And all of that was thanks to Dante.
“Good work, Juke! A tenth of a second better than your personal best!”
I fist pumped. “How did I do? What place did I get?”
“Second. It’s an awesome victory.”
Second? My stomach did a somersault. What did that mean? I didn’t care about coming second or third or second to last, but that didn’t change one important fact...
I turned my head to the right, trying to see Neal Hewitt, but all I saw was the water dripping from him as he pulled himself out of the pool. “Who came first?” I asked, not wanting to know the answer as I started to pull myself out of the water. “Who beat me, Vicki?”
“...fucking fixed...”
I overheard the words from Neal as I climbed out, and then I saw someone far more important. Dante was there by my side, grinning from ear to ear as he took me in his arms, not caring about the fact that I was soaking wet or the fact that everyone could see us. It felt so good to be held by him in that moment and all I did was wrap my arms around him, still breathing heavy as I let his strength wash over me.
“He is not going to let that drop for a while,” Dante said into my ear, and I could hear the laughter in his voice.
“What?” I pushed away and met his eyes. “What’s going on?”
Dante turned to Vicki. “Didn’t you tell him?” He laughed. “Neal Hewitt came fourth. Third place went to James Landry, you were in second and first was Mickey Singh. Neal’s saying he didn’t hear the starter’s gun, but he was in the water at the same time as the rest of you.”
I shook my head. “That’s... Where are Mickey and Jimmy? I need to congratulate—”
There was a tap on my shoulder, and when I turned around there was Jimmy with a big grin on his face. “Good race, man. I was this close behind you.” He pinched his fingers apart a hair as he held them up to me.
I laughed and pulled him in to join our hug, not caring about the public display of affection. The fact he’d beaten Neal was the icing on a very sweet cake. “Good race yourself. I’m going to have to watch out for you, aren’t I?”
“Better believe it,” he said, narrowing his eyes like we were rivals, but I didn’t care. Sooner or later, someone younger would take my place. If that was going to be Jimmy Landry, then I wasn’t going to be upset about that.
AFTER THE WINNER WAS officially announced and everyone had calmed down, I headed out to the changing room alone, feeling elated from the win, for sure, but that day had been about more than swimming or competing. As I turned under the shower, I took a deep breath and thought about how things had changed for me. Dante and I were a thing. He didn’t care about being affectionate with me in public. OK, Vicki Wright was my coach now, but that was probably for the best. In that way, he had been absolutely right – mixing business with pleasure was a bad idea. Deep down, I knew that. And now that we were no longer working together there was no reason for us to hold back on our feelings.
It was a freeing thought, and I found myself getting hard as the hot water splashed against my back. A little shiver traversed my spine and I grinned, imagining Dante there with me in the shower.
“Jukie.”
I opened my eyes, then closed them again, wincing. “Fuck. Shower gel. Ow.” I craned my neck, washing the soap out of my eyes. “What do you want, Nick?”
“Oh, Nick now is it?”
“When you cause me pain, it’s Nick,” I joked. “But seriously, how long can I keep calling you Dante if we’re in a relationship?”
He laughed. “OK, you can call me whatever you like. But for the record, I kind of like the respect inherent in being called Dante.” There was a pause. “Mr Dante, if you like.”
“Oh, hell no. This isn’t going to turn into some sort of student-teacher fantasy is it?”
“No.”
“Good, because I don’t think I could handle that.” I opened my eyes, blinking to try to clear them of any remaining soap. “What are you even doing in here?”
“Just came to see if you could use some company...”
“Oh...” It took me a moment to realise what he meant, then I raised my voice. “Oh!”
He laughed. “You don’t have to if you don’t—”
“No, I do!” I opened the shower curtain to find him standing there, naked except for a pair of black boxer shorts, and handsome enough to make me weak at the knees. The way his thigh muscles strained at the fabric of the shorts, the way they stretched over a very obvious, tantalising bulge, the way his stomach muscles rippled... I swallowed against the dryness in my mouth. “Take those off then,” I said, grinning as I bit into my bottom lip and watching the bulge grow at my words.
I didn’t look away as he stripped off the shorts, enjoying the view as his cock was uncovered. It sprang and quivered as he glanced around to make sure no one was coming in, dropping the shorts on top of a hastily discarded pile that I knew was his. I had to stifle a laugh as he turned back to me, earning me a raised eyebrow, but I shook my head and told him it was nothing.
“I brought some optional extras,” he said, reaching into a bag under the bench and pulling out a sealed condom packet and a bottle of lube, and turning bright red as he looked back at me. “Not that we have to...”
“Why, Mr Dante, so presumptuous,” I said in my best mocking tone, but couldn’t hide the grin as I nodded. “Are you sure though?”
“I’m ready if you are.”
“Get in here,” I said, and as soon as he was close enough I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside with me.
Dante didn’t waste any time pushing me up against the wall of the shower. As he leaned into me, pressing his lips to mine, our naked bodies crushed together. I felt the firmness of his muscled torso as the shower water splashed and cascaded over our heads, over our shoulders. His cock collided with mine, pushing both upwards between us, and I moved up and down to create some friction, moaning into the kiss as his hands moved down behind me, grabbing my bottom and pulling me in closer.
I ran my fingers into his hair, pushing it out of the way of his eyes as I kissed him.
“I like when you take control,” I whispered, and he grinned.
“Really?”
I nodded. “I feel safe with you.” Reaching down between us as our lips moved together, I cupped his balls and massaged the underside of his cock with my palm. He gasped, his breath quickening as he slipped a finger down to my asshole, tickling me there and making me shiver in response.
There was no mistaking my body’s reaction to him, as my stomach and pelvis clenched in response. Gasping a breath, I pulled away from our kiss, dotting my lips over his jaw, his throat, then moving to his ear.
“I want you inside me,” I whispered. “Please. I want to feel you.”
I turned under the water, placing my hands on the wall of the shower, struggling to breathe under the steamy water as I lowered myself down, spreading my legs a little and displaying myself to Dante. I turned my head, closing my eyes as the shower water dripped from my eyebrows, turning my voice into a splutter as I spoke: “Please, Dante.”
His fingers ran down my back, making me shiver, his hand cupping my ass, reaching down underneath to trail a fingertip over my balls. If it was possible, I got even harder at his touch and the squelchy sound as he spread lube over his cock.
“This is going to be cold,” he warned, but gave me no time to brace before I felt it. Lube trickled in between my ass cheeks as he drizzled it generously, and I was grateful for that. This was going to be my first time, and I didn’t know what to expect, except I’d seen the size of Dante’s cock, and I knew it wasn’t going to fit easily. “Beautiful,” he muttered, before I felt a fingertip spreading lube around my asshole.
When he pressed his finger inside, I gasped at the sensation, getting a mouthful of shower water in the process. “Ohhh...” I moaned, trying to relax my muscles and let him in further. A slight movement of his digit sent a shiver up my spine that made my balls draw up
tight, and made me huff. “Fuck.”
“You like that, huh?”
I nodded and he leaned forward until I felt his lips against my shoulder blades. “Please, Dante. I want you.”
“Are you sure you’re ready? You feel tight even against my finger.”
“We’ll work it out.”
“OK.” He kissed my neck, then pulled his finger out. A second later I felt bigger pressure against my asshole and tried to relax. He worked his cock over and around the hole, his fingers grabbing and massaging the flesh of my buttocks, making me shiver with delight before he gently started to push inside.
I won’t say that it was comfortable. It wasn’t. But it was a sensation. I felt every inch of his cock as he entered me that first time, and even with the lube easing the way it was tight and difficult, needing me to move in order to adjust to his size. I gasped as he went past the barrier and sank forward, swearing under my breath as I clung to the wall, feeling his hands on my waist.
Dante moved out a little, then forward, and my jaw dropped open as he hit my sweet spot, massaging my prostate with the head of his cock. Electricity jolted through every nerve in my body, forcing my eyes closed as I huffed out a breath, my cock spasming. I reached down and ran sensitive fingers over the head of my cock, masturbating as he fucked me from behind. “Fuck, fuck, fuck...”
“You want me to stop?”
I shook my head. “Fuck, no...” A mewl broke through my lips as I touched myself. “More. Oh, Jesus...”
He kissed the back of my neck, leaning in further behind me and increasing the sensation of pressure in my ass. As he moved, I clenched my muscles and heard him groan in response. I ran my own hand up and down my cock, bringing myself closer to release.
“I’m almost there,” I gasped. “Go faster.”
Dante did as I said, pounding me harder and faster as I heard his breathing start to heighten. He was getting there too. Oh, how glorious to both orgasm together this first time. I moaned with the effort of holding back, waiting for any sort of sign that he was about to tip over the edge.
I didn’t have to wait long.
His voice rose in pitch as he moaned, his fingers tightening on my waist, and I knew that he was going to leave marks there. I wanted them. I wanted to look at them and know that they were from our first time.
“Should I pull out?” His voice sounded desperate. “Jukie?”
The sound of my name like that sent me toppling, and I just managed to shake my head and blurt out, “No,” before I fell over into my own orgasm, my whole body clenching as I shot my load. At the same time, I felt Dante quiver, stilling for a moment before he let go of his inhibitions and came inside me. I gasped under the water, straightening up a little as I enjoyed the moment, struggling to breathe in the heat and the steam.
As I started to soften, I felt the glorious release of pressure as Dante pulled out of me. Then I turned, wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in close, angling his head down to press my lips against his.
That moment required no words. It was too perfect already. Having Dante in my arms, knowing that what came next would be every bit as exciting as the road that led to this moment, was all I needed.
He was mine. And I was his. And we had the rest of our lives to explore.
Epilogue 1: One Month Later
“And you must be Nick.” My mum smiled as she looked past me in the doorway and they greeted each other. Then she turned to me. “I can see what you see in him. Come on through.”
There had been a part of me that was worried about this first meeting between them, that my mum might give Dante a hard time about the way he had upset me before, but I should have known that there was no need. She supported me. She loved me. She had made those things abundantly clear when I’d spoken to her the day of the swimming race. She wanted me to be happy, and Dante made me happy.
“Nice to meet you, Mrs Henderson.”
Mum laughed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Please don’t call me that. Mel is fine.”
Dante grinned. “Mel it is then.”
I turned and wrapped my arm into his, pulling him in for a kiss, and when I turned back my mum was smiling. “I’m glad you’ve both found your happy ending.”
The smell of the barbecue hit my nostrils as soon as we stepped inside, and I could hear children laughing as they played in the back yard. It was my half-sister, Violet’s, birthday, and the first function Dante and I had been to as a couple.
“You two go on through and say hello, I need to get some more sausages out of the fridge.”
I leaned in and hugged her. “It’s good to see you, Mum.”
She hugged me back, then turned to Dante. “Tell Ali if you have any dietary needs, Nick. He’s doing a separate veggie barbecue so there’s no cross-contamination. And help yourselves to drinks.”
“Thanks.” Dante tried to smile, but I could tell he was nervous. The whole thing was a bigger deal for him than it was for me – he wasn’t just coming out as being in a same-sex relationship, he was also meeting my family for the first time while doing so. He stuck close to me as we headed through the rest of the house and out into the yard.
Ali, my stepfather, turned our way when we stepped out of the back door, and a big grin spread over his face. “Hey, Juke, my man. How’s the swimming?”
I laughed. “It’s good. This is Nick.”
Ali nodded at Dante. “Nick. Not going to lie, it’s good to see Juke having a life outside work.”
I rolled my eyes, grinning.
A few other faces from the neighbourhood, people I vaguely recognised as parents of other kids my sister’s age, were sat around on garden furniture, eating hot dogs and burgers while the children played. As soon as she spotted me, Violet ran over and threw her arms around my waist. She was twelve years old, but clearly not too grown up for a hug from her big brother. I wrapped my own arms around her shoulders and squeezed until she laughed, complaining I was squashing her, then I turned and took Dante’s hand in mine.
“Violet, this is Nick, but I call him Dante and you can too. Don’t tell Mum or Dad.”
“I won’t. Are you in love?”
I laughed, and Dante did too. Then he turned to face me, eyes meeting, and I drew a sharp breath. “I am,” I said.
“Me too.” Dante’s grin flashed, before Violet pulled us back to reality.
“Do you want to see my new bike?”
I let go of Dante’s hand and nodded. “Sure. Can Dante come with us?”
“It’s OK,” he said, putting his hand on my back. “You go be with your sister. I’m going to mingle.”
“You’re sure?”
He nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
I turned to Violet and grinned. “Let’s go.”
TWO HOURS LATER, EVERYONE had eaten more than they should and the adults were enjoying the last of the day’s heat as they watched the kids jumping on the trampoline and playing swingball. Dante and I sat together, but he’d relaxed a lot. Mingling with the rest of the adults while I was off with Violet had been a good idea. It had given him a chance to be himself and meet my mum and Ali properly without constantly being seen as “Juke’s boyfriend”.
“You two seem good for each other,” Ali commented as he looked over at us. “I mean it, I’m glad to see you happy, Juke.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Ali. It wasn’t the easiest road for us.”
“Nothing worth having ever is,” he said, and I saw the glint in his eye as he turned to my mum and leaned in for a kiss, their hands intertwined. My own father might have left us, but that was for the best. Mum was better off with Ali in her life than she had ever been before, and if there was any sort of model I wanted to follow for how much love one person could give another, it was them.
“This is nice,” I said, and mum grinned.
“Does that mean we’ll see more of you? You know you and Nick are welcome to stay more often.”
I nodded. “We’ll try.”
&
nbsp; “SO,” I SAID, TURNING back to Dante as I folded my clothes into the wardrobe in my old room.
He glanced up from his book, raising his eyebrows, his gaze trailing down over my bare torso to the top of my pyjama trousers. “So...?”
“So, have you thought any more about it?”
“Oh, that so.”
“No pressure. But I’m not going to tell you I don’t care either way because I do. I want you with me all the time.”
“I’ve thought about it...”
“But?” I forced a smile onto my face, trying to be as nonchalant as possible, but I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t upset.
“But what if you get fed up of me?”
I almost laughed. “That’s what you’ve been bothered about? Really?”
“We’ve only been together for a few weeks. Who knows? You’re young, you might not want me around for much longer.”
“First off, I’m not that young. I’m twenty-eight.”
“I’m forty-two.”
I shrugged. “I know. There’s an age difference, but I’m not so young I don’t know my own mind. And, secondly, if you’ll let me finish, I am in love with you, Nick Dante. You hear me? I’m in love and I want you with me for the rest of my life.”
“You really want me to move in?”
I nodded. “I want you to move in. I want that nosy neighbour of mine to see the removal van and get all hot and bothered when he sees me kissing you on the doorstep. I want to get annoyed because you’ve eaten the cereal, and I want you to cook me meals every night.”
“Whoa, hold on, I never agreed to cook meals every night. I think the idea was we were going to get you cooking some things too.”
“All right. Six nights for you, one for me. I can compromise.” I smirked, and he narrowed his eyes.
“That might require some discussion.”
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