Chapter Five

CHAD POSITIONED a chair underneath the doorknob of their bedroom. He'd dragged the piece of furniture in from the den after they'd unloaded the fountain, and everyone in the house seemed to have settled back down again. The chair was more of a protection against his night-wandering grandmother than anything.

He glanced over at Raudel, who sat on the bed. The only illumination in the room came from a small lamp on the nightstand. Like everything else in the house, the furniture and accessories were new and tasteful, but they still screamed Early Blasé Rental. Raudel patted the spot next to him, and Chad's eyebrows shot up.

He grinned, then hurried over, dropping onto the bed so that he was flush to Raudel. "The bed's small, Raudel. Not bigger than a double."

He had no idea what he was getting at, only that he was so nervous he didn't know what to say.

"I don't mind. Do you?"

Raudel snaked an arm around his waist, holding him tightly. He ran his opposite hand up Chad's torso, then around his neck until he had a fistful of hair in his clutches.

The whimper left Chad's mouth before he could stop it. "Mind? Why would I mind?"

Raudel smashed their lips together, the kiss nothing like the ones from earlier. He licked his way into Chad's willing mouth, taking what he wanted with eager swipes. Chad wrapped his arms around Raudel as he kissed him back with as much force as Raudel used on him. They clutched and grasped at each other's shirts, their heated breaths mingling as the clinch turned frantic.

Fuck. He's gonna make me come just like this.

As if sensing Chad's urgency, or perhaps gripped by his own crisis, Raudel broke their connection but didn't release him. Their chests heaved as they stared into each other's eyes, the shadows of the semi-dark room giving the moment a noir quality.

"I need to get off." Raudel kept his voice to a whisper. "I'm still saving making love to you when I know we're alone, when we can relax. But waiting any more after all these years to feel your skin next to mine? To know what it's like when your cock swells in my hand right before it pumps out your cum over my fingers? See what your expression is like when you do come? I won't survive the night."

"Yeah. That. Same here." Eventually, his brain would catch up with his pleasure-starved body, but he didn't think Raudel minded.

Raudel smiled, and Chad melted. "Then take off your clothes."

Chad gave him a jerky nod as Raudel loosened his hold. They both gave themselves enough room to yank off shirts, kick off shoes, and fumble with belts. The debris of their various items of clothing littered the floor at their feet until they were both naked.

It wasn't that Chad was particularly shy when it came to sex; more that his limited experiences had either been spontaneous encounters with a stranger or an awkward attempt at something with a date. Both scenarios involved neither one of them being interested in pursuing anything more since they were only there for the orgasm.

This was different. This was important.

Chad openly admired Raudel's cock: the way it curved up to his belly, kissing the skin right above his navel. A smattering of dark curls across Raudel's chest highlighted dusky nipples that had tightened from either arousal or cold or a combination of both.He licked his lips. He wanted to run his fingers through the hairs there, then play with the coarser ones at the base of Raudel's rigid length.

Raudel groaned as he wrapped his fingers around Chad's dick. Chad arched his back, hissing as he pushed his erection through Raudel's tight fist. Raudel stroked him with languid movements, never quite reaching the head, the touch a torment. Chad thrust his hips, encouraging Raudel to give him more, but Raudel kept the control.

"Ay, mijo. Mine now."

Chad nodded. "Yes. Yours, Raudel. That's what I want. What I've always wanted."

Raudel moved closer, encouraging him onto his back but not letting go of his aching cock. He took Chad's mouth in another claiming kiss, and Chad could no longer stay still. He rutted into Raudel's hand as he dug his heels into the mattress, giving himself more purchase. He tried to pull Raudel on top of him, but instead, Raudel cradled his head, never breaking their kiss. Chad grasped at Raudel's shoulder instead, digging his fingers into the muscled flesh. Raudel's cock slid against his hip, a trickle of precum smoothing the way. Chad wanted a taste.

His thrusts came faster, the rhythm erratic as his balls tightened. At last, Raudel lengthened his tugs, bringing his palm to Chad's cockhead, twisting his wrist every few strokes. Sparks danced up his spine, and in a rush, his body tensed, thighs shaking as cum erupted over Raudel's hand. Chad fed a cry into Raudel's mouth. He'd never come so hard.

Raudel released Chad's swollen lips, slick with spit and tingling from the force of his kisses. He continued to jack Chad slowly, seemingly careful to stay away from the sensitive tip. He nibbled along Chad's jawline, then left a trail of tiny kisses along both sides of his face, barely more than a ghost of his lips.

Chad's breathing finally slowed to where he thought he could speak. "Let me suck you."

Raudel captured his earlobe between his teeth, then scraped them across the soft skin. Gooseflesh bloomed across Chad's upper back. "Don't move, love."

Chad allowed his eyes to drift closed. The mattress rose as Raudel stood, and Chad imagined he was retrieving a towel to clean them up. He started when Raudel returned, ashamed to admit to himself that he'd been about to doze off. It had just been such a long day, so much emotion and stress.

And wine.

He chuckled. At least he was a cheap date.

"You're feeling good?"

Chad rolled onto his side to face Raudel, then smiled at him. " So fucking good. I wanna do the same for you."

"A helluva BJ, you said?"

Chad's smile turned to a grin. "Fuck yeah."

He scooted down the length of Raudel's body with many stops along the way to taste his skin, to inhale his clean, masculine scent. He paid special attention to the nipples he'd been lusting after earlier. As he sucked and nibbled on the peaked flesh, he caressed Raudel's skin wherever he could reach. A thought crossed his mind that maybe someday he'd know Raudel's body as well as he knew his own.

As he got closer to his prize, Raudel's cock jumped and twitched, and each time his dick touched his belly, beads of precum gathering at the tip were left behind. Chad lapped up Raudel's arousal, then captured the source into his mouth. He teased the glans in the valley underneath the tip with his tongue, then traced the prominent veins as he continued to take him all the way in. Raudel groaned and clutched at his hair, restless as he writhed underneath Chad's skillful mouth.

Once Raudel's cock bumped the back of his throat and Chad had pressed his nose into Raudel's pubes, he swallowed. Raudel cried out before muffling the noise somehow. Chad held his breath as he continued to work his throat around Raudel's dick. He pulled off to suck in a big gulp of air, but quickly descended again, repeating the same move as before.

Raudel locked his heels around Chad's back, froze, then growled out his release as he pulsed his seed down Chad's throat in multiple waves. Chad took it all, triumphing in the fact that he could give Raudel such pleasure.

Chad let Raudel's softening erection fall gently from his lips. He rested his head on Raudel's abdomen, breathing in the scent of the sex they'd just shared. Chad continued to run his hands over Raudel's soft skin, through his body hair, then across the still-pebbled nipples. Raudel grabbed one of his hands, lifting his head to kiss Chad's palm. He dropped it back on the pillow but still held on to Chad, curling their fingers together and resting them against his chest.

"I love you, mijo. Even if you think I'm crazy, I do."

Chad rubbed his cheek against Raudel's groin. "Guess I'm crazy too."

Raudel tightened his grip and Chad's heart hurt from so much joy. And yeah, they were probably both crazy. But seven years of never being able to get the other out of their heads had to stand for something. The day and night they'd spent together had only proved to him that it wasn't merely an unfulfilled fantasy.

They clicked. Chad had tried to move on, and Raudel said he had too. Chad had always figured his love hadn't been real because he was too young, and they'd never been together the way he'd hoped for back when they were in school.

School was out. They were adults. It was time for them to start the life they'd wished for once upon a time when it seemed impossible that they could ever be together.

"MMM."

Chad snuggled into the warmth wrapped around him. He was so fucking tired, and he had some vague memory of his grandmother being outside in the middle of the night. His eyelids fluttered before he managed to open them. He gasped.

Jesus. I'm waking up in Raudel's arms.

His morning wood fought for superiority with Raudel's as they both stirred from sleep. Raudel's stubble was heavier and scratchier than Chad's, but he didn't care. He rubbed against him anyway. He wasn't sure how sexy a morning-breath kiss would be, but he was pretty sure they could at least have time for some mutual masturbation before—

"Chad! Raudel!" His mother pounded on the door like there was a fire. "Breakfast in ten. We'll go over today's itinerary after we eat. We have a big day ahead of us."

Itinerary. I never want to hear that word again.

"Good morning, mijo, " Raudel whispered. "I hope I can wake up with you in my arms every morning from now on."

He said he loved me. Chad swallowed. And I kinda said it back.

"Good morning." He squeezed Raudel to add an extra something to his greeting because he severely doubted his ability to bring forth any poetic words.

"I don't ever want to let you go, but your mom seems insistent."

Chad let out a grunt. "Yeah. Tell me about it. Ruined the whole happy-ending wake-up call I'd been planning."

Raudel lifted his head, gazing down at him with his gorgeous smile. "You too? See? We're meant to be."

Chad laughed out loud before slapping a hand over his mouth. Don't need to add to the obvious suspicion brewing in Lindsey's brain.

He wriggled his way free of Raudel's grasp. "Might as well face the agony ahead. I'm guessing Lindsey will be even more wound up now that a new dawn has arisen, bringing us ever closer to the Big Day."

Raudel nodded as he rolled to a sitting position. Chad stared openly at his still-hard dick. He figured, what the hell? They were a couple now, right? Staring privileges came with the territory.

"The worst will be the night before the wedding. My oldest sister, Carmen, freaked, then wanted to back out at the last minute."

"Holy shit. What happened?"

Raudel ruffled his own hair, then stretched.

Yeah. I could totally watch that show all day.

Raudel yawned. "My mom threatened to disown her."

"That's harsh."

Raudel shrugged. "She knew they belonged together and wasn't going to let my sister ruin everything over some last-minute jitters. My mom has this gift. She can tell when people are meant to be and when they're not. That's why my mom went out of her way to break up my middle sister's engagement, knowing that they were all wrong for each other. But Selena wouldn't listen. They were together less than two months before they divorced. And everyone else who she's predicted would either have a happy life together or crash and burn, she's been spot-on with them too."

"Wow. That's intense." Chad chuckled. "I wonder what she'd have to say about us?"

When Raudel didn't answer right away, Chad glanced up from where he'd been gathering his discarded clothing from the night before. Raudel locked eyes with him, his expression serious.

Chad straightened. "What?"

"I already know what she'd say."

They held each other's gazes while Chad absorbed the meaning behind Raudel's words.

"Wait. You mean…?"

"Yeah. She told me after I begged her back in high school to help me come up with a way to get you to talk to me. She said we were meant for each other, but you weren't ready yet. Said I should wait until you were."

Chad blinked several times, his breathing shallow. Did he really believe in such things? Probably not, but he could tell Raudel did. More than that, he didn't need Raudel's mom to know what they were to each other and understand that he really hadn't been ready at fifteen.

Which meant he already had his answer about whether he wanted to be with Raudel from now on.

"So… this whole time when I've been going to your folks' grain-and-feed store to get Sassy's food, and I'd be chatting with her, that whole time she…?"

Raudel nodded.

Chad practically jumped out of his skin at his mother's frantic banging on the door. He swore the framed prints of lush forest greenery had rattled against the wall.

"Boys, now !"

CHAD PRETENDED to be enormously interested in the day's schedule as he sat discreetly next to Raudel on one end of the sectional couch. They'd made it out of the bedroom as quickly as possible after airing out the small space.

Lindsey had the floor, and she was really working it. Brenda and Shannon sat at the other end of the sofa, listening in rapt attention, pens poised to follow the orders of their fearless leader.

Lindsey announced, "So, we've had a few adjustments to the itinerary. Mom has passed around some Wite-Out for you to use, and you should each have a pen in the following colors—black, blue, red, purple, and green. Everyone check to make sure you have all the correct pens. Each color is a code for a different task. For instance, the black are the main priorities, things such as verifying that the caterers, videographers, photographers, and other essential personnel are set to be here at the proper time."

Chad raised his head from checking his pens. "What about the minister? Shouldn't someone verify he'll be here too? He seems to be more important than all those other things."

Lindsey stared him down with eyes like laser beams. "Yes, Chad . Of course we're verifying the minister. I didn't name off every single thing. I was merely providing an example ."

"Oh. Sorry." He went back to checking his pens as she continued.

"As I was saying—"

"I don't have a blue pen. Both of these are black." He held up the pens in question.

Lindsey sucked in several breaths as she clenched and unclenched her fists. "Duly noted. I will get you another fucking pen in a minute."

"But you asked us to check—"

" In a minute !"

The popping sound of a can being opened echoed in the living room. Chad turned his head toward the source of the noise and noted his mother leaning against the threshold of the living area, a can of Bud Light pressed to her lips. She tipped it back, then took a noisy swallow.

Where'd she get that? It wasn't even ten yet. She'd obviously availed herself of an early-morning beer run.

"Everything going okay in here, sweetie? Do you need any more pens? Wite-Out?"

Lindsey huffed. "Apparently, Chad is going to start freaking out if he doesn't get a blue pen right this minute."

"That's not what I—"

Raudel grabbed his wrist. Chad glanced at him, and Raudel gave a small shake of his head. The sighing returned, and he slumped against the back of the sofa.

His mother shuffled over and handed him a blue pen with a weary smile. He took it with a mumbled thank-you, then went back to his list while Lindsey rambled on. From what he could tell, the groom and groomsmen had a tuxedo fitting at one. Fortunately, Lindsey and Daniel would be having lunch in town by themselves before that, so Chad would be spared having to hold a conversation with the extremely successful businessman who'd swept his big sister off her feet. According to the list, Chad would be on wedding-favor duty while they were doing that, but it didn't seem like he'd gotten the sugared-almond detail.

"What's a lip-balm favor?"

"Oh my fucking God, Chad. Can we save all questions until after I've finished?" She snatched the list from his hand. "They're lip-balm sticks. You know, for chapped lips? I need you to attach them with ribbon and a tiny spray of fake baby's breath to the sugared-almond bags that Raudel will have assembled. Got it ?"

Chad experienced a thread of panic. He'd only been kidding about the bow-tying thing when he'd joked about it with Raudel. He was pretty handy in general, but he wasn't so sure about lip-balm-attaching. He hadn't fared very well with the coffee table. Chad gazed up at Lindsey, silently pleading for mercy. "Will I know how to do this?"

Raudel cleared his throat. "I'll show you how. My cousin Arianna had them at her wedding."

"Thank you, Raudel." Lindsey smiled sweetly at him before returning with a glare to Chad. "You think you can handle it now , Chad?"

She's so lucky that I frown upon murder. "Yup. Got it."

Mom gave him a thumbs-up and a boozy wink from where she stood behind Lindsey. Since he no longer had a list to stare at, he peeked over at Raudel's, pretending that the press of his arm against him was unintentional. He couldn't just sit still and listen; it made him nutty. School had been a long, torturous process for him. It was another reason why he admired Raudel so much for what he'd accomplished with his education.

After another thirty minutes or so of itinerary adjustment—and being allowed to have his schedule back so he could copy Lindsey's instructions onto it in the proper pen colors—they were excused to begin their assigned job of favor-making.

Chad was failing miserably at it, however. His fingers were too clumsy to tie the intricate bow required to secure the slippery plastic tube within the confines of the thin, satiny ribbon. He and Raudel sat perpendicular to each other at the family-sized oak dining table. Raudel was at one end with Chad to his right, and all the makings of their craft projects spread out before them. Raudel could assemble ten bags to Chad's one lip-balm tie-off. It was depressing.

Chad pulled two ends of the peach ribbon as tightly as he could, hopeful that the third time was the charm as he attempted to finish his fifth favor. The tube shot from the bag of almonds, flew across the room, then landed with a plop in the potato salad his mom had just finished making.

"Oh shit!"

Chad toppled the chair backward as he burst from his seat. He raced to the large bowl his mom had left on the counter, then dug into it with his fingers, searching for the errant balm.

"Chad! What in the devil's name do you think you're doing ?" He lifted his gaze and was met with his mom's icy stare. "I didn't raise you to be an animal!"

Since he was currently knuckle-deep in potato chunks and mayonnaise, Chad didn't think it was the right time to point out that at least he wasn't slurring his words before noon. "I… didn't realize how hungry I was until I got over here."

He reluctantly took his hands out of the gooey mess and accepted the cluster of paper towels his mom shoved at him. Chad glanced at Raudel, who was regarding him in confusion.

He probably thinks I've finally snapped.

His mom continued muttering as she took the potato salad away, her arms wrapped around the bowl protectively. After covering it with plastic wrap, she set it in the refrigerator then turned to Chad.

"If you're that hungry, I'll fix you some sandwiches. The potato salad is for the barbecue tonight."

Chad was lost. He could've sworn the barbecue was planned for Wednesday after the rescheduled photo session. "Are there two barbecues?"

His mother rolled her eyes. "Weren't you paying attention at the itinerary meeting? I sure as hell hope you got your color coding right. Brenda and Shannon are having a surprise bridal shower for Lindsey because the first one was only with her work friends, and Wednesday night is the only night that Daniel's sisters can make it."

"But… if it's a surprise for Lindsey, how come she was the one scheduling it this morning?"

" How the hell should I know ?"

Raudel froze, a pink almond pinched between his fingers at the opening of one of the tiny net bags.

Chad approached his mother carefully in case she exploded. "Hey. Mom. It's cool. Why don't you go and relax for an hour or two? We've got this." He indicated back and forth between him and Raudel. "Potato salad made, wedding-favor construction underway, tux fitting at one. It's all good."

She nodded shakily, blowing out a puff of air to get her bangs out of her eyes. "Okay, thanks." She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a fresh six-pack. Chad wondered if they grew in the yard.

"If anyone needs me, I'll be in the shed."

Chad and Raudel exchanged glances as she slid the patio door open, then stumbled outside, the beer cans clutched to her chest.

Chad pursed his lips as he surveyed their progress. "Hey. Do you think you could switch with me? I think I'd be better at almond stuffing than lip-balm tying."

"Whatever my mijo wants." Raudel winked at him, and instantly everything was fine.

"Was that your mother yelling?"

Chad jumped at the sound of his father's voice. He'd forgotten his dad was even in the house. "Yeah. You know, the wedding."

His dad grunted. "Yeah. I know."

He'd always been able to communicate with his dad in short, snappy sentences. They seemed to understand each other without lots of extraneous words cluttering things up.

His father opened the fridge. "We out of beer again?"

Chad didn't dare look Raudel's way. He could already hear Raudel's pained attempts to hold in laughter, and it was likely that if they made eye contact, they'd both lose it. "Gosh, I guess so." His voice wobbled, and he had to bite a knuckle to rein it in.

"Damn. Oh well. I'll have this potato salad instead."

"Uh, I think Mom meant to save that for the barbecue tonight."

" Tonight ?" Dad whirled around to face Chad. "I thought that was Wednesday?"

"You missed the meeting this morning."

Dad rolled his eyes with great exaggeration. "Dear God. It's only Tuesday. Already feels like we've been here a month." He ripped the plastic wrap off the bowl before snatching up the large serving spoon Mom had left on the counter. Then he dumped a big glop of potato salad into one of the bowls he'd grabbed from the dish drainer. Not bothering to get a different spoon, he dug in with the serving utensil instead.

Chad sucked in a sharp breath as his dad brought the food to his mouth. "Dad! Wait!"

His father regarded him with a questioning frown. He lowered the spoon and opened his mouth as if to say something, then paused, eyeing the contents before him. "Why is there a stick of lip balm in the potato salad?"