by Shea Balik
“I had a really great time with you today,” Lowen said as they stepped down onto the sidewalk. “I hate for it to end. Would you consider walking with me for a while? Maybe around the square a few hundred times?” Lowen asked with so much hope in his voice, it gave Blue the courage he’d been looking for.
“Actually, I rent an apartment just past the square with a little balcony that overlooks the garden. I thought maybe you’d like…”
“Yes,” Lowen blurted out before Blue could even finish.
They both laughed but it didn’t feel awkward at all. If anything, it was like they’d known each forever, instead of just one day. Well, technically two, since they met yesterday. Still, it was natural to tug Lowen in the direction of his apartment, their conversation from the restaurant not even missing a beat.
It was strange, yet not. Sweet, yet weird. Natural, yet unfamiliar. Blue had never been with anyone who he could just… be. Be with. Be himself. Be funny. Be flirty. Be shy. Be any and all feelings, yet never once feeling as if Lowen thought less of him for having them.
What was even more surreal, he could feel the same emotions coming from Lowen. He was so unlike any of the men Blue had dated in the past. For once, Blue felt like his date was being his true self, instead of an unfeeling robot.
As he opened the door to his one bedroom apartment, for the first time in his adult life – and really most of his childhood – he felt like he was coming home. Not so much to a place, but still, it was where he belonged, because of who was beside him.
Which was why, he had the guts to shut the door and kiss Lowen for all he was worth.
CHAPTER 8
Bliss.
That was all Lowen felt the moment Blue dove into him for a kiss. The one they’d had earlier in Blue’s shop was nothing compared to this as their tongues slid together, both of them frantic with need. The taste of Blue underneath the burger and beers they’d shared was just as delicious as Lowen had imagined he’d be.
Hands started to roam as if they had a will of their own for both of them. Clothes were being taken off in a rush to get to skin. As Lowen lifted Blue’s shirt, refusing to deal with all those buttons, he let his fingertips drag along soft skin.
A shiver went through Blue at the touch, and Lowen felt like a king. He’d elicited that response from Blue. Him. No one else. Thankfully, he had managed to get the first two buttons undone before giving up, allowing him to tug the material over Blue’s head.
Groaning at the sight of all that pale, creamy skin, Lowen’s mouth watered for a taste. Unable to help himself, Lowen licked a strip of bared skin along Blue’s collarbone, then went back and kissed the same trail.
Soft lips were kissing a path along his neck as Blue undid Lowen’s pants, reminding Lowen he still had more clothes to remove before he could see all of Blue. It was just so hard to take his hands and mouth from the man’s supple flesh. Only the knowledge there was far more of it under those pants gave him the ability to draw a path down Blue’s taut abdomen to the button of his pants.
He smiled at the thought of those yellow pants from the night before. He would bet money that Blue had already given them to charity just so he wouldn’t be forced to wear them again. His poor Blue. They’d talked enough for Lowen to understand that all Blue had ever wanted was to fade into the background, instead of being forced into the limelight by his overbearing mother.
If only Blue understood there was no way someone as gorgeous as he was could ever go unnoticed. No matter how unassuming his clothes were.
Blue was someone who was meant to shine without any effort at all. Clothes, hairstyles, even tattoos like Lowen had, wouldn’t make a difference to someone like Blue. He had a way about him that others were just attracted to. Even some of his friends, Blue had admitted to not completely understanding how or why they were friends, since he hadn’t sought them out.
His soon-to-be lover had trouble believing others could sense his true nature. That he was genuine, honest, and caring. Those were attributes not enough people had in the world.
He slid down the zipper on Blue’s jeans, which he only had worn to prove to his mother he had more than just khaki pants. Lowen smiled against the warmth of Blue’s skin as he pushed the pants down over his hips. When he got them that far, Blue wiggled until the material dropped.
Then Lowen did the same for his own pants. The moment he stepped out them, he rubbed up against Blue, loving the way their bodies moved together as if they were completely in sync. The only things blocking his way from touching every sexy inch of Blue were their underwear.
As if the thought came into their heads at the same time, they each took a step back and shoved the fabric off. For Blue, it was cute a set of boxers with little rainbow flags on them. Lowen couldn’t help but grin as he teased, “I thought you said everything you wore was boring and plain.”
He nearly swallowed his tongue when sure enough, a blush spread out along Blue’s chest before not only heading up his throat and into his cheeks, but down over his belly as well. “Fuck me,” he whispered.
His tongue came out to lick his lips. The desire to trace the path of the soft pink everywhere it touched was too damn strong and Lowen dropped to his knees. His hands went to Blue’s hips to pull him closer as he leaned in, letting his lips brush across his body from hip to hip.
The warmth of Blue’s flushed skin sent shivers of need through Lowen’s body. Wanting more, he flicked out his tongue and repeated the same trail he’d taken with his lips. “So damn sweet,” he murmured.
Fingers threaded through the strands of his hair as Blue reached down. He didn’t push Lowen in any direction, just held on as if he needed the support to keep from falling. A tinge of sweat mixed with Blue’s natural flavor, growing stronger the further he worked his way down his flat stomach to the treasure trail that led to Lowen’s prize.
The head of Blue’s cock was red, a deeper shade then the one he’d seen on Blue’s face when he was embarrassed, but still just as pretty. Tilting his head down, he kissed the tip. A moan of need erupted from them both.
Lowen loved the heat radiating from Blue’s rigid flesh. Wrapping a hand around the stalk, he held all that warmth for himself. “Perfect,” he whispered.
Then he licked his way down, making sure to slap his tongue against the bundle of nerves under the head and pressing along the vein that ran to the base. As good as that was, Lowen wanted more.
Opening his mouth, he took Blue’s cock into his mouth. He had gotten about halfway down when Blue suddenly pulled hard on his hair and yelled, “Stop. God, please, stop.”
Lowen looked up to find those blue eyes were glowing as the turquoise took over all the other blues. “I don’t want to come like this.” Blue shook his head, then nodded, then shook it again. “I mean, I do, just not this time. I want you inside of me first.”
Now that was something Lowen could get on board with. They had all night, or the morning if needed, for him to suck Blue off. Lowen reached for his pants and pulled the condom and packet of single use lube out. “Do you want to do this in the bedroom, or right here?” he asked suggestively.
Bedrooms were fine. But he had to admit, tonight, there was something about seeing the raw need in Blue’s eyes that made him want to pin him to the wall and fuck him silly.
Blue surprised, and delighted him when that blush crept up into his face again before saying, “Would you think less of me if I said right here?”
Ripping the packet of lube open, Lowen poured some onto his fingers. “Turn around, put your hands on the wall and stick that pert ass out for me,” Lowen ordered, his voice husky with anticipation and excitement. Finally, he found someone who was as adventurous as he was, or at least he hoped that was the case.
It would never be a deal breaker, but Lowen wasn’t exactly the ‘have to wait until he was in bed to have sex’ kind of guy. It was one of the reasons many of his hook-ups had been in clubs. No bed. Not that doing it up against a wall was exactly adventu
rous but it was a start. A good one.
He dug the fingers of one hand into the muscles of that tight ass in front of him, loving the way Blue moaned and pushed out into his touch. He even spread his legs more when Lowen’s slick fingers traced along his crack to give him more room.
When he reached that tight pink pucker, Lowen couldn’t help but push against the tight ring of muscles. That was when he got the greatest sound he thought he ever heard, Blue whimpering. “Don’t tease,” Blue begged when Lowen continued to play, trying to pull more of those noises from his lover.
“I need you too much,” Blue begged.
That was all Lowen wanted to hear. “Then you’ll have me.” Since he had every intention of seeing Blue – a lot – Lowen would have plenty of time to explore as they got to know each other. But he had to admit, like Blue, he was just as anxious to get inside that tight ass.
Not wanting to hurt Blue, he started by pushing one finger into him. Lowen’s eyes nearly rolled back in his head as he felt all that tight heat surrounding him. Fuck, he was so going to enjoy getting his dick into Blue.
With that thought in mind, he added another finger, sinking them to the second knuckle. Scissoring them, to open Blue even faster, he made sure to brush against Blue’s sweet spot a time or two as he prepped him.
But he still had those delicious pale globes in front of him that were causing Lowen’s mouth to water. So as he continued to loosen Blue for his cock, Lowen leaned in and licked a stripe along one cheek. Then he bit down.
The sweet groan of pleasure Blue gave him had him wanting to do so many wicked things to his body. But neither of them were going to last long enough to make any of those things happen this round. Instead, he gave the other cheek the same treatment as he slid in another finger.
“Now, Lowen. I’m good, just fuck me.” Blue’s voice was breathless as his hips continued to rock backward as if fucking himself on Lowen’s digits.
Taking the man at his word, Lowen stood and ripped open the condom with his teeth. Tugging his hand free, his prick throbbed at the deep throaty protest that came from Blue. “It’s okay, Blue. I’ve got you.”
And Lowen did. Rolling on the condom, Lowen gritted his teeth against the pleasure at the sensation of his own hand sliding down his length as he slicked himself up. He wasn’t about to blow his load with his own hand when he was about to enter heaven.
“Hurry,” Blue pleaded.
Not one to disappoint, Lowen nudged up against that tight hole. He placed a gentle kiss on Blue’s shoulder. “Ready?” he asked even though he knew the answer.
“God yes,” Blue shouted even as he pushed back onto Lowen’s dick.
Lowen gripped one of Blue’s shoulders and his opposite hip, then thrust hard, going deep. “Fuck,” he shouted as the most perfect pressure wrapped around his length, the muscles along Blue’s channel rippling, sucking him until his balls were pressed against that pert ass.
“Please tell me I can move,” he begged through clenched teeth as he waited for Blue to adjust to him. He damn well knew Blue wasn’t ready, but he couldn’t help begging anyway. The ecstasy was too damn intense to not want more.
When he felt those muscles gripping him like a fucking vise start to relax, Lowen found the ability to take his first real breath since pushing inside Blue. Soon Blue would be ready for him to move and then Lowen could give them both the pleasure they craved.
“Okay,” Blue said, his body already starting to thrust back to fuck himself on Lowen.
That caused him to smile. It was good to know Blue wouldn’t be afraid to take what he needed. Lowen wasn’t a selfish lover, but he preferred it when his partner participated. Apparently, with Blue, that wasn’t something he was going to have worry about.
Pulling back until just the tip was still embedded into Blue’s hole, Lowen pushed forward. He started off slowly, wanting to savor the feel of Blue wrapped around him, but that didn’t have a chance in hell of lasting long. All too soon he was slamming into Blue.
His grip on the man was the only thing stopping Blue from being flattened against the wall from the force of his thrusts.
“That’s it,” Blue yelled. “Fuck my ass with that big cock.”
Smiling at the dirty words, Lowen leaned forward as he continued his pace. He licked a path along Blue’s neck, sending a shiver along his lover’s spine, then whispered, “Does someone like me fucking him?”
“Yes, yes, oh God, yes,” Blue chanted as their bodies crashed together over and over again.
Nothing about their lovemaking was sweet, soft, or gentle. It was more like an out of the mind, needy, explosion of raw sex. That didn’t mean Lowen didn’t want to take Blue to bed the moment they were done and cuddle the shit out of him.
How could he not want that? Blue was fucking perfect for him. If he had his way, they would be together for a very long time. Hell, it would take years for Lowen to do all the things he wanted to this amazing body. Then there were all the things he wanted Blue to do to him.
When he felt tingling at the base of his spine and his balls start to draw up to his body, Lowen wanted to curse. He didn’t want this to end. Yet, there was no way he was going to be able to deny his body’s demands.
“I’m gonna… Lowen… I…” Blue didn’t get anything else out as his body clamped down on Lowen’s cock. He threw his head back, landing on Lowen’s shoulder, giving Lowen the perfect view as ropes of pearly white seed sprayed from his body, painting the wall before them.
Too far gone, Lowen’s own orgasm barreled through him. He thrust hard once more into Blue, then froze, his fingers digging into the flesh of Blue’s hips, most likely leaving bruises behind. He filled the condom, as he wished for the first time in his life that he didn’t have to wear the damn thing.
That freaked him out more than a little, so Lowen forced the thoughts from his mind and paid attention to the bliss that left him weak as he leaned over Blue, who was being held up by the wall at the moment.
“Fuck, that was good,” Blue said in between pants.
“Can’t wait for round two,” Lowen told him to let Blue know he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Maybe a nap first,” Blue suggested.
If it meant holding this amazing man, Lowen agreed wholeheartedly. He wasn’t sure he was ever going to want to let him go again.
CHAPTER 9
“I can’t believe you made me come in this place just to see you.”
It had been a week since that fateful engagement party where Blue met Lowen. Seven days of dates, kissing, sex, holding hands, talking on the phone, sexting and sex. Did he already mention that? During that time, Blue wore a permanent smile that everyone noticed and commented on.
Thursday, he’d been invited out with a group of the guys when Lowen got stuck working and wouldn’t get off until ten. He’d been surprised when David, Nolan, Andrew, and Shine came into The Cozy Knit as he as closing and insisted he come with them to Group Therapy, a local bar on the square.
Touched that they wanted to include him, Blue had gone and made even more friends as the group they met was quite large. He hadn’t remembered the last time he’d just gone out with friends to have a good time. Usually, he was so busy with the store, he refused, but this time he’d been so disappointed he wouldn’t get to see Lowen, Blue had decided to give it a try.
Thankfully, he hadn’t gotten too drunk, because just as he was getting ready to head home, Lowen had shown up. They’d spent every night together, which, admittedly, was probably a bit much since they’d only started dating, but Blue just didn’t care.
He was having a blast.
Well… until his mother walked into The Cozy Knit with a scowl on her face and thunderclouds circling her head. Clearly, she wasn’t happy he hadn’t been returning her calls, but he just didn’t want her to ruin anything between him and Lowen.
He should have known ignoring her was never going to work. His mom wasn’t one who would allow that. Blue was more than a little surp
rised it had taken her a whole week to track him down.
Feeling a little mean about the way she was looking around his store as if it might infect her in some way, Blue stated, “It’s not like the yarn is going to jump out and infect you with old age, Mother.”
Based on the look of sheer horror on her face, she hadn’t considered that a possibility until he’d said something. “Oh my God.” If it were possible, she actually made herself smaller, just to ensure she wouldn’t accidently brush up against something. “I have to get out of this place before someone sees me and thinks I’ve lost all will to live.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic, Mother?” He gestured to the four or five people milling about the store, only one of which was over the age of sixty. The rest were all in their twenties or thirties. “There are plenty of people in here that are younger than you and they don’t seem to be on death’s door.”
She didn’t even glance at any of them, instead she was doing her best to inch her way back toward the door without touching anything. Not that there was much chance of that. It wasn’t as if Blue kept merchandise in the way of the door. Still, the way she was taking incremental steps, it was as if she were worried about landmines blowing her right into old age.
“I want you to come shopping with me,” his mom sort of demanded. The sort of was because she was so busy trying to make sure she didn’t touch anything, her tone turned into more of a question than a demand, which he was fairly sure wasn’t how she’d meant to phrase it.
To add to her fears, Shine strolled in with a huge grin on his face. Since Shine didn’t normally come in any more than his mother did, Blue could only assume Shine saw Apple and decided to see if he could make an already bad situation worse.
Ignoring Shine for now, Blue addressed his mother’s request. “Mom, I can’t leave. I don’t have anyone to cover the store.”
