Page 13

Gavin was still floating in a haze of post-orgasm bliss when Dakota pulled away. He cracked his eyes open to squint at him.

“You know,” Dakota said, propping himself up on one elbow and shifting away. “I thought I was supposed to be doing all the work tonight.”

Gavin shot him a tired grin. “Sorry. Got carried away, I guess.”

“Mmm,” Dakota said, his tone doubtful.

“I mean it.” Gavin reached out and tucked Dakota’s hair behind his ear. “You can take over on the next round.”

Dakota huffed. “So you say …”

“Give me like … half an hour, forty minutes or so."

Dakota glanced at the nightstand, narrowing his eyes. “Do you know what time it is?”

Gavin let his head loll to the side and squinted at it. “Late as fuck.”

Dakota huffed again. “Yes. And I need to get back to my place before the trains going to Quincy stop for the night. Or I’m going to have to pay for a ride share there.”

“I’d call a car for you, if you want.”

Dakota looked unimpressed. “Let’s not make things more complicated by adding money to it.”

Gavin bit his lip against the argument that the twenty-five-to-thirty-dollar price tag was hardly going to make or break anything for him and really, money was the least of the complications they had to worry about. He didn’t see either going over well though. “Well, can you stay a little longer at least?”

Dakota sat up. “I suppose. What did you have in mind in the meantime?”

“I thought I’d offer you a tour of my place. It has a hell of a view.”

“I bet it does.” Dakota stood and reached for something on the floor, coming away with his underwear.

Gavin hadn’t meant right this second but apparently, Dakota wasn’t in the mood to linger in bed.

With a groan, he heaved himself upright.

“Yeahhh, I really should have let you do the work earlier,” he admitted. As much as he usually liked the soreness he experienced after workouts, he was definitely feeling the strain now.

“Little late now ,” Dakota teased.

He stood by the bed in his underwear, hair mussed and mouth slightly reddened from the abrasion of Gavin’s beard.

Fuck, he looked good.

Gavin stepped closer, dipping his head to kiss him. He’d meant it to be quick, but it lingered, growing lazy, and though neither of them were hard by the time Gavin finally pulled away, the heavy-lidded look in Dakota’s eyes was enough to tell Gavin he wasn’t far off.

It would take Gavin a while longer to get there, but damned if he wouldn’t try. Maybe next time, he should see if the Viagra he’d taken occasionally when he and Rory had especially intense marathon sessions had expired …

“You’re really into kissing,” Dakota commented when Gavin drew back. He touched his lips.

Gavin raised an eyebrow. “You mind?”

“No. Just a comment.”

“Okay.” Gavin dug through the tangle of clothes on the floor before he found his briefs and tugged them on.

“Ooh, gray,” Dakota said. “You were feeling wild tonight.”

Gavin tossed a handful of clothes at Dakota’s face in answer.

Dakota laughed, catching them. He let the shirt slip from his fingers to puddle on the rug again, but held up the tie, eyeing it speculatively for a moment before he looped it around Gavin’s neck.

Gavin glanced down to see Dakota had his fist wrapped around it. “Subtle,” he said with a lift of his eyebrows.

“What?” Dakota shot him an innocent look. “I have no idea what you mean.”

Gavin fought back a smile, but left the tie on. “C’mon, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

When they’d made their way through the entire apartment, ending in the living area, Dakota shook his head. “So … this is how the other half lives, huh?”

“It’s how I live,” Gavin said with a shrug.

“Is this a place you and your ex-husband bought or did you move here after the divorce?”

Gavin flinched. “Rory and I picked it out together. Does that bother you?”

Dakota shot him a confused glance. “No. Why would it?”

Shrugging, Gavin walked toward the kitchen. “No idea. Why’d you ask?”

“Trying to get a picture of who you are.”

“I’m pretty straightforward,” Gavin admitted. Except for, well, a lot of murky shit in his past he never talked about. He rubbed his face. Ugh .

“Gay, workaholic general manager and president of hockey operations for an NHL team, right?”

“More or less.” He cleared his throat. “Want something to drink?”

“Is there anything besides whiskey?”

Gavin shot him a look as he pulled open the refrigerator door. “Filtered plain water, energy drinks, and three flavors of seltzer water. Oh, and there’s fruit salad, if you want it. The nice chopped fresh fruit kind. Pineapple and strawberries and all that.”

“I thought you didn’t eat fruit,” Dakota said, leaning against the counter, surprise written all over his face and voice.

“I don’t each much. But you do. And I wasn’t sure if you got snacky after sex. Oh, and there’s cheese. You eat that too, right?”

“You bought me fruit salad,” Dakota said, his voice sounding funny.

“I placed a grocery order earlier today and added it, yes.”

“But it’ll go bad if I don’t want it tonight.”

Gavin shrugged, irritation creeping over him. “So come over again in the next couple of days or take it home with you when you leave tonight. It wasn’t meant to be a big thing . I was trying to be polite.”

“It was thoughtful,” Dakota said softly. “You just surprised me.”

“What kind of assholes have you been involved with?” Gavin asked.

“Your garden-variety ones, I guess.” Dakota’s voice was still soft but there was something hurt lingering beneath that made Gavin wish he could make it go away.

He didn’t think telling Dakota that would go over well though. He liked the guy, but he was starting to realize he had a lot of weird little touchy spots.

“Well, I’m sure plenty of people would tell you I’m an asshole too. And you might as well, if you don’t make a decision about what you want soon,” Gavin pointed out. “I’m freezing my tits and nuts off here and it’s making me cranky.”

Dakota laughed and stepped forward, trailing his hand along Gavin’s chest as he leaned in, then tweaking a nipple and making him yelp. He snagged a can of seltzer water and the container of chopped fruit. “I’m good. Your tits and nuts can thaw now.”

Gavin laughed, the earlier annoyance slipping away. He grabbed himself a can, shut the refrigerator, then slid open a drawer, pulling out a fork and handing it to Dakota. “C’mon. Let’s go in the living room so we can enjoy the view.”

He shut off the overhead lights as he went, leaving only the soft glow of a lamp in one corner as they got comfortable on the leather sectional.

“This is sustainably and ethically sourced leather,” he blurted out, “In case you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t, but that’s great to hear,” Dakota said with a smile.

Gavin handed him a throw blanket, then grabbed one for himself. By the time he got comfortable and had popped open his seltzer, Dakota was seated cross-legged, the blanket wrapped around his shoulders, eating fruit.

A little surge of pleasure that he’d guessed right went through him, though he supposed Dakota might only be eating it to be polite.

But after a few bites, he glanced up, smiling. “This was great. Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you.”

Gavin shrugged, because if Dakota considered this thoughtful, he’d stroke out at what Gavin was like when he was in an actual relationship and not just hooking up with a guy. Rather than say that aloud, he gestured toward the windows. “So what do you think?”

“Did you order the view for me too?” Dakota teased.

Another little prickle of irritation went through Gavin. Why did Dakota act like him wanting him to enjoy things was such a damn big deal?

“Yes,” he said blandly. “Just for you.”

Dakota laughed. “Thank you then. It’s stunning.”

Honestly, it really was. Gavin’s building was close enough to the waterfront to have a panoramic view of the harbor in the daylight but far enough back he still could see the twinkle of nearby high-rise lights and the glow of the city against the night sky.

The view was what had sold Gavin on the place, Rory hadn’t cared about it one way or the other. He’d been more focused on having an address that made people raise their eyebrows, impressed.

But Dakota was here now, and it suddenly hit Gavin that until tonight, he hadn’t had a guy over for sex since Rory left. He always went to their places or hotels. Since Dakota hosting wasn’t really an option, it had seemed logical to invite him over, but now Gavin began to wonder if it had been the first misstep he’d made tonight.

He knew he’d made several, though he wasn’t sure exactly what they were.

“So, was earlier good for you?” Gavin asked after the silence had stretched on, almost to the point of discomfort.

Dakota looked up from where he’d been inspecting a piece of strawberry, his eyebrow quirked. “Was it good ? Of course it was. Why wouldn’t it have been?”

Gavin shrugged. “Well, I was afraid it might seem tame after everything else we did.”

“Ahh. No, it was great. I’ll admit, the exhibitionist bent to our earlier hookups was hot, but I don’t need it to enjoy myself.”

“I wasn’t sure how important it was to you.”

“Not very. What about you? Is it something you want?”

“I wouldn’t mind doing it again in the future,” Gavin admitted. “But it’s definitely not a requirement.”

“Yeah?” Dakota set the plastic container on the glass coffee table, the fork clinking as he set it down too.

“Yeah. Like, I wouldn’t mind fucking you up against that window sometime.”

Dakota opened his mouth, like he was going to protest but Gavin held out a hand. “Not penetration. Like we did in LA or I could blow you or whatever. I mean fucking in the broader sense.”

Dakota released a breath, a fast whoosh of air leaving him like Gavin’s words had startled him. “Oh. Well, that could be hot.”

“Depending on how wild you’re feeling, we could do it in the dark or with some lights on.”

“Let’s leave some lights on,” Dakota said, his eyes gleaming. He settled a hand on Gavin’s thigh. “I definitely like that idea.”

“Good.” Gavin relaxed a little. “And I’m sure we can think of a few other places.”

“I’m sure we can,” Dakota agreed. “Now, do you think you can get it up again or do you need some encouragement?”

It definitely hadn’t been thirty minutes, much less forty, but Gavin was pretty sure his cock could get on board if he put his mind to it. “Oh, I can get there, but I wouldn’t mind some encouragement ,” he said with a grin.

Dakota shook his head and smirked, then leaned toward him. “I suppose I can help.”

“Honestly,” Gavin said, drawing back to look him in the eye. “This is your show, I promise, but I haven’t sucked your cock yet. And I’d really like to get my mouth on you. I love an uncut dick.”

“Well, if you insist.” Dakota fingered the black and white checkered houndstooth tie Gavin still wore, studying it intently before unknotting it. The whisper of silk sent a frisson through Gavin and he watched Dakota as he bit his lip with concentration.

When it had been loosened, the knot unraveled, he held both ends in either hand, studying it. “ Hmm ,” he said thoughtfully.

“Have your way with me,” Gavin said grandly. “Whatever you want.”

The gleam in Dakota’s eyes returned. “Don’t tempt me.”

“What if I want to tempt you?” Gavin held his gaze.

“Then I have one question. Are the back cushions of this sectional removeable?”

It took some maneuvering, but in no time at all, Gavin was stretched out on his back, Dakota kneeling over his chest, the tie still looped around the back of Gavin’s neck, ends held loosely in Dakota’s fists.

“Suck me,” Dakota whispered, and guided Gavin’s mouth to his cock.

Gavin reached out, intending to take hold of Dakota’s shaft and lick the tip, but Dakota smirked, shaking his head. “Un-uh. Hands over your head. No touching.”

“You drive a hard bargain,” Gavin said with a grin, but he did as instructed, liking the way Dakota’s gaze turned heated as he trailed it along Gavin’s arms.

For all of Dakota’s talk about not liking his body, he was such a fucking liar.

Gavin flicked his tongue out, tracing it along the tip of Dakota’s half-hard cock. A burst of salty-sweet liquid flooded his mouth, and he hummed happily. It had been a while since he’d sucked anyone off, but he did enjoy it.

Loved the way he could make a guy writhe and moan.

He took it slow now, teasing the tip of his tongue along the edge of Dakota’s foreskin until he was trembling, then sucked the head into his mouth. It was so much more difficult without his hands, but he did his best, alternating suction and little flicks of his tongue until Dakota’s cock grew hard and the shiny pink head emerged.

Apparently, his best wasn’t too shabby, because it wasn’t long before Dakota began to use the tie to fuck into his mouth in slow, shallow strokes. Gavin fought it at first, used to being the one setting the pace, but eventually, he relaxed into it, dropping his jaw and allowing Dakota to glide in and out.

He let out these delicious noises, soft groans and ragged breaths that made Gavin’s skin heat. He was dimly aware this encouragement was working, that he was getting harder too, but all he wanted was to hear Dakota get louder, feel him let loose.

The earlier urgency was gone, replaced by a slower, more languid feeling of being able to savor the scent of Dakota’s body as it filled his nose and enjoy the rub of his ass and thighs as he knelt over Gavin’s chest.

Dakota let out a soft sigh, pushing a little deeper and Gavin forced himself to relax further, to not choke on it. The angle was awkward and he could feel the bite of the tie rubbing against his neck, but he didn’t care, not when Dakota’s thighs were beginning to tremble—either from exertion or from a need to come.

Gavin curled his fingers into tight fists to keep himself from reaching down and grabbing Dakota’s ass to force his cock deeper into his throat. This control was clearly important. He needed it for some reason and Gavin wanted to give him that, wanted to show him he trusted him.

So he forced himself to relax, to open wider, to soften into the pace Dakota had set.

He glanced up, trying to gauge Dakota’s reaction, and their gazes met. The look in his eyes sent a jolt through Gavin’s entire body, heating his skin and making his cock jerk against his stomach. He suddenly became aware of how hard he was now, how much he wanted to come, but he couldn’t worry about that, couldn’t do anything but swirl his tongue along Dakota’s cock, teasing the spot where his foreskin attached to the shaft, then sucking hard.

“I’m close,” Dakota rasped, his whole body trembling now, the thrusts he made into Gavin’s mouth shorter and more erratic. “Where do you want me to come?”

Gavin hummed, sucking harder, staring him in the eye.

“In your mouth?” Dakota asked, sounding a little shaky.

Gavin nodded.

“Fuck,” Dakota spat, and then, with a deep groan, came.

His forearms shook with the exertion as he rode the orgasm out, the rub of the fabric against the back of Gavin’s neck keeping him from tumbling over the edge too.

Since they’d both come earlier, it wasn’t an enormous amount of liquid that landed on Gavin’s tongue, but he kept it there, rather than swallow, and from the heated look in Dakota’s eyes, he could tell.

Dakota shifted back, kneeling between Gavin’s thighs as he pressed their lips together. He swept his tongue into Gavin’s mouth, seeking his cum, and Gavin shuddered.

Grateful to have the use of his hands again, he roamed them over Dakota’s body, squeezing and gripping him as they kissed, sharing the taste of Dakota’s release between them.

“Fuck, you do know your way around an uncut cock,” Dakota rasped when he finally drew back.

Gavin’s chest still heaved but he managed a nod. “What can I say? I really like them.”

Dakota grinned crookedly, then leaned in again. “I can tell.”

Gavin moaned against Dakota’s lips when he wrapped a hand around his cock.

“Want me to get some lube?” Dakota asked.

“No.” Gavin reached out, fumbling awkwardly for the small square decorative box on the coffee table. He knocked the lid off, dimly hearing it clatter onto the table, and then the floor, before he pulled out what he kept stashed there.

Dakota laughed and kissed him again before he sat up and took the small bottle from him.

Dakota’s cock was softening but it still looked so good. Gavin must have licked his lips because Dakota shot him a heavy-lidded glance, then pumped some of the liquid into his palm.

“Always prepared, huh?” Dakota asked throatily. He leaned over Gavin again, bracing himself against the arm of the couch behind Gavin’s head.

“Yeahhh …”

The word dissolved into a moan as Dakota wrapped a hand around his cock. The slick heat felt so damn good and Gavin thrust upward into Dakota’s fist.

He stared up into Dakota’s eyes, but it was almost too much, too intense, and he closed them, panting when Dakota twisted his hand, working him over with sure, steady strokes. Gavin chased that pleasure, bucking up into that tight grip, panting as he got closer and closer.

But every time he got close, Dakota slowed, softened his grip, pulled him away from that edge.

“Tease,” Gavin choked out.

“You like it,” Dakota said confidently.

Gavin let out a noise of disagreement, but it was true. Goddamn, it was so true. His skin was on fire, heat crawling through him when Dakota began to speed up again.

“Look at me,” Dakota finally whispered.

When Gavin did, he was pinned in place by the intensity of Dakota’s gaze, and a choked sound left his throat before he could stop it. The orgasm slammed into him, his chest heaving the entire time Dakota stroked him through it.

He must have tried to close his eyes at some point because Dakota rasped, “No, keep looking at me, Gavin,” and he forced his eyelids open, his orgasm stretching on and on, unspooling like a ribbon.

He hadn’t realized how tightly he’d been wound until it was all over and he lay there, limp and exhausted, mind blissfully blank.

“Unnhh,” he managed.

Dakota laughed softly, patting his chest. “Glad you enjoyed that.”

“Fuck.”

For a few moments they lay there, Gavin trying to slow his heart and breathing, Dakota idly dragging his fingers across Gavin’s chest. He was still dazed when Dakota pulled away and stood.

“Where’re you going?” he slurred.

“It’s late,” Dakota said with a laugh. “I think I can still catch the last train if I leave soon though.”

“Let me get you a car,” he said, pushing himself up on one elbow, but before he even finished, Dakota was shaking his head.

“I can drive?” Gavin offered, though he knew Dakota would turn him down.

“It’ll be a miracle if you can stand.”

And damn it, he was right, but that still annoyed Gavin.

He made a disgruntled noise and tried to get his limbs to cooperate.

“I’m gonna go clean up and grab my clothes,” Dakota said.

“Help yourself to whatever you need in the bathroom,” Gavin called after him.

He’d made it to a sitting position by the time Dakota re-appeared, fully dressed, his hair neat and tidy again.

“Ugh,” Gavin said as he heaved himself to his feet.

“Told you,” Dakota said with a smirk. He turned toward the front door.

“Don’t forget to take your fruit!” Gavin said, catching his hand and threading their fingers together.

Dakota turned back, studying his face for a moment before he said, “Or I could come over in a couple of days.”

Gavin grinned. “Even better.”

Dakota slipped on his coat and laced his boots. They kissed by the door until Dakota gently shoved him away. “I really do have to go,” he said.

Gavin wished Dakota sounded more reluctant, but he swallowed his protests and let him leave.

And then he locked the door, tucked the fruit in the refrigerator, staggered toward the bedroom, and passed out.