A Younger Man (36 page)

“Hey.” Noah’s voice softly filled Zane’s ear, and his big hand stroked down Zane’s spine. “Is everything okay?” With his hand on the small of Zane’s back, he guided Zane around to face him. Concern darkened Noah’s stare to the color of polished coffee beans. “I don’t mind if you’re having trouble deciding what you want, but you’ve been air conditioning the kitchen with the fridge for almost five minutes.”

Crap. Caught.
Zane swore silently again and dropped his head down, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

Noah tunneled his fingers in Zane’s hair and forced his face out of hiding. “Don’t be sorry. Tell me what’s up. I saw Duncan’s face.” As Noah glanced back toward the living area, where all the kids were chatting now, with Duncan still a bit pulled back though, Noah bit down hard enough to make his jaw visibly tighten. “Was this get-together with all of us premature after all?”

His voice as soft as he could make it, Zane took a few minutes to rehash his conversation with Duncan, not leaving anything out, including his own fears and anger at himself about unintentionally inviting Duncan into Zane’s burden to financially care for all of them. By the end, Zane looked up at Noah, and he couldn’t hide the plea in his eyes. “What do you think?”

Warmth still enriching his stare, Noah brushed his hand down Zane’s arm, taking an extended heartbeat to tangle their fingers together before letting him go. “This is just my opinion, but I don’t think any of that is so bad. Duncan’s hesitation with me feels about right, and what we expected. I think you handled all of his worries in the very best way you could; you kept calm; you didn’t let him see how much you’re sweating over it. Look at him.” With a glance, Noah jerked his head toward the couch. “He’s starting to push his way into the conversation a bit again. He’s twelve. He understands a few more things than Hailey does, and he’s acting according to his age. I know I can’t tell you not to worry—that’s natural—but I wouldn’t go crazy with it or anything. I don’t believe it’s merited in this situation.” Noah curled his hand around Zane’s nape, and the feel of his rough fingers brushing Zane’s neck sent crazy-fast, hot tingles down Zane’s spine. “Okay?”

His stomach now fluttering in the sweetest possible way, Zane lifted up on his tiptoes and whispered at Noah’s ear, “Do you always know what to say to make a guy putty in your hands?”

Mixed with a chuckle, Noah said, “Not even close.” He then nuzzled the side of his head against Zane’s and discreetly licked into his ear. “But I hope I’m getting a whole lot better with you.”

The soft lick rocked a shiver through Zane. Pulling back, he met Noah’s gaze. The intensity in Noah’s eyes made the tremble in Zane deepen to a pulse all the way in his core. “If you get any better with me,” Zane fought the urge to lean his full weight into the bigger man, “I’ll never wear clothes again.”

Noah made a soft sound dangerously near a groan. “I miss you.” They’d grabbed tightly to a handful of lunch breaks shared in their clearing on days Zane had worked the whole day with Noah, and one morning Zane had gotten up early enough to spend an hour with Noah before they’d each needed to begin their individual work days. Other than that, any time they’d spent together had been with either children or working. Noah linked his fingers with Zane’s again, and his eyes burned hotter than coal in a fire. “We need to find a way to steal a whole night alone together again.”

Zane swayed closer, his body unable to keep distance between him and this stunning man. “I know.” Their lips almost met, but at the last second they each jerked away. Noah clearly remembered they were not by themselves at the exact moment Zane had too.

Noah paced to the sink, and he released another noise, this one definitely a growl.

Zane parted his lips to sympathize, but right then a commotion ensued in the living area. As Seth stood, he loudly said, “Okay, I’ve decided we’re bored and done with this game. Matt said he feels like having a root beer float, so I’m going to take the four of us down to the arcade to play some games and have some dessert. Come on.” Seth beckoned to the other kids as he threw a glance in Noah and Zane’s direction. “Y’all are on your own; you can find your own ice cream.”

Noah strode to Zane’s side just as Seth passed by the kitchen. “Seth, you don’t—”

“Seriously, Dad,” Seth broke in, “we’re outta here. Especially since Hailey here,” Seth pulled on the girl’s braid, “openly challenged me to a game of Dance Dance Revolution.”

“I did not!” Hailey craned her neck all the way back to look up at Seth, and she put her hands on her waist. “I don’t even know what that is.”

Laughter lit Seth’s eyes, lighting the chips of emerald within the hazel. “Oh, then there’s a good chance I’ll beat you. Come on,” he stooped down and pointed at his back, “up on my shoulders.” Hailey scrambled into place so quickly it was clear Seth had hauled her around in such a way before. Once she’d situated herself, and Seth had gotten back to full height, he whistled to Matt and Duncan. “Let’s go, guys.” Seth made his way to the door, warning Hailey to remember to duck.

Zane grabbed Duncan, lowered his voice, and asked, “Dunc, are you cool with this?” He couldn’t keep the concern out of his tone.

“Yeah, sure.” The boy shrugged in that way adolescents do when they can’t be bothered with such a stupid question. “Matt says he likes air hockey and foosball too, so we can play some games together. And he’s gonna show me the new Star Wars pinball game. He says it’s really cool.”

On his way out the door, with Duncan now in tow, Matt waved. “Bye, Dad.”

“Wait!” Rushing to the open door, Zane focused in on Seth, who’d already made his way down the steps. “Let me give you some spending money for them.” He dug into his front pocket.

Seth waved the money aside. “Nope. We’re good. Oh,” the teen’s attention shifted above Zane’s head, and Zane realized that Noah stood behind him, and that Seth was now addressing his father, “before I go over to Kim’s place later, I’m gonna run by the house to make sure Tom hasn’t brought down the wall in the den, so I’ll drop Matt at home before I bring Duncan and Hailey back.”

Noah pushed in to lean against the doorjamb. “What the hell is Tom doing with the den?”

Seth replied, “He’s attempting to put up that wall of bookshelves Mom has been talking about lately.”

Noah reared as if someone had shoved a spoiled piece of fish in his face. “She could have called me. I’d have been happy to do it.”

“She mentioned she was going to do that while we were eating breakfast,” Seth explained as he opened the back door to his car and let Hailey down to the ground. “As we were leaving, though, I overheard Tom saying something about her needing to start asking him to do these kinds of things for her first, and that if her first thought was always going to be to call you then they would need to talk about the future of their relationship.”

“Yeah,” Matt added, standing at the passenger side door. “He sounded pretty mad, and Tom doesn’t usually ever yell.”

Noah blanched where he stood. “Fuck.” Just as fast, he said, “Sorry, Hailey,” but Hailey was already in the backseat of Seth’s car and clearly hadn’t heard the swear word.

Behind the wheel now, Seth got the car going and backed down the gravel road, the kids waving as he pulled away.

Once the car was gone from sight, Zane gave Noah a sideways look. He couldn’t help it. “I haven’t met Tom, but I already like him.” Zane still couldn’t forget the twist of fear in his gut when he’d knocked on this very door and found Noah’s ex-wife on the other side. “I completely understand what he means.”

A hint of steel hardened Noah’s glare. “More than twenty years of relying on one person is a hard habit to break. I’m trying, though. I said I was. I’m sure Janice is too.” Noah strode into the cabin, looking like a man with a purpose, but then abruptly came to a halt. He spun, and his gaze narrowed as he rubbed his chest, over his heart. “You know you don’t have to worry about anything sexual or romantic still between me and Janice.” More sandpaper than usual scratched Noah’s tone. In his stare was a deep plea for belief. “There’s no chance we’re ever getting back together; she feels that way just as much as I do. You do understand that. Right?”

Oh, baby.
Zane rushed into the cabin, straight to his complex, considerate man. “I know that.” Up on his toes, Zane linked his arms around Noah’s wide shoulders and leaned up to peck a fast kiss to his hard lips. Holding Noah close, without looking away, Zane let out the insecurities that had attacked him a few weeks back. “I’m sure Tom understands too. I’m not demanding that you never ask Janice to help you ever again, and I’d certainly never ask you to cut her out of your life. You have two kids together, and you still clearly like each other as people; I get that. I’m just saying when a situation arises where I can help you just as well as she could, that you ask me instead—or at least let me try to help you first, before you go to her as backup. That’s probably what Tom was saying to her too. He feels it’s his right to be her automatic first call on most things now, not you.”

Backing away, Noah smacked his hand against a support beam. “Shit. I probably unintentionally did make the guy feel emasculated, more than once.” Noah shook his head and a humorless chuckle escaped. “I fucking thought Tom was doing a piss-poor job of trying to hide that he didn’t want me around because I’m gay and he didn’t approve, but I goddamn bet it was really about this. I should have known Janice wouldn’t be with a guy who couldn’t respect the father of her children.”

Zane ran his hand down Noah’s arm, hoping to ease the tension within. “Maybe you could offer Tom an afternoon where you walk around your old house telling him about all its little quirks, and how to fix them. Let him know he can call you for advice, and if possible you’ll talk him through a repair so he can do it himself in the future.”

“Yeah,” Noah pushed his fingers through his hair, tufting the shorn blond locks, but did offer Zane a small smile, “that’s a good idea.”

Zane took a bow. “I’m here to serve.”

“Fuck it, honey.” Noah dragged Zane in and nipped his mouth with a nice, stinging bite. His eyes flashed lighter shades of chocolate as he held Zane close to him. “Do you always know what to say to make a guy putty in your hands?”

Dots of red bloomed on Zane’s cheeks. “Definitely not.” He leaned in, though, and rubbed himself against Noah’s cock. “But it seems I’m getting better with you.”

Noah’s pupils flared. Sliding his hand down to knead Zane’s ass, he growled, “Hell yeah, you are,” and lowered his head. Just as he guided Zane’s mouth to his, their lips grazing with the briefest contact, Noah blanched worse than he had a few minutes ago. He tore away from Zane. “Oh motherfucking Christ.” Noah covered his face with his hand.

“What?” A shot of energy plunged straight into Zane’s heart; he grabbed Noah’s forearm and dragged the man back to his side. “What’s the matter?”

Leaning his weight against the support beam, Noah looked as if someone had just sucker punched him. His Adam’s apple working overtime, he cursed and added, “I just realized my kid cleared my house of people so that we could have sex.”

A shocking spark of laughter erupted out of Zane. Noah shot a fiery glare at him, and Zane instantly muffled the mirth. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, I promise. But yeah, what you’re thinking did cross my mind too.” Zane tangled their hands together and tugged Noah back into his arms. “If Seth wants to give us this time,” Zane wrapped his arms around Noah’s taut waist and looked up into his eyes, “then let’s not waste it.”

“I can’t. Not now.” Noah appeared as if Zane had asked him to perform sexually in front of an audience. “He’ll know.” Pulling away, Noah dropped to sit on the arm of an overstuffed chair. “Hell’s bells; he’ll drop the kids off in a few hours, take one look at me, and he’ll be able to read on my face that I spent the entire time they were away fucking you.”

“He’s going to think that anyway,” Zane surmised, “so we might as well do it.”

Then, sensing his salt-of-the-earth man needed some enticing, Zane kicked off his leather flip-flops and pulled his T-shirt off, tossing it at Noah when it cleared his head. Without slowing down or backing off one bit, Zane then started undoing his shorts—while walking backward to the sliding glass door. Noah sat up straight, and a zing of heady victory went through Zane’s system.

When Zane stepped out onto the back porch, he let his shorts and underwear fall to a pool at his feet, and Noah jerked to stand.

“Zane…” Noah remained inside the cabin, but his voice croaked. “Christ, baby. What are you doing?”

Now or never.
Zane couldn’t go chicken on this little seduction now. “Enjoying the afternoon,” he said. He strolled to a cushioned bench and climbed up on it, on his knees, facing away from Noah. His heart thumped wildly out of control, but on the inside he silently challenged himself to finish what he’d started.

“Why don’t you join me?” Zane added. He then bent himself over the railing, and with a wiggle, offered Noah his bare ass.

Chapter 18

Oh my fucking God.
Noah hung still, staring at Zane’s glorious ass swaying at him, and his body temperature shot up at least ten degrees. His cock spiked to life in his jeans too. Sunlight seemed to beam down and caress every inch of Zane’s bare skin. From where Noah stood, ridiculous envy at the sun already touching Zane reared in him, leaving him aching. Noah wanted that contact with Zane. Zane was his, and his alone to pleasure, however he saw fit. Still, Noah stood in place inside the cabin, feasting on Zane’s nudity only with his eyes.
Shit.

Zane rolled against the railing then. He came to a stop when he kneeled on the cushioned bench, facing Noah this time, his erection jutting straight out from his tamed nest of fur. “Don’t make me do this alone, Noah.” Staring at Noah with the most scorching flames of blue shimmering in his eyes, Zane licked his hand from the wrist to the tips of his fingers, took hold of his stiff shaft, and began slowly stroking the slender length. “Your hands and your mouth get me a hell of a lot harder than just jerking myself off does, but if I have to I could probably make myself come just with you watching me too.”