Page 65 of Resilience on Canvas

“Right. Sorry.” Henry shook his head. He sank his fingers into the clear goo and scooped up a blob of it.

Then he scooted closer on the mattress, and his eyes raked over every visible inch of Robert’s naked body, lingering on his favorite spots—his handsome face; his broad, hairy chest; the little trail stretching from his belly button to his pelvic region, the one that was like the Mother Road to the Promised Land; and, of course, his thick, hard cock.

Henry licked his lips, and Robert smirked up at him.

“You look like a wolf eyeing yer prey right now.”

Henry snorted. “Yeah, I kind of feel like one.”

Shuffling closer, Henry pressed his fingers to Robert’s hole for the first time.

He was careful but not hesitant, first coating the pinkish-brown pucker itself and then slowly—ever so slowly—pushing in.

When Henry’s finger passed the first knuckle, Robert sucked in a breath through his teeth.

His stomach tumbling, Henry paused and glanced up to watch as he gave Robert a moment to become used to the sensation.

Then he sunk the rest of his finger inside.

“Jeeeesus Christ,” Robert said.

“I know,” Henry said.

Testing to see if the spot he’d pressed on was the spot, Henry retracted his finger slightly and then pushed back in.

“Fuck,” Robert hissed.

Henry smiled to himself. It must have been the right spot he was hitting, then.

“Hold on. I’ll make it even better,” he said before slipping a second finger inside.

Robert let out a long groan, and Henry’s cock twitched in response.

Biting down on his bottom lip, Henry began moving his fingers in earnest. Back and forth.

Back and forth. With every finger-thrust, Robert’s moans became louder and louder, and Henry’s cock started leaking onto the sheets.

Holy heck, he was excited. Unable to wait any longer, he balanced the Vaseline tub between his bent thighs and scooped up some more of the lubricant with his left hand to coat his shaft.

With the first pump of his fist, his eyes rolled back, the slick, warm wetness reminding him of what was to come .

“Good Lord,” he sighed. “I need you now, Robert. If you think yer ready.”

Robert’s eyes flickered up at him. He mumbled something incoherent before then managing a nod.

Knowing that was the most permission he’d probably receive, Henry retracted his fingers, the motion coaxing forth a sweet little whimper from Robert’s lips.

Affection bloomed in Henry’s chest, the warmth rippling outward and upward and everywhere all at once.

Robert lifted his legs and settled his calves up on Henry’s shoulders as Henry lined up the pink head of his cock to Robert’s entrance.

He paused to take in the enormity of the moment.

Goodness, what trust Robert had in him.

Robert nudged him with his foot.

“Come on, little wolf,” he said. “I want to feel some of that fire you have in you.”

Grinning, Henry said, “Alright, yeah, well, I, uhm, I want to show it to you.” Heart hammering from nervous excitement, Henry shifted his hips forward, pushing the head of his cock inside.

Simultaneously, him and Robert sucked in a breath.

The warm tightness now encircling Henry’s cock was so Goddamn exquisite, he nearly came on the spot.

Robert reached for Henry’s hand and laced their fingers together, and a shiver of pleasure ran up Henry’s spine.

He shuddered. “God, I need a minute.”

“Me too,” Robert replied, giving Henry’s hand a firm squeeze.

After taking a couple of seconds to adjust to the newness of things, Henry pushed his hips forward, plunging the rest of his cock into Robert’s beautiful hole. Robert let out a moan, one that had the smallest hint of hurt to it, and Henry furrowed his brow in concern.

“Am I hurtin’ you? ”

“Nah, I’m... fine,” Robert said, his voice tight. “It’s a new kind of feelin’, is all.”

“Alright, well, I’ll take it slow for a while anyway.”

Henry’s statement wasn’t followed by even a peep of protest, which told him that, yes, in fact Robert was hurting a little bit.

Carefully, Henry shifted his hips back, pulling his cock out halfway, and then he rolled his hips forward.

Twice more, he repeated the motion, and, oh, Lord, every second of it felt so Goddamn incredible that it took real concentration to not surrender to what Henry could have only described as the near predatory need to fuck Robert as hard as he could.

Gently, Henry continued to roll his hips, and with each tender thrust, Henry’s worry over Robert’s comfort waned a little bit more. Robert had begun whispering obscenities and letting out low, needy-sounding moans.

Henry couldn’t hardly contain the lustful, feral need to take what he really wanted.

“Robert?” he said. “Can I thrust harder, you think?”

Humming, Robert replied, “I’ve been waitin’ for it.”

With Robert’s wonderful words of permission echoing in his mind, Henry shifted his hips back. Then he thrust forward with everything he had, and Robert let out an impassioned cry.

“Jesus Christ, Hen,” he moaned. “Just like that.”

Henry’s heart stuttered.

Emboldened, Henry slammed into him once more, only to be rewarded with the most wonderful needy whimper.

He continued fucking Robert this way—faster, harder, rougher—letting himself take what he wanted.

Robert, meanwhile, continued to writhe and moan.

Encouraged by Robert’s obvious pleasure, Henry let himself be the powerful, strong man he had always wanted to be.

Warmth shivered up Henry’s spine, pushing him toward the edge of release. Clenching his teeth, he tried his best to hold back, but every movement he made inched him closer. After only a few more thrusts, his balls started to lift, the skin tightening, and one more wave of ecstasy sent him over.

“I’m coming,” he rasped, his pleasure bursting forth.

Robert took hold of Henry’s hand and brought it to his cock.

“Finish me,” Robert said, his tone slightly commanding.

Immediately, Henry began to pump his fist, though his mind was still swimming from the intensity of his own orgasm. His cock hadn’t even softened yet. Slowly, Robert’s legs slipped from Henry’s shoulders as his mouth fell agape.

“Oh, fuck, that’s it, little wolf, that’s it,” he whispered. “Almost there.”

Robert’s cock started to pulse. Liquid pleasure spurted out, coating Henry’s hand.

“Oh my God,” Robert said, his breathing slightly ragged, face flush. “I love you.”

Henry wiped his hand on the sheets as he shifted his hips back, finally freeing his half-flaccid cock, and then he climbed up beside Robert to kiss him on the cheek.

“I love you too,” Henry said. He kissed Robert once more. “Did you like that?” Heart still pounding fiercely, he peppered more kisses on Robert’s cheek and neck. “Because I thought it was perfect.”

Chuckling, Robert wrapped Henry up in a half hug and pulled him close.

“I loved it. I thought it was perfect, too. I loved seein’ you unleash yer passion like that. It was like... it was like I could feel how much you love me. With every Goddamn thrust.”

Henry hummed next to Robert’s ear. “Good, ’cause I wanted you to feel it.” He nuzzled Robert’s face, enjoying the feel of Robert’s scratchy stubble rubbing on his nose. “I wanted you to know it, Robert. I’m yers and yer mine. Ain’t nothin’ in the whole world that could ever change that now.”

Robert turned and pulled Henry in for a kiss.

“Mine,” Robert said.

With a wicked chuckle, Henry caught Robert’s bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled.

“Mine.”

***

The following Saturday, Henry and Clara were busy cooking city chicken for lunch while waiting for Robert and Joe to return from the beach with the kids.

Rose was mashing up a bowl of potatoes that they could have on the side.

As Henry placed the cereal-coated meat cubes that Clara had helped him prepare into the skillet, Clara came up beside him and sprinkled a bit of salt on top of them.

Once the meat started to sizzle, Henry looked over his shoulder and caught Rose’s eye.

“So, uhm, how was the meetin’ last night? At the theater?” he asked.

After supper the previous evening, Rose had said that she and Joe would be home late because the theater employing her had some big news. With the chaos in the house that morning, when the kids and Clara had come over for breakfast, Henry had forgotten to ask Rose and Joe what had happened.

“Good. No, wait, fantastic . Henry, you’ll never believe—”

Rose’s sentence was cut short when the twins burst into the house, with Joe and Robert following behind them.

Robert was carrying May on his shoulders, and he had to bend his knees to waddle through the entryway without causing May to smack her head on the frame.

Robert continued to carry her across the open-style family room toward the kitchen while the twins ran off to their bedrooms to change.

Warm fondness swirling in his chest, Henry smiled and turned back to the skillet to rotate the pieces of meat, but Clara placed a hand on his back.

“I’ll take over,” she said kindly. “Go on and hug my brother. I know you want to.”

“Thanks, Clara,” Henry said, handing her the spatula.

He started over toward Robert as his husband took May off of his shoulders.

“Henry? Maybe you can, uhm, brush the sand out of his hair, too?” Clara said. “Before it ends up in the food?”

Still smiling, Henry gave her a quick nod. When he reached Robert, he ran a hand through Robert’s hair and moved it back and forth, shaking his waves and curls and causing some of the sand to fall to the floor.

“I see you let the kids bury you,” Henry teased.

“Yeah, well, I can’t let you keep bein’ their favorite,” Robert retorted. He placed his hands on Henry’s waist and tugged him closer to place a soft kiss on Henry’s lips. “Missed you.”