by BA Tortuga
AP hoped that nap in the truck had done Trey some good. Dinner had been achieved, the kids were in bed, and Christmas lights twinkled on the tree they’d all waited to decorate until Bella got home.
He was damn ready for adult time.
Trey wandered up and down the long hall, peeking in at the little girls, leaving the boys to their games and phones.
Ap walked up behind him so he could grab that fine, tight ass. Trey jumped for him, but he didn’t pull away or turn around. He just kept moving them toward the bedroom.
“Shh. Just walk, baby. We’re locking the door. Bella has her night hat on and is sound asleep.” She had taken her pain pill, and she was out for the count. Now he needed to take care of his man.
Trey looked less than convinced when they entered the bedroom, but when Ap locked the door, then turned back for a kiss, Trey gave right in, melting against him. Those long arms wrapped around him, Trey holding him close.
They trembled together for a minute, and then the strong arms around him tightened, drawing him to the bed.
Ap followed eagerly, wanting anything he could get. Skin or kisses or just rubbing off like teenagers.
“Can we be naked?” Trey asked, the question so needy. “Please.”
“Before we get too busy. Good idea.” Ap started tossing off clothes, and Trey followed suit, baring the huge, gorgeous body to his gaze.
He wanted to climb Trey like a mountain, but when he tried they toppled to the bed, laughing.
“I swear to God, we’d better not wake the kids.” Trey laughed for him, the sound muffled in their kiss.
“Shhh.” He kissed Trey again and again, feeling wild, like finally being in their bed had broken a dam. He shimmied up Trey’s body, framing his lover’s face with his hands.
“Hey.” Trey smiled for him, a real, happy smile that made him feel ten feet tall.
Ap rubbed their noses together. “Hey, baby.”
“I love you.”
Oh. Oh, bald and sure and honest. He sort of wanted to holler with his joy.
“I love you too.” Because he did, with the passion of when they were just kids and the surety of the man he was now.
“Good.” Lord, that goofy, wonderful smile made him grin back. “I love this—touching you.”
Trey squeezed his ass, proving exactly what Trey wanted to touch.
“It’s been too damn long, baby.” He nipped at Trey’s neck, wanting a taste. Trey lifted his chin, offering himself over, even as Trey began to rub them together.
He licked and kissed his way down to one collarbone, feeling decadent. Fuzzy man. Christ, Trey was like a dream, heavy and broad beneath him. He plucked at a bit of chest hair, then soothed by rubbing those tiny nipples.
Then he did it again, laughing as Trey bucked and jerked. “This is more fun than color TV.”
“Good. I would hate to be replaced by cable.”
He kissed Trey’s mouth again, jumping when Trey slid a finger between his asscheeks.
Trey stilled. “No?”
“Yes. Anything.” He could catch as well as pitch; Trey knew that well enough. It just took him by surprise.
“Just want to touch you, feel you.” Trey drew circles at the small of his back, sensitizing his nerves.
He arched, poking his butt out a little. “I want that too. I’m kind of oral, so I want to kiss and lick.”
Trey’s lips quirked. “I remember that about you. Fondly.”
“Do you? I’m willing to prove it again.” He bent to lick at the nipples he’d touched, each in turn. They drew up for him, wrinkling up tight as the cold air hit them. So fine. He stroked down the flat belly, fingers dancing over Trey’s abs. The muscles rolled and jerked under his touch, and then Trey grabbed his head, encouraging him to suck, to lick those needy nipples.
Someone liked that a lot. So Ap gave what Trey needed. He licked at each one, went back to draw the first between his lips and pull hard.
“Jesus. Jesus, Ap. Please.” Trey wrapped one heavy leg over him, pressing them tight together.
“I got you.” He said it against that sweet skin, then bit. Not as hard as he would like, but he was easing them into it.
Trey nodded, the huge chest rising and falling like a grand bellows. The man loved sensation, loved to feel everything Ap gave him, and that hadn’t changed a bit over the years.
“I should have done this years ago,” Trey moaned. “I should have taken you to bed and let you turn me inside out.”
“I was so careful.” Ap hadn’t wanted to upset the kids, especially Cole, and he’d been afraid Trey would turn him down.
“I was stuck. Mad. Whatever. I want more, Ap.”
“More.” He licked down Trey’s belly, aiming for the thick cock that pressed against him. Oh, he wanted that, wanted to taste the heavy cock between his lips. He opened up, running his tongue along the underside.
Trey spread for him, one leg drawing up and out, spreading wide. That gave him room to slide one hand under the heavy balls when he closed his lips around Trey’s shaft and sucked deep.
“Ap.” His name had never sounded so fine, not in anyone else’s voice. He wanted to hear that every night, forever. Right now, he just wanted to hear it over and over. He licked as he bobbed up and down, then sucked hard at the head. Ap knew that spot just underneath would drive Trey mad.
A flood of need poured from Trey’s lips, then followed from the aching cock, hot seed spilling into him.
Damn. Oh damn, that was the best thing ever. That Trey was that hot off the mark for him. He licked his lover clean, not at all worried. Trey wouldn’t lie to him about his lack of lovers.
Trey moaned softly before dragging him up, rocking them together as Trey plundered his mouth, kissing him like there was nothing Trey needed more.
His cock ached, his asscheeks clenched, and he knew it wouldn’t be long. Trey grabbed his cock in one hand and reached down with the other and pressed one finger into his hole, the scrape enough to make his eyes roll.
His toes curled, his breath caught, and he almost lost it, but Ap held on, wanting just a few more minutes of this amazing pleasure.
“Got you.” Trey kept touching him, kissing him, pushing at him. “Lord, I got you, and I intend to keep you.”
“Please. Promise.” He panted, his hips sawing back and forth, pushing. Needing.
“Swear to God.” Trey latched on to the curve of his neck and began to suck, pulling up a mark.
“Oh Jesus. Oh fuck. Trey.” He lost it, thrusting into Trey’s hand until he stifled a shout, his ears ringing as he came.
Trey kept him close, holding him like he was precious.
Ap hoped he was. God knew he was so far gone for Trey he was in deep trouble.
“We’re home.” Trey sighed the words against his throat. “Thank God.”
He stroked the long line of Trey’s spine. “It’s been a long couple of weeks, to be sure.”
“Yes.” Trey kissed him again, slow and sweet. “God yes.”
“What do you want for Christmas, baby?” Ap asked.
“You. I want you.” Trey sighed, the sound purely exhausted, but happy, Ap thought.
“You got that for sure.” He would be happy to give Trey that present over and over.
Trey patted his ass, then melted underneath him, sound asleep, just like that.
He laughed softly before rearranging them so he held Trey with one arm while he lay on his back. There had to be some cheesy Christmas movie on TV.
This was so much nicer than sleeping in what was now Cole’s bedroom and jacking off to infomercials.
So much better.
He kissed the top of Trey’s head and closed his eyes. He knew what he would dream about tonight.
Chapter Twenty-Two
IT started snowing on the twenty-third, heavy wet shit that made the slog from the house to the barn miserable.
Trey couldn’t snarl too much, though. The girls were having a ball, and Braden was proving that h
e was going to be one hell of a pitcher.
“God damn it, Braden! If you hit Bella with another snowball, I’m going to beat your ass!”
Hmm. Ap sounded a little stressed.
He moved deeper into the barn, letting himself pretend he hadn’t heard. Ap could handle it. He needed to learn how to ride herd on kids as well as animals.
God, he loved having someone else here, another adult to help with all this mess—from the house to the kids to the animals and all the work. It made life feel… lighter.
Not to mention the nookie. God knew, that was a fine thing.
He’d never had that—hot and cold running sex. Hand jobs in the barn. Blowjobs in the shower. Wild kisses that made him dizzy whenever Ap caught him.
Crazy. Crazy, but wonderful.
“Jesus Christ, I can’t wait to get on the road again.” Ap slammed the barn door, then blinked up, obviously surprised to see him. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey. I was checking the hay.” He knew his cheeks were burning; he could feel it. God, he was a bit of an idiot, sitting in here and mooning like a calf when Ap was aching to escape. Fuck. “I’m going to have to run out in a bit and take Cole to work and get some of the last-minute errands done. You need anything?”
“A cup of sanity? I swear to God, Braden is trying to kill Bella. Because he can. How do you do this full-time?”
He tried to chuckle, but it didn’t really work. How? Because he didn’t have a choice. Because he’d been the one with no skills and nothing to offer, so he’d muddled along until he’d figured it out, sort of. “I guess they have guilt to work out. I’ll take him and the little ones with me, if you’ll stay here with Bella. She’s not up to errands yet.”
“Sure.” Ap gave him the stink eye. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Feet are cold is all.” Fine. I’m fucking fine. I was standing in here half-hard because I was pretending that you wanted to be stuck here with me as much as I wanted you stuck here with me. Now I feel like a fool. At least no one else knew.
“Yeah, it’s gray and soggy.” Ap shook his head, looking sorrowful as a lost calf.
“The sun’ll come back. Give it time.” He finished his check, lingering in the shadows in the farthest reach of the barn. “I’ll pick up all the stuff for Christmas Eve and the day of.”
He had a list.
“Oh. Sure.” Now Ap looked a little put out, lips pressed together.
Did he ask what was wrong? He knew what it was—Ap was already frustrated. Ap was bored. Ap was here.
Did he not ask and come off as a fucker? Jesus, he was tired, and his head hurt.
One day he’d be old, the kids would be gone, and he wouldn’t have to do Christmas anymore.
Oh, that sounded… lonely as fuck.
“You okay?” That was fair, right?
“I’m fine. I was just thinking we could go shop together, but I figure you want to get stuff done. No big.” Except the tight set of Ap’s shoulders said different.
“How? I can’t leave Bella alone, Cole has a shift tonight and tomorrow morning, and he can’t drive in this snow in that POS he drives.” This was why he needed another adult here. “I can call Dolores and see if she’ll come over for a few hours and watch everyone….”
If she wasn’t busy with her eighty-seven-thousand grandbabies and making her own posole.
“No, I got it. I’m not good for much else, I know, but I can watch TV with Bella.” Ap snapped it out, just snake mean.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, stop being an asshole. You want to go so bad, go, but you’ll fucking stick around for Christmas for these kids. I gave up my entire fucking life to raise them; you can give up the road for two more motherfucking days.” He stormed for the door, so hurt and mad he couldn’t hardly bear it, knowing that he had to. He had to get a boy to work and buy groceries and last-minute presents and tape and wrangle kids and feed them before getting them all home, feeding critters, and heading back out to pick Cole up.
Ap grabbed his arm and spun him around, both of them nearly going ass over teakettle. “No, sir. Don’t you say that to me and walk away. I’ve been here every Christmas. Every year, even when it would have been easier to go from finals right down to Fort Worth. You don’t want me around, fine, you say so, but they’re my kids too.”
“Easier? You drive right through here to get to Texas, and we both know it. Easier not to stop, maybe, but don’t bullshit me. I don’t even know why you’re so goddamn ready to go.” To leave me to all this alone, again.
“I’m not! I’m just frustrated with the kids! Jesus, asshole, why are you snarling at me?”
“Because I—” Because I love you so much that I’d let you go, and you don’t love me enough to stay. The thought was too big to say, too hard, and it wouldn’t matter if he said it out loud or not. He closed his eyes and swallowed down the bile in his throat. “Shit, I guess I’m just in a mood. Told you, my feet are all froze. I’m getting old for this winter shit.”
Hell, he was the oldest twenty-eight-year-old on earth.
“Uh-huh.” Ap sighed. “Go on and get Cole to work, and all. Bella and I are getting to be pros at playing board games.”
“Yeah. I—”
“I got to get to work! Just let me drive; I can do it!” Cole was in his uniform, face like a thundercloud.
“This weather is—” There was no way. No way.
“I’m not a baby! I have to go!”
“Let me get the kids.” He headed back toward the house to gather his wallet and keys and kids, when all hell broke loose.
“I want to stay here and play outside!”
“Me too!”
“I’m staying here and playing my game.”
“I’m going.”
“Goddamn it!” he roared. “Will y’all shut up!”
They all stopped, wide-eyed, and stared at him. Cole looked like he might snarl, but Trey leveled a finger at him. “Not one word. Go get in the truck.”
“The girls can stay with me. Braden, go with Uncle Daddy and help him do the shopping.” Ap was quiet, but there was steel there.
He stomped inside, took a handful of Excedrin Migraine, and grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys. “Text me if you think of anything you need. I’ll be back.”
If they were lucky, he wouldn’t kill either one of his sons or any random asshole at Walmart on the way.
“WHY are you and Uncle Daddy fighting?” Bella asked him once Trey and the boys were gone.
Ap shook his head. “I have no idea, baby girl. Stress, I guess? Who wants hot cocoa?” Bella needed to get inside, but if he flat out said that, she would balk.
“I want to build a snowman!” Courtney said, but her little teeth were chattering.
“I want cocoa. Can we make cookies to surprise Uncle Daddy?” Amelia watched him like she wasn’t sure if he was friend or foe. God, she got that from Trey, that watching thing.
“I think that sounds perfect. You want to make cookies, Court?” He looked at the sky. “Trust me, there will be way more snow tomorrow.”
“Come on, Court. My head hurts. I want to go watch Elf and warm up. Can you start the fire?”
“I can if you take a Benadryl. No sneezing. Your brain might fall out.”
“Ew!” Bella laughed for him, though, and he hugged her, leading them all inside.
They dealt with coats and boots and hats and mittens, and then he settled Ames with a tablet to look up recipes and started milk on the stove while Bella and Courtney curled up on the couch.
“Don’t forget the fire!” Bella called.
“I won’t.” He had to watch the milk first, though. God, how did Trey do this? As much as he seemed to feel he wasn’t good at much, Trey had his undying admiration for not eating their young early on.
“Do you think we should make chocolate chip or peanut butter?” Ames asked.
Were those good for Christmas? Didn’t Christmas cookies have to be sugar cookies with things? Or biscochitos? “Uh, what does Uncle Daddy
like best?”
“Uh… Bella? What cookies does Uncle Daddy like?” Ames hollered.
“Biscochitos! In bear shapes!”
“Oh, Cole has to make those. They have booze.” Amelia looked stricken.
“Hmm. Your daddy liked peanut butter with chocolate chips. How about we do that?”
“Okay. Okay…. Oh! Oh, do we have Kisses? We could do the ones with Kisses!”
“Let me look.” Sure enough, they had a pack of Kisses in the cabinet where Trey kept the chocolate stash. “Boom.”
“Yay! We’ll make those and then see. Uncle Daddy will be so surprised!”
“Works for me!” He knew Trey would make a big deal of sugar cookies tomorrow, but he honestly thought biscochitos came from the neighbors….
Hell, they might be coming from the Walmart. How did he know?
A knock came to the front door, a vaguely familiar man standing there when he opened it. “Can I help you?”
“Hey. I’m Ray. Ray Griegos. I know you guys have been having some trouble—with the hospital and all. So we took up a collection at the church. I got a bunch of stuff in the truck.”
Ap blinked. Then he grinned. “That’s super nice. Hi, Ray. I’m Ap. I think we met at a game.”
“We did. I’m a friend of Trey’s, sorry.” Ray held one hand out. “Pleased to meet you again. I’m sure glad you could come home. I know it’s hard for you two, having to raise the kids. It was a blessing that they have you. They would have been split all up in foster care.”
God, he’d never even thought of that. “Trey’s been amazing. Let’s see what you got.” They shook hands, but he peered at Ames before he went outside. “Count out and unwrap Kisses until I get back.”
“Yes, sir. Hey, Mr. Ray!”
“Hey, Amelia-Bedelia!” Ray raised a hand. “I’ll come in and say hi in a second, okay? I got goodies from Marcella for you.”
“Thank you!” She started counting Kisses, so Ap followed Ray out to the truck.
It was filled with wrapped presents for the kids, along with fleece blankets and boxes of cookies and two-liters of soda. In the back of the truck was a giant turkey and a huge pan marked tamales.
