Love in the Clouds

by Sarah Hadley Brook

  Dustin kissed his cheek and took the purse from Rafael, as well as the phone, which he slipped into the purse. He dug around for the keys and, once they got Rafael’s now-zoned-out mom situated in the truck, Dustin climbed into the small red Ford, the only other vehicle in the parking lot.

  Dustin followed him to her house, and in less than an hour, they had her tucked into bed, passed out cold. Rafael made sure she was breathing, put some water by her nightstand, along with some pain pills, and a trash can in case she threw up. He knew from experience she often did.

  When Rafael put her keys in her purse and set it on the sofa, Dustin spoke up. “Are you sure we should leave the keys here?”

  Rafael knew her routine. “She’ll sleep until noon. Maybe get up and throw up. But she won’t go anywhere until she’s showered and done her hair. She may end the night looking like a drunk from skid row, but she starts out surprisingly stylish. The alcohol is killing her, but she definitely makes sure her makeup is on point.”

  Dustin took his hand. “Then how about we go? Do you want to spend the night at my house? Or yours?”

  Rafael walked with him outside. He liked that Dustin didn’t even think about not spending the night with him. They’d crossed that bridge and there was no going back to sleeping alone. Not after the number of nights they’d shared together. It had already become an important part of his daily routine. A smile came to his lips as he realized it must be important to Dustin, too, or he wouldn’t have phrased the question like that.

  “You sure you’re not too sick of me?” he chided once they were in the truck.

  Dustin shook his head. “Not going to happen.”

  His heart did that “swelling in his chest” thing again and he wanted to say something romantic. Something that told Dustin he felt the same, but the words didn’t come. So he just squeezed Dustin’s thigh before they headed out.

  “So, your place or mine?” his boyfriend prodded.

  “Either is fine with me.”

  “Then let’s head to my house. I need to do some touch up on the table. Is that okay?”

  “Of course. Want me to order something for dinner?” God. He’d forgotten about dinner, but just the thought made his stomach growl.

  Dustin laughed. “That sounds like a good idea.”

  They settled on a supreme pizza, and Rafael called it in once they got back to the house. He wanted to join Dustin in the workshop, but thought that might be distracting, so he hung out in the living room and watched a baseball game.

  Rafael loved baseball and it wasn’t until he was watching the Royals that he realized he hadn’t been out to see a Rabbit’s game yet, and it was already July. He’d become so wrapped up in the plane, everything else had fallen by the wayside.

  Once Mac took over the plane’s final repairs, Rafael hoped he could persuade Dustin into going to a game. Dustin wasn’t a huge baseball fan, but his younger brother, Jamie, was the team’s mascot, so he usually attended a few games each summer. Rafael pulled up the schedule, happy to see they were playing at home starting Tuesday. Maybe they could get the whole gang together.

  Huh. The gang. Were he and Dustin ready to tell people they were dating? Rafael personally wanted to shout it to the world, but Dustin might not be ready. And now that he thought about it, they hadn’t even had an actual date. Rafael needed to talk to Dustin about that and see what he was interested in doing.

  When the pizza arrived, he set it on the kitchen table and headed outside to let Dustin know. He paused at the beauty of the oncoming sunset. Ribbons of pink and orange wove through the still-blue sky, rays of sunshine filtering through the trees in the backyard, lending a golden hue to the green grass. He soaked it in, his gaze sweeping the midsized yard with its stone path leading to the detached workshop. The deck off the back of the house wasn’t in great shape, but he knew Dustin had plans for it. With the tall wooden fence surrounding the yard, Rafael could picture Dustin holding barbecues and summer parties when he finished replacing the deck.

  Rafael admired Dustin for owning a home. The guy had already put so much work into it and the kitchen was gorgeous, as was the living room. Rafael had offered to help him paint the other rooms, but they’d never gotten around to it. Maybe this summer they could.

  He’d never bitten the bullet himself, choosing to lease a townhouse for the time being. He had a decent savings account, and when he did find a home, he’d have a significant down payment. Someday.

  He found Dustin inspecting something near the hinge on the drop leaf table, and grinned. He’d always thought Dustin incredibly sexy, but now that he’d seen him naked, now that he’d been inside him, Dustin had become the hottest man he’d ever known. The way his muscles flexed when they made love, the way his ass felt in Rafael’s hands—everything about the man screamed “sexy.”

  “Hey, you looking at my ass?”

  Rafael flinched. Busted. His heartrate picked up, until he remembered he didn’t have to hide his feelings anymore. A grin spread across his face as he wrapped his arms around Dustin, pulling him against his chest and nuzzling his neck.

  “You got a problem with that, Sunshine? Can’t a man look at his boyfriend’s hot ass?”

  Dustin sagged into him. “Fuck, yes. But I never knew you were such an ass man.”

  “Your ass is a thing of beauty, Dusty. I’ve had to force myself not to look at it for years. I’ve got to make up for lost time.”

  His boyfriend laughed. “You can look all you want, as long as I can look at your abs.”

  “Ah, an ab man. You have a deal. But you know, there’s something else I especially enjoy looking at. Well, looking at, touching, tasting.” Rafael cupped Dustin’s dick through his jeans, smiling when he felt the hardness. He squeezed. “Didn’t you say something about having plans for me tonight?”

  “God, yes. But I can’t think when you’re touching me.”

  Dustin’s words ricocheted a jolt of confidence through Rafael. He wanted to keep going, but he was starving and figured Dustin was, too. He pulled back and swatted his ass. “Pizza’s here. We better get inside and build up our strength. I hear pepperoni is power food.”

  Dustin chuckled. “Let me close up the stain and get a few things put away. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Rafael gave him a quick kiss and stroked his jawline. He enjoyed the way the stubble teased his fingers.

  Once back in the house, he grabbed plates and napkins and a couple of root beers from the fridge and set it all on the table. Dustin walked in and smiled at the table as he toed off his shoes.

  “Crap. I should have taken my shoes off since I was also in the workshop.” Rafael slipped off his tennis shoes and set them next to the back door by Dustin’s.

  “It’s not a big deal,” Dustin assured him as he took a seat. “I just do it in case I get stain or sawdust all over them.”

  Still, Rafael made a mental note to remember to do that more. He already spent a lot of time here, but the way things were changing, he’d probably be here much more.

  They ended up sitting on the sofa after dinner, watching baseball, so Rafael brought up his idea of getting everyone together to see a Rabbit’s game.

  “That sounds like a blast. Jamie’s been after me to come out. I’ve been so wrapped up in the plane, though. Are they playing Friday night? I bet we’d get more of the guys to join us if we schedule it on a Friday.”

  Rafael agreed, but started fidgeting. “Two things. First, are we…telling our friends we’re dating? Or do you not feel ready to announce that?”

  Dustin’s eyes darkened and he straddled Rafael’s lap, bracing his hands on the back of the sofa. “Do you want to hide it? Tell me the truth.”

  Asking Rafael anything while Dustin ground his ass against him didn’t help, but he stared into those blue-green eyes that made his world tilt. “I want everyone to know.”

  Dustin leaned down until their lips nearly touched. “To know what?”

  Rafael’s breath hitched a
nd his heart pounded in his ears. “That I’m yours.”

  “And I want to tell them, too. I’m yours, Raf. You think you can handle that?”

  Hell, yes. He pressed their lips together and started to deepen the kiss, but Dusty pulled away.

  “Earlier you said there were two things on your mind. What’s the other?”

  What? Oh, right. God, one kiss from Dustin and his mind had turned to mush. “I was thinking we should go on a date. You and me. Night out. Holding hands. Romance. The whole shtick.”

  Dustin’s eyes widened. “That sounds perfect, Raf. Where do you want to go?”

  “Let me surprise you, okay? Let’s set it for Wednesday, if that works for you?”

  “I’d love that.”

  Rafael cupped the back of Dustin’s neck and pulled him close, kissing him softly. They ended up missing the rest of the game, but it was so very, very worth it.

  Chapter 12

  Dustin

  Monday morning came way too soon, and he shut off his alarm and rolled back into Raf’s arms, snuggling close and pulling up the blankets. The heat may have been rising outside, but the AC had kicked lower overnight and it felt a little chilly. But Raf had just enough body heat to keep him warm.

  Memories of the night before rushed back and he closed his eyes. They’d given each other blow jobs and it had been so perfect. His cock got hard and he had the wicked thought of waking Raf by going down on him. He had become addicted to his taste. It was wonderful the way their desires complimented each other’s. And the way their bodies fit was perfection. He’d never known what Raf preferred, but was ecstatic he liked to top. Dustin wasn’t averse to switching things up, but his first choice would always be bottoming. And Raf knew exactly what he was doing. He’d always had an idea that the adorable social studies teacher would be wild in bed. And God, was he ever right.

  He rose onto his elbow and braced his head on his hand, trailing a finger down Raf’s chest. He adored the dark hair on his pecs that merged into a treasure trail leading to his cock—especially now that he knew what that treasure looked like.

  Raf’s eyes fluttered open. Dustin smiled. “Good morning.”

  “Morning, Sunshine.” Raf kissed him.

  “As much as I want to stay in bed, I need to get to the airport. Do you want to come with me?”

  Raf’s eyes twinkled. “Of course, but how about we take a shower first?”

  Dustin hopped out of bed. Soon, they stood in the shower, soaping each other and kissing, lips sliding together as the water flowed over them. Their tongues glided, hands caressed everywhere, and Dustin buzzed with need.

  Once they’d dried off, Raf led him back to bed where they made love. Slowly. Gently. Dustin’s heart soared as Raf moved inside him, their eyes saying everything they weren’t ready to speak. They came together, their bodies tensing and releasing at the same time. Dustin tried to watch Raf but became lost to the swirls of color filling his vision as bliss tore through him. He rode high, calling Raf’s name as he gave into the pure pleasure of their joined bodies. He never wanted it to end. Dustin swore he heard Raf chanting his name, too, but with his heart roaring in his ears, he couldn’t be sure.

  When they finally came down, Raf leaned over him, kissing his face, then his lips, and his neck before they decided to get up.

  “Let’s go, Sunshine. We’ve got a plane to work on.” Raf swatted Dustin’s hip and flashed a grin.

  It surprised Dustin how much he liked Raf calling him “Sunshine.” It wasn’t a nickname he would’ve picked—and he wasn’t a big fan of cheesy endearments—but when Raf had explained why he called him that, it had melted Dustin.

  They worked together in the kitchen, making scrambled eggs with mushrooms, red peppers, and onions. Dustin liked having V8 in the morning, but Raf didn’t care for it, so he poured Raf orange juice before they sat down to a great breakfast.

  It all felt so wonderfully normal and domestic. He’d never had breakfast with another man in his kitchen before Raf, but it didn’t seem weird. Indeed, it felt right, which waved a big red warning flag in his mind. If everything seemed so perfect, was it reality? Would things always stay like this? God, maybe he was overthinking things. He wasn’t a “relationship” kind of guy, so this felt all new to him.

  Soon, they headed down the highway in Raf’s truck. Only a few fluffy clouds dotted the pale blue sky. The sun hadn’t risen too high yet, but its rays would beat down on Rain Valley in no time.

  “Out with it.”

  Dustin frowned. “Out with what?”

  “You’re quiet. Did I do or say something?”

  Dustin patted Raf’s thigh. “No, of course not. I was just thinking about how easy it’s been to transition from best friends to boyfriends. I mean, I would’ve thought there might be some…well…issues.”

  Raf grinned. “I know what you mean. But it seems natural. Like we’ve been heading toward this for years.”

  He glanced at the passing hillsides. Tall grasses butted up to the sides and in between the split highway lanes. Pink and white wildflowers dotted the land everywhere. “What happens when we argue, though?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, if this doesn’t work out—or we argue and can’t get past it—I don’t want to lose my best friend.” Dustin gave him a sidelong glance.

  “What makes you think we’re going to fight?”

  “All couples fight.”

  Raf stayed quiet as he pulled onto a gravel road beside the highway. He momentarily parked before looking at Dustin. “What’s this about?”

  “This morning, at breakfast, I realized I’ve never had a man at my kitchen table. I mean, not like that. I’ve never brought men home. And it’s you. My best friend. And it all seemed so perfect, but life isn’t perfect. I don’t do relationships, but I want to with you. But what happens if it doesn’t work out?” He knew he was talking fast, but the worry that had begun at breakfast ran through him like a river and he didn’t understand why a bubble of panic had formed in his chest.

  Raf laced their fingers together as he stared calmly into his eyes. “First of all, you’re right—everyone fights. We’re going to argue. We’re going to periodically drive each other crazy. Couples do. Best friends do, too.” Raf’s thumb stroked Dustin’s skin, sending ripples of reassurance through him and the tightness in his chest lessened.

  “But if we argue, Raf, let’s make a pact we work through it. And if we…if this doesn’t work out…can we promise to remain friends?” Please. I need you in my life.

  “Yes to both. But stop worrying, Sunshine.” Raf nuzzled his cheek. “Nothing’s going to change how I feel about you. And if we argue, think of all the hot make-up sex.”

  They kissed until Raf pulled back and put his truck in gear. “Ready?”

  “Definitely.” His smile stayed on his face the rest of the drive.

  “Why did I want to do this again?” Dustin complained as the heat rose in the hangar and he struggled replacing the seat back adjustment cam on the pilot’s seat. They’d already removed the seat, now on the concrete floor waiting to be reinstalled.

  “Because you love flying,” Raf reminded him.

  Dustin wiped the sweat from his brow with his arm. He’d thought this repair would be easy. He’d been dead wrong. “Okay, read from the manual again.” He straightened up. “Please? Starting from right after we removed the upholstery panels.”

  Raf stood near the plane, the old manual in hand. “The next step was to drill out the old rivets, which you’ve done. Then it says, ‘position each cam so each slot bottom aligns with two-point-five’ radius.” He turned the manual to show him the diagram.

  “Damn. Something just isn’t working.”

  “Knock-knock!” Mac’s voice rang out as he entered the hangar. “How’s it going today?”

  “Ugh.”

  Raf chuckled. “Yeah, not so good.”

  Mac glanced at the seat on the ground. “What are you working on?”
>
  “The seat back adjustment cam.” Dustin glared at the empty spot in the plane where the pilot’s seat had been.

  “Want me to take a look?”

  “God, that would be great.” Dustin moved out of the way.

  It took Mac about thirty seconds before he shook his head. “You’ve got the wrong cam. There are three different types and you’ve got one for an older Cessna. Wrong serial number on it.”

  Dustin gaped. “But the guy I bought it from swore it was the right one.”

  Mac rolled his eyes. “Please don’t tell me you got this off eBay or Craigslist?”

  “Of course not,” he huffed. “I ordered it off a parts site.”

  “From now on, just order through me. Hell, we service so many Cessnas, I keep a lot of things in stock. Let me go take a look. I’ll call you and let you know if I have it. If not, I can get it ordered.”

  Dustin nodded, feeling foolish. He should’ve gone through Mac to begin with. “Thanks.”

  “Yeah, thank you, Mac,” Raf added. “Before you go, do you mind if I ask how Daisy’s doing?”

  The man beamed. “She’s doing great. She’s out here most days, but I’ve also got her signed up for a swimming group that meets at the community center. It’s a girls’ group that works on social skills, and she’s loving it. Elaine Oliver recommended it. They have their group class, then they can hang out, swim, and practice the skill they learned. Means someone’s keeping an eye on her. I know she’s going into tenth grade, but with everything she’s been through, I don’t like leaving her alone. She’s also been doing a lot of reading. I got her a tablet and she downloads books all the time.”

  Dustin listened, but he also watched the expression on Raf’s face. He’d always known Raf was a good man, and with their changing relationship, Dustin became even more aware of just how good. But seeing Raf as he talked about Daisy was eye-opening. He truly cared about his student and the joy of knowing she was doing well was written all over his face.