Love in the Clouds

by Sarah Hadley Brook

  Dustin preferred to hold off on more until he and Raf had been through the whole airport. He couldn’t wait to check out the Fly Market, a huge tented exhibit with tons of vendors. A look at the map told him it was a short walk, but that might have to wait until tomorrow. He wanted to investigate some of the vintage planes.

  They talked with some people at the Welcome Center about upcoming forums and where to find the EAA One Week Wonder.

  Jennifer and Kate wanted to visit the Homebuilt plane section, so they parted ways, agreeing to meet up at their tents to watch the air show that evening.

  “Having fun?” Raf asked, carrying their new purchases.

  “Fun? This is a dream come true. I don’t even know where to start.” His gaze swept the metal buildings, food trucks, and large open tents. “I mean, I knew it was big…but shit, this place is huge. Huge!”

  Raf laughed. “I have to admit, it’s a lot bigger than I expected, too.”

  Dustin pointed toward the southeast corner of the airport. “The vintage planes are supposed to be that way. Do you want to swing by the tent and drop off the bag, or just head over there?”

  “I don’t know a lot about vintage planes—well, hell, I don’t know anything—so let’s go learn something.”

  Soon, the Vintage Red Barn came into view next to the Vintage Hangar, with rows of planes on exhibit just past the buildings.

  “It says in the booklet that every morning, starting tomorrow, they have someone talking and presenting information at eleven A.M.,” Raf said, “We should attend.”

  Dustin loved his enthusiasm. Seeing him just as eager to visit the exhibits made Dustin’s day.

  In the Vintage exhibit area, the rows of meticulously restored aircraft blew Dustin away.

  “Is your Cessna considered vintage?” Raf asked.

  “No. Categories for vintage are split into Antique, Classic, and Contemporary, but to be considered a Contemporary, the plane has to be built between 1956 and 1970. Antique planes are ones built before September 1, 1945.”

  He saw biplanes and monoplanes, some authentic, some replicas, and he and Raf oohed and ahhed over each of them. At the 1936 Ryan ST, Dustin gaped at the gorgeous shiny, silver metal plane with two open cockpits—one in front of the other—low wings, and wooden propeller.

  “There were only five of these built, Raf,” he whispered reverently.

  “Seriously? This is from 1936? It looks brand new.”

  “The sign over there says it took years to restore and that it’s actually airworthy.”

  He circled the plane, taking lots of pictures, then asked an older man nearby if he would take several of him and Raf in front of the Ryan ST. Once he showed the man how to use his smartphone, they posed for a few pictures.

  Hours later, they made their way to the Vintage Red Barn, where Dustin bought more shirts and a miniature pewter vintage biplane he planned on putting on the nightstand as soon as he got home. Afterward, they grabbed something to drink, then returned to the camping area. The sun had begun to set. Dustin didn’t want to admit it, but he felt a little tired. They’d gotten up so early, and mixed with all the excitement and being out in the sun so long, he had started to feel it.

  “Hey,” he said, “let’s stop at one of the markets and get ice for the cooler and a few things to eat. Then we can hang out in the tent and wait for tonight’s air show.”

  Raf agreed, so they made their way to the Red One Market North and bought ice, a bag of cookies, two bags of chips, soda, water bottles, and several sandwiches for later.

  Dustin couldn’t believe the first day of his dream trip was almost over. It had more than lived up to his expectations and he couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

  Unfortunately, running into the one man he never wanted to see again was something he hadn’t counted on.

  Chapter 17

  Rafael

  Rafael didn’t know what happened. As they’d headed toward the campground with their purchases, Dustin froze, the color rapidly draining from his face. Rafael narrowed his eyes, trying to determine who, or what, had stunned him.

  “Dusty? What’s going on?”

  A tall blond man walked their way, his eyes on Dustin. Ted. The man who broke Dustin’s heart years ago.

  The pit of Rafael’s stomach dropped. God, he’d hated that man. Not just because Rafael had been in love with Dustin and was jealous, but because Ted had acted like an ass, treating Dustin as nothing more than a plaything, flicking him to the side when he was done. Dustin had been so naïve, thinking they were in love, but Rafael had seen right through Ted from day one. He may have had surfer boy good looks, tan skin, blond hair, and blue eyes, but Rafael knew a snake when he saw one.

  A wide smile on his face, Ted ignored Rafael and grasped Dustin’s upper arms. “How are you?”

  “Ted.” Dustin’s voice sounded flat and his body stiffened even more.

  The man flinched, his smile faltering for barely a second. His gaze finally jumped to Rafael and recognition flickered. “Hello.”

  Rafael only nodded. He wanted to show Ted that Dustin was his now, to pull him close, but knew that was too caveman. Dustin had the right to handle this in his own way.

  “Are you guys camping? Some friends and I rented an RV and we’re over in that campground.”

  “We’re in the plane campground. The North 40.” Dustin’s voice sounded a little closer to normal.

  Ted’s eyes widened. “You…you flew here?”

  Dustin’s chin raised a tiny bit as he faced down Ted. Oh, yeah, the Dustin Rafael knew was coming back. He may have been momentarily stunned by the unexpected turn of events, but he was pulling himself back together. Those gorgeous aquamarine eyes flashed at Ted. “Yes, I flew here. I have a pilot’s license, and own a Cessna Skyhawk, just like I’d always planned.”

  Ted’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “That’s great. Is this your first year here?”

  He didn’t answer, just glanced at Rafael, courage in his gaze. “Ted, it’s been a long day and we’ve got plans to watch the air show. It was…nice…to see you again. Enjoy your time here. We already are.” Dustin moved his bags to one hand and grasped Rafael’s arm, then resolutely moved forward.

  Rafael’s heart hammered, he was so proud of Dustin. He wanted to say something, but Dustin remained quiet, so he waited. How the man dealt with seeing Ted was up to him. All Rafael could do was be supportive when Dustin needed him.

  Dustin finally spoke as they arrived at the plane. “I’ll grab the cooler.” He set his bags into one of the folding chairs, then unzipped and crawled into the tent. Rafael untied the bag of ice, readying it for the cooler.

  When Dustin didn’t come out after a few minutes, Rafael started to worry and considered checking on him, but Dustin finally crawled out, his eyes decidedly red. Rafael didn’t say anything, just took the cooler from him and poured the ice inside. He set the water bottles and sodas inside, twisting them into the ice, then placed the sandwiches on top to keep them cool.

  “I’m going to blow up the mattress,” he said before entering the tent.

  He knew Dustin was hurting and didn’t know how to make things better. He unwrapped the blow-up mattress and hooked it to the compact air compressor. Then he set up the small new lanterns, one in each far corner, bathing the tent in a soft glow. They could use them as larger flashlights as well, for when they went to the showers and bathrooms in the dark.

  The air felt thick in the tent, so he unzipped the windows, immediately letting air flow through the mesh sections. He checked the mattress, filling fairly quickly, and settled the top just under one of the windows, then sat back on his heels, enjoying the cool breeze.

  Dustin crawled inside, bringing the bags full of their purchases, and set them atop the suitcases. “Hey,” he whispered, moving into Rafael’s open arms.

  Rafael enveloped him, and they held each other tight for a moment.

  “Are you okay?” Rafael asked.

  Dustin l
ooked at him, surprising him with a smile. “I have to admit, it threw me. All this time, I’ve wondered what I did, what I said, what was wrong with me for him to cheat. And then, there he was…and I could have asked him. I could have said anything, asked anything, and found the closure I’d always wanted.”

  Rafael’s heart thudded. “Why didn’t you?”

  His smile widened. “Because what he and I had wasn’t real. The moment I saw him, it hit me—I’d been so focused on what I’d done wrong, looking for some odd flaw that pushed him away, because I was worried I’d do that again. I’ve been thinking about that more since we’ve been together, actually.”

  “You could never—”

  Dustin held a finger to Rafael’s lips. “I know. And that’s what I realized when I saw Ted. There was no need for closure. No need to find out what I’d done wrong. I don’t even care that it was probably just who he was…someone who couldn’t commit. I don’t need to worry about you hurting me. I trust you with everything I am. I was so upset with myself when I saw Ted because I know now that I wasted so much time worrying about something that wasn’t real, just an illusion. But what I have with you is real, Raf. Ted and I were playing at love. But that’s not what you and I are doing.”

  “No, it’s not.” Rafael’s voice grew thick as excitement filled him. “What we have is true, Dusty.”

  “I know.” He cupped Rafael’s cheek with a warm hand, stroking his skin.

  Love for Dustin rolled through him, so powerful his body swayed. He closed his eyes and let it fill him, spreading outward all the way to his fingers and toes until he couldn’t contain it and the love poured out. When he opened his eyes again, he found Dusty staring back at him, the same emotion shining through, and he couldn’t—didn’t want to—hold back the words anymore.

  “I love you, Dusty. I love you. I love you. I love you,” he chanted, his voice a whisper as he nuzzled his cheek. “I will always love you. Always.”

  Dustin pulled him down for a kiss, stopping just as their lips grazed. “I love you, too, Rafael. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out, but I’ll always love you.”

  Their lips met in a sweet kiss that quickly turned passionate, and the need to be one with each other took over. Rafael slipped his hands under the hem of Dustin’s shirt, his fingers stroking silky soft skin stretched over tight muscles, and he wanted to see those muscles. He yanked off Dustin’s shirt.

  “You, too,” Dustin ordered as he toed off his shoes and wriggled out of his pants as if they were on fire.

  Rafael wasn’t far behind, and they came together on their knees, pressed together from their thighs up. Rafael couldn’t stop kissing him. “I love you,” he murmured against Dustin’s cheek, kissing along his jawline.

  “I need you, Raf.”

  Rafael’s blood heated and he cupped Dustin’s ass, pulling him even closer as their cocks slid together.

  Dustin moaned.

  “We have to stay quiet, Dusty.”

  “I know.” He turned around, putting his gorgeous ass on display as he closed the tent. When he looked back, he smiled. “You see something you like, baby?”

  Rafael growled low in his throat. “I like everything about you.”

  The compressor stopped. Talk about perfect timing. Dustin removed it from the mattress and sealed the opening, then flashed a sexy grin at Rafael. “Want to test it?”

  Rafael moved lightning fast, wrapping his arms around Dustin. He rolled them onto the mattress, glad he’d splurged on the more expensive model that could handle their combined weights.

  Dustin straddled his hips, running his hands over Rafael’s chest and abs. “You’re so sexy, baby. There are times I can’t even concentrate in the workshop because all I can think about is how incredible, how perfect, it feels when you’re deep inside me.”

  Rafael smoothed his hands across the soft skin of Dustin’s thighs, his aching dick rubbing across his lover’s crack. “Fuck, Dusty.”

  “Do you want me, baby?”

  God, he loved hearing Dustin call him “baby.” He’d never cared to be called that pet name before, but hearing it fall from Dustin’s lips filled him with intense pleasure. “Fuck, yes.”

  Dustin crawled between Rafael’s legs and fondled his balls, explosions of desire skittering through him. Dustin licked the tip of Rafael’s cock. “Yes.”

  Rafael shuddered at seeing Dustin looking up at him with those jeweled eyes. The soft light lent a dreamy setting to the tent, while shadows filled the corners. Dustin slipped his cock through his lips and swirled his tongue.

  “Say it again…” he whispered.

  Rafael met his heated gaze. “I love you, Dusty.”

  His cock plunged into warm, wet heat. He raked his hands through Dustin’s hair and bit his lip to keep from crying out at the incredible sensations assaulting his body.

  Dustin pulled off and moved to his suitcase, retrieving lube. He slicked up his fingers, then turned around and let Rafael watch him stretch himself.

  Rafael stroked his cock, unable to tear away his gaze from the hot display.

  Dustin turned again, kissing Rafael’s lips. “You need to slick up that cock, baby, if we’re skipping the condom.”

  Rafael’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest. “What?”

  “I got tested, just like I do regularly, and I’m clean. And I know you’re clean since you get tested just as often.”

  God, he wanted nothing more than to bury himself balls deep in Dustin with nothing between them. “Are you sure?”

  “Never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Rafael squeezed lube around his shaft, including the head.

  Dustin straddled him, rising onto his knees and guiding the cock to his opening. Then while pressing his hands flat against Rafael’s chest, he lowered himself, inch by glorious inch, onto the throbbing dick.

  Rafael watched his cock disappear into Dustin and stroked the man’s arms, chest, and nipples. He couldn’t stop touching his lover as jolts of electricity exploded through him. He grunted as Dustin met his hips, with him completely buried in the tight heat. The pleasure became almost too much, with his nerve endings on fire.

  Dustin captured Rafael’s lips in a kiss as he began to move. Rafael lit up inside, every raw nerve exploding, and he felt his balls draw up. Bliss such as he’d never experienced rippled through him.

  “This is going to be embarrassingly short,” he warned.

  His boyfriend only chuckled. “Good, because I’ve been holding back since I crawled into this tent.” He nuzzled Rafael’s ear. “And I can’t wait to feel you shoot inside me, baby.”

  “Holy fuck, Dusty,” he hissed as the man sat up, grinding and rolling his hips. God, he loved watching Dustin, sexy as hell as he rode Rafael. He began stroking Dustin’s cock.

  Dustin’s head fell back, his lips parted, the flush on his skin spreading down to his chest.

  “Come for me, Dusty. Come on me,” Rafael urged.

  Dustin rolled his hips quicker while Rafael jacked him harder. The release exploded out of him, painting Rafael’s chest and abs.

  Rafael thrust up hard, once, twice, and his own orgasm rolled through him like a cannon, bursting deep inside Dustin. His world shattered like stained glass, every color breaking apart and flying back together as he soared to the clouds, Dustin riding with him.

  When they finally fell back together, they lay in a crumpled, sweaty heap. The tent smelled of sex, the only sounds their ragged pants and the low murmur of distant voices in the campground. Rafael never wanted to move again.

  Dustin smiled and kissed him. “We need to do that again. Soon. Like tonight.”

  Rafael wholeheartedly agreed.

  They lay like that for a little while until their stomachs began to rumble. They dragged themselves up and dressed in shorts and T-shirts, then opened the door to get even more air into the tent.

  Rafael sheeted the mattress, then put the two sleep
ing bags together to make one large one.

  “The show is supposed to start soon,” Dustin reminded him when Rafael kept kissing him. “I promise we can get naked again as soon as the show’s over.”

  “Okay. But I’m going to hold you to your promise.”

  “Hello, guys?”

  “Sounds like the girls are here. Come on,” Dustin said. “The aerobatics show starts soon, and then fireworks.”

  “Then bed?”

  “Definitely. The P-51s take off early every morning, so we’ll definitely need to get to bed as soon as possible so we catch a good night’s sleep,” Dustin teased as he crawled out the entrance.

  Rafael followed him and rose to stand. From behind, he wrapped his arms around Dustin’s waist and pulled him against his chest, nuzzling his ear. “We may be going to bed early, but trust me, Dusty, sleep is not something that will happen early tonight.”

  The girls watched them as Dustin laughed and turned in Rafael’s arms. “Thank you,” he whispered and kissed him.

  “For what?”

  “For coming with me. Loving me. Moving in with me. Sharing your life with me. Being my co-pilot.”

  Rafael’s eyebrows raised. Had he heard Dustin right? “Moving in with you?”

  Even in the semi-darkness, he saw an adorable blush stain Dustin’s cheeks. “Will you?”

  “You already have my heart, Dusty. Of course I’ll move in with you.”

  Their eyes met and held. Rafael’s heart beat so fast he felt as if he could take off and fly to the clouds, rivaling any of the planes surrounding them.

  “I love you, Raf.”

  “I love you, too, Dusty. I love you, too.”

  They still had the rest of the week to spend at AirVenture, but Rafael knew nothing would ever top their first day. They’d come to Oshkosh for an adventure and found so much more. They’d found love in the clouds—the greatest adventure in life.