Page 23 of Rock the Cradle of Love
“I don’t know that combating homophobia is going to be that simple,” says Taylor. He’s dealt with it more than once in his life. Uncle Bud had warned him. Some people are small-time bullies and back off if you raise your hackles at them. Some people are self-righteous pricks and forget that Jesus told everyone to love one another.
“You’re the one who wants to out us.”
Does Taylor want to chance flooding the little island of happiness they’ve created with negativity? “Maybe it’s not such a good idea then. Not yet.”
“I’m not trying to talk you out of it, Taylor,” says Noah. “You’re an alternate captain, you know all the guys pretty well. You think the team’s ready for that?” Noah asks.
Taylor considers it. Thinks of each of their teammates. “Honestly, I never hear any sort of homophobic comments from the guys. We’ve gone to bars and clubs where dudes were dancing together and gettin’ it on, on the dance floor or in dark corners. No one seemed to bat an eyelash. I mean, maybe they were behaving because we were out in public, and that’s cool. But you’d think there’d have been some kind of muttered insults from someone if it’d really bothered them.”
“True.” Noah nods and scratches at Taylor’s scalp. Chills roll down his back.
“Management knows I’m bi and they never told me not to date another man.”
Noah chuckles. “I don’t think they expected you to want to date a teammate.”
“Probably not, but they didn’t explicitly forbid it either. Maybe knowing we’re together would make acceptance easier for anyone on the fence about us. I mean, if they know we’ve only got eyes for each other, then they won’t be paranoid about us—me, I mean—checking out their dicks or whatever.”
“Are you done talking yourself into this?” Noah kisses his way down Taylor’s neck and collarbone. “I don’t want us to hide from the people we’re closest to. I want to hold your hand, or touch you in passing, or steal a kiss when the urge strikes.”
Taylor pulls back to sit up and almost falls off the couch, arms and legs flailing as he regains his balance. “What about you? You have as much to lose here as I do. If you don’t want to do this, say the word.”
“Thanks for asking, but I’m not worried about what anyone’s going to say. I’m fine with coming out to the team.” Noah tugs Taylor back down and rubs his nose along Taylor’s forehead. “I’m cool with it if S’more is. It’s his house, his party. I’ll call him tomorrow.”
Taylor scoots up and instigates a deep kiss; it’s slow and sweet, and Taylor forces himself to stay relaxed. Their relationship is a journey, and they don’t have to end up in bed. It’s hard, though, because Noah is a beautiful man, and Taylor hasn’t gotten nearly enough of him yet. Low-level desire has become his default setting, and that’s not Noah’s problem, it’s Taylor’s.
But even if sex is not the end game, he can still touch Noah and hopefully make Noah feel good. Taylor slides his hand under Noah’s shirt. Noah’s skin quivers beneath Taylor’s fingers. Taylor caresses his arms, slides his hands across Noah’s pecs, down over his abs. Noah “mmm”s into Taylor’s mouth and Taylor smiles.
“I love touching you,” he says. “I love that I can.” He twiddles one of Noah’s nipples; it pebbles and Noah catches his breath.
“I like you touching me too… Can I touch you?” Noah’s words go soft and breathless, and Taylor peers at him.
Taylor’s dick twitches. “You touched me last night,” he says with a soft laugh. “And you never have to ask me. I’m easy that way.”
“I. Okay. But. I want to…” Noah eyes close and color rises above his beard. “…blow you.”
Taylor’s instantly hard, and his heart is trying to jackhammer its way out of his chest. Just when he thought Noah would never make a move, then this. “Fuck, yeah. I’d like that.”
“I want to, but I…don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll teach you. C’mon, let’s go in the bedroom.” Taylor untangles himself from Noah and holds out his hand. “It’ll be much more comfortable and much easier on the both of us.”
When they reach Noah’s room, Taylor says, “I’m going to get completely naked.” He turns on the bedside table lamps to the lowest light setting, thankful there’s even a low setting to be had. He doesn’t want to experience this in the dark, but he doesn’t want to be blinded by high wattage either. “You can be however you feel most comfortable.” His clothes land in the corner within moments.
“I’m not afraid of being naked, you know.”
They’ve never done anything requiring clothes to actually be off, so Taylor didn’t know, but—fuck, yeah—he finally gets to see Noah naked in a place he can look his fill. Taylor lies on his back in the middle of Noah’s king sized bed, erection straining toward his navel, a bit of fluid leaking from the tip. He strokes himself once to ease the itch of anticipation. Noah takes to his knees next to Taylor’s hip, and his dick is just hanging there between his thighs. It’s a nice-looking dick as dicks go, not too thick, not too long or short, and Taylor can’t wait to see it in all its aroused glory. But that’s not why they’re here, and it might not happen this time, and that’s okay. That’s okay. He hopes they’re in this for the long haul and there’s no rush.
Noah’s gaze is trusting, though the blush has spread across his shoulders and down his chest. He’s gorgeous and worthy of admiration, but back to the task at hand. Taylor’s never been someone’s first, and he’s not sure what to do with that, except take what Noah can give and be understanding about what he can’t.
“Listen, if it gets to be too much or you don’t like it, you can stop, okay?” God, Taylor hopes Noah doesn’t stop. He wasn’t expecting this so soon, but now that it’s happening, he wants it so, so much.
Noah’s hands slide up and down his lightly furred thighs. “Okay. What should I do?”
Taylor’s stomach is fluttering a little and he chuckles. Noah frowns.
“No, no…. God, I’m sorry. I’m laughing because I’m nervous all of a sudden, and I don’t know why.” Taylor tugs on Noah’s arm. “C’mere. Kiss me first.”
Noah stretches out alongside him. They’re skin-to-skin, and Taylor’s imagined Noah’s body against his own without any clothes between them every freakin’ night, but the reality is much, much better. Noah’s skin is smooth and unblemished. Miles of pale, soft skin stretched taut over thick sculpted muscles. There not an ounce of fat anywhere on Noah’s body, and he’s built like a tree. Taylor likes. He likesa lot. Taylor caresses Noah some more as they kiss. Arms, shoulders, back, that fine ass. The kisses are deeper than they were before, and Taylor’s nerves ease. He’s a sexual guy; he knows what to do in the moment. And Noah seems to know himself well enough to say something if he’s not comfortable.
