Then he reconsidered. The sex was fantastic, not that he’d ever have said so.
“Dad wants to know what’s keeping the coffee,” Ben said from the doorway, grinning.
Caroline put her hands on her hips. “You can tell your father if he’s in that much of a hurry for his coffee, he has my permission to come make it himself.”
She met Tommy’s gaze and shook her head. He bit back a smile. Ben disappeared. Caroline turned to Tommy.
“I meant it, Tommy. Anytime you want to talk, you know where I am.” And with that, she carried the tray containing the mugs, coffeepot, cream, and sugar out of the kitchen.
Tommy reached into the cabinet and brought out the bag of popcorn, his smile emerging. Caroline was something special, even if shedidmake him blush fire engine red.
Mike stood in the doorway of his bathroom, watching Tommy under the shower. Except Tommy wasn’t washing himself. He was standing there, head bowed, one hand on the tiles, the water hitting his head and shoulders. Mike had known minutes after Tommy had walked into Woofs that something was going on with him. They’d gone for breakfast, and Tommy had still been far too quiet for Mike’s liking. Mike had waited to see if Tommy would share whatever was bugging him, but it had soon become clear that he wasn’t ready to talk about it.
Well, no time like the present.
Mike walked slowly over to the shower and slid back the door. Tommy straightened and turned to face him. “Hey.”
Mike stepped into the steamy enclosed space. “I figured you might like someone to wash your back.” He poured himself ahandful of body wash and commenced soaping up Tommy’s broad shoulders. Tommy relaxed into his touch and dipped his chin, sighing as Mike massaged the firm flesh. He could feel knots of tension in the muscles and started to knead them with his thumbs, keeping the pressure firm.
“Damn, that feels good.”
Tommy braced himself against the tiles, and Mike went to town, working over that wide expanse of flesh. Mike pushed his thumbs into the hollows above Tommy’s ass, and Tommy groaned.
“Oh God, there.”
“You are all kinds of tensed up,” Mike said after a few minutes of rubbing. He eased up on the pressure and concentrated on making Tommy feel good. “You wanna tell me what’s on your mind that’s made you so tense?”
There was that sigh again. “Had… had some things on my mind, is all.” Tommy turned slowly to face Mike, but when those green eyes didn’t meet Mike’s, he knew there was more to come. “I’m sorry.” The words came out as a whisper.
Mike lifted Tommy’s chin, his hand curved around that pink cheek. “What are you sorry for?”
That flush deepened. “I didn’t want to….” He fell silent, his gaze lowering once more.
Ahhh. Mike brought their lips together in a soft kiss, keeping it chaste. When they parted, he smiled. “Tommy, I don’t mind, really. No one said we have to have sex every time you come over.”
“You don’t mind?” Tommy looked him in the eye. “I know there’ve been a few times when all I wanted to do was just fall asleep with you, but I didn’t know how to tell you.”
“Yeah, about that.” Just then the water ran cooler, and Mike shivered. “Let’s get out of here and into bed. We’ll be warmer in there, and we can talk, okay?”
Tommy nodded, and they quickly rinsed off.
When they were dry and once again under the sheets, Mike lay on his side, facing his young lover. “Okay, this is important.” Tommy nodded, his gaze focused on Mike’s face. “Tonight I sort of got the message that you didn’t wanna fuck. Now, I’m no mind reader. It would’ve been a damn sight easier if you’d actually come right out and said, ‘Mike, can we not have sex tonight?’” When Tommy opened his eyes wide, Mike smiled. “I know why you didn’t, though. You donotlike talking about such things, do you?”
Tommy bit his lip. “It’s the way I was brought up, y’know? Sex is… dirty.”
Mike stopped dead at that. “That what your parents brought you up to believe?”
He nodded. “An’ that it was sorta… private. You just don’t talk about it.”
Mike regarded him in silence for a moment. “Baby, sex isn’t dirty.” He hesitated. “Well, itcanbe, but not in the way you’re thinking. Sex is beautiful. It can be many things: loving, hotter ’n’ hell, passionate…. And as for not talking about it, I’m the one you’re having sex with! You’re supposed to tell me stuff.” He cupped Tommy’s cheek. “Look, when you’re in a relationship….”
Lord, but Tommy’s eyes grew large and round at that. “Relationship?” His lips formed the word like he was tasting it, savoring it.
Mike nodded. “Well, what else do you call it when you’ve been coming over to my house for the last six weeks and spending the night in my bed? Going to the aquarium, the botanical gardens, playing Scrabble….”
Tommy’s eyes sparkled at that one.
“My point is, when two adults are in a relationship, they talk about things, and that includes sex.” He trailed his hand down over Tommy’s chest and flicked his nipple with his thumb.Tommy shivered, and Mike grinned. “See, I know you like that. Not ’cause youtoldme, mind you, but because I watch you and I pay attention.” He did it again. “Now tell me, does that make you feel dirty?”
