Finders Keepers

by N. R. Walker

  That made me laugh. “She’s a riot, that’s for sure.”

  “She said she’s good for our surfing lesson this Monday too, if you’re still up for it. She was going to ask K and let me know. Apparently K’s really good at surfing, and she said with her arm not being much good, we’d be better learning from him.”

  “Sounds good. Though, you know, I can actually surf…”

  “Yeah, I know, but she offered and I think it makes her feel useful or something. I don’t know.”

  “Yeah, I’m not complaining. If not a great lesson in surfing, it’ll be funny.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah. I asked about her and K. She was weird about it, though. Said it was her that put up the boundaries, and when I asked why, she kind of shut the whole subject down. It was weird. I don’t know why, I just assumed he was happy living the forever-bachelor life and called around when it suited him. But apparently it’s the other way around.”

  “Maybe she likes her freedom.”

  “Yeah, maybe. There was something off about it though. Like she wanted it but didn’t want to admit she wanted it.”

  “Oh, look out. Griffin the matchmaker is on the job,” I joked.

  “Ha! You’ve met her, right. If Bernice doesn’t want to budge, then I don’t think even an earthquake could make her move.”

  “True.” I chuckled. “How was work today?”

  “Really good. I’m loving it so far. The staff are great, the bosses are good. They like me, so that helps.”

  I snorted. “Of course they do.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m a bit of a stickler for professionalism. It either pisses people off or they love it.”

  “It’d only piss off the people who tend to slack off, wouldn’t it?” I asked. “I know in the shop, if I’ve gotta remind people of rules and procedures, it’s because they’ve gotten complacent.”

  “Exactly! There’s one guy, Brian. I thought he was going to be a problem, but since we cleared the air in the beginning, he’s actually turned into one of the guys I can rely on.”

  “Mmm, is this Brian someone I should be worried about?”

  He laughed at that. “Only if I had a thing for over-fifty, silver daddies, whose idea of a fun weekend is knitting and jigsaw puzzles.”

  I smiled. “Not your thing?”

  “No, I prefer my men to take me on surfing lessons and hikes with their cute pup.”

  My grin was back. “Just as well I know someone like that.”

  He snorted. “Oh, who knows? Maybe Brian is the kinkiest one at the Sunshine Coast BDSM club. I really have no idea, and I have nothing against knitting and jigsaw puzzles. Actually, I don’t mind doing jigsaw puzzles. My nan always has one half-done on her dining table and I’d help her every time we called in. But I do like being… more active.”

  His tone didn’t go unnoticed. The innuendo didn’t either. “I know you do. You like it more active several times a night.” Mental images of him impaled on my dick, writhing and coming, and that sexy moan of his flashed through my mind.

  He laughed warmly. “That I do. Just as well I know someone who can keep up with that.”

  “God, I shouldn’t be thinking about that… Do you know how hard it is to walk with a hard-on?”

  His laugh sounded a little strained. “At least I’m on my couch and can take care of mine.”

  Then I heard a familiar slicked friction sound. “Oh fuck,” I whispered. “Are you…?”

  “You started it,” he said, his voice gravelly.

  “I’m walking in a public park,” I hissed, willing my dick not to listen. “Do you want me to get arrested for lewd behaviour?”

  He moaned through a laugh. “No, I want you to go home so you can talk me through this orgasm.”

  I turned on my heel, pulling Wicket back the way we’d come. “I can be home in five minutes.”

  The slicked friction noise sounded more frantic. So did his voice. “Make it three.”

  “I’ll call you back,” I said and ended the call. “Come on, Wicket. Let’s run.”

  Two minutes and forty-three seconds later, I called him back. He answered with, “Oh, thank God. I’m close.”

  Oh fuck. He was insatiable.

  I unclipped Wicket’s leash and locked myself in the bathroom. I considered putting the phone on speaker, but I wanted the closeness of his voice, his grunts, in my ear. Still fully dressed, with my sneakers on and my phone pressed to my ear and leaving the water shut off, I stepped into the shower. With my free hand, I pulled my erection out of my shorts and stroked, desperate for friction.

  “Your panting sounds so hot,” he murmured.

  “You made me run home.”

  He groaned. “I can’t get enough of you. I think about you all day.”

  “You’re killing me,” I said, stroking myself harder. Precome slicked the head, and each pass made a wet sucking noise that echoed in the bathroom.

  “I can’t wait for Friday night.” His pitch was higher. He was so close, I could tell. I knew that tone. “For what you’ll do to me.”

  “I’ll bury my cock inside you and make you come so hard.”

  “Oh fuck,” he groaned, an almost painful sound.

  The sound of him coming hurtled me to the edge. “Oh, Griffin.”

  “Oh yeah,” he rasped. “I can almost feel you in my arse.”

  And that was all it took. I sprayed the tiles with my release, not even aware of the sounds coming from my throat until the echo boomed in the small room.

  “Holy shit, Dane,” Griffin whispered.

  All I could do was moan and rest my forehead on the tiles.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, sounding half-amused, half-concerned.

  “I think I died and heaven is a room that looks somewhat like my bathroom.”

  He laughed. “Okay, so that was seriously the hottest thing ever.”

  “It kinda came from nowhere.” At least the room wasn’t spinning anymore. I tucked myself back in and winced as my sensitive cock objected to my briefs and shorts. I toed out of my sneakers, suddenly feeling overheated. I put the toilet lid down and sat on it. “God, I need to sit down before I have a shower, or something. I think you broke me.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll fix you right up again on Friday night.”

  I gave a groany chuckle. “Oh, I’m sure you will.”

  “I better get cleaned up.”

  “Me too.” Well, me and the shower. I pulled off a shoe, making a start on getting undressed. “Oh, and Griffin?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I think about you all day too.”

  At work on Thursday, Li spent the entire day side-eyeing me. “Something’s different with you. I noticed it yesterday, but I think it’s worse today,” she said.

  “Worse?”

  She shrugged. “Or better. Depends if you’re a people person.”

  I snorted. Despite how good at her job she was, she was not a people person.

  “Haircut?”

  “No.”

  “New moisturiser?”

  I squinted at her. “Uh, no.”

  “Don’t underestimate the power of a good moisturiser.”

  “I’ll try not to.”

  “Have you lost weight?”

  I blinked. “Do I need to?”

  “No, no,” she said quickly. “It’s just something’s different. Did you use a bronzer?”

  “Yep. It’s called the sun.”

  “You have a glow.” She studied me for a moment longer, head tilted, then she gasped. “Oh my God.”

  I touched my nose, wondering if I had a booger or something equally as horrifying. “What?”

  “You’re in love.”

  “I am not.” It was a lie, and I knew it was a lie as soon as I’d said it. I was struck dumb for a moment, then tried to laugh it off. “Don’t be silly.”

  She sidled up to me. “You totally are.”

  “I’m… I uh, I don’t know what I am.”

  She didn’t say anyt
hing for a second, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. “You’re happy, that’s what you are. And it’s about time.” Then she waved her hand like a witch at a cauldron would. “If you like that hearts and mushy stuff, that is.”

  Later that night, before he could call me and make me run home needing to jerk off, I sent Griffin a text. Li, at work, thinks I’m a total sap. I blame you.

  Why?

  Shit. I hadn’t thought ahead, clearly. Reckons I was staring off into space with a smile.

  Stare into space with a smile often?

  Clearly not. Not before you anyway. Hence the blaming.

  LOL I’ll take the blame for that ;)

  I smiled as I typed. Just about to take Wicket for a walk. He’s standing at the door looking at me like I’m a bad parent. Can’t wait for tomorrow night.

  You’re such a bad daddy… Great. Now I’m thinking about you being a real bad daddy…

  LOL I’m walking out the door now. No mad dashes home tonight to take matters into my own hands, okay?

  Saving it for tomorrow night? ;)

  I groaned. Yes.

  Oh God. Now I’m thinking about how good that’s going to be…

  No touching yourself. Save it for me.

  His response was immediate. You’re killing me.

  Promise me.

  Fine. I promise. But you better be here by five thirty or I’ll start without you.

  God, I was getting hard already. Be ready. Then I added, Now I’m walking funny. Thanks.

  Haha!

  I turned my phone off and grumbled all the way to the park.

  Needless to say, Friday knock-off time couldn’t come around fast enough. I had the shop closed, all sales processed and data sent to Head Office, and was out the door by 5:05. I was at Griffin’s place at 5:25.

  I was inside him by 5:40.

  And again at 8:30.

  Being joined with him, being buried inside him, making love to him, felt like heaven. It felt like home. Fury and tranquillity, all at the same time. An all-encompassing, raging storm and a peaceful summer breeze. He was everything.

  And when he clung to me and gasped my name as he unravelled beneath me, surrounding me, he was home, and I never wanted to leave.

  Saturday afternoon dragged despite being busy, and despite my good mood. Li kept rolling her eyes at me, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I was happy. So fucking what.

  Even though I’d just seen him this morning—our Friday night, mid-week dates were my new favourite thing—I half expected him to text or call me while I was walking Wicket before dinner, but he didn’t. So when I got home, I parked my arse on the couch and hit dial.

  “Oh, hey,” he said with a sigh.

  “Everything okay?”

  “Someone gave me a good going over last night,” he said dreamily.

  “Are you sore?”

  “No, just tired.”

  Oh, thank God. “I was worried there for a second.”

  “You have no reason to worry. You take good care of me.” He still sounded a little off. “But speaking of worried…”

  I sat forward. “What’s up?”

  “Bernice was a little weird this afternoon.”

  “Was she high?”

  “I don’t think so. She said her blood sugar’s been acting up.”

  “Is it all the brownies she eats?”

  “That’s what I said. She needs the medicine or whatever, but she says she won’t smoke it too often because of the damage it does to her lungs.”

  “Can she not get legit medication from a doctor?”

  “Medicinal marijuana isn’t legal here.” He sighed. “And she said the legit meds made her feel sick.”

  “Just keep an eye on her.”

  “Yeah, I will.”

  “Have you got K’s number?”

  “Nope.”

  “Well, maybe ask for it tomorrow or something.”

  “Yeah, I will.” He sighed again. “Thank you. I feel better for talking about it.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  On Sunday morning when I got to work, I sent Griffin a quick message. Did you see Bernice this morning? How was she?

  His reply came through a few hours later, I assumed when he was on a break. Yep. She was having her cuppa outside when I was leaving. She said she felt better.

  That’s good. See you tonight.

  Can’t wait. Two whole days…

  It was a little later by the time we got the store closed down and I had to go home first to pick up Wicket, so it was almost six when I arrived at Griffin’s. I let Wicket through to the yard and he ran off to scout and sniff, and I took the stairs up to Griffin’s flat two at a time. I knocked on his door, and when it opened and I was met with his amazing smile, I had a brilliant idea.

  He pulled me in for a kiss and I wrapped my arms around him, sighing as our bodies melded. It was so damn easy being with him; everything physical between us was like left- and right-hand coordination. It was effortless. And we could have easily gone to his bedroom or fallen on the couch, but like he said before, we needed to be more. I broke the kiss and hugged him instead. “I thought we could go out for dinner tonight,” I suggested.

  He pulled back, keeping his hands on my hips. “Really?”

  I smiled at the incredulous look on his face. “Yes, really. Like a date.”

  His whole face lit up now. “That sounds awesome.”

  “I haven’t made reservations anywhere. I figured we could just walk the esplanade and find a little café somewhere with outside seating so we can take Wicket.”

  He drew his bottom lip in between his teeth and fought a smile. “If you’re trying to be romantic to bed me, mister, you know you don’t have to.”

  I laughed. “I know I don’t have to. I just thought it’d be nice. We can actually have a conversation instead of spending the entire time in bed.”

  He went to the kitchen counter and collected his wallet and keys but then stopped. “But we will be spending the rest of the night in bed, yes?”

  I snorted at him. “Ah, yes.”

  “Good,” he said brightly. He pocketed his wallet and phone and jiggled the keys in his hands. “I’m ready to go.”

  We found a park on David Low Way and walked hand in hand up the beach so Wicket could run himself ragged and then came back down the street that faced the beach. People walked past us, around us when we stopped to look in a store window, and we found a quiet little café across from the surf club. We sat at a table out of the way on the footpath and discussed the menu for a bit. When the waitress came over, he asked for the Mediterranean chicken salad, and I opted for the Thai beef, and two light beers.

  There weren’t any awkward silences. Griffin launched into a recount of how his day went and I told him about mine. We played the twenty-question game again, this time centred around food, as we waited for our meals to arrive. I learned he hated mangoes and roast pork but loved bacon and ham. He wasn’t exactly allergic to mushrooms but would rather die before he ate them, and speaking of death, he could kill for authentic Italian cannoli.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. “If I need to get in your good books, I’ll know what to get you.”

  “I would love you forever if you did.” Then he seemed to realise what he’d just said.

  That he’d love me forever.

  He balked and blushed, then sipped his drink, but I couldn’t let the opportunity pass. I had to say something…

  “Is that all it would take?” I whispered.

  Before he could reply, with the world’s worst timing, the waitress brought our meals to the table. The setting sun had cast a low orange light over us and it made everything look kind of surreal. It sure felt it.

  The L word had been said, not directly, but now it hung in the air between us like motes on the sunlight, a random trajectory, too afraid to land.

  Griffin’s eyes met mine and his smile turned shy, and I knew—I just knew—he felt the same. He was
in this as much as I was. This incredible, ridiculous thing that we’d found ourselves in. The beginning of something wonderful, of something perfect. Of something permanent.

  I was in it, all right. In over my head.

  I don’t remember actually tasting my dinner. I just kept shoving food in my mouth to stop myself from blurting out nonsensical things that maybe he wasn’t ready to hear. Maybe he felt the same, because we ate our meals without speaking. Not an uncomfortable silence, but now it felt like there were unsaid things sitting at the table with us.

  When Griffin patted his belly and said he was done, we paid and started the slow walk back to the car. He slipped his hand in mine and sighed. “There’s something beautiful about the sound of crashing waves at night time. It’s soothing.”

  I squeezed his hand. “There is.”

  “Someone at work today asked me what my plans were for my days off,” he said. “I told them I was just hanging out with my boyfriend. It was weird to say it out loud for the first time. I’m sure I grinned like an idiot. She probably wondered what was wrong with me.”

  And there it was. A small validation. A subtle verbalisation of what we’d struggled to say earlier. We wanted to claim this relationship, to tell the world we belonged with each other.

  I pulled him close and put my arm around his shoulder instead. It made my heart soar to hear him call me that. “I sure do like the sound of that.”

  He slipped his arm around my waist. “Boyfriend?”

  “Yep.”

  “It does sound nice.”

  We got to the car and I gave him a squeeze before I let go of him. “What does my boyfriend want to do now?” I asked, getting a rush from saying it too.

  He pushed me up against the car door. His voice was sexy and his dick pressed against my hip. “I’ll give you one guess and one guess only.”

  I knew damn well what he wanted, but I had to play along. “Can you give me a clue?”

  “It involves me being face down on the bed and you trying to fuck me into it.”

  I swallowed hard. “That’s some clue.”

  He stepped back, opened the passenger door, stopped, and smirked at me. “What are you waiting for?”

  I buckled Wicket into his car harness and finally slid into my seat, carefully adjusting myself. Griffin looked at the bulge at my crotch, then to my eyes, and grinned.