Storm Season (25 page)

Tobias made a soft sound of protest as he slid his tongue into Jasper’s mouth.
Tease.

“Am not,” Jasper protested before kissing Tobias again. He didn’t stay on his lips this time, but placed tiny pecks along Tobias’s jaw until he reached his ear, then back down along his neck to his collarbone. As he peppered Tobias’s skin with kisses, he fumbled on the table by the bed, blindly groping for the lotion he’d seen there when they first arrived. It wasn’t perfect, but since he hadn’t planned on this happening, the lotion would have to do for tonight. They could stop at the store and grab something better before they left town in the morning.

Prove it
. Tobias pushed his hips up, pressing his hard cock against Jasper’s thigh, and scratched his fingers down Jasper’s back.
Please.

It was an easy request to grant. Jasper’s fingers closed around the bottle just as his lips reached the junction between Tobias’s shoulder and neck. He sucked the soft skin there into his mouth, relishing the salty taste as he pulled the lotion a little closer. The skin was red when he pulled back, and he kissed it gently before placing another kiss on Tobias’s lips and sitting up to kneel between his legs. “You ready?”

Yes.
The amount of impatience and desperation Tobias managed to convey with that one word was amazing. Jasper wanted to do this—needed to do this—and though he knew the impatience driving him was more Tobias’s than his, he didn’t fight it. Instead, he gave Tobias what he wanted, urging him to bend his knees and sliding one lotion-slicked finger inside.

Tobias was tight even around Jasper’s one finger, but he moaned as Jasper wriggled it. When Jasper hooked it just so, hitting that sensitive spot, Tobias gasped.
Sleet!

The pleasure and pain that accompanied the word hit Jasper like a sudden downpour. He almost fell forward from the intensity of it, but he caught himself at the last second and straightened his finger. He pulled it back, intending to back off until he could adjust to the unaccustomed sensations or Tobias could figure out how not to overwhelm him, but the feeling of emptiness and loss that hit him the moment his finger pulled free convinced him to slip it back in, accompanied by a second, before Tobias could even say anything.

This time, Jasper braced himself before he scissored his fingers, and the wave of sensation that hit him wasn’t nearly as overwhelming. It felt good, actually, better than anything he’d experienced with any partner before. Part of that could have been time—he hadn’t been with anyone since moving to Brightam’s Ford—but he knew part of it was Tobias. As Jasper scissored his fingers once more, again letting Tobias’s feelings wash over him, he wondered why he’d been afraid of this at first.

“Clear skies, Tobias,” Jasper whispered, leaning up to kiss him briefly before adding a third finger. The sensations were much the same there, just stronger and more intense, but it was nothing compared to what he felt when he pulled his fingers out completely and lined his lotion-slicked cock up with Tobias’s hole. “Are you ready?” he asked again, though he knew the answer from the almost uncontrollable urge to move that he felt. Jasper wasn’t giving in, wasn’t letting Tobias control this just by sharing his feelings, and wasn’t going to move until Tobias gave him an answer.

Yes,
it came, soft and desperate as it echoed in Jasper’s mind.
Please. Jasper. Need you. Now.
The wanton look on Tobias’s face matched the desperation in his words, his brown eyes wide and pleading as he looked at Jasper, and his pink lips parted enticingly.

It was all the permission Jasper needed, and he slowly pushed forward, closing his eyes as the dual sensations enveloped him. He could feel the tightness and heat of Tobias around him and the undeniable pleasure that accompanied it, but it conflicted with Tobias’s slight discomfort, just as his desire to move conflicted with Tobias’s need for him to stay still. Jasper gave in to what Tobias needed, holding himself frozen in place as he felt Tobias relax around him. He breathed carefully through his mouth as he struggled to stay still, muscles trembling with the effort.

Move
, Tobias said what felt like it could have been hours later, though in reality was only a few minutes.
Now.
He was desperate for it too, Jasper could feel it along with the urge to thrust that replaced the need to stay still.

He pulled back, almost slipping out completely before he thrust forward again, slamming into Tobias with desperation. Tobias grunted and moaned, urging Jasper on with a litany of,
more, please now,
and slipped his hand between their bodies to wrap it around his cock. He picked up a rhythm that Jasper soon matched with his thrusts, fast and steady and almost too much for Jasper to take. His mind was filled with Tobias’s pleasure and his own, making coherent thought impossible. His world narrowed to just Tobias beneath him and around him, as Tobias chanted in his mind and urged him on by sending feelings in a way that Jasper still didn’t fully understand.

Jasper didn’t think he would last long, but Tobias came first, orgasming with a cry that echoed inside Jasper’s mind and sent a wave of pleasure that overrode the last bit of control Jasper possessed. He cried out Tobias’s name as he came, threw his head back, and collapsed forward when it was over. He lay bonelessly across Tobias’s chest for a moment, his breathy gasps echoed by Tobias as they both tried to ground themselves again.

“Wow,” Jasper managed, and the sentiment was echoed by Tobias.

Yeah,
he said, smiling softly as he squirmed, forcing Jasper to pull out.

Jasper rolled over, wiped them both with the corner of the sheet, and pulled Tobias closer, out of the wet spot. Staying on the dry sheets required that they lie close on the tiny bed, but it worked with Tobias resting his head on Jasper’s chest and tangling their legs together. “Night,” Jasper said, once they were settled.

Tobias only hummed sleepily in return, but Jasper could feel the contentment coming from him as they both drifted to sleep.

I
N
THE
morning, Jasper woke before the alarm. The covers he’d pulled up to his shoulders before falling asleep had pooled around his waist and Tobias was lying half on top of him, leaving his left side warm and his right side chilly. Goosebumps puckered the flesh of his exposed arm, but the covers were tangled underneath Tobias, and Jasper couldn’t free them without waking him up.

He considered it for a minute, glancing over at the clock before looking down at Tobias. The only illumination in the room came from the clock face, which cast an ethereal blue light over the room. The blue hue made Tobias look paler and accentuated his prominent cheekbones and long, straight nose. Jasper was entranced. He wanted to run his fingers over Tobias’s cheek and card them through his hair, but that would wake Tobias up, so instead he rested his hand on his chest and contented himself with looking.

Tobias woke slowly, even when the alarm started beeping, wrinkling his nose and trying to bury his face in Jasper’s chest.
Make it stop
, he said, covering his exposed ear with one hand.
It’s loud.

“That’s the point,” Jasper chuckled, though he rolled them both and stretched until he could reach the clock on the table to turn it off. “It’s supposed to wake you up.”

I know.
Tobias sighed as they rolled back so he was again half on top of Jasper.
It’s not how I wanted to wake up, though.

Jasper took his cue. “How did you want to wake up?”

Slowly.
Tobias smiled as he started kissing Jasper’s chest, working his way to Jasper’s collarbone and then up his neck.

Jasper tipped his head back, giving Tobias better access, and moaned as Tobias slid his hand down his chest. “We won’t get on the road early if you do that,” he warned, trying to mentally calculate how long it would take them to get to the next town if they drove south and how early they needed to leave if they wanted to be sure to beat the storms. There really was no safe bet, not with the storms starting earlier and occurring during the day. South would give them a little more time than east, as the coast got the worst of it, but they weren’t so far north that they would be protected from the weather that hit the southern coastline for long. They had a day, maybe two, and then it would be impossible to predict when the storms would hit.

Does it matter?
Tobias stopped moving his hand.
We’re not going to be able to go further than one town before the storms start again.

“We won’t,” Jasper agreed. “But we want to make sure we get that far. We’re only a few days drive from the coast, no matter which way we go, and the wet season is really starting. I’d rather leave early and have more time in the next town than get trapped on the road.”

Me too.
Tobias frowned as he sat up, climbed over the crusted spot on the sheets, and headed toward the shower.

Jasper hurried after him, scooting out of bed as quickly as he could get untangled from the sheets and padding over to the bathroom just before Tobias closed the door. “Hey,” he said, putting his palm against the wood to keep it open and grabbing Tobias’s arm with his other hand. “We’ll pick this up tonight, okay?”

Okay.
The disappointment that Jasper had felt from Tobias before he climbed out of bed faded and Tobias grinned.
Promise?

“Promise.” Jasper matched Tobias’s grin as he leaned in and cupped Tobias’s chin in one hand. “As soon as we’re settled for the night.” He kissed Tobias gently, catching his bottom lip between his teeth as he pulled back.

Tobias rested his forehead against Jasper’s and smiled.
Sounds good.
He was smiling when he stepped back, keeping his hand on Jasper’s arm so he could talk without hurting Jasper.
What’s the plan, then? Besides get out of here as soon as possible.

“Head south.” Jasper pushed his hair back, sweeping a few stray reddish blond strands from his eyes. “We’ll be less likely to encounter big storms that way, at least for a day or two, and if we get out of town without being seen, the people chasing us will probably think we headed straight for Shaleton.”

They’ll beat us, then.
Tobias bit his lip and looked aghast.
Won’t they?

“Maybe.” It was a risk they’d have to take. “But they might double back looking for us, or search the towns along the way. If we head straight for Shaleton, we know they’ll be on our tail. If we go south and turn east in Briars Grove, we might be able to slip into Shaleton.” It was an admittedly risky plan that would add at least two days, possibly more, to their journey, but Jasper couldn’t think of any other way to avoid the men pursuing them.

Tobias nodded.
Okay.
He didn’t look certain and there was worry beneath his tone again, but he forced a smile to his face.
I’ll shower, you pack?

It was hardly a fair trade, but Jasper agreed anyway. “Sure. But you get to haul everything out to the truck.”

The look on Tobias’s face made it clear that he knew he wouldn’t do it alone.
Okay.
He leaned in and kissed Jasper again.
I’ll hurry.

I
T
ENDED
up being one of their faster departures. Even though they both took their time in the shower, the sky was barely clear when Jasper pulled the truck out of the secured parking, and Needa’s Crossing was still sleepy as they drove through it. Even the diner that had been so busy the night before and promised breakfast in its windows was closed, and it was with regret that Jasper drove by.

“We’ll eat on the road,” he said, catching Tobias’s look out the window as well. They’d talked about getting breakfast as they packed, but while stopping to grab something quickly might have been an option, waiting for the diner to open was not.

Tobias cast a longing glance over his shoulder as he slid his hand along the bench seat to bump it against Jasper’s leg.
Okay. Can we stop if we see something else?

Jasper doubted they would, but his stomach growled at the idea of a hot breakfast, so he acquiesced. “Keep an eye out. And watch for the van too.”

The look Tobias gave him told him that he didn’t need to mention that, but Tobias kept it at just a look and dutifully turned his gaze out the passenger side window. They passed another diner as Jasper weaved his way through the town, mostly guessing at which streets would take him to the main road south, but it wasn’t open either. Neither was the restaurant on the next street or the slightly more upscale one around the following corner. There were a few people sitting outside a coffee shop where they might have been able to get pastries, and the lights were on in the bakery, but the first was too uncertain and the second was too far away for them to stop.

Instead, Jasper kept driving, and before they’d seen an open place serving hot breakfast, they’d reached the road south and Jasper swung the truck onto it. “We’ll stop in a half hour or so.”

Okay.
Tobias twisted around so he was kneeling on the seat and peered out the back window with an intensity he hadn’t devoted to finding food.

“Do you see anything?” Jasper wanted to look too, but he didn’t dare take his eyes off the road ahead. It was paved and fairly well traveled during the dry season, but that didn’t mean the recent storms hadn’t damaged the pavement or knocked trees across the asphalt.

No.
Tobias kept looking until the truck rounded a curve and Needa’s Crossing was completely out of sight.
I think we got away.

Jasper grinned as Tobias turned around. “Good. Now if we can just stay ahead of the storms, we should get to Shaleton in five days. Six if the weather is bad.”