Liam put the key in the lock and turned it. He pushed the door open and stepped inside ahead of me. Dean told us that the light switch was inside the doorframe to the right. I felt around and found it. My mouth dropped as the ceiling light illuminated the room.
“Wow! It’s just gorgeous,” said Liam.
I said, “He told us that his sister cleaned things up so it would be nice for our visit, but I didn’t expect this.”
We both turned in a complete circle as we gazed around the room. The hardwood floor and paneled walls gleamed a highly-polished amber color. Posters from Door County gallery shows featuring Dean’s work hung on the walls. The ceiling fixture, lamps and other decorations were all nautical-themed. The primary furnishings in the main room were a sofa and two overstuffed chairs. A small kitchenette filled one corner, and a dark doorway led to what must be the bedroom.
The room was warm. I could hear the light hum of a fan spreading heat into the boathouse. I offered, “I can take the fold-out couch. You can have the bed.”
Liam said, “Oh, no you don’t.”
I raised an eyebrow, “I don’t do what?”
“You’re sleeping with me.”
I did a poor job of hiding my excitement when I asked, “I am?”
“Unless you don’t want to.”
I turned slowly to face Liam and reached forward pushing my hands up under his jacket. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to?”
He shook his head, “No, because you never told me.”
I smiled, pulled my hands out and tugged the jacket’s zipper down. “I think it might have been since the night I was worried you would catch me standing in the doorway watching you sleeping.”
Liam sighed and placed both of his hands on the side of my face. The cold from the outdoors seeped into my face, but I was already lost in his eyes and didn’t want to move. He said, “You really should have climbed in bed with me.”
* * *
All of our moves were tentative, and we fumbled around at first. My fingers were all thumbs as I struggled to unbutton Liam’s shirt. He grunted trying to unbutton my jeans and finally tugged my hand downward to encourage me to do it myself. When I saw the adorable frown on his face, I said, “It’s okay. It doesn’t need to be perfect.”
The bedroom had an overhead light fixture and a single pillar candle on a nightstand by the bed. Liam said, “Maybe there are matches in the drawer.”
He was correct, and I lit the candle while he turned off the overhead light. The romantic atmosphere was overwhelming. Waves crashed rhythmically against the rocks outside, and the warm glow of candlelight flickered gently around the room.
I was naked while Liam still wore his jeans. He kissed me hard and rolled a nipple between his index finger and thumb. I couldn’t stop myself from moaning into his mouth. I followed the murmurs by pulling back from the kiss briefly to gasp for air.
Liam tangled his fingers into my hair and pulled my head to the side while he kissed my neck. He whispered the question, “Will you bottom for me?”
I swallowed hard and whispered, “Please.”
He continued to play with the nipple as his free hand found its way to my balls. He wrapped that index finger and thumb around the root of my balls and gave a firm tug. I gasped. It was a clear signal that Liam was in charge.
I wasn’t sure that he would allow me to do it, but I slipped my hands between us and pulled the zipper of Liam’s jeans after unbuttoning them at the waist. He kept up the teasing of my body and looked down smiling at my efforts. Before I could push the jeans down, he let go of my nipple and dug a wrapped condom and a single-use packet of lube out of the pocket of the jeans.
My body shivered knowing that Liam hit the road fully prepared for this specific moment. I had sex many times with Eric, but I was already harder and more excited deep within my brain than I could ever remember when Eric was preparing to fuck me.
Liam guided me to lie down on the bed while he headed for the bathroom. He returned with clean towels to spread out underneath me and said, “I”m always a good guest, and you’re going to make a mess.”
I laughed softly and asked, “Are you sure?”
His face twisted into the sexiest of smirks as he said, “It’s guaranteed.”
Liam knelt on the bed between my legs and then firmly gripped my thighs pulling me forward until my ass rested on his knees creating a small ramp to rock my hips partially upward. He reached out and held the wrapped condom to my lips. I opened my eyes wide, and he nodded. When I took the package between my teeth and held on, Liam said, “That’s my Alex. Do you know when was the first time I wanted to fuck you?”
My nostrils flared trying to inhale deeply, and I shook my head.
Liam said, “When I saw this guy in denim leaning against the bar at Yesterday’s. I had a flash in my head about all of those porn flicks about cowboys who fuck in the hayloft or by the campfire on a long cattle drive. I wanted you then, Alex. I’ve wanted you ever since.”
My cock throbbed pressed hard up against my belly, and I closed my eyes for a moment. We weren’t two cowboys on the range, but we could imagine we were two fishermen discovering each other in a windswept cottage on the shore of a massive sea. Liam could have walked out of a hundred of my fantasies.
He was gentle but relentless. He explored my ass first with lube-coated fingers, and then he made sure his condom-sheathed cock was as slick as possible before he tried to penetrate my hole.
I gasped when his thick head popped past the barrier of my ring. I liked a hard fucking, but I wanted to trust that my partner sincerely wanted me to enjoy it as much as he did. I hated when Eric asked, “Is it okay?” I wanted more than okay. I wanted raw, awe-inspiring, and mind-blowing.
Liam didn’t speak sentences. Instead, he grunted, growled, swore random words and phrases, and plunged deep into my ass. He pushed my ankles over his shoulders and folded my body up tight as the receptacle for his pounding.
Just as I thought he might be close to exploding, he gripped my cock in his right fist. “Damn, gonna make you blow!” growled Liam.
He was right. It wasn’t going to take long. My fingers tightened their grip on the towels and the bedsheets beneath. As I plunged headlong toward the cliff, I pushed my head back hard into the pillow and yelped, “Fuck, Liam, close!”
He was relentless. I thought he might stop and work my cock on edge, but instead, he wanted to just shove me over the edge of that cliff like a freight train barreling into the unknown.
I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t slow it down. I was going to explode and shoot a huge wad. My eyes opened wide just as my body convulsed tossing my brain into the void. I jerked helplessly against the bed while Liam’s cock continued rocking forward and back pinning me down.
My cock shot big ropy strings of cum. Some of it hit Liam’s abs, while more of it arced over and landed on my chest. Then Liam threw his head back with corded muscle on the sides of his neck visible as his body erupted in orgasm.
He growled, “FUUCCKK!,” and his fingers dug deep into my thighs. Liam’s cock was mashed tight against my prostate, and his entire body spasmed at least five times in quick succession.
It was sex like I’d never experienced. It was sex like I knew it should be. It was sex with the man who would be mine.
23
Liam
Alex and I fell asleep in each other’s arms without speaking any more words. Nothing needed to be said. The sex was phenomenal for a first fuck, and it only cemented our need to be together. When I woke in the morning, I was spooned up behind him with my half-hard cock nestled between his ass cheeks. I pressed my nose against his neck and inhaled his scent. Then I kissed just behind his ear while I pulled him in even tighter with my arms.
By the time we knocked on Dean’s door, it was already 10:00 a.m. He didn’t look surprised at all and welcomed us inside. The aromas of fried bacon and freshly brewed coffee filled his kitchen.
I said, “You’re a man a
fter my heart, Dean. It smells like breakfast in here.”
“Did you young men have a good night’s sleep?”
Alex said, “The waves on the rocks lulled me to sleep. The boathouse is exquisite.”
“Thank you,” said Dean. “Amelia came up with the idea to turn it into a guest house. For decades it sat there battered by storms on the edge of the lake. It hasn’t seen boats or sailing equipment for fifty years or more. When we decided to fix it up, we had men come in and move it back about twenty feet from the edge of the water. She still gets hit by waves when the lake beast roars, but it won’t threaten your life if you’re asleep when the storm hits.”
I said, “That’s good to know.”
Dean poured us both cups of coffee and then gestured for us to sit at his square kitchen table. He said, “I had to pull a young man out of a sailing accident off those rocks by the boathouse just two years back.” The coffee was black and stiff. It was welcome on a lazy Sunday morning. Dean asked, “What do you young men have planned for the day?”
“I wanted to speak with you about the pieces I’m taking back to Milwaukee and how best to pack them up for transportation. Then I suppose we will explore. This trip is Alex’s first adventure in Door County.”
Dean sat at the table with us. I think I heard a creak in a knee as he lowered himself onto a chair. He said, “I think you should visit the island.”
“I’ve never been there, and it would be new for Alex. Is the ferry still running this time of year?”
Dean nodded. “Almost every hour. You drive up there, spend a couple of hours, and then you’ll be back in time for dinner. We can wrap the carvings up tonight.”
Before we set out for Washington Island, Dean drew us a map. He wanted us to see his grandparents’ house on the island. The drawing was a work of art in itself. He swept his hand over the paper with a confident stroke of the pen like he had mapped the island a thousand times before.
On the drive to the tip of Door County, Alex surprised me with news of his own. While staring out the window at a small village we passed through; he said, “Liam, I’m not going to St. Paul.”
I was tempted to create drama by slamming on the brakes of the car, but instead, I kept driving. To make sure I heard him correctly, I asked, “You aren’t?”
He said, “I want to give us a try. Is that okay with you?”
I laughed, threw my head back, and nearly drove off the road. “I was going to suggest we give it a try even if you were five hours away.”
Alex grumbled, “Watch the road,” and reached reflexively for the steering wheel.
I was still tittering when I said, “I’m fine. Seriously, if you think you need to go back to St. Paul, I’m over being an ass about it.”
He shook his head saying, “I already told my friend Jeremy that I’m staying in Milwaukee. It’s time to move my job search there. Do you know anywhere I can stay for a few weeks while I get my sea legs?”
“I wouldn’t have a clue.”
Lake Michigan was remarkably calm as we boarded the ferry. It was a gentle rocking trip as the boat set out across a passage known as Death’s Door.
Dean’s map was perfect. It didn’t take us long to find the house his grandparents’ built on the island more than a century ago. It was a tidy two-story farmhouse on a rural road. A car parked in the driveway told us the building still had residents.
The most striking element of the house for both Alex and me was the carved wood sign that hung on a fence near the road. I recognized Dean’s style of painting in the illustration of a fish leaping out of the water and his calligraphic approach to the lettering. The words said simply, “Forever Cottage.”
I parked the car just long enough to reach across the front seat and kiss Alex. I whispered, “Forever. That’s for us.”
We spent the rest of the day exploring the port on Washington Island, driving through postcard-perfect villages like Ephraim and Sister Bay and assisting Dean in packing up his carvings for the road trip back to Milwaukee.
That night as he lay in my arms, Alex said, “We’ve got news for Sarah when we get back.”
“I think we have news for everyone.”
Alex chuckled. “We don’t need to get divorced now.”
My eyes opened wider than before. We still had a problem. I said, “But we’re not married either even though that is what everyone thinks. How do we deal with that?”
I could feel my heart begin thumping in my chest. Pretending to be married for a few weeks was one thing, but I didn’t know what to do if Alex wasn’t going away.
* * *
Chester was very eager to see us when we got back to Sarah’s. His leap nearly knocked me against the wall. Alex was already busy stepping up to Sarah’s living room windows while I rubbed Chester’s head and asked, “Did you keep Sarah company? Did you behave well for her and not leave any unpleasant surprises?”
Sarah said, “He was a perfect gentleman. We walked up and down Brady Street early in the morning, and I took him down to the lagoon and the marina. He got to bark at ducks and watch all the people go by from three-year-olds to ancient grandmas with a cane. You have him trained well, Liam. I didn’t have any problems at all.”
I grinned and scratched Chester under the chin. “That’s my boy!”
“This view is amazing, Sarah,” said Alex. “I’m feeling a little jealous.”
I said, “But she’s missing something appealing that you have in the house.”
Alex turned around and asked, “What’s that?”
“Me! Isn’t that a little more meaningful than the view?”
“Wait,” said Sarah, “Are you two dating or something now?”
“Is that what we’ll call it?” asked Alex.
I said, “Poor Sarah is in the dark.” Turning toward her, I said, “Alex is staying in Milwaukee.”
“Since when?” asked Sarah.
“He told me last night. We’re going to try a real relationship, and he’s going to look for a job here in the city. We’re still planning on him moving out and finding an apartment when the job is underway, but he won’t be further than across town.”
“There’s one problem,” said Sarah.
“Problem?”
“You’re married, remember? At least that’s what everyone thinks.”
I sighed and said, “Yep, that is our problem, and we haven’t figured out yet what to do. I still want to float on the cloud of excitement about Alex staying in town and my arms before I deal with the issues of cold reality.”
Sarah raked her fingers through her long black hair. By the gesture, I knew that she was thinking hard. She was going to treat us to either a story or an idea for the future. After a lengthy pause, she looked first at Alex and then at me before she said, “Maybe it’s not as big of a problem as the two of you think.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “It’s a crazy problem, and, frankly, I’m worried that I could lose my job over it when the truth comes out. It eventually will, too, regardless of what we try to do about it. I hope Alex finds a well-paying job to support us.”
Sarah asked, “Why don’t you get married for real?” Silence reigned in the room until Sarah continued by saying, “You’ve been living together for over a month already. I realize that is soon for a lot of couples, but most people don’t get themselves in the crazy mess the two of you have on your plate. You still look and act like a perfect match. Why not just make it legal?”
Another long moment of silence passed before Alex asked, “Why don’t we?”
24
Alex
I couldn’t wait to get back to the dog park after Liam left for work on Tuesday morning. We were still tossing around the idea of getting married for real, but we hadn’t reached a firm decision. I think we were still both in shock. The world continued to rotate so fast, and the pace showed no signs of abating.
I wanted to take Chester to the park so that I could catch Mark and tell him about my incredible weeken
d adventures. As I strolled along the street with Chester, I wore one of Liam’s winter coats. The temperature dipped below freezing the night before, and the grass wore a silvery dusting of frost.
Sometimes Mark left the park early, and I was worried that we might not catch him. I had his phone number, but I wanted to speak in person and ask him about his source for the news of our pretend marriage.
I closed the gate of the park and stepped inside with Chester at my heel. Then I blinked twice seeing Mark standing with his Welsh corgi among other dog owners. He wasn’t hiding in a corner. Instead, he was actively chatting, and I think I spotted a smile on his face.
After I disconnected Chester’s leash from his collar, I watched a young woman say goodbye to Mark. I took her exit as a cue to approach and ask, “Is this Mark, or did you steal his body?”
Mark shouted, “Alex! It’s so good to see you.”
I said, “It’s great to see you, too, but what’s going on? I haven’t seen you this cheerful in a long time.”
He blushed as he said, “I had a date last night.”
“Congratulations, Mark!” I reached out and clapped him on the back. “When are you bringing him to the park?”
“He doesn’t live around here so it might take awhile. How was your weekend away?”
I said, “Door County was beautiful. I’m glad I got to go. We even drove up to Washington Island.”
“It’s great up there,” said Mark. “My aunt and uncle have a cottage up there. The house is a big one. When I was little, they invited all the cousins and siblings up for a long four -day weekend in the summer. Did you ride the ferry?”
“I think that was the only way we could get there.”
“You could take a kayak,” said Mark.
I still wanted details on his cheerful, excited mood. “Where did you meet this new flame?”
“It was the craziest thing,” said Mark. “I ran into him at the movie theater. We were both going solo, and we had to wait together in a line for tickets. The conversation started, we sat together at the movie, and that was last Wednesday. Last night we went out to dinner and kissed each other goodnight.”
The Pretend Husband: Romance In the City, Book 1 Page 12
