“Mind giving me a few minutes to change?” he asked, looking down at the way he was dressed in sleep pants and his robe.
“There's no need for that; I don't stand on formalities around here.” Tyler smiled. “Come on, let's get you something to eat and your pain pills if you need them.” Tyler grabbed his hand and guided him down the stairs. The firehouse looked different at night. Dim track lights lined the beams of the vertical ceiling. There was soft jazz playing in the background. He looked over to the table that was set for two. The whole setting was romantic; the only thing missing were the lit candles.
He walked over to the window, leaning his left shoulder on the edge of the sill. Ethan watched out as cars drove by trying not to think about the real reason why his mother would choose to call him again. It was times like those he could not understand her. He continued to gaze out the window and marveled that the sounds from outside should have echoed through the firehouse, but Ethan didn't hear any of the traffic outside. Tyler walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He handed him a glass of water. “I would give you something stronger, but I'm not sure that's a good idea.”
He accepted the water, taking a sip and said, “Thanks. Dinner smells great. I don't know if I can handle the steak, but I can handle some broth,” he told Tyler. Ethan couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something stronger going on between them, and it was trying to break through the surface, and neither he nor Tyler wanted to risk acknowledging it.
“As long as you put something in it.” He guided Ethan away from the window and over to the table. There was a bowl of broth sitting on the table in front of him. Tyler disappeared for a second, and Ethan took a spoon full of the soup, closed his eyes, moaning. Not only did it smell great but it also tasted amazing.
“I would marry you today if you will continue to cook like this for me,” Ethan said and giggled at the look on Tyler’s face.
“Not the first marriage proposal I’ve had, but definitely the first time because of my cooking,” Tyler told him from the kitchen.
He took another spoonful and moaned again. He was so busy enjoying his broth, he hadn't realized the room went silent. Opening his eyes, he saw Tyler standing in front of his chair, staring at him, holding a plate in his hand filled with food. He blushed and felt completely naked, sitting there with Tyler staring at him.
“Umm...” Ethan began placing his spoon down and licked his lips, tasting the remnants of the broth, wishing it was something else. “Thank you, it was magnificent.”
He quickly stood, wrapping his robe around him to hide the start of his erection and made a quick escape to his room. Instead of going to his room, he went to the bathroom, he needed a shower preferably a very cold one. Ethan knew that if he went back downstairs, he would jump the other man like a horny dog.
Why the hell do I feel like a fucking teenager? And who the fuck gets horny from drinking soup? Where was the brave, bold, seductive man from the club a few weeks ago?
All the questions he had no answers to.
** ** ** ** **
Tyler watched Ethan make his hasty retreat and willed his body not to move. Taking a deep breath, he placed his plate on the table, gripping the top of the chair in front of him.
Fucking hell, I didn't think it would be this hard to resist him.
He’d almost creamed in his pants hearing Ethan moan and watching him lick the spoon.
If only Ethan knew how alluring, he could be performing the simplest tasks, Tyler shook his head. Shit, I will make broth of every kind just to watch him do that all the fucking time.
Willing his feet to move, Tyler walked away from the table quickly, letting his feet guide him. He took the stairs two at a time. Reaching the top of the stairs, he heard the sound of the shower running coming from the bathroom at the end of the hall.
Tyler didn’t second guess what he was about to do. He opened the door, quickly shedding his clothes, and watched Ethan's silhouette behind the fogged shower glass door. Slowly, he opened the shower door and stepped in, pressing his body against Ethan’s.
They both hissed when Tyler’s hot skin touched Ethan's cold skin. Tyler reached around Ethan and turned the water up making it warmer, to accommodate them both.
“Tell me this is okay.” Tyler whispered into Ethan’s ear.
Ethan’s breath hitched when Tyler licked the droplets of water off his skin, following a trail down to his lower back.
“Answer me, baby,” Tyler demanded, his voice sounded thick with arousal even to his ear.
“Yes,” Ethan gasped.
Tyler got to his knees, running his tongue across both Ethan's ass cheeks.
Ethan groaned, pushing his ass into Tyler’s face.
Tyler playfully smacked one of Ethan's ass cheeks while grazing his teeth along the other. He pulled back and trailed a finger down the middle of his butt cheeks. Ethan shivered. Tyler licked his lips, pulling Ethan's cheeks apart and exposing his hole. He leaned forward and ran his tongue from his hole to the dip of his upper back. Ethan moaned and went to his toes, pushing his ass into Tyler's face.
“Oh my fuck,” Ethan whispered.
Tyler flicked the tip of his tongue over Ethan's hole, digging his nails into the meaty flesh under his palms spreading Ethan’s ass wider. Ethan’s whimpers spurred Tyler on and he buried his face deeper between his lover’s delicious cheeks, moaning desperately for more. It felt like months not days since Tyler tasted Ethan. Tyler’s cock was harder than it had ever been.
Tyler released Ethan's ass cheeks and reached under with one hand to fondle his balls and with the other to jerk himself off. Ethan opened his legs wider to give Tyler better access to his hole. Tyler knew their moment was going to be quick when Ethan began fucking his face. They both needed and wanted it. Tyler felt Ethan pulling on his cock and he pulled on his own, running his thumb across the tip, smearing pre-cum along his shaft.
“Oh fuck yes, Ty, make me cum, baby. Please,” Ethan begged. “Need this, need you so fucking bad.”
He loved fucking Ethan, he was vocal and didn't hide what he wanted from Tyler. With one last swipe of his tongue, Tyler removed his face from between Ethan’s ass cheeks. Tyler got to his feet, sandwiching his cock between his lover’s moistened ass cheeks and began pumping his hips, fucking Ethan without entering him.
“Oh my fucking hell,” Ethan whimpered.
“Not hell, baby, heaven. I’m going to take you to heaven,” Tyler told him.
Ethan leaned his head on the tile. “I don’t care where we go, just make me fucking cum.”
“Anything for you, baby.”
Tyler spun Ethan around and without giving the other man a chance to say anything, he smashed their mouths together. Ethan whimpered, and Tyler remembered the bruises on his lover’s face. The only thing that stopped him from pulling back was the tight grip Ethan had on the back of his head.
Tyler backed Ethan up against the tile and brought their cocks together. He slid his hands down, grabbing Ethan’s ass, then his milk chocolate legs, lifting him. Ethan's legs wrapped easily around his waist. Their lips remained attached, Ethan’s fingers ran through Tyler's hair as he whimpered and moaned into Tyler’s mouth. Tyler was no better, he felt just as hungry and starved for Ethan's lips as he did his ass.
Ethan pulled away, needing air, bringing their foreheads together. Their hips moved in tandem, and their shafts slid against each other. Tyler squeezed his own hand between them, grabbing their cocks together. Ethan shivered in his arms.
He opened his eyes to see clouded multicolored eyes boring into his. He couldn't look away as he jerked their cocks together. Their breathing was loud and harsh to his ears. He was close. He felt his balls grow tight and before he could warn Ethan, Tyler grunted, throwing his head back, cumming on both their cocks. Ethan was not far behind him, their cum mixing together.
Their lips met in another kiss. They stayed in the shower a bit longer, holding each other, not minding that the water was gettin
g cold. Their skin was hot enough to keep each other warm.
** ** ** ** **
CHAPTER SEVEN
A few nights later, they were in Tyler's bed entwined together, though neither was asleep. Ethan had his head resting on Tyler's shoulder, running his fingertips through the hairs on his chest. After that night, Ethan hadn't slept in the guest room. It was as if they’d lived in their own little bubble for the past couple of days, blocking out the outside world to them. Tyler still had not asked Ethan about his ex, he was somewhat afraid to break the serenity between them. Ethan lifted his head, resting his chin on the back of his hand and looked at him. Ethan was handsome in a classic movie star way.
“So I guess we are at that bridge, aren’t we?” Ethan said to him.
How was he supposed to answer that? If he said no, he would be lying. “How do you propose we cross it?”
Ethan flopped on his back and sighed. “Hell if I know,” he answered. “I'm honestly not ready to share what we’re doing.”
Tyler ultimately agreed. He rolled over onto his side facing Ethan. “So the big question is who starts sharing first?”
Ethan smiled and even in the dim lighting, his eyes sparkled. “Let's see,” he began, counting his fingers off. “My favorite color is purple; I don't like broccoli.”
“I've noticed,” Tyler interrupted him with a smile on his face. Ethan stuck his tongue out at him, which only made him chuckle.
“Be quiet and let me finish,” Ethan huffed.
“Please continue,” Tyler mocked.
“I like long moonlit walks on the beach, romantic dinners, holding hands in the park, and making love after dark.”
“I can't put my finger on it,” Tyler said, moving the covers and rolling on top Ethan, kissing him soundly. Ethan moaned, opening his legs and wrapping his arms around Tyler's neck. When their kiss began to get too deep, he pulled back, looking down at his lover. “I could have sworn I heard that in a song somewhere.”
“Hmm…” Ethan hummed. “It’s possible. But isn't that the joy of dating, finding out new things about your partner.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow, “Is that what we are doing now?”
Ethan was quiet for a few seconds, both men staring at each other. “I make a lousy boyfriend,” Ethan said finally speaking. “And I'm not that great at sharing things. I think that's why he and I didn't work out. I’m not good when things get complicated. I tend to leave and hope the next time things magically fix themselves.”
Tyler rolled off Ethan and off the bed and walked over to his dresser, taking out sleep pants and a t-shirt. He didn't want to be touching Ethan for the conversation or fight, they were no doubt going to have. He turned around and Ethan was getting out of bed, pulling on his own clothes, and then walked over to the door.
“All you had to say was you’re not interested,” Ethan said, opening the door and getting ready to walk out when Tyler stopped him.
“Tell me Sean's real name.” Ethan turned and faced him, confusion marring his face.
“What are you talking about?”
“Sean, your ex, the man who….” Tyler didn't finish the rest; he didn't need to. “While you were in the hospital, I had a friend look into him, and the only Sean Pearson he could find are either dead or living in Florida.”
Ethan stood at the door, one hand on the doorknob, the other agitatedly running through his hair. “I…. I don't understand, Tyler. What are you telling me? And what does Sean have to do with us?”
Tyler got up and walked over and pulled him into his arms. “He's not who he said he was. He's been lying to you all this time. And until you are able to deal with what the hell happened, you won’t be able to move on.”
Ethan pulled away from him, walking to the other side of the room. “Then who is he? Who is the man I let into my bed, my heart? Who is the man I almost married?”
Tyler didn't move to hold him again; he leaned his back against the wall. “I don't know.”
“God, I was such a fool. I had my suspicions that something wasn't right, but I chalked it up to him not being ready for me to meet his family and assumed over time things would change and get better, but I had no fucking clue, did I?”
“Tell me what you do know,” Tyler said to him. He didn't correct Ethan or pacify him on his stupidity.
“Why the hell not.” He sighed, walking to the bed and sitting on the edge. “Wait, why are you so interested in him anyway?”
“Seriously, you ask that after what he did to you?” Tyler snapped. “You want to know what makes me angry is the fact that you're brushing this off as if he didn't leave you there to die!”
“Is that what you really think?” Ethan argued back. Tyler didn’t respond. “Well, let me enlighten you on how I'm feeling.” He folded his arms across his chest and stared at Tyler stubbornly. “I'm angry, so damn angry that I want to kill him. He turned what little love I had left for him into hate and disgust. He took away my safety net. He took away the one thing I have always prided myself on my strength, and that I am able to take care of myself not relying on anyone. Now I don’t know how to feel,” he finished, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Tyler listened to Ethan and realized he wasn't only talking about what happened in his apartment, there was more to it. And that made him wonder what else happened in their relationship.
Ethan sighed and laid back on the bed groaning. “I don't need a knight in shining armor to save me from the big bad dragon, Tyler. I can handle Sean.”
“Like the way you've handled him so far.” It wasn't a question, and Ethan didn't take it that way.
“Fuck you, Tyler,” he snapped, getting off the bed and walking to the door.
“You’re trying to change the subject, and it makes me more curious as to what you know or don’t know about the guy you planned on marrying.”
“Nothing!” Ethan barked, turning to face Tyler. “I knew absolutely nothing about him. Ok, is that what you want to hear? God, I think of how foolish I was for believing his lies. I fell for a man who apparently lied about who he was, even his name.”
Tyler watched him pace the room, not saying a word, there was nothing for him to say, but sit and listen to Ethan for when he was ready to talk.
“Sean told me that he has a sister who lives in Minnesota with her husband and daughter. But he and his brother-in-law do not get along, which caused a rift between him and his sister. I think her name is Francisca. His mother is still alive; she lives in an assisted living home that he pays for, he also sends her money every month. I’ve spotted him some cash a time or two. As for a job, he works construction, and he's never in one place too long. I met a friend or two during the time we were together, they seemed ok to me. But that's about it, that’s all I know.”
He walked back over to the bed and flopped down, sighing. “And now I can’t stop thinking if all of it was a lie. Even telling you everything I know about him sounds unbelievable to my ears.” He looked at Tyler as if asking him to understand.
Tyler leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “I don't think it's all a lie, it sounds as if there was some truth in there.” Then he paused before asking. “Do you have a picture?”
Ethan furrowed his brows. “What will knowing what he looks like accomplish?” He shook his head. “What are you going to do, find him and beat him to a bloody pulp? An eye for an eye sort of thing? I don't live like that, Tyler. Like I said, I don’t need you to save me.”
Tyler shook his head. “What makes you think I want to save you? Has it ever occurred to you that I want a piece of that bastard for my own gain? I walked into your bedroom to find you lying on the floor, bleeding and I thought…” He didn’t finish his words.
“I understand that must have been scary for you, but please just drop it. I doubt he will be back after what he did,” Ethan said cutting him off.
“You have no fucking idea what I’m scared of,” Tyler said through clenched teeth, “so don’t presume otherwise. What I exp
erienced was fear. Fear of losing someone I had no idea I cared so much about. And you are a fool to think that will be the last time you see him. Guys like Sean do not disappear so easily.”
Tyler could hear a pin drop the way it was so quiet in the room after his declaration.
“God, we are so fucked up,” Ethan breathed out.
Tyler smiled. “That's one way to put it,” he intoned. “I'm not good at relationships. I always thought when I met the person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with, I would meet them the way my parents did. Golden light surrounding us and doves perched above our heads.” He got up and walked over to Ethan and sat beside him on the bed. “I love...” Ethan gasped and looked at him with wide eyes, “...my family, but I'm not ready for them to know about us yet either. When the time is right, we will tell them everything.”
Tyler saw the relieved look on Ethan's face. He cared about Ethan, and it was too soon to think about love. Then he remembered the advice he gave his brother about getting to know Jaxson before closing the door on something that could make him happy in the end. “Listen, let's take things slow, get to know each other. Keep it as we have been, casual but a little more open with each other. No official labels. If we find that this is not working for us, we break it off and move on. I think we are adult enough to remain friends. There is no harm in giving it a try.”
“I like that,” Ethan whispered.
** ** ** ** **
Ethan went back to work the following week after their talk. The bruises on his face were healed enough to not be noticed unless standing in his personal space. He prided his staff on their ability to not ask questions about his personal life, but saw the looks he got. He hadn't returned home and was still staying at Tyler's house.
Ethan sighed and a small smile pulled at his lips, thinking about Tyler being his lover. Even after admitting their feelings for each other nothing changed in regards to their relationship. They had moved into a domestic uncertainty and he was fine with it. A couple of days later he relented and gave Tyler a picture of Sean and that was the last they talked about the subject. Ethan wanted to move on with his life and not concentrate on his mistaken past, but Tyler was adamant that he had some kind of closure.
Loving You: Mpreg Romance (My One-Night Stand Series Book 2) Page 11
