Passing Time (12 page)

Jake’s fingers pushed through Louis’s hair. Louis rolled his hips, savoring the sensation of his balls kissing the velvet warmth of Jake’s backside.

“Not yet.” Jake scrunched his eyes shut. “I don’t want to—” He cried out and grabbed a hold of his dick. He threw his head back, muttering wordlessly.

Louis increased his pace. His breath escaped in short ragged bursts. Sweat dribbled down the gully of his spine. The desperate ache of his lust thundered through his ears as he pounded into the heat of Jake’s ass again and again.

“Louis…please…?” Jake cried. Sometimes he asked. Sometimes he didn’t. Tonight, he’d asked. Louis liked it.

“Go on.” He wasn’t so very far away either.

With permission granted, Jake shuddered. His ass pulsed around Louis’s cock. Every ripple of Jake’s orgasm centered in the raw throb of Louis’s groin. The room, the bed, even Jake fragmented in a glorious explosion of light. Louis pumped once, twice, three times into Jake’s ass. The contractions centered in his cock shivered through his body, and only after the final trickle had drained away was Louis was able to focus again.

Jake’s lips tugged into a smile, though his eyes remained closed. Louis relaxed, settling on top of Jake, the sticky heat of semen sandwiched between their bodies. He buried his face in the pillow. He bathed in the comfortable silence and the slow regularity of Jake’s finger lightly caressing his spine. When the sweat began to cool and Jake’s finger stilled, Louis held on to the base of the condom and withdrew.

He sat back on his heels as he knotted and disposed of it in the little bin by the bed. “You’re not going to fall asleep on me, are you?”

“Hmm, no.” Jake’s eyelids drooped. He rolled onto his side and snuggled into the pillow.

“Good. I’ll be back in a moment.” Louis slipped out of bed and into the bathroom. He relieved himself and washed his hands, pausing to glance at his face in the mirror above the sink. His cheeks were flushed with the remnants of his orgasm. Fucking Jake looked good on him. Pity he’d be back to his sad, middle-aged persona this time tomorrow. Now wasn’t the time to think so far ahead. Only the present mattered. And about that present…

In the bedroom, Louis stopped at his side of the bed and opened the bedside table drawer. Inside, right at the back, he brought out a box wrapped in decorative silver foil. After climbing back into bed, he propped himself up on his elbow and peered into Jake’s serene face.

“Jake? Tell me you’re awake.”

Jake could tell him no such thing. His breathing was too deep, too even. His eyelids twitched, and a loud snore vibrated from between his lips.

Well, obviously this wasn’t the right moment. He wasn’t sure if there would ever be one. They were living out their final hours together, and it seemed likely Jake would spend a good few of them asleep. Had he made the right decision with this particular gift? Should he have gone for something cheaper? No. The little memento in the box was nothing compared to what Jake had given him these past few weeks. There would be other opportunities. Louis stroked a finger across the foil and returned the box to the drawer.

After grabbing some casual clothing from the closet, he dressed and headed for the door. He needed to go into town for supplies. And dinner.

He strolled toward town, breathing deeply, memorizing the evening air scented with the salty tang of the river. He’d grown used to the smell these past few weeks, that and the gentle, metallic clank of rigging from the moored yachts, the questing cries of the seagulls always on the lookout for food. So much peace. So much fresh, clean air.

Not too much of a hardship to imagine a life here. Perhaps with a quiet office job and a small European car. He could have Jake over for weekends and holidays as suggested the week before. It didn’t irritate him thinking of the possibilities now. He didn’t know when that had changed. The thought could only ever be a pipe dream, of course, whereas his thought of home and a world that didn’t and never would include Jake was his not quite so pleasant reality.

Louis found the pharmacy still open, and he fetched the condoms and the lube, surprised to find himself mildly embarrassed by the purchase. He hadn’t bought condoms in years—two, to be exact. Whores always came equipped. Louis bet they never suffered from a sudden rush of blood to their face while a smirking shop assistant deposited their large pack of extra-sensitives and jumbo-sized K-Y jelly into a carrier bag.

On the way back Louis passed a fish-and-chips shop, where the aroma of battered fish and salt and vinegar tempted him inside. He ordered large cod and chips twice, breaded mushrooms, and, as an afterthought, slipped a couple of the free ketchup sachets into his pocket.

Back at the apartment he set their paper-wrapped dinner down on the dining table along with a bottle of wine from the supermarket. He popped his head around the bedroom door, expecting to see Jake soundly asleep right where Louis had left him. And that’s exactly what he did see.

Jake still lay in bed on his back with the sheets bunched around his thighs. Only this time, he wasn’t alone. Carter was perched on the bed next to him.

“What are you doing?” Louis whispered as Carter reached out and pinched Jake’s nipple.

“Admiring the view.” The nipple peaked into a tight bud beneath his fingertips.

“There’s no need to touch.” Louis ventured a small step into the room.

“He’s so beautiful, Louis. So responsive.” Carter traced a light phantom path down Jake’s body to his already rising shaft and wrapped slim fingers around the base. “Do you think I could make him come?”

“No!” Louis moved forward. “Get your hands off him. We’ll talk in the lounge.”

Carter smirked and flipped his wrist, giving Jake’s cock a swift pump. Jake gasped, thrust his hips once, and settled again into sleep. “Bothers you, doesn’t it? Always has.”

“What?” Louis said through clenched teeth.

“Me with other men. You never really enjoyed sharing, did you?”

“You did, which was all that mattered to me at the time.”

“And what about now? Does it matter to you I’m enjoying Jake? So very much.” Carter elegantly worked Jake’s cock even as he slept on, his hips rocking regularly now in time to Carter’s caresses. A groan slipped from between Jake’s parted lips.

“Cart, please. He’s asleep, for God’s sake.”

“He can’t feel it. He’s dreaming. Look at his face. His lips…” Carter lowered his ear to an inch above Jake’s mouth. “He’s calling your name.”

“Please, Cart.”

Carter swept the line of his attention down Jake’s body to the cock oozing precum in his hand.

“Would you look at that?” he exclaimed in absolute delight. “Fit to burst. Tell me, Louis, does he taste as sweet as he looks?”

“Don’t even dare!”

Carter’s lips tilted. With a defiant glint in his eye, he leaned over Jake’s cock. His tongue flicked out and lapped the liquid beading on the tip. “Hmm. Delicious.”

“Carter!” Louis launched himself into the room. Jake’s eyes snapped open and focused.

“I think I dreamed about…”

“About?”

“Nothing.” Jake lowered his gaze. “Where have you been?”

“Out.” Louis lifted the bag in his hand.

“Condoms and lube?”

Louis nodded and set the bag on the bedside table. “I also bought dinner. Fish and chips and a nice bottle of chardonnay. On the table.”

“No bourbon?”

“I thought we might share the wine.”

Jake reached out and took hold of his hand.

Louis glanced down at him. “What?”

“I need some help here.” He gestured to his erection.

Louis thought back to Carter jerking him off. Nausea fluttered in his belly. “Maybe later. Dinner’s getting cold.”

“That’s what microwaves are for. You can’t expect me to eat with a hard-on.”

Louis pulled his hand free of Jake’s grip. “Use your fingers.”

“To eat or wank with?” Jake called after him as Louis moved into the lounge.

He picked up Jake’s shirt from the floor, returned to the bedroom, and tossed it at him. “Whichever you prefer.”

Jake glared at him. Louis lowered his gaze and retreated to set the table. This was all wrong. He shouldn’t blame Jake for Carter’s behavior. Or rather, the depravity going on inside his own head watching an oblivious Jake with another man the way he’d once watched an ecstatic Carter with other men. He shouldn’t take out his frustration on Jake. He’d have to apologize. None of this had anything to do with him. Louis poured them both a glass of wine, then set about unwrapping their supper. They’d eat straight off the paper, which was something he hadn’t done in years.

A few moments later Jake hobbled out of the bedroom with a slightly awkward gait. He only had his shirt on, the bottom two buttons fastened, leaving a wide strip of bare torso. His dick was clearly visible through the shirttails. He’d obviously decided against taking matters into his own hands.

He slumped down into the chair, grabbed a sachet of ketchup, and swamped his chips in a solid layer thick as a blanket. He picked one up and popped it into his mouth, the sulk melting away as his eyelids fluttered. After he chewed and swallowed, his tongue came out to swipe the traces of ketchup from his lips.

“What?” Jake scowled, still moody when he caught Louis watching him. “Have I got sauce around my mouth?”

“No.”

“Are you thinking about tomorrow?”

“What’s happening tomorrow?”

Jake’s scowl deepened. “Uni happens. Us never seeing each other again happens. You know that.”

Louis was more than aware that twenty-four hours from now, he’d be alone again. Rattling around in this place not knowing what to do with himself. Wasting time until he had to go home. “I’d rather think of anything but tomorrow.”

“Me too.” Jake made an effort to lose the scowl. “I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to spoil the rest of our time together.”

“I will miss you, you know.”

Jake looked doubtful. “Will you?”

“More than I should.”
More than I want to
. He took a swallow of wine. The liquid slicked thick and bitter over his tongue. He pushed his glass away.

“Remember our first night together at this table?” Jake picked up another chip. “You were playing hard to get.”

“And you were playing impossible to get rid of.” Louis grinned before crunching down on a thick piece of batter.

“My persistence paid off. I’ve had the best month. I mean, apart from your mum. Shit. Sorry, Louis.”

“Don’t be. You made my stay here tolerable. I want to thank you. In fact…” He stood and wiped his greasy hands down his T-shirt. Now seemed like an ideal time to try again with his gift.

“In fact what?” Jake stared at him, a chip poised in his fingers. A dribble of ketchup splashed onto his belly, closely followed by another dollop, which hit his chest. “Fuck.” He gazed down at himself. “I’m such a messy eater.” He dabbed at the blobs with his shirttails.

“No. Let me.” Louis sank to his knees, pulled the last two buttons apart, and moved in to lick the splatters from Jake’s chest and belly.

“You don’t like ketchup,” Jake said, his voice heavy as he leaned back in the chair.

“I like what’s beneath.” Louis flicked out his tongue and swept up the ketchup mixed with the earthier flavor of Jake’s sweat. Jake’s stomach muscles twitched as Louis touched a line of kisses down his abdomen. The enticing heat was almost enough to blister Louis’s lips. He withdrew slightly to wrap one hand around the thick ridge of Jake’s engorged shaft and drew back the foreskin with the other. He swept his tongue across the sensitive head, half-afraid he might discover the taint of Carter’s saliva. He found only the raw masculinity of the very much still-living man seated before him.

Jake’s shaft grew thick and dusky with arousal. Louis gazed at the fat vein running the length of his lover’s cock. When he raised his eyes, Jake was looking at him, his eyes dreamy, his lips plump and glossy, slick with a greasy sheen. Louis rose on his knees, keen to taste, and closed in to claim Jake’s mouth. He slipped his tongue inside the soft interior, catching the faint traces of ketchup, vinegar, and the richer, muskier flavor of lust.