When Kris stepped back into the spare room, the first thing he noticed was the black cat had snuck her way back into the house again. She was curled around the corner of the fishless tank, looking forlorn. But at the sight of Tay Tay in her box, she sat up with interest.

“Hey, Kitty,” Kris said warily. “Good Kitty.”

But the cat simply regarded them as he gently submerged Tay Tay’s box back into her aquarium. Kris watched anxiously as she swam out into the bigger body of water. She came up to the glass where Kitty pressed her nose against the side. Fish and cat looked at each other for a moment. Then Kitty settled down, closing her eyes again by the side of the tank, and Tay Tay swished her golden tail and fins, swimming back in between the plants. It seemed they had reached a truce.

“Why do I get the feeling that cat is here to stay?” Remi came up behind Kris and wrapped his arms around Kris’s body, kissing his neck, then resting his cheek on top of Kris’s hair.

Kris watched his little fish happily flit about and absently stroked Kitty’s head. “I don’t think she’s the only one,” he said, then bit his lip.

Remi hummed against his neck. “I’m so glad you’re home,” he said.

Kris’s heart fluttered at that word. Because, as terrifying as it was, this did feel like home. Remi had outdone himself, spending his afternoon baking a peach cobbler that had made the house smell delicious as soon as Kris had stepped through the door. It was warm and welcoming and everything he wanted in a place to live.

He felt so content. After their reconciliation, he and Remi had rejoined Hunter and Chase to have dinner together. Chase could barely contain his excitement at the turn of events and Lyla had immediately introduced herself to ‘Uncle Remi.’ They all accepted Remi without question, and Remi had not only been charming, but he’d also held Kris’s hand throughout the whole meal.

Then he had insisted on taking Kris home, picking up the bags from Hunter’s spare room that Kris had failed to unpack and loading them into the car. The drive had been a quiet one, the sexual tension between them mounting the longer they were alone. Kris was amazed they had made it all the way upstairs to his room with his stuff before one of them had cracked and put their hands on the other.

Remi’s lips found their way back down to Kris’s neck as his hands slipped under Kris’s tank top, caressing his hips and stomach. Kris shivered and moaned, letting his body melt back against Remi’s hard chest. He hadn’t thought he would feel this again.

Without warning, Remi suddenly swooped down and picked Kris up in a bridal carry. Kris shrieked and giggled, clinging to Remi’s neck as he carefully took him out of the spare room, trusting Kitty to be left with Tay Tay as they moved into Remi’s room.

“This was how you rescued me,” Kris whispered, looking into Remi’s beautiful brown eyes. “My hero.”

Remi kissed him gently as they crossed over to the bed. “My savior,” he whispered back.

Kris allowed himself to be undressed by Remi’s steady hands. It was hard to believe this was still only one of the first times Remi had bedded a guy. He was confident in every action, which was hot as hell for Kris. He lay back and watched Remi strip him naked, kissing his way along Kris’s thighs, belly and collarbones.

“You tease,” Kris whispered as Remi sucked on one of his nipples and ignored his straining cock.

Remi grinned up at him. “Damn right,” he told him, his voice husky.

He stood, his gaze not leaving Kris’s as he took his time undoing each shirt button, one by one. Kris stroked his leaking cock while he watched. “Yeah, baby,” he rasped, drinking his lover’s body in with his eyes. “You’re so gorgeous, I can’t even.”

“So are you,” Remi said, grinning as he dropped his shirt to the carpet, then made short work of his belt buckle and fly. In one motion, he shoved his pants and underwear to his ankles, then kicked those and his shoes and socks free. Even though there was a playful element as he bounced onto the bed to hover above Kris, the way his hands ran up Kris’s body was purely sensual. Unlike their first few times together, this wasn’t propelled by lust.

This was making love.

“Come here,” Kris said, encouraging Remi down to kiss his lips. With Remi’s body gloriously smothering Kris’s, Kris found room to slip his hand between their bellies and wrap his fingers around both their cocks, squeezing tight for them to thrust into, side by side. “Is this okay?” he asked.

“Amazing,” Remi said with a nod. “Oh, Kris, Kris.” He managed to get one hand behind Kris’s neck, then spread the other across Kris’s lower back while Remi held his weight up with his elbows so he wasn’t crushing him. “Baby, you feel so good.”

They took their time, sliding together while they kissed, their cocks throbbing as they rubbed against each other and Kris’s firm grip. Looking into each other’s eyes, they knew when to speed up without talking, increasing the pace and chasing their climaxes together.

“Come with me,” Kris whispered, not moving his gaze away from Remi’s. “Baby, oh, Remi, you’re so gorgeous. Do it, baby. Come all over me.”

Remi captured his lips with his own, their kisses desperate as they wailed against each other’s mouths, their breaths mingling. Kris came first, gnashing his teeth and digging the fingers of his other hand into Remi’s hip. As he spurted white, hot cum over their chests, Remi began doing the same, their seed mixing together.

“Fuck,” Remi said with a chuckle. He ran his fingers through Kris’s hair and kissed him leisurely. “How are you so great?”

“Practice, baby,” Kris said, fluttering his eyes. He had hoped Remi wouldn’t be one of those guys who lost his shit at the mention of Kris having previous partners. Sure enough, he just snuggled on top of Kris, squidging their mess together and nibbling at his collarbone.

“Hmm, can’t wait to practice more, in that case.”

“Practice does make perfect,” said Kris sagely.

They kissed until they became too cold and uncomfortable. “Is it usually this messy?” Remi asked. Although he laughed, he did wrinkle his nose.

Kris shrugged and kissed the tip of his nose once it unwrinkled. “With two guys, yeah, it can be. You get used to it.”

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” said Remi quickly, kissing Kris back.

Kris waggled his eyebrows. “For example, by jumping in the shower together?”

“Ohh, that sounds good,” Remi said.

Remi allowed Kris to lead him by the hand into the bathroom where Kris made short work of getting the hot water going. Not that he had spent several hours imagining how they might go about this…

Kris hopped in first, inviting Remi after him where he handed him a round loofah loaded up with shower gel. “Wash my back,” he demanded cheekily.

“You are such a brat,” Remi huffed, shaking his head. Kris just laughed and turned around.

Remi’s hands were heaven as they swept all over him. Soon, Remi ditched the loofah and was just using his hands, skimming his fingers over Kris’s spent cock and balls and rubbing the entrance to his hole. Kris moaned wantonly as Remi gently fucked him with his fingers. Kris wasn’t going to come again so soon, but it felt gorgeous all the same.

“You’re so smooth,” Remi said between placing kisses on the side of Kris’s neck. He was sure to have a hickey by tomorrow and need to wear a scarf. Or maybe he wouldn’t, he thought wickedly.

Remi slipped his fingers out, giving Kris’s hole one last caress. Then he hugged Kris from behind, resting his chin on Kris’s shoulder. The water ran down both their bodies in soothing little streams.

“What, baby?” Kris asked, hugging him back and looking over his shoulder at him.

Remi bit his lip. “I have a question,” he said.

“Shoot,” Kris said.

“You’re…well, you’re extremely well groomed,” Remi commented, looking slightly bashful. “And I’m not. Is that something I should think about? The hair, I mean?”

“Aww,” Kris couldn’t help but coo. He turned in Remi’s big arms and cuddled him tightly. “That’s so sweet! No, baby, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s just something bottoms are expected to do.”

He rolled his eyes. He’d learned that the hard way. It only took one guy complaining of a ‘gross’ rim job to make you pretty hot on hair removal in all the key areas.

But Remi frowned. “Expected?”

Kris shrugged. “Yeah, the guy getting fucked is generally expected to be a certain way and ready to go at any time. It does make it more pleasant for everyone if there’s no hair,” he said, nodding with his cheek against Remi’s pec. “Then there’s the bleaching and douching. I even have to be careful what I eat on days I think I might get lucky.” He glanced up at Remi with a rueful smile. But Remi was looking down at him with mild horror. “What?” Kris asked, confused.

“Guys get mad if you don’t do all that?” he asked.

Kris blinked the water from his eyelashes and rubbed Remi’s back. “Some of them,” he agreed. “But…I feel good doing that stuff for me, too, not just for someone else.”

Remi grumbled something under his breath and hugged Kris tighter, kissing his wet hair. “As long as you’re happy, I like you however you want to be,” he said firmly. “You’re perfect just as you are, Kris Novak.”

Kris wasn’t able to speak for a moment. Remi must have sensed something was up because he tilted his head toward him. “Sorry,” Kris mumbled and managed a weak smile. “I…okay, I really don’t want to think too much about my dad right now. But I’ve always known one of the reasons he left was because of me. He never really loved my mom, but me he couldn’t stand. I was always a dirty…”

“Don’t say that word,” Remi insisted with a scowl.

Kris nodded and kissed his chest above his heart. “For a while, it killed me. My dad was so repulsed by me he left the state. He still talks a bit to Leon, but Leon hates him almost as much as I do. Anyway, I…I put on this act of how I wanted to be. Loud and proud and cute and giving no fucks. But I still never know if I’m actually good enough. Wanted. So…” He cleared his throat, embarrassed. “To hear you think I’m okay however I think-”

“No, not ‘okay,’” Remi interrupted crossly. He cradled Kris’s face gently between his large hands. “Perfect. Gorgeous. Kris, you’re one of the brightest colors in the whole rainbow. Like the best crayon in the box. Don’t ever feel like you have to do anything to impress me other than be yourself, however you see fit.”

Kris bit his lip, but one sob was all it took and the tears were coming. They only lasted a minute or so, but Remi held him the entire time, making soothing noises. “Thank you,” Kris hiccuped eventually, rubbing his face in the water starting to run cold over them both.

When they left the shower, the faucet turned off, it was Remi who led Kris this time. He handed Kris a big fluffy towel, too, and they dried themselves off, occasionally stealing kisses from each other with sweet little laughs. Kris was so happy he could almost have floated away.

“In all seriousness though,” Remi said as they ruffled their hair. “If it makes a big difference, I’ll get a wax or whatever.”

Kris blinked at him. “Well, a cream is easier and much less painful,” he told him. “But I feel the same. I want you to have your body however you like it.” He bit his lip and stroked Remi’s chest hair. “You’re a sexy beast.”

“But what about bottoming? You said it’s nicer if there’s less hair?” Remi asked.

“For rimming, I guess,” Kris said, then cackled at how Remi blushed. “Oh, I will eat you out soon enough, don’t you worry,” he teased. “But you’re not bottoming, so…” He watched Remi’s facial expression, then felt like the penny dropped. “Oh…would you want to try bottoming?”

“Unless it’s not something you’d want to do?” Remi said evasively.

But Kris shook his head. “Guys who look like you, well, a lot of them would never dream of it. God, that’s so hot, Remi.” Kris dropped his towel and grabbed his gorgeous boyfriend for a kiss. “I’d love to top you. And we’ll just groom the way we want to for each other, yeah?”

Remi dropped his towel and picked Kris up again, much to his delight. “Promise,” he said as Kris swung his legs and hugged his hunky man.

“Promise,” Kris agreed.