Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

CHASE

H e’s so beautiful, I can’t take my eyes off him. He walks into a room and I’m useless. All I can do is bask in the warmth of my incredible good luck. Dimples, nose scrunches, and graphite stained fingertips. Sleepy morning smiles and cold feet tucked between my thighs.

It happened so naturally, I never could have believed it was even possible until one day it was. Falling in love was something that happened to other people, maybe me when I was older. More established. Once I’d closed the book on my abandonment issues, probably. But then he was, and once he was, there was no going back. Forward was the only thing that mattered anymore. Forward, because he turned my world upside down and I’m so eternally grateful for the chance to show him how incredible he is.

A torrent of ice cold water hits me in the side of the head. “Quit waxing poetic and help me measure!” Brady barks, kinking the garden hose with a scowl.

I shake like a dog, sending droplets flying. “Must you be so fucking dramatic? You could have just called my name.”

He finally shuts the damn hose off and huffs. “I did. Like, ten times. You were too busy looking at my brother with hearts in your eyes to notice.”

“Can you blame me?” I mutter to myself. He’s sketching something, soaking up the sunshine again, and he’s practically glowing. His back is against the fence, earphones blocking out our embarrassing attempt once again to finish Brady’s deck, better known as the bane of my existence.

Probably for the best he’s not paying attention because any illusions he was under that I’m a capable person would be shattered if he saw this mess unfolding.

Brady’s glare would be scathing if I didn’t know him better. “Be gross with my little brother some other time. I want this to be done already.”

Before I can think better of it, I say, “It would be done if I set it on fire.”

I’m never doing another construction project for as long as I live. This is beyond fucking awful. “Oh, c’mon, it’s gonna be fine. We know what we did wrong last time, we won’t do it again.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that every other person on the planet would know to make something that people stand on level? We are so out of our depth here, it’s laughable.”

My torturer sighs heavily. “We always are and then we figure it out and it just works. It’s our thing. We have a system.”

“Where can I unsubscribe from this lunacy?”

He laughs and laughs. Oh, where did it all go wrong?

~~~

Four hours later, and more Bob the Builder shit than I’m able to muster, this thing is level and framed. Brady is lucky he’s the best friend I’ve ever had or his way too motivational attitude would have landed me in a jail cell hours ago.

“See, what did I tell you, Ace? This looks amazing. ”

He ignores my glare. “I’m so glad you’re happy. Can I go home now?”

Brady beams at me. “We did a good job. Say it.”

I hate him, I really think I do. “No.” He laughs as I stalk off to go collect my Chaos so I can get away from this madness. Easton’s smile is breathtaking when my shadow causes him to look up after spending all afternoon buried in a sketch.

“You about ready to go home, sweetheart?” I reach a hand out and pull him to his feet. Those damn dimples when he looks my way will be the death of me one day, I know it.

It’ll be well worth it, though. Easton hums as he stretches his neck. “Yes. Home sounds perfect right now. Wanna see?” He holds out the sketchbook as an offering, but is almost surprised when I take it. Sue me, I’m never turning down an opportunity to see his creations.

Times like this, I really wish I’d gotten my mom’s artistic mind so I could tell him how amazing he is in great detail. He inspires words in me that have never had a place before, ones I don’t even know but I’d search every language on the planet for if it means he knows how special he is. “It’s so beautiful, Easton. We should frame it and put it up in the house somewhere.”

Thin fingers tug on my own as he pulls me towards home. “Ha-ha. Yeah, right.”

He truly has no idea. Everything he touches belongs in a gallery somewhere, and today’s is no exception. A baby dragon hatching, bits of shell stuck to his slimy scales. It’s so realistic, I’m certain if I touch it, the sharp tip of its claw will draw blood.

Easton waves to his brother as he eyes what we accomplished today then looks back to me. “No offense, but that looks like it was hell.”

Finally, someone gets it. “Hell would have been a beach vacation. I’m sure the only reason I’m still on my feet is because my dignity won’t allow me to die here.”

He laughs, but it’s a sympathetic sound that makes my chest tight. “He certainly keeps you busy. Our parents were big believers in that whole idle hands thing, it’s how I got into drawing. Poor Brady had to go to work with Dad a lot.”

Huh. He’s actually never told me that.

I don’t realize I said that out loud until Easton scrunches his nose up and elaborates. “Yeah, I guess I’m lucky I wasn’t the favorite because I would not have done well on a construction site. I’m not sure it was the best environment for Brady either, though. He would barely talk to me when they came home, and you know he’s not good if he’s quiet. The manual labor part of it really seemed to stick for some reason.”

Well, shit. Now I feel like an asshole. I can’t help but remember Brady at eighteen who was hardly capable of sitting still, always dragging me around campus to the point that we were barely in our room long enough to sleep sometimes. It used to drive me crazy, but now I just feel bad because that was all he knew.

“I have an idea,” Easton announces.

There’s a look in his eye, a mix of apprehension, a spark of hope laced with want. It has me endlessly curious, my dick twitching with interest. “An idea, huh? And what would that be?”

He leans close, so close that his lips almost brush mine as he whispers in a silky voice, “Trust me?”

My head bobs up and down. “Easily, baby.”

My Chaos smiles, and it hits me all the way down to my core. “Good, let’s shower.”

I don’t know what his little idea is but I need no arm twisting to get naked and wet with him ever. I’d wake up from a coma if he whispered that in my ear. Probably from the dead, too, if I’m being real.

My sore body trudges on, following him through the house and into the bathroom.

He gets the water warming up and as we lose our clothes; I find myself completely lost in a heated, slow kiss. He tastes like fresh summertime, and I’m hopelessly addicted. The way he sighs contently into my mouth, almost like he’s coming home, is permanently seared in my brain. My hands find his hips, both to hold him steady and myself. Easton weaves his arms around my neck, making our bare chests brush. A sharp zing of arousal pulses through me, causing me to groan.

Easton nips at my bottom lip, the little fucking minx, but before I can chase him, his head wrenches back. His eyes dart around, taking in the steam surrounding us. “Shit. I got sidetracked. We’re gonna run out of hot water before I can do what I want with you.”

Well, that particular phrase has my already lust drunk brain jumping up and down with excitement. “Do what you want with me?”

He smirks. “Yes. If we’re going to do that, we have to get in the shower. Come on,” he demands, pulling me into the warm stream with him.

As my muscles begin to loosen and relax, Easton gets straight to work soaping up my hair and spending an absolutely heavenly amount of time massaging the shampoo into my scalp. He takes the same care from my head to my feet and everything in between. By the time he finishes up on himself and we get rinsed off, I’m swaying on my feet. Easton isn’t done though. He dries me first, then quickly himself and instructs me to go lie on the bed, face down.

Doing as I’m told is new, but not an unwelcome change of pace for me. It’s much more natural for me to be the one making all the decisions, but it’s nice to be able to switch my brain off with Easton and just enjoy.

When he asked if I trusted him, I meant what I said. Trusting Easton has been as easy as everything else is with him, but it’s strange to think that at the beginning of summer, I didn’t trust guys enough to give them my last name. Any actual information about me was too much for me to give anyone I slept with. But Easton? It’s all his, there was never a question. My home, my life, my heart.

I cross my arms under my cheek after laying down, watching my perfect Chaos fuss around in the bathroom, looking for something. He’s got a towel tied around his waist, real shame that, but it is fun to watch him. He obviously wants this to be perfect, that sentiment alone is enough to have my heart soaring.

“Ah-ha!” Easton spins around to face me, grinning triumphantly, holding a bottle of body oil. That looks like one of the things my sister put in a basket and sent to me when I bought the house. Apparently, she has my back more than both of us knew.

I can’t help but match his grin, it’s too contagious. “Whatcha got there, baby?”

“It’s all a part of the plan,” he says cryptically.

He’s so fucking adorable. My sweet Chaos. He finally comes my way, holding his prized oil and a fresh towel. “Roll over for a sec, love. Let me put this under you.”

I do as instructed, damn near swallowing my tongue when his knees land on either side of my thighs after. “Such a fucking tease,” I grump. Am I supposed to ignore him on top of me like this? He’s way underestimating how much I want him all the damn time.

“Hush.” Being scolded by him might be the cutest thing I’ve ever heard. “This is important to me.” He’s mostly amused by the sound of his voice, but desperately trying to be serious.

That does the trick in convincing me to behave. I’ll do anything for this guy. There’s a distinct click behind me, probably him opening the bottle, then his hands are on me, warm and slippery from the oil. He starts at my neck, massaging away all the tension from the day. If I groan because it feels fucking heavenly, then it’s no one’s business but my own. When I’m certain I can’t support the weight of my own head, he moves lower; working out the kinks in my shoulders. Rational thought leaves me there, all I know is that he keeps going, and that I’m probably halfway asleep.

Eventually, he has me roll over, and suddenly this massage is the least of my priorities. Not when Easton’s eyes are dark and consumed by unfiltered desire. Maybe I pull him to me or maybe he comes on his own, all I know is we meet somewhere in the middle like we’d die if we spent another second apart.

He whimpers into my mouth as my tongue parts his pillowy lips. My dick throbs for attention between us, making Easton wriggle restlessly. I couldn’t relate more, my need for him is never ending and I’m going out of my mind after all this touching and teasing.

Sensing the direction of my thoughts, Easton backs up, chest sawing in and out as he tries to suck in much needed oxygen. “Don’t get any ideas,” he pants. “You’re still mine to do what I please with.”

“You better get on with it because if you keep talking like that, I’m going to embarrass myself here, Chaos.”

He giggles, like the idea that I’m so turned on by him is a silly one. If only he knew. Thankfully, he takes mercy on me or is just as strung out as I am, quickly grabbing the lube and coating his fingers. Watching him work himself open to take my cock is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen .

My Chaos isn’t slow or careful today, shoving two fingers between his crease quick and dirty. I’m so mesmerized by him. My heart is pounding in my chest, I feel like those three tricky little words are going to burst out of me if I’m not careful. But they’re there, whether I say them or not. There used to be ghosts that lingered in the corner of the room, a nagging sensation that something vital was missing. Now the ghosts are long gone and we’re left with something wonderful in their wake. Him and the love he inspires.

“You gotta stop looking at me like that,” he pants, eyes a mirror to my own. Little hypocrite.

I shake my head. “Not gonna happen, sweetheart. Now be a good boy and sit on my cock. Give me a show.”

He bites his swollen lip. “Bossy to your core,” he teases.

My eyes roll back as he slicks up my dick with a few tortuously slow strokes. “Only with you,” I say through clenched teeth. He smirks, well aware of what he’s doing to me.

Damn, do I love seeing him comply with my demands, though. He listens so well, doing exactly as I say and not stopping until I’m fully sheathed in his velvet warmth and his dick is throbbing against my abs. I grind my molars to keep myself from shooting off as he breathes through the stretch.

“So fucking tight. Best thing I’ve ever felt.” The praise hits him hard, making him rock on top of me. “That’s it, baby. Make yourself feel good.” My hands lock onto his thighs for support, he braces himself against my chest and then he moves. Easton rides my dick like he was made for it, finding the right angle that has him leaking sticky pre-come on my belly like a broken faucet.

The sounds he makes when he’s in the heat of the moment, the quiet moans and soft whimpers that can’t help but to come out despite his more reserved nature have ruined me. Nothing will top being the only person who can bring this out in him, get to see a side he didn’t even know was there.

“Chaseee,” he whines. I hear what he needs loud and clear in just the way he says my name.

I wrap my hand around his length, stroking him with the same urgency that he’s bouncing on my cock with. He sobs in relief as his movements turn frantic. “Gonna make me come so hard, baby. Give it to me. Cover me in it.”

His back arches, his hips slam down and he obeys beautifully, painting me in the white ropes of his release. I’m right behind him, my orgasm slamming into me with dizzying force. Easton collapses on top of me, completely uncaring about the sticky mess between us. My head is spinning with aftershocks, his skin is burning beneath my fingertips as they trace the ridges of his spine.

Eventually, we peel ourselves apart and clean up minimally, but once he’s back in my arms, I am complete. Nothing matters, nothing even exists outside of this little bubble. My world begins and ends with those hypnotic blue eyes and I couldn’t be happier. All I want is to capture this moment and hold it forever, safe in my hands where real life can’t damage it.