Page 76 of Let Leaves Lay Where They Fall

Jamie tosses the flowers onto the hood of the old Cherokee.

“You don’t like them?” He grins.

“Shut up.” Jamie vice grips the bear’s freshly trimmed stubble cheeks with both hands and crashes their lips together. Wrapping himself around the beautiful bear’s stocky body. Nathan ties his around Jamie’s waist.

Muffled cheers roar behind double paned glass from the restaurant.

Nathan breaks into laughter. The nervous tension in his body softens in the embrace. His thick arms squeeze tighter.

***

“Your grilled chicken salad sir.” Nathan pulls a clear plastic domed aluminum bowl from the brown paper bag and then his meatball sub wrapped in greasy white deli paper. He passes Jamie plastic utensils for his dish and the diet cola the cutie calls a splurge. Eyeroll. Taking his seat, elbow to elbow on the picnic table, overlooking the rocky shore at the bottom of the East End peninsula's peak. He uncaps and swigs sugary lemon iced tea.

Jamie softly bumps his shoulder against Nathan. Crooked grin staring out at the rippled sea. Squiggles of moonlight reflect off the water's surface and in the cutie’s eyes. The cloudless sky is peppered with stars as far as the eye can see. The scent of saltwater carries on the chilly breeze.

Nathan unhinges his jaw around an end of the sub, biting down and scooping up the sauce escaping the edge of his mouth with a fingertip. “Mmm, so good.”

Jamie’s leg shivers against his.

“Here.” He holds out the steaming sandwich. “That cold salad isn’t going to warm you up, have some of this.”

“I’m okay.” He nibbles at a piece of chilled chicken on the tip of the plastic fork.

“We can go sit in the Jeep and blast the heat?”

“No.” He turns to make eye contact. “It’s nice right here.” Bumping knees.

Nathan slips off the table and jogs off to the Jeep. Returning with a blanket, he wraps it around both their bodies.

“Where are you moving to next?” Jamie needs to know.

Nathan stops before his teeth sink into the next bite. “My next contract is in North Carolina. For six months.” He meets the cutie’s mournful stare.

Jamie eyes dart forward, his bowed lips pout. “How much longer is your contract here?” His eyes fall to the grass, waiting to be hit with the worst news.

“Officially? The end of November. I’m covering until just after Thanksgiving.” His eyes are fixed on the heartsick cutie at his side. “But I don’t have to be in North Carolina until the start of the New Year.” He lays his hand on Jamie’s thigh.

Jamie looks away and back, biting his lower lip to keep it from quivering. “So, we still have a little bit of time.” An edge of his crooked smile curls and a dimple forms.

“Mhmm.” Nathan smiles. He leans over and kisses oily lips. Licking the sour raspberry vinaigrette away as he pulls back. “Oh, yummy.” He wrinkles his nose and chuckles.

Jamie swipes his coat sleeve across his mouth. Flashing a toothy smile. “It’s kinda gross.” He laughs, covering the salad and setting it aside.

Nathan offers the hot meatball sub again. Jamie takes a bite.

Chapter 26

Friendsgiving

The weeks passing are full of late-night meet ups. Strolls around Nathan’s neighborhood with Mabel leading the charge. Jamie pops into he and Andrew’s place for a change of clothes before work, feeding Rosy and getting laundry done. He’s stayed with Nathan and his new best friend Mabel, nearly every night.

They’ve cuddled on the bed, watching movies on a tiny computer tablet. Jamie brings home dinners from the restaurant, or they order out. Neither have bothered doing much cooking.

Jamie has sucked more cock in the last month than his whole life and his own has never seen this much attention. They’re barely able to keep their hands off each other. He still hasn’t let Nathan see him naked, of course. Nathan hasn’t pushed that envelope either. He patiently respects the boundaries Jamie keeps.

He’s been happy playing in the dark, or letting Jamie keep his shirt on. He does lounge around the apartment in just tees and briefs. That’s huge progress for him. His ex once commented on his ass being too flat and he’s avoided being pantless in front of anyone after that.

Nathan loves to be naked.

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