Craig
THEY WERE exhausted by the time they got back to the cabin that night. They’d eaten at the park, and it was so late, they all collapsed in the living room with a cold bottle of beer.
Adam sat on his bed, chugging his. He watched Craig and Mitchell on the sofa, sitting on opposite ends. “Guys, don’t take this the wrong way, because I had a lot of fun, but I’m going to head home in the morning.”
Mitchell’s eyebrow rose and he turned to Adam. “Why?”
“Seriously?” Adam laughed. “I feel like a third wheel.”
Craig and Mitchell both started to protest, but Adam held up his hand. “I’m not upset, guys, I promise. Besides, Chance texted he’s going to a huge pool party tomorrow night and wants me to go.”
Ah. Chance. Adam had had a crush on Chance for as long as Craig had known him. They were friends, but Adam had made it more than obvious he wanted more.
“How early are you planning on leaving?” Craig asked.
“Not sure. Probably going to leave when I get up, but not planning on setting an alarm.”
“Make sure I’m up so I can say goodbye. I might not see you before I move.”
Adam nodded. “Sure.”
“Me too,” Mitchell added, looking sullen.
Adam tossed his beer in the trash and climbed into bed, clothes still on.
“You feeling okay?” Craig asked, leaning over toward Mitchell.
He flicked his gaze to Craig and shrugged. “When you said you might not see him again before you left, it reminded me of how many friends I’m leaving behind. Just sad to think about.” He drank the rest of this beer and walked to the kitchenette to toss the bottles away. He glanced back at Craig. “I’m heading up to bed… do you… want me to sleep on the twin?”
Craig’s eyes widened, and he rose from the sofa, eating up the space between them in seconds with his long stride. “What do you mean? Why would you ask that?”
Mitchell shrugged, focus on the floor.
“Are you saying… you don’t want to sleep in the same bed with me?” Craig’s heart thundered in his ears. What happened? Was he pulling away?
But Mitchell shook his head quickly, reassuring Craig.
“I’m heading upstairs,” he whispered, reaching out and letting his hand trail down Mitchell’s arm. “Coming?”
A blush covered Mitchell’s face, and Craig wanted to kiss him right there, but held back. There was something going on with his friend, and they needed to talk.
He followed Mitchell up to the loft, keeping his hands to himself, no matter how strong the pull was to caress that gorgeous ass in front of him. His dick throbbed in his briefs and he felt dirty for being turned on when Mitchell was clearly preoccupied.
But the moment they reached the room, Mitchell spun around to face him, scrabbled for Craig’s hips, pulled him close, and stepped up to kiss him. Craig moaned and reached around to cup his ass, kneading it with his hands while the kiss grew urgent. He wasn’t sure how, but their shirts were off in seconds, and they were fumbling with each other’s zippers, tearing at their clothes. The desire to be naked together filled Craig with a need that he couldn’t deny.
Finally devoid of clothing, Mitchell took his hand and led him the few steps to the bed. He pulled the quilt back and slid in, on his back, showing Craig how hard he was for him. His beautiful cock jutted up, bouncing as he moved, and Craig wanted to bury his face at the junction of Mitchell’s hips and lick his way to those heavy balls hanging down.
He groaned as Mitchell took himself into his own hand and languidly stroked.
“You’re so beautiful,” Craig murmured, “but we need to talk first.”
Mitchell stared up at him, his hand stilling. “Now?”
Craig took a step back, trying to keep himself from throwing himself on top of Mitchell. “We never really decided things and you’ve seemed… quiet… this afternoon.”
Mitchell nodded, patted the space next to him on the bed.
Craig couldn’t say no. He didn’t have it in him. He moved quickly, lying down next to him, Mitchell sliding over a little.
“I’m torn, Craig. I need to talk to my sister. I don’t want to let her down. But I… want to be with you.”
Craig nuzzled Mitchell’s neck and breathed him in. God he loved his scent. Musky but sweet. “If you won’t come to California, are you willing to do the long-distance thing?” he asked hopefully.
“God, yes.”
Happy with that for the moment but knowing he wasn’t going to give up trying to convince Mitchell to move with him, he gave in to his desires. Craig licked Mitchell’s neck and reached down to stroke him, pushing his hand away. When he wrapped his hand around Mitchell’s cock, Mitchell rolled his hips and moaned low.
“Do you like when I touch you, Mitchell?” he breathed out.
Mitchell moaned as Craig swiped his thumb across his slit.
“Now, I thought all you writers knew how to use their words,” he teased.
“Not when your hand is on my dick,” Mitchell whispered low. “All I can do is feel.”
Craig found that hot as fuck and let go of his dick, sliding his hand down to fondle his balls, rolling them gently. “In case you haven’t noticed, Mitchell, I’m having a hard time keeping my hands to myself.” He licked a nipple, already pebbled, and grinned when Mitchell gasped. “I guess I can’t keep my tongue to myself either,” he added, kissing his way down Mitchell’s chest.
But Mitchell’s hand cupped his neck and pulled him up. “Kiss me,” he whispered.
Craig braced his elbows on either side of Mitchell and took in the sight. Mitchell’s skin was flushed, his hair messy, and his pupils blown. He was fucking gorgeous. He pressed his lips to Mitchell’s gently, softly. Mitchell opened his mouth, welcoming Craig in, and he wasted no time in sweeping in, tasting him. He was like nectar, a sweet honey he needed in order to breathe. How had he gone so long without making Mitchell his?
Craig ached to be inside Mitchell, to bury himself so deep they were as one. But it wasn’t the time. When they finally were together, it would be gentle and loving, not in a loft above a sleeping friend.
So he pressed down, letting his body weight cover Mitchell. They kissed as they moved together, chest to chest, hip to hip, rubbing together as they thrust against each other. Their moans soon filled the room. Movement became frenzied as they chased their orgasms.
Mitchell spilled first and the warm, wet stickiness between them sent Craig over the edge. He closed his eyes as he gave in to the swirls of sensation, the waves of pleasure rolling through him, and he cried out Mitchell’s name.
They wiped themselves off and slept, sated, arms and legs tangled. The last thought on Craig’s mind was that there was no way he was letting Mitchell go without a fight.
THE AROMA of fresh coffee drifted up to the loft and Craig’s eyelids fluttered open. He was flat on his back, staring up at the wooden beams in the loft. Mitchell was stretched out next to him, his arm thrown across Craig’s chest, his head resting on Craig’s shoulder.
The sound of movement came from downstairs, and he knew Adam was getting ready to leave, so he kissed the top of Mitchell’s head and breathed in deeply. The scent of Mitchell’s shampoo mixed with the coffee brewing below caused Craig’s chest to rise, filling with happiness. This was how it should be—waking up with Mitchell in his arms every morning.
“Hey,” he whispered with a nudge. “We need to get up. Adam’s leaving, remember?”
Mitchell snuggled in deeper and moaned in protest. If Craig had had his way, he would have agreed with him and gone back to sleep. But they needed to say goodbye to Adam.
Craig finally roused him, and they hastily pulled on some clothes and padded barefoot downstairs, taking turns in the bathroom.
Adam was packed and drinking coffee when they joined him at the kitchenette. He handed them full mugs and Craig drank it gratefully.
“You want something to eat before you go? You guys stocked up pretty well the other night.” Mitchell opened the pantry door and laughed when he pulled out an empty box of Twinkies. “Seriously, guys? I didn’t even have one!”
Adam grinned. “I raided the food the last two nights.”
Craig laughed. “I don’t know how you stay so thin. You eat more than anyone else I know.”
“High metabolism.”
Mitchell pulled out a box of Honey Buns. “There are two left. You want one?” he offered to Adam.
“Nah, I’ll grab something from McDonald’s on the way out of Branson.” He frowned. “Man, I can’t believe you guys are both moving. It’s not going to be the same without you two around Kansas City.” He opened his arms. Mitchell walked into them, and they hugged for a minute.
Craig cleared his throat, irritated at the jealousy that popped up. He wasn’t used to feeling it and wasn’t sure what to do with it. But Adam finally let go of Mitchell, grabbed Craig, and pulled him in for another hug.
A few minutes later, Adam was out the door and on the road.
“So, what do you want to do today? The water park?” Mitchell asked, grabbing one of the Honey Buns.
Craig was suddenly very aware they were alone in the cabin. And he didn’t know what to say because he wanted to beg Mitchell to make a decision. “Uh, I don’t know. I’m… going to take a quick shower. You decide what we’ll do.”
Mitchell furrowed his brow as he watched him, but Craig hightailed it to the bathroom and clicked the door behind him.
Fuck. What was wrong with him? He just needed to tell Mitchell how he felt. It was time. Why was he so afraid? No, he knew why he was afraid. Mitchell could still break his heart—he might not want to go to California with him.
He rushed through the shower and found the main floor empty.
“Mitchell?” he called.
Then he glanced outside and saw him talking on his phone. His eyes were narrowed and his fingers rubbed one of his temples. He didn’t look happy at all.
Craig poured another cup of coffee and settled in on the sofa, waiting for Mitchell to come back inside. He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. He’d circled back to the first channel by the time Mitchell stepped back inside.
“Everything okay?”
Mitchell glanced at him but didn’t meet his eyes. “Yeah. Just…. Adam asking if he left a hoodie.”
Craig looked around, even as he was sure Mitchell was lying to him. “I don’t see it.”
He nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I told him. So, I’m going to take a shower before we head out.”
“What’s the plan?”
“How about White Water?”
“Sounds good. I’ll change into my suit.”
Craig wasn’t sure why, but he was certain Mitchell was holding something back. But he wouldn’t push. He knew Mitchell well enough to know that he would tell him when he was ready.
Things were a little tense between them in the car, but by the time they were riding down the Pipeline Plunge, a twisting waterslide, things were better.
They spent the day laughing, riding down the slides, hanging out in the huge Surf’s Up Wave Pool, and then relaxing in the Aloha River at Hula Hula Bay, a Polynesian-themed ride that carried them through calm waters.
They had slathered on sunscreen, but the hot sun was still beating down on them, and when Mitchell mentioned he was feeling a little “toasty,” they packed up and left the park.
Watching Mitchell all day without a shirt on had been a sweet torture. It was a family friendly park, so he held back from pulling him into his arms and ravaging him, but they had held hands as they floated in their inner tubes, and kissed once at the pool.
As they made their way to the parking lot, their fingers twined and Craig knew he had to tell him how he truly felt tonight.
“How about we grill up some steaks and eat outside?”
“Sounds good. Didn’t you guys get potato salad from the store?”
Craig nodded. “And, if Adam didn’t eat it all, there’s cheesecake in the freezer.”
Mitchell’s eyes lit up at the announcement of his favorite dessert. “You didn’t tell me there was cheesecake!”
Craig chuckled. “If I had, it would already be gone, and you know it.”
The drive to the cabin wasn’t long, but the sun was beginning to set behind the trees when they pulled up. Craig turned off the engine and sat there in the car for a moment.
“What’s going on?”
He breathed in deep and held it for a minute before letting it out gradually and turning to look at Mitchell. “We need to talk.” His voice was loud in the quiet car.
Mitchell swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and then nodded. “Yeah. But can we talk later? During dinner? After dinner?”
Craig’s belly twisted. Mitchell wanted to put off talking, which could mean bad news. Maybe he’d decided to stick with West Virginia. Craig nodded. “Okay, Mitchell. It can wait until later.”
His heart was heavy as his friend—lover—climbed out of the car and entered the cabin.
Pull yourself together. It’s time to lay it all on the line. Determined he could prove to Mitchell he was the man for him, Craig felt a shift in his confidence and he hurried inside. He wanted to get started on those steaks.