Fixer-Upper (9 page)

While they kissed, he touched every bit of Dakota he could reach with his hands. He rucked up Dakota’s shirt, sliding his palms over smooth, warm skin. He squeezed his biceps, moving his fingers to feel each part of the muscle flex. He palmed his extraordinarily well-defined ass, using the handhold to tug Dakota closer, resulting in low moans from them both. His favorite part was when he finally ran his hands through Dakota’s silky hair and untangled his tie, tossing it to the side.

“You’ve got a thing for my hair, don’t you?” laughed Dakota, nuzzling his neck while Jake just let his hair slide over his fingers.

“It’s gorgeous,” said Jake, tilting his head back to give Dakota better access. “Can I tug on it?”

“Feel free to,” said Dakota, mouthing up Jake’s neck and back to his lips. Jake felt Dakota’s lips curve into a smile. “Don’t hold back.”

It wasn’t long before they started trying to undress, both of them wriggling around each other as they attempted to take their clothes off while not breaking contact. They were mildly successful, but it was heaven when Dakota was back atop him, all of his warmth against Jake. Jake was laughing a little by then, wrapping his arms around Dakota and kissing his cheeks, down to his mouth. “That was ridiculous,” he breathed. If they’d just put a pause on things, it wouldn’t have taken so long to get naked.

Dakota kissed his neck, laughing a little, worrying at the skin with his teeth between huffs. Jake titled his head back, eyes screwing shut as he groaned. He finagled an arm between them, seeking out one of Dakota’s nipples to roll between his fingers. Dakota huffed a damp breath into his neck, hips tilting forward, drawing his cock alongside Jake’s.

What started out leisurely soon picked up pace. Dakota moved down his body, lavishing him with kisses and nips, his fingers trailing after his mouth. Jake felt like he was being worshipped and couldn’t refrain from squirming, his hands seeking out Dakota’s hair when nothing else was in reach.

Dakota bypassed his cock, which Jake grumbled at him for, hitching his hips up in a plea for mercy. It went ignored. Dakota spread his thighs, pulling Jake’s legs over his shoulders as he sank down between them. He worked his hands under Jake’s butt, tilting him up. Jake felt himself flushing, a mix of anticipation and embarrassment rushing through him. Dakota bit at the sensitive skin of his thighs, working his way up till Jake could feel his nose bumping his testicles.

When he finally paid them attention, mouthing over the gloriously sensitive skin, Jake released a loud, long groan. Dakota journeyed his nimble fingers south as he continued to suck and lick. He ran a fingertip over Jake’s opening, applying the slightest pressure before withdrawing. Over and over he did this, his mouth eventually moving from Jake’s sack to his cock, mouthing his way up his shaft, flicking his tongue over the head, pressing it against the bundle of nerves right under.

By the time he pulled away, Jake was nearly sobbing with the need to come, his breaths harsh and quick, his ribs heaving with the effort to breathe. His fingers clawed the sheets, his head pressed back into his pillow. He couldn’t form words if his life depended on it. When Dakota asked him where he kept his supplies, he weakly gestured at his nightstand.

Dakota had to lean over him to reach the nightstand, and he did so slowly, dragging his body along Jake’s, rubbing his own stiff cock along Jake’s, kissing his lips, his cheekbone, and his temple. He made sure to do the same on his way back down.

He opened Jake up slowly, taking his time till Jake’s hips had to be pinned down by his free hand, and the noises he was making were so loud the neighbors being able to hear him was a definite possibility. He slid the condom on efficiently and positioned himself, the head of his cock nudging teasingly at Jake’s entrance. He nudged it several times, each time letting the head slip up and over, running along Jake’s crack instead.

When Jake actually growled at him, frustrated beyond words and seemingly five seconds from release, he finally decided to get going. He slid in torturously slow, but once he was all the way in he didn’t waste time. He kissed Jake as they moved together, the kiss more a sharing of moans than an actual kiss. Jake took advantage of their closeness, letting his hands wander. His fingers dug into muscles, scratched over his back. His heels dug into Dakota’s butt, urging him on and making sure he never pulled too far away.

Jake flipped them after some time, delighting in the blissed-out expression on Dakota’s face as he rose and fell, his hands braced on Dakota’s chest for balance. Dakota’s hair was fanned out around his head, splayed over Jake’s pillow, and the wave of possessiveness that rose up in him was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. His pace quickened, less rising and falling and more concentrated tiny movements, Dakota’s cock bumping against his prostate with every one. Dakota’s fingers dug into Jake’s hips, his knees up and pressed against Jake’s back.

Jake hunched over him, seeking out his mouth as he stiffened and came with a low cry, his cock jerking and spilling between them, making a mess of both their stomachs. Dakota pushed Jake onto his back, only needing a few more thrusts before he too was coming, his hips pressing flush with Jake’s butt, his teeth sinking into Jake’s shoulder to stifle his moans. Jake ran his hands over his muscles, felt them trembling and shaking as he rode out his orgasm.

He collapsed facedown beside Jake when he pulled out, throwing an arm over Jake’s chest and kissing his shoulder. Jake turned to look at him, straining his neck to kiss whatever bit of his face he could reach.

“How long before you can go again?” Jake rasped, his throat actually sore from the noise he’d been making.

Dakota laughed, ducking his face into Jake’s neck. “Give me twenty.”

“You’re pulling my leg,” laughed Jake, turning his face into Dakota’s hair.

He bit him. “Of course I am, I’m closer to forty than thirty.” He licked over the bite mark, kissed it. “We should probably shower.”

“I don’t want to move ever again.”

“You’re going to feel gross if you don’t.”

“Carry me,” said Jake.

He wasn’t expecting Dakota to actually carry him. He squawked when Dakota lifted him up, cursing him the entire way to the bathroom. “But my bed,” he whined. “It was so comfortable.”

“Your bed,” laughed Dakota, “needs fresh sheets too.”

With much prodding and poking, Dakota got him into the shower and left him there to strip and change the sheets. Jake leaned against the shower wall, letting the hot water beat down on him as he waited for Dakota to return. When he finally did, he wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed him. “You know,” he said, “I’m pretty sure since you’re my guest I was supposed to change the sheets.”

Dakota grinned at him, his eyes crinkling. “I’ll let you change them next time.”

IT WAS
an oasis. There wasn’t any word to better describe his backyard. You couldn’t see the fence behind the bushes and trees, lush flowers sprouted around the brick walkways, and elegant ponds with lazily swimming koi lay on either side of the gazebo. Placed throughout the yard were patches of grass, some with birdbaths in the center, others with chairs for lounging, and some had statues. The fairy lights he’d strung up on his back porch illuminated the yard with a soft glow, and the lanterns in the gazebo took care of the rest. Jake felt like his backyard belonged on a resort somewhere.

The house had turned out equally beautiful, with pristine wood floors and a staircase that no longer looked like a death trap. All the rooms had doors, the walls were smooth and freshly painted, and the kitchen gleamed with all its shiny new appliances. His closet resembled a small bedroom more than a closet, and his bathroom would have fit right in at a spa. The only creatures running around on his floors were Dakota’s ferrets when he brought them over, and his entryway was home to a good-sized fish tank (proudly housing an obscene number of goldfish). The outside of the house was a smooth beige color with dark tan accents. The windows were no longer cracked or missing, but shining and new. The roof had every single shingle. What had once looked like it should be torn down was now brand new and perfect.

He loved it.

He carried macaroni salad in one hand and a plate of sandwiches in the other, bumping the porch door open with his hip. Lounging in the gazebo, Dakota, Jasper, and Matt were laughing and making small talk. Thor, his new golden puppy, bounced around their feet, begging to be picked up. As he made his way over, Dakota scooped Thor up and dropped him into his lap, absently tugging on his big floppy ears.

Jake deposited the food on the table and sat down next to Dakota, leaning over to kiss his cheek. Dakota turned his head at the last moment, and their lips ended up brushing. Jake smiled at the brief contact and resisted the urge to make it not so brief. Neither Matt nor Jasper would appreciate that show.

Thor jumped ship, slithering his way into Jake’s lap. Dakota grumbled “Traitor” under his breath.

“So, what’re you two going to do next?” asked Matt of Jasper and Dakota. “If you don’t have anything going on, I’m thinking my yard could use some fixing up.”

Dakota ripped a sandwich in half and tried to feed some of the chicken to Thor. Jake batted his hand away. “Don’t do that. You’ll give him awful manners.” He got an eye roll in response, but Dakota popped the chicken into his own mouth and set about ignoring the devastated look on Thor’s face.

“What are you thinking about doing to it?” asked Jasper. “We don’t have anything right this minute, so if it’s quick, we could probably squeeze you in.”

“Well I’m kinda digging this yard. So maybe a less extravagant version of this. No ponds.”

A squirrel went streaking through the yard, and Thor was off Jake’s lap like a rocket, chasing after it. Dakota sidled up to his side, resting a hand on his now vacated thigh.

“If we do his yard, are you going to come help us?” he asked Jake, tapping his fingers against the inside of his thigh.

Jake squirmed, flattening Dakota’s fingers so they lay there unmoving. “Maybe,” he said. “I do like watching you work.”

“Oh you do?”

Jake nipped his jaw. “You know I do. Why do you think I keep making you mow the front lawn?”

“Because I do it shirtless.”

“You know me so well.”

“I’m not working shirtless in Matt’s yard.”

“Don’t keep the clothes on on my account,” interjected Matt.

They all broke into laughter, Dakota shaking his head with exasperation. “Ridiculous,” he muttered, and shoved half sandwich in his mouth.

Conversation flowed, food was eaten, and Thor passed out under the table. Dakota stayed after Matt and Jasper left, wrapping his arms around Jake’s waist and resting his chin on his shoulder. “It really does look beautiful,” he said, kissing the sensitive spot just behind Jake’s ear.

“It’s perfect.” Jake turned in his arms, tilting his head to press a kiss to his lips. “The house, the yard, you. It’s all perfect, and it wouldn’t have been without you.”

Dakota bumped their noses together. “I love you, but you’re anal. It would have been perfect even without me to help you fix it up. And the inside of the house had nothing to do with me.”

“You’ll stay here sometimes. You’ve got clothes and knickknacks here. You’ve helped give it personality.”

Dakota hummed, then kissed him, hands gripping his back through his shirt, balling the material up in his grip. Jake wrapped his arms around Dakota’s neck, fingers twining into his hair. The heat in his stomach spread, his fingers shook with the urge to grip and never let go. When Dakota picked him up, their lips still locked, he made a surprised noise that was lost in their mouths, but he didn’t pull away. He held tighter.

It was new, and he didn’t know how things would go, but he hoped they kept on like this.

Max moved away from his family to be with Michael, and his family never got over it. Now, for the first time in almost a decade, he’s going to return to London for the Christmas celebrations. He’s confident his family will welcome Michael with open, loving arms. At least that’s what he tells himself.

Michael doesn’t have his head buried in the sand. He knows he has a lot to prove this Christmas, and he’s not sure if he’s up to the task. All these years and he’d never considered having to spend a holiday with Max’s family. Now that it’s happening he’s not scared to admit it—he’s terrified.

MEG HARDING
is a graduate of UCF and is completing a masters program for Publishing in the UK. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life, she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.

Blog: megharding.wordpress.com

Twitter: @Cumberstone61