Page 17 of Dean (Unexpected #9)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DEAN

I can’t stop staring at Avery’s ass. I’ve been inside that , I think as I stare at the long purple dress he’s wearing. I’ve felt the rim constrict against my cock as I came inside of him. Raw. Bare. Fuck, it just makes me want to push that dress up around his hips and fuck him again. Right on this rickety kitchen table.

Once was not enough.

I can’t believe he almost left me last night. The fear I felt when I saw that box on his floor. That he wanted to leave me. That he was going to pack up and go.

The color in my life was going to bleed and run. I wasn’t going to have it anymore. I want more of it. I don’t want it to be pulled from my life.

But he didn’t leave. He stayed. He stayed up, painting something for my walls.

It’s a symbol.

I know it is.

It’s him putting his mark on my life, a more permanent one.

“You want something to drink?” I ask Ben, turning my attention back to my son. He’s the one I want to talk to. Yes, I have to get my mind to focus. I want to talk to my son.

Tonight is not about Avery, as much as I want it to be.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll have some water,” Ben says, fiddling with the collar of his shirt.

“Not a beer or anything?” I ask, and Avery holds out the spoon he’s using to stir something in the pot on the stove. A noodle plops to the floor, but it goes ignored as I lean into him. He’s so fucking hot. I never want to stop touching him. It’s amazing how good he feels in my arms.

“He told you what he wants, Dean. Get your son some water. The last time Ben had something to drink he had to be carried home. He’s a lightweight.”

“You did a heavy pour,” Ben says, and Avery winks at him.

“I did. And boy, was it worth it,” Avery replies.

I clear my throat and move to the fridge, brushing against Avery in the process, dragging a hand down his lower back. I want to squeeze his ass, but I don’t. I just relish the fact that he arches into my touch. That he didn’t leave me.

Ben looks away, focusing on the art hanging on the wall.

“You like that?” I ask, setting a bottle of water before my son. “Avery painted it.”

Ben studies it, uncapping his water and taking a small sip.

“It’s really good.”

“It is. He’s really talented.”

I had no idea until I saw it. I didn’t even say anything, just grabbed a nail and hammered it into the wall. I want everyone to see this when they come by.

I want to brag.

“Dean, fuck, stop,” Avery says, his cheeks flushed pink.

“What? It’s really damn good.”

Avery’s eyes flick to me and then back to the stove. “Thank you, and as much as I love to talk about how talented I am, we should get the meat on the grill. The mac and cheese is almost done.”

I nod and grab some trays from the fridge, meandering into the backyard and starting the grill. I can see Avery and Ben chatting and I’m thankful they get along so well.

I want to make sure Ben approves of the person I want to spend my time with…my life with, perhaps.

I focus on the steaks to make sure dinner is perfect. I want Ben to come over to hang out more often. I want him to always feel comfortable coming around.

I glance in the window and see Ben smile at Avery, the two of them laughing about something.

Fuck, it warms my heart. It’s one less thing I need to worry about.

My son and my partner…is that what he is? My boyfriend?

I’ll need to ask, need to discuss. I want a label. I want to make this official.

When the meat is done, Avery and Ben walk outside and I can’t help the smile that pulls my lips up. They chat like old friends and I interject when I need to, but honestly, I just love listening to them talk, listening to their plans. They’re so young and they have so much ahead of them.

There are only a few times I really feel old, but then Avery reaches over and touches me softly and I’m brought back to the happy little bubble we’ve created.

We might have an age difference, but it’s fine. It works for us.

It works.

“You have any plans tonight? We could watch a movie…” I ask Ben as we clean up. Dinner was, of course, excellent. I couldn’t be prouder of Avery.

But as for Ben, I’m not ready for him to go. He clutches at his thigh and his shoulders move up to his ears. He looks a little stressed at my request. I almost take it back, but then he utters, “I could stay for a movie.”

I beam and feel my stomach flutter with excitement. My two guys are here with me. I couldn’t be any happier to spend my night with them.

As Ben and Avery pick out a movie, I move into the kitchen, looking for some popcorn. I can’t find it where it usually is, which means Avery has been busy reorganizing my life .

Which makes me fucking happy, to be honest. I want him to mess with my life a little, to put it back in order. To throw away my decades-old popcorn. To make me alive again.

I need to order those trees he wanted.

To give him a reason to stay.

To make him feel alive, just like he does for me.

I finally find the popcorn and I’m throwing it in the microwave when I hear Ben and Avery whispering from the living room. I peer over at them and see them talking seriously. I don’t know what they’re saying but I like that Ben has someone he can talk to even if it’s not me. I get that I may not be the one he goes to for certain things, and I’m okay with that.

I hear the popping growing sparser and I pull the bag from the microwave, placing the steaming popcorn into a bowl. When I return to the living room, I lower myself next to Avery on the couch. He’s warm and content next to me, and I lean into him.

“What are we watching?” I ask, and Ben peers over at me, reaching for some popcorn.

“Avery convinced me to watch a horror film.”

“Shit,” I murmur, and Ben grins. I fucking hate scary movies.

“My dad hates those,” Ben says with a smug grin.

“Oh, do you?” Avery asks, his eyes lighting up. “Do they scare you? Do you need a cuddle during them?”

I frown, a grumble forming on my lips. “No, I’m a man. They don’t scare me. I don’t give a fuck about any of them.”

Avery looks amused and yet turns it on all the same. And if I sit a little closer to him during the murdery bits…well, that’s just because I want him to feel safe.

“You want me to sleep with you tonight because you’re scared of a masked man coming in and chopping you up with a knife, aren’t you?”

“Fuck no. I just want to sleep next to you,” I murmur.

Avery lets out a cute little laugh and crawls in next to me.

“My big, manly Dean scared of a silly movie. ”

“I’m not fucking scared.”

He doesn’t believe me. I don’t believe me, but it’s fine. Because now he’s back in my arms. And I feel right at home. I don’t feel scared at all.

Although, he is wearing far too many clothes. I wish he were naked.

“What?” Avery asks. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I murmur as my hand snakes up his back.

“What is it?” Avery asks, leaning up and staring down at me.

“Just think you’re wearing too many clothes is all.”

Avery’s lips twitch. “Oh, you want me naked?”

“I always do.”

Avery shimmies and wiggles slightly, and a moment later, he’s divested of my oversized shirt, and his smooth body slides up against mine.

“Better?” he asks, breathlessly.

“Yeah.”

“And what about you? You get to just lie there clothed?”

His hand sneaks to my cock and he rubs it, feeling it grow against his palm.

“You want me naked?”

“Always,” he says with a small laugh, and then his fingers slip under my waistband and down to my dick, which is throbbing. I want to enter him again. I want him in every way. Need to figure out what those ways are and do them, one by one.

Maybe I should do more research online.

Figure out what the seasoned gays recommend.

Avery helps me out of my pajama bottoms and then rolls halfway on top of me, sliding his smooth skin along mine. His mouth drags across my tattoos, stopping to lap at my nipples before moving to my sternum, his teeth dragging down the long stem of roses winding down the middle of my chest.

My hands curl into his hair, tugging gently as he continues to tease me with his tongue.

“What do you want? Tell me,” he says.

“I want anything you’re willing to give me.”

“Fine, then my mouth or my ass? ”

My fingers move down his back and clutch those firm globes. “Is your ass okay? I fucked you hard yesterday. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“And I love feeling it today. You choose, Dean. You tell me what you want.”

I let that sit for a while, shifting back and forth between my options before deciding that I want him to ride me. I want to watch him get off using my dick.

I tell him this and his cheeks flush, his pulse picking up in his neck.

I touch it, feeling the rapid beat of his heart and smirk.

“Fine. I can so do that,” he says and then slides off me and grabs the lube. He holds it up, dramatically flicking the cap open and dribbling some on his fingers. I watch those digits disappear behind him and his lips part as he breaches his hole, working himself open for me.

I do nothing but just sit there and take it all in. My hands clutch at his hips, feeling the ripple of anticipation move through him as he opens up for me, and when he’s prepped and ready, he shifts up my torso and slots my dick at his hole.

“Ready for me to ride you, Dean?”

“Yeah.”

“Hold on, baby,” he says as he sinks down on me slowly. So slow, in fact, that I lose the ability to breathe. My eyes shut and I just feel him, the tightness of his rim, how warm he is as he engulfs me. Perfection. So perfect. How is that possible? I’ll never know.

“Look at me,” he whispers and my eyes open, staring up at him. He’s never been more beautiful than in this moment, his hair falling across his shoulders, his eyelashes casting shadows over his pink cheeks.

“Beautiful,” I murmur, and he sighs, his hands falling onto my chest as he uses it for leverage, pushing up and then taking me in once more. His hole swallows me, over and over, until we’re both panting. I don’t know why, but everything about this is visceral, primal. So different than I’m used to, but just right.

It’s just what I want.

What I need.

Avery continues to ride me, his movements growing more assured, more confident until our skin is slapping together, his fingers curling into my chest, my own hands doing the same. We’ll both have marks on our bodies to prove that we did this, that it wasn’t just something I conjured up in my dreams.

This is real.

My truth.

I’ll have all the fucking dreams about this , I think as I move my hand across his stomach and feel the ripple of need as I cup his cock in my fist. I work him toward the edge, feeling his rim clutch around my dick, and when he comes, I do as well, the two of us falling over the edge together.

Avery is trembling when he comes down from it, falling onto me and into his mess, his face nuzzling into my neck.

“That won’t ever get old.”

“No, it won’t. Come here.”

He does, letting me pull him into my side as I press my face into his hair.

The scent of him, flowers and cake and sex, is more than I can take. My eyes water and I feel emotions rolling through me. I feel so much at this moment. I like him so much.

I never thought I’d come to want this so badly, and maybe I will never fully understand it, but Avery fills something inside of me. Something I didn’t know was missing until I felt it. Until I realized it was missing.

And I feel it now. I feel it slowly being filled, spilling over into my heart and taking root in my mind.

He may be younger than me, but I want more of it.

I want all of him. Forever.

“Shit, I didn’t know this was here,” I say, finding the drill I borrowed from Ford ages ago among my tools at the shop. He told me I borrowed it, but I swore I hadn’t. I figured he’d just lost it, but now here it is, buried under a bunch of shit I haven’t touched in months.

I need to return it. He’s been asking me about it for a home- improvement project he’s working on. I’m a terrible friend. You don’t just lose a drill. Not one this nice.

And since Avery has been out with Kit all afternoon, leaving me to twiddle my thumbs and wait for him, I might as well stop by now. I have nothing better to do.

I lock up the shop and hop on my motorcycle, putting the drill in the small bag on the back, and drive to Ford’s house. When I pull into his driveway, I notice that Ben’s car is parked outside, too. That’s fucking weird, but also not really? I mean, he grew up with Ford and Cash. They’re like father figures to him.

Maybe Ben needed something.

Or maybe…I shake that thought away.

No, no way. Right?

I don’t fucking know.

My knuckles hit the doorframe, and it swings open, Ford’s face stilling when he sees me.

“Hey, been missing something?” I hold up the drill as if he needs the explanation, and Ford rolls his eyes. And as he does, I see Ben behind him, looking slightly nervous.

“Hey, D-Dad,” he stutters as Ford takes a step back from the entryway and joins Cash in the kitchen. Ben’s cheeks are flushed, his throat bobbing slightly as he looks at me.

I don’t know why he seems so upset, but maybe he’s just had a bad fucking day.

I get that. I totally get that.

Or maybe I’ve interrupted something. I look over at Cash and Ford, who are acting a little shifty.

Well, hell. I could be imagining it, but now that I think about it…the little things I’ve been noticing might all make sense…

“Oh. Hey, Ben. Sorry…I was just swinging by on my way home to return Ford’s power drill when I saw your car outside. Is everything okay?” I can’t help but ask. I am his father, after all. I set the drill down and run my hand through my hair, feeling slightly bad that I asked this in front of everyone. I never want to put him on the spot like that.

I never want him to feel like he owes me an explanation. Even if I kinda want one .

“Oh, yeah, I just…Cash and Ford invited me over for dinner. A celebration for acing my midterm.”

Oh shit, so maybe I got it wrong. Maybe it’s nothing more. Maybe he wanted to celebrate with them and not me. I can’t help my face falling slightly, and I know he feels like shit.

“I’m glad to hear it,” I say, eyeing my son. He just nods, standing up and moving to grab some wine from the fridge, as if he’s been here a hundred times before.

My mind grabs for some explanation other than what I’m thinking, but I just can’t come up with one. Maybe he spends more time with them than I realize. Maybe he goes to them and not me.

It makes my stomach hurt slightly. Maybe I haven’t been good enough. Maybe he needs more support.

Or maybe…hell, don’t go there.

Maybe I should go there. Maybe this is more than he’s letting on.

“Want to stay for dinner?” Ben asks.

I fiddle with the rings on my fingers and nod.

“Yeah, I could eat.”

And I could use a little more time around the three of them.

He nods and then pours me a glass, setting it next to me as I take a seat at the kitchen table.

“Where’s Avery?” Ben asks.

“He’s out with friends.” Ben eyes me, and I shrug. “He can do what he wants.”

“Of course he can,” Ben replies as Ford and Cash set the caprese salad on the table.

“Don’t eat it all, you lug,” Ford says, and I can’t help but smile up at him. I’m glad Ben has these guys in his life. If they’re who he wants to go to, then so be it.

They’ll take care of him.

“Fancy,” I say, reaching out and snagging some bread, plopping some mozzarella and a tomato onto it. I shove it in my mouth sloppily, chewing it quickly, and swallowing.

“It’s been a hell of a long time since we all hung out. I’ve missed it,” I say .

“Me too, man,” Ford says, and Cash nods. I watch them intently and see the way they peer over at Ben often.

Far more than they probably would if things were platonic.

“Life keeps getting in the way, and now that you have Avery as a roommate, you’ve been busy,” Cash says, and I eye my son, who is blushing.

Still can’t help the smirk pulling my lips up as I load up another piece of bread with cheese and shove it in my mouth. “Hey, wild thought, I know, but maybe after dinner, we can all go for a ride.”

Cash and Ford glance at one another, and Ben shifts in his seat.

“Yeah, we can do that,” he finally says, and I can’t help but feel some kind of satisfaction in this. I get to spend time with my best friends and my son.

“Good thing we made some food for us,” Cash says as he pulls out another plate from the fridge. “You eat like an animal.”

“Yeah, well, I’m hungry, and Avery isn’t home to feed me.”

“Seems so,” Ford replies, slapping me on the back as the two of them join Ben and me at the table. We polish off the caprese salad before moving to the main course, the four of us chatting about the shop and Ben’s classes until we’re all stuffed full.

“How about a ride and then cake?” Cash offers, and we all agree, standing up and grabbing our jackets. I notice Ben moving down the hallway toward the bedrooms and feel something nag at me.

Does he have stuff here? Clothes?

Is it that serious?

I don’t let myself think too hard about it. Not yet. Instead, we walk outside and grab the motorcycles.

Within minutes, the low rumble echoes down the street as we turn them on.

“Can I ride with you?” Ben asks me, his hand on my shoulder, and my heart jumps in excitement.

“Yeah. You ready?” I ask as I pat his hand.

“Just like old times,” Ben says, and I can’t help but laugh.

“Like old times.”

Ben throws his leg over the seat and puts his arms around my waist.

“Love you, Dad,” he says and I pat his hand once more. I love him too. I always will, no matter what. Even if he is sleeping with my two best friends.

Without another word, we roar off into the distance.

Content. That’s what I feel as I drive back to my place after a long ride with Ben, Cash, and Ford. Ben follows behind me in his car and parks beside me, hopping out and meeting me by the front porch.

“That was really fun. Thanks for the ride, Dad.”

I want to ask him questions, want to pry, but I let it go. He’ll tell me when he’s ready.

I probably should be more upset about it, but for some reason, I’m not. I trust Cash and Ford, and as long as Ben is safe and happy, as long as he’s found someone he loves—someones, perhaps?—then I’m okay with it.

“Sure thing. It was fun. We should do it again.”

“We will. I promise. Well, I’m gonna go, maybe watch a movie.”

“Yeah. Goodnight then.”

He leans in and gives me a hug like he used to when he was younger and then takes the steps to his garage apartment two at a time. I watch him go, memories of him as a little boy moving through my mind. Fuck, time has flown. What happened? It’s like I’ve blinked and he’s all grown up.

He sends me a final wave, and the door shuts to his apartment. I move onto the porch and I can tell by the music filtering through the speakers on the TV and the lights flickering through the front windows that Avery is in the living room.

Fuck, please let Kit not be around , I think as I unlock the door and step inside. I know immediately that Kit’s not here. It’s just Avery, paint on his skin as he glances up from his canvas at me.

“Hi,” he says, looking slightly smudged and mussed—the perfect piece of artwork.

“Hi,” I reply and then run a hand through my hair. “Sorry I’m late. Went for a ride with Ben, Cash, and Ford.”

“Oh, did you? How was it? ”

He sets his paintbrush down and wipes his hands on my old shirt that he’s wearing, messing it up even further, but it looks good on him, so I say nothing.

“It was fine. I got some weird vibes though…” I peer down at Avery as he leans into me. “Have you noticed anything weird with Ben lately? Or Cash and Ford? I could be going fucking crazy, but I think…”

Avery blinks up at me and his cheeks flush. “Um, oh? I don’t…have you spoken to Ben?”

“Something’s up with him. I think I’m going to take him to breakfast. Maybe he’ll tell me the truth then.”

“You should. You both should have a nice, long chat.”

“You could come too.”

“Only if you want me to. I don’t want to intrude.”

“Ben knows you’re part of my life now. I think he’d like it if you were there.”

“All right, well, if he says it’s okay.”

“I’ll text him and ask.”

“Good idea,” Avery says and then pushes up on his tiptoes and presses a kiss to my lips. I sink into it, feeling my heart swell with happiness. First a ride with Ben and my best friends, and then I get to come home to Avery.

Things have been good. I hope he hasn’t had any trouble with Nick…

I pull away and meet his hooded stare. “Did you have any trouble today?”

“Oh no. I locked the doors and windows and nothing happened.” He blinks slowly. “But I did get another threatening message. I finally decided to let the cops know. So I had Kit go with me to the station and I made a report…”

“Good. I have Ben’s friend Lex’s number, and I’ll message him now to get those cameras set up. I don’t want you to feel unsafe here.”

“I don’t feel unsafe. Not here. But I wouldn’t mind cameras. I want to catch him in the act if he decides to fuck with me again.”

“He won’t. We’ll get this sorted. What did the police say?”

“Not much. They just took my statement and copies of the texts. ”

“Good. That’s all we can do for now. Unless you want me to contact Anthony.”

“Absolutely not,” Avery replies and then sighs. “Come see what I’ve painted. It’s for your room.”

I let him lead me forward and I see the canvas. Color spills over the entirety of it, with the shape of a man in blues and greens.

“Who is that?”

“You,” he says and then bites his bottom lip. “I like abstract art more than anything realistic. Maybe it’s because I’m not that good…”

“I love it. I can’t wait to hang it in my room, right above my bed.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. I’m glad you like it. I think it’s…well, I really like it.”

“Me too.”

“I got fast food with Kit. Did you eat?” Avery asks as he moves back to work on his painting, looking so fucking pretty. I sit on the kitchen chair and just stare at him. I can’t believe he’s mine.

“What?” he asks when I don’t answer and he turns to catch me staring.

“Nothing. Yes, I ate at Ford’s house.” But I can’t meet his eyes. My gaze is locked on his legs.

“It’s something. What’s up?”

“Fine, it’s you. You’re fucking distracting.”

“Am I?” he asks, his fingers pulling my shirt up his legs, exposing his panties to me, and I feel my chest expand on an inhale.

“You fucking know you are.”

“Do I?” he bats his eyelashes at me, and I fist my hands.

“You know you are. Come here.”

He slides onto my lap, his legs straddling mine, his arms wrapping around my neck.

“Is this better?”

“Yeah, it fucking is.”

His lips brush against mine and a wave of desire rushes through me. My mouth slants over his and my tongue pushes into his mouth as my hands pull him in closer. I can feel his hard cock brush against my stomach and hear his soft moans as I lick my way into his mouth .

Fuck, he tastes good , I think as a hand moves into his hair, loosening it, feeling it come out of the confines of the braid and spill across his shoulders. I wrap some of it around my fist and pull his head back gently, exposing his throat to me.

My lips peel from his and move to his neck, biting and licking my way across his smooth skin. He smells like paint and flowers. Like a garden canvas. Avery is arching into my touch, his back bowed, his hands holding on to my biceps as I work my way to his collarbone. I nibble my way across it, and he gasps when I pull his shirt over his head, exposing his chest to me.

He’s blushing, pink all over. It bleeds from his cheeks to his chest, and I can’t help but taste him. Every part of him.

“I want you right over this table,” I whisper, and he gasps when my fingers dig into the fleshy bits of his hips.

“Anywhere,” he moans. “Anywhere.”

I let my teeth sink into his earlobe. “Bend over it.”

Avery scrambles to do as I ask, his stomach hitting the tabletop, his head resting on his arms.

“Perfect,” I murmur as I stand up and run a hand down his ass. I can feel those globes flexing under my palms as I tug his underwear down, exposing his beautiful body to me.

“I need to get the lube.”

“Yes. Hurry.”

I grab both of his ass cheeks in my hands and squeeze before moving into the bedroom, grabbing the bottle of lube, and returning to the kitchen. Avery is waiting for me, his eyes following me as I approach.

“You sure you want this?”

“Don’t fucking ask me that,” he murmurs. “Just do it.”

My fingers flick the cap open, dribbling the lube onto his crack as I watch it trickle down. My fingers push into him, wetting his hole, scissoring him open, loving the small mewling noises he makes as I stretch him. Fuck, he’s perfect , I think as I add more lube and work my zipper open at the same time.

Avery is arching his hips back, offering himself up to me, and when I finally slot my cockhead at his opening, he’s whimpering in desperation.

It’s all the encouragement I need. I push my hips forward and slide into him, past his rim and right into his channel, feeling him engulf me. My eyes close, my fingers digging into his hips as I hold on to him for dear life.

Avery’s eyes are closed, his mouth open as he pants his eagerness.

I thrust forward, only to pull back and do it all over again, pushing us both closer and closer to the edge.

Avery is the first to topple over, his release clamping his hole around my cock, and it’s over for me at that point. I fill him, knowing that I’m going to be dripping out of him for the rest of the evening.

I pull out and watch some of it dribble from him, using my fingers to push it back inside his hole, not wanting to leave him.

I want him to feel me for days.

Avery doesn’t move, just continues to lie there, sprawled across the table, his eyes closed, ass arched up and out.

“Can I take a picture?” I ask, and he nods.

“Yeah, take all the pictures.”

I fumble for my phone in my pants pocket and snap a few photos of him naked on my table. When he finally stands up, I hand him my paint-spattered shirt, and he pulls it on.

“You want to shower?” I ask, and he shakes his head, his hair flowing across his shoulders.

“No, I want to feel you while I paint.”

I bite my bottom lip, tucking myself away and running a hand across my jaw.

“Can I watch while you do it?”

“Of course.”

I grab a beer and settle back in my seat, reaching out to drag my hands up his bare thighs while he works. And fuck, this is perfect.

I don’t ever want this to change.

I want this forever.