Apollo sighed heavily. “I hear you. And this is just the summer. I can sort myself out later.”
This would be the perfect opportunity for Dylan to tell Apollo about the job. He’d been called for an interview, and the woman on the phone had sounded super excited about his application. And really, he wanted Apollo to sort himself out with him. Let him take some of the burden of that guilt and grief.
But right as he tried to wrap his head around what to say, Apollo added, “Speaking about the end of summer, could you check and make sure the camp knows the girls will miss the last Friday of camp?”
“They will?” Dylan took out his phone to jot a quick note, trying hard to control the sourness in his chest at how easily Apollo talked about the end of summer.
“Yeah. My mom will be back, and we go every year to the Fresno Greek festival. It’s like a big family reunion for us, with all the relatives in that area.”
“Sounds fun.” Dylan refused to feel hurt that there was no way in hell Apollo would ask him along, no way he’d ever be introduced to the family as anything other than Dustin’s little brother.
“It is.” Apollo frowned, mouth going tight and eyes distant. “You know...never mind. I’m sure you can’t miss the last day of camp.”
“Of course not.” Dylan’s throat scratched like the sequin-and-lace cape he was sewing. The only thing worse than Apollo not asking was Apollo asking out of some different, equally awful sense of guilt. The guy seriously looked like he was chewing straight pins at the thought. “They’ll need me there. But thanks.”
“Dustin’ll probably be back before the end of summer too. No guarantees but I’m thinking he may be back around the same week as my mom.”
“Great.” Like Dylan needed another reminder of how limited their time together was. Apollo’s mother would be back before the end of camp, and he had a feeling that her return to her mother-in-law flat over the garage would spell an end to any potential sexy times.
“Hey.” Ironing finished, Apollo came around the table to crouch next to Dylan’s chair. “You’re right, though.”
“About what?” Dylan paused the sewing so that he could turn and face Apollo.
“About how we should seize the summer while we have it.” Apollo tugged Dylan down for a soft kiss.
“Me and my big ideas,” Dylan said, the self-recrimination in his tone very much real.
“I just don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry—”
“You won’t,” Dylan lied, sour feeling giving way to a sharp burn. He didn’t need Apollo’s apologies. And if all he got were these kisses, these few moments, well, he wasn’t going to turn them down. He wasn’t that strong.
“You’re pretty wonderful, you know that?” The affection that had been in Apollo’s gaze all weekend was back, and the force of it nearly knocked Dylan off his chair. I could get lost in you. He’d never been one for drugs or hard partying, but Apollo was every bit as addictive as the adrenaline from a soccer match, any potential pain worth the effort of chasing that rush.
He leaned in, returning Apollo’s kiss with no regard for the fabric or pins surrounding him, only the knowledge that he had to seize this chance. And Apollo met him, fierceness for fierceness. Their lips and tongues tangled and Dylan nearly slid off the chair, but he clung to Apollo, who had a tight grip on his waist.
“What can I do to help you finish faster?” Apollo growled as he finally pulled away.
“I could pack this away and finish up tomorrow night—”
“Tell me where stuff goes.” Apollo went into mission-control mode, homing in on what needed to be done, even as his eyes made Dylan dark promises.
“Me. In the shower. With you.” Dylan couldn’t resist as he made fast work of cleaning up all the pins and folding fabrics. “Race you to the closest bath.”
“The shower in the hall bath down here is tiny.” Apollo made a face. “The master is bigger...” He made a different face as he trailed off, more startled than pained, like he’d only just figured out what he was proposing and wanted to yank the words back, protect his sacred space, but was too polite to do so.
“I’m going with closer. We can squish in, then dash up to my room,” Dylan said easily, trying to give Apollo space to deal with his conflicting emotions. He didn’t want to rush Apollo into anything he wasn’t ready to offer, no matter how much Dylan wanted it all.
“Sounds like a plan.” Apollo winked at him, but some of the sparkle was off his expression, the affection of a moment ago replaced with wariness.
Not liking that, Dylan tugged him closer. “It’s okay,” he said firmly. His chest squeezed, wishing there were a way to take some of Apollo’s pain, even if only for a bit. “You don’t have to be ready for anything more than this. There’s no timetable here.”
“Thanks.” Apollo kissed him soundly. “I’m sorry—”
“What you are going to be is the one stuck in the cold part of the shower.” Dylan cut him off, not wanting Apollo to feel he had to apologize for his grief and its limitations. He stuffed the rest of the sewing stuff away and sprinted for the bath, Apollo fast on his heels. His deep laugh was exactly what they both needed, and Dylan would do whatever it took to keep it coming.
Chapter Seventeen
“I’m not sure any part of me is cleaner than when I got in.” Dylan laughed. It was true—they were both wet, but the shower really had been too small for any fun and even soaping up had been a challenge.
“Hey, it’s not for lack of trying on my part.” Apollo groaned as he stepped around him. He opened the linen cupboard next to the sink only to discover a single blue towel. “Oh f—heck. There’s only one towel in here. I’ve been off my cleaning game lately—”
“Not a bad thing.” Dylan handed him the lone towel. “You’ve been having fun. And recuperating your back. It doesn’t always have to be work-work-work.”
“I know.” Apollo blotted off with the towel then handed it to Dylan.
“And you can ask me to do more than help with the girls and heat up food. I’m good for a load of laundry or whatever.” Dylan dried his hair first.
“You’re a guest,” Apollo protested.
Dylan’s face drooped and his exhale was one of defeat before he schooled his expression.
Crap. Way to fuck up, Lieutenant.
“Yeah, well, I’m a guest who can help.” Dylan scrubbed at his damp chest and stomach.
“I didn’t mean...” Apollo sighed. Did they really need to have this conversation right then? “We’re friends now, right? You and me. I just meant I don’t want you feeling obligated.”
“Yeah, well, I kind of like obligations.” Dylan handed the towel back again.
“You do?” Apollo couldn’t think of any other twenty-three-year-old eager for structure.
“Yeah.” Dylan shrugged, seemingly impervious to his nudity. “I like routine. Rules. Expectations. Growing up as the youngest, people never seemed to expect much from me and there wasn’t much routine I could count on. I know you think it’s nuts, but I really dig your systems.” His tentative smile made Apollo’s chest flutter. “When they’re not getting in the way of fun, that is.”
Dylan opened the bathroom door, looking back over his shoulder with a wink.
“Wait! You’re naked!”
“So are you.” Dylan plucked the towel from Apollo’s grasp.
“We can’t run naked through the house,” Apollo protested.
“I can be very, very fast. And quiet.” Dylan’s laugh was infectious. “And I’m planning to stay naked, soon as I lock my door behind you.”
“Come back here,” Apollo halfheartedly demanded as Dylan sped away.
And okay, there was something weirdly freeing about racing through the house like this. His younger self woke up and took a look around and liked
what it saw, liked this chance to forget for a while. Maybe Dylan was right and he did need more fun.
Breathless, they both sped into Dylan’s room, reaching for the door lock at the same time.
“Eager?” Dylan brushed a kiss across his jaw.
“You have no idea.” Apollo claimed his mouth in a kiss that tried to say thank-you for waking up his playful side, tried to invite Dylan to play more. And Dylan got with the program, licking and nibbling exploring. Kissing wasn’t supposed to be this...joyous, but with Dylan it totally was, every time.
Wanting more of that bubbly feeling, Apollo pushed Dylan onto the bed, dragging his ass to the edge so that Apollo could kneel in front of him.
“Hey. Whoa.” Dylan tried to shove at Apollo’s shoulder. “I had plans—”
“So do I.” Apollo licked down the side of Dylan’s shaft. Apollo had figured out on the weekend that Dylan was uncharacteristically self-conscious about getting blown, usually distracting him into doing something else, but this time, Apollo was determined to give him this. “There a reason why you don’t like oral?”
Dylan shook his head and propped himself up on his elbows. “It just always feels weird, being the center of attention. I like giving better. In fact—”
“Weren’t you just going on about how I need to have more fun? This totally counts as fun for me, so how about you let me have my entertainment?”
“Fine.” Dylan flopped down on the bed again. “But I probably can’t shoot this way.”
“Aren’t you the same guy who swore up and down he couldn’t come untouched?” Apollo laughed as he stroked the base of Dylan’s thick cock. “Excuse me if I need to test this theory out for myself.”
“Things are...different with you.” Dylan gasped when Apollo licked at him again.
“Same here,” Apollo said honestly. This sort of fun was something he’d never really had much of. Or all the talking in bed that Dylan seemed to favor. And the rest of it...somehow it all felt new and different. Apollo figured he should feel guilty about that, but instead, all he could manage was gratitude. Gratitude that it didn’t dredge up old memories. Gratitude that it felt so good. So right. Gratitude that he got to play with this amazing creature, even for a little bit.
Lowering his head, he sucked the head of Dylan’s cock into his mouth, loving how it made Dylan moan. Apollo liked sucking cock, liked the power it gave him over his partner, loved the heft and stretch of a cock like Dylan’s filling his mouth, pushing every other thought out of his head beyond this cock and this man and what he could make both feel.
Two decades—Jesus, he really was getting ancient, wasn’t he—of practice meant that he could easily relax his jaw around Dylan’s girth, take him in deep. Experimentally, he stroked Dylan’s balls while he teased with his tongue along the underside of the cock.
“Yeah,” Dylan whispered. “Like that.”
Apollo released Dylan’s cock so that he could dip his head lower and give more attention to the fuzzy orbs. He licked at first, softly, teasing to see how much contact Dylan liked.
“Unngh.” Dylan thrashed, but didn’t jerk away, so Apollo carefully sucked one side into his mouth. “Oh my fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
Oh yeah. Apollo loved a guy who was both sensitive here and who would let Apollo play. Slowly jacking Dylan’s cock with his fist, he licked and sucked and tortured Dylan until his hand came down on Apollo’s head, urging him on.
“If you liked that, you’ll love this,” Apollo growled in a husky whisper, using his hands to urge Dylan to pull his legs back.
“Uh...wait.” Dylan all but squeaked as Apollo snaked his tongue under Dylan’s balls headed south.
“Yes?” Apollo traced the thin skin there with the tip of his tongue.
“I’ve never...that is...it’s never really come up...”
“Never been rimmed?” Apollo was surprised at that, as much sexual bragging as Dylan liked to do. “That’s a shame.” He looked up at Dylan and winked. “And something to correct.”
A strange warmth spread upward from his abs. He kind of liked being the one to show Dylan something for a change, liked being the first in a primal sort of way. And he fucking loved doing this, loved rimming his partner into an incoherent mess, loved the sounds he could coax out with his lips and tongue.
“Umm.” Dylan still resisted Apollo’s urging to rearrange his legs.
“Let me try this? If you hate it, I’ll stop, but give it a chance?”
Dylan was silent for a long moment where Apollo was certain he was about to refuse, but then whispered, “Okay,” and spread his legs further. Unexpected tenderness welled up in Apollo at the sight of Dylan, usually so brash and confident, uncertain and almost shy.
Determined to make this extraordinary for him, Apollo licked his balls again, taking his time to tease before tracing a deliberate, yet slow path to his rim.
Dylan’s body tensed, then shuddered as Apollo flicked with the tip of his tongue, keeping his movements feather light at first. Gradually, he deepened the contact, licking and kissing, finding all the spots that made Dylan whimper.
“Mmmph.” Dylan’s next sound was muffled, and when Apollo looked up, he was biting the pillow. Oh yeah. That was exactly what Apollo liked seeing. Dylan’s strong, capable thighs trembled under Apollo’s grip as he encouraged Dylan to open more, let him explore more.
Dylan released a shaky breath. “Oh. Fuck. I had no...fuck.”
Apollo took that as tacit permission to take things up a notch, working the tip of his tongue against the tight ring of muscles, starting to tongue-fuck him in earnest now.
“Oh holy shit.” One of Dylan’s hands came down hard on Apollo’s neck. He welcomed the bite of that grip, the urgency in Dylan’s voice. “I...fuck. Feels like I could...fuck.”
Apollo laughed before resuming his work. “Love making you babble. And if you want to come, you go right ahead.” He eased a finger in along with continuing to lick and suck.
“Want you to fuck me. Now. Please. Now. Hard.” Dylan was back to biting at the pillow and his other hand had a fistful of sheets.
“Yeah?” Apollo nipped at a particularly sensitive spot that made Dylan thrash. Never one to stay passive long, Dylan reached for the nightstand and practically threw the condoms and lube at Apollo.
“Now. Right now. Before I lose my mind.”
“But you losing your mind is so fun.” Apollo grinned at him before wiping his face off with a corner of the blanket. “Love watching that.”
“You’re evil,” Dylan moaned, eyes riveted to Apollo’s dick as he took care of the condom.
“Yup.” Apollo worked two lube-slicked fingers into Dylan. “Scoot back. I want you just like this, want to watch your face.”
“You’re going to give me a complex.” Dylan rolled his eyes. “My ‘come face’ is hardly special.”
“Says you.” Apollo came up over him, spreading Dylan’s legs wider with his body, hooking his knees over his elbows. He pressed in slow, watching the expressions morph on Dylan’s face. Complex or no, he was gorgeous, the way he squished his eyes shut and exhaled in little pants as Apollo eased deeper.
“Mmm. Oh. Fuuuuuck.” The need in Dylan’s voice spurred Apollo deeper. “Come on. Fuck.”
“You should know by now that we do this at my pace.” Apollo’s quads burned with the effort of holding back. Dylan was tight, even after all the play, and hot and the way his muscles clung to Apollo on every upstroke had him fighting the urge to recklessly pound.
Dylan yanked Apollo down, face fierce as he said, “I both love and hate you right now.”
Love. That wasn’t what this was, wasn’t what it was supposed to be, and Dylan meant the words as joke, but still, something jostled loose in a corner of Apollo’s chest, an unexpected thrill at the idea, not the outright terror he would
have expected.
I don’t want to feel the things I do for you. Apollo’s hands tightened on Dylan’s legs. This wasn’t supposed to be about feelings, but somehow it was, all tangled up with the fun and the laughing and the sheer eroticism of joining together. Watching Dylan’s unfiltered expression was almost too much for him. He should have Dylan flip, get some distance, but Dylan clearly had a different agenda as he pulled Apollo in for a ravenous kiss, one that felt like Dylan wanted to gobble up Apollo’s very soul—like he saw all Apollo’s hesitation and vulnerability and wasn’t fazed at all.
No, Dylan, both fearless and trusting at the same time, demanded everything Apollo had to give, didn’t shy away from his messy emotions. That was one thing that Apollo truly enjoyed about Dylan—he didn’t scare easily, didn’t back down, didn’t stop asking for what he needed and wanted.
“Come on. Faster,” Dylan demanded against Apollo’s lips.
“You don’t give up, do you?” Apollo laughed before reclaiming his mouth.
“Never.” Dylan broke away, panting hard. He tried to worm a hand in between them to reach for his cock, but Apollo stopped him.
“Not yet. Want this to last.”
“You can keep going after I come,” Dylan wheedled. “Promise.”
“Ha.” Apollo could totally get addicted to this laughing-during-sex business. “You say that now. And where’s the fun in that?”
“You just want me to beg.” Dylan’s breath hitched on the last word as Apollo shifted his hips, started more deliberate thrusts.
“Yup.” Apollo grinned down at him, working that angle until Dylan was clutching at him.
“Evil, evil, evil...fuck. I need...more.”
Apollo fucking loved Dylan incoherent. “Yeah, that’s right. Take it. Take my cock.”
Dylan moaned, a low, feral sound. “Harder. Please harder.”
“Yeah.” Despite his resolve, Apollo’s strokes quickened and deepened as he gave in to the urge to let go. Knowing that Dylan could take it, that he demanded it, made Apollo’s pulse thrum. Not having to hold back was such a fucking rush.
At Attention Page 16
