Looking For Love (Semper Fi, The Forever Faithful Series Book 2)

by Stella Starling

  Amanda and Tanja headed that way, too, and Micah let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, thankful for the guarantee of at least a few seconds where no one embarrassed him in front of Zach.

  “Um, my family can be a bit much,” he said, turning back to Zach. “Sorry about all of that.”

  “I like them,” Zach said, grinning down at him. “Sam, too. What’s that name they call you?”

  “Um,” Micah’s mind went blank, his stomach still too twisted up into a knot about the premature-use-of-boyfriend issue to figure out what Zach was talking about for a second. Zach was looking at him curiously, though, so he made himself focus. “Oh. Right. Uh, ‘musje’? It’s just a family nickname. My mother’s Dutch? And it means ‘little sparrow,’ because I guess sparrows are small? And they move fast, always hopping around, which they say I do, too. And, um, they’re adaptable, and…”

  His voice trailed off. Zach was giving him the oddest look, and even when he reached up to run his hands over Zach’s face, Micah still had no idea what that particular expression meant.

  Zach turned his head, kissing Micah’s palm and sending all sorts of tingles racing up his arm.

  Then Zach laughed. “I know about sparrows, baby,” he said, his lip quirking up. “Remind me to show you sometime.”

  “Um, show me?”

  Zach just laughed again without explaining that statement. Instead, he said, “They mate for life, did you know that, Micah?”

  Micah had heard that, actually. Was the fact that Zach had commented on it supposed to be a reference to all the heavy-handed boyfriend stuff from the three M’s?

  He knew that Rachel-Lyn would start nagging him to hurry over for the pictures in a minute, but he couldn’t stand the thought of any potential weirdness lingering between him and Zach. He took a deep breath to bolster his courage. No point putting it off.

  “The boyfriend thing,” he said, feeling his face start to flame again, but making himself get it all out in a rush, anyway. “I didn’t tell them that, Zach. I wouldn’t… I mean, I know it’s not… um, I didn’t—”

  Zach touched Micah’s lips. Not really a shushing gesture, but it still had the same effect.

  Maybe a good thing, since he’d ended up stumbling over his words anyway.

  Micah swallowed, heart pounding.

  Zach smiled. “I’d love to be your boyfriend, Micah.”

  Oh?

  Oh.

  Something warm and wonderful unfurled inside Micah’s chest, rushing through him until it felt as limitless as the horizon.

  “You would?” he asked, not even trying to stop the smile from spreading across his face.

  “I would. If you’ll have me.”

  “Micah,” Rachel-Lyn called impatiently. “Everyone’s set up over here except you and your boyfriend. Come on, musje.”

  Zach grinned, raising his eyebrows.

  Micah laughed, nodding. “Okay,” he said, in answer to both Zach and Rachel-Lyn. But then, since “okay” didn’t really do Zach’s question justice, he added, “I’d love to, Zach. Like, really love to. That would be amazing. I mean, it would be great. Wonderful. Um, yes? I definitely want to be your boyfriend, okay?”

  Which was maybe too much… except, even without touching Zach’s face, Micah could tell by the look in his eyes that it hadn’t been.

  In fact, Zach was looking at him as if his answer might have been pretty much perfect.

  11

  Zach

  Micah’s hair was standing up in back, stiff with saltwater, and it was cute as fuck. Zach wrapped his arms around him from behind, bending his knees so he could nuzzle down and nip at the back of Micah’s neck. Micah laughed—one of Zach’s favorite sounds—and pressed back against him, the keys he’d been trying to fit into the lock on his front door falling out of his hand.

  “I’m not going to be able to get the door open if you keep doing that,” Micah said, not sounding like he minded at all. But then Pippin barked from inside the apartment, and Micah crouched down to grab the keys, making quick work of letting them in after all.

  Zach pulled out his phone to glance at the time as Micah let Pipp out of her crate and accepted the enthusiastic love she slathered him with, wishing it wasn’t Sunday. Oh five hundred Monday morning felt like it would arrive much too soon, especially given that Zach still had to drive the hour back to his place in Oceanside. He really should leave… but fuck if he wanted to.

  What he wanted to do was get Micah back in his arms… relax in the bright-and-welcome color explosion of Micah’s living room… tease him a little more about how excited he’d gotten on the jet boat ride they’d just returned from. It had been a blast—like a rollercoaster on the water—and he’d already promised Micah they’d go again in a few months, when the jet boat company did whale spotting tours.

  “I’m going to go get us some towels,” Micah called out, leaving the living room as Pippin rushed over to give Zach some love, too.

  She was a great dog, and he loved the way she always greeted him so enthusiastically… even if he did feel a little guilty for taking Micah away from her so often. Over the last few weeks, they’d gone to a few places where she’d been welcome, too, but Zach knew Micah felt guilty that he didn’t give her enough attention, now that he wasn’t using her as a guide dog.

  “Here you go,” Micah said, returning with two fluffy, bright purple towels. Micah handed one of the towels over, smoothing his free hand over Zach’s chest, pressing the damp material of his shirt against his pecs.

  Micah’s breath hitched, and his gorgeous, pale eyes followed the movement of his hand as he traced the lines of Zach’s body.

  It was a look Zach had come to know well. His cock stirred. Micah was horny.

  “You’re still so wet,” Micah said, already starting to sound a little breathless as he dropped his own towel so he could use both hands to mold Zach’s t-shirt to his chest. “Um, maybe I should throw this shirt in the dryer for you?”

  His hands made it down to Zach’s waist, and when he slipped them under the thin t-shirt material and dragged his fingers across the firm ridges of Zach’s abs, Zach groaned, catching Micah’s hands to hold them still as he did his damnedest not to get too hard.

  “I’ve got to be on base at 0500,” he reminded Micah, seriously tempted not to care for once.

  Micah looked up at him with a pretty little pout that Zach could already tell was going to be his undoing.

  “And then I won’t see you until Friday, right?”

  “That’s right, baby,” Zach said, not loving it any more than Micah did. But it was only a few more months until his discharge. After that—assuming that things went as planned with his medical school application—his weekday schedule would clear up a bit and he’d be able to see more of Micah during the week.

  He used his hold on Micah’s hands to pull Micah’s arms around his waist and wrap them tight, then slid his hands down Micah’s back—his shirt was still wet, too—and cupped his ass, pulling him up onto his toes so he could lean down and kiss him.

  “We’ll do the jet packs at Mission Bay on Saturday, though,” Zach reminded him once he managed to make himself step back. He really should get going.

  Micah’s arms tightened, and he tugged Zach closer again. Stubborn little horny shit. Zach loved it.

  “So you’ll need to spend the night Friday, right?” Micah asked, grinning up at him as he rubbed himself against Zach’s semi. “Because oh my God, Zach, I’m really, really looking forward to that.”

  “Yes,” Zach said. And then, when Micah leaned into his chest and mouthed his nipple through the wet shirt, he sucked in a sharp breath, adding, “Jesus. Micah.”

  Micah did it again, and that was it. Zach was fully hard, despite his best efforts to convince himself that now wasn’t the time. Micah noticed immediately—of course—and took full advantage of the fact, grinding against him as he practically climbed up Zach’s body in his enthusiasm. Zach gave in, even thoug
h he knew it would tempt him to stay longer than he should, and hauled Micah up until his legs were wrapped around Zach’s waist.

  “Oh my God,” Micah said, already starting to breathe harder as he latched onto Zach and rocked his hips against him. “I love how big you are.”

  Zach laughed. He’d just been thinking the same thing, in reverse. There were definitely some advantages to having a tiny boyfriend, and being able to manhandle him like this—especially when Micah’s panting breaths and sexy little moans let Zach know how much he liked it—was definitely one of them.

  “Your clothes are still wet, too,” Zach said, using his grip on Micah’s ass to move him up and down, just enough for a maddeningly erotic friction that wasn’t quite enough… but still felt so damn good. “Maybe you’re right, and we should get them off.”

  Pippin barked, her wet nose jamming against one of Zach’s hands where it cupped Micah’s ass, and Micah laughed.

  “Um, maybe we should do the naked part in my bedroom?” he said, swatting at Pippin as she skittered around Zach’s legs. “You know how Pipp gets whenever we mess around.”

  Zach hesitated. Pippin did tend to get a little excited whenever the two of them got frisky, and the last thing he wanted while naked was a seventy-pound dog nosing at his balls. Still, maybe he should use her interruption as a reminder to be responsible and head home.

  Micah’s fingers fluttered over his face, the confident touch already as familiar as breathing.

  “Uh-oh,” Micah said, pouting again and tightening his legs around Zach’s waist as his hand came to rest on Zach’s cheek. Which felt really… fucking… good. “No dimples. Do you really need to go? Because, um, I was kind of hoping…”

  He started biting that pouty lip without finishing the sentence, and Zach laughed, seeing right through him. They’d been together for just over a month, and while Zach had done his best to take things slow when it came to sex—not wanting to rush Micah, due to his inexperience—Micah had already figured out pretty much everything that did it for him.

  Micah never seemed quite as keen on the taking-it-slow plan, and he knew damn well that Zach couldn’t resist his pouty little mouth. And yes, he definitely used it to his advantage. Well, maybe to both their advantages, if Zach was being honest.

  “I know exactly what you’re doing, baby,” Zach said, adjusting his grip so he could hold Micah up with one hand. He wrapped his other one around the back of Micah’s neck to tug his face closer—into kissing range.

  “Is it working?” Micah asked, winding his arms around Zach’s neck and looking so hopeful that Zach had to laugh. “Because I’m so turned on right now, Zach. I really want you to stay.”

  Zach groaned. Micah didn’t even know the meaning of holding back with him. It was a little intoxicating.

  “Yes,” he said. “It’s definitely working.”

  He leaned in to suck the plump lower lip Micah had been tempting him with into his mouth—fucking delicious—then set him back down on his feet. Micah pouted, and Zach laughed. He tugged off his shirt, then reached for Micah’s, too.

  “Let me put our clothes in the dryer while you take care of Pippin, okay, baby? I think you’re right about not letting her interrupt.”

  “You want me to do it naked?” Micah asked, hurrying out of the rest of his clothes and tossing them to Zach.

  Zach grinned. “I want you to do a lot of things naked,” he said, enjoying the view.

  “I’ll walk her later tonight,” Micah promised, rushing through getting Pippin fed and watered while Zach stripped down, too.

  He gathered up their wet clothes and headed toward the tiny laundry room. By the time he got them started in the washer—too much saltwater to go straight into the dryer—Micah was already in the bedroom.

  Naked.

  Grinning.

  Gorgeous.

  Knees bent up and back pressed against the headboard. He was running his fingers lightly over his cock as he waited. Still hard, wet at the tip, and so pretty—there was really no other word for it—that it instantly made Zach’s mouth water for it.

  “Jesus, Micah,” Zach said, closing the door firmly behind him and making it to the bed to kneel between Micah’s legs in about two seconds flat. “You’re going to kill me.”

  He pushed Micah’s hand away, taking over. Selfish, maybe, because he loved the way Micah moaned when he did. Loved the feel of his pulsing shaft, thrusting against his palm and the hot little breaths that fluttered over his skin as Micah arched up, his eyes drifting half closed with pleasure.

  “I love it when you do that,” Micah panted. “It feels so much better than when I do… Zach… oh my God.”

  Zach grinned, his own cock pulsing hard at Micah’s obvious enjoyment. He loved that Micah always let him know, never tried for even a second to hide what he was feeling, what he wanted, what he liked. It was a huge turn-on. Zach had always been a generous lover, but with Micah, the need to make him feel good, to be the one who made him pant and moan and call out Zach’s name, had become an addiction.

  He pulled Micah’s head toward him, needing to taste the panting little breaths that were starting to speed up with the action of his hand, and captured his mouth again. Micah’s hands had been fisted into the bedspread, but as soon as Zach’s lips touched his, Micah reached for him, too.

  Micah moaned into Zach’s mouth, his hands everywhere, all at once—moving with the sure, confident touch that Zach had come to recognize. Crave. Micah was seeing his whole body in a way Zach knew he could never really understand… but that he found really fucking hot to be on the receiving end of.

  “Tell me what you want, baby,” he said, finding his favorite spot on Micah’s throat and sucking. Licking. Tasting. “Tell me what I can do for you, Micah. I want to make you feel so good.”

  “Oh God, Zach,” Micah moaned. “You always do.”

  He spread his legs wider, pulling Zach against him even tighter. Wiggling underneath him as the delicious pink flush of excitement—a different shade than when he was embarrassed—started to spread across his chest.

  “I want… um… I thought we could…”

  “What, baby?” Zach asked, dragging his open mouth lower as he waited for Micah to tell him what would make him feel good.

  Micah started panting, tilting his head back to give Zach better access and squirming underneath him so that their erections rubbed together. But then he shifted, gripping Zach’s shoulders to pull himself up higher on the bed. The motion made Zach’s cock slip underneath Micah’s ass, sliding through the heat of his crack and pulling out the sexiest sound Zach had ever heard from between Micah’s lips.

  Zach groaned, too, going still.

  They’d never fucked.

  Zach had never asked and never pushed it, knowing it would probably hurt Micah at first and not wanting him to feel pressured at all. But… dammmmmmnnnnn. He was already leaking a little precum, and it made sliding against Micah’s hole, the sensation of being wedged firmly between his cheeks, so… damn… good.

  “This,” Micah gasped, rubbing his ass over Zach’s cock, again and again. “Please, Zach… will you?”

  Oh, hell yeah.

  But…

  “Are you sure, Micah?” he asked, his voice sounding thick and slow to his own ears as he tried to focus past the sudden surge of hot lust that the idea sent through him.

  “Yes,” Micah said, his cock jerking between their bodies, pressed up tight against Zach’s abs.

  Zach groaned, burying his face against Micah’s neck and sucking hard in an effort to get a grip. Slow himself down.

  “Totally,” Micah moaned, arching up beneath him and not making the slowing-down plan easy. “Please? God, Zach… I want it so bad. I mean, unless you don’t want to…?”

  Zach laughed, the sound coming out like another groan. Yes, he wanted to fuck. Jesus, how many times had he dreamed of burying himself in Micah’s sweet little ass? And hell yes, he wanted to be the first one—the only one—to le
arn just how good that tight heat felt around his cock. Wanted to be the one to teach Micah all about God’s gift to men, the prostate. Wanted to give Micah that shuddering orgasm that could only come from within, wanted to learn his body so well that he’d be able to make him come, hands-free.

  Zach’s cock was throbbing, his hips thrusting of their own accord as he rutted against Micah’s ass, held him tight and breathed in the scent of his arousal, tasted the thin sheen of sweat already on his neck, licked at his collarbone, tried his damnedest to hold himself in check as he imagined Micah coming apart in his arms, rocked by his first prostate orgasm.

  “Please?” Micah asked again, his hands clutching at Zach’s back. “Do you want to?”

  Zach grinned against Micah’s warm, flushed skin. There was no way in hell he was going to say no to that request, but he was definitely going to have to keep control of himself if he was going to do it right. Because right now? The very thought had him about two thrusts away from coming before they even got started.

  “Yeah, baby, I want to,” he gritted out, forcing himself to loosen his hold. Pull his mouth away from Micah’s skin. Rock back on his heels and sit up and… dammmmmmmmn, just drink in the sight of his boyfriend for a moment, all flushed and hard and panting for him.

  Zach wrapped a hand around the base of his own cock, squeezing to the point just before pain as he tried to slow his body down and focus.

  “Do you have any supplies, Micah?” he asked, his voice raw with need. “Lube? Condoms?”

  Thank Christ that Zach had some in his gear bag, out in the truck, because if they had to abort now, he didn’t know if he’d survive it. But still, he was really hoping Micah had thought about this ahead of time and stocked up, because it would be ten kinds of torture to walk away from him long enough to go grab what they needed.

  “Yes,” Micah said, scrambling upright. But then he froze, licking his lips as he stared hungrily at the hand Zach had wrapped around his cock. “I mean, sort of? I’ve only got lube, actually.”