by A. T Brennan
After a few minutes of silence, Rhys began to tremble against me. At first, I thought he was cold and shivering, but then I felt a wet spot on my shoulder and realized he was crying.
What had happened between when I saw him last night and right now? Instead of saying anything or trying to get him to talk, I rolled into him and held him tight, rubbing his scalp and back. He was crying softly enough that I couldn't hear him, and I was only able to tell when he stopped by how his breathing went back to normal and he stopped shaking.
I didn't lessen my hold, and he didn't pull away. We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms, our legs pretzeled as we held each other. I didn't want to break the spell because he finally seemed calm, but I really wanted to know what had happened to upset him so badly.
As the minutes past, Rhys's breathing became deeper and slower. He'd fallen asleep. Instead of trying to untangle myself from him, I closed my eyes and breathed in his musky and slightly spicy scent. Between the heat from his body and the rhythm of his breathing, I quickly felt myself fading into sleep.
I WOKE UP TO SOMEONE gently petting my hair. It felt wonderful, and as I drifted out of sleep, I couldn't help smiling and sighing softly.
It took a moment to get my bearings, but as I became more aware, I realized that somehow we'd shifted during our nap, and I was essentially lying across Rhys's body.
“Thank you,” Rhys said when I looked up at him, his hand still teasing my hair.
“For what?”
“For being here while I broke down.”
“Can you tell me what happened?” I asked a little timidly. It really wasn't any of my business, and I wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to tell me.
Rhys nodded and rolled us so we were lying on the same pillow, our arms around each other and our legs still pretzeled. It was as close as we could get while still being able to read his lips.
“My niece, Violet. You remember her?”
“Of course. She's a really sweet girl.”
“Last night my parents found out she has a boyfriend, and they flipped out on her. They took her phone, her computer, tablet. Basically any way she could contact anyone. They told her she would have to drop out of the few activities she did enjoy at school, and she'd have a driver that took her to and from school, and that was it. She wasn't allowed to go anywhere else.”
“Because she has a boyfriend?”
“Sam was her age when Violet was born. In some stupid, twisted way, they're trying to stop the same thing from happening again. But all they're doing is punishing her for a mistake she didn't make.”
“That's horrible.”
“After the fight, she ran away. She ended up at her boyfriend's and stayed the night there. My mother called me this morning and told me what had happened. She thought Violet was with me. Violet contacted me, and I picked her up and brought her home. I thought I could talk to them, but my dad told me that I'm not allowed to see Violet anymore, and he's filed a restraining order against me.”
“For what?”
“Being a bad influence.” Rhys sighed heavily. “He's friends with an anti-LGBTQ judge and is getting it signed off as a special favor or something.”
“How is that legal?”
“When you have money and connections, anything can be made legal.”
“So this means you'll never see her again?”
“Not without risking jail time.”
“I'm so sorry, Rhys.”
“I love that little girl like she was my own. I've been there for everything. Hell, I was supposed to have her.”
“What do you mean?”
Rhys bit his lip and then blew out a breath. “When Sam died, she named me as Violet's guardian. My parents didn't like that decision, so they hired a private investigator to follow me and build a case against me. I wasn't out. Sam and Violet were the only people who knew I was gay, but that didn't mean I didn't indulge. I met guys online to hook up with, even went to a few of the clubs in neighboring towns. No one knew anything, not until that PI started following me.”
“Your own parents did that to you?”
“Yeah. Mumsie and Dadsie dearest. When the PI outed me, they lost it. My parents are as homophobic as can be, and they've never hidden that from anyone. It's the reason I stayed in the closet for so long. My parents would have cut me off, and I was afraid of what would happen if I lost everything. Sam convinced me to come out, quit my dad's company and start my own life, but then she got sick. When they told her she was terminal, she asked me to be Violet's guardian. She wanted her daughter to be raised the way she would have raised her, and that couldn't happen with our parents.”
“Were you going to stay in the closet forever?”
“Until Violet was eighteen. Then she could make her own choices, and it didn't matter what my parents thought. I would have done it too, was planning on quitting the whole hooking up on the DL thing because I wanted to put all my focus on Violet.”
“Then you were outed.” The more Rhys told me, the more my heart broke for him. He'd lost his sister, his chance to raise his niece, and his parents, all with a single death.
“Yup. The family court judge decided to overturn Sam's will and give Violet to my parents because my 'perverse lifestyle choices' shouldn't be inflicted on a child. Especially not one with a disability.”
“He said that?”
“Oh yeah. He was happy to get to slam the book on another gay. She was living with me when all this happened. I'd bought a small house close to her school for the deaf in a safe neighborhood. She had her own room, we had a yard, and there was a park across the street so we could get her the dog she always wanted. I even had an alert system installed in the place. Then the judge reversed the will, and she was gone.”
“I'm so sorry, Rhys. I'm so sorry.”
“I sold the house, and I've kind of been lost ever since. I bounced from job to job until I met Evan and started working at The Den. I was a mess for a long time over this, but at least I still got to see her. I was still the one she came to when she needed help or advice. My parents stopped talking about Sam as soon as she died. There are no pictures of her anywhere. I was keeping Sam alive for Violet, but even that's gone now too.”
“Oh, Rhys.”
“The worst part is knowing that this is going completely against what Sam wanted. Sure, she made a mistake, but that mistake gave us Violet. Sam overcame every obstacle that was in her way, and she was an incredible mother. She loved Violet more than anything, and now that she's not around to protect her, Violet is living the same life both of us ran away from.”
“There has to be something you can do.”
“My parents have more money than any one family should. They have a team of lawyers, and my dad is friends with more than one judge. I could bleed myself dry and never even make a dent in their legal fund.”
“What about when Violet turns eighteen?”
“That's in two years. I'm afraid that after everything she's been through, she won't come out of those two years the same person that she is now. She lost everything when her mom died. Her friends, her security, any demonstrations of compassion or love. I tried to keep all of that in her life, but now that I've been cut off from her, I don't know how she's going to survive the next two years in that house.”
“I wish there was something I could do,” I said softly as I played with Rhys's short hair. It was a lot softer than it looked, and I could tell it was comforting him, like it did me.
“Listening and just being here with me helped. More than you can know. Other than the guys at work, I don't really have friends. Tristan is the only one who knows the whole story, but it wasn't him I needed.”
“It wasn't?” I swallowed as Rhys gave me a heated look.
“No. The only thing I could think of was getting here to you.”
“I'm happy I could be here for you.”
It was a lame thing to say, but it was the only thing that came to mind. Instead of rolling his eyes, Rhys lea
ned forward and gave me a soft kiss.
“Thank you,” he said with a smile after he pulled away. The kiss had been sweet and gentle and enough to make my head spin and my lips tingle. It was incredible just how much he could affect me.
“Rhys?” I asked, my voice trembling from both nerves and arousal.
“Yes, baby?”
“Can I... I mean, do you want me to... I...”
“It's okay, babe. Take your time. Tell me what you want.”
“Can I suck you?”
The words kind of tumbled out of my mouth, and I was kind of surprised that Rhys didn't ask me to repeat them. I'd barely understood myself.
“Yes, if you'd like to. I'd love that.”
“I want to.”
It was the truth. The moment he'd kissed me after telling me his story, all I could think about was getting my mouth on his cock so I could taste him. I wasn't good at giving head, but the thought of being able to give Rhys pleasure made me not care about disappointing him and instead wanting to experience that with him.
Rhys pulled me close and kissed me, his lips moving with mine as his tongue dipped into my mouth. It was hot and soft and dirty and sweet, all at the same time, and when he finally pulled back, my head was spinning.
I grabbed the bottom of his shirt and tugged it up, silently telling him to strip it off. I wanted to be able to see and touch his incredible body. Rhys took the hint and pulled his shirt off, tossing it aside before he quickly pulled mine off as well. When we were both naked from the waist up, I gave him one last kiss and trailed my lips down the column of his throat, giving him little kisses and nips here and there as I continued to move south.
Rhys arched into my lips, gasping and crying out softly as I paused to lick his nipples. I expected him to put his hands on my head to move me lower, but he let me play and tease him for as long as I wanted.
“Fuck, Caleb. Your mouth is amazing.” Rhys said when I lifted my head from teasing his light blond happy trail. I could feel his erection pressing against his clothes, and my mouth was watering at the thought of getting to taste him.
“Just a warning. I'm not really good at this. It might take a while, but I'll keep-” I was cut off as Rhys sat up and pulled me with him so he could silence me with a kiss.
“I know that's not your voice talking,” he said seriously as he looked into my eyes. “That's your abusive ex talking. Just do whatever you feel comfortable doing, and the fact that you want to do it for me is going to make it amazing, okay?”
“Okay.” I nodded, pausing as he gave me another kiss. “Are you negative?”
“I am. Are you?”
“Yes.”
“Remember, just do what turns you on, and I know I'm going to love it.”
“Okay.”
Feeling bold, I gently pushed Rhys back on the bed and resumed my place between his legs. I dropped a few kisses across his hard cock through his clothes, then set to pulling them down and off.
When Rhys was naked, I gripped him by the base of his shaft and licked my lips before lowering my head to his cock.
I took a chance and started out by licking around the head of his dick, just playing with the ridge around his crown. His dick pulsed in my hand, and my confidence grew. He was enjoying it.
Wrapping my hand a little tighter around his base, I sealed my lips over the tip of the head and took as much of him into my mouth as I could, which sadly wasn't much. I had a horrible gag reflex, so any more than a few inches was too much for me.
Rhys didn't seem to mind as I moved my hand in tandem with my mouth, twisting both as I sucked and stroked him. The slightly sweet taste of his pre-cum flooded my mouth, making me moan as I lapped up every bit of it.
I couldn't hear what Rhys was saying, but I could tell he was talking as he cried out. His hips pulsed, not quite forcing me deeper but still showing me what pace he needed.
Within minutes, Rhys was rock solid in my hand, his whole body straining as he gripped the sheets beside his body. I hollowed my cheeks, sucking as deeply as I dared, and seconds later, he came with a shout, his cum filling my mouth.
I drank down every drop I could, almost giddy with pleasure. Whenever I'd given Michael oral sex, he'd had to hold my head and make me do what he wanted in order to come, and it could take forever. I'd always dreaded giving Michael head but would do it again for Rhys right now if I thought his body could come again so soon.
“Come here.” Rhys pulled me up his body and kissed me hard and deep. I still had some of his cum in my mouth, and he seemed to have no problem tasting himself. Michael hated cum and refused to kiss me after I'd go down on him, and he almost never returned the favor because it was too much for him.
“Can I suck you?” Rhys asked when I pulled away to catch my breath.
“You want to?”
“Yes, so much.”
“Oh, okay.”
“How do you want it?”
“Um, the same way we just did?”
Rhys nodded and quickly rolled us over. After another quick kiss, he trailed his lips down my body until he was kneeling between my legs. He quickly pulled my pants and briefs off and paused for a moment to look me up and down.
“You're so fucking sexy, Caleb.”
“You don't have to say that-”
“I mean it. You're gorgeous.” He waited for me to say something, but I couldn't. “Do you believe that I think so, even if you don't?”
“Yes.”
And it was true. I could see it in his eyes that Rhys really did think I was attractive.
“Do you like being rimmed?”
“Rimmed?” I asked stupidly.
“Yeah, I like to eat ass while I suck dick.” He grinned and winked at me. “But if you're not okay with that, I don't have to.”
“No, it's okay. I've just never really felt much before, the few times it's been done to me.”
“Fingering?”
“You like doing that too?”
“Oh yeah.” I could see the passion and lust burning in his eyes. Rhys really was into all of this.
“Sure, as long as you go slow.”
“Of course. Just tap my shoulder or tell me to stop if something doesn't feel right, okay?”
“Okay.”
I lay back on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. I have no idea why, but by not looking at Rhys, I didn't feel as self-conscious.
I let Rhys guide my legs so they were over his shoulders, trying to push aside the wave of shame I felt at being so exposed. I might be six feet tall, but my dick wasn't in proportion to my height. I had girth, but at just under six inches, I was on the low side of average.
Rhys didn't say anything or even hesitate before he was licking a stripe up my taint, the center of my balls, and up to the tip of my cock. I let out a surprised cry, and when he did it again, my body naturally began to relax.
I couldn't look at Rhys as he pleasured me, I wasn't confident enough for that yet, so instead, I closed my eyes and gave myself over to the feelings he was creating in my body.
Outside of when Lizzie and I were together, I'd never had a partner put any effort into pleasing me, and my body tightened to a point that was almost unbearable the first time Rhys swallowed my cock so his chin was resting against my balls.
“I'm not going to last!” I gasped, unconsciously arching into Rhys as he held my dick at the back of his throat.
Rhys pulled off my cock and grabbed me by the ass, lifting and pushing the globes apart. Before I could figure out what he was going to do, I felt his tongue gently swiping over my rim.
“Oh Jesus. Fuck, Rhys!”
The few times I'd had this done, it had felt weird. It had been messy and rough, and I hadn't found any pleasure in it. This time was different. Rhys was being gentle, and instead of attacking my hole, he was teasing it.
I chanced a look at Rhys when his tongue disappeared from my body and saw him sucking his index finger into his mouth. His eyes caught mine, and the fire in them almo
st took my breath away.
Still keeping his gaze on mine, Rhys pulled his finger out of his mouth and lowered it to my body. Just like he had with his tongue, he gently teased my hole until I was almost quivering.
Rhys gripped the base of my cock with his other hand and slowly pushed his finger inside me. It was enough to drive me crazy with need, but not nearly enough to make me come.
“Please, please,” I begged shamelessly. “Please, Rhys.”
“I've got you, babe.” He pushed his finger deeper inside me, and I clenched around him. “Relax for me; let me in.”
Taking a deep breath, I reached down and grabbed my knees and pulled them against my chest. Now I was completely open to him, and the moment my body shifted, his finger slid all the way inside me.
“That's it,” he praised. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, so ready.”
Still keeping my eyes on Rhys I cried out as he gently crooked his finger so he could press against it my prostate.
“Oh god!”
The moment Rhys began pumping his finger inside me, brushing against my gland with every stroke, he also swallowed my dick down again. That combination was too much, and I couldn't stop my orgasm from exploding out of me.
Rhys moaned around my dick as he swallowed me down. I couldn't hear it, but the vibrations I felt around my cock from it sent shock waves of pleasure through me, and before my orgasm had completely tapered off, the aftershocks started.
I'd never come that hard in my life, and I actually saw stars as I fell back and breathed through it.
Rhys pulled free from me and crawled up my body, but instead of lying down, he started to roll us over.
“No, stay like this. Please.”
I wanted to feel his body blanket me right now. I needed his bulk on top of me, reminding me that he was there so we could share in the afterglow.
Rhys settled over me, the majority of his weight being held up by his arms as he nuzzled my neck. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pressing our spent cocks together as I got as close to him as humanly possible.
