Page 37 of Yorkie to My Heart (Friends of Gaynor Beach Animal Rescue #6)

Jeremy

His innocence nearly stole my breath.

His absolute trust in me nearly blew my mind.

His humor nearly derailed me as he grinned.

“Yeah, okay.” Slowly I withdrew, almost to the tip. Then I pushed back in. As gently as I could. I repeated this over and over, trying to stave off my orgasm. He was tight. He was dear. He was…perfect. The man I’d waited for my entire life but hadn’t known it.

Marcie would crow in triumph if she saw me now. No, forget that. Not thinking about my sister seeing me balls deep in the man I loved.

“You can go harder.” Phillip grinned. “Because I know you want to.”

Hopefully he’d seen guys go gentle as well when watching porn. Making love was complicated. Done incorrectly, a guy could get hurt. Still, he was asking for more. He was smiling, not wincing. So I’d have to trust he knew what he was doing.

I increased the force of my thrusts. Picked up the pace.

Began to chase the orgasm I’d attempted to stave off.

I reached between our bodies, snagged his cock, and tugged him to the rhythm I set.

I should’ve probably used lube, but when he came all over my hand in just a few tugs, I didn’t have time to worry.

He cried out in fulfillment as he contracted around my cock.

After three good thrusts, I followed him over the cliff of pleasure and into the abyss.

As the waves of the orgasm ripped through me, I finally dropped onto him.

I worried about my weight, but when he wrapped me in his arms, that worry abated.

My cock slid out with a sad little pop, and he laughed. I did too.

He pressed a kiss to the crown of my head. “So that’s what all the fuss was about. I wondered.” He chuckled.

“Uh, yes, pretty much.” I pressed a kiss to his neck.

“That was fucking amazing. You were spectacular. That was…” I sought the right words.

If I said the best of my life, he likely wouldn’t believe me.

But it had been. Because I’d never been so connected to another person before.

Had never enjoyed this level of intimacy—this level of trust.

“Jeremy?”

“Yes?” I forced my head to move, propping my chin on his sternum so I could meet his gaze.

“Is it always that good?”

“Uh…no. But I bet it will be with you.”

“Wow.”

“Uh…yes.”

“I don’t want to move.”

The sticky wetness of his orgasm was drying, and we’d be stuck together. I needed to remove the condom. Still… “Another minute or two. Then we’ll be good.”

“Okay.” He stroked my hair and then, eventually, scratched my beard.

I moaned in pleasure.

He chuckled. “And we didn’t even wake Wally.”

“Yeah.” I grinned. “Let’s go to Oceanside in the morning. I can get tested, we can have lunch, and then we’ll be back in time for dinner.”

His smile ranked as one of the shyest I’d seen from him. “I’d like that.”

“So would I. Now, we need to get up and maybe showered? Or you can just lie there and I can wash you.” I liked the decadence of that idea. Me taking care of him.

“That sounds amazing.” His eyes drifted shut.

Ah, the old sex-makes-me-sleepy scenario.

I eased off him, removed the condom, disposed of it in the trash, and padded to the bathroom.

I fixed myself up, then wet a washcloth that I returned to the bedroom with.

I cleaned my lover quickly, tossed the cloth into the hamper, and slid into bed. “Why don’t you turn on your side?”

He did, but facing me. “I get to be the big spoon.” He uttered the words without even opening his eyes.

I slid in so I could tuck myself against him.

He wrapped his arm around me and placed his hand on my sternum.

In turn, I placed my hand over his.

He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

And we slept that way until a very enthusiastic Wally joined us in the morning light. He snuggled against my front and we cuddled for about twenty minutes. I would’ve thought making love to Phillip would be top of my list of morning enjoyments, but this was far better.

I caressed Wally’s fur. “Okay, so do we go out for breakfast or cook?”

Phillip rubbed his stubble against my shoulder. “I vote for whatever keeps us closest to this bed.”

“You’re bound to be sore.”

He jiggled a little. Then giggled a little.

God, I loved that sound so fucking much.

“Uh, a little.” He pressed his erection against my ass.

My cock perked up. “Are you interested in…” I wiggled my butt. I had no issues with bottoming. I might prefer topping…but only by a smidge.

“Maybe…later?” His hand rested on my chest as he made whorls with his fingers in my chest hair. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’ll teach you.”

“But you’ve never taught a virgin.” With a hint of a laugh.

“Ah, well there’s a first time for everything.”

He nipped my shoulder.

I laughed. Then, lightning fast, I spun to face him.

Wally harrumphed at being jostled and scooted down his little stairs.

Phillip arched an eyebrow at me. “You know you’re going to pay for that later with some major attitude.”

“Sure.” Yet we both knew Wally didn’t have a vindictive bone in his little body. If I cooed and gave him scritches, we’d be good to go.

I grasped Phillip’s cock in my hand and added my erect one—sliding our lengths against each other.

His breath caught.

I probably should’ve grabbed lube, but in the few strokes it took to get us both off, I barely had time to rethink what I was doing.

“Christ, yes.” Phillip gasped for air. “That was so fucking hot.”

“You’re so fucking hot. I love watching you come.” And I did. His skin would develop this rosy hue that got my engine running and my heart soaring.

I pressed a kiss to his chest. “Showers. Then let’s walk Wally down the boardwalk. Maybe we’ll drop by Nice Buns. Grab a muffin.” I considered. “Or a sticky bun. I’m going to make you burn a lot of calories today.”

He grinned. “Okay, but why don’t you do your run to the lighthouse and on your way back Wally and I will meet you at Ambrose’s shop?”

“Sure.” I eyed him.

“You haven’t been running recently. I saw the schedule on the calendar.”

“Oh.” I pursed my lips.

“Was I not supposed to see it? Right on the fridge?”

“Well, I have to admit I barely see it.” My training schedule was embedded in my mind and in my sports watch.

“So you get up and get going. By the time you’re on your way back, Wally and I will practically be there.”

“I’ll walk back with you.”

“Will that mess up your training?”

I shook my head.

He kissed my lips. “I don’t want you to change anything about your life just because Wally and I are now a part of it.”

Instead of arguing, I made my way to the shower, cleaned off quickly, donned my running gear, and headed out. A run to the lighthouse at the north end of the beach and back wasn’t a long journey. My muscles, however, let me know what they thought of the training break I’d taken.

This early in the morning, I didn’t pass as many people on the boardwalk as I expected. The day wasn’t hot yet, but it certainly looked like it might be another brutal one. The threat of last night’s storm never materialized, and the sticky heat remained untouched.

Still, I continued to run. Until Phillip, nothing had made me feel as good, as free, as running. Now, as I reveled in pushing myself physically, I thought about the man who made me feel even better. Phillip just made me smile, all the damn time.

And sure, things might not last. I understood all the obstacles stacked against us.

But he understood me in a way that only Marcie really did.

And I saw him in a way apparently no one ever had before.

I’d continue to worry about his mental health, of course.

But I would for anyone I was in a committed relationship with.

He was clearly on the right track with a team of professionals behind him.

He’d implied Dr. Martin had given him the green light to proceed in a relationship with me.

I’ll need to make sure that’s the correct understanding.

If the doc’s worried, or if he wants us to take things slow, then I will .

I wouldn’t be happy about it…but I would.

Phillip came first. Always would.

With Wally a damn close second.

I grinned and waved at a couple with their two kids. The baby, in the man’s arms, was squawking away. His partner pushed the stroller with a toddler who snoozed. The men looked frazzled.

And happy.

I was grateful Phillip didn’t want kids. He might change his mind—what with him being so young. He might spend time around Raphael and Thaddeus and decide he was missing out.

Or he might come home exhausted every day and decide that, in the end, he was glad the two were Marcie and Darren’s responsibility.

Personally, I thought Marcie’s suggestion of Phillip babysitting was brilliant. In a while, I’d suggest he could finish his philosophy degree. If he wanted. Or he could do something else. Hell, if he really enjoyed being in childcare, he could study that.

I wanted him to be whomever he chose to be.

Admittedly, I hoped that meant with me.

I waved to Wynn at the lighthouse as he did something near the huge tower.

I ran a gentle loop, checked my watch, and headed back.

I was a bit off my best time, but I wasn’t worried.

My next race wasn’t for a month yet. Should I ask Phillip to come and watch me?

With Wally? What would it feel like to have someone at the finish line waiting for me?

In my early days, Marcie used to come and watch.

These days, with the chaos of having two kids, I never asked her. She had enough to deal with.

I waved at a young man being pulled along by a massive dog.

Wish I had a card for Jordan that I could give the poor guy .

Not that he might welcome the intrusiveness.

Still, when the dog snarled at me, I gave both owner and pooch a large radius.

I continued on with my steady pace until I neared Nice Buns.

Phillip sat on a bench by the boardwalk with two travel mugs, a bottle of water, and a pastry box.

My saliva glands kicked into overdrive.

I slowed my pace as I approached.

He waved.

Wally, who’d been contentedly napping under the bench, leapt up and headed toward me.

“Sit.” Phillip’s voice carried authority that hadn’t been present when we’d first started working with Jordan. Slowly, he was coming into his own. “Wait.”

Wally, wonderful dog he was, stopped immediately and plopped onto his butt.

When I got to them, I winked at Phillip, then stooped to praise Wally first. “Okay. You’re such a good boy.”

Said good boy licked my hand.

Phillip offered me a napkin.

I wiped my hand as I did my cool-down exercises.

“Good run?” He sipped his coffee.

“Yeah.”

“I got you a coffee…but I wasn’t certain if you could drink it right after a run.”

“Thanks. I’ll start with the water.”

“And I figured if you couldn’t then I’d just have a second cup” He chuckled.

I finished stretching and plopped onto the bench, gratefully grabbing the steel water bottle with the cold, refreshing liquid. “You’re the best.”

“I know I am.” He grinned impishly. Then he sobered a little. “How is this my life?” He pointed out toward the ocean. “Beautiful scenery. Beautiful town. Beautiful man…”

For a moment, I held his gaze. “Because you said yes to fighting. Yes, to starting new. Yes, to this grizzled old guy who nearly tripped over your dog.”

“You’re not grizzled .”

Wally rubbed against my leg.

I scritched his belly with my sneaker. “See, Wally approves.”

“He’s hoping you’ll share your sticky bun.”

I eyed the dog. “Nope. I know Daddy fed you breakfast.”

Phillip barked out a laugh. “Did you just call me his daddy ?”

“Yep. Yes, I did.” I took a bite of my sticky bun—grateful to see a pile of napkins. “And since we’re together, that makes me his other daddy .”

“Are we?” Phillip eyed me. “Together, that is.”

“You want a ring?” I tried for casual as I took another bite.

He stayed silent.

Oh shit, did it again . “Right, like I know it’s too soon?—”

“If we didn’t have two coffee cups, a bottle of water, and two sticky buns between us right now, I’d tackle you and give you tons of kisses.” He glanced down at Wally. “Add an oversized Yorkie in that list.”

“The Yorkie comes first.”

“Of course.”

“He’s looking…healthy.” I gave the little guy a scratch behind the ears.

He grinned.

“We’re seeing Dr. Louisa next week. Did you want to come?”

I blinked. “Well, yeah. I can drive you over to the clinic.” Then…super casual… “We should probably get you a driver’s license. You know, in case of emergencies.”

“You know, Scott at the library said the exact same thing.” He snickered. “I’ve already looked up the testing requirements. And thank you for the laptop.”

“Truly the easiest part of our relationship.” I laughed. “If only everything else were so simple.”

“Like putting a ring on it?”

My breath caught in my chest. “Uh, yeah.”

“Give us until Christmas. That’s about six months from now.” He continued to look out over the ocean.

“Sure.” I could wait—would wait—forever. Whatever it took to make him happy. I liked the idea of formalizing things so he’d be taken care of, were something to happen to me. I blinked. “But I can be Wally’s other daddy ?”

Finally, he turned his head to meet my gaze. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”