Coming Home- Rock Bay 1 (18 page)

L
EX
threaded his fingers through Tally’s when they got out of the car in front of his parents’ house. He didn’t want to be there, dealing with his parents, when he could be at home, in bed, holding Tally, talking and kissing. He knew his mother was going to be confrontational, maybe even borderline rude, but there was no way in hell she was going to make Lex act like he was ashamed of Tally. They were there together. Nothing was going to change that.

“Let me do the talking at first, okay?” he murmured. He brought Tally’s hand up to his mouth and kissed it.
Tally nodded. The poor guy was nervous as hell. It didn’t look like it was going to be much of a hardship for him to keep his mouth shut.
“Here goes nothing,” Lex muttered. He tried to give Tally a reassuring smile. “It’ll be fine, you know.”
Tally said nothing, but smiled, cupped his chin, and gave him a small tender kiss, one that reminded him of every reason why he had to convince his mother that Tally was the perfect guy for him. Because he was. They hadn’t talked about, well, what he’d said earlier, what they’d decided. But damn, he wanted it—wanted to feel the wet tight heat on his bare skin, wanted the intimacy that it implied. Fuck, he was a goner.
The door opened before Lex even had a chance to knock. His mother was standing there, dressed in one of her nicest outfits, with the pearls Lex had gotten her for Christmas draped around her neck. Rather than her usual sunny greeting, she simply stepped aside and let them pass.
“Hi, Ma,” Lex murmured and kissed her on the cheek. He was damned if he was going to act like he’d done anything wrong. “Dinner is on the table, why don’t you two go and sit.” “Aren’t we going to talk about this first?”
“Sit. The macaroni and cheese will get cold.”
Lex bit back a small smile. She’d made macaroni and cheese. He would bet the side dishes would be applesauce and tuna salad. They always were. It was his favorite dinner, and his mother knew it. Hopefully, it was her way of saying she wasn’t that upset. Hopefully.
“So, Tallis, how is it that you ended up back home after all these years?”
Lex sighed. The diplomacy that had lasted until dinner was served was apparently over. He reached under the table and laid his hand on Tally’s knee.
“I ran into some hard times in Seattle. My grandmother generously offered to let me live with her if I help around the house.”
“Hmm. That was nice of her.”
Lex glared at his mother pointedly. She wasn’t making a damn bit of effort to be welcoming.
“And how did you go from Lex’s employee to making out with him in broad daylight?”
“Mom, shit!”
“Watch your tongue, James Alexis,” his father snapped. Dad didn’t care much if Lex swore, but not in front of his mother. His father was old-fashioned that way.
“Alexis?” Tally grinned. “I always thought Amy was kidding.”
Lex squeezed his knee.
Don’t make fun of it here.
“It’s an old family name.”
“Really? Where did it come from?” Tally smiled at Lex’s mother without a hint of laughter in his face.
Thank God he got the picture.
“Lex’s great grandfather was James Alexis, and all of the firstborn males have been since.”
“I wish my family had traditions like that.” Tally couldn’t have said anything more perfect. Flattery would work with his mother every time.
“Who were you named after? Tallis is very unique.” She actually sounded polite and genuinely interested. The flattery
had
worked after all.
Tally blushed. “I think she got it from a romance novel, actually. She tells everybody now that I was named after her favorite composer, but my mother doesn’t listen to classical music any more than she reads the Russian epics.”
“You were named after a character in a romance novel?” Lex couldn’t help chuckling.
“Yeah, some duke or knight in shining armor from one of those bodice rippers. It’s embarrassing.”
“You could pull off the regency look.” He poked Tally in the side. “Hey, at least you can lie and say it was the composer. Thomas Tallis, right?”
Tally shot Lex a surprised look. “How did you know that?”
“Uh, he was on The Tudors. I can’t
not
watch Jonathan Rhys Meyers.”
“You’re already cheating on Zac Efron?”
Lex laughed under his breath. “I’m going to kill Amy.”
Tally gave him a small bump with his shoulder. It was then that Lex realized he and Tally had been having their own conversation right in front of his parents, teasing and smiling and not paying a bit of attention to the way his mother was watching them appraisingly. As soon as he noticed her watching, he also realized she was smiling as well.
Yes, Mom. See how nice he is?
“You two act like you’ve known each other for years.” Her smile was real and aimed at both of them.
“It feels like we have, Mom. I—”
love him. More every day.
The moment hung awkwardly for a second, but his mother saved it.
“Dig into the food, boys. My macaroni isn’t very good cold.”

They were walking back to Lex’s car, hand in hand. Lex couldn’t have been happier with the way the meal had turned out. His mother, just like nearly everyone else, had been at least mostly won over by Tally’s charm, by his politeness, the genuine interest he showed in people. Lex had known Tally could do it if he only had the chance. It seemed like one more obstacle had been removed from their path.

Tally chuckled. “I think everyone’s a little scared of her. She already knows, babe. She just wants to make sure I’m happy.”
“You are happy, right? Things have changed a lot in the past few days. They’ve gotten awfully—”
“Real?”
Lex hesitated. He would have said serious. And it was true. They had gotten serious, for him at least. “Yeah, real.”
“I like real.” Tally reached out and curled his warm hand around Lex’s neck, pulling him in for a kiss. “It feels good.”
“So what I said earlier today—um, when we were in bed.” Lex’s stomach fluttered nervously, but he didn’t want the conversation to be forgotten.
He could tell the moment when Tally figured out what he was talking about. An uncharacteristic flush went up his neck. “Um, can we at least get in your car before we start talking about that? I feel like your mom is still listening.”
Lex chuckled. “You never know with her. That’s probably a good idea.” He unlocked his car, and with suddenly trembling hands he got in. It had been so easy to let it slip out in a moment of heat, but to discuss the matter rationally wasn’t quite so easy. He’d started the car and pulled out on to the main road before either of them managed to spit out the first sentence.
Tally reached over and laid his hand on Lex’s thigh. “So. What you said. I don’t want to be with anyone else so… I think we could… make it just us.”
Tally’s answer was slow and hesitant, but Lex could tell he meant it. They’d be just that much more…
real
.
“Have you ever before?” Lex saw Tally shake his head out of the corner of his eye.
“No. I haven’t really been close enough with someone, well, since high school. And back then it just never occurred to me. Have you?”
Lex shook his head. “My boyfriend in college wanted to, but I said no. I’m really lucky. It turns out the bastard was cheating on me.”
“You got tested just in case, right?”
He snorted. “About a million fucking times. I’d have gone after him with a baseball bat if he’d given me anything.”
“And recently?”
“There hasn’t been a ‘recently’. Not for a long, long time. I’m good. I can show you the papers.”
“I trust you.” Tally smiled. “How long was it before me?”
Lex groaned.
About a million years.
“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s a miracle I didn’t spontaneously combust.”
Tally chuckled. “It had been since November for me. I’d gotten so tired of dating by then that I just gave up. I was fine last time I got a test. I just need to make sure.”
“And then we can….” Lex couldn’t help the smile that snuck onto his face.
“
Yeah.
” The heat in Tally’s voice was enough to make Lex’s blood rush between his thighs. “I’ll take care of it on my next day off. I can’t wait to feel you.”
Lex gulped. “I think you might have tomorrow morning off.”
Tally gave him a quizzical look “No I don’t.”
“Yes.
You do
.”

T
ALLY
was at Gianelli’s again, waiting for his Saturday night pizza. On the outside, things seemed like they had every other day. No one looking at him would’ve been able to tell that he was barely keeping it together, but
nothing
seemed the same. He’d gotten his results back that morning. He was fine, which wasn’t a big shock. But that one piece of paper burning a hole in his wallet meant everything was going to be different between him and Lex. It wasn’t the actual physical act, although he knew it was going to be that much more intense with just them and no condoms. The big difference was mental. It was him and Lex telling each other with their bodies that it was only going to be them. No one else. Ever. It was scary and exhilarating, and he was feeling everything that went with making those kinds of promises. He wanted to tell Lex, but he didn’t know how many new and slightly terrifying things he could possibly fit into one night.

“Here’s your pizza, Tally.” Lacey slid a hot cardboard box across the counter.
“Thanks, sweetie.”
She cocked her head and gave him a sly look. “What’s up with you tonight? You seem nervous.”
Tally cleared his throat and tried to shrug nonchalantly. He felt like he was fifteen years old again. “Nothing.”
“Yeah, right. You going to ask Lex to go steady or something?”
She was flipping him shit, but the little brat was perceptive. He cringed. “Something like that.”
“My guess is whatever it is you’re too chicken shit to say to Lex, he’s trying to find a way to say it to you too.”
Tally felt his eyes go wide. “What?”
“I might be a kid, but I pay attention. He is so obviously, like, ass backward over you. That’s what this is about, right?”
Tally nodded, bemused. Who was this kid, the psychic hotline?
“Just tell him how you feel.” She grinned. “Why do men have to make things so difficult?”
Just tell him. Sure. Easy as pie.
Tally nodded and picked up the pizza.
“Have a good night, Lace.”
“You too.”
Tally simply chuckled softly and shook his head as he walked out the door with his pizza.
When he got back to Lex’s place, he heard the shower running and couldn’t help but grin at the thought of naked, wet Lex. He poked his head into the bathroom.
“Hey, I’m here. I brought pizza.” Tally tried to keep his voice casual. He hadn’t told Lex about the paper in his wallet yet. He wanted it to be a surprise.
“Hi, babe. I’ll be out in a minute.” Lex stuck his soapy head out from behind the curtain and winked. “That is, unless you want to get in here with me.”
“After dinner. I’ve got something I want to show you.”
“I like show and tell.” Lex’s slow smile made Tally’s heart race just a little faster, but then Lex ducked back behind the curtain and under the water. “Will you get out plates and stuff?”
“Sure. Hurry, though.”
Lex’s head popped out again. “Do I get a kiss?”
Tally smiled.
Anytime.
“Of course.” He walked over and cupped his hand around Lex’s dripping hair, dropping a small nibbly kiss on his wet lips.
“What do you want to show me?” Lex turned the water off and shook his head like a puppy.
“Patience. I’ll have the plates and drinks ready by the time you’re dry and dressed.”
Lex gave Tally a little pouty look and tried to snap him with his towel. Tally laughed and escaped the stinging towel by inches.
“Nice cheeks,” he threw over his shoulder as he jogged back out to the dining room area.
Tally was still smiling as he set out plates and glasses and grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge. He wanted to shake his head at himself. There he was again, as usual, smiling like a lunatic for no other reason than he couldn’t stop just… dorking out over how happy he was. Lex came wandering out of the bathroom, shirtless and wearing a pair of low-slung track pants. Tally had a hard time not following the line of sandy hair down his perfect abs… who was he kidding? He was totally doing it. More than anything he wanted the annoying pants gone so he could taste Lex like he wanted to.
“Okay, I got mostly dressed, and I was sort of patient. What is it that you wanted to show me?”
Tally thought he might draw it out a bit, for fun, or maybe because he was nervous, but then he looked at Lex’s face, and he didn’t want to wait another second. He pulled out his wallet and took the envelope and handed it to Lex.
Lex saw the return address and flashed a shy smile at Tally. “This what I think it is?”
Tally simply nodded and watched while Lex skimmed the paper. Then he handed it back and stepped closer until his bare chest was right against Tally’s suddenly too-hot T-shirt. He slowly wrapped his arms around Tally’s shoulders and kissed him, heat growing every second. “Can’t wait to feel you. Just us.”
Tally kissed Lex and slipped his hands underneath the waist of Lex’s track pants to cup his perfect round ass.
“I can’t wait either.” He was silent for a few moments while he tried to gather himself back together. “You, um, want some dinner?”
Tally was surprised by Lex’s breathless laughing groan. “
No
. But we probably should.” He brushed a fingertip across the warm dry skin around Lex’s entrance. Lex tipped his head back and moaned lightly. “You’re not making dinner sound any more appealing.”
Tally grinned. “Isn’t pizza better cold anyway?”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
Tally removed his hands from the warmth of Lex’s sweats and held one out to Lex. “C’mon, babe. You ready?”
Lex shuddered. “Definitely ready.”
They were quiet in Lex’s room, which was bathed in the glow of an early summer sunset. Lex tugged his track bottoms down his legs and dug in his drawer for the lube. No condoms. Tally tried to keep his stomach from trembling, told himself it was just like all the other times. He knew it wasn’t. It was different. More. It meant everything to him. Tally realized he was standing there, naked, staring at Lex, who was sprawled out golden and beautiful on his pale comforter. He never wanted to stop looking.
“Aren’t you coming?” Lex asked, reaching out his hand.
“Not coming just yet,” Tally answered with a grin, recovered from his emotional moment. “I’ve got big plans before anything like that happens.” Then he kneeled on the bed and crawled up until he was kissing Lex. And then it
was
just like always, the fire between them that was usually just barely banked exploded into scorching flames, and they were fighting to get closer, closer, each one wanting to sink into the other’s skin.
All they had to do was look at each other and it was fucking perfect.
Lex made a choked growling noise and threaded his fingers into Tally’s hair, tugging hard.
“
God
, every damn time. You barely have to touch me.”
“Me too. Never felt anything like it.” Tally slung Lex’s leg over his elbow and ground their hips together, taking Lex’s mouth in a deep kiss. “Not even close.”
Lex dragged his nails down Tally’s spine and grabbed his ass, hauling Tally hard up against him. Tally laid his face on the pillow next to Lex’s ear and started whispering. It was usually Lex that talked, and
damn
, Tally couldn’t think of anything hotter in his whole life than Lex’s voice all cracked with passion, whispering dirty things in his ear, but he couldn’t seem to help it.
“Wanna be in you, baby,” Tally moaned. “Want you all hot and tight around me.”
Lex moaned and arched his back. “
Yes
.”
“Need you in me too. Wanna know what it’s like when you come.”
Lex convulsed below him. “Oh
fuck
yes.”
Tally shimmied lower to suck on Lex’s nipples. Lex rolled his hips insistently, pushing his erection into Tally’s stomach.
“C’mon, babe. What are you doing?”
Tally grinned up at Lex. “Tasting. I like the way you taste.”
Lex let out a strangled moan when he remembered those words. Tally could tell by the moan that followed that he obviously remembered what had happened after them. Torture. Pure torture, and only the best kind.
“Oh, God, are you going to make me wait?”
Tally’s only answer was a huge smile. “What if I did this instead?”
He licked his fingers and pushed them deep into Lex, whose keening cry and arched back were the only answer Tally needed. God, did he love this man. And then the talking started, flowing from those pouty sexy lips and making Tally want to purr. “Come inside me, baby… need you in me, fuck, do that again, now… love, oh God. Please.”
It was the
please
that did it. Or maybe the
love
. Tally wasn’t so out of his head yet that he missed it. His heart melted, and he wanted to do anything,
anything
, to make Lex happy.
“You need me now?”
Lex’s breathless laugh rippled through his body. Tally could almost feel it from inside. “Lube,” was the only word Lex was able to squeeze out.
Tally reached for the lube, popping open the flip cap and accidentally pouring a big pool into his palm. “Oops, shit. Too much.” Lex reached out and took some from Tally’s hand, spreading it all over Tally’s erection, then his own, before he opened his thighs invitingly. Tally spread the rest of the lube on Lex’s tight entrance, then reached back with slick fingers and readied himself as well. He had meant it about wanting to feel Lex come inside.
“Don’t come, okay?” he whispered as he lined himself up, slippery and hard and dying to feel Lex’s heat.
Lex bit his lip. “Are you kidding?” he gasped. “I’m about a heartbeat away already.”
“Not till you’re in me.”
“Aww, fuck.” Lex trembled and squeezed Tally’s hips with his thighs. “Hurry, then. I’m gonna die.”
In a motion made easy by slick lube and weeks of practice, Tally slid into Lex’s body, not stopping until he was buried to the root and shaking to keep from flying apart at the seams.
“Oh my—” His voice was choked. He was on fire. There was nothing,
nothing
, like it in the world. “You’ve gotta try this, babe.”
Lex’s head was tossing back and forth on the pillow. “It’s incredible.”
Tally took one long stroke, angling his hips to hit Lex’s prostate. “So
warm
. So fucking good.” He leaned forward until his chest was on Lex’s again, heated skin against skin, hearts pounding together.
I love you
.
It wanted to come out so desperately. Tally had to close his eyes and bite his lip. Didn’t want to say it for the first time like this. He spread his thighs between Lex’s for better leverage, pushing deep, needing more. Lex’s nails dug into the skin of his butt when he yanked hard.
“I’m not gonna last much longer, Tal,” Lex stammered, his voice hitching. “Come. Now.”
Tally didn’t need much encouragement. Only a few more strokes into Lex’s tight, hot body and he was coming, frozen, and watching Lex’s eyes go wide.
“Oh my God, Tal. I can feel it,” he whispered.
Tally stroked experimentally. If anything, it was warmer and wetter, and it felt like fucking heaven. He slid out reluctantly.
“I wanna feel you now,” he murmured in Lex’s ear.
Lex shifted and giggled softly.
“What?”
“I’m dripping.”
“We’ll take a shower later. Come here.”
He lay back and let his thighs drift open. Lex scrambled closer, weird new sensations forgotten.
“I can’t make this slow.” He was coating his cock with more lube, looking at Tally with an indescribable look of tenderness on his face. Lex knew the look was there. He felt it on his face.
“I know, babe. Just… inside.”
Lex lined himself up and pushed inside, eyes squeezing shut. “Holy
fuck
.”
Tally could barely breathe. He was so full of Lex and a million damn emotions that all he could manage to do was wrap his legs around Lex’s hips and squeeze.
“I can’t—oh my God.”
“Come inside me. Do it.”
Lex started to move, rolling his hips slowly at first, then with more speed and desperation. He leaned over, kissing Tally sloppily, too turned on to worry about technique. Tally loved every second of it, loved the faint smack of their skin, the smell of sex and Lex’s clean sweat, the way Lex arched his back and shouted out when he filled Tally with his hot, wet release.
It was them and it was perfect and it was everything he’d never dared to dream.
After a few minutes, Lex sighed raggedly and tipped his sweaty forehead against Tally’s. “How much better do you think it can get before one of us blacks out completely?” he asked with a soft chuckle.
Tally pressed a long tired kiss on Lex’s well-loved lips. “I don’t know, but I’m definitely willing to try.”
“All in the name of research, of course.” Tally grinned. “Of course.”