Making Peace

by Sasha Goldie

  "We'd love to," Max exclaimed. "Carson can have the auction at the brewery and I really think I can help Tyler get that service dog. I've been doing a lot of research and hopefully soon I'll be in the industry myself."

  I smiled at Daisy, trying to look like I'd followed along. Max would have to fill me in later. She hugged both of us and thanked us profusely. As she turned to go back into the diner, Max started down Main street again, grinning.

  "Isn't that wonderful?" he said. "I mean, not the part about Tyler's insurance not paying for the service dog. But the part that when she knew she'd need a fundraiser, she thought of us."

  "Great," I said. "I spaced out there for a minute, what are we having at the brewery?"

  Max chuckled. "We're going to host a silent auction to raise money for Tyler's service dog."

  I loved the idea. And I'd throw myself totally into it, organizing, encouraging donations, the whole nine yards. But at the moment, the only thing on my mind was that I really had to let Max go.

  If you set them free and they come back, and all that crap.

  "Max." Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, I sucked in a deep breath.

  Max confirmed my fears about his readiness for a real relationship by looking around surreptitiously.

  He didn't want anyone to see us.

  My heart sank even farther, now somewhere in the region of my knees.

  "Oh, Max. I do love you," I whispered.

  His head jerked toward me and his expression turned bewildered. "What's wrong?"

  "You're not ready for this," I said, spreading my arms out. "And that's okay.

  He held up his hands to protest, but I interrupted him. "No, Max, really. It's okay. I'm the one that pressured you into something you're not comfortable with."

  I just wanted to make his life better and be with him. If that means I step away, then so be it.

  "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I pushed, and I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable."

  My love for him was too strong to capture him, to hold him back. As I backed away, he said my name, but tears filled my vision. "I've got to go," I whispered, and turned back toward my truck, leaving Max standing in front of the grocery store.

  Walking fast, I huffed it past the diner, then down another block. I was nearly back to my truck when I heard my name.

  "Carson!" Max's voice carried from down the sidewalk. "Carson Wiley. I, Maxwell Watson, resident of Three Lakes, Oregon, have something to say to you."

  My jaw dropped as I turned and watched him walk toward me. He was still a little ways away, on the far side of the diner, but I could see him clearly as he shouted.

  The diner door opened, and Daisy stepped outside to see what the commotion was. A bunch of customers crowded out behind her to watch as well. I heard a sound behind me and looked to see that Ian was at the shop and had come outside when he heard shouts. He stood several feet behind me, wiping his greasy hands on a shop rag.

  "Carson, I love you." Ian was still far enough away that he had to shout. "I want to be with you." He raised his voice so loud it cracked. "I want the world to know that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

  Laughter bubbled out of my mouth, and the tears I'd shed in pain turned to tears of joy and love.

  He moved faster the closer he got, and by the time he reached me, he was nearly running, his limp a little more pronounced.

  I opened my arms and he slammed into me, taking me off of my feet. His weight shifted under me as he adjusted his stance, so we didn't both fall over.

  As his mouth met mine, I heard the people from the diner cheering, and even a slow clap from behind me. Ian approved as well.

  26

  Max

  Once I had Carson in my arms, my hands under his butt, I kept walking forward with his legs dangling. We were close to the entrance to the shop, and as soon as I got him inside, I'd put him down, but after that big show I put on, I couldn't end it by dropping him.

  I did stop kissing him, though, and hugged him close so I could look over my shoulder and watch where I was going.

  "Nice," Ian said appreciatively as we walked past. A wolf whistle from the direction of the diner accompanied us into the shop.

  As soon as we were safely in the shadowed interior of the garage, I dropped him and laughed. "How's that for showing you I'm ready for the world to know?"

  He grabbed my face and continued kissing me. "I love you."

  Grabbing his hand, I led him up to my apartment. "We need to talk. More."

  I had thought we'd come to an understanding, but apparently not.

  Closing the door behind him, I indicated the living room. "Please sit."

  He sat on the couch. I joined him. "Carson. I'm not perfect. You can't get upset when I make a mistake."

  Daisy had come out of the diner so fast it had startled me. "Daisy surprised me, that's all. I don't mind people knowing. Once upon a time, I was bullied, and then with what happened to me overseas, I'm jumpy. I might always be jumpy.” I threw up my arms. "Hell, I only just told my parents about what happened to me overseas." And I had pushed it away, so I didn't have to deal with the emotions of telling them.

  He put his hand on my face. "I'm sorry. You're right. I should've given you the benefit of the doubt."

  "And I shouldn't have jerked my hand out of yours. It was a mistake." I took his hand and rubbed my thumb over his knuckles. "But if I do something like that again, please don't jump to the conclusion that it means I'm ashamed of our relationship."

  "I won't. Or, if I do, I'll wait until we can talk about it and just yell at you instead of thinking I have to let you go."

  He was so good. He was willing to let me go if that's what it took for me to be happy. "Stop being so noble, you make me feel like you're too good for me."

  He laughed as he pressed his lips to mine again. "I feel like I'm not strong enough to possibly be your boyfriend. So the feeling is mutual."

  Deepening our kiss, I pulled him to me, drawing him into my lap. "I need you," I whispered. The feel of his body in my lap would've made me feel trapped before, but now all I felt was desire.

  "You've got me. Any way you want me."

  "One sec," I said, pushing gently so he'd stand up. I hopped up and ran to my bedroom for the bottle of lube, then came right back to him, sitting down where I was. "Pretend that interruption didn't happen," I said, pulling him close and wrapping my arms around him. He snuggled in against my body, but then pulled back. "We both have way too many clothes on, and I'm not in the mood for a sexy, kissy striptease." Standing up again, he pulled off his shirt as he kicked off his shoes, then unbuttoned his pants, letting them and his underwear fall to the floor. In two seconds, he was standing in nothing but his white socks.

  "Sexy," I said with an eyebrow up, looking at his socks. He laughed and sat down to pull them off. I mimicked his performance and soon we were both stark naked.

  "Can I pull you back into my lap, then?"

  "Absolutely," he said, scooting over so I could do the honors.

  "Finally," I murmured against his cheek as he reached his hand between us to grasp my hard cock pressed against his thigh. Adjusting to reach, he leaned past me, picking up the lube bottle and dribbling some onto his hand and my dick.

  I took the bottle from him and returned the favor. His arm was in a bit of an awkward position, though. "Let me help you out," I said. "Lift up."

  He rose up and I slid my slick cock under him. Fate smiled down on us, and both of us positioned perfectly for him to be able to sink slowly onto me.

  The feel of his tight ass made me throw my head back and moan. His position meant a tight grip around my dick.

  It didn't give much room for movement, though. I didn't mind. I wrapped my arms around him from behind and put my hands between his legs as I kissed his shoulder. He rotated his hips and flexed his core muscles to tease and stimulate me as we both watched my hands stroke slowly up and down his shaft.

  "I love you," I whispered,
moaning at the sensual, loving motions he made in my lap.

  The moment was all about intimacy. Keeping one hand on his dick, I moved the other to his chest, kneading, massaging, and rubbing him, physically showing him in every way I could how much I cared about him.

  He did the same, putting his hands on either side of his legs, using my thighs to help him rise up and down. The slow, sexy movements nearly drove me mad. Moaning, I flexed my hips, already ready for more. As much as I loved the intimate nature of our joining, I wanted more.

  "I have an idea," I said. "Want to try something?"

  Control was very important to me. Losing control in a controlled environment was encouraged by my therapist. She'd said that some people found it to be the most sexually stimulating act they'd tried.

  "Of course," Carson said, stilling his hips.

  "Come to the bedroom." I patted his side so he'd stand.

  He followed me to my room, where I rummaged around in my drawers until I found two of my few ties. "Tie me to the bed." I turned and faced him, holding out the ties.

  "Are you sure?" he asked. "That seems like it would be a trigger."

  "It could be. But I trust that if I can't take it, you'll stop and untie me."

  He nodded and took the fabric from me. "Thank you for your trust in me. What's the safe word?"

  I looked around the room, trying to think of a word that I'd never in a million years say during sex unless I was in distress. My mind was totally blank.

  He grinned. "How about Droo? That's not sexy in the least."

  "Okay, sounds good." I grinned and climbed onto the bed, holding my hands out toward the top edges of the bed. He wrapped my wrist in the tie, then looked down at me. I nodded, so he tied the ends to the bed. Looking at what he'd done, I was actually pretty sure I could get out of it, but I didn't have him change it. He'd obviously not been a Scout as a kid.

  Moving to the other side of the bed, he secured my other wrist the same way. Knowing I could free myself helped me breathe and center my anxiety.

  He climbed up the center of the bed, between my legs, smiling. "I do like seeing you like that, I have to say."

  "Oh, really?"

  "Oh, yes. Now I can do any little thing I want."

  Laughing, I watched him walk his fingers up my thigh. "You could always do any little thing you wanted."

  He grasped my dick, grabbing the lube from where we'd dropped it at the end of the bed and slicking me down

  "Me first," he said with a smile. "Then you."

  "I'm not sure if that's generous or cruel in this situation."

  He chuckled and pushed my legs apart, smoothing the liquid all over me, slipping his fingers inside a few times as he prepared me. After stroking himself a few times, he pushed into me, grunting as his groin met my ass, his cock deep inside me. After his slow, restrained initial thrust, he let loose, fucking me wildly with abandon.

  Straining against the bonds, I moaned, my voice inflecting with each of Carson's thrusts.

  He was on his hands above me, close to me in a way that would've overwhelmed and smothered me before. Now, it just made my dick all that much harder.

  Carson took what he wanted, using my body to get his own off, and since I'd given him permission to do so, it was glorious.

  He let out a strangled yell as he came, squirting his cum inside me, then collapsing on me, panting. I yearned to wrap my arms around him, but the bonds prevented it.

  "You okay?" he asked into my neck.

  "Very."

  "You ready for yours?" He grinned, enjoying our game.

  "Very," I repeated with a chuckle.

  He wasted no time, pulling out of me without any regard to the mess. Oh, well, we'd clean up later.

  Slicking himself up with the lube, as well as my dick, he rose above me, straddling my waist.

  Oh, fuck, he was going to give me a better taste of what we'd done on the couch.

  He lowered himself onto my dick, reaching between his legs to hold it straight as he used his leg muscles to descend.

  As my head slipped inside him, I grunted, his tight hole squeezing me so hard it nearly hurt.

  "Carson," I said urgently.

  He went all the way down, then leaned forward, sliding on and off of me with a twist of his hips as he lowered.

  I came almost embarrassingly soon. The combination of the silky ties with the way Carson moved above me had me near the edge in no time. Then he shifted positions slightly, putting his hands and weight onto my chest. When he curled his fingers into my pecs, I let go, yelling out my orgasm.

  He untied me quickly, then tucked himself into my arms. Curling on my side, I wrapped my body around his and dozed, basking in the afterglow of one of the best orgasms I'd ever had.

  My therapist had been right. Giving up control was freeing.

  27

  Carson

  Lying in Max’s arms, I floated on cloud nine. He'd told the whole town, basically, that he was in a relationship with me. Sure, not everyone had been there, but Daisy was. And if there was a sure way to make sure that everyone in town would know something, the easiest way was to tell Daisy. She'd take care of the rest.

  I lay still long after Max's soft breaths indicated he'd fallen asleep. Twisting in his arms, I watched him sleep, so proud of him. He'd found a way to let go and enjoy himself during what would've been a very stressful moment.

  Slipping up, I headed to the bathroom. I'd needed to pee since long before Max fell asleep. But, I held it, content.

  Max loved me. The thought made me giddy, excited for what was to come.

  I had to do something in return. He'd given me a romance movie moment, he deserved something big.

  The idea popped into my head. Perfection. Of course.

  After I washed my hands, I went straight for the living room, only putting my underwear on before grabbing my phone. I had several people to coordinate with before I could make it happen. First up, Ian.

  But then, I had all evening to snuggle with Max. I opened his freezer and found a frozen pizza. Preheating the oven, I made sure it would beep when it was done, then returned to his bedroom. He woke as I slipped back into the bed. "Wanna watch a movie?" I asked.

  "Sure." He smiled, then blanched. "Bathroom first."

  "Good plan." As soon as he left, I pulled the blanket off the bed and took it to his washer, starting a load for him. I felt like I had all the energy in the world.

  Max loved me. The phrase was a broken record, repeating in my mind as I finished a few chores and got ready for bed. Max loved me.

  The next morning, I kissed his forehead and hopped out of bed, still running on energy from the day before. "Gotta get some stuff done," I whispered.

  He grunted, sleeping deeply, then rolled over.

  After going by my house to get ready, I headed straight for the shelter to talk to Pam.

  "Pam!"

  She looked up with a smile when I burst into the room. "Hey, Carson, you here to volunteer?"

  "No, well, yes, I can stay and help, but that's not why I'm here." I walked to the desk. "I want to surprise Max with Hugo. He really loves that dog, and I checked with his landlord. He can have him."

  "That's wonderful." She reached into the desk and took out papers. "You both have to fill out the forms, and you'll need to provide vet references."

  "I wanted to surprise him," I said in dismay. "Does he have to sign?"

  She nodded. "Yes, if he's going to take responsibility for Hugo, he has to sign."

  "There's got to be a way around it." I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes and pout.

  Pam's eyes crinkled as she tapped her pen against her lip. "The only way I could let you take him out of here would be if you were a foster. You'd just need a vet reference and to fill out a different form."

  "Perfect," I said enthusiastically. "I've actually thought several times about becoming a foster. Maybe I can continue after Hugo is officially adopted.

  "That would be wonderful."
>
  I sat down and filled out all of her papers, taking the adoption papers with me for Max to sign later.

  "Do I have to wait on an approval?" I asked.

  Pam stood and shook my hand. "Approved."

  "Excellent." I shook her hand and pulled her toward me for a hug. "You're a wonderful human being."

  "I like to think so." She laughed and pointed to the back room. "Go get to work."

  I gave her a mock salute and headed to the back. Hugo perked up when he saw me but whined. "Are you looking for Max?" I asked.

  If I hadn't known it was impossible, I would've sworn that dog nodded at me. "You'll get him soon enough. Be patient."

  I took my time and paid each of the dogs a lot of attention. "Pam?" I called, carrying a small chihuahua through to the front room. "Seems like you're low on dogs."

  "We had an adoption drive last night in Bend. It went well."

  "Excellent."

  As I finished up, I took Hugo out to play and use the bathroom last. "We're going to go to the pet store in Bend, big guy. Empty that bladder," I closed the gate on him so he could run, then cleaned his cage, readying it for the next dog that would inevitably come in to the shelter.

  After a trip to Bend, Hugo prancing around the pet store like a peacock, I went home and introduced Droo to Hugo. Hugo was used to being around lots of other dogs at the shelter, but I was mildly concerned. An old man, he'd spent his entire life with just me. He might not take too well to another dog. I started by letting them smell each other through the cracked door. When nobody growled, I closed the door. Walking Hugo to the back yard, I tied him to my picnic table then went in to get Droo. After a quick bathroom break in the front yard, I introduced them slowly, Hugo pulling his leash out fully and Droo doing the same.

  I inched them toward each other, watching for any signs of aggression. When I saw none, I let them touch noses, sniffing and both tails wagging away. The late afternoon sun warmed the yard and soon I was sweating, standing there while the two silly dogs got to know each other.