Page 52 of Stroke Rate

“Morning,” River mumbled onto the crown of Chris’ head.

Chris nestled into the curve of River’s body, letting out a heavy sigh. He tipped his face up to the warm sun. “I really love it here. I wish we didn’t have to leave.”

“I know, me too. One more race and then we will come back, right? We can come back whenever we want. Remember?"

For the first week, River had let Chris soak up the peace the cabin gave—he didn’t ask questions about the family dinner night, and he didn’t pry to learn more about Chris’ past abuse. He trusted Chris would tell him that in his own time. And he did. Eventually, under the cloak of night, with blankets offering a cozy shield, Chris shared his stories, his voice an almost inaudible murmur against the crackling of the dying fire that painted shifting shadows across the room. It began as a gentle stream of narrative, but then he opened the floodgates and everything rushed out. The stories were hard and sad, and River was sure more would come as the years went on, but for now Chris seemed better. Something about his energy felt free; he seemed lighter.

The week after he had opened up had gone by impossibly fast, and the saying time flies when you're having fun held true; because that’s what they had done. Had fun.

They spent their days hiking and swimming, and taking endless naps in the forest on the hammock. Chris had found so many new curiosities to decorate wherever they would live next—because they had decided to never go back to the house in Boulder. Brooke, Bran, Phae, and Jackson had gone and packed them up a week ago. Brooke had the house code; they had boxed everything up and put all their belongings in storage. It was a hard decision. Chris loved that house; they had fallen in love at that house. But what was once their safe little bubble was now just one more way Chris’ family had control over him. Over them. So they had decided that they would fly straight to Indianapolis from the cabin, and after the race they would stay with Brooke until they found a rental. It wasn’t ideal, but doing so gave them some time to breathe and figure out where they wanted to settle.

“We have two days left. What do you want to do, baby?” River said.

“Well, I want to go on that evening hike again. Coop’s favorite one, and other than that, I think I just want to relax.” He sighed, “Even though that's all we have done for two weeks. If we secure a spot on the trials, life will be very messy and busy for us.” Chris paused, and River watched as he bit his lip and wrung his hands. “I know I want to do it. I want to give it a shot, but fuck, Riv, it’s so much. Too much to even think about it.”

River looked at Chris, so peaceful with his eyes closed, head resting heavily on River’s shoulder. “I know, baby. I know, but we’ll figure it out. And I’ll be with you every step. Okay?”

“Together?”

“Together,” River said, squeezing Chris’ hand three times.

The evening had been perfect for a hike. The air was cool, the sun was warm, and a light breeze came from behind them, helping push them up their final ascent. They reached the summit thirty minutes before the sun set; placing their blanket on the ground and eating snacks as they watched the brilliant red sun fall behind the jagged mountain peaks. The valley and lake unfolded below, framed by a bowl of snowy peaks. It truly was breathtaking. And even though the mountains and the lake were amazing, nothing made River’s breath catch as much as the sight of Chris’ joy-filled face smiling back at him.

River reached out, cupping Chris’ cheek, rubbing his thumb over Chris’ bottom lip. “I love you,” he whispered. “I was so worried before we came here. I wasn’t sure I was making the right decision. I wasn’t sure you were going to be okay. I was worried being here would bring up so many memories for me, and I would be pulled back to the ugly place in my head that always tells me I don’t deserve this.”

Chris’ lips curled up, his eyes mirroring the pinks and oranges of the setting sun. “Deserve what?” he said

“I felt guilty for a long time. Like I didn’t deserve to live again. I have felt guilty about the accident. Guilty that I survived. Guilty that I am getting a second chance. The list goes on and on. But I think…I think I finally believe that I do deserve this. I deserve to live and to love. I deserve light.”

Chris leaned in, nuzzling River’s hand, placing a kiss on his palm. “Oh baby. We deserve this. We deserve this love. We deserve the light after so much darkness.” With the sun setting behind the mountains, he took River's face in his hands, placing their foreheads together. They nuzzled each other’s noses. River breathed out, Chris breathed in, and then they were kissing deep and slow, achingly tender. River feeling just how much Chris loved him.

When they arrived back home, Chris turned to face River. The A-frame cabin's lights were all on, making the house glow with a welcoming warmth, and backlit Chris, making his silhouette stand out in stark contrast. River made grabby hands, and Chris ran to him—jumping into arms—legs wrapping around his waist as he licked the tip of River’s nose.

“Fucking love this nose,” Chris laughed as River pinched his ass.

“You’re such a monster.”

And Chris growled, licking his lips. “I fucking love it, Riv, I just want to bite it every time I look at you. Sometimes I feel like one of the Wild Things in that children’s book. They say, ‘I'll eat you up, I love you so.’ That's how I feel every time I look at you.” Chris kissed him again, nipping his lip and a playful glint in his eye. “Now take me to bed.”

Through panting breaths, River stroked Chris’ length over his briefs, nuzzling against the column of his throat as he worried his thumb along the elastic of Chris’ briefs. “I’ve wanted this cock in me for a long time. I’ve imagined you stretching me out and making love to me,” he said as his hand made its way to Chris’ cock. He was small and hard, and fit perfectly in River’s grip.

Chris hummed and made those little “ah-ah-ah” noises River loved so much as he played with his piercing. He was leaking like a faucet as River stroked him from base to tip; making sure to press into his slit a little with every pass over his crown.

“I want to feel each one of these push into me. I need to know how they feel inside me,” River whined as he ground his erection over the smooth skin of Chris’ thigh. “Can you do that? Can you be so good for me, baby?”

“Oh my god, yes, Riv. I’ll be so good. I’m gonna make you feel so good,” he said as he batted River’s hand away, flipping him onto his back. Chris ran his hands from River’s collarbone to his hips, gripping him so hard River was sure he would have bruises tomorrow. And if he was being honest, he wanted them; he wanted every mark Chris could give him. The desire to be owned by this man in every way was all-consuming.

Gasping, River spread his legs wider, allowing Chris the space he needed to suck his dick. He settled in, fisting the root of River’s dick, slapping the head of River's cock against the flat of his tongue. The sound it made was obscene, echoing off the vaulted ceiling of the loft. River raised up on his elbows to watch Chris spit a long string of saliva down his length. “Jesus Christ,” he moaned as Chris used the spit and precum to jerk him in loose, leisurely strokes. “Do it again.” Chris smirked, his face looking so impish as he did it again, a string of spit connecting his lips to the swollen head of River’s cock. “Fuck, you look so hot, baby,” River said as he feathered his fingers through Chris’ messy waves. His lips curling, before pulling River’s crown into his mouth, sucking so hard River’s hips jerked up, shoving his cock to the back of Chris’ throat. “I’m gonna come if you don’t stop.” Chris swallowed once more before releasing him from his mouth and pressing the tip of his tongue into River’s slit.

“Pull your legs back, so I can lick you open, Riv.” So River did—exposed and vulnerable—splayed out like a slutty little snack. “Fuck, look at you,” Chris whispered as he ran the tip of his nose along River’s crack. River wiggled his ass a little, making Chris huff a laugh. The puff of breath tickled the fine hairs on River’s ass and made goosebumps travel the length of his body.

“Stop, that tickles,” River huffed as Chris snuffled around like a truffle pig searching for his prize. Chris kneeled up and pulled River into his lap, exposing him all the way as he spit again, letting it drip down River’s taint to his asshole. “Oh, fuck.”

Chris moaned as he circled River’s opening with his finger. “You like that? You like when I spit on you?”

“Mmmm,” he hummed as the distinct snick of the lube bottle echoed around them. River’s ragged breaths and unrestrained moans merged into a strange melody. “Ooh-ah-ah,” he breathed as Chris slid one finger in, crooking it up in just the right way. Running over his spot as he moved it in and out.

“So hot—so tight, baby. You feel so good, can’t wait to feel you on my cock,” Chris whispered before pressing another digit in, spreading them a bit. He wiggled his legs out from under River and lay down, taking each of River’s cheeks into his palms, spreading him wide. He licked and sucked on River’s rim as he twisted and massaged his inner walls with his fingers. River felt as the warm, wet tip of Chris’ tongue entered him. Chris wiggled his tongue and hooked it along the inside of River's opening, giving it a little flick. “Fuck, you taste good,” he groaned out as he made out with River’s ass. With every thrust of Chris’ fingers over his spot, a tingle shot through River from his spine to his toes, and he fought to hold back the inevitable release. The feeling of Chris’ tongue wiggling inside him mixed with his fingers stretching him, and the possessive grip of his hand on River’s ass had him barreling towards his orgasm faster than he wanted. “Fuck Chris, stop! I’m going to come. Get your cock in my ass right now.”