Page 79 of New Year

“Neither am I.” Zack smoothed his hand over Nat’s back in a comfortable, petting way. “But I think we’re both doing a fantastic job of communicating. If there is anything you ever need to ask me, about my past or old relationships, or whatever, please know you can ask. I’ll do my best to always be honest with you.”

“Same. As much as my old M.O. was just ignoring my past and trying to forge a new path, I understand now why it’s important to examine those things.”

“We either learn from the past and grow, or we ignore it and continue making the same tragic mistakes.”

Nat chuckled. “You got that off an internet meme, didn’t you?”

“Guilty.”

“You’re such a workaholic, I’m impressed you know how to get online and find memes.”

Zack pinched his thigh. “Brat. I was on the internet before you were even born. Granted, it was dial-up, and you couldn’t be on the telephone at the same time, but it was the internet.”

“Did you have memes back then?”

Zack tried to remember, enjoying the spirited banter with someone whose early life had been so drastically different from Zack’s. Zack had still had an analog childhood, and then gone online as an older teen. Kids today seemed to be born with phones permanently attached to their palms. “I don’t remember, but we did have ICQ and MySpace.”

“ICQ sounds like an STD.” Nat made an exaggerated face of mock horror. “My God, man, what have you given me?”

With a teasing growl, Zack started tickling Nat. Nat hooted laughter and tried lurching away, but Zack wasn’t letting him escape. He caught Nat around the waist and dumped him onto the bed, then climbed on top. Straddled him and kept tickling his chest and belly, while avoiding his serious tickle spots like his armpits. He wanted Nat laughing, not screaming from overstimulation or fear.

They were both laughing and wrestling when they started kissing. Quick, teasing kisses that deepened into true intent and desire. Tickling fingers became more demanding as Zack’s clothes came off. Zack took his time exploring Nat’s body, licking every crevice, re-familiarizing himself with the man he loved so much. Nat gasped and sighed, and encouraged him with his hands and mouth and lips, and Zack never worried anything was too much.

He made love to Nat’s cock, savoring its thickness and weight. The salty taste of the warm, velvety skin. The heavy slide against his tongue. The way Nat’s hips jerked and rolled, seeking and escaping, as Zack sucked on his prize, driving his boyfriend higher and higher. He needed Nat delirious and spent, and he got his wish when Nat erupted in his mouth. Zack drank down the bitter gift and licked his boyfriend clean, before crawling up the bed to sprawl on top of him.

Nat kissed his chin and cheeks through panted breaths, eyes bright and cheeks rosy red. “That was epic. Damn.”

“I was going for outstanding, but I will take epic.”

“Take it, it’s a huge compliment. I don’t give out epic very often.”

“Compliment taken.” Zack absently stroked the long, rough scar on Nat’s shoulder and upper arm. He hated the scar for its existence, while also loving it as proof of life. Nat had survived so much and was still here to love Zack. He kissed the knife scar on Nat’s chest; Nat shivered.

“What do you want, babe?” Nat asked. “Do you wanna come inside me?”

Zack’s cock pulsed with need. “I always want to come inside you, but you aren’t hard anymore.”

“It’s okay. I need to feel you inside me tonight, Zack. Please. I love you, and I need the man I love to make love to me.”

How was a guy supposed to say no to such a beautiful sentiment?

Nat’s entire being soared on endorphins and the unique sense of being wholly loved and protected. He wasn’t used to the sensations coursing through him, lifting him up, and giving him the confidence to believe that everything would truly, finally, be all right. And more than anything else, he needed his boyfriend and lover to claim him. His Zack to join their bodies in the most intimate of ways and find his release.

Zack rolled toward the bedside table to get a condom and lube, and Nat stretched his entire body. Arms over his head, toes straight out, core tightening and loosening. A few vertebrae popped, and he released a satisfied groan. For too many years, he’d dreaded anal sex after he’d come—or when he wasn’t hard at all. But not this, not with Zack. Nat craved the slide of Zack in and out of his body, and it would be amazing, no matter what.

He relaxed into Zack’s expert handling, a little sleepy from his own release. He trusted anything Zack wanted from him, and listened with half-lidded eyes while Zack put on the condom. Smeared lube on his cock. Zack gently rolled Nat onto his side and spooned up behind him, his body fitting so perfectly that Nat sighed his contentment. Zack rubbed some lube over Nat’s hole without breaching him, and at first, Nat wasn’t sure what he was doing.

Then Zack’s cock pressed against his entrance. A firm, hot pressure that built, oh so slowly, a sweet push against his tight muscle. A millimeter at a time, in no hurry, the expectation of breach so heady that Nat began panting for it. He tried to thrust his hips backward, to get this intrusion over with, but Zack grabbed his hip with his free hand. Held him still and continued his unhurried entrance into Nat’s body.

He panted and keened and clawed at the pillow, hating this and loving this. Needing Zack to just push inside him and get it over with, and also never wanting this exquisite tease to end. To forever dance on this razor’s edge between pleasure and anticipation. Nat clutched the hand holding his hip, needing that contact with Zack. Zack twined his fingers around Nat’s and squeezed. Pushed.

Nat cried out as Zack’s cockhead breached his ring and slid inside his body. Zack maintained a slow, steady pace, almost too slow now that he was finally inside. Nat trembled and keened, while Zack took his time fully seating his cock inside Nat’s trembling body. Nothing had ever felt so right; he had never felt so full.

Or so fucking desperate to be fucked.

“You gotta move, Zack, please.”

Zack nipped his earlobe. “When I’m ready.”

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