Pawsitively in Love (18 page)

“I don’t want you to go home either.”

He sighed. “But I have a lot to do to get ready for tomorrow. I’ll see you tomorrow night?”

“I’ll be here,” Evan said. “I’ll definitely be here.”

“Then I’ll go before I change my mind about being an adult and doing my work.”

Evan laughed and made a shooing motion.

“I’m going!”

EVAN SLEPT
late the next morning. He was usually one of those people who got up early and did everything he’d marked down on a neat list the night before, but he didn’t have a list. He’d come in from dinner, watched a movie with Dexter, and gone to bed to read a book. No list, no chores, just a rainy summer day and nothing to do.

It was strangely… nice.

Evan lay there and waited for it to get uncomfortable, that he didn’t have a plan. Most days, at least before, he would’ve hated having nothing to do. Hell, he would’ve hated having lots of things to do that weren’t written down anywhere. It seemed like hell for him to have chaos. He had a good guess why he was fine with lying in his bed and thinking about the weekend that had just passed. He had a good guess that the reason was Austin.

Dexter, who’d been snoring a tiny little puppy snore, wriggled his way up and flopped onto Evan’s chest. Dexter was originally going to sleep in his kitchen bed. That had lasted all of about three hours. Evan found that he loved having the warmth of the little body next to his. The snoring was almost relaxing, now that he’d gotten used to it.

“Morning, baby boy. You want to go on a walk today if it stops raining?” Dexter wasn’t a huge fan of the rain, as far as Evan could tell. He liked the sprinkler, though. Go figure. Evan needed to go get him a new harness soon. He was still small, even for his age, but his first harness was getting awfully snug.

Dexter answered him by wriggling even closer and giving Evan a long lick up his right nostril. It was one of the ways Dexter showed affection. Evan figured he couldn’t fault him for it, even though dog morning breath wasn’t exactly enticing.

“Let’s take you outside so you can do your stuff, okay?” Evan squirmed his way out from under Dexter, who curled up in Evan’s warm spot while Evan got on lounge pants and a T-shirt. Dexter was fast asleep by the time he slipped his flip-flops on. Evan laughed and scooped him up and deposited him on the floor. “C’mon. Let’s go outside!”

Dexter had definitely learned those words, and he followed Evan to the door out to the backyard. It was chilly, and neither one of them were happy to be out in the rain. Evan watched from the sidelines and was happy when Dexter was done and ready to come back in. He poured Dexter some food and filled his water, but Dexter had already wandered back into Evan’s bedroom.

“Looks like you’ve got the same idea as me.” He followed his dog back to his room, stripped off his T-shirt, plopped Dexter back into bed, and crawled in. He noticed his phone was flashing. It was a text from Austin that had come while he was making sure Dexter used the bathroom.

I don’t want to be at work :(

The text was accompanied by a picture of Austin at his computer pouting. Evan grinned wickedly. He pulled his sleep bottoms low on his hip and covered his legs with his blankets so it looked like he didn’t have anything on. Then he angled the camera so both he and Dexter were in the shot and snapped it.

Relaxing :)

Evan attached the picture to the text and sent it. Austin was probably going to hate him, but it was hilarious. Not thirty seconds later, he got his reply.

You officially suck. A lot. Also, you look fucking hot. Can I come over there please?

Evan grinned and typed out his reply.

I’ll see you after work, right? Bring Maggie… and a toothbrush.

Austin’s reply of
I’m there
calmed any of the butterflies that Evan had from sending that message. He tossed his phone onto the nightstand, scratched Dexter between his ears, and lay back to take a short nap. He didn’t even feel like reading his book. Looked like lounging was on the menu for at least another half an hour or so.

BRING A
toothbrush
.
Jesus.
Austin had gone home after work, showered, and collected a few things that he totally felt obnoxious carrying out of his building like he was announcing to all the people who totally weren’t paying attention that he was going to spend the night at his boyfriend’s house. For the first time.

His hands shook a little as he drove the short distance to Evan’s house. Austin told himself to knock it off. He wasn’t a damn virgin. Come to think of it, he’d been less nervous that night. He’d had the sweaty palms and the random bursts of heat, but he hadn’t had that swoop in his belly. That was new—at least it was new since he’d met Evan. The one that told him not to mess up this night. That it was important. Bring a toothbrush. Right.
More like no pressure, Austin. This had better be perfect if you want to keep me.

He heard Dexter barking happily before anything else. Austin slung his small bag over his shoulder, grabbed another bag of groceries, and walked to the door with Maggie in tow. He’d stopped at the grocery store on the way. More because he was nervous than anything else. But he’d made the excuse of getting them a few romantic desserts and some wine and cheese and crackers. He hoped it didn’t look like what it was—a diversionary tactic. A few minutes where Austin could forget that he was doing something important later that night.

“Hey,” Evan said when he answered the door.

He had a slow, easy grin and a pair of holey, threadbare jeans that Austin had
never
seen him in. If he’d been asked, he would’ve said that Evan didn’t own jeans like that. He was all of a sudden thanking every known and unknown god that he was wrong. Evan had an old T-shirt on as well, something faded and thin that barely covered the lightly tanned expanse of lower belly.

“Hi,” Austin said. He gulped. “You look….”

“Sloppy? Sorry, I was just chilling today.”

“No. I was going to say you look really hot. I, just, wow. I didn’t expect to see you in anything like this.”

Evan chuckled. “Come on in. What snacks did you bring me?” He tried to peer into Austin’s Metropolitan bag. Austin knew Evan had a weakness for their baked goods. He’d gotten a small selection of everything that looked good.

“You’ll see later.” He batted Evan’s hand away. “What’s for dinner?”

“Oh, you thought I was going to cook?” Evan asked. He must’ve seen Austin’s immediate crestfallen look because he started laughing. “I made poblano and chicken enchiladas. Mine aren’t as good as restaurant quality, but I like them. There’s salad too.”

“I got wine, but we can probably save it for later.”

“I agree. Let’s just have the beer.”

Austin tried not to think about
later
when they ate dinner, which was as fun and relaxing as it could possibly be. He tried not to think about it while he and Evan laughed as they watched Maggie play with Dexter like a gentle mom. He definitely did
not
picture Evan naked when they curled up on the couch with the wine and snacks that Austin had picked out at the store and an old movie in the background.

They didn’t make it very far into the movie.

“You think the kids are okay out here?” Evan murmured.

That little flutter in Austin’s belly turned into full-on giant-ass butterflies. But he gulped and nodded.

“Hey. You okay?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Evan stood and held out his hand. “I don’t want to pressure you. It was just… a suggestion.”

“Definitely not.” The thought of them turning back and
not
going into that room was enough for Austin to lose his nerves. He wanted Evan. He’d wanted him for weeks and weeks. He pushed lightly on Evan’s shoulders. “Please. Let’s go.”

He followed Evan down shiny, polished cherry floors. The hallway was lit and covered in pretty framed pictures of nature scenes and architecture. There wasn’t a lot of personal stuff, or any. But Austin didn’t really care. He was too busy drooling over Evan’s wide shoulders and round, perfect ass.

“Those jeans seriously do you justice,” he muttered.

“What?” Evan laughed.

“I’m, like, picturing frat-boy Evan right now.” Austin breathed hard as they turned into Evan’s room. “And eighteen-year-old Austin who used to sneak into the UPS frat parties to look at the boys is pretty damn turned on right now.”

“I was Kappa Sig if that helps.”

“Damn. Yes, that helps. Damn.”

Evan pulled Austin until they both tumbled onto his freshly made bed. It was so soft and spa-like in his room, newly painted pale glass-green walls, light shiny wood floor, white duvet, white sheets. It was relaxing for sure. There was a small high-pitched whine at the door of the room.

“Oh God. Guilt trip already?” Evan moaned.

“He’ll be okay. Just ignore him.”

Evan picked up a remote. “I promise this isn’t some cheesy seduction thing. It’s just… sad dog whimpers aren’t exactly a turn-on.” He clicked it, and the room filled with tinkling classical guitar.

“You sure it’s not a cheesy seduction thing?”

“Did I go for Sade?” Evan asked with his eyebrows raised.

“Is Sade your seduction jam?” Note taken.

“You are such a dork.” Evan growled and pushed Austin onto the bed. “I’ve been waiting to do this all day.”

“That’s okay. I’ve been waiting since the day we met.”

“You hated me that day.”

Austin sighed. “Okay. Maybe the second day.”

Evan kissed him to shut him up. Austin wound his arms around Evan’s neck and groaned into the kiss. Their kisses had gotten steamier and steamier over the weeks. Austin knew how soft Evan’s skin was underneath his shirt. He knew how Evan liked to suck on his neck. He wanted to find out all of those things again. Naked.

EVAN ROLLED
Austin underneath him and kissed him hard. He couldn’t believe he was going to finally get to feel Austin. It wasn’t normal for him, waiting forever to take a man to bed. Sometimes they didn’t get past the first hour or two before they were right where he and Austin were. But not really. He’d never really been in this exact place. Austin was breathing hard beneath him, back arched, and body open. He was still fully dressed, but it was hotter than any other guy he’d had totally naked and spread out beneath him.

Austin reached up with a shaky hand. Evan took Austin’s hand and curved it around his own jaw. Then he turned his head and kissed Austin on the palm.

“Hey. You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m good,” Austin murmured. “Just… this is different.”

“I know. Believe me, I know.” Evan slid a leg between Austin’s thighs and ground down. “It’s so different I feel like I’ve never done it before.”

“You have. Sort of.”

“Take off your shirt,” Evan said. He’d seen Austin shirtless when they’d been playing volleyball and it had gotten really hot. He’d seen him shirtless when he’d spilled something on his T-shirt at Cole and Peter’s and he’d had to rinse it out. But it was nothing compared to Austin peeling off his shirt on Evan’s bed, revealing miles of pale golden skin and freckles and pale pink nipples. Evan leaned over and sucked one lightly. Austin groaned.

“That was… yeah. I didn’t expect you to do that.” He laughed breathily.

“Sorry?” Evan said.

“Don’t be sorry. Do it again.”

They stripped slowly after that, Evan’s shirt, then Austin’s shorts, Evan’s jeans, then, well, everything else. Austin’s body was slim and perfect, golden but fair. There was a softness in him, something real and not sculpted in a gym. Evan ran his lips over shoulders and chest, a gentle slope of flat belly, soft pale thighs. Austin’s legs fell open, and Evan wriggled down until his shoulders were between them.

“So,” Austin croaked. “This is a little embarrassing, but it’s been a while.”

Evan bit lightly at the inside of his thigh. “How long is a while?” he asked.

“I’ve been really busy with the shop,” he said. “Ten months,” he grumbled after that.

Evan thought it was a shame to keep his gorgeous, lithe body under wraps for all those months. But he got a possessive little thrill at the thought that he’d be the first one to see it and touch it in a while. He could tell from the way Austin widened his thighs that he wanted to be touched. Evan was more than happy to do it.

“I’ll take it slow,” he said, “make it good.”

Austin reached down and pulled on his hair. “I said there weren’t any guys. It doesn’t mean I don’t have fingers.”

Evan sucked in a breath at Austin’s words and the sharp pleasure pain of having his hair pulled. “
Fuck
.”

“You know, I love when you swear,” Austin said. “It’s right up there with the jeans. Fucking hot.” Evan bit his thigh again. Not so gently this time. “Come up here. I want to kiss you.”

They went from kissing to touching, to grinding hard and breathless against each other.

“God, I want you,” Evan moaned. He wrapped his hand around Austin’s calf and hitched it up higher, opening him up.

“I want it too. Slow next time. Not now.” Austin bit along Evan’s shoulder and grabbed at his ass to pull him closer.

“You want it now?” Evan asked.

“
Yes.
”

“That won’t be a problem,” Evan breathed.

He rolled off Austin and found lube and a condom in his drawer. Then he rolled back and leaned over to kiss Austin. He wanted it, hell he wanted it so bad he could barely breathe with it, but he wanted to kiss Austin more. And touch him. He was addicted to Austin’s soft skin.

“Evan,” Austin moaned. “Now, please.”

“Since you said please,” Evan teased. He reached for the bottle of lube and drizzled some on his fingers. Then he slowly opened Austin up, a little bit at a time, until he had Austin panting and begging for more. He finally pressed one wet openmouthed kiss on Austin’s mouth before he leaned over and grabbed the condom.