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Raf signed off, leaving Ambrose nearly in tears, heart fit to bursting. He felt loved, safe and warm in his little house by the lake. It was even better when Barrett came back, sweaty and grimy and grinning, Dandi bouncing at his heels. “Hey, you,” he said, coming up behind Ambrose in the kitchen.
Ambrose leaned back until he could kiss the underside of Barrett’s damp jaw. “You’re gross.”
“So gross.”
“Eugh, go shower.” The grip Barrett had on his hips belied other thoughts. “You know, we haven’t tried it in that chair by the fireplace.”
“Hmmm.” Barrett’s right hand slid in, then down, squeezing Ambrose’s thigh. “And I said you’re injured and we shouldn’t.”
“Shouldn’t, not couldn’t.”
“Found a loophole?”
“I’m more crafty than most think.”
A final squeeze to his thigh while Barrett’s lips lingered on his neck left Ambrose leaning hard against the counter. “I’ll mull on that while I’m in the shower, then.”
“Fucking tease!” Ambrose shouted at his back while Barrett laughed. If Barrett was surprised by Ambrose following him into the shower, he didn’t show it. Instead, he dropped to his knees and let his mouth and hands worship Ambrose’s body, leaving him shaking before Barrett ever touched his cock.
“Fuck, Barrett.” Ambrose whined as Barrett bypassed his aching prickagainto mouth at the thin skin on his inner right thigh.
The water beating down was almost too hot, but it felt heavenly on his body. The contrast of sharp teeth and smooth lips was setting his nerves on overdrive. “Gorgeous,” Barrett murmured before licking the head of Ambrose’s cock. He pushed Ambrose’s fingers into his hair. “Hold on.”
Chapter twenty-six
Late Autumn
Barrettawokefromhisnap to find a hand on his shoulder and drool on the jacket he’d balled up under his head. “Wha…where are we?”
“Stopped for gas about an hour ago, and now we’re five miles out,” Ambrose said as he glanced at the GPS display in their rental. “Wanted to wake you up before we pulled in.”
“Thanks.” Barrett swiped at the drool on his face. “Laughing at me on my birthday?”
Ambrose was still snickering as he said, “Does it help if I say it’s out of love?”
Barrett glared at him but it had no heat to it. “Seems like an easy excuse.”
Ambrose only laughed. “You ready?”
“Absolutely.” He stared out the windshield as office buildings whizzed by. Val and Forrest lived outside Camden, a large city a few states over. The plan was to spend several days with them, then drop off the rental and fly out to California. Another week of sightseeing and relaxation, on top of visiting Raf, and capped off by attending Raf’s new gallery exhibit. His biggest one yet, apparently. Art galleries weren’t really Barrett’s vibe, but he wanted to spend his thirty-nineth birthday somewhere warm, surrounded by people he loved.
Time didn’t mean the same now, not like it had before. Barrett used to pass time between his shifts fishing, reading, trying to play guitar (and usually failing). He would sit in the silence and let his thoughts wander. And he thought that was what he wanted. Steadily alone in the quiet, in the wilderness, simply moving from one day to the next. But he wasn’t beholden to it, tied down by an ideal life and upset that it had been upended. He’d always counted himself as someone who rolled with the punches, butso muchhad happened. And it was only now that he had the time to look back and wonder at how much had changed.
Starting with the man beside him.
“I can feel you staring,” Ambrose said quietly, a small smile on his lips.
“I like staring at you.”
“And oddly, I enjoy being stared at by you.” He threw Barrett a wink. “Okay, they should be just up ahead.”
Ambrose pulled into the parking lot of a small townhouse complex with neat hedgerows and what looked like fresh grey paint on the shutters. The days were growing shorter and even though it was late afternoon, the sky was gathering the colors of dusk already. Lights glowed behind shades and blinds in many of the units, including Val’s.
They weren’t even in park before the door to her home swung open and there were his sister and nephew, grinning ear to ear. Barrett swiftly kissed Ambrose and was out of the car, running over to scoop up his family in his arms. He needed to hug them, kiss their foreheads, muss the fringe Forrest was slowly regrowing.
His heart was in his throat but he was so happy. “Missed you too, Bear.”
“Uncle, Uncle!” Forrest was still thin and pale, but his eyes were bright and his smile made Barrett’s chest constrict painfully.
