Moments in Time (16 page)

I didn’t want that. Not yet. Not standing against the door when that crazy big bed was only feet away. As if he read my mind, Tanner shoved me backward, taking advantage of the moment our bodies parted to strip off his shorts. I tugged off my shirt, and before I could launch it across the room, Tanner had my shorts undone and down. Kicking them away put me off-balance, and Tanner steadied me with one hand clutching the back of my neck and the other wrapped around my cock.

Whimpers echoed through the room. My whimpers. His thumb slicked over my swollen head, round and round in circles that left me dizzy and panting.

“Let’s try out the bed.” Tanner’s voice was low and thick. I’d have said yes to anything he asked with that voice.

I couldn’t actually say a word, so I nodded and pulled us down onto the mattress. Holy Jesus. Soft cool sheets, warm hard body, wet velvety tongue. Heaven. Fire Island was heaven.

Tanner straddled me, rocking his hips back and forth, skin gliding against skin as his tongue circled mine. His arms shook. He was as close as I was. The thought alone was enough to turn me on even more. Wedging a hand between us, I wrapped my fingers around both of us. Our very first time together he’d done this—stroked us together. I wanted our first time in our new place to be like that. A first of many.

The room filled with the sweet sound of our cocks, slick and ready, pumping together in my fist. As I teetered on the edge of insanity, my hips arched beneath Tanner, my balls pressed tight against his. My mouth slid to his neck, needing his taste, but no longer able to keep kissing. I nipped at his collarbone, licked at the salty hollow at the base of his throat.

His groan sounded low and deep alongside my ear. Drawing that sound from him was my undoing. My dick spasmed, unleashing jet after jet of come. My hand kept the rhythm as Tanner swelled, then joined me, exploding in thick wet bursts.

Panting hard, he slowed his hips, still rubbing our bodies together. Good. So insanely fucking good. My stomach muscles contracted again and again as the last shudders of the orgasm rippled through my cock.

Tanner kissed me, slow and deep. I wanted to drown in that kiss. To sink inside it and let it carry me away.

Tanner’s eyes drifted shut. His voice was sleepy, like a purr. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.”

It didn’t matter that I’d had nowhere else to go this summer. Wherever Tanner was, that’s where I wanted to be.

I’
D FALLEN into a deep sleep, but something had woken me. A door slam? A dream? I wasn’t sure.

My phone? I reached for it before I remembered.
No one has this number. No one but Tanner.
My mom had cut off my family plan when she stopped speaking to me. I checked anyway. No missed calls. No messages. My stomach tensed, but I forced myself to breathe.
No sense in worrying about things you can’t change or a future that’s an unknown
.
For now all I can do is focus on tomorrow.
And tomorrow it’s our turn to make breakfast. Might as well go down now and get that started.

Tanner’s slow, deep breaths told me he was fast asleep. I pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and crept downstairs. The kitchen was empty so I only turned on the small overhead light at the sink. That’s all I needed. I grabbed a bowl and got the eggs, butter, and milk out of the fridge and the brown sugar and vanilla out of the cupboard. Whisking together the eggs and milk with the sugar and vanilla made the kitchen smell sweet and enticing even though nothing was cooked yet.

I got out two rectangular pans, buttered them, then found the bag of french bread Tanner had sliced earlier and placed them in the pans. The egg mixture covered all the slices, and I poked them with a sharp knife, making little slits to make sure it was getting absorbed. The aluminum foil crinkled, then screeched when I tore it off the roll. I placed the covered pan in the fridge. Overnight to soak and then forty-five minutes to bake in the morning and we’d have awesome french toast for breakfast. It was the breakfast my brothers and I had asked for every year on our birthdays since I could remember. My stomach knotted again.

Slinking up the stairs, I tried to be as quiet as possible, but I paused on the second landing. There were voices, a guy and a girl, coming from Dex’s room. Wendy wasn’t visiting until the weekend.

The door opened just as I walked by, and Maggie flounced out, giggling. “Hey, Collin, you’re up late.”

“Just fixed breakfast for the morning.”

“Mmm.” She walked around me like a predator assessing her prey. “There’s something irresistible about a man who can cook. Tanner’s father makes the most amazing breakfast potatoes. I don’t even like potatoes that much, but his? Oh my God. That was my first thought when we broke up. No more potatoes? Cruel and unusual punishment, if you ask me.”

“Why don’t you just learn to make them?”

“Because I despise cooking. I like eating food, just not making it.”

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll remember to eat at work on the days you’re in charge of house meals.”

She smirked. “You’re pretty smart for someone so adorable.”

My cheeks burned, and I cursed them for giving her the satisfaction.

She walked toward me, licking her lips, a devilish gleam in her oversized eyes. “So tell me, Collin, how gay are you? I know Tanner swings both ways. You too?”

“Nope. Sorry, on a scale of one to gay, I’m afraid I’m very gay.”

She gave an exaggerated pout. “What about threesomes? Another guy for you to play with while I play with both of you?”

“Not the man for the job. Tanner’s it for me.”

“Wow. Such loyalty. What about him? Are you it for him, or does he still have girls on the side? Like Wendy. Is she still his snack cake when she and the boyfriend are apart?”

Her teasing tone grated on my nerves, plus I thought that was a secret. My eyes narrowed. “You knew about that?”

“Everyone had a hunch. Now I know.” She gave me an even more wicked smile. God, I’m an idiot. I fell right into her trap and confirmed what she wanted to know. Shit. Should I tell Tanner? Warn him? Or Wendy? If Dex found out, it seemed like that could cause a good bit of tension in the house. I didn’t want any tension. I had enough of that with my family. I didn’t want it here.

Maggie sauntered closer, running her finger along my arm. “Have you had pussy?”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t like it?”

“Not my favorite, no.”

She stroked her fingers over my chest. “I bet I could do some things you’d like.”

“I’m sure you could, but I’m sorry. I’m taken.” I was sure she wouldn’t have any trouble finding someone else to take her up on an offer like that.

The pout returned in full force, but I could tell it was mostly for show. She peeled off her shirt, revealing a lacy black bra, and gave a tall stretch. Then she bent to touch her toes, ass in the air, right in front of me. Any straight guy would have carried her off to bed or started humping her right there in the hallway. I felt nothing. Except that I wanted to get up to my room and finally go to sleep alongside Tanner. I’d been away from him for less than an hour, and somehow I missed him.

“Good night, Maggie.”

I heard her sigh and close her bedroom door as I made my way up the final flight of stairs.

Climbing into our big comfy bed felt heavenly. I let myself sink into the cushiony mattress and breathed in deeply. Cool salty ocean air mixed with Tanner’s warm sleepy scent. I already knew I wasn’t ever going to want this summer to end.

F
RENCH TOAST
.
The sweet aroma drifted around me. I recognized it even before I was fully awake. For a second I thought I was home, at my mom’s house, then I opened my eyes and saw the dim light filtering through the window. Breathing deeper, I smelled the ocean under the toasty, sugary scent, and I remembered. Not Mom’s.

“Morning.”

Tanner’s voice startled me. The bed was so fucking big, I hadn’t even felt that he was still in it.

I turned to look at him, and my mouth dropped. Dark hair, damp and slicked back. Dressed. Well, sort of. A pair of khaki shorts on. No shirt. Smelling clean and fresh from the shower.

I rubbed my eyes with my fists. “When did you get up?”

“About an hour ago. You were out cold. It’s the ocean air. Awesome, isn’t it?”

“I think there was more to it than the ocean air.” My cock twitched as if it were trying to remind me what had made me sleep so well.

Tanner chuckled. “You’re gonna sleep really well this summer.”

“Sounds good to me.” I didn’t ever want to get out of that bed.

“I stuck the french toast in the oven like you said. The timer should go off in about a half hour. Iced tea?” He held out a tall glass. Moisture beaded on the side, and a drop ran down, landing in a cold splash on my chest. I jumped, my cock continuing to plump.

The tea was strong and sweet, but I gulped it, not realizing how thirsty I was until I swallowed the first mouthful. “Thanks.”

Tanner grinned as he took the empty glass. “You gonna grab a shower before breakfast?”

His gaze darted from my erection to my eyes. Huge pupils filled his dark brown irises.

My throat tightened. “A shower would be good.”

“You have something else in mind?”

One dark brow arched as he leaned over and kissed me, sending me to full mast with two sweeps of his tongue.

I groaned, and Tanner chuckled again, glancing down my body. Precome trickled onto my stomach. Tanner nodded toward my erection. “You might want to take care of that before you venture down to the bathroom. Unless you’re looking for a hands-free way to carry your towel.”

My cheeks heated, and my heart picked up speed.

He held my gaze, eyes dark with desire. He’d said I might want to take care of it. I shot a quick look at the door.

“It’s locked,” he said, reading my mind.

My face burned hotter as my hand went to my cock. I’d jerked off in front of him more times than I could count, but there was still a rush of self-consciousness every time I started. The first stroke alone felt so good, it lessened some of the embarrassment. The second elicited a low moan from Tanner, which made my dick jump, and took the heat in my face lower, to my throat. By the third stroke, Tanner was rubbing his own bulge as he watched, and all I wanted was for us both to get off.

I cupped my balls with my free hand, lightly touching the puckered skin. Jesus. This wasn’t going to take long. Tanner ran his fingers up and down my thigh, then slid them up my torso and flicked my nipple.

“Fuck.” The word came out as a whisper as my head pressed back into the pillow. My eyes fluttered open. The look on Tanner’s face—intense, full of lust—urged me to pump faster. My hips rose off the bed. The tip of my cock was so red, I doubted any blood was left to color my face.

“So fucking hot,” Tanner said, his eyes locked on my dick. He knelt alongside me, unzipped, and pulled out his erection. I went to reach for it, but Tanner caught my wrist and moved my hand back to my balls. “No. You.”

I loved that he wanted to watch. His fingers traced the underside of his cock. I loved to watch him too. Loved it too much. I teetered on the brink for a few more precious seconds.
Make it last. Make it last. Just one more stroke. One more. One. One. One.
Tanner’s hand braced against my chest as he thrust into his fist and I tumbled over the edge. The world went black as hot streaks painted my body.
Mine. His. Oh God
.

My heart pounded in my ears as bright lights flicked on and off behind my eyelids. Our panting breaths filled the room. Laughter bubbled up from deep in my chest.

“What’s so funny?” Tanner asked, wiping my chest with a small towel.

“I’m ready for a nap.”

Tanner snorted and gave me a shove toward the edge of the bed. “Hit the shower, then we eat. You need sustenance if you’re gonna survive this summer.”

W
ALKING INTO Dorothy’s for the first time was like walking into a new school on the first day. Only weirder. Most of the servers and busboys seemed to already know each other. At least three girls made beelines for Tanner, giggling and hugging him hello like he was their long-lost best friend. Manicured hands flitted over his arms as they giggled and asked how his year had been. I hung back and watched.

I’d seen the restaurant online, and Tanner had described it, but in person it was overwhelming. The entire place was done in black and white. Not just the two colors but all the shades of gray as well. And not just the floor, walls, and ceilings—everything. Black tablecloths, white napkins, black-and-white chairs. Enormous framed black-and-white photographs lined the walls. It was like stepping into the opening of
The Wizard of Oz
. If Tanner’s shirt hadn’t still been bright blue, I’d have wondered if it was all an optical illusion.

“Okay, kiddies, listen up….” A woman with a booming voice swept into the room, clipboard in her hand. “Come on, I don’t have all day.”

Tanner rolled his eyes as she snapped her fingers. He leaned close and whispered, “That would be Dorothy.”

I’d spoken with Dorothy on the phone after Tanner had asked her if there would be an opening for me at the restaurant. Cell service didn’t do her justice. She was loud, imposing, and a sea of colors. Shocking red hair with blonde streaks that made it look like a sunset. Blue-and-purple swirly summer dress. Nails painted every color of the rainbow.

“Where are my newbies? Collin? Jason? Sarah?”

I hadn’t expected for my name to be one of the first orders of business. “Here.”

She motioned me forward with an impatient wave of her hand. I headed to the front of the group along with a guy and a girl who both looked as hesitant as I felt. “Okay, gang, Collin and Jason are our new servers. Make them feel welcome, get them acclimated. Sarah will be in the kitchen. She’ll be plating the apps and desserts and prepping all your setup. Be nice to her. You’ll need her to like you when you’re in the weeds and forgot to order someone’s smoked salmon.”