Page 22 of Survivor
Chapter Sixteen
Taylor
Go big or go home, right?Taylor watched as his words sank in, Frank’s eyes going from uncertain to hopeful, a spark of elation, even a glimmer of fear. From Taylor’s perspective, he could see inside the man in front of him; it was something he picked up as soon as he was old enough to start paying attention. He’d heard a line in a movie once, “The eyes are the windows to the soul,” and he’d immediately thought of Frank. There was nothing he could hide from Taylor when they were face-to-face. As if he could read Taylor’s thoughts, Frank’s eyes slowly closed and he trembled.
“Look at me, Frankie, please,” he whispered. Lashes fluttering, Frank did as asked. Taylor took the beer from him and set it on top of the cooler, sliding out of his chair to kneel in front of the man. “I know you’re worried there’s no going back once we cross the line. And while it scares me a little, the possibility that we might not be able to make it work, what truly terrifies me isnottrying.”
He took Frank’s face into his hands, his thumb grazing the scar that went right down the middle of his eyebrow. Frank had sprinted past a boat motor when he was twelve, resulting in six stitches and a lifelong reminder every time he looked in the mirror. Taylor took his time mapping out every freckle and wrinkle he found, his thumbs and fingers circling Frank’s eyes, nose, and mouth before meeting his intense gaze once again. Goddamn, it was like looking in a mirror. Frank’s mouth might be saying one thing, erring on the side of caution, but there was a storm of lust and need in the depths of the blue pools staring back at Taylor.
“I…” Frank opened and closed his mouth, his Adam’s apple bobbing when he swallowed. “I want that too, Taylor, I do. But, what if it doesn’t work out, where will that leave us? I don’t want to lose you, Taylor, lose us, or the relationship we already have.” His words were uncertain and questioning, but they were laced with desire.
He had to set Frank’s mind and ease, convince Frank that he was sincere and the only way to do that was to speak from his heart. “I’ve wanted this for so long, Frank, wanted you. I’ve been slowly falling in love with you for years and I know you feel the same way. I’ve seen it in your eyes, the way you look at me sometimes. “Why are you fighting this so hard?” Taylor was close enough to feel Frank’s deep, panting breaths on his lips and it was an exercise in control not to pounce and take what he wanted. No, he wouldn’t do that. This had to be mutual; Frank had to say yes.
“Say yes to me, Frankie,” he whispered…and waited. Frank’s hands came up to circle his wrists where Taylor still held Frank’s face, just waiting for a sign. A single tear trailed down Frank’s cheek when he blinked and then—Oh thank you, God!—he nodded slowly.
When their lips met, a shock zinged through Taylor’s body like nothing he’d ever felt. The kiss was chaste and simple to start, just a press of lips. When Frank ran his hands up Taylor’s arms, wrapping them around his neck and pulling Taylor close, he gasped and nearly lost his balance. Frank took that as an invitation and slid his tongue into Taylor’s mouth, gently licking the seam of his lips before delving in deeper, twisting his tongue with Taylor’s, trying to dominate the kiss. Then Frank’s hands were in his hair, fisting and pulling, trying to pull Taylor closer.
Legs wrapping around Taylor’s waist, Frank moaned and the sound went straight to Taylor’s dick that was already hard enough to break glass. He let Frank’s mouth go briefly, just long enough to suck in a couple of gulps of air. Grabbing Frank’s hips, he jerked his ass to the edge of the chair and hissed when Frank’s strong legs tightened around his middle. Frank’s pupils were completely dilated, the blue just a thin sliver circling the black orbs. Smiling, Taylor leaned in and traced Frank’s lips with the tip of his tongue. He repeated the motion using the flat of his tongue, slipping into the moist heat of Frank’s mouth once before pulling back when Frank sought more. His breathing was labored, chest rising and falling, Frank was his for the taking.
A gentle breeze blew by and they both shivered, the air cold on their sweat-dampened skin. Frank’s eyes bore into him and he leaned up, licking Taylor’s bottom lip playfully before nipping with his teeth. “Yes, Taylor, I want this too. God help me, I do.” Frank’s voice was low, gravelly, and oh, so fucking sexy.
Growling, Taylor held Frank by the nape of the neck with one hand, the other gripping his chin so Frank was powerless to move. He dove into Frank’s mouth, sucking and biting, licking, taking what he wanted. When Frank let his head fall back, Taylor took the opportunity to lick a path from his lips, across his jaw, and down his neck to his collarbone where he bit down gently. Frank let out a long, low moan that threatened to shred the last of Taylor’s self-control. He’d deliberately left his wallet upstairs, knowing full well that once he got a taste of Frank, if there were condoms and lube readily available, he’d fuck him on the sand, in the water, against the friggin’ wall. Taylor wanted to wait just a bit longer before bedding the man. Solidify their relationship before going at it like rabbits.
“Goddamn, Taylor, if you keep touching me, setting me on fire with that mouth of yours, I may lose control.” Frank groaned, holding Taylor’s head close to his body as Taylor licked the path back up to his mouth for another kiss. This time though, Taylor softened the press of lips, their tongues dancing slowly and sensually. Frank whimpered,actually fucking whimpered,and Taylor had to pull away. Frank’s mouth followed him, desperate for more.
Taylor smiled, shaking his head and pushing Frank none too gently back into his chair. “Let’s take a breather, slow this down before I jump you right here on the beach.” Righting his clothes and running fingers through his now damp, messed up hair, Taylor plopped into the chair next to Frank.
He watched Frank out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed the beer, drained the bottle then put it in the cooler and pulled two fresh ones out. Twisting the tops off, he passed one bottle to Taylor, tossing both caps into the cooler before turning around in his chair to face the water again. It made Taylor deliriously happy when Frank reached for his hand, twining their fingers and resting their gathered hands on the arm of the chairs where they met.
“Who the hell taught you how to kiss like that, Kid? Please tell me it wasn’t our neighbor, the blond nuisance.” There was a note of disdain in Frank’s tone that made Taylor want to laugh. But he held back.
“Billy and I were never more than friends with benefits, Frank. He’s not, and never was, the man I want in my life.” Taylor turned to look at him, but Frank was staring out at the water.
Neither of them spoke again for a while, and while Frank’s silence was a bit unnerving, they still held hands. And Frank’s body language was loose and open, far from closed off. So he waited, giving Frank time to gather his thoughts. He didn’t have to wait long.
“I’m tired of pretending I don’t have feelings for you that go way past platonic, Taylor. And that kiss, damn. The attraction is mutual and the chemistry between us is spiking at DEFCON 1, but…” Frank paused, setting his beer in the sand and standing. He turned and held his hand out to Taylor. Without taking his eyes off Frank, Taylor downed the rest of his beer, setting the empty bottle beside the cooler before accepting the outstretched hand.
At five eleven, Frank had to lift his head to look up at Taylor. He fought the urge to wrap his arms around Frank until he finished what he had to say. Or if he reached for him, whichever happened first. If Frank touched him, all bets were off.
“I need you to be absolutely certain that this is what you want, Taylor,” Frank whispered, lifting his hand to cup Taylor’s cheek. “Everything is going to change now. I know that; I expect and accept that. But, I can’t lose you, Taylor. You’re too important to me and…”
“You talk too much.” Taylor growled, grabbing Frank and pulling his body to him, capturing his mouth and claiming what was his. “What part of…I’ve been in love with you…for years…did younotunderstand?” Taylor pushed the words out slowly, in between spine-tingling kisses that alone should have proved his intentions to Frank.
They stayed pressed up against each other for several minutes, lips and limbs a tangled mess. Taylor finally had to pull away when the lack of oxygen made him dizzy. “Okay. We’re doing this,” Frank whispered, staring up at him with kiss-swollen lips, glassy eyes, and beard burn on his cheeks.
“Jesus H. Christ, you are so goddamn sexy, Frank.”
“Huh?” Frank asked, dazed.
Taylor laughed, turning away from Frank just long enough to gather the empty bottles and stuff them into the cooler. The chairs would be fine until morning. Draping his arm over Frank’s shoulder, he led Frank across the yard to the house. “You just try to get rid of me, old man.”
