Chapter 26

 

Working alongside Enrico almost counted as a good time for Mitch. His presence warmed and brightened everything. Without him, every moment stretched out bleak and chilly like an overcast day. But Mitch wondered if it was simply missing him that got him to make up with Enrico. It might have been fear more than anything.

What if Enrico found someone else to hook up with who wasn't reluctant or conflicted about it? In a small town like Peach Tree, there shouldn't be much to worry about. That's what Mitch told himself, but there might have been other gay guys here that he didn't know about and who weren't engaged to each other. Plus there were always tourists coming into town. What if one of them caught Enrico's eye?

Mitch could just add that to his list of obsessions. Already his head was full of Enrico every day, wondering when he would see him again.

In all his life, Mitch never waited for anyone like he did for him. He even expected Enrico when he wasn't expected. No one was ever on his mind this much.

If he was smart, Mitch wouldn't risk getting in any deeper, but he couldn't deny himself the heat of his body, the taste of his skin, the way he kissed and everything else. Even when they were just working, not touching, the nearness of him was enough. Then there was the sunlight reflected in his eyes and sweat glistening on his skin.

 

With all the staring he did, Mitch was surprised at how much progress they made with their work. The fence was done and they were refinishing some of the doors and frames. Distracted by Enrico, Mitch had to be reminded to take a break for lunch.

After cleaning up in the kitchen, Mitch came out to find Sammy reciting the names of the tools in his toolbox. "Level, screwdriver, other screwdriver, file, hammer, caulking gun, putty knife, sparkling knife."

"Spackling," Enrico corrected her with a laugh. Then he noticed Mitch standing there. "Why do so many tools sound so violent?"

"I never thought about it, but I guess they do," Mitch said to him. "Were you teaching her?"

"Being your daughter, she should already know the names of some of them," Enrico said.

"I don't usually take her to work with me," Mitch said as they went back to sanding down some doors while Sammy sat on the porch with paper and a box of crayons.

Mitch noticed Enrico giving him a disapproving look. "How is Sammy ever going to follow in your footsteps and become a super handy woman?" he said then he clapped him on the back. "It's good that she gets to see you in action."

"I don't know. She cries if I get hurt, and that happens pretty often. She saw me get a scratch from a nail, and she thought it was the end of the world," Mitch told him. "I'm glad I only have some sore muscles from working on this house so far."

"You're sore? I'll rub you down," Enrico offered with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Then Mitch gave him a sharp look, and he started to look unsure. It was like he wasn't a hundred percent clear where they stood with each other right now so he tried to backtrack. "I mean... Umm, pretty much what I said. Any time you want, I'll rub you down."

Mitch grinned. That was more like him.

 

That evening they were talking about dinner, when Enrico got a text from Sam. "They want to have Sammy over for dinner and a sleepover. What do you think?" Then he got another text. "Gloria is going too. And she is demanding the kittens join them."

"Do Sam and Wyatt know what they are signing up for?" Mitch wondered as he pictured the house full of pets and kids.

"I think they're starting to get the idea," Enrico said with an evil grin. "So what do you say?"

"Let's ask Sammy," Mitch said and he called her over.

Enrico told her the deal. "How would you like to have a slumber party at Sam and Wyatt's with the kittens, the dogs, the Hayes boys and Gloria?"

For a minute Sammy looked overwhelmed then she said, "OK." She bounced restlessly around the kitchen, like she didn't know what to do with herself.

"You better get ready then," Mitch told her.

"Lara is coming by to pick you up," Enrico said after he got another text.

"I need my special teddy bear pajamas for a slumber party!" Sammy said. As she ran off, Mitch went up to help her.

 

Just as Lara and Gloria arrived, Sammy was ready to go with them along with the kittens. There was a lot of excited squealing as Natalie and Veronica got loaded into the back of Lara's car and started clambering everywhere. Mitch was sending the pet carrier along with them too though.

"You guys hold on to them," Mitch said as he leaned into the car, and gave Sammy a kiss. "Have fun, girls."

"That means Natalie and Veronica too. They're girls," Sammy said to Gloria. "Bye, Daddy."

"Bye, honey. Be good," Mitch said.

He and Enrico waved to her as long as they could see the car, then Mitch turned to him with narrowed eyes. "Why are Wyatt and Sam doing this?" Mitch asked letting his suspicion show now that Sammy was gone.

"I didn't ask them to, if that's what you're asking. I texted Sam that we made up. I guess they wanted to give us some time alone," Enrico told him.

"So should we make dinner?" Mitch asked.

"We don't have to stay in. We could go for a drive and stop somewhere to eat," Enrico suggested. He seemed kind of nervous. Maybe it was too much pressure to be alone together after they had only just come to an understanding. They needed some breathing room, not to be cooped up.

"OK," Mitch agreed. "Where do we go?"

"We can follow the river. That will give us a nice view with the sun setting. What do you think?"

"Let's go," Mitch said and offered him his hand.

In the car, he told Enrico. "I'm texting the sheriff that we'll be out. She upped the number of patrols in this area since the break in. I think they should know no one will be home."

"I knew you were still worried about that," Enrico told him.

"And I appreciate you staying over. I didn't tell you that when we were fighting. Sorry," Mitch told him. Having Enrico so close left him sleepless all night, thinking about him, wanting to go to him.

"That's OK. I'm not doing it for thanks. I like watching over you guys," Enrico said and he gave Mitch a sweet smile that pierced his heart.

 

They were on the road soon and looking at some gorgeous scenery. "Great timing," Enrico said as Peach Tree Hill rose up ahead of them backed by the sun low on the horizon, lighting it up in shades of coral and gold.

For a while they just drove, and every time Mitch looked over at Enrico, he saw a smile playing on his lips. In the glow of the sunset, he was the most beautiful thing to be seen out here.

Eventually their hunger got the better of them and they decided to stop at a roadside diner. They didn't want to eat there though. Sitting at the counter while waiting for their takeout, Mitch noticed Enrico eyeing an elderly, redheaded waitress.

"She looks like a combo of Lara and my grandmother. I think that's what Lara will look like in a few years," Enrico said.

"You mean in a few decades, or do you want her to kill you?" Mitch asked him and he laughed.

They left with fried chicken sandwiches and cold drinks. Driving for a little bit, they discovered the perfect spot to eat them.

It was a makeshift picnic area with logs lined up along the water for sitting. Further on, there was a fire pit full of ash with logs framing it. They picked the last log and sat facing the river. Though no one else was there yet, that was the spot where they were least likely to be disturbed.

Even after they were done eating, they kept sitting there, not talking, just leaning on each other. For the moment, Mitch was perfectly content to just drink in the glow of the horizon as Enrico's head rested on his shoulder. But then a noisy group of teenagers came over to sit on the logs by the fire pit.

Sitting several yards away from them, Mitch wasn't sure they even noticed him and Enrico, but with the mood ruined, the two of them left. Back in the car, they followed the road further up the river.

"You want to get some drinks or something? Or keep driving," Enrico said as the road took them by a roadside bar and grill with a patio in the back that overlooked the river.

The place had possibilities, but Mitch didn't want to go anyplace where he would have to share Enrico with a crowd. "Let's keep driving," Mitch said and watched Enrico settle back in his seat.

"That's fine by me. I would rather be alone with you than in some noisy bar," Enrico said and reached over to squeeze Mitch's knee.

Every time he caught Enrico's eye, the look he gave Mitch was full of meaning. Mitch had to get him alone.

Enrico must have felt the same way, because he pointed down a narrow, dirt lane that took them through an area of small trees and thick undergrowth that crowded the riverbank. Pointing to a spot where they should park, Enrico peered around.

Getting out of the car, he led the way through the underbrush. As they went on, the bushes only grew thicker, and the path appeared to lead back to the river. Soon they reached the river's edge. There was nowhere to go from there, but Enrico still moved forward and motioned for Mitch to follow.

Stepping through shallow water, they got around some thorny bushes and then there they were. Enrico had led them to a small clearing next to the river. There, a tree grew sideways like it had been partly uprooted but it hung on. The bushes surrounded it, leaving a grassy patch in the middle that went right to the edge of the river.

It was dark there with only the moon to light the intimate space. The secluded spot was invisible from the trail. Enrico must have known it well to make his way here through the bushes in the dark.

"How do you like my secret spot?" Enrico asked. "I found it the first time I visited Grandma in Peach Tree. I hated that she moved away to live here. She was my best buddy when I was little. At that time she only just took over the café. She was busy and couldn't hang out with me much. But we did come out here for a picnic by the river on that gentle rise that we passed on our right. It had a great view. We ate fried chicken. Then Grandma had to leave early to go back to the café, so I was pouting. I left my parents behind and came this way to pretend to fish, throw some rocks into the water, that kind of thing. Then I went dinosaur hunting through the bushes, got scratched up, and I ended up here. I decided this was where pirates has buried some treasure, and I would dig for it. My parents were frantic when they couldn't find me, but I went back on my own and didn't tell them about this place. I try to visit this spot every time I come to Peach Tree. It reminds me of what a spoiled, little brat I was."

Looking around Mitch saw that the bushes were thick on every side, giving them complete privacy. "It's a nice discovery," Mitch said as Enrico pulled him along to the center of the small clearing.

The waves splashed softly on the shore and the grass shushed under their feet, but otherwise the place was extremely quiet and still.

Then Enrico broke the silence. "We can go skinny dipping here."

"Is that right? I knew you had to be up to something," Mitch told him.

Enrico eyed him closely. "You seem intrigued."

"I've never been skinny dipping," Mitch admitted.

"Then we absolutely have to," Enrico said and started by toeing off his sneakers.

"Did you ever do it before?" Mitch asked as he paid more attention to Enrico as he threw aside his clothes than to his own slower unzipping and unbuttoning.

"No, but being around you puts all kinds of crazy ideas in my head," Enrico said, his eyes wicked. Naked now, he backed up toward the water, tugging Mitch to come along with him.

"Enrico, this water is cold," Mitch noticed as they quickly found themselves stepping down a ledge into chest deep water.

"I never said it wasn't," Enrico said. "Come here. I'll warm you up." Wrapping his arms around Mitch, Enrico kissed him then he dropped back and swam away.

"Not too far," Mitch warned him as he swam after him. It was dark now. The moon was out, but Mitch didn't think he could find Enrico underwater if anything went wrong.

"You're sweet to worry about me," Enrico teased him. "Catch me if you want to keep me closer."

Mitch accepted his challenge and swam after him with long, powerful strokes. A strong swimmer, Enrico was almost a match for him, but in the end Mitch overtook him.

"You wanted to get caught," Mitch accused him as their bodies pressed together.

"Of course I did," Enrico admitted and wrapped his arms and legs around him. While Mitch kept them afloat, Enrico kissed and groped him. They pulled apart as they started to sink and Enrico laughed.

"I never thought I could get you to do this," he said.

"You can get me to do pretty much anything," Mitch told him as they treaded water facing each other.

"Good to know," Enrico told him as he swooped in for another kiss.

Mitch swam backwards with Enrico in his arms and they kissed lazily for a while. Eventually they had to admit the cold water was getting to them and they got out.

As Mitch stood above him, Enrico spread himself out on the grass. Moonlight sparkled off the droplets on his skin and he was indescribably beautiful.

Getting on top, Mitch covered Enrico's body with his own. "You need warming up," Mitch told him.

Their fingers entwined over Enrico's head, they kissed, sharing body heat and getting hard. Dipping his head to his throat, Mitch kissed his way down until he had Enrico's hips in his grip and the glistening head of his cock inches from his eager mouth.

"I was going to devour you," Enrico complained as he squirmed.

"Then you shouldn't have gotten naked and wet," Mitch told him in a gruff voice. "Now you're too irresistible." With that he took Enrico's cock in his mouth, warming it, stroking it with his tongue, getting it even harder.

Enrico whimpered and dug his heels into the grass while his hands played in Mitch's wet hair. Mitch sucked him long and slow, savoring his taste and his reactions.

The more Enrico called his name in a breathy, desperate voice, the more Mitch wanted to keep torturing him. But he wanted to make him come too. He wanted everything at once as long as it had anything to do with this lithe body writhing under him and this man who was now alternately cursing and begging him.

Neither of them could hold on much longer, so Mitch started sucking him fast and hard. Soon he had Enrico gasping for breath and clutching at his back as his hips rose to fill Mitch up with his cock and his come.

Done coming down Mitch's throat, Enrico didn't take a single second to rest. Before Mitch could even get his breath back, he was on his back with Enrico licking his way from the base of his cock to the head.

With Enrico moaning around the head of his cock, Mitch's heartbeat boomed in his ears. Ripples of pleasure moved up and down his spine then pooled low inside him.

Enrico bobbed up and down over his cock slow then fast, humming around him so that Mitch quaked inside, needing to come. His release came with a burst of pleasure that made the stars overhead swirl as he let out a low roar.

The stars were blocked from his sight as Enrico rose above him then angled his mouth for a deep, never-ending kiss. Their bodies were still damp but overheated now, and the fresh breeze coming off the water felt nice as they relaxed on the cool grass.

An arm and a leg thrown over him, Enrico settled against him. Burying his face in the crook of Mitch's neck, he sighed. Mitch felt his eyes close. His last thought before sleep overtook him was that they really shouldn't fall asleep naked here like this.

 

The sky was just starting to brighten when Mitch woke with Enrico sprawled over him. Looking down Enrico's body, Mitch saw he had grass stuck to his back and his ass and a twig in his hair.

Mitch removed the twig and kissed his earlobe. As he brushed the grass off him, he was hoping he would wake up, but Enrico only snuggled closer and moaned contentedly.

Wishing he could let him sleep, Mitch had to try harder to wake him up. They had to get decent and drive back to pick up Sammy. He was dying to wake him with a blowjob, but they didn't have time for that. He woke him up with a kiss instead.

"You're nice to wake up with. We have to do this again," Enrico mumbled as he nuzzled his beard.

Mitch wanted that too. He hurt with how much he always wanted to wake up with Enrico.