Don’t settle for anything less than magic.
THEIR bodies still sweat-slick from making love, Tikron ran his fingertips up and down Richard’s back, drawing random patterns. His mind kept drifting back to the bakery. Seeing Richard munching on doughnuts, trying different flavors, smiling and laughing with both him and Andrea, had been unexpected but oh so welcome. Witnessing Richard coming out of his shell and knowing that he had a hand in it was an amazing feeling. And it was only the beginning. At least he hoped it was.
“I called my mom today,” Richard said hoarsely, his breathing still a little rapid, his damp hair tickling Tikron’s chest.
“Yeah?”
“I’m not even sure why I called or what I planned to accomplish.”
“You don’t always need a reason to call a mom.”
“With mine I do.”
“Oh, that’s right, it has to be purposeful.”
“No. Not anymore. At least not how I used to define what that meant.” Richard lifted his head and shifted until he could plant his elbow on the mattress and prop up his chin. “I don’t get to know how things will work out before I attempt them. I don’t get to know if someone will reject me before I meet them. The only thing I have to do is take a chance to find happiness, and I just might, because living the way I was, there is zero chance of finding it.”
Tikron ran the back of his knuckles gently along Richard’s jaw. “You learned all that from calling your mom?”
“No. It’s because of you that I have a new understanding of what my objective when conversing with others is.”
“Which is?”
“There doesn’t have to be one, and I should focus more on just enjoying the company, and if there are smiles and laughter, all the better.” Richard turned his head and placed a soft kiss on Tikron’s hand. “I have you to thank for the new me.”
Tikron leaned up, pressed his lips to Richard’s, and spoke against them. “He was always there. You just had to let him out.” He deepened the kiss briefly, then rolled until he had Richard beneath him. “I think we need to shower before we’re permanently stuck together.”
Richard wrapped his arms around Tikron, pressing down on Tikron’s ass while thrusting upward. “Would that be such a bad thing?”
“Not at all, but we might get a little stinky.” Tikron chuckled.
“You could wiggle your nose and make us all shiny and clean.”
“Now what would be the fun in that?” Tikron rolled again, went to his feet, and grabbed Richard’s hand. “C’mon. I’ll wash your back if you’ll wash mine.”
Richard groaned, but he allowed Tikron to lead him into the bathroom. Sure he could “wiggle his nose,” as Richard put it, but then he’d miss out on the chance to get his hands on Richard’s luscious bod. He set the taps, then gestured toward the shower stall.
Richard stood beneath the flow, tilted his head back, and groaned. “Oh God. This feels good.”
“Going to feel even better in a second,” Tikron promised him. He picked up the shampoo bottle from the shelf, poured a good amount into his palm, then worked it into Richard’s hair. Richard’s groan turned into a long, low, satisfied moan. “Told you,” Tikron whispered.
“Yes, you did. I’m going to have to trust you more often.”
“I want you to always trust me. With everything.” He moved his soapy hands down Richard’s back, kneading the tight muscles he found from shoulder to hip.
“If you keep doing that, I will say and do anything you want.”
Tikron found a sponge on the tile shelf and filled it with bodywash. He leisurely scrubbed Richard’s arms, his hands, down one leg and back up the other. In the back of his mind, urgencies raced. His entire world could end soon, and yet he wasn’t willing to miss this moment, determined to enjoy each and every second of life he had left, whether that meant another week or another hundred years. Each single moment defined living, not the length of said life. He really wasn’t all that different from Richard or a countless number of other people. He’d gone from one day, one year, one century to the next holding back a large part of himself, never fully giving in to the experience of the moment. Too afraid of being hurt, frightened to feel the pain of heartbreak, and in doing so, he hadn’t lived his life to the fullest. Well, no more. No matter how much time he had left, he was going savor it and Richard.
Once the backside was done, Tikron encouraged Richard to turn around. Richard watched him with lust-filled eyes, moaning deeply when he gently rubbed the sponge over his groin. He shuddered, then closed his eyes briefly.
“My turn,” Richard announced and took the sponge from Tikron. He added more bodywash, then ran it over Tikron’s chest. “I’m glad I was wrong.”
“Are we back to the call with your mom?”
“No. Actually, that too, but I was talking about how it would have been nice to be still lying in bed. This makes me ridiculously happy.”
“It’s all about taking chances.”
“Uh-huh. I agree, and I think I’ll take a chance on this.” He leaned in and sucked one of Tikron’s nipples into his mouth, teasing it with teeth and tongue.
A jolt of lust raced down Tikron’s spine. “You’re asking for it,” he warned.
Richard released the hard nub and looked up at Tikron from beneath long wet lashes, a sly smile forming on his lips. “Yes, I am.” He took Tikron’s other nipple into his mouth, giving it the same attention.
Tikron gritted his teeth and rolled his hands into fists to keep from going Neanderthal and carrying Richard back to bed. He loved this playful, outgoing side of Richard and wasn’t about to discourage it. But it was difficult. Richard continued to move around Tikron’s body, washing and teasing him yet avoiding the area where Tikron wanted to feel his touch the most.
He was trembling with need by the time Richard finally, finally passed the sponge over Tikron’s groin. It was all he could take, and in one deft move, he wrapped Richard into a bear hug, lifted him off his feet, and carried him to bed. “That’s it. You’re getting it now.”
“Hey, you forgot to turn off the taps.” Richard laughed, not even trying to get away from Tikron’s embrace.
Tikron dumped Richard on the bed, and before he could even bounce once, Tikron was on him. “Water wastefulness should be the least of your concerns. You really should be worried about walking tomorrow.”
Richard went still for a moment, eyes wide. Then the sly smile was firmly back in place. “I’ll take my chances.”
Committed to his new resolve, Tikron savored the first press of lips, and the rest of Richard, all night long.