Embracing the Unexpected (17 page)

“Can we do it tomorrow?” she asked. “My dinner is burning.”
She hopped up off the couch.

Parker grabbed her hand. “We can take you out. You don’t
have to make dinner for us.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “I do.” She kissed Parker and then Jace.
“I love you two so much.”

Parker smiled as he moved closer to Jace, taking his hand in
his and glancing at his blemished knuckles.

“Jace?” Ava asked. “Where did you get that right hook?”

Jace’s cheeks turned red and then he shrugged. “He insulted
my man.”

Parker pressed Jace’s knuckles to his lips. “Thanks for
defending me. It meant a lot.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen.” Ava quietly excused herself.

“She’s an amazing woman,” Jace said as he pulled Parker onto
the couch with him. “She’ll be fine, so don’t worry about her.”

“I’ll try not to.” He gently kissed Jace’s lips. “Violence,
Dr. Cross? I wouldn’t have expected that from you. Don’t you teach a class on
that very subject?” Parker couldn’t believe Jace hit Mike. It wasn’t that Mike
didn’t deserve it for what he’d said, but Parker didn’t think Jace would ever
resort to physical violence. It surprised him.

“Stop it,” he said.

“Seriously, what happened?”

“I’m a very tolerant man,” he said. “But when he called you
that vile name, I lost it. That was the first time you’d had to experience
hatred toward men like us and it probably won’t be the last time, I’m sorry to
say, but after everything he did to Ava and then the way he was provoking you,
well, I couldn’t help it. I was wrong. I’m a hypocrite.”

“It was hot.” Parker ran his thumb across Jace’s lip. “My
big, strong man defending me. I can’t wait to be alone with you tonight to show
you just how much I appreciate it.”

“Hmm.” Jace leaned into Parker’s mouth. “I hope you’ll thank
me properly.”

Parker ran his fingers through Jace’s hair. “I’ll thank you
over and over again.” He slowly pressed his mouth to Jace’s and kissed him,
making sure to linger at his lips for a few moments, staring into his eyes. “I
want to go home.”

Jace smiled. “To our bed.”

“Our bed.” Parker liked the way that sounded, but he knew
they’d probably be spending the night at his house. Neither one of them would
be able to leave Ava tonight. It didn’t matter where they were as long as he
was spending the night in Jace’s arms.

Jace collapsed down onto the bed and let out an exaggerated
breath. “I can’t believe how much stuff you have.” It had been a long day, and
he was glad it was winding down.

Parker settled in next to him. “You should be grateful I
kept my house for Ava or you’d have a ton of extra furniture around here too.”

“Hmm,” he said as he rubbed his shoulder. “My back couldn’t
take any more moving.”

“Oh, poor baby.” Parker nudged him onto his stomach and began
massaging his back and neck.

“That feels good.” Jace sunk deeper into the mattress. “I’m
glad you’re finally here.”

“Me too.” Parker worked his way down his spine. “And I’m
happy everyone finally left.”

Both families, Ava, and Jack had helped Parker move into
Jace’s house. It had been a long day, but everyone was gone and now it was just
the two of them. Jace had waited all day to be alone with Parker. He’d been
excited Parker was moving in, and he couldn’t wait for them to start their new
life together. He had so many plans for them. They both had much to look
forward to.

“Don’t stop,” he mumbled into the comforter. Parker gave
great massages. “You are amazing.”

Parker leaned down and spoke against Jace’s neck. “You said
that last night too.”

Jace smiled into the mattress before turning around and
pulling Parker on top of him. “You’re always amazing.” He slipped his hands
underneath Parker’s shirt and trailed his fingertips along his sides, causing
Parker to giggle from the contact. Jace liked finding new places on Parker’s
body that were ticklish. He could use it to his advantage when he wanted to
tease Parker.

“I thought you were tired.”

“I’m never too tired for you.” Jace nipped at Parker’s
bottom lip. “Kiss me.”

Parker looked into Jace’s eyes for a few seconds before
lowering his head and slowly kissing him. Jace let Parker take control of the
kiss. Jace had always been the initiator in the relationship because everything
had been so new to Parker, but lately, he was coming into his own sexually and
was more willing to try new things. Jace was pleased at how confident and
comfortable Parker was becoming. It heightened their intimate time together.

Parker sat up and pulled off his shirt, revealing his
well-defined abs and chest. Jace glanced at him and slowly shook his head
because he would never tire of how perfect his boyfriend was. Jace reached up
and tugged at his belt buckle.

“Like what you see, Dr. Cross?” Parker shot Jace his
signature sexy grin. The one that would make Jace do anything for his lover.

“I want to see more.”

Parker crawled off Jace and stood at the foot of the bed,
lowering his jeans to the floor and stepping out of them. Jace moved to the
edge of the mattress, getting up on his knees and moving his hand down Parker’s
stomach. “These too.” He ran his finger along the inside of Parker’s boxers. “I
want to see all of you.”

Jace ran his tongue over Parker’s nipple as Parker slipped
out of his boxers. He ran his fingers through Jace’s hair as Jace worked his
way down his body and onto the floor. He knelt in front of Parker, sliding his
hands up his calves and then to the backs of his thighs. Parker thrust his hips
forward as Jace took his cock into his mouth.

“Oh, Jace, so good…” He took Jace’s chin in his hand and
guided his mouth up and down his length.

Jace hummed around his cock because he liked when Parker
showed him what he wanted. Not only had their love for one another grown but so
had their level of intimacy.

Parker moaned and thrust against Jace’s face as he continued
to fondle, lick, and suck him. As soon as Jace scraped his teeth along Parker’s
shaft he felt him tense up.

“I’m gonna— Oh, babe, now…”

Parker fought to get the words out, but Jace knew what he
was trying to say. He relaxed his throat and swallowed everything Parker gave.
He looked up at Parker as he leisurely swirled his tongue over the head of his
now softening cock. Parker pulled him by the arm into a standing position and
roughly kissed him, pushing his tongue inside Jace’s mouth and massaging it
against his tongue.

“I never last long when you do that,” Parker said.

Jace leisurely ran his tongue along Parker’s lips as Parker
reached to unbuckle his pants.

“I think I owe you,” Parker said.

Jace watched as Parker lowered the zipper of his pants and
pushed them down his waist. Parker pressed his lips to Jace’s mouth and mumbled
against his lips, “Do you want me to suck your cock and lick you just the way
you like?”

“Maybe later,” Jace said as he pulled his shirt off. “Right
now I need to be inside you. Will you give me that?”

“Of course,” Parker moaned as Jace pressed his finger just
inside Parker’s entrance.

Parker walked to the nightstand and pulled out the small
bottle while Jace took off his boxers. He absentmindedly stroked his cock as he
watched his lover walk back to him. Parker was magnificent standing there in
his full naked glory. Jace knew right in that moment that they’d be making love
for a good portion of the evening.

Parker poured some of the liquid into his palm and tenderly
took Jace’s erection in his hand. His strokes were deliberate as he made sure
to coat Jace’s dick with a generous amount of lubricant.

“As wonderful as that feels,” Jace said as he pushed Parker
onto the bed, “you’re going to make me come before I even get inside you.”

“We can’t have that.” Parker lay on his back and bent his
legs at the knees, extending his hand for Jace. “Make love to me.”

Jace bit his lip and looked over at the nightstand.
“Condom?” He knew they were in the drawer with the lubricant, so he wondered
why Parker didn’t put one on him like he usually did.

Parker shook his head. “I want to feel you.”

Jace’s cock twitched in anticipation of feeling nothing but
Parker. He’d never gone bareback before and the idea of doing it with Parker drove
him insane with desire. “Are you sure?”

“I think about it all the time. I need to feel every inch of
you.”

“I want to feel you too.” He took the bottle of lube from
Parker and spent the next few minutes teasing him with his fingertip, and then
when Jace thought he was finally ready for him, he spread Parker’s legs and
kneeled in between them, taking the head of his cock and rubbing it against his
opening. Jace closed his eyes and savored this moment. He could feel the warmth
radiating from Parker and instinctually he wanted to push fast and hard, but he
didn’t want this encounter to be fast, so he held his breath and took his time.
He wanted to feel every second of it, to memorize it all.

“Jace,” Parker moaned as he wrapped his legs around Jace’s
hips, allowing Jace to slide deeper. “Amazing.”

After a couple of minutes of slowly working himself inside
Parker’s body, Jace was effortlessly moving in and out of his tight ass. It was
as if Parker had been made for him. Jace ran his fingers through Parker’s hair
as he looked down and watched the pleasure that was written all over his face.
Parker dug his fingernails into Jace’s thighs as he softly moaned and writhed
beneath him.

“Parker, I’ve never felt…so good…” Jace could feel his orgasm
building in his stomach and quickly moving down to his lower body. He slipped
his hand down Parker’s chest and to his balls. He slowly fondled them, cradling
them in his hand and gently squeezing them.

“Kiss me when you come,” Parker whispered. “I need you
closer to me.”

Jace lowered his body down over Parker, twisted his fingers
in his hair, and brushed his lips against his mouth. “I love you, so much.”

Jace felt Parker’s hand slip off his shoulder as he picked
up his pace and pounded into him. A few seconds later he was spilling deep
inside of him. It was one of the most intense moments he’d ever experienced.
He’d never felt anything so good, and he couldn’t have been more satisfied that
it happened with the man he intend to spend the rest of his life with.

He looked down at Parker who was staring into his eyes. “I
love you.” Parker shyly smiled.

Jace slowly pulled out of him and motioned for him to move
to the top of the bed. Parker crawled up to the top and waited for Jace to get
in before he cuddled against his chest. Jace gently ran his fingers through
Parker’s hair and then kissed the top of his head.

“I’m going to like living here,” Parker said as he closed
his eyes and relaxed against Jace.

“I’m going to like having you here.” Jace interlaced his
fingers with Parker’s and watched as he drifted off to sleep. His life was
finally where he’d always imagined it would be. He was happy, content, and in
love with a man who loved, respected, and trusted him. They had a long future
in front of them.

One year later…

Parker threw his leg over Jace’s hip and smiled at him. Jace
was still trying to catch his breath as they lay tangled together in their bed.
Parker gently trailed his finger over Jace’s lips and then over the fresh
stubble on his jaw. He couldn’t keep his hands off his incredibly sexy partner.

They both lay on their sides, facing one another enjoying
the post sex cuddle. It never got old for either of them. Parker liked the
connection and often said it was one of his favorite times with Jace. They
didn’t have to communicate verbally. They could just sit quietly and indulge in
the warmth of the other.

Jace leaned into Parker and slowly kissed him, making sure
to swirl his tongue inside his mouth before running it along his lips. He rested
his forehead against Parker’s and closed his eyes.

“You must be exhausted,” Parker said as he pressed his palm
to Jace’s cheek. “You’ve been working non-stop on your next book and you
haven’t even finished promoting the last one.”

“I know, but I have so much to say.” He laughed. “Just a few
more weeks and it’ll slow down, I promise.”

“And then we’ll take a few days and go to the Hamptons?”
Jace had been working so much lately that Parker wanted him to take some time
off and relax. He needed it. They needed the time together.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Good, because I told Ava and Jack we’d spend a weekend with
them before their wedding.”

Parker twirled his own wedding band around his finger and
smiled. At times, he still couldn’t believe he was married. Their ceremony had
been perfect, the reception had been small and quaint with both families and a
few friends in attendance, and then they’d set off for a relaxing and wonderful
honeymoon to Greece. They were living a fairy tale.

“Sounds good,” Jace said as he fought to stay awake.

Parker gently kissed his lips. “Why don’t you sleep now? I’m
going to take a shower.”

“No.” Jace placed his hand on Parker’s thigh. “Don’t go
anywhere. I want to stay like this. I’ve missed you lately. Both of our
schedules have been crazy. We’re not spending enough time together.”

“I know.” He’d needed to talk to Jace for a few days, but
wasn’t sure if now was the right time to bring up this particular subject. A
decision needed to be made, but Parker didn’t know if Jace was ready for what
he had to offer.

“Hey,” Jace said. “Why so deep in thought? You look like
there’s something on your mind.”

“You know me so well.”

“It’s my job, remember?”

“I don’t need a shrink.” He laughed.

“Then as your husband, I want to know what’s wrong.” Jace
lightly stroked Parker’s cheek. “Tell me.”