14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The State Wildlife Service had placed a blockade over the trail that needed to be hiked to get to Lake Dorothy. The snow wasn’t bad, but it could get that way in the upper higher country where it lay.

Alan was on his phone with his friend, and despite his assurances, Gabriel still listened closely.

“Yeah, we’re here, so are you sure we can head up? I don’t want to get in trouble and sure as hell don’t want to get you in trouble.”

Only hearing half the conversation made it hard for Gabriel to follow, but soon, he didn’t have to worry a bit.

“That’s great. How’d she do?” He listened again. “Give her a big kiss for me, and I’ll be by to see you guys, including the newest member, in a couple of days, you know, after you get her home and settled. See you, and thanks again.”

He got off the phone and Gabriel asked, “It’s okay?”

“He’s the head guy in this area, and he just had a baby. No one is going to be here, being so soon after Christmas, and even if they did, I have a perfect name to drop. The rest of his coworkers have all become uncles and aunties to the baby. A little girl, eight pounds on the nose.”

Gabriel was in his arms and confessing, “I was still jealous. I’m sorry.”

Alan held him tightly, his lips right by Gabriel’s ear. “You must just really care about me, so it’s okay, but soon you’ll learn I’m true to my word, baby. All I want in the world is to love you and take care of you.”

“And make love with me?”

“Oh, definitely that too.”

Gabriel laughed and moved enough to kiss him. “I shouldn’t want this, but I like that you want to take care of me.”

“In time you won’t need it. Right now, you do. And I want to. I’m not just saying that. I want to hold you and help you heal until that broken wing is mended and you can fly again.”

“As long as I’m flying with you.”

Alan got a backpack from the back of his black GMC Terrain. “We’re gonna fly, baby.”

“I don’t need a backpack?” Gabriel asked after Alan shut the car and locked it with his fob.

“Nope. Come on.”

Alan grabbed his hand, and they started up the trail toward the lake. The juniper and pine trees scented their walk like they were walking through Christmas itself.

The sky was clear and blue, the birds out scavenging for food after the cold, wet Christmas day. It wasn’t cold, not like it could have been. It was the perfect day.

The hike wasn’t long, but it was beautiful. Curving, dipping, rising, all while Alan held his hand and helped him with the steeper slopes.

Once they emerged from the trees, the lake was before them, the sunlight making the water shimmer like glitter had been poured over the earth.

The waves sluggishly lapped the shore, and there were places where the water had tried to freeze. Besides the few snows they’d had, the winter hadn’t been so cold as to freeze the entire lake. Somehow, it made the lake a deeper blue.

Maybe that was the water being in such contrast to the snowy shore on the other side of the lake, where the trees grew right to the water line.

“It’s so beautiful. I’ve never seen it in the winter.”

“I have a few times. Gary, that’s my friend, a few other friends, and me; we used to come here as kids, drink beer, and swim when no one was around.”

“In the winter?”

“A few times, but we didn’t swim.”

They walked along the shore to the northern end of the lake. The sun coming from the south had already melted the snow there, and the sandy shore was warm when they sat, the backpack sitting next to Alan.

The romance of that moment, or the entire date so far, would never leave him. Romance hadn’t been a big part of his life, but like anyone else, he’d daydreamed about it, having that one person to live a life like a fairytale.

Alan’s hand in his was warm, his thumb rubbing over the back of Gabriel’s hand as the water lapping the shore sounded like a sweet love song.

“Gabriel, I wanted to bring you here because it’s one of my favorite places. All the people in my life who weren’t my family have memories here. You’re one of those people now, and I want my best memory to be with you.”

He said that while staring at the lake, but after, he turned to look into Gabriel’s eyes.

“Wow. You leave me breathless, speechless…all the time.”

“It’s crazy how we met, how much I liked you, from that first second, but now…I can’t imagine life without you. I don’t want to scare you off, Gabriel, I know I’m moving too fast. I just can’t help it.”

“Do I look like I’m running scared?”

Alan was blushing then, and it was beautiful. “No. We’re both either idiots, or we really did fall in love that fast. Are we both crazy?”

“Yeah, and I don’t care. You were like a gift, Alan. You came into my life when I most needed someone. I was scared and alone, raising two little boys, sure I was doing it all wrong. I missed my mother. I missed my old life. I resented all my college friends for their great jobs and their travel. I was a mess, and…then you came into my life and changed it. It felt like…like you knew, and you came when I needed you to.”

“I needed you too, Gabriel. I thought I had traded love for my career. I wanted so much to help people, and I still do, but I never thought I’d find love that way. I thought…I thought it would keep love from me.”

Gabriel kissed him tenderly. The cool breeze off the water surrounded them, like it cut them off from the world. They were inside a funnel of cool air, kissing and holding one another. Alan gently lay him down on the soft ground, kissing each corner of Gabriel’s mouth. “Give me a few minutes to get this all set up.”

“Take your time,” he said, smiling. “I’ll wait right here, Daddy.”

“Makes me nuts when you call me that,” Alan said, laughing. “I’ll hurry.”

Alan drew a blanket from the backpack and spread it over the ground. He then took out a small paper tube. Gabriel asked what it was, and Alan simply smiled.

Leaving the backpack open, he set it close to the blanket and held Gabriel’s hand, gently tugging him to lie on the blanket.

Once there, Alan took off his boots and socks and started on his pants. “I figure we’ll leave our shirts on this time, so we don’t freeze.”

“As hot as I am? I’m not freezing, but I’ll leave it on.”

After crawling over Gabriel, Alan’s face moved to his, kissing him seductively. “You’re hot?”

“Yeah,” Gabriel answered before Alan kissed him again.

“Hot, huh? How hot are you?”

Another kiss, melting Gabriel. “Hot, so hot, burning.”

“Mmm, yeah, hot baby, my hot baby,” he purred as he kissed him again, deeper, moving his hips into Gabriel’s, the feel of his jeans gently over his hard dick, making Gabriel’s breathing stutter.

“You want me to make love to you, Gabriel?”

“Yeah. I want that, yes.”

Gabriel was kissed in such a way that there was no doubt of Alan’s lust for him. At the same time, while Alan’s eyes swam with that lust, he saw beyond that. There was so much love in them.

Alan made him feel like the only man in the world. He’d taken Gabriel to a place that felt like the top of the world, and he chose a place special to him to make love.

Everything he needed, Alan was giving him. Love, though, was the most powerful.

In the backpack, Alan had also brought condoms and lube, and once he’d removed his own clothes, all except his sweater, he put the condom on his dick, and lubed it very generously.

Gabriel was leaning up on his elbows as all this happened, staring at the cock of the man. He’d had a lot of sex partners over the years, especially in college. He’d never had one like Alan’s.

Thick, uncut, beautiful, and the way Alan’s hand moved over it to apply the lube evenly over the entire thing, Gabriel found he wanted it so badly, he wanted to beg for it.

Alan pushed him gently back to the blanket and placed Gabriel’s legs over his shoulders. “I’ll go easy.”

“Yeah…you’re bigger than I’ve ever…and that isn’t just saying that because…I mean…”

“Shh, baby, let Daddy work.”

Gabriel groaned, and let his eyes close, feeling Alan’s breath on his neck the second before he was kissed there.

When Alan was moving, Gabriel thought Alan was lining up his cock to Gabriel’s hole, Gabriel braced himself for the burn that was about to come. Then his mouth was kissed, and his neck again, mouth again, lulling him into a soft, beautiful place.

Alan’s fingers began to touch him, stroking his cock, caressing Gabriel’s balls, then his fingertip began to circle his hole…

“Alan…god…”

“Just gonna stretch you a little, baby.”

Gabriel nodded until Alan slid a finger completely inside him, and his neck arched hard as he let out a long, low moan.

Alan was as good with his finger as he was with his mouth. Seductively, he fingered Gabriel’s ass, and that was the first time Gabriel knew that could happen. Whenever he’d been fingered before, it was a quick pumps of the thing, and then they went right on to fucking.

Alan, however, moved it slowly, curling it so he could touch Gabriel’s prostate, moving it around in ever-growing circles, touching all of the tunnels.

He added a finger, and they both did that, moving, sliding in and out in such a way that Gabriel was humping the air, the blanket in both fists as he gritted out growls from deep in his chest.

Pulling Alan’s head down, Gabriel kissed him hotly, begging with that kiss that he needed more, but he also didn’t want the fingering to end.

The man was skilled, kissing him back, fingering, while still somehow pressing his sheathed cock into Gabriel’s bare one. It was excruciating as it was wonderful, and when Alan finally moved his cock to enter Gabriel, Gabriel was begging for it.

“Please, Alan. Please, I want you so badly. I want you, please.”

“Yes, baby, I’m ready. I want you. You’re so tight, so hot for me.”

Alan pressed the head of his cock to Gabriel’s hole and stared down at him when he started to push inside. Gabriel’s eyes widened as he felt the burn, but when Alan stopped, he begged more. “No. I’m ready. Don’t stop, please, Daddy, please!”

“Don’t push me, Gabriel. I don’t ever want to hurt you. Adjust to me. Take it slow for me. Breathe.”

His voice was loving but firm, and Gabriel bit his bottom lip to try to stop from begging again. After a long moment, Alan moved, pushing in a little deeper; Gabriel let his lip loose, and he started to pant.

Alan, so wise, knew if he pushed in too quickly, it would have truly hurt. Having someone so caring of him, more concerned about Gabriel’s pleasure than his own, made him love Alan more.

Gabriel was out of breath, clutching onto Alan, kissing him, keening, and Alan pushed the rest of the way inside him, then moved to kiss him deeper, slowly, whispering, “Good boy. You’re a good boy, Gabriel. So good, so beautiful. I love you, baby, love you.”

In a soft place, warm, loved, Gabriel wrapped himself around Alan as Alan began to move his hips, slowly, in circles, like he’d done with his fingers. It was as if he wanted to feel every bit of Gabriel, feel him like no one had ever done.

Their mouths kissed. Alan’s fingers threaded through Gabriel’s hair, and they shared an experience that Gabriel knew he’d never forget. It would be impossible to forget.

Alan took him like that, quickening his thrusts more and more, but never breaking the stare on Gabriel, constantly keeping aware of how Gabriel felt, slowing if Gabriel showed pain, getting faster again when Gabriel asked, more kisses, more touching, the entire lovemaking a blur of wonderful sensations and emotions.

Alan rolled them over and told Gabriel to ride him. Gabriel smiled as they positioned better, Gabriel’s legs firmly planted, and he rose and fell a few times before he let the cock impale him fully before he began to grind back and forth.

“Damn, baby, fuck! Ride me, yeah, just like that.”

Alan’s face was bright with a smile, his eyes half-lidded, and Gabriel knew he’d never looked more beautiful. He made love to the man, leaning down to take those full lips in a kiss that made him move his hips faster. He wanted to make Alan come so hard, make him feel good, and suddenly, he knew he’d spend every day wanting to make the man feel good.

Seeing Alan smiling was his goal. All the smiles Alan had given him, he planned to repay them all tenfold. He moved his hips faster, Alan’s fingers curling around Gabriel’s cock and he let out a loud, breathy whisper, “Come for me, baby.”

God, how could anyone look at that man, hear that deep voice, feel that hand, and not come? He watched the ropes of his cum shooting out, some landing on Alan’s lips, and he groaned when he saw Alan licking it from his lips.

For his own orgasm, he got back on top and kissed Gabriel breathless, while he thrust into him hard and quick, never missing a beat no matter how they kissed.

The kiss ended and Alan set his mouth on Gabriel’s neck as he grunted there with his climax. His body shook with it, tensing and Gabriel whispered to him loving, sweet things as he came back down from it.

He fell to the side of Gabriel, laughing, then shouted, “Damn! That was so fucking good!”

Gabriel agreed, but his voice was less loud. “That was the best. I mean, the absolute best.”

“Flattery will get you more.”

“I will remember to flatter you all the time then.”

Alan moved to his side and kissed Gabriel’s jaw. “You’re a beautiful man, Gabriel.”

“I never felt more beautiful than right this minute.”

“Then I’m doing my job.”

They partially dressed and sat together on the shore, looking over the water, the clouds reflecting there. The breeze was cold, but they didn’t seem to notice, not huddled together like they were.

“Are you okay? You need anything?” Alan asked at least twice.

“I have everything I could need.”

“I want to spoil you rotten. I hope that’s okay.”

Gabriel smiled, giving him permission with a caveat. “Only if you let me spoil you too.”

Alan lay his head on Gabriel’s shoulder, purring, “I’ve never felt this good. You bring something out in me that just…makes me want to take care of you, and love you, and…”

“I…Alan…I never thought I’d want to be taken care of. My mom raised me to be independent, but…with you, I mean, it’s weird, but I feel independent, and at the same time, I have someone I can count on.”

“You can, baby. Always.”

They made love again there at the lake, then Alan and he walked hand in hand back to the Terrain, and Alan took him to lunch at a small diner specializing in the best deli food he’d ever eaten. “This is new. I’ve never eaten here.”

“I discovered it about six months after I moved back home. They’re from New York, so they know how to do deli right, but they also added local foods to their menus, which is fabulous for marketing. You know the people in this town are territorial.”

“Of course. Green chilis addons, brilliant,” he said as he ate his turkey club with the chilis piled high.

They went to Cece’s to check on the boys, and Cece came to the house, exasperated. “Hey, guys! Cut your date short?”

“No, just checking on the boys.”

She laughed breathlessly. “We were having a game of tag in the backyard.”

After she waved them back, Gabriel laughed as he saw Tristan still chasing one of Cece’s girls. Brandon ran over to Gabriel. “Can we stay? We’re gonna watch movies and eat smores!”

Gabriel looked at Cece, who nodded. “Yeah, Bran. Get Tristan over here. I want to make sure he’s okay to stay.”

Alan whispered to him, “You’re such a good dad.”

Tristan ran over and the entire way from the little clubhouse, he called, “Gabe! Gabe! Gabe! Did you see? Did you?”

“I saw, buddy!”

He grabbed Tristan in his arms and kissed his cold, rosy cheek. “We havin’ fun!”

“We’re having fun.”

“You too?”

Alan chuckled as Gabriel moved on from that. “Are you okay to spend the night here?”

“Can I? Huh? Can I stay?” Then he looked to Brandon and asked Gabriel, “Is Bran stayin’?”

“Yes.”

“I wanna stay too!”

“Okay, dorkness, you can stay too.”

He wiggled to get down and once Gabriel set him on his feet, he was off, screaming his little lungs out. “Cece, you do have a way with them.”

“Kids are kids, Gabriel. Let them run loose for a bit and they sleep great at night, and you can have a few minutes downtime. I’ve learned the hard way.”

“Thanks for this.”

“You two go, have fun.”

“I should bring them some pajamas and stuff.”

Cece huffed, “Fine, but will you get on with your date? Lord, clingy dad you are.”

Two people calling him dad in the span of a couple of minutes not only made him happy, but it also scared him. Alan led him out the door, hollering to Cece that they’d be back with the stuff for the boys.

He drove to Gabriel’s home and did a little lecturing. “Baby, you cannot freak out at that. Like it or not, you’re like one of those weird families. Your brother can call you daddy/brother.”

“Oh my god, Alan, not helping!”

“I had to. It was right there.”

“Ass!”

They laughed the rest of the way to Gabriel’s, and they went inside just as the wind picked up. Alan went with him to the boys’ rooms and helped him back one of Brandon’s old backpacks with pajamas, toothbrushes, and Tristan’s favorite dino toy.

Alan strolled into Gabriel’s room and looked around, smiling at the bear on the bed. “Well, at least there is something that tells me this is your room.”

“My stuff from my old bedroom is still in the basement or in the storage unit. I’ll get around to it.”

“Yeah, when you get around to feeling that you’re not taking over completely for your mom.”

Gabriel sat on the bed and sighed, “Yeah. It’s…baby steps.”

“I’m not mad at you,” he said, sitting next to him. “It’ll be a long time before you’ll be comfortable having me here too. Not only because of the boys, but…having a man in the bed your mother used to sleep.”

“I never thought about that. I’ve…okay, embarrassing confession on the way, but yeah, I’ve pictured you being here with me. Now that you say that, if we were to…get into something, I’d likely freak out.”

“Baby steps. Why don’t we pack a bag for you too, and you can stay with me?”

“I haven’t seen your house yet.”

“Work in progress, so don’t judge.”

That elevated his curiosity. “Interesting. What kind of artsy place would the great Alan have?”

“A mess right now. Pack a bag.”

“I’m bringing my teddy.”

“You better.”