Resilience

by Bailey Bradford

  the sweat-slicked globes as Todd rode him. “Ah! Ah, uhn—”

  Adam’s ability to speak wasn’t any better than Todd’s. All he could do was grunt each time Todd came down and damn near whine when he rose up. Adam’s body flushed hot and cold, and his balls felt like hard stones pulled up taut in their sac. Adam curled his fingers, burying them in Todd’s crease. His pinkies brushed over where he and Todd were joined and Todd slammed down hard, pinning Adam’s hands.

  “Yes, ungh!” Todd shouted as he gyrated, barely laying a hand to his cock before

  bucking and painting Adam’s chest and belly with cum.

  Adam didn’t even have the breath to scream, not when Todd’s muscles convulsed

  around his length and squeezed the spunk right out of him. All he could do was gasp and pant and squirm, trying to get as deep into Todd as possible. His climax felt like it was ripped from him, like it ripped through him, leaving him raw and aching and all but

  unconscious as he emptied into the condom.

  “Geez,” Todd scratched out. “I gotta lay down.”

  And he did, right on top of Adam. Adam was still mush, shaken inside and out. He’d

  known it’d be earth-shattering when they finally made love, but he’d had no idea just what that meant. Now he did, and he thought his spine was plain melted, along with the rest of the bones in his body and probably his brain too.

  But that was okay. He had Todd in his arms—well, on him, but no need to be picky—

  and they were going to have a damned good life together. A great life together.

  PART TWO

  An Almost Perfect Life

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Hi honey, I’m hoooome!”

  Todd tingled all over hearing Adam’s familiar voice calling out as he did every day

  they worked. It didn’t matter who got home first, Adam still said the same thing every time.

  It was little things like that that made Todd’s heart race and fill with more love than he thought he could hold. Really, some days he expected to just go all supernova with it.

  “Me too,” Todd called back, completing their little ritual. He finished stirring the stew and headed out of the kitchen. The house they’d bought together a little less than a year ago was perfect for them, not too big with just two bedrooms, but on the outskirts of town, closer to their friends Gabe and Mika.

  And those two were still going strong, all sappy pretty much like Todd and Adam,

  although he and Adam agreed Gabe seemed different over the past year or so. Not bad

  different, and not in any way he and Adam could put their finger on, but—well, as long as Gabe and Mika were happy, which they were, then it wasn’t anyone’s business.

  Todd’s belly warmed and a smile stretched his lips as soon as he rounded the corner

  and saw—hell, almost collided with—Adam. He loved that sappy grin Adam wore, the

  slightly mussed hair and the way Adam’s eyes practically glowed as he beamed at Todd.

  “Missed you,” Todd said gruffly, overwhelmed with emotions for no logical reason he

  could see. It didn’t make sense that his eyes burned or the tip of his nose, as if he wanted to weep. Yet he held Adam tighter, squeezing a muffled grunt from his lover as Adam

  embraced him in return. “Missed you so much.”

  “Me too,” Adam squeaked out, and Todd forced himself to let go, just a little. He was still adjusting to the strength he’d developed since he’d started working out shortly after he’d taken the job as sheriff. “Mmm.” Adam nuzzled his cheek then licked Todd from temple to chin, something that always made Todd squirm as he tried to figure out if he liked it or not. “You taste good. And I like this… This whatever it is that has you being all…” Adam shrugged.

  Todd got it, though. Usually he wasn’t the leader in the relationship, although he truly believed he and Adam were equals. It was just that he tended to be happy letting Adam be the aggressor in certain situations. But, lately, Todd had been thinking he should show Adam more affection, or, at least, initiate some of their intimate moments in a less passive manner.

  Oh, he knew if he arched his butt against Adam, or looked at him just a certain way, Adam would be on him and in him in no time. It wasn’t as if their sex life was lacking in any way—Todd hoped.

  Adam never complained, but Todd was beginning to think Adam wasn’t necessarily

  getting all he might want. As much as he loved Todd—and Todd didn’t doubt it was a lot—

  Adam wouldn’t ever push, and Todd had come to realise, even though he’d thought he was letting Adam lead, he really wasn’t. Adam always followed Todd’s cues, and Todd, innocent and goofy guy he was, had only just caught on to this.

  And, now, Todd was wondering if Adam had some wants and needs he might not have

  brought up owing to Todd’s naïvety. Considering Adam’s reaction, it’d seem so.

  Well. Todd bit back a grin as he closed his eyes and let Adam lick him again. “Being all what?”

  Adam huffed and nipped him, and Todd reciprocated by growling. Adam sucked in a

  sharp breath and palmed Todd’s cock. His dark eyes burned with need as he rubbed Todd’s length, and Todd had to fight to keep his eyes open. He just wanted to thrust and moan and come with Adam stroking him.

  But he didn’t. Todd caught Adam’s wrist and pulled his hand away. Adam arched a

  brow at him in a questioning manner Todd was familiar with. “Got plans for us after dinner.

  If you’ll let me?”

  Jesus, two years and a month together, and his cheeks still burnt like hell when it came to some things! Todd didn’t flinch under Adam’s curious stare, though. He had that weird emotional feeling again, like this was important and maybe wouldn’t happen again and what was wrong with him? No more watching those dumb end-of-the-world shows on National Geographic or whatever channels those things are on. I’m all doom and gloom in my own head!

  “Okay,” Adam said slowly. Then he gifted Todd with an eager smile, and his voice

  dipped into the rough velvet tone guaranteed to make Todd’s ass clench. “I think I’d like that, very much. I’m all yours, baby. Do with me what you will.”

  Todd mentally gave himself a big Whoop! He’d called it right, had finally got his head out of his—well, anyway, he’d managed to see that there were needs Adam had, things he’d kept back in order to take care of Todd. “You mean it?”

  Adam nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, of course, anything. Anything you want,

  anything at all.”

  There was no way to misinterpret that offer!

  Todd figured there was likely a hungry twist to his lips in the smile he gave his lover.

  Adam shivered and an expression Todd couldn’t recall seeing before flitted over Adam’s fine features. It strengthened Todd’s determination and fuelled the ember of desire already flickering inside him.

  He took a half step back, then before Adam could move, he bent, and, with a sharp tug, he had his man over his shoulder. Adam gasped and squealed and grabbed onto Todd’s belt loops, but he didn’t protest.

  It was the most combustible accelerant that could have been poured on Todd’s arousal.

  He didn’t even give dinner a second thought as he held Adam by the ass and legs and strode for their bedroom.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Uhn!” Adam’s breath gusted out as his back hit the bed. He bounced once then Todd

  was on him. Adam didn’t even get a chance to inhale, but he didn’t care. This growly, gruff side of Todd was threatening to burn him alive with need!

  Todd’s lips crashed down on his, stealing another grunt from Adam. Adam scrambled

  for a hold on Todd, settling his hands on Todd’s broad shoulders as his mouth was

  plundered. The quivering began in Adam’s centre, warmth radiating out from about his belly button, spreading up and down and everywhere in soft, shaky waves.

&
nbsp; He curled his fingers, digging the tips into hard muscles, and tried his best to writhe beneath Todd. When had his lover got so big, so strong? Adam was going to have to start working out more—or maybe not. He really liked the way Todd felt on him, the way his thick thighs bracketed Adam’s, and, fucking hell, but he loved the way Todd rutted against him, the hard thick length of his cock burning a trail through their clothes.

  Adam whipped his head aside and panted out, “Naked, now!” He pushed at Todd’s

  shoulders, then just grabbed onto the material covering them and tore at it. Seams ripped and Todd cursed, something he rarely did, but he also ground down harder against Adam.

  Seemed he wasn’t the only one who liked a wild man on occasion!

  Todd sat up and unfastened his belt and jeans. His eyes were narrowed, his cheeks

  tinged with the red flush of arousal as he nodded at Adam. “Get your clothes off.”

  Like Adam had any objection to that! He whipped his shirt off while doing his best to watch Todd. The first sight of his cockhead made Adam’s stomach flip. Todd had a beautiful dick, thick and long, the head broad and the slit wide. Adam’s mouth watered and his tongue tingled. He licked his lips and leant forward, his focus on getting that big cock in his mouth.

  “No.” Todd stepped back and pointed at him. “You’re supposed to be getting naked so I can…”

  Adam looked up expectantly. Todd’s cheeks were tinged with a different kind of blush, the one that made Adam’s heart trip over itself with a swell of love. Todd was still shy at times, and it was adorable.

  “Fuck me?” Adam said, and if he was kind of breathless when he did so, well, who

  could blame him? It’d been forever since he’d been fucked. Not that he was complaining. He loved feeling Todd’s ass gripping him like he’d never let Adam go.

  Todd kicked off his shoes even as he answered. “Yeah. I want to, if that’s okay.”

  If it’d been anyone other than Todd to address fucking him in such a way, Adam would have laughed. He could be a snarky bitch at times. But it was Todd, and Adam knew his tender heart, his careful nature, and it touched Adam that Todd was being so cautious.

  Especially when Adam thought it was pretty obvious how much he was on board with

  Todd’s plan.

  “More than.” Adam stripped and flopped back on the bed, then quickly rolled to his

  knees. “Like this.” He was also still a bit bossy, but he wanted Todd in him, hard and deep.

  Who knew how long it’d be before Todd wanted to do this again, or if he would? Adam wanted to feel it for days.

  “God,” Todd rasped, “I can’t…”

  Adam craned his neck to look at Todd. The poor guy looked ready to jump him. “Come

  and get it.” Adam wiggled his butt, while at the same time he grabbed the lube from the headboard shelf. “Use lots of this first, though.” Adam tossed it back in a sloppy throw that had Todd lurching forward and slapping at the bottle.

  “Crap!” Todd bobbled it a couple of times but that tense, desperate expression that had pinched his features seemed to have eased some when he glared at Adam. “You aimed that right for my balls!”

  Adam snickered and manoeuvred his head until he was more comfortable and his neck

  didn’t feel like it was going to snap. “No, this is a shitty angle to throw from. Good for you to pitch, though.”

  Todd groaned after a second. “Guh, that was horrible!”

  It had been a pretty bad joke, but Adam hadn’t been able to resist. “Yeah, so, what’re you gonna do about it?” It was on the tip of his tongue to suggest something like slapping his ass purely as a joke, but Adam wasn’t big on getting spanked, and Todd might very well be repulsed, considering—well, Adam just wasn’t going there.

  The bed dipped then Adam found himself rolling over, squawking as Todd pushed him

  onto his side. He opened his mouth to protest but Todd laid a finger over Adam’s lips. “Why don’t you let me do the driving all the way this time?”

  Adam’s eyes felt like they were trying to leap right out of the sockets, he had to be gaping so intently. “I-I thought you were driving.” Why was he so nervous and fluttery and the tips of his fingers and toes were numb—Adam snorted. Duh. All the blood was rushing to his dick—no wonder his extremities were protesting!

  Todd pushed at his legs until Adam uncurled and stretched out. He ran a hand over

  Adam’s calf, up to his hip, then back down to tease at the juncture of thigh and groin. “Mm, well, yeah, I am, but I meant, let me be in charge. I think you need me to as much as I want to.”

  “Oh,” Adam breathed, his eyelids so heavy he gave up trying to keep them open. It

  made his body even more sensitive to Todd’s touch. “Yes.” He didn’t have anything else to add, not when Todd finally fisted his dick.

  “Good,” Todd murmured, the bed dipping more as his breath wafted over Adam’s

  damp tip.

  “Fucking hell,” Adam yelped when Todd unhesitatingly took his dick in, swathing half Adam’s length in wet heat. Soft, yet firm, tongue and cheeks and suction—Adam bucked and choked on a squeal he refused to release. He grabbed for a handhold and found Todd’s silky hair. “Ah, baby, just keep—” Adam bit his lip when he remembered Todd was taking the range.

  Perhaps in reward, Adam’s balls were cupped and rolled in a rough palm. Todd

  prodded and pushed them with his fingers, and his cock was worshipped with a skill Todd had perfected. It was bliss being buried in Todd’s mouth—any part of him, yes, but Todd sucked dick with an enthusiasm only matched by his talent. He took Adam in deep and swallowed around his crown, pressing Adam’s balls up at the same time.

  Adam couldn’t have held back the garbled shout if his life had depended on it. Pleasure spiked up from his balls and spurted from his dick. Todd murmured or hummed, for all Adam knew he sang Dixie! There was rumbling and pleasure so exquisite Adam almost ached from it.

  When Todd pulled off, nuzzling Adam’s softening dick, Adam whimpered and

  tightened his fingers in Todd’s hair. “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?” Todd asked. He caught Adam’s wrists and prised his hands free. “Don’t

  what?” he repeated.

  Adam shook his head. Everything in there was still mush. “I dunno.” And didn’t his

  voice sound slurred? “I just want you to stay here beside me.” He had some stupid irrational fear that Todd was going to spontaneously poof away? Adam wondered if he’d had a mini-stroke or something with his orgasm. Todd wasn’t going to leave him. He guessed he just felt vulnerable, unused to the change in their roles, not that it was a bad thing, at all.

  “Don’t mind me,” he said, feeling a little ridiculous but more clear-headed. “I’m just woozy upstairs from you blowing my mind.” Adam saw the glint in Todd’s eyes and the

  curve to his lips and scowled. “Don’t even go for the cheesy joke there. That’s my job. You’re the classy one of us!”

  Todd laughed for a good thirty seconds then swiped at his cheek. “Honey, if I’m the

  classy one, we’re so screwed.”

  Adam knew Todd was just joking, but he also knew Todd might not be, deep down. He

  sat up and crawled onto Todd’s lap, straddling his lover. Adam cupped Todd’s cheek and looked into his pretty eyes. He was certain he saw doubt there, and that would never do.

  “You are. You stand by the people you love. You’re the only one who has stood by me.”

  “Oh, hey,” Todd murmured, taking Adam’s cheek much as Adam was touching him.

  “It’s not your fault. We both have messed-up families, and that friend of yours, Jameson?

  You don’t know what happened to him. I don’t think, after what you told me about how close y’all were for so long, well, I don’t think he’d just ditch you.”

  Then Todd slanted his mouth over Adam’s, cutting off the familiar fear over Jameson’s fate,
because Adam knew Todd was right. Which didn’t leave a good resolution for Jameson.

  “Don’t,” Todd whispered, and Adam knew he meant, don’t think about it, not now.

  Adam tipped his head up and Todd kissed him again, licking into him with a leisurely stroke that set the nerves under Adam’s skin to humming with anticipation.

  Todd lowered Adam onto his back, never breaking their kiss. Adam’s mouth felt well

  and truly plundered by the time Todd began nibbling down his jaw, down his neck. Adam clutched at Todd’s shoulders, trying not to push. Todd brushed over his nipples, not messing with them much. He covered Adam’s abs in soft bites and love marks, then scraped his teeth over a thatch of Adam’s pubes.

  “Raise your legs up.”

  Adam opened one eye. That definitely sounded like an order, not a request, and his

  dick sure seemed to like the bossy tone. Adam hitched his legs up, holding the backs of his knees. He knew how wanton it made him look, because he had Todd in this same position every chance he got. Adam groaned low in his gut and dug the back of his head into the pillow. He needed Todd, so very badly.

  Todd palmed his ass cheeks, squeezing and kneading before pulling them apart.

  Adam’s hole was exposed to the cooler air, then it was exposed to the mind-meltingly erotic feel of Todd’s tongue lapping over it.

  Adam couldn’t form words, and had to just grunt and breathe in funny little hitches as Todd ate his ass. Licking and scraping his teeth over the tender skin, Todd reduced Adam to a puddle of needy, desperate man. Todd speared his tongue into Adam’s opening, then

  pressed in the tip of a finger as well.

  “Ungh!” Adam meant, more, now, fuck me! But ‘Ungh!’ was what it sounded like.

  Thank God Todd understood him regardless.

  Todd kissed Adam’s hole noisily. Adam wanted to protest when Todd moved, but the

  sound of the lube being opened, the gurgle of the gooey stuff being poured, shut him right up.

  Then that cold liquid was being smeared around his hole, in his hole, and Adam was

  babbling, begging, pleading. His need overrode his pride, and he sobbed as he opened his eyes and reached for Todd.