Adding more wood to the fire, Teddy suppressed a sigh. He didn’t know what to make of Nick’s strange mood after the pageant. The past few weeks had been among the best of Teddy’s life—hot sex, great conversation, and a guy who managed to make him feel like the luckiest guy in the North Country. And that moment, barely a flash really, when Nick had kissed him in the parking lot had meant the world to him. Nick wasn’t really a very demonstrative guy, especially in public, so that just made Teddy treasure each touch and knowing glance that much more.
However, he’d been expecting Nick to jump him as soon as they were alone, but instead Nick had made noises about needing a shower and wanting out of his costume. They’d learned the hard way that no way would they both fit in Teddy’s tiny tub, so he’d let Nick shower while he made them a snack and built up the fire. Nick had brought him some soup he’d made yesterday—some sort of riff on minestrone that smelled great and paired well with bread Teddy’s mom had made. He’d heated the food up before it had been his turn to get changed, and now they were all wrapped up in robes under one of his mom’s quilts on the floor in front of the fire, soup finished.
After seeing to the fire, he returned to their nest of pillows and blankets. Nick pulled him close, nuzzling his neck, but still didn’t seem particularly eager to start something sexual. A few weeks ago, Teddy never could have predicted how cuddly Nick could be, but what was funny was how the urges always seemed to surprise Nick too—like he wasn’t expecting to want to touch Teddy but his body went ahead and did it anyway. Teddy liked how it always seemed like Nick was saving up the contact, hoarding it for later.
“Did the town thing break you?” he asked, relaxing into Nick’s embrace. “Tired?”
“Long day of paperwork was worse than the pageant.” Nick laughed. “And it was fun, seeing how dominant the MacNally genes are. Swear half the kids up there were blond and curly.”
“You’re not wrong. And Charlie has to claim the one singing the different song.”
“That was cute.” Nick sighed, and Teddy hated that he couldn’t tell whether it was tenderness or exhaustion. “I hope the reminder to donate worked too. You guys need to meet the fund-raising goals.”
“We’re close. And a lot of it is due to you. People are still talking about how you saved the day with the holdup. Officer Beckett seems like your number one fan now.”
“Eh. Just using my training.” Nick shrugged off the compliment as usual. “Speaking of my training, I have sort of a favor to ask.”
“You’ve got it. What is it?” Nick had done so much for Teddy and the community that it was a no-brainer that he’d be helping out Nick in return if he could.
“There’s a holiday party for the MP battalion at Fort End. And apparently there’s going to be some mention of my retirement.” Nick shuddered.
“And you need a date?” Teddy blinked. He hadn’t been entirely sure how out Nick was at work, and he certainly didn’t seem eager most of the time when in Mineral Spirits for people to figure out that they were sleeping together.
“Sort of. Commander Grace said I should bring a friend. And I might have mentioned you…”
“You did?” Meaning that much to Nick, even if it was only a casual mention, did something warm and squishy to Teddy’s insides.
“I did. Anyway, I know you’re busy and you don’t have to go—”
“I’ll be there. Despite being busy, my schedule’s pretty flexible. Just tell me the dress code.”
“Not the elf costume.” Nick’s warm laugh rumbled through Teddy. “No offense.”
“What? I can’t wear my shoes with bells on them?” Teddy fake-pouted. “I suppose I can find a nice boring sweater or something.”
“Hey, now, boring is fine.” Nick tugged him closer. “And I’m off the next day. I can come help you with the gift and food basket handing out.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Least I can do before I hit the road.” There was a seriousness to Nick’s tone. Teddy hoped he wasn’t imagining the regret there. And he hated the reminder that Nick would soon be gone. There had been a moment when Roger Beckett had mentioned the police opening…
But no. Nick wouldn’t stay, had been clear on that from the beginning. It didn’t matter what had transpired in the past month, didn’t matter what connection he felt, Nick was still going. And fuck, but he hated that thought, so much that he turned, captured Nick’s mouth in a desperate kiss. He swallowed down Nick’s gasp of surprise and welcomed the moment when Nick gave himself over to the kiss.
Falling back onto the pillows, Nick hauled Teddy with him, arranging them so Teddy was on top. It hadn’t escaped Teddy’s notice how damn cautious Nick was with him in bed, always careful about positioning and never losing control until the last possible moment. Teddy lived for those seconds after his own orgasm when Nick’s seemingly endless supply of patience would shatter and he’d finally give himself permission to let go.
Right then, what he really wanted was to chip away at that ironclad self-control, make Nick as crazy as he felt, watch Nick come apart. To that end, he exploited all his knowledge about what Nick liked—deep kisses mixed with little nips, slow slides of lips and hands. But slow only got Teddy so far, and he wriggled backward, kissing the corded muscles in Nick’s neck as he tugged his robe open.
Not one for a lot of subtlety, he went straight for Nick’s cock, arranging himself perpendicular to Nick so that he could get a good angle.
“Wanna try something different,” he said before licking the length of the shaft.
“Oh?” Nick didn’t sound unwilling, just surprised, which was good.
“Wanna get you off with my mouth this time. No hands.” He took another long lick for good measure. “Want you to fuck my face, hard and fast as you need.”
“I’m good with how we usually do it,” Nick hedged, all but rolling away.
“I know.” Teddy pinned Nick so he couldn’t scoot farther away and then took him deep into his mouth, sucking hard as he jacked the bottom of the shaft before releasing the head with lewd smacking noise. “Come on. Wanna see you lose control. Want you to use my mouth.”
“Don’t want to hurt you.” Nick’s cock apparently didn’t share his reservations, hips rocking as his cock chased Teddy’s mouth.
“You won’t.” With his hands, Teddy urged Nick to roll onto his side so that he could thrust into Teddy’s waiting mouth. “I want this.”
Nick reached down as if he intended to start stroking himself, but Teddy batted his hand away. “None of that. Let me.”
“Bossy tonight.” Nick laughed, but he obeyed, settling a hand in Teddy’s hair instead.
Teddy set a rhythm designed to shatter the last of Nick’s reservations and was gratified by Nick’s low moan. He used his free hand to play with Nick’s heavy balls, experimentally rubbing the sensitive skin behind them.
“Oh yeah. Like that.” Nick finally thrust the way Teddy craved. “Get your finger slick, and you can finger me.”
“Yeah?” Teddy wasn’t about to turn that unexpected request down, so he sucked on his index finger, getting it as wet and slippery as he could. He could run to the bathroom for lube, but wasn’t sure about breaking the moment. Instead, he took his wet finger and traced circles around Nick’s rim. Nick’s moans spurred him to bolder explorations and led to Nick sliding faster in and out of Teddy’s mouth, almost like he wasn’t aware that he was going harder now.
“Fuck. Need…” Nick’s legs moved restlessly.
“Need to move more?” Teddy guessed, pulling off. “Kneel over me. I can suck and finger you easier that way.”
“Don’t want…” Nick protested even as he moved around to the position Teddy suggested. Nick’s reluctance to go all dominant was kinda cute because he was so damn good at it when he let go.
“Yeah you do. Fuck my mouth,” Teddy commanded before swallowing his cock down again and resuming fingering Nick’s ass. It was a challenge, coordinating both hands and his mouth and trying not to choke on the massive dick, but it was one he welcomed. Craved. And when Nick released a mighty groan and began to fuck in earnest, he couldn’t hold back his own whimper of pleasure.
“You like that?” Nick’s breath came in harsh pants.
Teddy could only moan his approval, trying to convey his enthusiasm with his mouth and hands.
“Like me going hard?” Nick’s thrusts were starting to lose his careful finesse, and Teddy moaned again around his cock. “Want my come?”
“Mmm.” Teddy hummed around his cock, needy moans escaping him every time he got a breath.
“Yes. Yes. God. Yes.” Something seemed to break free within Nick, and his eyes squished shut as he buried his hands in Teddy’s hair, holding him tight as he finally went for the sort of rhythm Teddy knew would bring him off. Upping the odds of that happening, Teddy wiggled his finger inside Nick’s rim, past the tight ring of muscle, seeking his gland.
“Fuck,” Nick growled as Teddy connected with the bundle of nerves. “Gonna…”
Teddy responded by sucking harder and making encouraging noises around Nick’s cock. Which seemed to work, because Nick grunted, no more dirty talk, no more moans, just him coming down Teddy’s throat, salty and bitter and the best thing Teddy had had in ages.
“Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Nick collapsed back down next to Teddy on the quilts. “That was…”
“Incredible,” Teddy supplied, hand going to his own cock, which was demanding some attention after all that.
“You can fuck me if you want.” Nick yawned and stretched.
“You offering because you feel guilty for fucking my face like that or you actually want it?”
“Both?” Nick offered him a loopy grin, honesty endearing. “You sucked my brains out. I’m all boneless now, and that’s how I like getting fucked—when my legs already feel shredded and I can’t put two thoughts together.”
“Fair enough.” Teddy raced to the bathroom for the lube and a box of condoms he kept there.
“Sure you’re not too sensitive?” he asked as he uncapped the lube. He knew a lot of guys who didn’t like to fuck after climax and others who were fine with fingering but who didn’t bottom, and he really didn’t want to do something Nick was reluctant about. “I’d be fine with stroking off. Sucking you like that almost got me off hands-free. So damn hot.”
“Fuck me.” Nick gave him a stern look, reminding Teddy that his efforts at bossing Nick around had nothing on Nick’s ability to seize control, even as he spread his legs, pulling them back so that Teddy had access to his hole. Teddy moaned at the unspoken invitation and made fast work of the condom and slicking himself up. Figuring that Nick didn’t do this a lot, he was generous with the lube, fingering Nick open until he was panting again. “No more teasing. Do it.”
“Yes, sir.” Teddy winked at him before lining his cock up, pressing forward. And good Lord but Nick was tight and hot, the pressure against his cockhead almost enough to make him come before he was halfway in. “Fuck.”
“Yeah, that’s it.” Nick used his thick, muscular legs to pull Teddy closer, body seeming to relax around his cock with a skill Teddy wouldn’t mind having. “Go hard as you need to, baby. Wanna see you lose it in me.”
“You talking like that is gonna guarantee this is over fast.” Teddy gritted the words out as he thrust the rest of the way in.
“You’re the one always begging for quickies.” Nick laughed, a warm, welcome sound that made his body convulse around Teddy’s cock. And made Teddy lose that much more control, thrusting faster than he wanted.
“I want to last,” Teddy moaned even as he knew he wouldn’t.
“Let’s get you off. Show me what you’ve got.” Nick’s head fell back. “Damn, you feel good.”
“Yeah?” Teddy reached for Nick’s cock. “You gonna come again with me?”
“Not that talented.” Nick pushed Teddy’s hand aside. “And too old for shooting back-to-back, but you light me up inside. Feel like I’m still riding that wave, fucking your mouth. Damn, I love your mouth.”
Teddy loved Nick like this, loose and babbling, generous with his body and his words, showering Teddy with praise as he fucked deeper.
“Nick,” he moaned.
“You are so fucking sexy. Never gonna get tired of watching your face.”
Never gonna get tired of you. The thought slammed into Teddy and he knew it was true. He could live a thousand moments just like this one with Nick and it wouldn’t be enough, wouldn’t ever be enough. And he should be embarrassed by Nick’s hot gaze intent on him, but instead he found himself preening, showing off a little as he fucked Nick harder.
Nick did a thing where he tightened and released his rim, a rhythmic pulse that almost brought Teddy off right there. “Damn. Do that again.”
“Yeah? You like that trick?” Nick taunted as he complied. “Gonna come for me?”
“Fuck. I can’t…” Teddy bit his lip hard, trying to hold back. “Too…good. Gotta…”
“Yeah, you do. Go hard,” Nick urged, body surging up to meet Teddy’s. He did the clenching thing another few times and that was all it took for Teddy to slam in harder, seeking his climax mindlessly now. And when it hit him, all he could do was cry out, overwhelmed by the sheer force of the emotions that hit him.
Not just pleasure either—behind the usual feel-good stuff was something deeper, something sweeter that he didn’t want to name, but it made him stroke Nick’s face as he came down from the high. He tried to memorize every feature of the amazing man laid out before him, every sensation that he pulled out of Teddy, every moment they got together feeling like the rarest of gifts.
And later, when they’d cleaned up and banked the fire and snuggled into Teddy’s bed, he knew with a certainty that made his throat close up that there was no way he could let this man go without putting up a fight.