Faster, harder, deeper, he drove, until Seth panted a steady chorus of, “Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah….” The muscles gripping Dustin fluttered. Seth threw back his head, every muscle seizing. “Ahhhh…,” he cried again, louder.
Dustin raced to catch him, faster and faster, burying himself completely in Seth’s body, his cry of, “Oh my God!” mingling with mindless, wordless shouts of release.
Breathless, sweaty, sated, Dustin crumpled beside Seth, then drew him nearer. Their racing heartbeats sounded like thunder in his ears. “I love you,” Seth said.
Dustin wasn’t sure whether or not he replied, for he lost consciousness a split second later. He awoke with the dawn, alone and needing a shower.
SETHrolled his eyes. “Not another one!” A buff hunk wearing a badboy smile stood on his doorstep, holding a vase of gladiolas and smelling faintly of something that brought to mind a fox. His nametag proclaimed him, “Levi.”
“Is there a nursing home on your route, by any chance?” “No,” the delivery man said.
“Hospital?”
“No.”
“You got a mother, aunt, wife, or girlfriend?”
The man grinned, appearing more wolf than fox. “I might.”
“Good! Now take those”—Seth nodded at the flowers—“to whoever. Just get them the hell out of my sight, okay?”
“Thanks? Umm… how about tomorrow’s delivery?”
“If they’re from Junior Timmerman, you can have them. The Johnsons asked me to please stop feeding their goat. He’s on a special diet.”
The young man returned to his truck, an added bounce in his step. The phone rang a moment later. Shit. Michael. While Seth appreciated the man’s determination to “still be friends,” between renovating the house, working with Monica, fending off a wealthy older would-be suitor, and worrying about Dustin, he didn’t have time to spare at the moment.A wealthy older suitor?Inspiration struck. “Hi, Michael! How’s it going?”
“Fine. I’ve come up with a few ideas of what to do next and wanted to talk them over with you. Are you free for lunch?”
If Seth’s plan worked, he might get a few moments’ peace. “I met a certain silver fox, loaded to the gills, and available. How about it? Want to meet him?”
Michael didn’t immediately answer. Finally, he said, “Is that a trick question?”
Seth huffed out a breath, running his fingers through his hair. Monica would arrive shortly for his possum lessons, and he hoped to avoid distractions by occupying the two biggest obstacles to his concentration—with each other. “Is that a yes?”
“You’re kidding, right? Of course it’s a yes.”
“Be at the Pitted Pig at one o’clock, out on the back porch. The guy’s name is Junior.” Seth hung up, grateful for a respite and also for the fact that it hadn’t bothered him at all to fix up his ex with another man. Had he gotten over Michael so quickly? Or had there truly been nothing real between them to begin with? He wondered if he should feel guilty about throwing Michael at Junior, then decided,Nah.
As predicted, Junior called five minutes later. Instead of letting the call go to voice mail, Seth picked up on the first ring. “Howdy, Junior.”
“Did you get my flowers?”
“About those flowers. Seems I’m allergic to gladiolas.” He faked a sneeze for good measure.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Can I make it up to you, say, by taking you to lunch?”
Ah, the man had played right into Seth’s hands. Perfect. “I’m kinda busy right now, but listen. I got a friend in town, and I’d appreciate it if you’d keep him company out at the Pig around one o’clock. That work for you?”
“A friend, you say?” Junior sounded skeptical.
“Yeah. And you’d better hurry.” Seth tried his best not to laugh. “Poor guy can’t go anywhere without having to beat off men and women. Says it’s a curse to have been born so beautiful. I hate not being there to defend his honor and would take it as a personal favor if you’d keep an eye on Michael for me.”
“Beautiful, you say?”
“Like a Greek god.” The Greeks had a god for needy exes, right?
“Because you asked nicely, I’ll do it. For you!” For the first time in memory, Junior hung up first.
