by Marie Medina
Christian closed his laptop and pushed it away, letting his breath out in a frustrated huff. He loved his job, but lately it had been a real pain. Alec set his mug down on the counter with a loud clink, and Christian turned to look at him standing in the kitchen.
“Sorry.” Christian rose and moved toward him. “I believe there’s something you wanted me to do.”
Alec smiled playfully. “I’m amazed you waited all this time for me be the one to ask.”
Christian frowned, a little confused by the teasing. “Of course I did. It was one of the conditions.”
Alec chewed on his lower lip and folded his arms, cutting Christian off from hugging him, even though he probably hadn’t meant to do that. “It wasn’t a condition. I mean, yes, it was what I wanted at the time, but I had my reasons. I was tired of being a pushover and feeling powerless. I felt helpless when you left and wouldn’t let me know you were okay. It made me feel good to control something when you came back.”
“And I did everything right, didn’t I?” Christian hadn’t meant for this to turn into a deep discussion. They’d both been so busy they hadn’t made love in a couple of weeks, plus the idea of switching things up in the bedroom after all this time had him incredibly turned on.
“Yes, Christian, you’ve done everything right,” Alec said, his expression changing to one of concern. “You’ve been perfect, though lately I’ve been worried.”
“Worried?” Christian didn’t like the idea of Alec worrying about him, especially when he didn’t think anything was wrong between them.
“Yeah. Maybe you were just nervous planning all of this, but it seems lately that you worry even more about not putting a foot wrong. Do you get what I mean? I love you, and we’ve worked a lot of things out. We know how to handle problems better now, so I don’t want you to worry about minor slip-ups causing arguments or conflicts.”
“I don’t think I worry too much. I’m not brooding over stuff or anything.”
“But haven’t you wanted to change things up in the bedroom? Basically waiting for me to offer it instead of asking for what you wanted? That’s the mistake I made the first time around.”
Christian considered Alec’s words, but he hesitated to agree right away. “I’m happy with our sex life.”
Alec sighed. “I never said you were unhappy. But … when you kissed me earlier … I don’t know. It just felt like you’d been repressing those more assertive feelings. And you apologized. You apologized for kissing me. Do you see how ridiculous that is?”
“I don’t understand what I’ve done wrong.” Christian tried to keep his voice level, to keep the panic from building. Didn’t Alec see that everything Christian did was for him? That he never made a move without thinking of Alec?
“You’ve done nothing wrong. What you have done is put me before you in every way possible, and I don’t like it. Everything you’ve done is good. The effort means a lot to me, but I don’t want you to negate your own feelings and needs for me.” Alec furrowed his brows a moment, obviously thinking, and then he asked, “Have you been holding back because you thought I’d reject you if you asked me to bottom again?”
“I was afraid to ask.”
Alec looked hurt. “Christian, I love you. Please don’t ever be afraid to ask for anything, to tell me anything. I’m sorry I didn’t see what you needed. That’s my fault. But you should have told me how you felt. We’re lovers. Equals.”
“I’ve done nothing but try to make you happy, which makes me incredibly happy. I didn’t mean that I felt unequal or anything like that.”
“I am very happy, but not because you cater to my every whim and tiptoe around me. Let me make it very clear that is not what I want. And I’m sorry if my past actions led you to that conclusion. I guess I got comfortable with how things were after we got back together. It never occurred to me you would take my demands as set rules. I was wrong not to pay more attention. You said you’ve done nothing but try to make me happy, and you’ve done exactly that. Your efforts make me love you even more because they are proof of your love for me. However, deep down, I’m happy simply because I’m with the man I’m in love with. And he’s in love with me, too. Do you get what I mean?”
Christian tried to wrap his head around what Alec was saying. He felt calmer now as he considered everything Alec had said, all of which made sense. “So, I haven’t done anything wrong, but you are upset.” He hesitated. “Because you’re worried I’m never thinking of myself? That this could hurt me—hurt us—eventually?”
Alec smiled, which was a big relief to Christian. Nodding, Alec said, “Yes, that’s what I’m worried about. It’s something I want you to think about. I don’t expect a dramatic change.”
“And you see why I did it? Why I was scared?”
“Yes. I’m going to make more of an effort, too. You’re always looking out for my needs, and I need to learn to meet your needs as well.” Alec stretched up to kiss Christian’s forehead. “I’ll do my best. I promise.”
Christian hadn’t felt this relieved in a long time. He inched closer to Alec. “Then since we’ve got that straight, can we talk more tomorrow? Right now, I have a need I don’t want to suppress.”
Alec licked his lips and inched forward as well. “Really? And what is—gah!”
Acting on his fantasy from earlier, Christian bent down and tossed Alec over his shoulder. He turned carefully in the small space and headed for the bedroom.
“Whoa!” Alec said, sounding breathless. “You’ve never done this before.”
“Always wanted to though.” Christian slapped Alec on the ass. When they reached the bedroom, he threw Alec down on the bed, his cock hardening as he looked at Alec, who was wide-eyed and already panting heavily from the surprise he’d just gotten. Christian climbed over Alec and touched his cheek. “Just so we’re clear, there has been nothing wrong with our sex life, and I love it when you fuck me. I’m definitely going to want that again, but I have been holding back. I’m sorry. I should have said something.”
“Yes, you should have,” Alec whispered. “I’d never have turned away from you or refused to let you make love to me.”
Christian leaned down and pressed his lips to Alec’s ear. “And I said that to lead up to a little warning.” He kissed Alec’s neck, and then he bit him with slightly more pressure than he ever had before, making Alec gasp. “I am really going to ravish you right now.”
Alec turned to look up into his eyes, and Christian captured his mouth in a kiss. Holding nothing back, Christian deepened the embrace and pressed Alec into the mattress. Alec’s breath came in gasps as Christian moved his mouth lower over his neck. He worked Alec’s shirt buttons open and licked at his left nipple, rolling it between his lips before biting it. Alec’s nipples had always been sensitive, and Christian kept nipping at and licking the left one while tweaking the other with his fingers. Just when Alec was worked into a frenzy, his cock straining against his pants, Christian slowed down. He kissed a teasing trail across Alec’s stomach and slowly unzipped Alec’s jeans, pulling them and his boxers down around his hips just enough for Alec’s cock to pop out. Christian kissed the soft skin around Alec’s cock, but he did his best not to touch it.
“Christian! Please suck me,” Alec said, gripping Christian’s shoulders.
Christian grabbed Alec’s hands and held them at his sides. He continued the soft kisses, sucking on spots when Alec reacted vocally to the touch of his lips. Purposely letting his hair tickle Alec’s cock, Christian pushed Alec’s pants lower so he could lick his balls. Alec grabbed his shaft and began to jerk off, but Christian stopped him.
“I’m going to be the one to make you come,” Christian said. He pushed in enough to suck one of Alec’s balls into his mouth.
Alec made frustrated sounds, but he didn’t say anything else. Christian rose and stood, undressing quickly. Alec watched him for a moment before slipping out of his shirt and working his pants and boxers all the way off.
C
hristian came to the edge of the bed and moved Alec’s mouth to his cock. Alec sucked eagerly, paying special attention to the spot just under Christian’s cock head. Biting his lip, Christian watched how enthusiastically Alec worked his cock. He ran his hands lovingly into Alec’s hair, which made Alec look up. Their eyes locked as Alec took the head into his throat. Alec had trouble with this sometimes, but not tonight. He began bobbing his head smoothly, really deep-throating Christian’s cock.
Christian pulled away to keep from coming. While he felt certain he could go all night and would have no trouble getting hard again, he wanted them to come together the first time. “Get on your knees.”
Alec did so, watching Christian over his shoulder. Bending over, Christian spread Alec’s ass cheeks and let his tongue slide down the crack. Christian felt Alec tense and heard him gasp, but he kept going. After licking at Alec’s balls briefly, Christian moved up again and circled his tongue around Alec’s hole. Alec made a choking sound when Christian actually penetrated him with his tongue. They’d never done this before, but Alec didn’t object.
Christian stroked Alec’s cock slowly, dropping a kiss to one of his ass cheeks. “Is this okay?”
Alec nodded frantically.
“That good, huh?” Christian moved back in and swirled his tongue in a circle before slipping it inside Alec again.
Alec sucked in a breath between clenched teeth. “No one ever said it felt like this!”
Christian continued, enjoying the taste of Alec’s skin and the sweet quivering of his tight hole. “You’re tight. Been too long since you were fucked.”
“Then fuck me, baby,” Alec said.
Christian ignored the request, alternating between tongue-fucking Alec’s ass and sucking on his balls. He’d stopped playing with Alec’s cock and slapped Alec’s hand away when he tried. When Alec let loose with a frustrated whimper, Christian slid two fingers into Alec’s ass. Alec arched to meet his hand, and Christian scissored his fingers to open Alec up.
“Get on your back,” Christian said when he withdrew his fingers and reached for the drawer with the lube in it.
Alec obeyed without hesitation and spread his legs. Christian moved between them, taking his time. He slid two lubed fingers back into Alec and suckled the head of his cock. Alec panted as he tried to thrust up, but Christian took no more than the tip. Christian loved the taste of Alec’s pre-cum. He briefly pumped Alec’s cock to work a few more drops out.
“Christian!”
Smiling, Christian moved into position and drew his fingers out. He loved hearing Alec so desperate for him. Christian spread a little lube on his cock, and then he lowered himself over Alec as he slid into him. Though it had been a year and a half, they still came together perfectly from that first glide. Alec wrapped his legs around Christian and angled himself just right, this position allowing Christian to go deep and thrum against Alec’s prostate with almost every stroke. Alec reached up and locked his hands behind Christian’s head and whispered up at him.
“Remind me how loud you can make me scream, baby.” Alec’s lust-filled gaze sparkled with unshed tears.
Christian kissed the corner of Alec’s right eye when he saw one tear fall. “Those good tears?” he asked gently.
“Yes, baby.” He teased kisses over Christian’s throat while flexing his body so that his channel squeezed Christian’s cock. “Please!”
Being inside Alec felt better than anything else in the world, and the feeling went far beyond physical sensation. Christian nuzzled down against Alec as he quickened his pace. He’d never felt as if sex were anything more than a lust-driven frenzy until he made love to Alec for the first time. “I love you,” Christian whispered as he pounded harder, making the bed shake uncontrollably.
“Love you,” Alec said before crying out in pleasure.
Christian pushed deep and tried to work against Alec’s prostate in exactly the right way. The hot blast of cum erupting between their stomachs told Christian he hadn’t forgotten how to please his lover. Alec cried out again, even louder this time, and Christian smiled, not caring who heard them. He locked his mouth over Alec’s and kissed him until his own orgasm took over. He sighed as he released into Alec, and then he covered Alec’s face and neck with kisses. Christian kept doing this until Alec giggled, moving away.
“That tickles!” Alec said, sounding so cute Christian couldn’t make himself stop.
They wrestled playfully, Alec attempting to tickle Christian’s waist, but failing in his present position. Their bodies were sticky from Alec’s cum, but Christian didn’t care, and Alec didn’t seem to either. They settled on their sides eventually, facing each other.
“I can’t believe you rimmed me,” Alec said.
“Sounded like you loved it.”
Alec nodded. “How was it for you?” A slight blush spread over his face.
“I loved it. You made such sexy sounds. It’s pretty intimate. I’ve never wanted to do it to anyone else before. The thought of doing it to you excited me though, so it’s been something I toyed with asking for.”
Alec grabbed Christian’s chin, a faux stern look on his face. “I should hope you never wanted to do it to anyone else.” Alec kissed him briefly, a teasing glint in his eyes now. “I really didn’t know it would feel that good. From now on, ask for anything you want.”
“Yes, sir.” Christian laughed and beamed at him. “You know, maybe with another guy it wouldn’t have felt as good.”
Alec laughed, stroking Christian’s neck and chest and then circling a finger around his navel, rubbing his cum into Christian’s skin. “I think I’d have freaked out and pulled away if any other guy had ever tried.” He slid his hand over Christian’s waist. “Everything is different with you. Better.”
“Is it?” Christian caressed Alec’s hair.
Alec nodded. “I hope we find a house soon. I want to really make a home. We’re so cramped here. I like the intimacy, but I want to make plans and decorate. I wanna build stuff together. Have a garden.”
Christian raised one eyebrow. “That ready to nest, are you?”
Alec pushed him to his back and kissed him fervently. “Oh yes, I definitely am.” He kissed his way down Christian’s stomach.
Christian gave in, smiling at the ceiling as his lover got him hard again.
Chapter 2
Alec stood in the doorway and stared around the spacious kitchen. Marble surfaces stretched along each wall. He’d only seen this much counter space on cooking shows. Beautiful cabinets with glass doors lined the walls, and the sink was large and deep. The stovetop had six burners, and there were two ovens. The island in the middle of the room was big enough to have a dinner party around. The stainless-steel cookware rack over the island would accommodate almost every pot and pan they owned.
Strong arms encircled his waist. “See why I wanted to look at this one?” Christian whispered.
“Christian … we could never afford this place.”
“Do you know how much it is?”
“No, but look at this fucking kitchen!”
“Yes, it’s amazing, but the bedrooms are small, and there is only one full bath.”
Alec turned in Christian’s arms. “We can’t give up practical things just so I can have a nice kitchen.”
Christian caressed Alec’s cheek. “You love cooking. I want you to have a big kitchen.”
“This kitchen is fabulous, but we don’t have to have it.”
“This house is in our budget. We’ll never find another kitchen like this in our budget.”
“But only one full bath? Small bedrooms? I want to be able to have guests. Christian, there are more important things to think about.”
Christian bit his lip. He turned and looked around the living room. “This room is an odd shape.”
“Yeah, and we just bought the king size bed two months ago. We can’t do a small bedroom. There won’t be room for other furniture. We had to rearrange the bedroom completely to get it int
o the place we have now.”
Christian moved into the kitchen and stroked the marble of the island. “I just really want something like this for you.”
“But what we need to think about is us.”
Christian let his hand slip off the marble. “Like you were saying last night.” He nodded. “Okay.”
Alec smiled. “Yes, baby.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the realtor hadn’t come back into the house yet. Moving forward, he tilted his head up to kiss Christian. “Yes. Us.”
Christian smiled, too. “Then let’s move on to the next house. It has a nice yard.”
“Front or back? I can’t keep all these places straight. Is this the Tudor style place?”
“Yeah. It has a big back yard with a fence.” Christian’s phone chirped at him. He pulled it out and glanced at it, but then he slid it back into his pocket. “It’s Noel. He can wait.”
Alec rolled his eyes. “What is this guy’s problem?”
Christian shrugged. “He’s a pain, but he’s not that bad.”
“Not that bad? He never leaves you alone.”
“He’s needy. I can’t change that.”
Alec hesitated, but then he said what he’d been thinking for a while. “He likes you.”
Christian blinked a couple of times, but then he shook his head. “This guy is straight.”
“You could convert anyone,” Alec said, leaning forward to kiss Christian again. He felt territorial now that Noel had intruded on their personal time yet again. “You make sure he knows you’re mine.” He kissed Christian deeply, possessively, nipping at his lip as he pulled away.
Christian’s breath came in gasps now, and he looked stunned. “You’re … jealous?”
