Page 18

Fitz

Over the next few weeks, life goes on, and things slowly return to a new normal.

Muir is back at work. He's still grieving the loss of Sid, and I suspect he will for a long time to come. Those two were close, more like father and son than grandfather and grandson. It's a huge loss.

At least his mum seems to have finally grown a conscience and is sticking true to what she told him the day of the funeral and isn't contesting the will. I'm glad. That would have only added drama when that's the last thing he needs right now.

And I'm there for him, every day, however he needs me.

"Hey, good luck with the root canal. I know you're looking forward to it," he says as he approaches from the opposite end of the hallway.

"Guilty as charged," I admit since I am and will always be a vet geek with a thing for dentistry. "We'll catch up later, yeah?"

"For sure."

Even though I'm needed in the theatre, like, now, I pull Muir in by his shirt and give him a brief kiss on the lips.

"What was that for?" he asks, smiling.

Because I love you.

I come so close to saying it, but no, this isn't the right time. I don't know what I expect the right moment to feel like, but a Thursday afternoon at the clinic ain't it.

"Just felt like it."

"Cool." He kisses me on the lips. "I felt like that."

I ride a kiss high throughout the entire procedure, from the moment I begin drilling into the damaged tooth all the way until the end, when I'm sealing the empty space between the border collie's teeth to prevent future pain or infection.

It's crazy how a simple hallway kiss—or two—can have such a big effect on me. But that's the thing about being with Muir, we don't need to do anything big or exciting for the moment to make me feel alive.

Once I'm done in the theatre, I wander into the staff lounge, but it's empty. Since I've got some time to kill, I decide to pay Linus a little visit.

"Knock knock," I say, not waiting for him to reply as I step into his office.

He doesn't move from his desk. He's staring at his phone like… Oh, shit. I hope he hasn't received bad news.

"Linus," I say firmly.

He snaps his head up and fumbles with his phone, nearly dropping it before snagging it mid-fall.

"Oh, hey, Fitz. What's up?"

"What's up? What's up with you? You look rattled."

He glares at his phone for a moment longer, then quickly tosses it into the drawer and slams it shut with a sharp thud. "No, no. I'm fine."

"Really?" I take a seat. "'Cause you're giving off the vibe of someone who just got a message they didn't like." I study his face, his flushed cheeks, his rapid breathing, his eyes looking anywhere but at me. "Or…" I sit up taller. "You got a message you really liked?"

He drops his head into his hands. "Ryde and I have been texting each other."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not talking about the types of texts you send me about schedules and catching up for a drink after work?"

"No. Our texts are…different."

I contain my smirk. He's clearly struggling. "Would these messages happen to contain a visual element?"

He releases a long, unsteady breath, as though trying to calm himself. "If you'd asked me five minutes ago, I would've said no."

"But now?"

His gaze drifts to the top drawer then back to me. "Now it's a yes."

"So Ryde sexted you."

He nods.

"And you're freaking out because you're worried you're going to have to Google How to take a dick pic because you're so old you've never taken one before?"

"Do I need to remind you I am still your boss?" he asks with a grin.

"Look. I know the situation is complicated…"

"That's putting it mildly."

"But there's obviously an attraction between you guys. Why not explore it? Know for certain one way or the other and get yourself out of this weird limbo you're in?"

He perks up a little. "Speaking from experience, are we?"

"That's a blatant deflection, but I'll allow it." I smile. "And yes, I am."

"How are things with you and Muir?"

"Good, despite how tough it's been for him since Sid's passing. It's put some things on hold"—like progress on the physical front—"but in a funny way, it's brought us even closer."

"How so?"

"You know, emotionally. Going through something like this together is full-on, but I hope I've done a good job of being there for him."

"I'm sure you have, and I'm sure he appreciates it."

"Oh, I know he does. He tells me all the time."

That makes Linus smile. "Good. I'm glad one of us knows what their future holds."

"I wouldn't go that far."

Or maybe I would?

In my heart, I'm planning out a forever together. I just need to get my butt into gear and make it happen. But again, timing. Muir is grieving, so I'm waiting for him to give me a sign he's ready before I do what I'm dying to do.

Linus's phone buzzes from inside the top drawer.

"That's my cue to leave," I say, getting up. "Are you going to look at your phone?" I ask when he doesn't move.

"Yeah." He runs a hand through his hair. "I guess I will."

"Good luck, and keep me posted."

"Thanks, mate."

Before leaving, I glance back—Linus is flailing around for that phone like a cat chasing a laser pointer.

"It's such a nice temperature," I observe as Muir and I take Tilly for a walk after work.

"Winters in the outback are the best," he agrees with a smile.

"They sure are."

It's dusk and the air is starting to cool, but we're still okay wearing shorts and long-sleeved T-shirts.

We get back home, and I feed Tilly her meal for the evening. Like clockwork, the second she's done, she goes outside to do her business.

Muir enters the kitchen, freshly showered, wearing what's become my favourite fixture of his winter wardrobe—grey sweatpants…with the ultimate accessory: no undies.

He comes over and slides his hands around my waist. "Hey."

"Hey."

We kiss, and it's soft and tender and feels so fucking natural it makes me think we were worrying about nothing. There's no way any of what we've been doing these past five or so months could ever ruin our friendship. If anything, it can only make it better.

Tilly races in through the doggy door Muir's put in, and I pull back slightly. "I seem to have unofficially moved in," I say since Tilly and I have spent every night at Muir's place since Sid's passing.

"I've been trying to find a polite way to ask you to fuck off."

I tug him in closer towards me. "Bullshit. You love having me here."

He shrugs. "Maybe."

"How can I turn that maybe into a definite yes?"

He taps his chin, like he's pretending to think about it. Finally, he says, "I can think of a way."

For the first time in weeks, there's a fierce light blazing in his eyes.

"What are you suggesting?" I check to make sure I'm not misreading things, even though I've got his thickening cock pressing up against me.

"I'm saying I'm ready."

"Ready for…?"

Grinning, he asks, "Need me to spell it out for you?"

"I do."

"Well…" He runs his fingertips from my left shoulder to my right one. "It starts with S and ends with X."

"You want to play the sax?"

An unguarded laugh rushes out of him, and it's a sound that I've missed so damn much.

"No, you bozo." He fists my shirt, yanks me in, and crashes his lips to mine. "I want you to fuck me."

We kiss again, this time moving out of the kitchen and stumbling down the hallway. Clothes start flying off, leaving a trail throughout the house. By the time we reach his bedroom, we're both fully naked.

And fully hard.

"Are you sure you're ready?" I ask.

"I am." He dashes over to the bedside table and pulls out a bottle of lube and condoms from the top drawer. "I even have supplies," he says, throwing them on the bed.

I keep my eyes locked on him, searching for any tiny sign that contradicts what he's saying, but he looks like he's sure about this.

"Wait, are you ready?" he asks, his brow furrowing.

I grip my hard cock and give it a squeeze. "I'm very ready. I just wanted to check in with you."

"I'm ready," he repeats. "I'm even pre-lubed."

My eyes widen. "Pre-lubed? What does that mean?"

He grins cheekily. "It means that after I cleaned out, I played with myself for a bit and left a whole bunch of lube in there."

So that's what he was doing in the shower. I thought he took longer than normal. So, let's review. He's cleaned out. He's fingered himself. He's pre-lubed.

Yeah, I'd say he is definitely ready.

So what the fuck are we waiting for?

He must have the same thought as me because we climb onto the bed at the same time, meeting in the middle and kissing like we've never kissed before. It's needy and messy and sloppy, and it's exactly what I've been waiting my whole life for.

For passion.

For fireworks.

For true love.

For a soulmate that gets me, all of me, the big things and the small, the nice things and all the oddities.

Muir is that guy. He's my person.

He smooths his palms over my chest, while I swing my hands around to his arse and cup his muscular cheeks, my brain melting at the memory of how good his hole tasted.

"Lie down, bubba," I say, and he does.

We keep kissing each other, and after a while, I brush my hand down his chest and over his rock-hard abs, reaching his equally rock-hard cock. I scoot down into my favourite position between his thighs, and in one smooth motion, swallow his cock until the head hits the back of my throat. I lift up, then go back down, over and over again, coating his cock with my saliva.

Once he's relaxed, I hook my hands behind his knees and raise them into the air, giving me access to that sweet hole I've been obsessed with since the moment I tasted it. I take a proper look at his pink pucker, and yeah, I can see he's done some prep work. He's not as tight as he was last time.

"It's edible lube," he says.

My eyes snap to his. "Huh?"

"I used edible lube. It's tasteless and safe to consume, so if you're worried about eating me out?—"

"Never. I was just admiring the view."

"Oh, okay, sor—" He clears his throat. "As you were then."

I smile and get in nice and close, swiping my tongue over his entrance. Because he's a little looser, I can poke my tongue deeper into him.

"Fuuuuck. Soooo good," he coos, and I fill with pride, knowing I'm able to make the man I love feel so much pleasure.

I lick and poke and nibble and gently bite around his hole for a long time. I almost don't want to stop.

Almost.

I pull myself away from his arse and reach over for the condoms and lube he dropped onto the bed, ready to take this to the next level.

The fact that we're both guys doesn't feel like it's even a thing because my feelings for Muir run so strong. I love him, and I want to be with him. It really is as simple as that.

I put a condom on and slather a healthy dollop of lube onto my cock. I bring what's left over on my fingers to his hole and smear it along his outer rim.

Then I bring his calves up to rest against my shoulders and line myself up against his body. I'm about to ask if he's ready again, but when I see the smile on his face and the look of pure joy in his eyes, I opt for something different, something I've been wanting to say for a while now, something I've been holding off until the moment was perfect.

This is the perfect moment.

I stare into his beautiful blue eyes. "I love you, bubba."

His smile widens, overtaking his face. "I love you, too."

Hearing him say it back makes my chest feel like it might burst from the overwhelming rush of joy. This is it. This feels so right. My best mate really is my soulmate. It's something I've said light-heartedly over the years, but it really is true.

How did I get so lucky?

I bring the tip of my cock to his body and gently thrust my hips forwards. He may have done some prep work, but his body is as tight as it is warm. So I take it real slow, easing into him inch by careful inch.

My eyes stay glued to his face, searching for any signs of pain or discomfort, but all I see is focus.

And determination.

"I'm almost there," I tell him when I'm close to bottoming out.

"Thank fuck," he grits out around a tight grin.

"There."

"Ahhhh." His eyes roll back, and I don't move, content to stay right here forever. I've never felt this close to another human being before. It's like…it's like we're one. Which, yes, sounds corny as hell, but it's really what it feels like. We're connected physically…and in every other way, too.

I skim my fingers down the side of his face. "How does it feel, bubba?"

"Amazing." His eyes start to glisten. "More incredible than I ever imagined."

"Same here."

We stay still for a while, letting the hugeness of this moment wrap itself around us. But eventually, urges take over, and without really being conscious of it, my hips start moving, and I'm sliding in and out of his tight channel.

Muir's body meets mine, thrust for thrust, and after a while, he spins around, and I fuck him doggy style for a while.

"I've got an idea," he says, and he lowers himself so that he's lying with his stomach pressed flat against the bed. I straighten my legs out, which brings more of my body weight down onto him.

"You okay with this?" I check.

"So fucking okay with this."

He fists the sheets as I pound into him. The change in angle is sublime, and I feel like I'm reaching even deeper into him.

Muir ends up having a few more ideas, and we fuck with him on all fours and me standing beside the bed, with Muir bent over a chair, both of us standing in front of his full-length mirror, and then back on the bed, his right leg bent at a forty-five-degree angle.

"I know I say this every time we switch positions," I pant into his ear. "But I think this one is my favourite."

He chuckles despite me really pounding into him now. "You. Don't. Have. To. Pick. A. Favourite."

We stop talking, and his bedroom fills with sounds of skin slapping against skin.

"I'm getting close," I grunt.

"Same."

I reach under his bent leg and grab his cock, finding a stroking rhythm that matches my rocking.

"That's so fucking good," he moans.

"Oh shit. I'm coming," I yell as stars fill my vision, my body succumbing to wave after wave of pleasure.

I manage to keep stroking Muir. A few moments later, his channel clamps down on my dick and starts pulsing. His face contorts, and he lets out an almighty roar as my hand grows sticky with his release. I slow down and ease my grip, squeezing the last drops of cum out of him before bringing my hand to my mouth and having a taste of his sweet nectar.

His hole relaxes, and I carefully slide out of him, quickly peeling the condom off and resting it on the edge of the bed. That can wait.

Muir can't.

I wrap my arms around him, and he leans into the touch, securing his hands over my forearms and pressing his back against my chest.

"That was amazing," he whispers.

I squeeze him tighter. "It was."

"We said I love you."

"We did. I've been waiting a while."

He turns and looks over his shoulder. "You have?"

I nod. "Was waiting for the right time. With everything that's happened…"

Muir lets out a long breath. "He'd be happy."

"He would be. I'm sure he's looking down on us, and— Ow." I cop an elbow to the stomach.

"Please don't talk about my dead grandfather looking down on us when we're lying naked in his house after having sex for the first time. That's disturbing."

"Shit. You're right. Sorry. Won't happen again."

"Which part?" Muir wriggles out of my grip and rolls over so he's facing me. "You mentioning Gramps while we're naked or fucking me?"

"Oh, I am definitely fucking you again."

His eyes light up. "Ooh, yay. When?"

I chuckle. "When I get hard again. Give me ten minutes."

He presses a kiss to my lips. "I'm giving you five."