“Perfect. I have plans for you,” he said, addressing Todd’s butt. “Very intimate plans.”
Todd cleared his throat and Adam looked up to find Todd watching him over his
shoulder. Todd’s cheek was scarlet now, and the one pupil Adam could see was huge. “M-maybe t-tonight?”
Oh God! Adam had to bite his tongue to keep from jumping Todd right there. “Okay,”
he squeaked and didn’t even care that his voice sounded like he’d sucked down some
helium. He pulled Todd around and studied him closely, looking for nervousness, regret, anything signalling Todd wasn’t ready to take their sex life a step further. “Are you sure you’re ready?” He didn’t see any doubt whatsoever, but he had to be sure.
Todd’s Adam’s apple bobbed along with his head. “Past ready. I j-just didn’t know h—
how…”
And Todd was very nervous, to be stuttering like he was. Adam’s heart pinched and he cupped Todd’s jaw. “Please don’t be nervous. I promise, you’ll love everything I do to you, because I’ll do it with love.”
Okay, now his cheeks were burning! He wasn’t used to being so…so emotionally
honest, had never been to this point with any of his exes, at least. Jameson had been the only guy who Adam hadn’t hid anything from, but they’d been best buds—and look where that had got them! Jameson had cut Adam out of his life!
“You love me.” Todd didn’t ask it, although he didn’t sound entirely sure when he said it.
Adam rolled his eyes then wanted to smack himself for being such an unromantic
fuckhead. “Of course.” And he could be so dense, it was a surprise Todd put up with him sometimes! “I wanted to tell you in some grand, romantic gesture, not…not by blurting it out like I did, but yes. I definitely love you.”
Todd’s smile nearly blinded him. “I love you too, you know. I hoped… I m-mean, why
else w-w-would you have done all this for me—?”
Adam snorted and gave Todd a hug that made them both grunt. “Well, when you put it
like that, I guess it should have been real obvious how I felt. But I—” Adam loosened his hold and leant back, seeking Todd’s eyes with his own. “I wanted to say it, because I’ve never said those words to another man, not in a manner that wasn’t joking or friendly, you know.”
Todd frowned. “What do you mean?”
Adam glanced at the clock. Todd needed to be out of the door in just a few minutes.
Adam sighed and shook his head. “I mean, I had a good friend, and we said the ‘love ya, man’ but not, I love you. It’s different to me, and, anyway, Jameson has decided to trash a lifetime friendship. You’re the only person who’ll be getting any form of love from me now, so stop frowning.” Adam brushed a quick kiss over Todd’s lips. “Go on. Go be sheriff and show the people of Shasta how a real man does the job.”
Adam smiled, and he didn’t have to fake it at all. He was damned proud of Todd.
Todd’s lips quirked but he didn’t quite grin. Instead he caressed Adam’s cheek. “I meant what I said, about being ready, but I want to talk some more tonight before…” His cheeks flamed but he didn’t avert his gaze. Adam’s heart thudded in his chest. Todd just melted him inside.
“Wasn’t planning on jumping you at the door and ravishing you as soon as you got
home, although that doesn’t sound bad, either,” Adam teased. He winked at Todd, trying not to appear smug at the way Todd’s breathing skittered. “I think someone likes that idea, though. Someone other than me, I mean.”
Todd coughed and seemed to shake himself out of a daze. “It—I—ugh!” He glared
down at his groin. Adam looked and really wished they had more time. That was an
impressive erection, but all of Todd’s were.
“Well, damn.” Adam couldn’t resist brushing his knuckles over it. “Wish we had more time.” He gave Todd a squeeze and looked up at him. “I get lunch around one today. If you can save this until then, I will be happy to suck you dry.”
Todd’s eyes bugged and he wheezed, as if something clogged his throat. But he nodded, his head bouncing up and down, reminding Adam of one of those bobble-headed dolls.
“Stop,” he snickered. “You get to work, and come by for lunch. Even if you only have a few minutes, we can at least eat something—and I mean real food—before you go back on shift. And if you have a whole hour…” Adam trailed off. He wouldn’t fuck Todd at the office—this time—but he’d sure be happy to give them both a little release. Or a big one.
“I will.” Todd took a deep breath, then, with a glint in his eye Adam hadn’t seen before, he jerked Adam to him and kissed Adam with a hunger that left Adam’s knees weak. As a matter of fact, he felt quivery all over and had to grab onto the door to keep upright when Todd let him go.
Hot damn, he did like an aggressive man, but he hadn’t expected…
“See you at one,” Todd rasped, then he turned and strode away.
“Well, well, well,” Adam murmured once he could get his tongue to function. Looked like his timid man was really turning out to be a tiger. Rawr!
Chapter Seventeen
Damn it, he was nervous as hell! Adam kept having little shivering fits, and he felt like a complete idiot because of it. “Stupid. Jesus!” It wasn’t like he’d never had sex before, and it wasn’t even like he’d never had sex with a virgin… It was just…Todd. Adam’s heart pattered erratically. Geez, what now? Was he going to swoon on top of shaking like a leaf?
Adam snorted and plopped down onto a kitchen chair. He eyed the table, decorated as
fancy as he dared, with two white tapered candles waiting to be lit, and a vase holding a single red rose. Nothing extravagant, really, but way more than he’d ever done for anyone else.
He was kind of embarrassed, actually. If anyone had ever told him he’d do something
like this, along with what he’d done in the bedroom and bathroom, well, he’d have laughed himself unconscious, that was for sure.
But Todd deserved so much more than he’d ever got, and Adam would swallow his
damn pride and give it to him. He just hoped Todd didn’t laugh at him. Adam didn’t think Todd would, but… A horrible thought occurred to him and Adam leapt up from the chair.
What if all this added pressure to Todd? What if he wasn’t ready, or he had a shit day?
He’d seemed fine when he swung by the clinic, eager and gorgeous and God but Adam
loved the man, but still. They’d only had a few minutes, time for some kisses and panted promises before a customer had come in screaming and panicked because her cat’s tail had been slammed in the car door.
Adam had wanted to snarl and point out there was a reason cat carriers were made, but the woman had been beyond distraught and the cat, Finkles, had been in misery.
And now, as he heard the sound of an engine in the driveway, Adam didn’t have any
time to tone down his silly, romantic gestures. All he could do was hope Todd didn’t freeze up or think Adam was a total wuss.
Todd’s stomach had felt warm and tingly all day. Nerves, sure, because he’d never
expected to be sheriff, never thought anyone in this town besides Gabe cared about whether he lived or died. That was before Adam, though, and Todd wouldjust as soon quit thinking about any time in his life before the sexy and sweet vet had moved to town.
Then at the clinic today, well, Todd had been ready to beg, to just be bold enough to unfasten his belt and pants and to do like he’d seen on his favourite Tumblr site and just…‘present’. He didn’t know if that was what it was really called when a guy bent over and spread himself for his man, or hitched up a leg and offered himself, but it seemed like an apt description to him. He envied the men in those pictures, being brave enough to do that even if it was just for show or money, whatever. All Todd wanted was to be able to offer himself in such a way to Adam but he was shy and scared and, even so, for a
few seconds he’d actually thought…
Well, it hadn’t happened. Adam hadn’t pushed, and he hadn’t picked up Todd’s hints,
such as they’d been the past couple of weeks. Then this morning, Todd had understood.
Adam had been waiting for him, trying not to make Todd feel rushed or uncomfortable.
Adam wanted him, wanted him wanted him, he was just afraid Todd wasn’t ready.
But, oh my hell, Todd was beyond ready. He wanted Adam, wanted to feel Adam
inside him, branding him, marking him. Todd wanted to take Adam as well, but he wasn’t sure if Adam did that. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to ask, or at least not for a while.
Todd had spent most of the day anticipating what would happen when he got home.
It’d helped him, actually, because otherwise he’d have been too aware of how friendly everyone was to him. Like the residents as a whole were trying to make up for having tolerated Todd being abused for so many years. Maybe they were. Todd was tired of hanging on to being angry about it. He’d thought he was going to die, the last thing in his vision his father’s furious, hate-mottled face, contorted and demonic and—
“No,” Todd scolded himself as he pulled into the driveway. No more time thinking
about it. He refused to give his father any more time, any more power. The old man could rot in jail. Todd was almost looking forwards to testifying against him in court. He wanted to stare his father down, to let him know Todd wasn’t afraid of him anymore. Todd’s father had done his worst, and Todd was still here, still alive, and he was loved, God damn it, for the first time in his life. Yes, Gabe loved him, but that wasn’t the same. This love with Adam was more, and he couldn’t explain it better.
Not when he was staring at Adam, standing on the small porch and smiling shyly at
Todd. It was such an odd expression, Todd was a little stunned. He’d never thought Adam had a shy bone in his body, but, yeah, Adam was darting his eyes around nervously, and he was twitching and…
Todd mentally rolled his eyes at himself. Funny how he could visualise that. And he
was a dummy for sitting here when he had Adam waiting for him a few yards away.
Todd shut off the car and unlatched his seatbelt. He kept focus on Adam the whole
time, noting the shiver that rocked him. Was Adam sick? Embarrassed? Todd studied him as he approached. He really thought it might be the latter. It looked adorable on Adam, especially when Todd could see the love shining in his eyes. Todd wanted to shout with the joy that welled up in him, but he doubted the neighbours would appreciate the ruckus.
He sped up and Adam held his hands out. His fingers were trembling. Todd’s heart
thudded unevenly as he took Adam’s hands in his. He lost himself for a few seconds in the dark brown eyes watching him. Adam had soulful eyes, Todd thought. He could see
everything in them, all the man’s hopes and emotions now that Adam wasn’t trying to hide them anymore.
“I’m glad you’re home,” Adam whispered, and even his voice had a quaver to it.
Todd’s gut clamped with concern. Maybe he wasn’t reading Adam right at all? “What’s
wrong? D-did I—”
“No!” Adam yelped before he could get any further. “Hell, no!” Adam huffed and did
it again, sounding fairly disgusted. “I’m just really nervous, okay? Are you sure you’re ready?”
Adam’s gaze drilled into him pretty much with the same intensity Todd wanted
another part of Adam to drill into him…lower down and a hundred and eighty degrees
around. “Yes, God, Adam, don’t make me beg.” Todd’s entire face burned, but he was proud of himself for getting the declaration out without stuttering.
“I won’t,” Adam said after studying him for another moment. Then Adam smiled so
brilliantly Todd had to blink. “All right, well. I wanted to give you a proper seduction, so come on inside and let’s see how badly I botch my attempt to be the suave letch.” He winked and Todd chuckled. He wondered what Adam had in store for him.
It didn’t take long to find out. As soon as Adam took him inside, holding onto Todd’s hand and fuck what the neighbours might think (Adam had said so on more than one occasion), Adam shut the front door then promptly pinned Todd against it and rubbed all over him. Nerve endings Todd didn’t know he had stood up and started singing with joy at the feel of Adam pressed to him, sliding, buttons catching and—
“Uhn.” Todd clamped a hand to Adam’s shoulder and squeezed. “I s-should take off
the belt—”
Adam jerked his head back and shook it, as if clearing his head. “Oh, yeah. The holster and all that…”
“Be a shame if one of us got hurt,” Todd muttered, but he was hurting already. His dick had grown erect so quick it’d been uncomfortable. “Help me?”
“Of course.” Adam took over when Todd’s fingers, clumsier than usual, couldn’t seem
to unfasten his belt. Within seconds Todd was divested of the belt, his holster, his weapon.
Adam smiled at him then and brushed his knuckles over Todd’s cock. “I need to suck you.”
Manly or not, Todd whimpered and clenched his thighs. He was dangerously close to
an edge he didn’t want to topple over. “Adam—”
Adam kissed him then, taking Todd’s mouth, owning him with a gentle force that
should have been contradictory but wasn’t. Adam speared his tongue into Todd over and over, sucked his lips until they tingled and burned. He pressed a leg between Todd’s when Todd finally got the message to spread his apart.
White-hot desire raced out from Todd’s groin as Adam wedged his thigh against
Todd’s balls. Adam grabbed Todd’s hips and tugged, encouraging him and Todd eagerly
began rutting. Needy sounds he’d never thought to make were bleeding from his mouth to Adam’s, and Todd was shaking like he was fixing to blow apart.
Adam nipped his bottom lip and Todd cried out in protest when Adam slid down his
body. Once his brain informed him he was in for an even more incredible experience, Todd tried to quiet down, but he couldn’t. He ached, his balls hard and tight, his cock stiffer than stone.
“I’ve got you, baby,” Adam rasped, then Todd’s breath hitched as his pants were
opened and shoved down his thighs, his underwear following shortly thereafter. “Oh, look at you. So hard, so—”
Todd didn’t hear anything else then because Adam pressed a hand to his balls, pushing slightly upward, and engulfed the head of his dick. Not even his shout registered until afterwards, when his ears were ringing and his throat ached from the force of his exultation.
His cock was encased in silky wet fire, clutching and tormenting him. Adam suckled
and used his tongue to drive Todd to the brink, had him dangling there, so close. Todd gasped and folded over Adam, arms looping around his lover awkwardly as Adam took
Todd’s cock to the base.
“Ah!” Todd’s head spun and waves of ecstasy crashed down on him at the same time
Adam pressed a fingertip to his opening. Todd desperately wanted it inside him, wanted Adam there, filling him, but he couldn’t hold on, and he wailed as cum shot up, spilling into Adam’s mouth.
Afterwards, Todd didn’t quite know how he’d ended up on the floor. Adam was
grinning happily, though, and it registered slowly that Adam hadn’t yet come. Again. Todd wasn’t sure he liked this pattern.
“Don’t glower,” Adam mock-scolded, “you’ll give me a complex.”
Todd couldn’t think of a witty comeback so he just stayed quiet and drank in the sight of his handsome lover.
“Now, I think dinner’s about warmed up. I picked it up from Mary’s Diner after I got off and put it in the oven before you came home.” Adam waved at Todd’s cock and balls.
“You gonna tuck that away or eat dinner with it all hanging out? I’m
fine either way.”
Todd croaked in embarrassment. He didn’t even want to know how it was possible to
make such an absurd noise!
Adam crouched beside him and tipped Todd’s chin up. He looked so happy. “Aw,
come on, don’t be shy with me. In fact, I think maybe we should just eat in the nude. I love looking at your sexy body.”
Oh, Todd knew he was blushing all over now, because his entire body felt warm.
“Wouldn’t get much eating done.” Or he wouldn’t, at least.
Adam sighed, a long, exaggerated sigh that could have won him an Oscar. “Fine, fine.
You’re right. And I’m a sex monster. And before you complain, I don’t want to come until I’m buried in your sweet ass—”
Todd opened up his mouth to say now was good for him but Adam narrowed his eyes
and clucked his tongue. “Nope. See, I went the whole nine yards, as they say, and have a very romantic evening planned before I take you to bed. I wasn’t joking about seducing you, although maybe it’s courting, I don’t know. I’m not sure I understand what that old term means, nowadays. But…” Adam kissed Todd, tenderly, heart-meltingly sweet, before he
continued. “You deserve to be treated like the special man you are. Loved, shown how extraordinary you are. And I’m the man who is gonna do it. I hope.” He grinned and stood, waiting as Todd tucked himself away. Then he held his hands out to Todd.
Chapter Eighteen
Dinner turned out to be everything Adam had hoped for, with him and Todd
exchanging lots of long, steamy looks and feeding each other tiramisu for dessert. He hadn’t even set anything on fire with the candles—not that he was normally clumsy, but, hell, he’d been sooooooooo nervous!
The second part of the seduction was a little less successful. Not that it went badly, but, when Todd had entered the bathroom and stopped dead in his tracks, Adam had looked up from where he sat on the side of the tub, stirring the…bubbles.
Well, it’d seemed like a good idea, until that second, when Todd had kind of gaped at him and looked like he didn’t know whether to run forwards or back. Fortunately, that’d been cleared up quick. Todd had only been floored by Adam’s thoughtfulness—he said—
Resilience Page 10
