Ever the Same (13 page)

“Uh-huh.” Dixon squeezed harder, proving that he knew what to do with a man’s body.

Audie’s balls drew up, the imminent orgasm clawing up his spine. He gritted his teeth, holding on as best he could.

Baseball. Baseball. Something. Fuck. He arched up under Dixon, his hips leaving the mattress when he came, his body on fire.

He thought Dixon came too. There was a lot of spunk for just one spent penis, right? He had to admit, it was hard to tell. He lost it there for a few moments, his brain shorting out. Did that make him a sucky lover?

Dixon arched back, spine popping. “Mmm. That worked fine.”

“Uh-huh.” Okay, ability to speak coherently lost. He didn’t want to think too much about how stupid he would be if they ever had sex in a bed.

In a shower.

Oh… slick, wet, soapy Dixon.

Uhn. That made his poor cock try valiantly to twitch, but he was worn out.

Dixon dismounted, landing beside him on the air mattress. Audie rolled to his side, putting his hand on Dixon’s hip, unwilling to lose the connection.

“Best birthday in recent history, man.”

“Oh, I’m glad.” Above everything else he wanted to give Dixon a good night, something just for him, away from the house he’d been stuck in.

“Me too.” He got another kiss, and Dixon pretty much managed to hit his lips. They both laughed, and Audie moved into the touch, nothing urgent about it.

Audie’s phone started ringing, and he grabbed it. “’lo?”

“Hey, Audie? Randi’s a little stressed out.”

He frowned. “No shit? She want to talk to her dad?”

“Randi? She okay?” Dixon sat up, face worried.

“Wigged, I think. You know, the overnight jitters.” Audie waited for Gracie to let him know the plan.

“Can y’all stop by here? Just so she can hug her dad?”

“Sure thing. We’ll be there in about twenty, huh?”

He hung up and sat up, stretching. “She’s okay, but Gracie wants us to stop by, I think, so she can see you. Is that okay?”

“Of course. Of course.” Dixon got a soft look on his face when he talked about his baby girl. It was going to be a danger zone for him when she got to be, oh, twelve. She’d know she had an advantage then. “Can I have one more kiss?”

“God, yes.” Audie wished they had time for more than that, but he’d make this kiss slow and deep and good, to tide them over until next time.

He knew how Dixon smelled now, how he tasted. He wasn’t going to forget. Audie held Dixon close, so reluctant to let go, but Randi needed her daddy.

“I should get dressed, huh?”

“Reckon we both should.” He helped get Dixon all buttoned up.

“Thank you for tonight.”

“Happy birthday.” He touched Dixon’s cheek, touched more than he could say by the whole night.

“Tell me we can celebrate something else soon?”

“I think there’s a full moon coming up.” Audie grinned, feeling better that Dixon wanted this to happen, and in the near future.

“Perfect.” Dixon laughed for him again, and damn, that was fine.

He didn’t have time to explore that, though. Audie needed to get them back to the house. That was what it meant to be a dad.

That was what they were.

Chapter 10

Dixon waited
for Audie to say hello, then he said, “Did you know it was National Chocolate Chip day?”

Audie chuckled, the sound warm and happy. “No, sir. Do you celebrate this holiday?”

“What? You don’t? Are you suggesting the Chocolate Chip Chihuahua doesn’t leave you cookies on the mantle and in your underwear drawer? Have you been bad?” Teasing Audie was becoming his number one joy.

“I’m a naughty boy.” Audie chuckled, not able to maintain the sexy tone. “I like cookies.”

“I have cookies and milk, and Mom and Dad are off square dancing for the weekend.” Mom and Dad were easier leaving him alone now. Dalton couldn’t leave town, of course, but they trusted he wouldn’t burn the house down with Randi in it.

“Oh, I could go for that. Is Randi sleepy?”

“She’s pretending to watch a movie in her bed through her eyelids. Grainger down for the night?”

“He is. Gracie is eating ice cream on the couch, so she’d keep an eye on him.”

“I’ll get everything out.”

“I’ll be over in two shakes.”

Audie hung up, and Dixon grabbed his cane. He and Audie had been out on some dates, had managed couch-necking a few times, but this might be his chance to get the man in a bed.

He found the cookies, got the plates and some glasses, set them on the table. He gave the dogs each a little chew bone to keep them quiet. Then he sat and folded his hands in his lap, waiting.

Dixon spent a lot of time waiting, but at least these days he was waiting for Audie.

The sound of the truck in the drive made the dogs perk up, but they knew Audie now, so there was no hysteria, thankfully. Audie let himself in the back door, and those boots rang on the floor when Audie came to him to touch his shoulder.

“Hi, cowboy.” He lifted his chin for a kiss.

“Hey.” Audie slid one hand behind his head, cupping his skull, and kissed his mouth slow and easy.

His world tilted, spun, and it meant something that he didn’t tense, that he trusted Audie. He leaned into the touches, the kisses, and let Audie take him right into pleasure. Finally he stood, pressed against Audie so he could feel more.

“Mmm.” Audie held him close, hands sliding down to his ass.

“Uh-huh.” He rocked in, sliding against his lover, loving the feel of that heavy cock through starched denim.

“You gonna be mad if I say we ought to go to bed now and have cookies later? I’m scared to get interrupted.”

“We’ll bring the cookies with us.” That totally worked for him.

“Oh man. You live dangerously.” Audie put an arm around his waist, then pressed a glass into his hand. “You bring the cow. I got the cookies.”

“Are the doors locked?”

“Yeah, I locked up behind me. Want me to check the front?” Audie was great about stuff like that, always calm, taking things in stride.

“Please. I looked already, but….” You never knew.

“Head for your bedroom, huh?” Audie gave him plenty of opportunity to be independent too.

“Yeah.” He headed for the bedroom, stopping to listen to Randi’s steady breaths. She was definitely out, but he would leave her door cracked as well as his.

“She’s a sweet baby.”

He snorted. “She’s amazing, but sweet?”

“She is fierce.” Audie took the milk glass from him. “I’ll leave these on the dresser, huh?”

“Yeah. Kiss me again, cowboy. I want you.”

Audie moaned for him, stepping up and pushing him to sit on the bed, thighs between his.

He reached up, loving the gimme cap, the little round glasses, the proof that Audie had bothered to shave before coming out—which was borne out by the smooth skin and the smell good the man had splashed on.

Audie kissed him, lips gentle on his, rubbing back and forth. They always had to settle in, get the angle right.

He let his tongue slip out, stroke Audie’s bottom lip. He chuckled when he tasted the acrid mint of toothpaste. Someone was ready.

Dixon pushed into the kiss, letting it go deep, hard, letting Audie know he wanted.

Grunting, Audie rubbed both hands up and down his back, digging in a little in an impromptu massage. His hands landed on Audie’s belly, the muscles there taut and hard. The shirt had a little too much starch in, felt scratchy, so he tugged at it, knowing he’d have to fight the belt buckle.

It had smooth snaps, not buttons, and they popped open when he tugged. He chuckled, delighted. “Easy access.”

“Makes up for the jeans. They’re too tight now that I’ve been kissing on you.”

“Are they? Let me see.” He went for the butt first, then slid his hands around to Audie’s hips.

“See? The front is where the swelling is, though.”

“Mmm. I need to explore that.”

“I wish you would.” Audie helped, pushing his hands over the fly of those tight Wranglers. Wranglers never got as soft as his jeans, so it was easy to tell the difference.

He hooked his fingers in the waistband, used his thumbs to slide on either side of the heavy cock.

“Better. Almost there.”

“Amazing amount of swelling. I could totally kiss it and make it better.”

“Oh, let me help get it out in the open.” Audie moved fast, getting those jeans open, the fat, hard cock pressing his cheek. The scent was suddenly heady, and he rubbed against the shaft, turning to touch his lips to the skin, which felt soft as silk.

There was a mass of heavy, silky curls at the base, the scent stronger here.

He pulled the deep, musky odor in, breathing deep. Yum. Then Dixon backed off and licked the tip. Audie’s little harsh intake of breath was perfect. He loved that he could make Audie happy, could make that body hum for him like his guitar. He was learning all the things that Audie needed, all the right places to touch, the little hot spot on Audie’s hip, the way his lover moaned when he dragged over the slit.

“Dixon.” Audie stroked his hair, took his little dark glasses off. “More, babe.”

“Yeah.” He wrapped his lips around Audie, luxuriating in the long slide of shaft on his tongue.

Audie sighed, this amazing, happy sound, and touched him, fingers sliding through his hair, then down to the corner of his mouth, where his lips stretched. “So pretty.”

He wasn’t sure whether that was true—it sure wasn’t something Ron had called him—but he’d take it. Audie was a totally different guy, right? He sucked harder, hollowing his cheeks so Audie could feel how he was working it.

Audie’s muscles went tight under him, jerking and stretching long. He was going to assume that was good. Those rough callused hands kept moving on him, his shoulders, his upper arms, stroking him through his shirt.

“Much as I love what you’re doing, I want your skin, babe.”

Oh.

Oh cool.

He kissed the tip of Audie’s cock. “Want to explore my ink?”

“I do. I want to trace every line, see where it all ends up.” Audie stepped back, stirring the air around his face.

Dixon pulled his T-shirt off and rested back on his hands, letting Audie see. It seemed weird, to know that he’d never see them again. Audie didn’t let him dwell on it, sliding down on the bed with him, touching his shoulder, the palm of Audie’s hand resting on his skin, the fingers tracing patterns. It caught him, and he could see the lines drawn into him. Flowers. Musical notes. Birds. He could remember the story behind each one, and he wanted to tell Audie every tale someday. Maybe not now.

His lips opened and closed, and when Audie touched the tip of his tongue to Dixon’s skin, he jumped.

“Shh. I got you.” Audie worked over his shoulder and upper arm. The heat of those touches dissipated, turned cold. Fuck, that was amazing, making his skin draw up in goose bumps.

“Mmm. You taste so good.”

He loved the little touches, and he wanted more of them, wanted to sink into them. The way Audie stroked the vine that worked its way down his chest made his nipples tighten up, made his belly suck in.

“Mmm. Sensitive there.”

“Fuck, yes.”

Audie rubbed his cheek against Dixon’s chest. That cheek was way less stubbly tonight. He rubbed his palm over Audie’s short rough hair.

“Tickles,” Audie murmured, smiling against his skin.

“Does it? I love how it feels on my palm.” It felt a little like petting a shorthaired dog, but that wasn’t a bit sexy, so he wouldn’t say it.

“Yeah. Gives me shivers.” Audie nibbled at his neck.

That let the hair brush his jaw, tickle him. He laughed, because he guessed it went both ways. God, this was fun. So not boring, which most of his time was these days.

This made him feel alive.

He stroked Audie’s shoulders, feeling muscles move under his fingers, the skin soft here, smooth. He traced Audie’s collarbones, and one had been broken, the tiniest bump evident.

“Got thrown when I was eight,” Audie said when he lingered on it.

“Did you have a sling?”

“I did. Constantly filthy.”

“I bet. I broke my wrist playing baseball. By the end my cast was foul.”

“Did all your friends sign it?” Audie stroked his arm down to his wrist. The wrong wrist, but the instinctive action made him smile.

“Yes and Dan wrote ‘Dixon is a turd’ on it the first day. Mom damn near died.”

They had a little chuckle before the kisses distracted them again. Audie liked to kiss, and Dixon liked that a lot, liked how Audie could spend long moments tasting him, dipping in to lap at his lips. They left his mouth feeling deliciously swollen, tingling, and tender.

Audie touched him too, like he wasn’t afraid Dixon would break. Everyone acted like he’d fall apart if they hugged him hard. Audie thought he was still real, Dixon could tell. Still worth honesty and need.

He groaned, hands dragging down Audie’s arms. “Want.”

“Anything you want, honey. If I’m too slow or too fast, just say.”

“I will. I promise.” He wasn’t shy. He stroked Audie’s belly to prove it, his guitar fingers catching on the fine hairs between navel and the base of Audie’s cock.