by Ward Maia
“Come here.” James pulled him up from the bed.
Sam stood and James took his hands, switching their positions. He sat on the bed and hooked his fingers in Sam’s belt loops, tugging until he stood in between James’s spread legs.
Sam licked his lips at James obscenely displayed in front of him. His cock was curved upward and a bit thinner than Sam’s.
Ignoring the lube and condoms, James proceeded to pull Sam’s shirt off and flip the button of his shorts.
Sam barely had time to feel self-conscious before James leaned forward and licked a path down his happy trail. He lifted his feet as James pulled down first his shorts, then his boxers.
James’s tongue mapped his hips and down to the sensitive spot where his thigh met his groin.
“James, wha—” The rest of his sentence was cut off as James licked a path up his shaft, sucked the head of his cock into his mouth, and wrapped a hand around his base.
“I like the way you taste,” James said hoarsely, licking his lips and looking up at Sam.
“Oh f-fuck,” Sam stuttered as James sucked him back into his mouth, hollowing his cheeks.
Sam opened and closed his fists until James took one of his hands and braced it on the back of his head. Sam fisted the strands, making James groan and suck him harder.
It was too much. He wasn’t going to last if James kept pressing the flat of his tongue against the underside of his shaft while sucking him like he wanted to prove a point.
“Wait, wait,” Sam said breathlessly, pulling away from James’s mouth.
James released him with a wet pop and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked like absolute sin with his red, swollen, and spit-slicked lips, messy hair, and dilated pupils. The kind that could probably talk Sam into doing anything he wanted.
Gathering every ounce of boldness and courage inside of him, Sam surged forward and kissed him, chasing his taste on James’s tongue.
“I want you to fuck me.” James managed to sound tempting and embarrassed at the same time.
Sam nodded and reluctantly let James go to crawl up the bed. James then flipped onto his stomach and bent his knees underneath himself, tilting his gorgeous ass up.
Sam kneeled behind James and had the satisfaction of feeling James shiver as he touched, squeezed, and licked the back of his muscular thighs before making his way farther up his body and spreading his cheeks.
“Sam, Jesus Christ. Yeah. Yes.” James babbled as Sam spread his cheeks to tongue and lick circles around his hole before spearing his tongue into him, reveling in the silky smoothness of James’s channel.
James rocked back, pressing his ass against Sam’s face.
“Sam, more. Please. More,” James pleaded, making Sam’s blood boil.
“Tell me what you want,” Sam rasped, then kissed the solid curve of James’s ass.
“I want you to fuck me. Now.” James arched his back like a cat, tilting his ass farther up.
Sam half expected him to start purring as he squirted lube onto two fingers and circled his hole before pushing in slowly.
James let out a choked moan as Sam worked his fingers in and out. He gasped and bucked forward as Sam brushed against that sweet spot he hoped to be well acquainted with by the end of the night.
“Come on. Just do it. Please.”
Sam fumbled with the condom wrapper, his fingers slippery from the lube. But he eventually managed to tear it open and roll the condom onto himself.
Sam moaned as he lined himself up and sank as far as he could go before pulling back and repeating the motion. When his hips met the back of James’s thighs, Sam held himself in place and hooked his hands around James’s hips.
James sighed and pushed himself up, resting his head against Sam’s shoulder and putting one arm around his neck.
Sam kissed his shoulder, then the side of his neck. He sucked the sweet-salty tasting skin, making James whimper.
“Ready?” Sam asked, biting his earlobe tenderly.
“God, yes.” James groaned.
Sam wrapped one arm across his chest and the other low on his stomach. He itched to touch and stroke James’s cock. But he wasn’t ready for it yet.
Sam pulled out almost all the way and then pushed back in hard, their skin slapping obscenely. James made that same choked moaning sound. So Sam did it again. And again.
He fucked into James’s tight, warm channel until they were both half delirious from the pleasure.
“Sam,” James moaned.
Sam wrapped his hand around his cock and stroked him. James’s body shook as they rocked together.
Sweat dripped down James’s neck and Sam licked it greedily, then buried his face in his soft wavy hair, inhaling all the scents permeating it.
James pushed back against him and then cried out, his thighs shaking as he spilled onto Sam’s hand.
Feeling James’s channel contract almost painfully around him was enough to make Sam fall apart. He gasped against James’s skin as he came buried deep inside James.
James’s body went limp, and he let himself fall forward, shoulders pressed against the mattress. Sam braced his arms on either side of James and licked a path up his spine, then kissed and sucked the back of his neck.
James moaned softly as Sam pulled out of him and tossed the condom in the trash can next to the nightstand. Then he collapsed on his back and closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing.
Eventually James got up from the bed and padded into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he came back and helped Sam get cleaned up before flopping onto the bed with a sigh.
“Next time I want to see your face,” James informed him.
“Next time?” Sam asked, mind too blissed out to worry about the implications of fucking a coworker or if it would even happen again.
James turned on his side until he faced Sam. “I’d like there to be a next time,” he said quietly, almost timidly.
Sam turned to face him and his breath hitched in his chest. James was looking at him like he was something precious. Maybe even something he wanted to keep. So instead of overanalyzing things like he usually did, Sam took a deep breath and told James exactly what he wanted.
“I’d like that too.”
“Spend the night with me?” James asked, his eyelids drooping.
“Yes. I will,” Sam said, sleep trying to claim him.
And so he did.
AN ANNOYING buzzing woke Sam from his deep sleep. He grumbled nonsense into his pillow and turned. That was when he realized there was a weight holding him down. His eyes flew open, and he frowned at the unfamiliar walls staring back at him.
He blinked a few times before recognition set in. He lifted the blanket covering him and blushed at the sight of his very naked body pressed against another equally naked one. A strong tan arm was flung over his waist.
Sam closed his eyes and groaned internally, not wanting to wake James. Images of the night before assaulted him. His blush intensified and he regretted the lack of alcohol. He couldn’t even play the drunk card to explain sleeping with a coworker.
There was no regret, but he did feel a little awkward. Sam was never one to do one-night stands. He didn’t have anything against casual sex. He was just a bit too self-conscious to make a habit of it.
His phone buzzed again. Sam opened his eyes as his phone, perched dangerously on the edge of the nightstand, flashed and vibrated—right over the edge to clatter noisily to the floor.
Sam tensed and waited for James to wake up and demand he leave. The man behind him grumbled and pressed his body closer, snuffling his hair.
Sam tried to hold back the shiver but wasn’t very successful. He didn’t entirely hate the idea of spending hours snuggling against James. But he was fairly sure he was forgetting something important he was supposed to do.
He pulled the covers down to his waist and gingerly lifted James’s arm as he inched away as slowly as possible. He laid James’s hand back on the bed and leaned down to r
each his phone, his torso half hanging off of the bed. The blanket fell away as he grabbed the phone and checked the screen.
He had five missed calls. One from his mother, one from his sister, and three from his aunt. He also had a dozen messages asking him where he was and telling him they were five minutes away from his apartment.
“Fuck,” he murmured, finally remembering that it was Christmas Eve and his family planned on cooking dinner at his tiny apartment.
“Good morning,” a husky voice said from somewhere above him.
And then a big warm hand squeezed his exposed ass. Sam wasn’t proud of the surprised sound that escaped him. He scrambled, trying to get back on the bed. When that didn’t work, he slithered the rest of the way down, his side colliding just as noisily as his phone had with the floor.
“Are you okay?” James peered over the edge of the bed.
Sam had a moment to wonder at the unfairness of life, since James looked almost like a dream, with sleep-mussed hair framing his face and the soft look of someone who had just woken from a refreshing beauty rest.
While Sam probably looked like he’d just gone a couple of rounds with a lawn mower. Not to mention, morning breath.
Sam rose to his feet and cupped his groin, trying to keep what was left of his modesty. Even if James had gotten an eyeful, considering he’d gotten up close and personal with it the previous night.
Blushing, he cleared his throat and scanned the room for his clothes. He found his shorts and shirt crumpled on the ground and his boxers, embarrassingly enough, hanging from the lamp on the nightstand.
He decided on forgoing the underwear and retrieved his shorts and shirt from the floor. He dressed as quickly as he could, trying not to hop around as he fumbled with his shorts.
“You’re leaving?” James asked. Sam thought he heard a hint of regret in his voice but brushed it away. It was early and he still hadn’t had his coffee.
“My family is going to storm my apartment soon and I have to be there to at least try to salvage it. Well, what little there is to salvage.” Sam shrugged into his rumpled shirt.
“Oh, okay.”
Sam turned to look at James, and for a moment, he looked so sad that Sam almost told him he’d cancel his plans for today and do anything James wanted him to. But the look was quickly gone, replaced by his usual polite smile.
“Um, what time should we expect you?” Sam asked.
James hesitated, his eyes widening slightly. “You still want me to have dinner with you and your family?”
“Of course. You’re more than welcome.”
James’s smile was blinding and beautiful. Sam fumbled with his shoes and returned the smile as best he could.
“I’ll just call for a cab and then be out of your hair,” he told James.
“I could give you a ride,” James offered.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll see you later, right? We usually have dinner around ten, but you can show up before that.”
“Do you want me to bring anything?”
“No, just yourself,” Sam said lamely, then turned and headed out of the bedroom.
The rustle of fabric reported James getting out of bed. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
Sam nodded and was immensely grateful that James had at least slipped on his underwear.
“I’ll see you at eight?” James asked, sounding oddly timid.
“Yes. I’ll text you the address,” Sam said.
Before he could protest or offer any resistance, James grabbed the neck of his shirt and pulled him in for a long, slow kiss. He didn’t even have time to feel self-conscious about his morning breath or his rumpled state.
“See you tonight,” James murmured, giving him a quick peck.
Sam nodded, turned, and numbly walked out of the apartment building to call a cab.
“WHERE HAVE you been? We’ve been here for hours,” Aunt Millie exclaimed as he rushed to his door.
“Sorry, I kind of forgot you guys were coming.” Sam smiled apologetically to his family standing at the door.
“Oh, hush.” His mother scolded her sister. “We’ve been here for twenty minutes. Morning, sweetheart.”
Sam rolled his eyes playfully as his mother tried to tame the disaster that was his hair. His dad clapped him on the back as he opened the door and ushered everyone inside.
“Where’s Ana?” Sam asked, taking his shoes off and wiggling his toes on the cool tile.
“She went to buy supplies.” His mom let herself into his kitchen and tsked at the dirty dishes in the sink.
Sam eyed the dozens of plastic bags his father carried into the kitchen and shrugged. Far be it from him to try to understand how his mother and sister did things.
“How come you weren’t home when we got here?” Aunt Millie asked suspiciously.
“I, um… was at the place… with the, um… doing the thing,” he said, following his parents into the kitchen and helping his father unload the ridiculous amount of food his mother had bought.
“At the place doing the thing?” Aunt Millie asked slowly, ambling up to him.
Sam fumbled with a can of peas, almost dropping it.
“Stop teasing him. Can’t you see he didn’t sleep at home?” His mother tapped his back and handed him a steaming coffee mug.
“Thanks.” Sam blushed but smiled at her.
His mother nodded at him and went back to opening and closing his cupboards, tsking at his lack of, well, anything.
“You were with a guy? Was it that sexy guy who took us dancing last night?” Aunt Millie asked, smiling evilly at him.
Just then, his doorbell rang and Sam practically ran out of the kitchen to answer it. “Ana!” He startled his sister with his overexcited greeting. “Save me,” he pleaded close to her ear as he hugged her.
She chuckled and nodded, shoving even more bags than his parents had brought into his arms. “Sam’s going to help the boys decorate,” she said loudly, pushing him, her sons, and her husband into the living room.
Sam gave her a quick peck on the cheek before he started to pull Christmas decorations from all the bags his sister had brought. Including a decent-sized Christmas tree.
“Where did you guys manage to find all of this on Christmas Eve?” Sam asked his brother-in-law.
“There’s this great store just down the street. The Christmas tree isn’t that great, but we managed to find some nifty decorations.” He lifted a pair of cloth angels with glittery wings and string attached to their backs so they could be hung on the tree.
Sam smiled at him. “This is all great.”
They spent most of the morning putting up the tree and decorating it. The kids bounced around like happy puppies, tossing empty plastic wrappers at each other and occasionally helping them decorate.
Halfway through, Sam excused himself to shower and change into more decent clothes. They had a simple lunch of sandwiches and juice, taking turns in the kitchen because there wasn’t enough room for everyone to sit around his small round table.
Sam worried about that, wondering how Christmas dinner would go with an extra adult in the apartment. Thoughts of James and their night together filled his mind. He could remember the taste of his salty skin and the feel of his muscles rippling under Sam’s hands.
Next time I want to look at you, he’d said.
Sam hadn’t been lying when he’d said he wanted there to be a next time too. But where did they go from there? Was it even his place to wonder that? What if James was happy with just a one-time thing and had just said that to be polite?
His mother interrupted his insecure thoughts, patting his head and offering him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about the lack of space. We’ll figure something out.”
Sam smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for this,” Sam told her, gratitude for his family suddenly popping into his lonely holiday plans replacing some of his insecurities.
“It wouldn’t be the same without you,” she said. “
Plus, I don’t get many opportunities to spoil my babies anymore.”
By the end of the afternoon, Sam could barely recognize his own tiny apartment. There was a white fake tree in one corner, filled with cheap sparkly ornaments. Christmas lights hung on the windows and the delicious scents of turkey, ham, and apple pie wafted from the kitchen.
They took turns showering, and at one point, Sam’s pipes groaned so loud, he was afraid they wouldn’t survive six adults and three children. But they all made it through, and when eight o’clock rolled around, Sam had managed to work himself into a nervous wreck again.
“Will you calm down?” Ana fixed his shirt collar. “You’re sweating all over your nice clothes.”
“I can’t help it. I’m nervous,” Sam said miserably. Maybe he should just call James and cancel the whole thing. Claim his entire family had fallen ill from food poisoning and ruined his bathroom pipes.
“I’m glad you found someone you like,” Ana said, straightening invisible wrinkles on her pale blue skirt.
“I don’t like him,” Sam said defensively. “I mean, he’s my coworker and he’s nice. And sure, I like him well enough. But I don’t like like him. I can’t.”
“Well, why not?” Ana frowned at him and looked genuinely puzzled.
“Because he’s him. And I’m me,” Sam said lamely, fully aware he sounded like an angsty teenager.
“There is nothing wrong with you, Samuel Evans.” Ana grabbed his chin firmly in her hand and forced his head down to look at her. It was a practiced move he’d seen her do countless times with her kids. “You deserve to like a cute guy and have said cute guy like you back. You’re worthy.”
Sam grinned broadly at her. “You’d be a great motivational speaker.”
She huffed out an annoyed breath but eventually smiled up at him. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’re a great catch.”
Just then the doorbell rang again. Sam’s stomach did a complicated flip as he took in deep measured breaths. Ana thought he was a catch. He just hoped James felt the same way.
SAM OPENED the door to a grinning James holding a bottle of wine.
“Hi,” Sam said.
