a fantastic memory he wanted to repeat. A lot.

  Luke’s cheek was against his shoulder and the sensation that it was a lovely fantasy deepened. He could do this all damn night.

  Then the smell of food wafted over and Temple’s stomach growled. Loudly.

  Luke chuckled. “Food, honey?”

  “Yeah, I think that would be a good idea.” Eating vegan, especially raw, usually meant he had to graze or at least eat more often than folks who didn’t share his diet.

  “Les, can we dish up?” Luke asked. Taking care of him.

  “Everything’s ready. Help yourselves.”

  “Thanks.”

  Temple didn’t need to be told more than once at this point and he made a beeline for the table and grill at the back of the yard. He grabbed a paper plate and checked out what was available. There were potatoes and peppers, onions and squash and corn on the cob. Coleslaw and a huge fruit salad along with chicken breasts and rolls.

  He took some of everything but the chicken breast. Only the coleslaw and fruit salad were raw, but that was fine. He knew how to make do. And grilled didn’t mean all the nutrients had been boiled out of them.

  “Is there enough?” Luke asked. “Stuff you like?”

  “I’m good, darling.” It was sweet, the way Luke looked out for him.

  “I’ll figure it out, how to make things you like, for when you’re here, I mean.”

  “I might be here a lot,” he warned. His wanderlust was feeling quite absent. At the moment. Quite absent indeed.

  “I’d like that.” The words were simple, soft.

  Temple just beamed at Luke. “And I like you.” A whole lot.

  They went and sat together in their chairs again, and the food was great. Luke ate potatoes and rolls. Lord, all carbs. It was amazing the man wasn’t the size of a house with all sorts of intestinal tract problems.

  “No veggies for you, darling?” Temple asked.

  “I’m not a big vegetable eater, I guess.”

  “Not a protein eater either, huh?” He nudged their shoulders together to show he wasn’t being pushy about it. People needed to be who they were, not hounded into being what other people wanted.

  “I don’t know. I don’t think about it. I like celery.”

  Temple made a face at Luke. “Yuck.” Then winked. Luke had already heard his anti-celery stance at lunch and didn’t need a repeat. He’d bet Luke, on the other hand, would eat most anything put in front of him.

  Soon everyone joined them and they all ate together. The companionship was good for the soul.

  Luke went back twice for fruit salad, nibbling happily. Temple stole pieces of fruit from Luke’s plate—a strawberry, a piece of pineapple. Luke chuckled, offered over a bite of kiwi. He took it from Luke’s fingers, his tongue lapping at fruit, juice and skin. Luke’s soft moan made him smile. He took the fruit right in, then Luke’s fingers.

  “Be good…” whispered Luke.

  “This isn’t good?” He thought he was being very good.

  Luke moaned and leaned over, offering him a kiss. He took it, managing not to deepen it by the barest of margins. He didn’t want to embarrass Luke in front of his friends.

  “Oh, honey. It’s so good to see you trusting someone.” Marco bounced. “We worry about you.”

  Luke rolled his eyes. “Shut up, Marco.”

  Temple looked at Luke, then back at Marco, then to Luke again. There was a story there. But then he already knew that, knew that something had happened to Luke.

  “You want some more fruit, Temple?” Luke asked.

  “If you’re feeding it to me.” He was willing to let go of whatever it was if it meant he got to taste Luke’s skin again.

  “Blackberry?”

  “Anything you want to fee
d me.” He meant that, truly.

  Luke was still holding his gaze as a blackberry was pressed into his lips. Opening up, he sucked in berry and fingers.

  “Temple… You… Upstairs?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t need to be asked twice.

  “Goodnight, guys.” Luke was already up, holding a hand out to him.

  “Go, have fun. Take the fruit salad for breakfast,” Donny suggested.

  Temple pointed at Donny. “Good idea.”

  They detoured to the table to grab the bowl of fruit before heading inside, hand in hand.

  They went in, and Luke put the bowl in the fridge. “Did you have fun?”

  “I did. You have great friends.” He drew Luke close, moved them together like they were dancing again.

  “I do. They’re family.” Luke moaned happily, dancing with him.

  “Cool. Let’s stop talking about them now.” It was his only warning to Luke before he began kissing the man again.

  Luke’s laughter tasted like candy, like pleasure, the piercing on his tongue tickling. Fuck, Temple enjoyed everything about this man. Maybe more than enjoyed. They devoured each other’s mouths, swaying to music that wasn’t there.

  There needed to be nakedness, but Temple was so focused on the kisses that he couldn’t make his hands work, or honestly care right now if they never got past the kissing. Luke’s hands were hot on his back, holding him close.

  It was one of those perfect moments you wanted to hold onto. He would never forget this. This was a beginning.

  Chapter Four

  Luke had been answering questions and handling the good-natured teasing all day on his first day back after the weekend. It was Donny, though, who caught him on his break and pulled him in the office. “Okay, talk.”

  Luke didn’t need to ask what about. “He’s beat cancer. He’s vegan. I like him.”

  “Where’s he from? How long is he here for?” It looked like this was going to be quite the interrogation.

  “I don’t know.” He didn’t. It wasn’t like they both didn’t have secrets.

  “You spent your entire weekend with him and you don’t really know anything about him?”

  Luke was pretty sure Donny wasn’t trying to be a jerk.

  “I know he likes to dance and he loves vegetables, movies and long walks.”

  “Well that’s a good start,” Donny suggested, emphasizing the word start.

  Luke sat down, sighed. “There’s something about him, Don. Something I can’t explain.”

  “Something good, I take it.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I mean, he’ll move on, I know he will, but… I let him get me off.” He hadn’t even been able to get it up with Donny. Lord knew they’d tried.

  One of Donny’s eyebrows went up. “You mean you got hard for him?”

  “Uh-huh. I let him stroke me off.” More than that, but he didn’t have to share all the gory details with Donny.

  “What did he want for that?” Donny asked.

  “What?” What the hell did that mean?

  “Did he make you do something for him?”

  “Make me? What the fuck are you insinuating?”

  “Whoa, take it easy. I just meant, did you do stuff to him, too? Luke, this is very unusual territory for you. I can’t remember the last time you had a guy over. Les and Marco were buzzing about it all evening.”

  “Yeah.” He stood up, embarrassed and hurt, stomach roiling. “I’m gonna take a walk. See you later.”

  Donny called out after him. “Hey, Luke. Come on, don’t be mad.”

  “I’m cool. I’ll be back.”

  He didn’t know what to do, so he went to his car, put on his runners and hit the sidewalk, music blaring in his headphones. He received a text while he was running. It was from Temple.

  watched entire season of Game of Thrones you finished soon?

  running

  He didn’t even know if he could go home right now, he was so wigged.

  that shit’ll kill you came back to him, accompanied by a winking emoticon.

  LOL

  He put his phone back in his pocket and went until he burned, then he headed up the hill toward the shop, toward home.

  Temple was…a light. And had never once made him feel bad for what they were doing together. What he would or wouldn’t do. It was him who was fucked up. He was the one who did it wrong, who didn’t please.

  He got to the shop first, but kept going. Home wasn’t far and Temple was there. Waiting for him. He didn’t have any appointments tonight and he couldn’t face Don again.

  When he got in, Temple was in the middle of the room, sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed.

  Oh. Shh. He crept around and headed to the shower. He was drenched in sweat.

  “Darling? I hope that’s you.”

  “Yeah. Stinky. Showering.” Freaking out.

  “Oh, I’d love a shower.”

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

  “You didn’t.” Temple stood and stretched.

  “Good.” Luke headed up toward the bathroom.

  Temple followed and one hand landed on his ass.

  “Hey.” Luke jumped a little.

  “Sorry, darling, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Just tense. No worries.”

  “You do seem tense. Isn’t the running supposed to keep you from being tense?”

  “It did. Imagine how I was before.”

  “Oh, darling.” As soon as they were in the bathroom, Temple began stripping him. “Let me make you feel better.”

  “I… You’re sure?”

  Temple looked at him. “Of course I’m sure.”

  “Sorry. Sorry, Donny said some things, made me feel self-conscious.” God he was an idiot.

  “Well that’s no good. Should I go beat him up for you?” Temple asked.

  “No. You should just let me beat myself up.”

  “Now why should you beat yourself up, darling? You’re a good, beautiful man.”

  Luke didn’t have an answer to that. He guessed he shouldn’t.

  Temple got them both naked in short order and pulled him into the shower, hugging him in the flow of water. “I don’t know what he said or why you’re feeling down on yourself but don’t listen to a second of it. You’re fantastic, Luke. Like, honestly.”

  “I’m mad at Don,” Luke admitted. “He said something stupid about a sensitive subject.”

  “I’m sorry, darling. Even our good friends can be idiots sometimes, I guess.”

  “Yes.” He hated being at odds with people.

  Temple nuzzled him, grabbing the soap and beginning to touch him all over. It took a lot of those touches before the tension dissipated the rest of the way. Temple kept at it, though, worked him through it with incredible patience.

  “I’m sorry, man,” Luke said again.

  “No apologies, darling. There’s no room for them in life. Just move forward as you mean to continue.”

  “I wish. I have regrets.” He wished he’d never let anyone hurt him. He wished he’d been braver.

  “Everyone does. The trick is moving on from them and living your life for now.”

  Luke nodded, but honestly, how did anyone manage that? Like he was trying to help answer the question, Temple kissed him, mouth taking his. Luke decided that kissing Temple was infinitely better than worrying. Or being angry. Or thinking. Or anything.

  “Mmm. Oh, that’s better, darling.”

  “Yes.” It totally was. It was perfect. That was terrifying and amazing, all at once.

  Temple’s hands resumed their slippery travels over his skin as another kiss landed on his lips. He reached for Temple, letting himself focus on touching, on the way the muscles felt under that silken skin.

  “Been dreaming about your touch all day.” Temple’s voice rumbled in his chest and Luke could feel it against his palms.

  Oh, yes. He’d needed this, a connection.

  Temple’s mouth covered his in anoth
er kiss and it merged with the touches, making him tingle all over. He rested his forehead against Temple’s, staring into those fascinating eyes. He could feel Temple’s smile against his lips.

  “Thank you,” he mouthed.

  “Oh, darling, loving on you is the best thing in the world.”

  “Needed you. I was so caught up.” Luke had never had anyone who could make things better like Temple did.

  “I’m always happy to uncatch you.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  “I do too. I like the sound of you.”

  His body relaxed, pressed against Temple’s strength. Temple moaned softly for him, holding on like he was precious. That slow rocking started again, slow and easy. It highlighted how well their bodies fit together and their cocks slipped against each other. That made Temple groan and pull him closer.

  “Is this real?” Luke whispered.

  “If it’s not I don’t ever want to leave this dream or fantasy or whatever it is.”

  “Me either. Me either, please.”

  “Then we’ll stay here together,” Temple told him.

  Luke let his eyes close, let himself trust.

  Temple began to suck the water from his throat, his collarbones. His head fell back, his throat working. The sucking and licking away of water turned into sucking on his skin, enough to pull up marks.

  His nipples went tight, skin pulling around his rings. Like Temple had heard them calling, he began to play with them. He shook his head, but he didn’t mean no. He was loving it.

  Temple was learning what he loved best, too, tugging this one and twisting the other. His world was spinning and Temple was controlling the speed. His shaft swelled, touching Temple’s thigh.

  One finger found the barbell piercing his cockhead, tugged, and he went up on tiptoe.

  “Pretty and functional,” muttered Temple.

  “Functional…” He moaned deep in his chest, willing to agree to anything.

  Chuckling, Temple tugged on his lower lip, teeth sharp but not breaking the skin. His eyes went wide, hips rolling in a quick jerk. Temple’s hips met his, bringing them together.

  “Fuck.” Everything felt so big.