Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CLAY

"This is fine," I grumble to myself as I look around the house. "Totally normal."

I've made some progress. All the boxes and tools are pushed to the walls. There are sheets on the bed. I even grabbed some of the old gay junk from the basement, a few useful things like a bathmat, purple curtains for the front window, a waffle iron.

It's livable. And Nicholas has already seen my place. He understands my situation. But now he's about to walk through that door again, and no matter how many times I re-stack the boxes, I can't seem to get it how I want it.

I throw the broom into the closet. Walk over and look at the bouquet he gave me, which I've got on the kitchen table. Crack my knuckles.

Need to calm the fuck down.

But I'm nervous. And excited. Anxious in a way I haven't been about sex since I was young.

Eager to prove something to myself, too.

I know there's nothing wrong about what Nicholas and I are doing. I don't buy into any of that homophobic crap. But there's still risk to this. It's unknown. And being bi could impact my life in all kinds of ways.

It adds an extra edge of thrill to whatever is about to come. Whatever I let myself want.

Last time, I didn't really think. My body responded to his, and I moved the way I wanted to. Same as I would with a woman, even though the feel of his body and the unfamiliar scent made everything different.

There's a knock on the door, and I push a hand through my hair. I'm just in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, and I immediately wonder if that's right. He likes dates and stuff like that.

Although we're not dating.

I did shave.

Yesterday.

When I open the door, Nicholas is in shorts and a button-up shirt. He's smiling, and I want to pull him inside, but I don't let myself.

"Come in."

"Hi!" He steps in and bends to untie his shoes. "If you ever change your mind about relationships and decide to get married," he says, "do yourself a favor and defer to your florist. Or go ahead and pay an arm and a leg to import special-request flowers that might not arrive on time anyway. But at least consider some local, in-season alternatives first. And don't come to the shop panicking at closing time."

I scoff. "Don't worry. There's no timeline in which I get married."

He shoots his eyes up to me. "Shame. You'd look great in a tux."

"People are disappointing, especially if you make them family. Hell, I don't see how you can listen to ridiculous wedding flower requests all day and not get cynical about it."

Nicholas stands. "Love is ridiculous, yes. And gay culture is a little ridiculous sometimes, too. But we have a lot to say! And when you're in love, you need everything to be big and loud to match how big and loud the love feels."

I snort out a laugh. "Maybe you do. I reserve my big and loud moments for dire emergencies. Life-and-death shit."

"Like fleeing an angry bear?" he asks sweetly.

"Exactly." I fight off a smile. "Can I get you a drink?"

"What do you have?"

"Bottled water. Beer." I look up at the ceiling. "Coffee."

Nicholas shrugs. "Sure, I'll take a beer."

I get us each bottles from the fridge. "All that romance might be over the top, but I can see that it sells. You've got a good business down there. Must make you proud."

"Thanks for saying that. Yeah, I am quite proud. Although I'm still on a shoestring until I pay off my startup loans," he adds.

I nod and pour the beer into glasses. "Loans or not, it's impressive. By the time I'm thirty next year, I'll have a business I can call my own, too. But it will take me years to properly establish myself after that."

We move over to the couch, taking seats across from each other, and Nicholas clinks his glass to mine.

"Truthfully, it's been a stressful couple of days at Blossom," he confesses. "It's nice to remember that I'm generally successful."

I wrinkle my brow. "What's up?"

He shrugs like it's no big deal. "A corporate flower shop is moving in down the street and coming after my best product sources," he says. "I'm still figuring out what it's going to mean for the business."

"Shit. That sucks." I nearly reach out to touch him, but I'm not sure if that's right, so I redirect and rub the back of my head awkwardly instead. "Your store is special. You've got something a corporate shop could never offer."

"Thanks. And I'm plucky," he jokes, the sparkle back in his eye, "so I've got a few things going for me. But it definitely does suck. How are your projects going?"

"These repairs are doable, but they aren't cheap. I think I'm going to have do what you did, take out a loan. I can do it against the value of the house to make it work."

I'll be able to pay the loans back as soon as I sell, but I still don't like it.

Unlike me, Nicholas doesn't hesitate to reach out. His hand lands on my knee, and the warmth of his touch eases through me, unloosening some of my wound nerves.

"You're doing great," he tells me. "I can see how much you're getting done on the building every day. Even if it takes some extra paperwork, you'll figure this out."

I nod. "Thanks," I mumble, wanting to say more but not sure how to.

Nicholas smiles. "I guess we've both earned a good time."

"Yeah." I half-smile, too.

Nicholas drinks from his beer as he eyes me. "Have you thought about tonight?" he asks. "Where does your curiosity take you?"

I've thought about this enough that I barely hesitate before I answer.

"Your ass," I answer, holding his eye, and Nicholas shudders. "Can't stop thinking about that ass."

Anal is nothing new to me. Other parts of him are way more intimidating.

But that ass...

I'm already hard as he takes a slow drag of the beer.

"It's very hot to me that you want to touch my ass. I'm only ready for fingers, though, today."

I growl under my breath. "Great. Perfect."

Now that we're talking, I'm growing impatient to get started. I want to pull him to me, get his clothes off and feel his skin. See if it's like I remember, if his body is as hard and hot against mine.

But I'm not trying to rush this and fuck something up, either. So I put my glass down and lean forward, placing my body close to his. Steadying myself, but not taking what I want.

"What about you?" I ask, adding a hint of a demand in my voice. He seems to respond to that. "Tell me what you want."

He bats his eyelashes. "I like this. We each get one special request."

I want to touch his ass right fucking now.

I tighten my gaze. "Good." I touch his side, feeling the top of his shorts. "Tell me what you want so I can give it to you."

"Just kiss me while you touch me," he says, panting under his breath. "Kiss me and keep kissing me."

Easy.

Nicholas drags his hands along the side of my head, and it's over. I pull him up into my arms and kiss him, burying my tongue in his mouth. Like last time, my desire seems to lead the way, and any awkwardness or insecurity burns off.

Nicholas is soft and first. Tender and giving when I kiss him. Then he kisses me back just as hard. His lips close over my mouth as he grinds against me, and Nicholas tugs me down to the couch.

We writhe, making out. Our feet tangle, our dicks rub through our clothes, and Nicholas lets out these pleased moans of pleasure.

Sexy as hell.

He tastes sweet, with a hint of beer. My hands roam up under his shirt, feeling his warm sides, and he whispers my name.

Like before, he drags his body against mine with purpose. Coaxing me and challenging me with his soft lips.

"Naked," he says with a pant. "We should both be naked."

I stand and pull him up with me. "Come. I want you in my bed for this."

Nicholas pulls his shirt off. "Gladly."

He goes ahead of me, swaying his hips. He passes the guest room at first, but that's the room I'm using, so I pull him in.

Glad to have some guidance, I make sure to kiss him a lot, planting my lips on his. We explore each other as we stand beside the bed, and every time his dick brushes against mine, I shake with pleasure.

Nicholas goes to the bed first. He shimmies out of his underwear, totally naked.

His cock hangs there, half-hard. He's a little smaller than me, with curly, light hairs, and a pink, spongy crown.

He gets harder as I look at him, and I can practically feel his heat rising. Instead of looking away or pretending I don't care, I let my eyes drag over his body, exploring every inch of his cock with my gaze.

I pull my jeans open and yank my hard dick out. "Fucking hell. You are a beautiful man."

A flush goes over his skin, and I like that the compliment pleases him. He rubs one foot against the other, his thighs tight, as he looks up at me.

"You're gorgeous," he says to me.

I kick my pants off and go to him. No one has ever called me that.

Gorgeous.

Nothing like it, either. Maybe he's just being nice, but it twists something inside me, and all I can think about is satisfying him.

Kissing him again, like he's mine.

We roll around the bed, wrestling a little while we make out, tossing power back and forth. Our erections bounce and hit each other, jolting me with pleasure, a surprise against my hot skin. My dick leaks, and Nicholas pulls my hand to his mouth. He eyes me as he sucks two fingers in, swirling his tongue around them, warm and wet.

"Touch me," he says. "Just the rim at first."

He gets on his back, and I take up a position between his legs. Nicholas lifts his own leg, but I take it so he doesn't have to. With my free hand, I go to his cheeks.

His ass is firm, but soft as I squeeze him, groping. Just feeling him like this drives me crazy, and I grind my teeth, pulsing with how hard I want to slide my dick inside Nicholas. My hand goes to his crease, and I shake with lust when I brush across his hole.

It's so hot and tight, tempting between his firm cheeks. There are light hairs around the rim, soft when I stroke across them, and that ignites my curiosity.

Nicholas shudders with pleasure. "Have you ever experimented with anal before?" he asks, breathy.

"More than a few times."

I push my fingers along his crease again, and when Nicholas shifts his hips and opens himself further to me, I ache with how much I want him.

This urge to fill him with my dick.

I spit on my fingers and go back to playing with his rim, exploring him with strokes. Nicholas pants, accepting the pleasure I'm giving him. "Feels good. Just like that."

I keep doing what I'm doing, working a slow circle as I trust him to guide me. "Your ass is so tight and hot."

"You like it?"

"Makes me want to do all kinds of things to you."

Nicholas wriggles his hips, and I feel his hole stretch against my fingertips.

He grabs my wrist, holding me there. "Don't move," he says and shakes.

My dick is fat against my abs, and a rivulet of precum dribbles down my shaft.

"There's lube in my jacket," he says. "I forgot to grab it earlier."

I grunt and nod to the nightstand. "I got some. Can you reach?"

Nicholas wiggles his eyebrows. "You already keep lube around. Very interesting." He reaches for the drawer and pulls it out. "Half-decent brand, too."

I grunt and snatch it from him. He's teasing me, and I'm so horny I'm about to explode. "I use it to jerk off."

"That's hot."

I have no idea why it's hot, but I don't care right now. Right now, all I care about is getting lube all over my fingers so I can feel inside Nicholas.

He repositions, lifting both of his knees. His veiny erection is stiff, also leaking, and my eyes trace over the shape of him.

That sensitive, twitching cock is driving me wild.

Beautiful Nicholas with the flower shop. All on display for me, his attraction rock hard and obvious. Fucking sexy.

I warm up some lube in my hand and lower down, kissing him as I put my hand between his legs. My slicked fingers find his hole again, and Nicholas's rim puckers, which drives me wild. I rub circles over his entrance, feeling the way he tries to tug me in and kissing him, before Nicholas finally calls out.

"That's good," he gasps, half whine and half demand. "I'm ready for your fingers."

I push one finger in, sinking into his heat. Nicholas sucks in a deep breath and arches his hips, and I naturally push in another inch as I kiss his neck, drag my tongue up to his chin.

"Feels good, nice and slow," he encourages and barely moves his hips. I pull my finger back, feeling the wet heat inside of him, and the urge to take him burns through me like a wildfire.

"Okay," he says. "More."

When I get a second finger in, he throws his head back.

"Strong hands."

I meet him in another kiss. Feels amazing to be inside of him. When I stroke him, his entire body reacts.

"Easy," he says, mouth at my lips. "Just like that."

I pump my dick with my free hand, slow, savoring every sensation. Learning him. I grip my erection while I explore inside him with my fingers, fantasizing about entering him with my cock.

"Inside," he says. "Behind my balls. Do you feel that spo-awww-auut! Oh fuck!"

There's a hard spot there, and I press it again.

"Damn," I growl, pleased by his reaction, and reposition to rub my dick against his, wanting more of that contact.

My mind catches up with me, and I remember his request. Back above him, I'm able to lower myself down, grind my body against Nicholas, and take him in a deep, full kiss.

My fingers are sunk in his ass, and I work them in and out as we kiss. Nicholas drops his legs, and he manages to get a hand between our bodies.

"Okay?" he asks, panting, and when I grunt a yes, he grips my dick, too.

I stroke his spot, doing my best to meet the rhythm he sets with his hips.

"So good," he says, panting again. "Tell me what else you want to do to my hole."

I bite at his lip. "Lick it." I push my fingers deeper. "Fill it with my fingers." I stroke in and out again. "Stuff you with my cock."

Nicholas fucks me back, bouncing himself on my fingers harder, and I feel his body open. "You'd feel so big inside me."

"Good. I know you'd like it."

Nicholas cries out, and his hole clenches around my fingers. I'm pressing the spot he showed me, and I keep my fingers there as he shakes.

He jerks my cock harder, faster, and when he sprays, I realize I'm orgasming, too. I kiss Nicholas and pump into his fist, driving myself off the cliff, and I shoot again and again.

The climax rips me apart, and when I collapse on top of him with a groan, my fingers are buried deep.

He cuddles up to me. "That was amazing," he murmurs.

"Hell yeah," I agree. I pull my fingers out and grope his ass. My brain is a haze, but I know I'm not comfortable cuddling, so I give him another good squeeze and a kiss as I extract myself.

Touching his ass is one thing. But it doesn't matter how good it feels—I am not cuddling right now.

Instead, I pull on my boxers, get the stuff together to clean up, and grab Nicholas a cool glass of water. By the time I'm back, he's already up and gathering his clothes.

"Hey," I say as I hand him the water. "Cool," I add, totally failing with my words.

Nicholas smiles. "Yeah," he agrees, and his lips are still flushed and puffy. "Cool."