by Riley Knox
Ethan earned himself another pat for that as he moved off to a quieter corner to make the call. Although he assured the girls a half-dozen times that he would be happy to just come home, they seemed all too excited at the prospect of hanging out with Sarah for the night. After a bit of teasing from Becca, and a promise to Hannah to say hello to Avery for her, Ethan rounded up his troops.
* * * *
After depositing a sleeping Kyle upstairs and making sure that the twins were situated with Sarah in front of a Twilight marathon, Ethan finally found himself standing in his foyer with a quiet Avery. The younger man's hand was still clasped in his, having found its way there sometime on the way to drop everyone off, and remaining there, despite the good natured teasing from the girls about "Dad's new boyfriend."
Despite Ethan's earlier fears, it seemed that everyone was accepting of their new situation, and that chased away the remaining negative tightness in Ethan's chest, making room for the new, growing warmth there. A warmth that spread out slowly when Avery squeezed his hand, looking up at him with that lopsided, hopeful smile.
Ethan leaned in, smiling when Avery's eyes immediately closed in anticipation of the kiss that didn't come. When those blue eyes popped open, reflecting confusion, Ethan grazed his thumb across the curve of the younger man's jaw.
The mood hadn't been killed by all of the earlier excitement, just set on the back burner for a while to continue a slow simmer that was better in some ways. Without the intense sexual tension that had been riding them at the restaurant in the forefront, Ethan could put his original plan in action to seduce the other man's inhibitions right out of him.
"Why don't you take off your jacket and get comfortable. I have a bottle of wine in the fridge."
Avery looked curious, but he obediently padded off, leaving Ethan to try and locate the wine glasses in the cabinet. The last time he'd used them had been before the divorce. He swore beneath his breath in frustration when all he found clean in the cabinet and not in the loaded dishwasher were a few paper cups.
A quick search for the candles he kept in the side cabinet for emergency blackouts also proved fruitless and he sighed, suspecting he'd find them in the girls' rooms. So much for romance.
"As much as I appreciate the trouble you're going through, sometimes a man doesn't need complicated."
Avery's voice startled Ethan, and when he turned, his mouth went dry. Avery had obeyed and taken off his coat, but his dress shirt seemed to have disappeared with it.
Although he looked slim and unassuming when he was fully dressed, the proof of Avery's seven-minute miles were in the delineation of his hard, flat abs, and the subtle sculpting of a toned chest and shoulders. All that lean muscle was enhanced by the surprising addition of a sizeable black tribal tattoo that started on his left shoulder.
No wonder Avery always wore long-sleeved shirts at the ballpark. There wouldn't have been one eye focused on the game if the spectators knew that the mild-mannered softball coach was packing abs and ink.
Wearing only his dark slacks hanging low on his narrow hips now that his belt was gone, his blonde hair tousled, and his eyes tracking Ethan's movements with an almost shy interest that completely contradicted the bold body art, Avery knocked any protest about the change of plans right out of him.
"Jesus," Ethan breathed, his body reacting without hesitation to the smorgasbord laid out in front of him. His gaze traced over the sharply defined angles of Avery's hipbones, tempting Ethan to trace them with his tongue when the pants slipped a notch lower and revealed another hint of colorful artwork. "I wasn't expecting the tattoos..."
Avery smiled again. This time it was light-years less sweet than his usual one as he obviously registered the husky note in Ethan's voice. "Tech nerds can't have ink?" he teased. "I went to school for graphic arts, so these are all my own designs."
"All?" Ethan arched a brow.
"Mm hmm... This isn't the only one I have. I just couldn't do full sleeves or anything that showed when I worked in corporate. I'm surprised you don't have any."
"I hate needles," Ethan murmured, mesmerized by the contrasts between lightly tanned skin and the bold black lines. "How many do you have?"
Avery crooked a finger at him. "Come here and find out."
Like that was a hardship. Ethan immediately moved forward, but stopped when Avery tsked and took a step back.
"Do it slowly. And start leaving some of the clothes behind...you're not going to need them where we're going."
"Taking charge?"
The younger man shrugged, looking at him almost curiously. "Would you let me if I was?"
"Baby, with you dressed like that, I don't care if you want to ride me like Sea Biscuit. I just want you."
Avery grinned. "Good answer. Strip."
Goosebumps broke out over Ethan' skin from the intensity of Avery's gaze as he shrugged off his jacket, and tossed it carelessly over the back of a chair before he took another step forward and moved on to the shirt buttons. His fingers fumbled with empty air a few times, missing a buttonhole completely, when Avery's hands dropped to the top of his own waistband.
Avery winked with a mischievous smile, and popped the tab to reveal a fine, blonde happy trail a shade darker than the curls on his head. When Ethan finally managed to undo the last button on his shirt, Avery again followed suit by lowering his zipper, and Ethan inhaled sharply as a wave of lust hit him so hard he felt dizzy.
There was something extremely high school about stripping in front of one another, not even touching, and yet Ethan had to bite the inside of his cheek hard to keep from coming on the spot as Avery dropped his slacks and stood there with them pooled around his ankles. No underwear.
Just a long, heavy cock flushed a deep red, contrasting with the paler skin of Avery's fingers as he cupped his own erection, stroking slowly from base to tip.
Naked nuns. Ugly, naked nuns with bunions and excessive body hair, Ethan thought over and over, trying to keep from blowing his load where he stood.
"You've still got too many clothes on. What's the matter, Ethan? Not in the mood to see my tattoos anymore?"
A nerve in Ethan's jaw ticked as the little tease scooted a step back, stumbling as his pants tangled around his ankles. His surprised shout of genuine laughter did Ethan in.
Surging forward, clothes scattering every which way, Ethan divested himself of his shoes, socks and jeans in record speed. He'd barely gotten his boxer briefs off before Avery reached for him, grabbing his hand and pulling Ethan toward him.
The move caught Ethan by surprise, knocking him off balance. He stumbled forward as Avery stumbled backward into the wall, their hands still clasped together between their chests, and Ethan's other hand splayed out on the wall above Avery's head.
The headlights of a passing car cut across the living room window, briefly illuminating the fine bones of Avery's face, and spotlighted his smile as he dragged his and Ethan's joined hands up to brush a kiss over the other man's knuckles. "Sorry," Avery murmured. "When I considered sweeping you off your feet tonight, this isn't exactly what I had in mind."
Ethan snorted. "It's okay. I kind of like the unexpected, though I have the feeling my insurance agent won't feel the same way."
Avery laughed, his free hand slowly trailing up Ethan's side, seeming delighted when the caress raised another wave of goose bumps on Ethan's skin. "If the agent's a woman, we have it in the bag. Women like me--think I'm safe."
Avery's eyes closed in pleasure as Ethan's head dipped, his lips trailing along one of the bold, curving lines of the tattoo on Avery's shoulder.
"Baby, safe is about the last thing you are. Lousy for my health insurance, and dangerous to my heart."
The teasing glint in Avery's eyes faded, replaced by a softer, warmer look at Ethan's words. He nuzzled along Ethan's jaw line, still holding onto the man's hand. Just before their lips met, he whispered, "That's the one thing you can bet I will never break."
Avery's mouth brushed over Etha
n's, lightly, almost timid at first, but the moment Ethan's lips parted for him, he deepened the kiss. Ethan allowed him the control for a moment, savoring the stroke of Avery's tongue against his, while he wedged a knee between Avery's thighs so their bodies pressed together from hip to groin, leaving no doubt in his mind that Avery was perfectly happy to be there.
When Ethan felt the sharp tease of Avery's teeth against his lower lip as he tried to pull back, the quickly fraying thread of his control snapped. With his heart pounding, Avery's guttural groan barely registered in his consciousness as Ethan forced Avery's hands up over his head, lacing their fingers together against the wall.
He couldn't get enough of the sweet taste of Avery's mouth--a hint of the wine they'd had earlier tonight laced with mint, as if he had popped a piece of gum when Ethan wasn't looking. Ethan's head spun as he broke away from Avery's mouth for a heartbeat, kissing down the side of his neck and licking across his jumping pulse.
Avery's low moan vibrated against his tongue and Ethan echoed it before kissing his way back up the sweet, salty expanse of Avery's skin. When Ethan found that sweet spot just beneath Avery's ear, the younger man's hand clenched hard in his.
Ethan's teeth scraped Avery's earlobe, missing the warmth of his mouth but loving the soft whimpers that experimentation with touch dragged out of the man. The gentle flick of his tongue over the upper curve of Avery's ear dragged a slow, full body shudder from him. Nipping his shoulder or licking across the flushed line of his collarbone earned Ethan the delicious friction of Avery's cock bobbing against his as Avery arched against him.
"You are so goddamn hot," Ethan said, his voice husky. His hand slid away from Avery's as he dropped to his knees on the floor, loving the shocked, rampant arousal in Avery's eyes.
"I believe I have another tattoo to examine..." Ethan nuzzled the crease between Avery's cock and thigh, feeling the man's dick jerk against his cheek, but he ignored it for now. Instead, his tongue slid sensuously across the colorful, abstract artwork on the inner curve of Avery's hip, tracing a pattern of his own making.
"Ethan," Avery groaned. "Don't tease. I can't take it."
"You can take everything I dish out and more," Ethan murmured, his hand soothing on Avery's thigh even as his head dipped to slowly tongue that heavy sack. "So damn sexy. Tell me what you want."
"What did I tell you about men who need maps?"
Ethan grinned at the snarky tone that entered the younger man's voice, pitching it even higher than usual. Little bastard was prickly when he was horny. "I left my GPS in the car so I'll have to wing it."
His cock throbbed from the shout that Avery gave when Ethan swallowed him down to the root without further warning. The younger man's hips instinctively snapped forward, but Ethan didn't pull back or warn him to slow down. He wanted that loss of control, to watch Avery's eyes glaze over with lust as Ethan's lips stretch wide around the base of his cock, tongue stroking the underside of his shaft.
"OhmyfuckingGod!" Avery moaned, one hand sinking into the strands of Ethan's hair. When his fingers clenched, Ethan briefly entertained the idea of what he'd look like bald, but losing a few strands of hair were a small price to pay for those sweet, whimpering sounds Avery was making.
Ethan hollowed his cheeks, tongue swirling over the head of Avery's cock, down to his balls, then back up again with firm suction around the head. When Ethan swallowed, the movement constricted the muscles around the head of Avery's cock at the back of his throat.
"Jesus, Ethan. You're going to--" Avery's body tensed. "Wait, wait," he pleaded.
Ethan stopped, looking up at him through lust-hooded eyes as he swept his tongue across his lower lip, savoring the slightly bitter taste of Avery's pre-cum. "What's wrong?"
"Too close." Avery shuddered, his fingernails scratching gently across Ethan's scalp. "And I don't want to come like this."
Ethan's lips curved into a feral smile. "Tell me what you want."
"You know what I want. What I've wanted since the damn restaurant when you--"
Avery's rant ended in a moan as Ethan slowly pulled away, allowing the safe edge of his teeth to drag along the underside of Avery's cock.
"Tell me, Avery, or we're going to move on to the looking part of our five sense exploration." Ethan grinned, dragging the stubbly line of his jaw against the tender skin of Avery's balls, steadying him when Avery's legs wobbled.
"I...Jesus, Ethan your tongue should come with a warning; do not use while operating heavy machinery or any other activity that requires brain function."
Ethan smirked. "Avery... Tell me what you want."
The younger man whimpered, the lines of his tattoos gracefully twisting as his body did. "I want you, Ethan."
That husky confession would have knocked him over if he hadn't already been kneeling, but Ethan couldn't resist teasing them both a moment longer, dragging his kisses back up Avery's body to curl across the tattoo on his hip. "Really? Want me how?"
"Oh, for fuck's sake!"
Ethan's laughter was muffled in Avery's mouth as surprisingly strong hands yanked him up, his fingers tangling in Ethan's hair. He pressed their bodies so tightly together not even air could get through.
Ethan met his kisses with the same breathless fervor, all teasing gone, replaced by need. "Ah, so you want me like that, do you?"
He hissed as Avery's teeth nipped his collarbone. "I want you to fuck me so hard through the mattress, the neighbors call the police. How's that for an invitation?"
Ethan slid his hands down the length of Avery's spine to curve around his ass, using the wall as leverage to lift him up so every inch of them pressed in a heated, full-body caress. When Avery immediately rocked into him, his erection pressing eagerly into Ethan's belly, he groaned.
"Now, Ethan."
Those sensual lips tipped into a smile before Ethan captured the other man's mouth in a kiss, murmuring. "Yes, sir, but next time, I want it engraved..."
Chapter 5
* * *
Engraved. He'd show him engraved, all right.
After his dick wasn't siphoning all the blood from his brain, and he could actually focus on more than the blazing warmth radiating from Ethan's skin and the soft sensual mouth devouring him like the best kind of dessert, Avery planned to tattoo his name on Ethan's ass, fear of needles be damned. Or he could just grab a permanent Sharpie and go to town. He wasn't picky as long as it was clear the man was his.
Showing a remarkable aptitude for navigation with his eyes closed, Ethan walked them down the dark hallway and into the softer, welcoming light of his bedroom without ever breaking the kiss. Avery had a brief impression of neutral gray-green walls, beige curtains and dark, masculine furniture decorated with framed photographs instead of the dirty laundry and empty pizza boxes that adorned Avery's floor at home. Neat but not Spartan. And when Avery inhaled, he caught a hint of some warm, mellow scent, like those plug-in wall fresheners Sarah was always sticking in his office.
Everything blurred into a jumble of sensation after that; the insistent, sliding pressure of Ethan's hands supporting him as he lowered them down to the yielding softness of the mattress.
Although he had offered to let Avery take the lead earlier, Ethan seemed to have let go of that inclination, caressing every bit of skin and flesh his hands could find on their self-guided tour as he kept Avery's mouth occupied with slow, drugging kisses that went straight to his head. After all his hours of fantasizing every possible scenario, Avery had known that sex with Ethan would be good. Earth-moving was an unexpected but pleasant surprise.
Avery frowned when he felt subtle vibrations at his back again that had nothing to do with the low rumble of sound coming from the warm, hard body that was currently rubbing up along every inch of Avery's body like some giant cat. Concentrated under his ass, the subtle shifting and whirring sent him back to that time in college with his foreign exchange roommate and the dorm washing machines.
Since thinking about another man, especially one
whose name you couldn't remember, was probably the biggest faux pas possible during blazing hot sex with the object of your infatuation, Avery tried to shift away from the sensation, only to feel it again. What. The. Fuck?
As much as it pained him--some parts of him more than others--Avery broke away from Ethan's mouth for a moment to look up into Ethan's heavy-lidded, lusty eyes. "Dude," he murmured. "I know that you're about to rock my world because you're amazing--all that and a bag of sea-salt kettle chips--but why is the bed moving?"
Confusion finally broke through the lust a solid five counts later, as Ethan frowned and fumbled among the cool smoothness of the sheets. His husky laughter kept Avery's cock firmly in the moment, curving hard against Ethan's mid-section, impatient for the mystery to be explained when Ethan held up the little remote control.
"You were lying on the remote--it's a sleep number bed. You know, you can adjust the mattress stiffness to your personal preference."
"Seriously?" Ethan's flush drew another grin from Avery. He shifted, one hand reaching for the little remote to toss it over his head somewhere into the corner, the other hand reaching for Ethan's dick. A long stroke downward with the edge of a blunt fingernail dragging along the main vein arched the other man's body into his hand.
Oh somebody likes that. "We'll have to test that out later, but right now I have exactly my desired stiffness."
Ethan snorted, then groaned when Avery circled his thumb around the leaking head of his cock again. "You're a corn-ball...Christ...keep doing that."
Like he wanted to stop. The sight of that big, hard body that could pin him so easily to the bed, trembling like a leaf in the wind from his touch, was a heady visual. Dorky, awkward, boring Avery Cole had one of the finest examples of mankind desperate and begging for him.
Oh yea. Spazzy happy dance to come later, but for right now...
He moved his hand up again, moistening it in the pre-cum already decorating the head of Ethan's dick so his strokes were smoother, gliding up and down with a rhythm that seemed to synchronize with Avery's own rapid heartbeat.
