Chapter Fourteen
Xavier
The awkward vibe that blanketed him in Andrew’s apartment made it almost impossible to breathe. Andrew crashed around louder than normal when he got ready for work. Fully aware that Xavier didn’t have to be up for hours, not that he’d gotten a great sleep, anyway. Part of him wished he’d stayed at Everett’s last night, but Everett wanted him to make sure Andrew was okay.
Andrew wasn’t okay, but there wasn’t anything Xavier could do about that. He wished he never laid into him though. Xavier kicked himself for that all day. Even when he’d texted Everett about what he’d planned for later, it had been at the back of his mind. Most of him knew it wasn’t fair of him to be mad at Andrew for having a life, but he couldn’t help it. Maybe if he’d been half as protective about him as he’d been about Everett getting hurt, it might have gone a long way toward making Xavier feel better.
After Xavier stuffed his phone away, washed his hands and returned to the kitchen from his break. Dante eyed him suspiciously.
“You’re off your game today Xavier. What’s up?”
Xavier shrugged and decided there would be no harm in spilling the beans to his coworkers. They were huge gossips, but they were nice people and so far, he got along well with all of them. “Turns out dicking your brother’s best friend is every bit as complicated as movies make it out to be.”
Dante barked out a laugh as he flipped a couple of steaks on the grill.
A little of the tension left Xavier’s shoulders. “It’s even worse when you have to live with your brother.”
The head cook grimaced. “That can’t be comfortable.”
“It’s not.” Xavier admitted.
Brad appeared next to Xavier. He had to work the floor that evening, but it was a bit before they got slammed with the dinner rush and things were a bit on the slow side.
“What’s not?”
“Bunking with your brother after he finds out you’re fucking his best buddy.”
Brad laughed and clapped Xavier on the back. “Sorry dude. Hope he’s worth it.”
Images of Everett popped into Xavier’s head. Mental snapshots of their time together. Grinding on the dance floor. Laughing in the supermarket. Cooking. Touching. Kissing.
“Yeah, I’d say you’re pretty fucked.” Brad snorted.
Xavier looked at Brad. “What?”
“You fell in love with your brother’s best friend. Look, I’m not supposed to say anything, but if you end up needing a place to crash, talk to Steve.”
“The owner?”
The waiter nodded as he snatched up a slice of the carrot Xavier chopped. Brad popped it in his mouth and crunched it up. “His boyfriend, Matt used to work here. We’re not sure what happened to him between when he quit and when he ended up with Steve, but I do know he lived in his car for a while and I know for a fact it pissed Steve off. If you need a place to crash talk to Steve. I guarantee he’d find you a place to crash rather than leave you homeless.”
Xavier nodded, but doubted that he’d need to talk to Steve about it. It had only been a day. Andrew had to cool down, eventually. Xavier smiled. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
By the time his shift at the restaurant ended and Xavier made his way to Everett’s he practically vibrated with the need to see him. Around Everett he could simply be himself and he needed that after the terrible scene at his brother’s apartment last night, then the awkward morning, and the shift where ten minutes couldn’t go by without someone talking about his problems. He made a mental note to remember never to tell anyone in the kitchen anything ever again. Except maybe Dante, in private. Dante was a bit older, forty-five or so, Xavier guessed. Everyone in the kitchen did what he said, including shutting the fuck up when Dante saw Xavier had reached the limit of shit he could take from his well-meaning coworkers.
He launched himself at Everett the minute he opened the door to let Xavier in. He wrapped his fingers around the back of Everett’s head. His arm snaked around Everett’s waist. As he kicked the door shut, he pulled Everett close. Xavier slanted his mouth over Everett’s and kissed him. Everett gasped a little. Xavier took advantage and plunged his tongue into Everett’s mouth.
Everett wound his arms around Xavier’s neck. Xavier’s hands travelled down Everett’s nearly naked body. He’d answered the door in only his apron, which meant he’d been filming. Xavier’s hands cupped Everett’s ass, then he slid his fingers into Everett’s crease and felt the hard base of the plug.
Xavier smiled and kissed his way up Everett’s jaw, relishing the smoothness of his skin. “You filmed with your butt plug in?”
Everett giggled and grabbed handfuls of Xavier’s hair. He tugged a little until Xavier came away from Everett’s neck. Xavier looked into his eyes. They were the dark kind of blue no one wrote sonnets about because they weren’t the color of the sea or the sky, but Xavier had always thought they’d looked like an ocean right before a storm.
Everett leaned in and kissed the tip of Xavier’s nose. “Going to tell me why you’re acting weird?”
“I’m not.” Xavier ground his erection against Everett’s.
In response, Everett ghosted a kiss over Xavier’s lips. His nose zipped up Xavier’s cheek and he felt Everett’s breath puff against his skin as he whispered.
“Liar.”
Xavier wrapped his arms around Everett’s waist and rested his head on Everett’s shoulder as he concentrated on breathing. In and out. A bit of the weight lifted off his chest, but not all. “Last night was horrible. Today sucked.” Xavier wondered how bad it could get between him and Andrew and if it would ever get better. He wanted to know if Everett regretted choosing him over his friend and he wondered if he would ever want to un-choose Xavier, if he’d want things to go back to the way they were. Andrew and Everett as best friends and Xavier as the little brother who only showed up sometimes.
The tip of Everett’s nose brushed the sensitive patch of skin on the side of Xavier’s neck, near his ear. The fingers that had tugged at his hair now entwined with his and Everett led him toward the bathroom.
“What are you doing?” Xavier lifted an eyebrow.
Everett shrugged a shoulder, then untangled their fingers and tugged on the hem of Xavier’s shirt. “Taking care of you.”
Xavier had been a kid when their dad walked out. He’d promised to visit on the weekends, but that didn’t happen past the first month or so. Andrew had already moved out. Their mother got a second job. Xavier looked after himself, even when he couldn’t.
Dumbfounded, he stood there while Everett got the water running. He stripped Xavier out of his shirt, folded it, then moved onto his pants. Xavier stared at him. He watched Everett take care of him in the simplest of ways. It was only a bath. A bit of hot water in a tub, but it was more than that. It was a lifetime of hard days and no one with any time to give a shit. Until now. Until Everett.
Xavier watched as Everett pulled off his apron and dropped it in a pile on the counter. Everett bent at the waist and gently removed the plug before tossing it in the sink. He took Xavier’s hand and lead him to the tub. He didn’t let go while Xavier got in and he still held on when he climbed in behind him.
Gratitude bloomed in Xavier’s chest as Everett’s slender arms wrapped around him and pulled him close. Cold fingers tickled down his chest, dipped under the water, and rested on his stomach.
“What’s wrong, X?”
Xavier slouched down a little in the tub. He rested his head against Everett’s shoulder. He reached down and let his hands rest on Everett’s legs. “Nothing.”
Everett stabbed him in the stomach with a finger. “Don’t lie to me, X. It’s insulting.”
Xavier knew Everett wasn’t mad…yet, but he would be if Xavier kept it up. He took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to not choose me,” he admitted.
“I already chose you, X.” Everett responded right away. His fingers flattened against Xavier’s pecs, then smoothed down his torso and stomach. “You're the one I want.”
“But, Andrew…”
Everett cut him off. “Andrew will come around.”
“You chose me over your best friend. I just…I don’t want you to have to give anything up for me, Ev.” Everett deserved everything. Xavier never should have made him choose between him and Andrew. He never should’ve continued playing with Everett once he figured out it was him. He should’ve backed away. Then Andrew wouldn’t be mad at him, or Everett and Everett would still have his best friend.
Everett flicked the back of Xavier’s ear.
“Ouch. What was that for?”
Everett pressed a kiss to the spot on Xavier’s ear he’d flicked.
“I didn’t choose you over Andrew, Xavier. I chose myself. I chose happiness. I chose to fill my life with fun, affection, and a chance at something real. I shut my blog down for a reason, Xavier. I was empty. Alone. Yeah, Andrew’s my best friend and,” Everett paused and ran his hands up and down Xavier’s chest. He sucked in a deep breath before continuing. “And yeah, it’s sucks that he’s pissed. But he’s never had a say in my life before and I’m not about to give him one now. Andrew is my best friend, but that doesn’t give him some sort of ownership papers. He doesn’t get to tell me who to date or not to date. He doesn’t get to decide for me. I do. And I chose the thing I thought would make me happy.”
Xavier wanted to swallow the words, but his day had been far too long, and he didn’t feel like himself. He felt as if he’d been sliced open and he desperately needed Everett to see if all his pieces were there before he sewed himself back together. “Do I make you happy?”
Warm lips mouthed the shell of his ear. “Deliriously.”
Everett tightened his arms around Xavier and held him until the water cooled. He helped him out of the tub, wrapped a fluffy towel around his slender hips, then grabbed another and dried Xavier. He gently dried his hair before moving onto his shoulders, then his chest and his back.
Xavier stared at Everett. He watched every move the man made. Everett’s measured movements were graceful. He radiated a calm Xavier envied. He took a breath and let Everett lead him into his bedroom where he watched as Everett pulled back the covers.
Instead of climbing under the covers, Everett went back to Xavier. He wrapped his arms around him. Delicate fingers glided down his back.
“Come to bed, X.” Everett brushed a kiss over Xavier’s lips.
Everett didn’t move until Xavier nodded. He twined their fingers together and lead Xavier to the bed. Everett climbed in first and stretched out on his side. Xavier curled up in the empty space in front of Everett and closed his eyes when Everett tugged the blanket up to cover him. His slender arm draped over Xavier and pulled him closer. Everett’s lips grazed the back of Xavier’s neck.
Xavier twisted in Everett’s arms so he could face him. Everett traced the slant of Xavier’s cheekbone with his fingertips. The past twenty-four hours had sucked, but this made the cost worth it. The way Everett looked at him made him feel as if he was valued, worth risking a friendship for. And if he was worth that risk, maybe Everett would think he was worth risking his heart for. Xavier hoped so because his already belonged to the man in front of him. The man who leaned in and stole his breath with the barest of kisses.
Everett’s hand cupped Xavier’s cheek, and he deepened the kiss. Tongues tangled. Xavier melted into Everett and let him set the pace. Everett’s hand ghosted down Xavier’s body. He gripped Xavier’s hip, cupped his ass then hauled him closer. He plunged his tongue into Xavier’s mouth. Kissed him deep and thrust his hips, grinding their erections together at the same time and Xavier couldn’t breathe through the pleasure. Then Everett shifted. Kissed his way up Xavier’s jaw. Soft lips grazed day old stubble and Xavier clung to him, desperate for him in a way he’d never been desperate for anyone. He needed this. Needed Everett. Everett offered so much, and Xavier took it with greedy, grabby fingers, every cell in his body chanting, more. More. More. More.
Xavier gasped when Everett’s fingers tickled their way down the crease of his ass.
“Ev.” Xavier’s voice broke as he pleaded.
“What is it?” Everett whispered. Xavier liked to think no one else got to see the softness in Everett’s storm-blue eyes, that that look was reserved for him.
“I need you, Ev.” Xavier slid his hand up Everett’s chest. “I need you.” Xavier shut his eyes as Everett leaned in and kissed him.
“Roll over.” Everett’s lips brushed against Xavier’s cheek when he spoke. “I want to hold you.”
Xavier rolled over. He let Everett wrap his arms around him. Let him kiss the back of his neck and slide his delicate fingers all over Xavier’s body. Every kiss. Every touch, flayed Xavier open a little further.
Everett kissed the back of Xavier’s neck, then rolled away for a moment. When he came back, he slid a hand down Xavier’s back. Then farther down so he cupped the cheek of Xavier’s ass, then farther. His hand slid to the back of Xavier’s thigh and he urged Xavier to bend his knee and eased his leg closer to his chest. When his hand slid back down, Everett’s grazed Xavier’s tight pucker. Xavier gasped, and Everett pressed a kiss to the top of his shoulder.
“Let me take care of you, X.” Everett kissed Xavier below his ear. “Let me. Please.”
It was the please that got him. That someone cared enough about him to beg to look after him.
“Yeah.” Xavier said. “I want you to.” Then, after a moment and another delicate brush of Everett’s lips, this time on the shell of his ear, he added. “I want you.”
Because Everett had one arm pinned under Xavier, he handed the bottle of lube to Xavier. He took it and applied a generous amount of lube to Everett’s fingers, then tossed the bottle of lube down on the other side of the bed.
He jumped a little when a cold, slick, finger pressed at his entrance. Everett kissed him. The arm that was shoved under Xavier bent at the elbow and held Xavier tight against Everett’s chest.
“Breathe, X. It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” Everett whispered assurances in Xavier’s ear. He knew the drill, it wasn’t as if he’d never bottomed before, he just never bottomed often.
Everett stretched him slowly. Fucked him with one slender finger, then two. Xavier felt his entire body light up. He grabbed a fistful of pillow and thrust back on Everett’s fingers. “Fuck. Ev. Fuck.” Xavier gasped. Though they were pressed together, Xavier’s back plastered to Everett’s chest, two of Everett’s fingers inside him, he wanted to be closer. “Fuck me, Ev. Please. Fuck. I need you.”
“Shh.” Everett soothed. He pulled his fingers out of Xavier and chuckled at the whimper that escaped Xavier’s lips. “I’ve got you.” Everett left him, only for a moment. Long enough to open a condom and slide it on. Then his arms were around Xavier again. He kissed the back of Xavier’ neck and slowly pressed his cock inside Xavier.
Xavier turned his face toward the mattress and groaned as Everett slowly stretched him open. He tightened his grip on the pillow. Arched his back. Whimpered. “Fuck. Ev.”
Behind him, Everett chuckled.
Everett dragged his fingers down Xavier’s torso. Not hard enough to hurt or light enough to tickle, but with enough pressure to let Xavier know he was there, he had him. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Everett’s hand slid to the back of Xavier’s knee and he hiked Xavier’s leg up a little more. He pulled back so slow Xavier thought Everett had invented a new brand of torture, then his hips slammed forward, and he was back inside Xavier. Buried deep where he belonged.
“Fuck.” Xavier resisted the urge to thrust back and fuck himself on Everett’s cock.
Everett’s hand released the back of Xavier’s leg. He grabbed Xavier by the shoulders. Everett’s forehead rested against the back of Xavier’s head. His hot breath washed over Xavier’s shoulder blades and he fucked him. Fucked him slowly. Slid in and out with a practised ease. The head of his cock hitting that perfect place inside Xavier.
Xavier released the pillow and his hand searched for purchase. He fisted the sheets, tried to grip the mattress. “Fuck. More. Ev. Please.”
Everett stopped and slowly eased Xavier onto his stomach. He forced Xavier’s legs apart with his knees. He gripped Xavier’s hips and pulled him to the perfect angle before sliding back inside him.
Everett’s palms pressed into Xavier’s shoulders. His hips pistoned. Snapped. Thrust. Xavier keened and melted into the sensation, the electricity that flowed between them was addictive. Everett was addicting. The more he gave, the more Xavier wanted.
Xavier moaned and arched his back, thrusting his ass closer to Everett as Everett laid down on top of Xavier. Everett’s fingers stroked down Xavier’s arms until they found Xavier’s hands, then Everett twined them together. He fucked Xavier with long, slow strokes. Peppered the back of his neck with kisses. Whispered words to him that Xavier would hear in his dreams forever. Words about how he made Everett happy. About how he wanted Xavier. Words that weren’t I love you but felt like it.
“Need to see.” Xavier pleaded. He was close. God, he was so fucking close, but all he could think about was being able to see Everett’s stormy blue eyes and the look on his face. Xavier wanted to catalog each expression he made and commit it to memory.
Everett eased out and Xavier rolled over, with a little effort, because he already felt boneless and Everett wasn’t finished with him yet. Xavier raised his knees to his chest and watched Everett watch him as he slid home.
Home.
That’s what this was. Everett was home. Suddenly desperate to taste him, Xavier grabbed Everett and pulled him down into a kiss. He moaned into Everett’s mouth then pulled away. He still wanted to see. Needed. Needed to see Everett. Needed to see that Everett belonged to him and he needed Everett to see that he belonged to Everett, too.
Everett’s hands pressed against Xavier’s chest. Xavier gripped Everett’s bare wrist and it took a minute for his brain to catch up. Everett’s wrist was bare. Everett in cuffs was his. His to command. His to take. His to keep. But Everett out of cuffs was his too. Everett was his. All his. Both sides of Everett belonged to Xavier.
Xavier looked up at Everett’s face. His dark eyebrows were knit together. His pretty pink lips perfectly parted as he gasped and fucked Xavier, hard, deep, and slow.
Everett’s eyes locked with his and Xavier’s chest swelled.
“Can I?” Everett breathed, his rhythm fading as he got close to his orgasm.
“Come for me, Ev.” Xavier said.
Everett plunged his fingers into Xavier’s hair. He leaned forward, pressed their chests together and slanted his mouth over Xavier’s. He kissed Xavier, deep and desperate. He moaned into Xavier’s mouth as his cock pulsed deep inside Xavier.
Everett pulled out of the kiss and grabbed Xavier’s cock. One pull. Two. Three. And Xavier’s universe shattered. Come splattered his stomach. He lifted his head as Everett brought his cum covered fingers to his mouth. Xavier’s head fell back, and he watched Everett clean the cum off his fingers. Everett’s skin glistened with a sheen of sweat. His chest was flushed a post-sex pink that reached up to cover his cheeks and tint the tips of his ears.
Xavier reached up and brushed a strand of hair off Everett’s sweaty forehead.
Everett chuckled softly as he pulled out and disposed of the condom. He flopped down on top of Xavier and heaved a sigh.
“Tired?” Xavier wrapped his arms around Everett.
Everett sighed. “So tired. So worth it.”