Page 49 of The Road Ahead
Rio got the door unlocked and placed a guiding hand on the small of my back, steering me inside. I knew the way, but I was so out of it I was zig-zagging like I was drunk. They got me to the bedroom in one piece and then had me stand in the middle of theroom as they undressed me. “You’re the best,” I slurred, already half asleep once more.
“You’ve always looked after me,” they said quietly. “Just returning the favor.”
I moved easily as Rio took my hand and tugged me across the room, then I was falling onto my bed and back into a deep, dreamless sleep.
I had no idea what time it was when I woke, but from the way the sun was peeking under the blinds, it was probably some time in the late afternoon. Rolling over, I noticed the other side of the bed didn’t appear to have been slept in. I frowned, wondering where Rio was and why they hadn’t joined me for a nap. I dragged myself out of bed and went into the bathroom to relieve myself, before splashing some cold water on my face to chase away the last remnants of sleep.
I wandered out into the kitchen, following the quiet noises emanating from there, and found Rio at the sink, washing up. “Hey,” I said, crossing to stand behind them and wrapping my arms around their waist. “Whatcha doing?” I mumbled against their throat.
“Hey, love,” Rio said, pressing their arm against my own without taking their hands from the water. “Sleep well?”
“Yeah. Like the dead.”
“You needed it,” they agreed. “You were running on fumes.”
“Why didn’t you get some sleep too?” I asked.
“I wasn’t that tired. I went to the store to get some groceries and then cooked up a few meals to take over for your parents.” They tilted their head towards the bench and I noticed thestacked Tupperware containers for the first time. “I figured they wouldn’t have much time to cook.”
“You’re too good for this world,” I declared, and kissed my way down the column of their throat.
Rio laughed and batted at me with soapy hands. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You are,” I insisted. “You’re kind, and thoughtful, and so damn sweet. They’ll really appreciate the gesture.”
“Anything to help,” they said, pulling the plug and stretching for a tea towel to dry their hands since I wasn’t letting them go anytime soon.
“Are you still not tired?” I asked.
Rio gave a small shake of their head. “No. If I tried to nap now, I’d completely muck up my sleep schedule. I’ll be fine until tonight.”
“Are you opposed to going back to bed?” I kissed my way back up their throat and then sucked lightly on the sensitive spot just below their ear.
Rio shivered against me. “I think I could be persuaded,” they said in a rough voice.
“I’ve missed you.” Other than when I was at work, we’d hardly been apart, but we’d not had either the privacy or the energy to do more than share a few chaste kisses. I was suddenly ravenous for Rio and wanted them inside me desperately.
They turned in my arms and lifted their hands to link around the back of my neck. “Missed you too,” they murmured, before pushing up onto their toes to kiss me.
I didn’t allow the kiss to deepen too much, knowing this was hell on both of our necks. Instead, I reached down and cupped under Rio’s ass, then lifted them into my arms. Rio squealed, their legs wrapping around my waist as they held on for dear life. “Give me some warning next time,” they admonished me, nipping at my jaw in retaliation.
“Sorry.” I wasn’t. I loved taking them by surprise. I walked us down the hall towards my bedroom, and after one final kiss, dropped them onto the bed. Crossing to my bedside table, I took out my tube of lube, my plug, and a condom, before stripping out of my clothes. Rio had shed their jeans and tee by the time I made it back over, and we fell together on the bed, warm naked skin finally pressed together.
We made out lazily, simply allowing ourselves to explore. Hands wandered over one another, touching, caressing, teasing. I couldn’t get enough of them, loving the way goosebumps erupted under my fingers as I trailed them up Rio’s spine.
I flipped Rio onto their back and straddled their slim hips, taking a moment to enjoy the vast expanse of smooth, light brown skin laid out before me. Rio’s chest rose and fell with their steady breaths, and as they reached up a hand to run down my thigh, their stomach muscles clenched, briefly defining the abdominals below. I traced a finger lightly over their appendectomy scar, then moved over to circle around their belly button.
Giving in to my obsession, I leaned down and traced my tongue around their belly button as well, allowing it to dip inside ever so slightly. Rio bucked beneath me, shrieking as they tried to push me away. “Cooper! That tickles.”
“I love your tummy,” I muttered, moving away from their belly button but unable to keep my lips off their skin. I nuzzled against the dark happy trail, then moved over and sucked a bruise over their hip. Rio’s breath caught at that, and I switched to the other side to do it once more.
“You’re a menace,” they told me as I finally sat back up. There was a twinkle in their gorgeous dark brown eyes, and it was so good to see Rio happy.
“I am, but you love me anyway,” I teased, and then realized what I’d said.
We both froze.
Shit, had I just ruined everything? It was much too soon to be throwing the L word around, even as a joke. The last thing I wanted to do was to put pressure on Rio or scare them away.
