Page 96 of Crossed Sticks

Harp pickedme up from the hospital ten days later. Since the weather was finally cooling off, we rode home with the windows down. I’d always loved fall—the crisp air, the bright sun, and the promise of new beginnings. It used to mean the start of a school year, and in recent times, it has welcomed the beginning of a new season with the Steamrollers. This year, with us starting a new chapter in our lives, would be the best autumn of all. With Harper by my side, I could finally leave years of hurt behind and enjoy the love we shared.

A rush of emotions hit me when I stepped into the apartment. The last time I’d been here, everything was in chaos. After he left for camp, I wondered if I’d ever feel his warmth again, or savor the brush of his lips on mine. Now, everything had changed. Instead of fearing a life alone, I was ready to face the future with a man who loved me as deeply as I loved him.

I was lucky Harp’s training camp was nearly over when he came to the hospital, and he didn’t go back. With a break before his season began, he came to the hospital every day. Along with my therapy, our time together became a lifeline, though the start of his season loomed over us. Soon, he’d be on the road as much as he was home. The Steamrollers’ camp wasn’t far off either,and our time together would become even more fragmented. It wouldn’t be easy, but we’d both been athletes for most of our lives, and we knew the drill. You learn to cherish the time you have with the ones you love.

Compared to the pain we’d both experienced when we were separated, dealing with road trips should be easy. We’d stay in touch, and we already knew how much we enjoyed FaceTime sex. Getting off together, seeing each other without being able to touch, would only make our reunions sweeter.

Harp placed a hand against my cheek. “What’s going on in your head?”

I smiled, wanting to keep the moment light. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Like I’d let you take an Uber home?” He wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed me. “You sure it’s okay to stay at my place tonight? We can go upstairs if you’d rather be somewhere that feels more familiar.”

I stroked my fingertips along his sides. “I don’t care where we stay as long as we’re together. It’s been over a month since we slept in the same bed.”

“You don’t need to tell me that. Maybe we can switch off between our places.”

“Good plan. We’ll have two homes. This can be our town house, and since mine’s a floor up, it’ll be the country house.”

He snickered and gave me another peck. “Now that you’re free, what would you like to do this afternoon?”

“Seriously?” I bobbed my eyebrows. “You got tested, right?”

“You know I did. I showed you the results.”

“It’s been too long, babe. I need you.” I leaned in and licked the side of his throat to help make my point.

His breath quickened, and the color rising in his cheeks gave away his excitement. “Want to go upstairs?” he asked.

“Give me a minute first.” His cologne was an intoxicating mix of sandalwood and vanilla, and I needed another fix. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed the side of his throat, then nibbled his ear. Moving to his mouth, I planted small pecks across his lips before covering them with mine.

He cradled the back of my head, deepening the kiss, and our tongues met in soft caresses. Already hard, I moved my hips, making him groan when our cocks touched through our clothing. The pleasure rippling up my spine grew into waves of desire. I broke the kiss and whispered, “I need you too much to take this slow. Upstairs or here?”

“Let’s go up.” He took my hand, and we hurried to the bedroom.

As soon as we were there, I unbuttoned my shirt. “Take off your clothes,” I growled. I was already naked when he reached for the zipper on his shorts. “Get them off.”

He’d barely kicked his boxers aside when I grabbed his head and kissed him. I slipped my tongue into his mouth, and our dicks met again as he wrapped his arms around me. An electric surge of desire made my insides vibrate. I pulled him close, and the scratch of my chest hair against his skin, and his scruff tangling with mine, amped up the heat between us. He thrust his hips forward, and the smooth glide of our cocks made me moan.

Pulling away, I turned him around. “Get on the bed, on your knees, elbows and head down.”

He did as I said. After getting lube from the nightstand, I crawled on the bed behind him and pulled his cheeks apart, watching his hole quiver under my scrutiny. He yelped when I leaned in and licked across his opening, and then groaned when I did it again. From experience, I knew rimming was the quickest way to loosen him up. My cock throbbed, but I couldn’t spare a hand to give myself a tug.

“Fuck!” he cried. “So good.”

As I swirled my tongue around his hole, he settled into a rhythm of soft moans, and he cried out when I buried my face between his cheeks and stuck my tongue inside him. I went slowly at first, speeding up as he grew louder.

“Please, Luca. I need your cock.”

I spat on his opening and rubbed the saliva around before slipping a finger inside. He was still tight, so I moved in and out, fingerfucking him. Enjoying his husky sounds, I used a lot of lube before adding a second finger, and then a third, twisting them around and splaying them apart. I let go of his ass cheek and used my free hand to play with my dick.

“You’d better not be jacking off back there.” His choked voice turned up the heat. “Ineedyou, Luca. How many times do I have to ask you to fuck me?”

“Easy, babe.” I gently slid my fingers out of his ass and walked forward on my knees, sidling up next to him and leaning down for a kiss. He turned his head toward me, his wide, glassy eyes telling me how wrecked he already was. Our lips met, but the awkward angle kept us from doing more than exchanging a peck. “Tell me what you want.”

We were both too worked up for him to play the usual delay game. “Show me what I’ve been missing. Hold me down and fuck me hard.”

“You missed it, all right.” I crawled around behind him and slapped his ass, then used a hand to pull the red cheek aside. After spreading lube around his hole, I pushed a finger inside to get some there. “You could’ve had me fucking you all along.”

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