Chapter Nine
EXHAUSTED. THEY were exhausted. He was exhausted, Kimberley and Robin were exhausted, and Jeff could tell Don was exhausted. It had been totally worth it, though.
Jeff dragged himself up the driveway, pushing the stroller with a sleeping Robin and the handful of groceries they needed. Don had an equally sleeping Kimberley in the harness thingy.
Don moved ahead and unlocked the front door before helping him get the stroller up the front steps.
“Thanks.” He grinned and winked as they got the kids inside. “Bed, you think?”
“Oh God yes.”
Robin started whining, and Don nodded hard. “Very yes.”
“Okay, I’ll get him in, you change Miss Kimmie.”
“You sure? He’s going to be a bit of a bear this evening.”
“Yeah. I’ll manage.” He scooped Robin up and headed upstairs.
He could hear Don behind him, talking to Kimberley. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get you a clean diaper, and you can have that bottle. It was a good day, wasn’t it?”
It had been. They’d walked and played. Robin had actually made a couple of little friends at the bouncy castle place. Jeff had found some fresh produce and a lovely piece of pork loin at the store.
It was surprisingly easy to get Robin settled in bed, and he’d barely gotten a storybook open when those little eyes closed and Robin was out.
Jeff sat there for a minute and let himself breathe, let himself relax for a second.
“Everything okay in here?” He opened his eyes to find Don looking in on them.
“Sorry. Dozed off.” He stood up, stretched. “She go down okay?”
“Yeah, the two of them had a long day.” Don leaned against the door, looking like he was ready to fall asleep where he was.
“Us too. You want a pre-supper nap?”
“I’m not sure I’ll actually wake up for supper if I take one. I can give you a hand.”
Jeff reached out, took Don’s hand. “Come on. If we sleep through supper, we’ll eat a big breakfast.” He needed a nap.
“Where are we going?”
“Bed?” He was so tired he couldn’t think. “The food can wait a few hours, and the front door’s locked, Don.”
“Oh. It’s just I’m in the other direction….”
He frowned, then shook his head. “God, I’m sorry. That was presumptuous.”
Don’s eyes widened. “You want me to sleep in your bed? Last night we didn’t… you didn’t…. I…. Shut up, Donny, and go to bed with the man.”
“Yeah… look. I’m sleepy. You’re sleepy. The bed’s big, and I haven’t gotten to touch you all day.”
Don beamed at him. “I’m up for it. I mean, yeah, sleepy.” Don rolled his eyes and tugged Jeff the last few steps to his bedroom.
Jeff chuckled and toed off his shoes, undid his belt. “It’s cool with you if I strip down a little?”
“As long as I get to watch.”
“Watch away.” He wasn’t modest. He stripped down to his boxers.
Don sat down on his bed. “Such a nice body. Makes me want to touch.”
“It’s not bad.” He used to work out a lot more, before the kids had come and swallowed up all his free time, and he had more scars on his hands than most, but whatever. He moved to the bed, sat.
“Not bad.” Don laughed softly. “If you’re only not bad, I’m not good.”
“C’mere.” He helped Don strip down to his boxers so they matched, then drew him close. “This cool?”
“Yeah, cool. Somehow I’m not so sleepy anymore, though.”
“No?” He hummed, rocking slowly.
“No.” Don began to move with him, their bodies sliding together.
“We’re napping.” It didn’t feel like napping.
“Okay.” Don closed his eyes but kept meeting Jeff’s movements.
Jeff took a soft kiss, hips rolling slowly.
Don kissed him back, lips slightly parted as they bussed and rubbed against his. “You feel so good.”
“Huh? Easy?” Don blinked at him, licked those pretty lips.
“To be with you.”
“Oh!” Don smiled and pushed closer. “I’m an easy guy. Only not as slutty as that makes me sound.” Don laughed, and Jeff did too.
They chuckled together, forehead to forehead.
Don pressed another soft kiss on him, sliding a hand over Jeff’s belly. “So sexy, Jeff.”
Jeff grinned, blushed. Don made him feel amazing. Don’s fingers traveled downward, caressed him through his boxers.
“Oh.” His cock went rock hard, like Don’s touch was electric.
With a low, sexy moan, Don wrapped his fingers around Jeff’s erection.
“Not napping.” Good thing Jeff wasn’t sleepy anymore.
“Who needs a nap?” Don grinned at him, let go of him, and then pushed a hand into his boxers to grab him skin on skin.
“Damn.” He took Don’s lips, fucked them with an eager tongue in time with that touch.
Don fed him a groan and moved his hand faster. He shoved Don’s briefs down, got their cocks lined up side by side. Another moan pushed into his mouth as Don’s hand gathered both of them.
Yes. Fuck, yes. He rolled, landing on top of Don, giving them both more. Groaning, Don let go of their pricks in favor of grabbing on to Jeff’s ass and pulling him down. Hard and hot, Don arched up into him, another sound ringing through the room.
“Yeah.” Hot little man. Jeff wanted to wallow in him.
Don leaned up, mouth latching on to Jeff’s, hands squeezing his buttcheeks. Fuck. Fuck, yeah. His rhythm stuttered, shifted. Don had him, though, kneading his ass, mouth enticing his tongue to come out and play. They were making enough wetness between them to slick stuff up nicely.
Don’s mouth left his for a moment, a deep breath lifting him off Don’s chest, then they were kissing again. He could tell Don was getting desperate, needy with it, so he shoved one hand between them, grabbed their cocks, and stroked them off.
“Oh God!” Don humped up into his hand, twice, and then come sprayed over his fingers, over his cock.
The heat was fucking perfect, the smell pure male and enough to make his balls ache as they emptied.
Don’s arms and legs wound around him, tugging him close as their mouths met again, this kiss lazy, almost half-asleep.
“Mmm.” He patted Don languidly, eyelids heavy. “Good.”
“Uh-huh. I think I like this as a pre-nap activity. A lot.” Don nuzzled into him.
“Mmm.” Jeff yawned, settled Don. “Sleep.”
“Yes, boss.”
He popped Don’s hip playfully, hand barely hitting the sheets before he was asleep.
DONNY HALF woke, one side cold, the other warm from the body wrapped around him.
Body.
What?
He opened his eyes and tried to sit up, but he couldn’t, not with Jeff’s arm wrapped around him. Oh. Jeff. Right. Napping. And stuff.
He glanced over at the clock. It was after ten. They’d napped quite a bit longer than planned. Still. He wasn’t going to hurry Jeff awake. He was enjoying being in his arms. Enjoying it a lot.
Jeff hummed softly, lips brushing Donny’s jaw. It sent a jolt of warmth to his belly, his balls. God, it felt good, amazing. He snuggled in closer, petting Jeff’s abs.
“Mmm. Don.” Jeff dragged him closer.
It made him smile, how Jeff knew him even mostly still asleep. Jeff knew it was him.
Jeff looked so young like this—lovely and dark and relaxed. Donny watched each slow breath, growing more and more attached. Unable to stop himself, he leaned in and pressed his lips to Jeff’s in a barely-there kiss.
Jeff’s eyes opened, a soft breath pushed into his lips. “Hey.”
“Mmm. Hey.” He gave the next kiss a little more strength.
Jeff’s hand wrapped around the back of his head, holding on. He hummed happily. He was going to be stupid in love here any minute. In fact, he was pretty sure he already was. Falling in love with Jeff had been so easy.
They kissed, then Jeff’s stomach rumbled against his own.
It made him chuckle. He patted Jeff’s abs. “We should fill this, huh?”
“I’ve got some lovely…. Did I buy pork?”
He laughed. “I think that was it. You seemed pretty happy about it.” It was sexy, really, the way Jeff talked about food, the way he handled it.
“Mmm. I should cook for you. Pork loin with cherry sauce and mashed sweet potato.”
Of course, it also made a man really hungry.
“That sounds divine. Is it fair, though, if you’re always cooking me restaurant-grade food?” Of course, if he was doing the cooking, it was peanut butter sandwiches, mac and cheese, and hot dogs. Robin wasn’t complaining; Donny thought Robin’s father might.
“Well, I could try to cook something bad.”
Donny blinked and then laughed, shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”
Jeff kissed his nose. “Come on, hotness. Food.”
His cheeks heated a bit at “hotness.” He liked it, though. He liked that Jeff thought that.
“I’ll set the table,” he promised as he hauled himself out of bed and looked for his jeans.
Warm hands landed on his ass as he bent over. He squeaked and then chuckled and pressed back into the touch. He loved how sensual Jeff was.
“Mmm. Just had to touch.”
“You can touch.” Jeff could so touch. He so wanted Jeff to touch. Touching was a good thing if it involved him and Jeff.
Those calloused thumbs rubbed his skin, worked him. He closed his eyes, a moan coming out of him.
“This is not getting us to the kitchen,” Jeff remarked.
“You started it.” He’d just been trying to get his jeans on.
“I did.” The brush of lips on the small of his back sent lightning up his spine.
He moaned, shivered, trying to press back harder, to melt up into Jeff.
“Sweet man.” Those lips were maddening.
“You feel good. Hot.” He wanted more; he just wasn’t in a position to get it.
“Mmmhmm. Hungry. We should eat.”
“You’re going to have to let go of me for that.” Like, really. Because he couldn’t move or think or make his brain function at all when Jeff was doing that. Not that he was in a hurry to have Jeff stop touching him.
“Oh damn.” Jeff gave Donny’s butt a firm squeeze.
It made him groan again, and he pushed harder into Jeff’s touch, wishing all the blood wasn’t rushing to his head.
“Come on.” Jeff stood him up, wrapped his arms around him.
Donny leaned back against Jeff, lifting his face to bring their mouths together for a soft kiss. “Feed me.”
“Absolutely.”
Donny loved to see Jeff smile. He got his jeans on while Jeff pulled on a pair of sweats, and they headed downstairs together, fingers brushing as they made their way to the kitchen.
This was crazy.
Wonderful, but crazy.
He let Jeff get to the food and started setting the table. Every couple of minutes, he’d go back, touch Jeff. Because he could.
Soon the kitchen was filled with amazing smells—and Jeff’s tuneless music. He went over and leaned against Jeff’s back, head on one shoulder.
“Mmm. You’re warm.” Jeff was relaxed, easy, like this was so natural.
“So’re you.” He turned and kissed Jeff’s neck, breathing in his scent.
“Um-hum.” Jeff turned the meat, the smell like heaven.
His stomach rumbled loudly, and Donny laughed at himself against Jeff’s shoulder.
“It’ll be about ten more minutes for the potatoes.”
“Whatever are we going to do for ten minutes?” He had a suggestion or two.
“We could talk about politics.”
“Ew.” Donny rubbed against Jeff, trying to give him some other ideas.
Jeff’s soft chuckles were pure sex. How had anyone left this? This Mitch guy was an idiot as well as an asshole.
Donny pulled Jeff around, not needing to get off, but wanting so much to taste Jeff’s mouth again.
“Hey,” Jeff said. God, that smile. Look at that smile. Donny never wanted to stop.
He beamed back. “Hey.” Then he took the kiss he wanted, his own lips parted, and the kiss was as good as Jeff’s smile. Okay, better.
Jeff hummed, tongue sliding over Donny’s lips, his teeth, the touch lazy and simple. It was nice—unhurried and gentle. Like they had all the time in the world to breathe each other in.
And Jeff kept smiling, as if he’d never been happier. Donny leaned against Jeff’s strength, soaked up his warmth.
“Thanks for getting up with me.” Jeff’s chest rumbled gently as he spoke.
“Hey, you’re gonna feed me—how could I say no to that?” And why wouldn’t he want to be where Jeff was whenever he could?
Jeff chuckled. “That I am. Let me check the pork.”
“If I have to.” He groped Jeff’s ass a moment and then backed off.
“You don’t want to waste this.” Jeff put some cherries in the pan, the fruit sizzling.
“No. No, I don’t. I bet if you’d let people know that you were an amazing chef, you’d have gotten better applicants for the job.” It wasn’t the first time he’d had the thought; this was a definite perk.
“I don’t know, Don. I couldn’t keep a man who said he loved me for years.”
“He was an idiot. I mean really. You’re hot, and you can cook like a dream. You have two beautiful kids….” And Jeff kissed like a dream and wanted to do it with him. Donny thought it didn’t get much better than this.
“He is an idiot. And an asshole.” Jeff winked.
Donny laughed; he’d been thinking the exact same thing a couple of minutes ago. “Yeah. That’s a bad combo.” He grabbed a couple of Perrier waters from the fridge.
“Hand me the butter, please?”
He grabbed it and handed it over before opening the water and leaning against the counter to watch Jeff finish up their supper. It was like watching a musician or a dancer.
Soon they were sitting together with this amazing meal on the table. Wow. He dug in eagerly and wasn’t disappointed. Groaning, he took another bite.
“You like it.” Jeff cut a bite, smiled.
Donny nodded, too busy eating to say anything—it would be impolite to talk with food in his mouth, right?
Sweet and savory and rich—God, he was never going to just shove food in his mouth again. This deserved to be savored, even if he was eating it like he hadn’t had food in days. While every bite was awesome, that he was sharing it with Jeff made it that much better.
They pretty much ate in silence, enjoying the food and the company. He actually sighed when he was done. “So good.”
“Thank you.” Jeff licked cherry sauce off his upper lip.
“Oh….” He leaned over, and Jeff moved slightly toward him, enough for him to lick at the corner of Jeff’s mouth. “You missed a spot.”
“Do I taste like cherries?”
“I’m not sure. I think I should double-check.” This time he let his tongue slide between Jeff’s lips and then into his mouth.
Jeff cupped Donny’s jaw, let the kiss deepen, gentle and slow. Donny’s whole body responded to Jeff, from his scalp to his toes, and of course all points in between.
When their lips parted, Jeff smiled at him. “Well? Do I taste like cherries?”
“Huh?” Cherries? Oh! His cheeks heated. He’d totally forgotten, and he chuckled, nodded. “Yeah, I think you do.”
Jeff kissed his nose. “I think you’re addictive.”
“Ditto.” He looked into Jeff’s eyes, wondering if they could hold on to this moment, to this feeling, forever.
“The morning’s going to come early.” Jeff sighed. “I’d better do the dishes so we can get some sleep.”
“No. You cooked, so I should do them.” He gave Jeff another quick kiss and made himself get up.
“We’ll do them together.” Jeff gave him a sideways glance. “Then, if you wanted, we could go upstairs. Together.”
“Yes, please.” It was more than he’d hoped for, and his smile came from somewhere deep inside.
They started on the dishes—Jeff washing, him drying—and Donny marveled at how much more romantic it was than washing up should be.