Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

22nd December

Dean

“ I ’m going to miss this suit.” Echo sits on the bed just in black boxer briefs and his socks, stroking the red fabric of the Santa suit with the same intensity he does when he caresses my skin.

I look at him from the doorway of my closet as I contemplate wearing something blessedly normal. I’m in my Captain Marvel briefs and socks. I’m just thrilled I don’t have to wear red again. “You’ve got a suit of your own, Mister Elf.”

“I know. Will said I could keep it. But it’s not like this one.”

“I don’t see why you like it so much. You spent most of the time trying to get me out of it.”

He gives me a heated look. “Exactly.”

I realize I’ve missed something important and curse myself for being an idiot.

“I could keep it if you like. You could spend all year stripping the suit off me.”

“It wouldn’t be as much fun then.” Echo strokes it again.

As I watch him fondle the fabric, I’m tempted to lay across it and beg him to stroke me instead. I’m sure he’d do it if I asked nicely.

“You know I’m starting to get worried,” I say. “Maybe you prefer the suit to me.”

“We-ll…” he drawls, laughing as I flip him off. “Come here.”

I ignore him for a moment, but Echo coaxes me with his hand, and I take a flying leap onto the bed.

“ Oooof! ” He sags under my weight. “Santa needs to go on a diet.”

But he doesn’t seem to mind too much as he rolls me under him. I wrap my arms and legs around him and hold him tight. Echo sighs as he buries his face in my neck.

“You smell so good,” he murmurs. “Most men use woodsy colognes, but you always smell like a summer rainfall or an ocean wave.”

My man is poetic. My heart patters again.

“I’m surrounded by trees,” I say, running my hands down his back. “I want something to remind me of the beach.”

Echo nibbles on my earlobe. “I like the way you smell.”

That’s good because I didn’t have any plans to change my aftershave. I thought about that too. Once upon a Dean-was-screwed-up time, I would have changed anything about me just to make a man happy. I think Echo has given me the confidence to be my own man.

“Fuck me,” I whisper, arching my hips in invitation.

‘I’ve got to go to work soon.”

Echo is pulling double shifts to get a few days off over Christmas. I’m on call for the firehouse but so far it has been quiet today.

“I know,” I say, and wiggle again.

“I don’t have time for a fuck and a shower. How about a sixty-nine?” he suggests.

“That sounds perfect.” I sigh happily.

He wriggles, okay, more of a flop, off me and turns so we’re now on our sides, cock to mouth. I give the head of his dick a lick, and I love the way he moans. It makes my dick harder still.

I love how reactive Echo is to any form of touch. He says touch is his love language, but I wonder if he realizes how touch-starved he sometimes comes across. I’m happy to make up for that. I never want to take my hands off him.

He licks up my shaft, balls to tip.

It’s my turn to moan loudly. “Fuck!”

“Later, honey,” he mumbles against my thigh. “Now I’m going to suck your brains out, and you’re going to do the same to me.”

I can live with that. His beautiful dick is hard now and ready for my mouth. I suck lightly on the head, dipping my tongue in the slit.

He groans, hot breath on my thigh. “I can’t focus if you keep doing that.”

“Let me suck you off, then you can do me,” I suggest.

I don’t mind what order we come as long as I get to climax down his throat.

He grunts which I take to mean he agrees, and his little hip wiggle I guess means suck me down, big boy.

I smile. I’m still awed by the humor I find in having sex with a man I care for compared to a hookup with a random stranger.

“I need your mouth, honey,” he pleads, his hands in my hair, nudging me toward his dick again.

I hold one hip and lick and nibble along his shaft. He can focus enough to do the same for me. I swipe a drop of pre-cum from the slit and lick around the glans, then I take him inside and he lets out a moan around the head of my cock.

It becomes both of us working together, trying to push the other one to climax. My orgasm is there, my balls drawn up tight, ready to explode, but Echo thrusts his dick down my throat, knowing I can take it, and comes in salty spasms. I pull back and swallow around him, wanting to taste him, drawing out his orgasm, only for my body to take over, and I come too in his hot and greedy mouth, my cry around his softening dick. I collapse against his thigh, too sated to move for a moment, feeling grounded by his hands in my hair.

“I’m going to be so late,” Echo grumbles as he dresses in his work uniform of a Randy’s polo shirt and black jeans.

He stomps into his boots and stares around the room, collecting his wallet from the chest. “Where are my keys?”

We both search, but neither of us find his key ring with the bright green alligator.

“Randy is gonna kill me if I’m late. He’s supposed to pick up his granddaughter from Pre-K.”

“I’ll drive you to work,” I suggest.

“Then I can’t get home. But I can’t get home anyway if I can’t find my keys.” His shoulders slump, and he looks defeated.

I can’t have that. I reel him into my arms and kiss his cheek. “I’ll hunt for your keys while you’re at work. Call me when you’re almost done, and I’ll pick you up. Quit panicking. You’ll be five minutes late, tops.”

He sighs and leans on my shoulder. More grumbling. “I’m sorry.”

I rub his back. “It’s okay.”

I’ve swiftly learned Echo hates being late. He wants to be somewhere thirty minutes early. But so do I. We’ll be there fifteen minutes early. But I’ll give him a chance to moan and grumble, and then he’ll apologize when he gets there on time.

“I shouldn’t yell at you.” He pauses. “Well, I should. It’s your fault today, but I didn’t have to say yes.”

“You could have turned down a blowjob,” I agree.

Another pause.

“I kind of hate you right now.”

“You’re welcome. Come on,” I say.

We arrive at Randy’s exactly fifteen minutes before his shift starts.

Echo unbuckles his seatbelt and turns to look at me. “You know what I love about you the most?”

My heart leaps at the love part but I know that’s not what he means. “My monster cock. That’s it, isn’t it. You love my?—”

“Much as I love your cock, that’s not what I was thinking of.”

I pout at him, and then I grin. “Tell me what you love the most.”

“You never say I told you so.”

“About?”

Now he scowls at me. “Do you want me to spell it out?”

I wait.

He sighs. “Thanks for getting me here on time.”

“You’re welcome.” I squeeze his thigh. “Go on. I’ll look for your keys later. Don’t overdo it on your ankle, okay?”

“Fine, fine.”

“And call me when you need a ride home.”

“I can walk.”

I fix him with the stare my brother always uses on me. Echo shudders. I’ve got to thank Danny for teaching me that ‘don’t fuck with me’ look. It won’t work with Echo forever; Danny’s family are immune to it, but while it does, happy days.

I look around. No one is watching. I lean forward and give him a kiss. “Let me take care of you while I can?”

Echo lets out a gusty sigh. “I’m not used to anyone caring enough to worry about what I do.”

“What about Hebe?”

“She’s only interested if I get into trouble. We have this agreement.”

I chuckle. “You can be a good boy or a bad boy with me.”

He waggles his eyebrows and almost purrs his reply. “I am very happy to be a bad boy with you.”

I shiver in anticipation. Then I do a decent impression of a snake shedding its skin at the knock on the window. I look over my shoulder to see Randy scowling at me.

“Is your boyfriend shifting his butt?”

I’m not sure why that is aimed at me, and I try hard not to flinch at the boyfriend crack. Echo brushes my thigh, a comforting gesture, and then he slides out of the car, telling Randy to “Keep your panties on. It’s still ten minutes before my shift starts.”

“You’re always early,” Randy grumbles. “Don’t change your habit now.”

“I’m still early,” Echo points out. “Dean made sure I was here on time.”

He turns to smile at me, mouths, “I love you,” and he’s gone inside the bar before I even have a chance to respond.

I stare at the closed door for a long while processing what he said to me. He loves me.

Echo loves me.

What in heaven am I going to do about that?

I drive home in a daze to be honest. I’m lucky I don’t crash into anything. When I get inside my house it seems so quiet. Echo fills the place with his laughter and his excitement, even his odd grumbles.

I’m tempted to go to bed, just to hold his pillow and breathe in his scent, but Danny coerced me into delivering a few Christmas parcels from the mayor’s office to needy folk in Collier’s Creek. I’m sure he’s got staff who can do that, but apparently, he’d rather use his brother. I’m surprised he hasn’t made me dress up in the Santa costume to deliver them. Still, it gives me a chance to catch up with old Creekers I don’t get to chat with often enough.

I spend fifteen minutes tidying up my bedroom, relieved when I discover Echo’s keys under the chair. “Your daddy will be happy,” I say to Ariel, who’s claimed my pillow now the bed has been made. She’s a funny girl. She won’t come on the bed if we’re both sleeping but the second the bed has been made, she claims my pillow as her own. She chirrups as if in agreement, but that’s the extent of our interaction.

I message Echo. Found keys.

Keep them. See you later.

Want me to take you to your home?

No yours.

I pet Ariel. “You’ll be staying another night, princess.”

I could take her home, but Echo will be back here tonight, and I like her company. She seems quite relaxed here. I spend a few minutes stroking her and telling her how much I like her daddy. She knows this of course, but she doesn’t laugh at me, just absorbs the attention like a sponge. I should really get a cat of my own, or maybe Echo will let me borrow Ariel like the sheriff borrows Barky. Maybe Echo will let me borrow him too.

I leave Ariel with a treat Echo insists she loves. It’s something smelly and horrid but she leaps on it like it’s caviar. Then I head out to deliver my packages. After they’re delivered and I stop to chat to everyone, I decide to veer over to my brother’s before it gets too late and hand over the Santa suit.

JoBeth who looks confused when she opens the door and sees me standing there. “Dean, I didn’t expect to see you today. Danny’s still at the office. I can call him and let him know you’re on your way over.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t come to see him. I just came over to return the suit.” I held it out to her. “I cleaned it for you.”

A second time. I wasn’t going to explain what happened to it the first time I cleaned it.

“You don’t have to give it back.”

Now I’m confused. “Why would I want to keep it?”

Her lips twitch. “You could wear it next year. It fits you so well.”

I thrust it at her so hard she has to take it. “Oh no, I’m never playing Santa again. One year is enough. Even if you made that suit for me.”

I notice she doesn’t deny the accusation. “I thought you liked being Santa. You certainly seemed to be having fun last night.” She waggles her eyebrows at me.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I lie.

“So Deputy Ben didn’t see you kissing a bartender last night?”

I grunt, because now I can’t deny it, and she laughs.

“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

I’m not sure how much of a secret it is, considering the whole town has caught us kissing at one time or another.

My niece wanders out of the kitchen, smiling when she spots me. “Hey, Uncle Dean. I made a cake this afternoon. I tried a new recipe and need someone to try it. Everyone says they’re full up after dinner.”

She returns to the kitchen. I can’t hold back my grimace. JoBeth gives me a half-pleading, half-if-you-try-to-run-away-I’ll-tackle-you-to-the-ground look.

“Can’t you feed it to the sheriff? He likes cakes,” I hiss.

“The last time he ate one of Kathy’s cakes he had such bad indigestion Ben thought he was having a heart attack. Now I’m banned from bringing them to the office. Ben actually reamed me out for attempting to kill his husband. Me! The mayor’s wife!”

I slap my hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh at her indignant expression, and attract Kathy’s attention. “What do you do with the cakes?” I whisper so Kathy can’t hear me.

“Torture the local wildlife.”

I stare at her in horror, and she sighs. “I throw them in the dumpster. I’m not that mean to the birds.”

I chuckle, and she joins in. “What cake is it this time?”

“Red velvet cake. It looks better than her other attempts.”

Looks can be deceiving. I chew the solid mass for a moment, aware of Kathy’s eyes on me. I swallow hard, wishing I had a glass of milk or something to wash it down.

“It’s up to Kathy’s standards,” I assure her.

She smiles like I’d made her day and flings her arms around me. “I knew it was a good cake.”

I catch JoBeth smirking at me over her daughter’s head. “I’ll never forgive you,” I mouth.

“You’re welcome.”

After the cake torture, JoBeth makes me a coffee to wash it away, and I spend time with two of the favorite women in my life. Apart from her lack of baking skills, Kathy is a fun and happy late teen, without a lot of angst that seems to accompany teenage years. She takes after her mom in that regard. I adore JoBeth, and she loves me even if, as she tells me frequently, I drive her nuts. I know all she wants is me to find the love of my life. Maybe one day soon I can tell her I’ve found him, because I think Echo is that man. He makes me so happy I want to hug myself.

An hour later, I leave them with kisses on the cheek, half a block of red velvet cake, and a promise I’ll see them on Christmas Day. I don’t promise to see them at the church service in the morning. Most years I join them because Danny insists I come, but this year I’ll see what Echo wants to do. He’s my number one concern now. I smile to myself, then look up to see Kathy watching me. I raise an eyebrow.

“Happiness is a good look on you, Uncle Dean.”

I’m halfway down the road when it hits me like a two by four. I’ve never told Echo that I love him. Never. What an idiot I am. I smack my forehead hard. I yelp because that hurt, but I deserve it. My man deserves better than me.

I stop, turn the car around carefully without totaling it and me on the ice, and drive back to my brother’s. I pull up to the driveway and stare at myself in the mirror. I must be crazy doing this. Full on, outright, lost my mind crazy. But I get out of the car and hammer on the door.

“Coming,” JoBeth calls out.

It doesn’t matter what time of day or night it is, she always sounds as if she’s happy to be disturbed.

I hear her trot down the hall and open the door.

“Hi…Dean?” She furrows her brow. “Why is there a red mark on your forehead?”

Trust her to spot that. ‘I’m fine.”

But she doesn’t look reassured. “Is something wrong? Did you crash the car in the two minutes since you left?” She peers behind me and spots my truck, intact.

I take my courage in my hands, praying she doesn’t laugh at me too hard. “JoBeth, may I borrow the Santa suit again?”