Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

OWEN

Rory

I know it's too soon, but I really, really want to plan another playdate. It's been like months.

Jakob

Is tomorrow too soon? yes please emoji

Anders

My dudes, you have to chill. It was a week ago.

Owen

If you're asking me, I have to decline. sad puppy emoji

Rory

Was it too much? It was too much.

Jakob

Dammit. I knew we pushed too hard.

We didn't bug you for a reason. Papa (and Anders) said I had to give you some space.

Rory

Daddy (and Anders) told me the same thing.

Owen

Okay, drama llamas. Quill is getting a makeover. The lodge is a done deal, so we can start rehabbing that, and I'm finishing the patio at Stone and Vine. The Halloween party at Dandies is in a week, give or take, and I need to finalize those plans. Sooooooo, yeah, no time.

Rory

I'm not a fan of this.

Jakob

FR FR, Rory, but are you coming to the Halloween party? We'd love to hang out with you.

Rory

Anders, we'd love for you to come too.

Anders

I'm telling you right now, I won't be there.

Jakob

Nooooooooooooo

Anders

BF's buddy's GF's uncle. I dunno…anyway, they are having a party, and we are going. He's really been trying hard lately.

Rory

Bestiest of Besties, I want that for you.

Jakob

Me too.

Owen

Me three.

Anders

Me four, but I gotta go. My break is over. I'm muting the group chat.

Jakob

Muting the group chat? Cruel.

Owen

So you don't want me to tell you I keep it on mute?

Rory

OMG you don't!

Owen

I do!

Jakob

This is such a sad day. I'm going to go experiment on something in the lab.

Rory

Dude, you write programs.

Jakob

But sometimes I play with the chemicals. I like making slime. It helps me concentrate when I'm working on a presentation.

Rory

They let you, really? Can I come?

Jakob

Let is a *little* strong.

Rory

shocked face

"Bear, I'm home."

I'd been machine-focused and productive all day at work, besides the group chat, and had made it back to Barrett's house at a reasonable time.

"In the kitchen, babe."

Something delicious was simmering on the stove, but Bear was sitting at the island reading some kind of report. When I crossed the threshold, Bear looked up and grinned. I returned it.

Damn, this man made my insides go floaty. I'd been at Bear's house for about three weeks, and it felt more like home every day. Our stuff was now wholly mixed in the closet. My potions covered the bathroom vanity. Our shoes were a shared jumble next to the door. He'd brought in a desk and rearranged the office to be shared between us, and I didn't have to use the dining room table for my stuff anymore.

We'd planned to test this out for a month, and somewhere along the way, he'd convinced me he could be the Da I needed. More than that, he'd shown me there was nothing wrong with my self-imposed limits, but it was also all right to stretch them.

As far I could tell, he didn't mind that I wasn't interested in smexy times when in little mode or that I wasn't overly submissive outside of it. Even when I became more comfortable with his caretaking, he didn't push that one. I'd asked about it, but he said it wasn't worth the worry. Then he promptly rearranged my guts, which crossed that off the list of things to worry about.

I loved him. I always had as my best friend, but it was more now. I knew exactly how he would care for me because he already was. That elusive thing he'd kept telling me existed had appeared when I'd let my guard down enough to let him in.

I knew Bear better—about most things—than I knew myself, and I knew he was happy. If being his best friend had been amazing, then being his lover was off the chain. I hadn't known how incredible it would feel to be the center of his world when I was both his boyfriend and best friend .

Levi had asked if I was ashamed of my kink, and I'd thought I wasn't. Maybe I was wrong, though, because fearing rejection over my kink wasn't exactly projecting confidence in it. When Bear was taking care of me, it didn't feel wrong at all. It felt like your favorite ice cream on the best day.

We'd fallen into the routine of a bottle in the morning to start the day and a bath with snuggles to end it. When I'd done little time solo, it had been all or nothing, but Bear had shown me I could have that beautiful in-between. The in-between was where real life happened, and all I had to do was grab it.

"Are you going to come in or stare at me from the door?" Bear asked without looking up from his papers.

"Stare at you from the door."

"Do you, boo, but I'd rather have you over here with me."

"Yeah, why's that?" I asked when I moved closer to him.

"If you're over there, I can't do this." Bear's hand shot out and grabbed one of my wrists. He yanked me closer, buried his face in my neck, and wrapped his arms around me.

They were like warm steel bands, but I only snuggled closer. I wiggled my arm free and wrapped it around his neck. For good measure, I kissed one cheek, his nose, and then his other.

"Babe, you got plans tonight?" Barrett asked.

"Just working on some design concepts. Since the lodge was finalized and you got your funding squared away…yay you…I want to make sure I have so—Oh! Whatcha doing there, big guy?"

Bear's tongue striped a path along my throat column. Before he could answer, or I asked another question, he captured my mouth and plunged his tongue inside.

He kissed me like we had all the time in the world because I had started to realize over the last few weeks that we did. Bear had made it abundantly clear that he'd be perfectly happy if I never left, and I was beginning to feel like I never wanted to go.

It was hard not to imagine a future with him. I'd spent so many years refusing to consider it that I was scared to grab it when the possibility was dangled. Every day, though, was a little clue that maybe it was more like a foregone conclusion. He'd promised to show me he was all in and had done it in spades.

Elizabeth ruled his house like she owned the place. She and Bear had started their own conversations. I hadn't had a pet in years, and I'd never had one who seemed like she could read the room. When I was sad, she snuggled in. When I needed to talk to Bear about something, she'd smack me with her paw until I got up. I'd caught her doing the same with Bear. In the mornings, he joined her on the catio, and they had deep talks about their daily plans.

I didn't want to think about any of that, though, because right now, his tongue was mapping my mouth and his hand was cupping my ass. The combination of it was forcing breathy moans from me, and I'd much rather think about that. He thrust his tongue into my mouth in the rhythm I wished he was fucking me in. My cock swelled, and I ground myself against him.

"Bear, fuuuuuck, can dinner wait?"

"Yep."

Bear deftly unhooked my pants and made quick work of my button-down. He shoved my shirt off and captured my mouth again in a searing kiss that sent sparks shooting through my veins. My choppy breaths were barely enough to drag air into my lungs but damned if I cared so long as he kept his hands on me.

I couldn't stand not tasting him, so I grabbed his hair and dragged his mouth back to mine. Now my tongue plunged into the wet heat of his mouth. His moan vibrated around the room. I wished there was a way I could crawl inside his skin. I wanted to feel him in every damn cell.

Bear managed to shove my pants and underwear down, and through laughs, I got them kicked off. I'd never been naked in front of any man except Bear, and it was hard not to be self-conscious when I stood in front of him buck-ass naked, with the light illuminating every flaw in my body. I hated working out but loved a good milkshake. I didn't have guns for biceps or a six-pack. I skipped leg day because I never went to the gym.

Before I could be self-conscious, Bear's gaze roved over me. "Fuck, babe, you're so goddamn pretty."

His nostrils flared with his heavy breaths as his heated eyes took in every inch of me. He traced my cheek, following the curve of my clavicle. He found first one nipple and then the other. They pebbled beneath his touch, and I shuddered at the sensation.

He continued his path down my soft belly until he reached my dick. It was achingly hard and precum beaded at the spongy head. Bear tortured me with his slow exploration. His finger traced around my head and then across the slit. He continued down my shaft until he cupped my balls and squeezed them gently. "Jesus, babe, you are so fucking perfect. I don't know how I got this lucky."

I didn't understand the reverence in his tone, but I was long past the point where I could analyze it. His fingers softly encircled my cock, and he gave a few tentative strokes. I threw my head back and braced myself against him.

"Bear, oh God, I need you to fuck me." I knew I sounded needy and desperate, but I'd happily accept that accusation if it meant this man's cock would be in my ass sooner rather than later. "Hurry. I need you naked too."

I whipped his T-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. He had changed to lounge pants at some point, so it was light work to push his pants down far enough to free his shaft. I sucked in my breath through my teeth.

His cock was already rock hard and pointing at his stomach. Precum glistened on the head, and I couldn't resent leaning down to taste the salty prize.

"Babe, if you do that, I'll only last two seconds, and my ego will never recover." Bear chuckled.

He laid his hands on my waist and slid them around to grasp my ass checks. Another one of those full-body shudders racked me.

"Bear, I need you."

"You're going to have me."

He captured my mouth in another kiss. This was sloppy and messy, and I loved it. I could hardly believe I finally had free rein to touch the man I'd loved for so long. When Bear found my hole, I moaned into his mouth.

"I don't need prep. C'mon."

"Yes, you do, Owen. I'm not in such a hurry that I'll let you get hurt."

"It's fine. God. It's fine."

My voice felt reedy and croaky, and I just needed to be filled. Bear returned his hands to my waist and lifted me to straddle him while he sat on the barstool chair. His cock was wedged against my ass, and my cock bounced against my stomach, leaving sticky trails across it. I ground against him in an effort to find some relief.

"Shit, Owen, I need to get a condom and some lube. Hold on."

He started to stand with me still on his lap, but I braced myself against the kitchen island to stop him. I didn't have time for all that because if his cock was not in me in less than thirty seconds, there was a legitimate danger of me dying in this kitchen.

I groped around on the island behind me until I found the butter dish. I swiped some with my finger and then immediately shoved my greasy finger up my ass. I hissed at the intrusion but didn't waste much time before moving it in and out.

After a few passes, I added a second finger. My back arched at the sensation. The magic spot that would send me over the edge was frustratingly out of reach. I scissored my fingers in the hope of finding some relief, but I couldn't curl my fingers properly. Bear continued to mouth at my neck and torture my nipples until they were swollen and puffy. I fucking loved it.

"Bear, did you get your tests back?"

That question was enough to stop him in his tracks.

"Yeah," he rasped before clearly his throat and answering again. "Yeah, I did. All negative."

"Good, then we don't need a condom."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you okay with that?"

"I, uh, I've never gone bare with anyone."

I leaned forward and said against his lips, "Then I guess I get to punch your V-card too."

Bear grasped me by the nape of my neck and slammed our lips together. He growled until I parted my lips and then plunged inside to own me. I kept fucking myself until I could add a third finger. I tore my mouth away from him and threw my head back when the sensations threatened to overwhelm me.

"I guess we're gonna break in my kitchen."

He reached over to the butter dish, scooped some up, and slathered it on his dick. My mouth watered when I realized I was going to get exactly what I wanted. Bear easily hoisted me higher and lined up his dick with my hole .

I reached back to help guide him into me and let out a low groan when he breached the first ring of muscles. Bear eased me down slowly, allowing me to get used to the intrusion. The fullness felt like I would be rendered in two, but I worked to breathe through it. I knew it would be worth the momentary pinch of pain once I got to the other side.

"Bear, don't move yet," I panted.

Bear kept still and let me adjust. He occupied himself with jacking my dick that had flagged at the temporary pain. Within a few strokes, I was hard and aching again. Bear leaned forward and placed soft kisses across my chest, along with licks and sucks. I would definitely have marks in the morning, and that made me purr.

My hands found their way to Bear's firm pecs with their colorful tattoos. I dug my fingers into them when his cock twitched in my ass.

"Shit, babe, I'm trying not to move," Bear said with a strangled groan.

I raised myself up in an experimental move, and it scraped the tip of his cock against my prostate. That alone was enough to make me try it again with the same swoon-worthy result. Each pass shoved the pain further away to be replaced by a pure pulsing sensation. Every nerve ending sizzled with need and all I could focus on was having the sensation repeated again and again.

"Bear, your dick feels so good. Fuck."

I leveraged myself with my knees braced on either side of him and bounced on his cock like my life depended on it. My life might actually depend on it because I felt like my heart was going to explode. All the pain had been forgotten, and only pleasure remained. Heat thrummed through my body as I came closer and closer to the edge.

Bear was right there with me. He threw his head back and the vein that ran along his neck pulsed a rapid staccato. When Bear wrapped his hand around my leaking dick, I wanted to cry with relief. His hand still had enough butter on it to easily glide along my shaft. We'd both been reduced to grunts, groans, and growls.

When I was sure I would fall apart, my release exploded across Bear's chest. Ropes of cum ribboned his pecs with a few stronger pulses leaving globs on his chin and cheeks. My world frayed on the edges as my thundering heart threatened to pound out of my chest.

My orgasm triggered Bear's, and with a powerful snap of his hips, he joined me in oblivion. The hot spurt of his cum coated my channel, which triggered another spurt of cum from my nearly spent cock. I knew nothing I'd ever feel would compare to having no barrier between us.

I let my now boneless body collapse onto Bear, and he managed to hold me with well-placed hands on my ass. His soft cock would eventually slip out of my body, but I wanted the sensation of being full of him to last a bit longer. Actually, I wanted it to last forever.

"Bear, I love you."

I hadn't expected the words to slip out, but now that they had, I didn't want to take them back.

"I love you too, Babe."

Bear leaned down and softly traced the line of my lips. When my mouth parted slightly, he dipped inside. It was lazy and soft and lovely. When he drew back, he kissed my forehead, eyebrows, cheeks, and nose, and then back to my lips again. "I"—kiss—"love"—kiss—"you"—kiss—"too"—kiss with tongue that curled my toes and made me forget my name.

"So where do we go from here?"

I didn't like the shyness in my voice but damned if it wasn't there anyway .

"We go upstairs and shower, come back down for dinner, and spend the rest of tonight cuddled with Elizabeth and watching trash TV."

Bear kneaded my butt where he was holding to keep me on his lap. It made concentration difficult. Incredibly difficult. Almost impossible, really. "Do you need help in the shower?"

My quirked eyebrow was my only answer.

"That's a yes. Let's go."

Bear gingerly lifted me up a little and his soft cock slipped out of me. His cum trickled out afterward in a messy stream. The sense of loss was palatable. I wanted to keep all the pieces of him inside. If only the novels Jakob loved were real and I could somehow get pregnant.

That thought sent me into a fit of giggles, imagining what mpreg would look like in real life. There was only one obvious answer about where babies came out, but then that opened a whole world of jokes fitting for a twelve-year-old boy. I tried hard to suppress the giggles but lost the battle.

"What's so funny, babe?" Bear asked.

"Do you know what mpreg is?"

"Never heard of it. Does it have something to do with managing your projects?"

"Ha! Not quite, but I'll explain it over dinner."

I was still giggling when we hustled up the stairs for a very thorough shower.

This was the life I wanted.