High Heat (Hotshots)

by Annabeth Albert

  “Not in the way you’re thinking. More like I still feel like I’m too old for...whatever we’ve got going. I like your grandma a lot, and I don’t want her pissed at me or thinking I’m taking advantage.”

  “If anyone’s taking advantage, it’s me.” Turning his head, Rain finally claimed the kiss he’d wanted since Garrick opened his door. Garrick’s lips were warm and soft and tasted faintly chocolaty, but even better was his groan as he took over, teasing Rain’s mouth until he opened for Garrick’s questing tongue. Damn but the guy could kiss, especially like this, an intoxicating blend of tightly coiled restraint and sweet surrender. Unlike most of their shorter kisses over the past week, this one went on and on, no rushing and no breaking away either, just the press of their mouths and slide of their tongues until Rain was trembling, actual shudders racing through him.

  “Cold?” Garrick stroked down Rain’s arms and torso, hands leaving a cascade of sparks wherever they touched, like the animated trails of a magic wand. And magic was definitely the right word for what this was, this sweet, this sexy, this slow, and this perfect.

  “Not cold. Burning.” Rain tugged him down for another kiss, this one long enough to wallow in Garrick’s roving hands, especially when he got bold and slipped one under the lapels of Rain’s robe. Garrick stroked his chest, a reverence to his touch that made Rain feel singularly special, heating him more than the shower or the fireplace could ever do. Making an encouraging noise, he stretched, letting the robe fall open more.

  “Fuck. You are so sexy.” Garrick danced his fingertips down Rain’s sternum, circling his navel, skating close to Rain’s straining cock without actually touching it.

  “You make me feel that way.” Rain preened, trying to get Garrick’s hand where he wanted it most.

  “Good.” Instead of going straight for Rain’s cock, Garrick touched everywhere else—hip bones, thighs, nipples, ribs, big blunt fingers everywhere and yet nowhere at all.

  “More.” Rain’s voice had reached the husky and demanding stage, and he backed it up with a kiss that left them both breathing hard, Garrick’s head resting against Rain’s as he tangled a hand in his hair.

  “Rain...” Of all the ways Garrick had of saying his name, this was the most intimate, almost pained with a palpable need to it. Sexy as fuck and Rain could listen to it all night.

  “Yeah?” There was little Garrick could ask for that Rain wouldn’t give him, especially if it meant more kisses and heated touches and needy noises.

  “I want... Can I jerk you off? I really want to touch you, make you come apart for me.” Garrick stroked Rain’s stomach again, this time letting his fingertips graze the shaft of Rain’s cock.

  “Uh-huh.” Like he was turning that down. In all his wiggling around, he’d felt what he was pretty sure was Garrick hard and wouldn’t have minded some mutual playing. However, he wanted to let Garrick drive this encounter, and if what he wanted was to focus on Rain, well, Rain wasn’t exactly going to turn down that sort of attention.

  “Oh fuck, that feels good.” He arched his back, meeting Garrick’s firm grip as he took charge of Rain’s cock, big hand creating a snug channel for Rain to fuck up into before he gentled his touch back to light, teasing strokes.

  “Yeah, it does.” Garrick groaned right along with Rain. He alternated between a purposeful rhythm and something much more playful and meandering, driving Rain out of his mind. All his scattered thoughts, the show on the laptop, the snores of the dog, everything faded until his entire being was focused on Garrick.

  “Want...”

  “Tell me.” A sexy growl rumbled loose from Garrick’s chest, making Rain clutch at his arms. He wanted to touch Garrick, wanted to make him feel this good, but he also didn’t want to ask the wrong question and risk derailing something so damn good. So instead, he gripped Garrick’s arms like a fucking lifeline, connection and salvation and torture all at once.

  “Want more.” He bucked his hips, chasing more of Garrick’s caresses, moaning as soon as Garrick gripped him tightly again. “Fuck. But don’t want to come. Don’t want it over.”

  “I’ve got you.” Kissing the side of Rain’s head and ear, Garrick established a slow, devastating pace that felt like climbing steps at a lighthouse. Up, up, up, circling and circling until he wanted to expire from all the delicious energy coursing through him.

  “Fuck. That...it’s too much. Need...” Writhing against Garrick, he tried to force a faster pace. Fuck waiting. He needed in a way he wasn’t sure he’d ever needed before.

  “Sssh. Let me give you this. I’ll get you there, baby.” If anything, Garrick slowed his touch, each stroke making Rain’s control crack further, each endearment taking him apart more and more.

  “Yesssss.” Even with the slowness, heat still licked at his balls, made his thighs tense. He might come, exactly like this, not the race to the top from earlier but a total body release, everything he had sinking into Garrick, into this moment.

  “That’s it, sweetheart. Let go.” Garrick’s encouragement got him that much closer, made him gasp and make inarticulate needy whimpers.

  “Need to come.”

  “Soon.” Releasing a harsh chuckle, Garrick seemed to vibrate with tension, every breath mirroring Rain’s harsh pants.

  “Please.”

  “You’re not the only one who wants this to last forever. Damn, you are so, so sexy.” Finding Rain’s mouth for another kiss, Garrick slowed down further, making the orgasm that had seemed imminent a few seconds ago retreat, a butterfly just out of reach.

  “Crazy sexy more like. Please.” It was all too much, the drag of the silky robe against his skin, Garrick’s dirty talking voice, and his devastating touch.

  “Not like you don’t know you’re hot as fuck. Especially like this.” Twisting his grip, Garrick did something with his palm that had Rain seeing stars, shards of light erupting behind his eyelids, making him clutch at Garrick that much harder.

  “More.”

  “Yeah. Okay.” Garrick’s breath was coming as fast as Rain’s now, him sounding like giving in to Rain’s demands was a surrender of sorts, as if he was as far gone as Rain was.

  “That’s it.” Rain was close to weeping, fingers digging hard into Garrick’s arms, so damn grateful when Garrick quickened the pace. His hips bucked, chasing every stroke.

  “Fuck. Like that. Fuck my fist.” Teeth grazing Rain’s ear, Garrick tightened his grip, making them both moan.

  “Don’t stop.”

  “Not gonna. Come, baby. Come for me.” Like he had a direct line to Rain’s brain, Garrick sped up, fast hard strokes that had Rain’s balls tightening again, this time tipping over from close to inevitable, pressure building to that point of no return that made the whole world go bright and wonderful.

  “Fuck. Fuck. Garrick.” He shot so hard he was pretty sure at least one volley landed on Garrick, the rest painting his abs and chest with messy stripes. Still shaking, he grabbed for the towel with rubbery fingers. Next to him, however, Garrick was breathing like a marathon runner on that last hill, whole body tense.

  “Can I...” Garrick shoved a hand inside his boxers.

  “Fuck yes. Tell me how to help.” Making fast work with the towel, Rain pressed firmly against Garrick, both to give him something to rub against and because he was damn greedy, wanting to soak up all Garrick’s pleasure.

  “Touch my arms like that again. Please.” Now that was an unexpected request, but Rain happily complied, stroking Garrick’s forearms and biceps.

  “This?”

  “Yeah. Harder. Like when you were about to come. Damn. Fuck that was hot.” Garrick’s eyes were squished shut and his hand on his cock was barely moving, but his body stiffened as soon as Rain grabbed his arms harder with his fingertips, gripping rather than stroking.

  “Yeah, it was. Never came so hard before.” He didn’t even have to p
retend to be back in that moment as his whole body still tingled and his breath came as little gasps and sighs, which apparently ramped Garrick up too as he moaned softly whenever Rain made a noise. His free hand drifted through Rain’s hair, holding him close. Wanting to do more, Rain pressed a kiss to Garrick’s neck, licking up a rogue drop of sweat and teasing along its contours.

  “Oh hell. That. Yeah. Kiss me there again.” Garrick shuddered as soon as Rain did it, using his tongue to tease all along Garrick’s neck, trying to find more places that made him moan and curse. Eyes still shut, his body was as rigid as a stack of textbooks. “Need...”

  “Anything.” Acting more on instinct than anything else, Rain dug his fingers into the meat of Garrick’s biceps right as he nipped at the curve of Garrick’s neck, the spot that had seemed to get the biggest reaction from his attentions.

  “That... Fuck. There. Right there.” Garrick went impossibly stiffer, then the tension seemed to recede in waves, leaving him flushed and shuddering. Rain felt like he had witnessed the solar eclipse, exhilarated and awestruck and incredibly grateful simply to be there.

  “Wow.” He pressed a flurry of softer kisses to Garrick’s neck and shoulders. “Did you...”

  “Appears so. Weird as fuck. It was like my arms and neck as much or even more so than my dick, like my biceps were buzzing, pleasure and pressure gathering there instead of my abs and cock like I’m used to. And then I was coming.”

  “I’m glad. Arms. Neck. Whatever does it for you, I’m happy to go there.”

  “Not sure if it would work a second time.” Garrick frowned, flopping an arm over his face. “Doubt it’s like...magic. Doesn’t seem to work like that, at least not in what I’ve found so far. It’s unpredictable. Pleasurable, but not necessarily duplicable. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of that, but it’s not...”

  “A cure. I get it. I’m not the dick whisperer even if I feel like a fucking rockstar right now. And I’ll take unpredictable. Getting you off, making you feel good, it’s worth any amount of trying and uncertainty. And hell, trying is fun. If I can make you come by touching your arms, I bet there’s other brand-new erogenous zones waiting for us.”

  “You’re something else.” Garrick peeked out from under his arm to give Rain a fond smile.

  “I try.” Pushing his arm gently out of the way, Rain gave him a quick kiss.

  “I know.” Garrick returned the kiss, more tender and lingering. “You make me want... Damn, I wish I’d met you...before. Back when I could have given you everything you deserve.”

  Rain pulled back enough to glare down at Garrick. “I deserve this. And so do you. I don’t need anything else in bed, promise. This is awesome. I mean, I do think you should keep the doctor appointment, but that’s for you. For me, I don’t need you to be anything other than this. That was seriously top ten sex of my life. If it gets much better than that, I might pass out from good feelings.”

  That got a laugh from Garrick, who tugged him close again. “Okay, point taken. And fucking you near-unconscious just went on my bucket list.”

  “Damn. Now it’s on mine too. But I’m also okay if it takes...some practice to get there. Or creativity.” He kept his voice light but firm. He wasn’t giving up on sex with Garrick simply because things weren’t as straightforward as with some partners. Uncomplicated could be nice, but it was also a bit boring. This was a challenge, but not an unwelcome one at all, and taking it on with Garrick made him feel close. Connected. Bonded even, like they were on a team with a common goal and like they got to share something special together.

  “You and your ideas.” Garrick gave an exaggerated groan even as he gave Rain another quick kiss.

  “I do have good ones.” He preened. Like how Garrick had made researching vegan workout tips his new thing, Rain was totally going to look up more ideas relevant to Garrick’s condition because hell yes he was going to get that response out of Garrick again.

  “Yeah, you do.” Garrick’s smile as he agreed was enough to make Rain’s feet wriggle happily against the sheets.

  “Did you mean it about sleeping over?”

  “Of course. I mean, I can’t guarantee a repeat...” Garrick yawned, that tiredness from earlier reappearing. He’d probably be asleep before the next episode started, and strangely, Rain was looking forward to sleeping next to him even more than the earlier sex.

  “I don’t need a repeat. Just this.” And for now, that was absolutely true. All he needed was this thing with Garrick and the job he hoped to land next week, and maybe that would be enough adventure for one summer, enough to stay put.

  Chapter Nine

  “What the heck is that and why do I think you’re about to stab me with it?” Out of all the unusual things Rain had produced, the spiky object with skinny needles sticking out from a mass of thin yarn had to be right up there on the list of surprises. Shortly after they’d arrived at the doctor’s office, Rain had dug a small pouch out of his half-sized messenger bag, which Garrick had assumed was mainly a water bottle and wallet-toting device since Rain didn’t always have pockets.

  “It’s my knitting.” Rain’s tone was almost bored as his fingers flew around the needles. It was almost hypnotic, the way his hands kept moving even as he looked up at Garrick. “Told you. I like to have something to do with my hands. Sock knitting is great because it’s so portable. I keep meaning to bring it over to your place, but someone keeps distracting me...”

  “I’d say sorry, but we both know I’d be lying.” They’d spent most of the weekend together, playing with Cookie, exercising, and baking banana bread they shared with Shirley, who as Rain predicted didn’t seem upset about Rain’s sleepover Friday. She’d been working with vats of dye on her patio, and Garrick had passed an enjoyable few hours watching Rain attempting to help her hang up fabric to dry and her micromanaging Rain’s efforts. “Did Shirley teach you to knit?”

  “Her and Mom both. I was a squirmy kid who needed distracting. And I can tell from how full this waiting room is that we’re going to be here awhile. I’m not a fan of magazines or daytime TV, so I’m happy to work on these socks for Grandma’s birthday.”

  “You’re going to hand-knit something and then just give it away?” Garrick wasn’t a stranger to crafting of various kinds as his dad worked with different artisans at his Western-themed store, but generally he associated it with money-making efforts. And in Rain’s case, he would have figured he’d knit as a personal expression sort of thing, more color to add to his wardrobe.

  “That’s how it works. If you stop looking at me like I’m a space alien, I might knit you something next.”

  “I’m not staring! I’m impressed, that’s all.” He wasn’t lying—the stitches flying off Rain’s needles into something that actually resembled a sock for a human foot was pretty nifty. “And you don’t have to make me something—”

  “Right now I’m picturing a muzzle in a nice cable pattern. Of course, I don’t have to. I want to. Maybe a hat so you can remember me.”

  Garrick opened his mouth to say that he didn’t need to remember Rain, that he was right here, but then he remembered that Rain wasn’t meant for this place on a permanent basis, that winter would inevitably come and he’d be on to his next big thing. He’d scored the job with Tucker Ryland on Monday, but like Garrick’s position, it was seasonal part-time, and there was no guarantee Rain would even finish the season. The thought made his neck ache enough that he had to rub it.

  “Nervous? Don’t be.” Rain lowered his voice. “Like I said in the car, I’m sure this doctor has heard it all before. And that’s a good thing.”

  “Jesus. You’re so...”

  “Normal? Because this is.” Rain continued calmly making tiny stitches on his project, a counterpoint to everything churning through Garrick.

  “Maybe I should be the one knitting.”

  “Maybe so.” Rain
thrust his spiky circle into Garrick’s hands. The yarn was slippery but softer than it looked, and it felt surprisingly nice on his skin. Maybe Rain was turning him into a hedonist along with everything else. “No time like the present to learn.”

  “Pretty sure my hands are too big,” Garrick grumbled as he tried to make sense of which way the needles were pointing.

  “Yes, Hercules. You’re big.” Rain gave him a pointed look that had Garrick’s skin heating. He had a way of making Garrick feel like they were the only two people in the room, like nothing else mattered other than this happy little bubble where Rain was moving his fingers this way and that and couldn’t care less for who might be watching. It was...refreshing. Nice. Needed. It reminded him of all the hours spent repairing smoke jumper gear, the little tiny details that had to be exactly perfect. Like now, his hands had always felt too oversized for the work, but there had been something soothing about that work, weirdly relaxing. And it worked here too, Rain’s bossiness and his own hopelessness at juggling needles and yarn distracting him until his name was called.

  “You want me to come back with you?” Rain asked in a whisper. “Would that help?”

  “It’s entirely possible you might talk more than me.” Garrick drew a deep breath. Inviting Rain along to the exam room seemed...significant somehow. But it wasn’t like Rain didn’t already know all of what Garrick needed to explain to the doctor. And for all Rain said this appointment was about Garrick and his sex life in general, there was only one person Garrick wanted to get horizontal with presently, and making sure Rain was satisfied was important to him in ways he couldn’t really explain. “Sure. Come on. Bring the knitting.”

  Rain gave him that small, pleased smile that never failed to make Garrick’s stomach flip. Everyone else got Rain’s devil-may-care grin, the wide, welcoming one, but Garrick alone earned that private one, got to see that vulnerability from Rain. As they followed the nurse, Garrick had a brief moment of second-guessing when he had to navigate balancing on the scale, but it wasn’t like Rain hadn’t seen him wobbly before. And if the nurse, a pretty young thing with red hair, wanted to have an opinion on Garrick’s choice of companion, that was on her.