Page 18

CHAPTER 17

TEACH ME

TOMMY

Tommy: Did you get the keys?

Chuck: I already grabbed them from Keaton.

Tommy: Amazing. I won’t be out there until later.

Chuck: I’ll see you there. Drive safe.

Tommy: You too.

Tommy was fifteen minutes into his drive to Lake Murray when he realized he’d forgotten to pack his swimsuit. He cursed as he whipped a u-turn. The delay would have him getting there well past dark.

The final work week before the short holiday had been ruthless. It seemed like every day there had been a fire to put out, and between dealing with issues in the branches and squeezing in his own prep for the promotion interview after the Fourth, Tommy was exhausted and ready for a break.

At least he had the early mornings at the pool, swimming side by side with Chuck. They’d both been focused on making the most of those final days of training, but now there was a new, tangible excitement between them.

It was there in the way Chuck smiled at him when he’d finished a drill. It was there in the way his hand found Chuck’s lower back when they walked through the gate. It was there in glances that lingered and sentences that trailed off, incomplete, when their eyes locked.

They were a pair of adorable idiots, that’s what they were.

Tommy grinned, his left knee bouncing with excitement. He couldn’t wait to get there and put his hands on Chuck’s bony hips, kiss the freckles on his shoulders, and ask how his day had been.

He was going to be the best boyfriend ever .

By the time he pulled down the long drive at the stone mailbox, Tommy was starving and he had to piss so badly his stomach was cramped. Chuck’s car was already there, and Tommy parked next to him and grabbed his leather duffel from the backseat.

He let out a relieved breath when he walked in the front door.

“Tommy?” Chuck’s voice called from the direction of the kitchen.

“Gotta piss,” Tommy shouted back, dropping his stuff and running down the hall to the bathroom. Once he’d relieved himself and washed his hands, he walked through the open living room over to the kitchen.

Chuck stood at the counter, his red waves looking particularly disheveled. He wore a t-shirt and cut off jean shorts that reached his mid-thigh. He sang quietly under his breath, his voice warm and beautiful even from that distance.

“Hi,” Tommy said, a little bit hesitant to interrupt his friend’s singing.

Chuck turned, face brightening when he saw Tommy. “You made it.” He crossed the room towards him, a soft smile tugging at his mouth.

Tommy couldn’t help the way his whole body hummed and everything felt a little bit brighter when he looked at Chuck. He probably looked like a fool, smiling so widely his face hurt. “Hey, you.”

Without hesitating, Chuck moved around the counter and walked straight into Tommy’s open arms. Tommy was just short enough that his face was level with the base of Chuck’s neck, and he let himself, for just a moment, sink into the man’s body. A sense of relief filled him, and he squeezed his arms tightly around Chuck’s back even as he let out a loud sigh.

Chuck withdrew first, offering Tommy a smile before he walked back into the kitchen.

Tommy glanced at the covered dishes on the countertop. “You made dinner?”

“Of course I did,” Chuck said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Minutes later, their plates were loaded with grilled brats, roasted potatoes, and a simple mixed green salad. They each grabbed a beer from the fridge and went out to the deck.

The night was warm, the air heavy with humidity. Tommy grabbed a lighter from the kitchen and lit the citronella torches mounted to the railing in the hope that they’d keep some of the mosquitos away.

They made small talk over their shared meal, perched on either end of the wide couch. Tommy wanted to move closer, but for some reason he was hesitant to bridge the last bit of space between them.

He watched Chuck closely as he told him about a middle distance swimmer he was excited about coaching the next season. His eyes flashed brightly, and maybe Tommy was imagining it, but they looked like they were overflowing with an energy he hadn’t seen in a while. Chuck looked happy, and when he gesticulated wildly with his slender hands the bright blue paint on his nails caught the light.

“I love the color of your nails,” Tommy blurted out.

Chuck paused, and then his face broke into a smile that was almost shy. “Thanks,” he said.

He looked at Tommy intently for a moment, his jaw flexing like he was working through something in his head. His eyes dipped down to Tommy’s mouth before lifting to meet his gaze. In the flickering light cast by the torches, he could barely make out Chuck’s eyes: blue like worn jeans, framed by lashes that glowed like copper thread.

“Are we really doing this?”

Tommy’s question hung in the air between them, and in that moment he felt a profound and unexpected vulnerability. His heart was cracked wide open, pounding, and he was torn between terror and hope. Chuck said he wanted you , he reminded himself. Trust him.

Chuck smiled at him, his gaze soft as he shifted to angle his body to face Tommy. “C’mon, T,” Chuck whispered. “Kiss me.”

Tommy didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned over, wrapping his hand around the back of Chuck’s neck and pulling him into a kiss that didn’t waste any time being chaste. Chuck’s mouth met his and opened, their tongues curling around each other in the most delicious, intoxicating movement.

They both made noises: Tommy a desperate groan and Chuck a sigh that Tommy swallowed greedily. He loved kissing, the intimacy of tongues brushing and breaths mingling, but this kiss? This kiss with Chuck ? It was rewriting everything he thought he’d known.

Tommy was ravenous, angling Chuck’s head so he could access even more of him. He chased the bitterness of hops on his tongue, wanting to commit the taste to memory. He felt Chuck’s hands sliding up his arms and over his shoulders, like he was mapping out the muscles Tommy had worked so hard to maintain.

They’d erased any distance between them, pressing their bodies together as much as they could while on the couch. Chuck shifted, hooking a leg over Tommy’s thigh, and they both hissed as Chuck’s erection brushed against him.

“Sorry,” Chuck gasped, moving back.

“No,” Tommy growled, reaching down and grabbing at Chuck’s hard dick through his jean shorts. “I want it all.”

Chuck’s mouth was wet, lips glistening in the low light. “Fuck, T,” he whimpered, and Tommy leaned in and kissed the freckles at the base of Chuck’s throat just because he could. Above him, Chuck let out a groan. “Inside. Let’s go inside.”

They barely made it into the house before Chuck was shoving Tommy against a wall and kissing him like he was trying to steal the air from his lungs. Tommy couldn’t get enough of Chuck’s hard body under his palms, and took advantage of their closeness to slip his hands up and under Chuck’s t-shirt, brushing over the soft skin of his stomach.

“Bed,” Chuck breathed against his mouth, and they managed to break apart and stumble up the stairs together.

When they reached the long hallway upstairs they stopped, both of them breathing heavily as they looked at each other. On Tommy’s right was the room he’d always slept in when they came out for spring break. On their left was the room Chuck used.

Tommy grabbed Chuck’s hand and tugged them into the room he thought of as Chuck’s. He would never say it out loud, but he didn’t want to be with Chuck in the room he’d shared with Courtney in the past. This was the beginning of something new.

Any thought of the past was banished as they tumbled onto the neatly made bed. Tommy stretched himself over Chuck’s long body, claiming his already-swollen lips in a softer, gentler kiss.

Chuck sighed against his mouth, his hips pressing up into Tommy. When they broke apart to catch their breath, Tommy could finally see the clear blue of Chuck’s eyes in the lamp light. Emotion expanded in his chest, so much that it threatened to drown him.

“I want you to fuck me,” Chuck said softly, staring right into Tommy’s eyes.

Tommy bit off a groan, dropping his forehead to Chuck’s. His own dick was throbbing and smearing the fabric of his boxers with precum, and the thought of being inside of Chuck? Fuck , he might come in his pants before they had a chance to do anything.

He rolled his hips, a choked “Fuck” falling from his lips as his hard dick brushed against Chuck’s erection. “Teach me,” he managed to whisper.

“Roll over,” Chuck said, gently shoving at Tommy’s chest.

He tumbled over, falling back into the soft pillows, and watched Chuck scramble from the bed. Tommy palmed his crotch, his breaths ragged as Chuck bent down to rummage through his bag. When he stood back up he had a little bottle of lube and a strip of condoms in one hand.

“Fuck,” Chuck said, shaking his head as he threaded his long fingers through his wild curls. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.” His eyes dropped to Tommy’s hand and he bit his lip.

Wanting to give him a show, Tommy squeezed around the base of his dick, pulling the fabric of his loose basketball shorts tight around his shaft. “Come here,” he commanded.

Chuck pulled off his t-shirt as he approached, tossing it back behind him. He dropped his hands to the button of his shorts, flicking the button open and pulling the zipper slowly down over the bulge that pressed to the placket.

Tommy’s breath caught in his chest. “Are you fucking stripping for me right now?”

Chuck grinned, pushing the shorts over his slender hips and down his legs, leaving him in a pair of simple white briefs. Tommy could clearly see his cock straining against the almost transparent cotton.

“Fuck,” he whispered, his voice full of reverence. Tommy watched, transfixed, as Chuck stepped out of his briefs, leaving him naked. Tommy could barely breathe. “You’re beautiful, Chuck. So fucking beautiful.”

“Your turn,” Chuck said, his eyes raking up and down Tommy’s still-clothed body.

Tommy didn’t waste time, lifting his hips and shoving off his shorts and boxers in one go. He sat up and struggled out of his old Southeastern t-shirt before slumping back onto the bed. His abdomen flexed as his hard dick bounced up against his stomach.

And then Chuck was up on the bed, tossing the condoms and lube onto the blanket and straddling Tommy’s hips.

Up close, Chuck’s pale, freckled skin was flawless. Tommy reached up and brushed his fingertips over Chuck’s pronounced collarbones, down between his pecs and over the gentle ridges of his abdomen. When he passed Chuck’s belly button he slowed and softened his touch, carefully avoiding his hard cock that jutted out between them.

“What now?” Tommy asked as he traced the edge of the red curls that grew around the base of Chuck’s dick.

Above him, Chuck let out a quiet laugh. “Now I open myself up,” he said, reaching for the small bottle of lube. “You’re thick, T.”

Tommy reached out and grabbed Chuck’s wrist. “Can I do it?”

Chuck searched his gaze for a moment. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “Teach me how to take care of you.”

Chuck lifted to his knees and moved up Tommy’s body until he hovered above his chest. He clicked the lube open, looking down at Tommy. “Give me your hand.”

Tommy complied, and Chuck squeezed a generous amount onto his fingers. “You’re going to want to start around the rim,” Chuck said, his words punctuated by shallow breaths. “Go slow, building up the pressure.”

Tommy tried to settle the nerves in his gut as he reached around Chuck’s body and trailed his slick fingers down Chuck’s crack. When he felt the dip of Chuck’s hole he did as instructed, tracing the puckered skin of his rim.

“Good,” Chuck said from above him. “Tug a little bit at the— fuck , T, just like that, yeah.” Chuck let out a low noise as he pushed back into Tommy’s touch. “That’s so good. So fucking good.”

“Can I suck you?” Tommy noticed Chuck’s flushed cock and the glint of precum gathered at the tip. He wanted it, needed it in his mouth.

“You’re going to kill me, T,” Chuck said, but he shifted forward so that the flared head brushed Tommy’s lips. Eagerly Tommy craned his head up and wrapped his lips around his dick, sucking even as his fingers continued to work in circles around Chuck’s hole.

“I’m ready for a finger,” Chuck panted. “Start with one.”

Tommy followed his directions, grateful he didn’t have to figure it all out by himself. Chuck was hot and tight around him, his entrance clinging to his finger even as he pressed slowly inside. After a moment Chuck’s body softened, and Tommy began to slowly move his finger in and out of his body.

He glanced up at Chuck through his lashes, breath catching in his chest when he found Chuck staring down at him like he couldn't believe it was Tommy underneath him. Tommy sucked, swirling his tongue around the smooth skin of the flared head, and a heady rush filled his body.

“Another, Tommy. Fuck , another.”

The second finger slid in smoothly, followed by a third shortly after. Above him Chuck’s body trembled, his eyes wide and desperate as he watched Tommy suck his dick.

He was the reason Chuck looked like he was about to fall apart from pleasure. He was the one doing it to him, and there was nothing in the world that could compare.

“Off. Enough.” The words rasped from Chuck’s throat. “You’re going to make me come.”

Tommy withdrew his fingers and Chuck’s hard cock slipped from his lips. “I’m so fucking hard, baby,” Tommy said, his voice rough and raspy. “Need you.”

“How do you want me?”

Tommy had thought about this moment. He’d imagined it a hundred times with his hand on his cock in the shower, thinking about what it would be like to be inside Chuck.

“Hands and knees.”

Chuck let out a groan as he moved off of Tommy. Tommy sat up, breathless as he watched Chuck get into position beside him on the bed.

“Condom?” Tommy asked, thinking back to their conversation in the locker room.

Chuck looked back over his shoulder. “Wear one tonight. Easier clean up.”

Nodding, Tommy grabbed a condom, tearing the foil with his teeth and sheathing his dick before slicking himself up with more lube.

He shuffled over on his knees, placing a hand on the pale skin of Chuck’s back to steady himself. Tommy’s eyes caught on the cluster of freckles to the left of his spine, and he traced his fingers over them.

“What are you doing?”

Tommy smiled, trailing a leisurely circle around the cinnamon-colored marks. “Freckles,” he said softly. “I just really love your freckles.”

He heard Chuck huff a soft laugh. “While that’s really fucking sweet, can you fuck me please?”

Tommy let out a surprised laugh, but it quickly turned to a gasp as he gripped his cock and notched himself at Chuck’s entrance. “You’re going to have to tell me if it’s too much,” Tommy said, already feeling like he was clinging to control by a thread.

“Do it.”

Tommy pushed forward slowly, the air punching from his lungs. Everything around him faded except for the impossibly tight squeeze of Chuck’s hole around him. He inched forward, not wanting to hurt Chuck.

“Fuck,” groaned Chuck from underneath him. “Fuck, Tommy. That’s so fucking good.”

When Tommy was fully seated, his hips flush with the hard muscle of Chuck’s ass, he collapsed forward to press his forehead to Chuck’s back, needing a moment to collect himself. “God,” he managed to rasp. “Chuck. You’re…I think this might actually kill me.”

“No dying yet, big guy.” Tommy felt a gentle slap on his head. He lifted his face up, finding Chuck looking back at him over his shoulder. “Fucking first, then we can deal with the dying thing later.”

Tommy couldn’t stop smiling, even though he felt like he was already teetering on the edge of an orgasm that was probably going to destroy him. Pressing a quick kiss to Chuck’s back, he lifted himself up, settling his hands on Chuck’s hips.

He drew back, watching open-mouthed as his cock slipped most of the way from Chuck’s body. Then, with a decisive snap of his hips, he thrust back in.

Oh. Fuck . That was incredible.

He did it again, his chest lighting up when Chuck started to make noises, crying out in pleasure every time Tommy filled him.

Tommy adjusted when a roll of his hips had Chuck gasping out a “Fuck yes, there.” He instinctively picked up the pace of his thrusts as desire tightened in his gut. He knew he was getting close, and needed to make sure Chuck was right there too.

He reached down, gripping Chuck’s dripping cock in his fist. The angle was awkward, but nothing was going to stand in the way of him chasing his pleasure and bringing Chuck along with him.

Tommy’s balls tightened, and he clenched his jaw, trying to hold off even when his entire body trembled, hovering right on the edge. “Chuck,” he gasped. “Want you to come, beautiful. Need to feel you.”

Sweat shone on Chuck’s back, making his skin flush pink in the low light of the lamp. He was stunning, like one of those Greek statues carved from marble that stood in their temples. Chuck was worthy of that, Tommy thought. Worthy of worship.

“Fuck, I’m gonna—” Chuck’s words cut off as he let out a harsh cry, and his cock pulsed in Tommy’s hand. The wet of Chuck’s cum dripped over his knuckles, and that was enough to send Tommy over the edge.

His entire body froze as the first wave of release rushed through him. His dick throbbed, mind going blank as his hips bucked, chasing every pulse of his orgasm. Pleasure raged through him that felt never ending, leaving his body trembling and boneless.

Carefully, Tommy brought Chuck with him as he tipped over to lay on one side on the bed, keeping their bodies connected. They were both sweaty, and the skin of Chuck’s shoulders flushed pink under his freckles. Tommy pressed kiss after kiss to his salty skin.

“Holy shit.”

Tommy smiled at the breathless rasp of Chuck’s voice as he brought his clean hand up to press against Chuck’s heaving chest. “Did I do okay,” he asked, feeling oddly vulnerable about the whole thing.

“Perfect.” Chuck huffed out a laugh. “You blew me away.”

Relief filled Tommy, and he craned his neck to kiss Chuck’s cheek. “Good,” he said, and, knowing he needed to clean up the mess they’d made, reached down to grip the base of the condom and slowly pulled out.

“Fuck,” whispered Chuck, wriggling his hips as Tommy slipped out of him.

“You get rid of the blanket and I’ll get a wet cloth to clean you up,” Tommy said as he climbed out of the bed, padding across the floor to the small ensuite bathroom.

After getting rid of the condom and taking a piss, he wet a face cloth in warm water, wringing the excess out before returning to the bedroom.

Chuck lay sprawled out on the bed with an arm thrown over his eyes. Tommy stopped for a moment to appreciate the softness of him, already imagining what he was going to do with him the next time he got the opportunity.

“Want to clean up?” Tommy asked, waving the cloth in one hand.

Chuck grunted, but held up a hand. Tommy tossed the towel at him, and he caught it. Tommy busied himself grabbing an extra quilt from the closet and kicked the dirty one over to the corner to be dealt with later.

“Come here,” Chuck said, and, once Tommy had spread the new blanket on the bed, he joined Chuck under the covers. He hesitated for a second, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do, but Chuck made the decision for him when he wrapped an arm and leg around Tommy’s body and settled his head on his chest.

Thank fuck . Tommy really wanted to cuddle.

“Night,” Chuck murmured against his skin.

Tommy kissed his curls. “Night.”