by Dev Bentham
“I love you.” Mark blurted. He focused on the top button of Seth’s shirt, ran a hand through his hair. “Christ. I’m not good at this. I’m a fucked-up mess and you should run away. But I’m hoping like hell you don’t. I know there’s no way you’re going to feel like that for me, I mean you’d be crazy to, but I—”
Seth touched Mark’s chin, tipping his head until he was forced to look into his eyes. Even in the darkened alley Seth’s gaze looked hot. “So I’m crazy.”
And then his lips were on Mark’s again. This time in a kiss so tender it melted the tension from Mark’s shoulders and dissolved the knot in his stomach.
He pulled away. “Please don’t mess with me, Seth. I’ve never trusted anyone, not like this. And I want to, I really want to let myself believe you. But if this is some kind of extension of the thing you do with dogs…”
Seth cocked his head. “I’ve never had sex with a dog. Besides, you’re not a greyhound, Mark. You’re a bulldog, tough and wary, loyal as all get-out. Not easy to get close to, and you know, that intrigued me. But once inside what do I find but this huge heart. I’d be the crazy one to walk away from you.” He grinned. “And by the way, you should hope it’s an extension of my dog thing. I make long-term commitments to my greyhounds.”
Mark blinked at him. “So we’re going to do this?”
Seth answered with a kiss. When they broke again he whispered, “I need to take you home with me. Can you do that?”
Mark grinned. “Um, I was hoping you’d ask. Belle’s in the car.”
* * *
Mark parked near Seth’s apartment, clipped on Belle’s leash and walked her down the block while he waited for Seth, who had ducked back into the party to say his goodbyes. Someone had mowed the grass in front of Seth’s building and Mark inhaled the sweet green smell. A chill breeze ruffled Belle’s hair but Mark felt flushed and shaky. Chaos theory indicated that slight deviations in the origin of an action led to huge changes in the trajectory. Now it felt like the world had tilted and Mark was flying off in an entirely new direction. On his way to the party he’d told himself that the best he could expect was another night with Seth. It looked like he was getting that and more.
He watched the headlights of passing cars. Hard to know in the dark which one would be Seth’s. Mark felt different. He suddenly realized what it was. At this very moment he wasn’t afraid. No constriction in his chest, no clenched stomach or pounding heart. It was impossible to believe it wouldn’t come back, but how glorious to feel relaxed and whole for one golden moment on a late-spring evening, walking his dog and waiting for his lover.
A car pulled up to the curb and Seth climbed out. Mark sprinted toward him, Belle trotting along beside.
Seth smiled. “Sorry, that took longer than I’d hoped. Everyone’s pleased with opening night.”
Mark followed him up the steps. “Everything went well after I left?”
Seth paused with his hand on the doorknob. “Yeah, fine. Let’s give the dogs a minute to get used to each other in this space.”
Mark followed him in, holding Belle on a short leash. It took some time but soon enough Belle quit trying to get Freddie to play and Freddie relaxed enough to ignore her.
Seth flopped onto the couch beside Freddie. “So what happened with Lisa?”
Mark sank down beside him. “It was pretty scary. There was lots of blood, but it all turned out well.” He gave a quick summary of the night’s events, ending with Lisa’s admonition to go out and get his man, which led him to tell Seth about Pete too.
Seth ran a hand through Mark’s hair and down the back of his neck. “Coming out is a difficult thing.”
He smiled, resting his hand on Seth’s thigh. “I actually thought it would be worse. Somehow I pictured everyone screaming and crying and running away. Maybe they would have earlier. My father wouldn’t have liked it, but Lisa and Pete seem grateful I’m something, not the Unibomber-type hermit they thought I’d end up.”
Seth pulled Mark to him. “You can be a hermit as long as you let me in your cave.”
A rush of desire coursed through him and Mark buried his head in Seth’s neck, inhaling the smell of him, sweat and soap. He kissed a hungry line from his ear to his clavicle. Traces of stage makeup flecked Seth’s neck. Mark licked at one. It tasted like chalk. “Can we go to bed now?”
“Oh, yes.” Seth led Mark to the bed, each man shedding clothes along the way. Seth stopped at the edge of the bed and turned toward Mark, beautiful and hard in his nakedness.
Mark reached for him, pulling him into a full-body kiss, the kind that starts at the toes and works its way up through thighs pressed together, to the crest of hip against hip, cocks brushing against each other, nipples brushing chest hair and arms wrapped, hands wandering, all the way up to tongues and minds and hearts.
They collapsed onto the bed, lying on their sides. Mark looked into Seth’s amazing eyes. There was nothing to fear there. He touched his shoulder and trailed a hand down his chest, grazing a nipple, which stood to attention. He leaned to kiss it, the swirl of hair around Seth’s nipple tickling his lips. He smoothed Seth’s abdomen with the back of his hand, caressing the soft line of hair that ran down from his belly button.
Seth’s breath quickened, loud in the silent room.
Mark pulled back to look at him. “When I saw you onstage tonight I thought I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.”
“Thank you.” Seth’s hands felt warm stroking Mark’s back. “After my injury I had to learn a new way of dancing, one that doesn’t involve jumps or spins.”
“Hmmm.” Mark ran his finger along the line of Seth’s hip bone. “Change. It’s supposed to be good.”
Seth’s breath was warm on his cheek. “Sometimes it is.”
Mark’s fingers grazed the wet tip of Seth’s cock. “I’ve been thinking about what we talked about on the phone that night.”
Seth inhaled sharply. “Me too.”
He ran a finger down Seth’s cock and touched the soft skin of his balls. “You are that special guy, you know.”
Seth smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He pulled Mark’s face toward him, capturing his mouth in another soul-wrenching kiss.
Mark opened to Seth’s tongue, reveling in the taste of him. He let Seth roll him onto his back, his whole being screaming to surrender, to let Seth into every part of him. Seth groaned. Mark’s own cock throbbed in rhythm with the pulse of Seth’s against his thigh.
He reached to touch Seth, who held his wrist. “Don’t,” Seth whispered. “I’m too close as it is.” He rolled away from Mark and rummaged in a drawer by the bed.
Mark lay back, riveted by the beauty of the long muscles moving under Seth’s pale skin. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself, ready himself for what was coming. The sheets smelled of sleep and sweat.
Finally Seth rolled back toward him, his smile warm. He tossed a condom and lube onto the bed beside him. Seth ran a hand along Mark’s jaw. “You’re beautiful, you know?”
Mark snorted. He searched Seth’s eyes for irony but didn’t find any. Finally he whispered, “I’m glad you think so.”
Seth ran his hand down Mark’s chest. He shivered at his touch then jumped when Seth’s hand grazed his cock, which felt full and tight.
Seth leaned in to whisper in Mark’s ear, his hot breath sending ripples all the way down to Mark’s cock. “I’ll try to go slow but I want you so badly.”
Mark groaned, arching toward him. He felt like begging but instead simply spread his legs. Seth inhaled sharply and moved to kneel between his bent knees. Seth’s gaze held Mark’s. He heard the crackle of a condom wrapper, followed by the snap of latex.
Mark closed his eyes, overwhelmed and embarrassed by how much he wanted Seth inside him.
“Mark, look at me.”
His gaze connected with Seth’s and the connection jolted him. There was nothing cool or detached about the way Seth was looking at him. Seth ran his hands down
Mark’s inner thighs, pressing them apart. He looked at Mark, his eyes caressing every inch.
Sweat beaded on Mark’s forehead as he watched Seth squeeze lube onto his fingers and rub them together. Again Seth’s eyes met his. Mark licked his lips and spread his knees wide, watching Seth’s eyes dilate at the movement. Mark closed his eyes, concentrating on the sweet sensation of fingers making tiny circles around his ass. He inhaled deeply and tried to relax on the exhale. One and then another digit slipped in, the movement exquisite. The fingers reached in farther and Mark felt a jolt when they touched his prostate.
His eyes flew open and met Seth’s gaze. Seth smiled. His focus never leaving Mark’s face, he withdrew his fingers. Mark could hear the slick of lube against latex and then he felt the pressure of Seth’s cock against his ass. He clenched shut in a moment of panic.
Seth waited.
Mark grabbed his own knees, relaxing into the stretch of his hip opening up, willing his muscles to relax. Seth rubbed Mark’s ass with the tip of his cock, sending electrical sparks of excitement through him. He looked down to see Seth poised outside him. His own cock dripped precome onto his rigid belly. He nodded to Seth, who pushed in slowly, watching Mark’s face, pausing to let the burn dissolve and the muscles relax.
And then he was in and Mark pushed against him, wanting and needing, and they were rocking together. Seth’s hand pumped Mark’s cock in rhythm with his own. Mark arched into him, gripping Seth’s ass and pulling him in deeper and deeper. The headboard rocked against the wall with each thrust and the sound made it better, like an announcement: Seth is fucking Mark. Seth is fucking Mark. Seth above him, thrusting into him again and again.
Mark felt consumed, surrounded, taken. The sound of Seth’s breath, the smell of his sweat, the touch of his hand and most wonderfully the miracle of his cock stretching Mark, opening him, moving into him completely.
Seth said his name once, twice, and thrust deeply, holding and pumping into his ass and Mark tumbled after him, splashing both their chests in long, arching spasms. Seth collapsed on top of him. They lay for a moment catching their breath.
Gently Seth pulled out and rolled off. He lay on his back, still breathing hard. “If I go to the bathroom to clean up, will you freak out?”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Good.” Seth rolled onto his side, caressing Mark’s belly. “And will you spend the night?”
Mark nodded. He wasn’t going anywhere. Not for a long, long time.
About the Author
Dev Bentham lives in northern Wisconsin with two cats, a dog and one wonderful husband. She’s published short stories, poetry, newspaper articles and academic papers, and has worked in nearly every profession from restaurants to retail to open-water diving. Now she has turned her hand to m/m romance because she’s fascinated by love, courage and gender. She spends long, cold winters at her kitchen table dreaming of heartwarming romance and hot, passionate love.
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ISBN: 978-1-4268-9343-8
Copyright © 2012 by Tara Reed
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