Of Love

by Sean Michael

“Yes, boss.” Grinning, Dex began going through his phone.

  “Good man.” He couldn’t stop smiling; hell, he didn’t even try.

  Dex stopped midchuckle, pointing at his phone. “Oh. Oh, this place is perfect!”

  “Yeah? Book it. I trust you.”

  “Excellent. This place has everything we’re looking for and….” Dex tapped at his phone. “And we’re in.”

  “Woo-hoo!” Kent let himself be excited, let himself feel young and tickled.

  Laughing, Dex put a hand on his thigh, just resting it there.

  “We’re close, honey. Do you know what you’re looking for?” he asked.

  “Yeah, there’s a beach, supposedly. How much of one is what I’m trying to figure out.”

  “Keep your eyes peeled. It’s hard to see with the cloud cover,” he noted.

  “There! To the right as soon as you can. That’s got to be it.”

  “Good deal.” They pulled in, and he put the car in Park. “Ta-da.”

  “It’s kinda chilly, so you don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to.” Dex pulled his zipper up and put on a pair of thin gloves.

  “Well, you’re not going in the water, right?” Kent asked.

  “Nope, not a chance.”

  “Cool.” Kent grabbed his knitted hat and the keys. “Let’s look.”

  They got out, and Dex grabbed his hand, holding on as they walked down to the little beach. “Okay, this is going to be pretty crowded, so I’m going to want to get ahead of the pack,” Dex noted.

  God, this whole triathlon thing was vastly more technical than Kent could have imagined. He honestly thought it was just running, swimming, and biking. “So you don’t get bottlenecked?”

  “Exactly.” Dex gave him a smile and squeezed his hand. “You’ve learned way more about racing than you ever wanted to know, haven’t you?”

  “I don’t know if I’d say that, but I learned more than I knew there was to learn.”

  Dex stopped and tugged him around, holding on to him. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” He snuggled right in, leaned hard.

  “Being here. Embracing my racing.”

  “You love racing. I love you. It’s easy.” Wait. Wait, had he just said that out loud?

  The smile that bloomed across Dex’s face said that he had indeed said it out loud.

  “Yeah? Because me too,” Dex told him.

  Oh, that made it almost worse, almost sadder. But it was also amazing. Truly fucking stunning. “Yeah,” he whispered.

  Dex took his mouth, and they shared a long kiss, the cold air blowing over them from the lake. The connection between them wasn’t cold at all. It warmed him from the inside out and made him step closer. Dex hugged him tight and kept kissing him, their tongues sliding back and forth into each other’s mouths.

  He pushed his bare hands up under Dex’s jacket to warm them. Dex shrieked, the sound followed by laughter.

  Kent went for innocent. “You okay?”

  “Butthead,” Dex accused, still laughing.

  “That’s me.”

  God, Dex’s tight little belly was warm.

  “Love your touch.” Dex kissed him again. “Even if your hands are like icicles.”

  “You know what they say: cold hands, warm heart.”

  “I have heard that. Your heart must be on fire.” Still grinning, Dex took yet another kiss from him.

  God, Dex’s lips fascinated Kent. They pressed against his, then withdrew, then pressed against his again in the most delicious dance.

  His butt was beginning to freeze, though, and his nose hairs were going to fall out, he knew it.

  Dex shivered in his arms. “Okay. We’ve seen the space, and I’ll sign up, start my plan. But I’m freezing to death right now. Let’s go find that hot tub.”

  “Works for me. You want to navigate or drive?”

  “Oh, I’ll navigate. It’s your beast.” Dex always teased him about the SUV.

  “Yeah. It’s an indulgence, but she’s a good size.”

  “My little smart car makes up for it anyway.” Dex gave him a wink.

  “Yeah, yeah.” He was going to have a car seat to deal with in six months. That wouldn’t fit in a smart car.

  “The resort is on the lake,” Dex told him as they climbed in. “You want to take the first right we come to.”

  “Oh, so it’s close.” Kent got the car started, the heater blasting.

  “Yeah, it is. We should skip the shopping in town until tomorrow morning. That work for you?”

  “Totally. Especially if the hotel has a laundry service.”

  “I didn’t check that. You can do your smalls in the bathroom sink if they don’t,” Dex teased.

  “If it’s a good hotel, they will. No worries.”

  “I’m not. I’m thinking watching you clean your undies in the sink while you’re naked could be a little kinky,” Dex said.

  Kent looked at Dex, and they both cracked up, started giggling madly. God, he could laugh with this man.

  Dex directed him to the hotel, and they got out, then headed into the lobby to register and pick up the key. The place was nice, classy.

  “We’ll need laundry service, if possible,” Kent told the clerk at the front desk.

  “Of course. I’ll put a note on your account, but if you put your stuff in the bag provided and leave it on the door, we’ll get it taken care of.” She handed over the key. “Have a pleasant stay.”

  “Thank you.”

  They headed to the elevator, and he goosed Dex on the way. Dex squealed again and, once they were on the elevator, tried to take revenge. They were still dancing around the space when the doors opened, two older people staring disapprovingly.

  Dex bit his lips, and his eyes twinkled merrily as they waited for the people to get on and the doors to close again. Luckily they only had a single floor to go up before they got off.

  As soon as they got out on their floor and the elevator doors had closed behind them, Dex burst out into laughter. “Did you see those faces?”

  “Yep. You horrified them. Horrified.”

  “Me and my big gay sexiness.”

  Kent started singing about the big gay sexiness, using the tune for “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

  Dex wheezed he was laughing so hard, so Kent added a dance that was a mixture of prancing and wiggling. Dex collapsed back against the door, just howling.

  They managed to get to their room, but just barely, before they slumped to the sofa, giggling madly.

  “Oh God.” Dex was wiping the tears away from his face.

  They slumped together, still shaking with pleasure.

  “Man, that’s almost as good as an orgasm.” Dex held him lightly, hand sliding along his back.

  “Good ab work, right?” Kent leaned hard for a second, then shrugged out of his coat.

  “It’s the endorphins.” Dex gave him a kiss before starting to strip off his outer clothes too.

  “It’s just good fun.” He pulled his shoes off, put them aside. “Oh, better.”

  “Exactly. Good fun is full of endorphins.”

  Kent was going to have to shut Dex up somehow. He reached out and took a kiss, diving into it. Dex opened up, letting him in and following his lead. A low, happy moan filled his mouth. Yeah. That’s what he needed.

  Dex shifted, tugging him into the vee formed by Dex’s legs.

  “Hey.” God, this felt right.

  “Hey, sweet. We fit together like a lock and key, don’t we?” Dex grabbed his ass and rocked them together.

  “Yes.” Oh fuck yes. His cock was aching, loving the friction Dex was offering him.

  Nodding, Dex grabbed his mouth, sucking on his tongue. His hips moved steadily, rocking hard. Dex pushed a hand between them, working their pants open at a snail’s pace. Tease. It felt luxurious, though, like they had a lifetime to do this.

  When Dex finally got their pants open, they settled together, moving to rub cocks. It was slow, but now
here near lazy. His hips knew exactly what they needed.

  “That’s perfect,” Dex told him, eyes gazing up into his own.

  “We are. God, you make me need.”

  “Yes. So much.” One of Dex’s legs wrapped around him, heel digging into his ass.

  The little throb of ache made Kent’s eyes cross, and he pushed all that much closer. They moved faster, hips pressing together, their balls slapping almost painfully.

  “Oh. Oh, babe. Honey. Gonna.” That little zing was too much, and Kent was going to come.

  Dex nodded for him, mouth opening on a gasp. Kent wasn’t sure who came first, but he knew it didn’t matter. They were both slick and messy, and it smelled like sex. Like them and sex.

  Dex slid a hand between them, then brought his now come-covered hand back up, licking at his fingers. Kent leaned up, fighting for a taste of his own. Dex offered his fingers over, moaning at the first touch of his tongue.

  “Mmm.” Kent sucked him in, pulled hard, tongue slapping Dex’s fingers.

  “God, you’re going to make me stay hard,” Dex told him.

  Kent grinned and let Dex’s fingers pop out. “Love how you make me feel.”

  “Me too.” Dex slid a hand down to his ass. “I could make you feel all sorts of good stuff.”

  “I’m into that. Good stuff. Totally.”

  “Tell me we have lube and condoms.”

  “Uh. I have two in my wallet,” Kent admitted. He’d taken to keeping them on him when he and Dex had started being intimate. Just in case they were needed.

  “That’s condoms taken care of….” Dex’s face lit up. “I should have a tube in my jacket pocket.”

  “You carry lube?” No shit?

  “I was getting a rash beneath my arms from my wetsuit a while back. A little lube before the suit went on made all the difference.”

  “Rash lube.” Kent started grinning. God, that was funny.

  “Fuck off.” Dex was starting to laugh again too, though.

  Kent fought the laughter as long as he could, but they were as bad as teenagers with the giggles. They slipped off the couch, which made them both laugh all the harder.

  “Come on, babe. Let’s put our clothes out and order room service.” Kent waited a beat before moving on. “I mean, maybe we can get salad dressing to lube up with.”

  Dex burst out laughing again. “That was so bad.”

  “Yeah.” So bad. So good. Whichever.

  “The room service and clothes-cleaning thing was a good idea, though. As is moving to the bed for lovemaking.”

  “I’m a wealth of good ideas, honey,” Kent said.

  “You are. And you’ve got a crazy good sense of humor.” Dex leaned up on his elbows, his clothes twisted and half off, his hair tousled.

  “Uh-huh.” Kent leaned up, took another kiss. God, he loved this man.

  Dex’s mouth opened, tongue sliding along Kent’s lips, then over his tongue. It was slow and lazy, but intense, hot at the same time. They were never going to get as far as the bed. Never.

  He couldn’t think of a single reason why that was a bad thing, though. Not even one.

  Chapter Eleven

  BREAKFAST IN bed had to be the most decadent thing ever. Kent had ordered them the big one too. They each had a tray full of food, from omelets to fruit danishes. And now they were feeding each other, laughing—God, they always laughed together, it was amazing—and getting crumbs everywhere.

  Dex grabbed one of the breakfast sausages and put one end in his mouth, leaning over to feed the other end to Kent.

  “Little dicks!” Kent hooted, biting it in half.

  While it was what he’d intended it to look like, Dex still nearly choked to death on the half he still had in his mouth.

  “Careful! Easy!” Kent patted him on the back. “No choking on my watch.”

  Coughing, he nodded. He wasn’t a fan of choking, period. “Sorry,” he finally managed. “You just make me laugh.”

  “I’m charming.” Kent handed him a glass of orange juice.

  “Oh, I think you’re way more than charming.” And he was so in love with this man.

  Careful of the glass of juice, he leaned in and shared a sausage-flavored kiss with Kent. He couldn’t believe that Kent wanted to have a baby, interrupt this amazing love affair, curtail any chance of freedom they had. He pushed the thoughts from his mind, though. This was theirs. This day, this moment, this kiss.

  Kent reached out, fingers sliding on his belly, tugging his short hairs so gently. His cock perked up immediately, growing like it was trying to reach Kent’s fingers.

  “Mmm. Strawberry?”

  “Huh?” Dex blinked at Kent.

  “Do you want to share a strawberry next?” Kent placed one between his teeth.

  “Oh! Yeah, sure.” He nodded and leaned in, wrapping his lips around the berry. It was neat, the berry cold, Kent’s lips so warm. The juice painted their lips as he bit into it.

  Kent ate his half, then swooped in to lick Dex’s lips clean. Groaning, he made sure to swallow before returning the favor, tasting both Kent and berries.

  “Tastes good, huh?” Kent asked.

  “You do.” He licked his own lips, searching for a bit of Kent on them. When he didn’t find it, he leaned in and licked Kent’s lips again.

  Kent chuckled for him, the sound happy, bouncing against his lips.

  “I can’t remember ever having a better breakfast.” Dex knew it was the company, knew stale croissants would have earned the same reaction.

  “It’s a good one, isn’t it?” Kent touched him constantly.

  “It is. We should share them more often.” Waking up with Kent was special.

  “You know you’re welcome as rain, honey, don’t you?”

  Nodding, he slid his fingers along Kent’s collarbone.

  “Good. Good.” Kent’s eyelids got heavy, just like his pretty cock did.

  Dex danced his fingertips across Kent’s throat, then slid them along Kent’s other collarbone. He followed the same path with his tongue, his lips. He loved that they’d decided to follow their impulses, that they had all morning to take their time and be lazy.

  He dipped his finger in the pot of honey, dragged it across Kent’s skin before licking it up. His next move was to cover Kent’s right nipple with the sweet stuff. Then he moved in slowly so Kent would know he was headed for that nipple.

  “Oh sweet fuck. Yes. Yes, lover.”

  He was smiling as he reached Kent’s nipple. Lapping at it first, he then wrapped his lips around the area and sucked. Kent leaned back, humming softly.

  “Your skin tastes sweeter than the honey,” Dex noted.

  “Flatterer.” Kent stroked Dex’s hair, tucked it behind his ear.

  “Nope. You eat all that candy, and I think you sweat out sugar.”

  “Yeah, one day it’ll catch up to me,” Kent said.

  Dex rubbed his hand along Kent’s belly, the fine little abs. “Today is not that day.”

  “No. Not today.” Kent arched for him, body rippling. “You feel so good.”

  “Yeah, you too.”

  Dex pushed Kent over, rolling on top of him and kissing him. Their bodies fit so well together, his cock cradled beside Kent’s, sliding on the smooth warmth. Their bodies, their lives, their likes and dislikes… everything matched up. Almost everything.

  Dex kissed Kent harder, losing himself in it. He didn’t want to think about anything right now but how good this all felt. So that’s what he did, just loved on Kent the best he could.

  Kent’s hand found the back of his head, fingers digging in as they rubbed. Groaning, he rocked them together, their cocks hot as they slid together.

  “Don’t stop.” Kent’s words were pushed into his mouth.

  No, he wasn’t going to stop, not until they were both sweaty, sticky, and well-satisfied. At which point he fully intended to start again.

  He got a hand around both their cocks, stroking eagerly. Kent’s free hand m
oved to tug and twist at his nipples, the little teases maddening. Groaning, he pushed into the touches, silently telling Kent how good it was. Kent started losing his rhythm, the roll of his hips becoming jerky, restless.

  Dex looked into the sherry-colored eyes, pressed closer as he squeezed them even tighter together. Kent gasped, face going lax, eyes unfocused as heat poured between them.

  “Oh, sweet….” Dex breathed the smell in deeply, loving it.

  It only took a few more strokes before he came too, adding his heat between their bellies, changing the smell to them. Perfect. God, it was perfect.

  “I love you, Kent McMann.” More than anything.

  Kent offered him a watery smile. “Ditto.”

  “Excellent.” Dex took another kiss, letting their come grow cold between them.

  Kent kissed his temple, lips clinging to his skin.

  “I could live in this moment forever,” Dex said softly.

  “Yeah. Yeah, you and me and breakfast.”

  “You and me and this feeling right here.” Not to be schmaltzy, but it was perfect. Right here like this.

  And Kent was going to change it.

  He closed his eyes and kissed Kent again. No thinking. No thinking. Just this. Nothing more.

  Chapter Twelve

  KENT MET Elizabeth at her ob-gyn’s office, so conflicted he couldn’t breathe. He loved Dex. Dex loved him. Dex didn’t like kids. He was having a baby. God.

  Elizabeth hugged him and gave him a tentative smile. “You okay, honey?”

  “I’m great. Nervous. You?”

  “Excited. We’re getting to see your baby today!”

  “I know.” His hands were shaking like leaves on a tree. “I know. God.”

  She laughed and squeezed his fingers.

  When the nurse called Elizabeth’s name, she squeezed again. “Come on, honey.”

  “Yep. Baby. Baby, baby, baby.” He was going to throw up.

  She chuckled, and they went into the ultrasound room. The lights were low, and there was a bed next to the machine. The machine that was going to show him his baby.

  “Do I just sit? Do you have to get naked? Are we going to hear the heartbeat? I want to record it on my phone.” His hand was wrapped tight around it, and he was ready to whip it out.