by Sean Michael
“Oh my God.”
Jeff stepped out, eyes huge. He’d kept his hair clipped close to the scalp, which made those eyes look big as saucers.
Rye grinned happily. Yeah, the place was amazing and well worth an exclamation or two. Two stories, stone facing, a ton of windows, and a 360-degree view of the mountains.
“If you get bored of the view from the front, you can just move to a back room.”
“Uh-huh.”
Someone was speechless. He handed Jeff a couple of the grocery bags, grabbed the rest and their bags of stuff, and headed in. “Come on, babe.” They’d picked up the key from the agent in Telluride. There would be no place to hide from the sun there—nothing but vitamin D and healing and life. Not only that, but there was a piano and Jeff had his guitar with him.
They were going to make love and make music and be. There were no cameras, no press, nothing to hide from. No fans, no worries. Just him and Jeff. He wanted Jeff to heal, to flourish. He was pretty sure that could happen there.
Jeff put his guitar down, then headed to the kitchen, dropped those bags off, and started exploring. It felt good, to see him excited. Rye put down the bags he was carrying and followed Jeff slowly, watching him explore.
There was a huge TV in the media room, a pool table, and then he headed up to the master bedroom. The master was stunning, with huge windows affording an amazing view. Jeff had a peaceful smile on his face, and he went to the window, then gasped.
“Hot tub? Outside?”
Rye stepped up behind Jeff, slid his arms around his lover. “Nice, huh?”
“It’s amazing. Completely amazing.” Jeff turned and offered his lips.
Rye took them, the kiss slowly becoming hot. Jeff tugged Rye’s coat open, pushed it off his shoulders, and Rye blinked. Look at that, his lover, taking charge. He hadn’t been sure it would ever happen, but this was a huge step forward in their relationship and, even more, in Jeff’s recovery.
It hit the floor with a thud, and Rye grinned. “You want something?”
“Thought you’d be warm.”
“You must be too, then.” He returned the favor, pushing Jeff’s jacket off.
“It’s a good house. You did a good job.”
“Thank you, baby. I thought you’d like it.” It was why he’d taken it.
His shirt was opened at the neck, and then Jeff’s lips brushed his skin there. Rye tilted his head back, letting Jeff have him. The love echoed through the caresses. Jeff’s fingers touched his skin as Jeff undid his buttons. He stayed still, letting Jeff touch him, want him.
“Love your touch.”
“I want you.”
“I’m right here. I’m yours.”
“I know.”
His shirt was eased open, and Jeff sucked gently against his nipple. Wrapping his hand around Jeff’s head, he kept him there for a moment. He could feel Jeff blinking slowly, eyelashes tickling him.
“Feels good.” His voice had gone raspy from pleasure.
“Mmmhmm. Tastes good.”
Rye slid his hands down Jeff’s back, wrapping around the sweet ass and holding their bodies together as the breath began to pant out of him. God, he wanted. It felt like it had in Iceland: like they were free.
Jeff’s fingers slid across his abs, and he tightened his muscles, making them dance for his lover. The soft moan slid across his nipple, tickling him.
That had him moaning, and he tightened his hold on Jeff’s ass, pulling him in closer. His cock, hard in his jeans, pushed against Jeff’s belly.
“Look at you, all raring to go.” Jeff pressed one hand to his cock, stroking him.
“You’re inspiring.” Sexy as all get out, and all his. Only a crazy man wouldn’t be hard.
“Can we try the bed out?”
“Yeah. We need to make sure it’ll stand up to vigorous action.”
“And hours of napping.”
Uh-huh, except not. There was going to be loving, happiness, playing in the snow. Rye backed up toward the bed, taking Jeff’s hands and encouraging him to work open Rye’s jeans. Together, they stripped off clothes, all the layers that kept them from each other.
Then he rolled them down to lie side by side, giving them both easy access to all that skin. His fingers automatically traced the tiny scars on Jeff’s back from memory. Jeff grinned for him and hummed softly.
“Happy?”
“Yeah. It’s a neat house.”
“Uh-huh.” He nibbled on Jeff’s lower lip.
Jeff pushed into his embrace, then kissed him, fucked his lips.
“Want you.” Like Jeff wouldn’t have figured it out already with the way his cock was pushing against Jeff’s skin.
“Oh, good.” There was a little snicker, a tease, and then Jeff rolled against him.
Rye rubbed and brought one hand up between them so he could pinch Jeff’s nipples.
“Be nice.”
Oh, now he knew this was nice. “I’m being very nice.” He pinched again. “These should be pierced. When you get the other ones put back in.”
Jeff shook his head, but grinned.
“Oh yeah. Then I could attach the nipple rings to the cock ring. Pretty gold chains—”
“Hush, you. I’m not kinky. I’m boring now.”
“You could be kinky. I bet you’d thrive on kinky.”
“Hush.” Jeff kissed him hard, effectively shutting him up.
He let Jeff get away with it—after all, the subject would come back up, he was sure. Rye was looking forward to it, in fact.
His tongue played with Jeff’s, his fingers lingering on those sweet nips, tugging and twisting them. Jeff moaned, panting into his kisses. Oh yeah, his baby liked it a little on the kinky side. Probably a lot on the kinky side.
That reminded him about Jeff’s little tease, about before. He’d have to get Jeff to talk. Later. Much later.
Pushing forward with his hips, Rye rubbed their cocks together. God, he was loving this new Jeff, loving the way his lover was blossoming. He was going to fight with everything in his arsenal to keep this freedom for Jeff. He knew there were options, knew Donna was looking out for Jeff’s best interests.
He wrapped his hand around Jeff’s shorn head, tilted to deepen the kiss. Rolling them, he put Jeff beneath him, rolled their hips together.
Jeff brushed his fingers against the tip of Rye’s cock.
“Oh fuck.” A jolt of pleasure shot through him. When his lover did it again, his toes curled. “Oh God, baby. Don’t tease. Please.”
“Am I teasing? I’m not.”
“Then I need more.”
Jeff’s fingers twined around the tip of his prick, twisting and squeezing. Rye humped, trying to push more of his cock into Jeff’s hand. When his lover swooped down and sucked him in, he roared.
God, yes. Yes, please.
Rye tried not to thrust, but it was too damn good and his hips let loose. Jeff took him, wrapped those lips around the base of his cock, pulling all the way. “Jeff. Jeff. Baby. Oh God.”
Jeff nudged his balls, rolled them.
Rye slid his cock along Jeff’s tongue. The suction was fierce, keeping Rye in. “Feels so good, babe. Gonna make me come.”
Jeff’s answer was a long, low moan. It vibrated around his cock, making him jerk, making his balls draw up tight.
“Gonna make me come,” he warned Jeff. All that earned him was harder suction. “Fuck!” He bucked, hips humping into Jeff’s mouth. His entire body clenched, balls tight and hard. “Gonna!” It was all the warning he got out before he shot, pouring himself into Jeff’s mouth.
Oh fuck. Fuck. He braced himself, tried to remember how to breathe through the pleasure. Wave after wave of pleasure moved through him, and when it was done, he lay bonelessly on the bed, breathing hard. Jeff’s head rested on his belly, the short hairs tickling him.
He stroked Jeff’s head, fingers rubbing. “Mmm. Thank you, baby.”
Jeff nodded, rubbed his cheek against Rye’s skin. “Was go
od.”
“You might need to give me a minute to reciprocate.” He wasn’t sure his limbs were working yet.
“After a nap, Rye. I’m sleepy.”
He chuckled. “So am I.” He needed to get them under the blankets, in the warmth, but he was so sleepy. He grabbed the edge of the comforter and dragged it half over them. Good enough.
Petting Jeff’s head, he murmured, “Love you,” before drifting off.
JEFF SLEPT for hours, then woke up cold. He left Rye wrapped in the covers and found his clothes, headed downstairs to see if he could figure out the fireplace.
This place really was amazing, and he could hardly believe he and Rye were there, totally on their own.
The fireplace was natural gas and came with instructions, so he managed, curling up with a blanket.
He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew, there was a soft touch tickling his cheek and the smell of chocolate.
“Rye?” He snuggled in, smiled. “I turned the fire on.”
“Yeah, it’s cozy down here. I made hot chocolate. With mini marshmallows.” Rye handed him the cup. Jeff stood and offered to let Rye sit. There was room for them both. After sitting, Rye tugged him down onto his lover’s lap.
He settled in, sipping his cocoa. “Is it morning?” Life was so random these days.
“No, it’s, like, nine o’clock. Now that we’re settled here, we should try to get a schedule back. You do well with schedules.”
He nodded. It was weird, living with nothing to anchor him. That was what Rye did, helped him be real.
“Did you see the pool yet?”
“No. I came down, started the fire, and fell right back to sleep.”
Chuckling, Rye nuzzled his cheek. “It’s just like the one back home. So we can swim.”
“Oh yeah? I love swimming.”
“I know.” Rye pointed to his hot chocolate. “I also know you love those silly little marshmallows.”
“I do. I know they’re goofy, but they make me happy.”
“And that makes me happy.”
“It’s good.” Jeff hummed and sipped, the liquid heating him.
“Yeah.” Rye leaned in and licked his lower lip. “It’s really good.”
“Is it going to snow again?” He’d never lived anywhere with snow.
“It’ll snow a lot while we’re here. I meant it about teaching you to ski. And snowboard and making snowmen and shit.” Rye grinned and pressed closer. “Of course, we’ll be snowed in a lot.”
“We’ll have enough food for you?”
“Oh, we’ll keep an eye on the weather, make sure we go in and get supplies before we get snowed in.”
“Okay. I trust you.” He wasn’t worried. He couldn’t use if he was trapped in the snow.
“I know you do.” Rye rubbed against him, taking the hot chocolate from his fingers and setting it on the coffee table. “I have your best interests at heart.”
Jeff knew that. He believed it.
“There’s a place in Denver I trust to get your piercings done.” Rye tweaked one of his nipples. “We’ll get these done at the same time.”
“We will? I….” He’d loved getting the first piercings. Loved it.
“Something new for us.”
He pondered the idea of new rings and caught himself humming.
Rye smiled, traced Jeff’s lips with one finger. “You like the idea.”
“I liked the rings. I used to like them, I mean.”
“You keep trying to make like you aren’t kinky anymore, and I have to admit, I’m not entirely buying it.”
“I’m not.” He didn’t want to talk about it.
Rye shook his head. “Liar.”
He shrugged. Maybe he was kinky. Maybe he wasn’t.
“Are you worried about my reaction if you admit it?”
“That was another life. Hell, that was a lot of lives ago. That person isn’t alive anymore.”
“No, but you are. And it’s safe to want things, baby.”
“I think I’m just going to be boring right now.”
“As long as you’re not sleeping your life away.”
He didn’t answer. He hadn’t decided yet.
Rye bit at Jeff’s right nipple, teeth sharp.
“Hey!” He jerked, almost losing his seat.
Lapping and sucking, Rye soothed the hurt. Jeff’s nipple ached, burned a little. Then Rye blew, the wet making his nipple cold. Jeff shivered, his skin seeming to tighten up. Lord, Rye made him feel things.
“I never got to reciprocate earlier.” Rye moved to his other nipple, licking it with long drags of his tongue.
“I was sleepy.”
Sucking in his nipple, Rye tugged on it.
Jeff arched, eyelids going heavy, but he wasn’t sleepy now. Rye’s teeth threatened, and then bit, but not as sharply as they had his other nipple. Or maybe he’d just been waiting for it this time. It still felt like electricity shot through him.
Humming, Rye increased the sensation. Jeff swore his nipples and cock were attached when Rye did that. His lips opened, and he panted. The burn was crazy, perfect.
Rye looked up, eyes meeting his, full of heat and need. He held the gaze, breath coming faster, heart rate speeding. Rye very deliberately leaned in, teeth wrapping around his nipple and then pressing into his flesh in another bite.
“Oh sweet fuck.” He was going to come.
The bite turned back into suction, rougher this time, and each pull of Rye’s mouth landed right in his balls. He wanted to jack himself off, but on the other hand, he didn’t. Kissing his skin, Rye slowly moved down his chest toward his belly.
“No. No, please. Don’t stop.”
“I’m not stopping, baby.”
“No. No, Rye. My nipples. Please.”
Rye smiled and kissed his way back up to the right nipple, beginning to gnaw on it. Jeff arched and started rubbing, rocking against Rye.
“Definitely getting you nipple rings.”
“Don’t stop.”
Rye licked. Twice. “Gonna tug and twist them.”
“Rye!” He was going to scream.
Rye bit at just the tip. Jeff shot so hard his balls hurt, the world spun.
“Just from your nips. Oh, baby. So hot.”
He nodded, head bobbing lazily on his shoulders. Rye shifted away and then came back with some Kleenex and wiped him clean. Jeff snuggled in, humming as he breathed against Rye’s skin.
“That was sexy, baby. You are sexy.” Rye’s fingers slid on his skin, stroking idly.
“Can we have something to eat? Maybe some cheese?”
“Hungry. I like that. You want a cheese sandwich or cheese and crackers? Some hummus?”
“Cheese and crackers. Are there grapes?”
“Uh-huh.” Rye stood, stretched.
Jeff grabbed the mugs and followed along, knees trembling. Rye nuzzled him, then sat him at the kitchen table, the chairs more comfortable than they looked. He curled into the chair and pulled his legs up under his chin. Rye put together a tray: cheese and crackers, grapes and strawberries.
“You’re good at that. You could be a caterer.” A giant bodyguard caterer.
Chuckling, Rye began putting together a pair of smoothies. “Me? A caterer? I’m only interested in feeding you.”
“You could. You make plates nice.”
“I don’t think I’d enjoy having to make a lot of them, though.”
“No?” Jeff couldn’t help but wonder what he was going to do. Would he go back on tour? What would he do without Roach and Brandy? If he didn’t, would Rye leave?
“I’ll put it on the list of things I can do, though.” It was quiet while Rye buzzed up the smoothies. Then they were added to the tray. “Okay. You want to eat by the fire? Oh! I bought the stuff we need for s’mores.” Rye went back to the cupboards.
“I’ll never eat this much.” Rye was so excited, though.
“It’s all nibble-as-you-go food—you can take as much time
as you need eating.” Rye added a bag of marshmallows, graham crackers, and a chocolate bar to the tray, along with skewers.
“I’ll get the smoothies.” Jeff sipped. Raspberry. It was brighter than the strawberry, a little tarter. Yum.
Rye leaned over and sucked on the straw of one. “They’re good. The chair by the fire?”
“Yeah. It’s big enough for two.”
Rye put the tray down on the little table next to the chair, then sat, hands reaching for him. Jeff sat, relaxed, stupidly happy for the time being.
They took turns feeding each other. Little bits of cheese, a bite of cracker. Then a kiss, followed by the bright sweetness of some grapes. It was the best way to eat. Rye ate way more than he did, but that was okay, Rye was a giant. They finished most of the crackers and all the cheese.
Then Rye demonstrated the s’mores. “You cook the marshmallow over the fire. But first you need to get the graham crackers and the chocolate ready for the hot sugar.”
“My mom made them in the microwave.”
“They taste better over an open flame.” Rye looked at him sideways. “You miss her? I mean, I know she hates what you do—did—but do you miss her from before that became a factor?”
“No. I don’t miss anyone.” Except Jim. And he would miss Roach, but Jim…. Jim was supposed to be better than him.
“I would miss you if I didn’t get to see you anymore. Desperately.”
“Do you think you’ll get another job?”
“Are you firing me?”
“Never.”
“Then I don’t have to worry about whether or not I need another job.”
“Oh, good.” He didn’t point out that Donna was Rye’s boss, not him. He didn’t care. He needed Rye to stay.
Rye gave him a look. “Can I tell you something? I’m not leaving you, job or no.”
“Promise? Because… I love you, really.”
Rye stared at him for a long moment, then put Jeff on his feet. Before he could say anything, Rye was down on one knee in front of him. “Will you marry me?”
“Rye?” Oh. Oh, man.
“I love you, and I want to be with you forever. So will you marry me?”
Jeff nodded. Someone wanted to marry him. Someone he loved too. “You mean it? Like for real?”
“I don’t make shit up, baby, you know that. Come on. Don’t leave me hanging here.”
