"Yeah? Any forging?"
"Just a little. I'm starting to make fireplace tool sets. They're popular Christmas gifts."
Chase looked surprised. "Oh, yeah. I suppose they would be. Like pokers and... I don't know, bellows?"
Jackson grinned. "I can't make bellows, but like that, yeah." He kissed Chase on the lips again, then murmured, "Wanna sit down? I'll bring your plate over."
"Thanks." Chase didn't let him go without hooking his fingers through his belt loops. He pulled him close for one more long, slow, soft kiss.
Christ, Jackson wanted that talented mouth all over him. It was going to be goddamn near-impossible to keep his hands off. He had to keep his word and show Chase that he wasn't taking advantage of him.
Speaking of which...
"How did work and fencing go?"
Chase grimaced. "Good, overall. I learned a lot at fencing. My muscles hurt. At work, uh, Floyd turned away someone – sounded like my uncle – who was looking for me. He must be going around the local tattoo shops."
"Ah," Jackson frowned. He scooped sweet potato fries onto both of their plates, followed by the buttery green beans. Last but not least, he placed a pork chop on each plate and sprinkled a sprig of fresh parsley and some dried herbs on top of each. With a little extra marinade, the plates were ready. "You think you should talk to the cops or what?"
"No. They'll want me to press charges or else they can't do anything." Chase propped his elbow on the table and chin on his fist. He perked up at the sight of the plates Jackson was carrying over. "Oooh. Wow, those look great!"
"Thanks." Jackson beamed and set the plates down. He popped the cork on the bubbly fruit spritzer he'd picked up at the store that afternoon. It was non-alcoholic, but it would complement the rich, herby pork well.
Chase was glowing again, his worry from moments ago fading. "You really like cooking, then."
"Yeah, I do." Jackson nudged Chase's glass closer and took his own, then picked it up to clink against his. "To... To us."
"To us," Chase echoed and clinked their glasses, then sipped. "Mm. This is good."
"Isn't it?"
They didn't talk much for the first few minutes, except for Chase admiring the meal. Then, they lapsed into an easy conversation. They talked about forging fireplace tools, tattooing snakes, fencing footwork, and what kind of backyard features Jackson wanted.
Jackson cleared up the dishes with Chase's help, thankful for the dishwasher.
"I'll help you wash the pots and pans, too," Chase told him.
It was only fair, if he was a house guest, to let him work at the normal chores. Jackson nodded. "I'll wash, you dry?"
"Sounds fair. Put those muscles to good work," Chase teased, and Jackson laughed.
They bantered while they worked, easily falling into a companionable routine. Chase kept brushing against and behind him while putting away dishes. He flicked Jackson's ass with the towel once and Jackson flicked soap at him in return.
"Leave the last pots, you troublemaker," Jackson waved him off with a laugh. "Molesting me while I work..."
"I aim to please," Chase winked and leaned in to peck his lips. "But I'm at your service. If you'd rather I fucked off to the living room..."
Jackson laughed again and pressed a little kiss to Chase's lips. "Go find something on the television."
Chase squeezed his arm and put back the towel, then trotted off around the counter. He headed just around the corner, into the part of the living room with the TV and couch.
Jackson lingered for a few moments to rinse out the sink and cool off. It was damn near irresistible to just take Chase to bed, and Chase was pushing hard. Every little flirtatious gesture and word made that much clear.
I don't think he realizes he's doing it. Jackson licked his lips. And I don't want to hurt his feelings when I turn him down. It'll still feel like rejection, even if I said ahead of time I'm not gonna do it. Had he made a mistake in inviting Chase to live with him this early? Especially out of need rather than the usual cohabiting couple's desire to spend their lives together? Had this been about his own ego?
Jackson prayed it wasn't a mistake. They'd known each other for months, but romance had only started to crop up this month – and be acknowledged in the last few weeks. As far as actually calling each other boyfriends, that was even newer. Yet, already, this relationship was one he'd be crushed to lose.
Chapter 28
Chase
Jackson was the sexiest man alive. Just watching him cook was hot enough. Flirting with him, helping him clean up, getting him flustered by touching and tempting him...
Tonight would be hot.
When Jackson joined him on the couch, Chase let Jackson slide his arm around him. He leaned into his chest, watching the game show on TV without complaint. Within minutes, he reached over to lace his fingers with Jackson's other hand. He squirmed enough to lean up and kiss him.
Jackson kissed him a few times back, and then the commercials ended.
Chase sighed and turned to watch the TV again, letting his palm rest on Jackson's knee instead. He had to be feeling hot, too, but he wasn't initiating anything yet.
After the game show ended, a nature documentary about the oceans came on and Chase glanced at him. "You mind this?"
"No, I like nature channels," Jackson told him.
"Good. You like the ocean?"
"I have positive feelings, yes," Jackson laughed. "It does sustain life."
Chase smirked and sidled closer. "You know what else sustains life?"
Jackson laughed and nudged him. "You're missing the intro."
"Fine," Chase laughed, leaning back into Jackson's arm and rubbing his leg idly. He paid attention to the narrator telling them about the history of the ocean.
It didn't take long before the heat crawling under his skin became hard to bear, though. Chase sidled closer until their thighs pressed together.
"You wanna kiss me again?" Jackson grinned. "You have a particular look about you."
That's an understatement. Chase licked his lips and turned to press his shoulder into the couch. When Jackson's arms rose to slide around him, his thoughts turned triumphant. I've got him.
Their lips were warm and soft, sensually sliding against each other. Jackson's tongue tip teased Chase's lower lip. He moaned and shivered, and he felt Jackson shiver in return. That tongue felt so good elsewhere...
Chase sucked Jackson's lower lip between his and nipped lightly, grazing teeth along soft flesh until Jackson gasped. Chase kissed it better. He pressed open-mouthed, light kisses against Jackson's lips until Jackson relented and pressed close again.
"Hnngh."
Chase was pleased to hear the grunt slip from Jackson's throat. Jackson's fingertips dug into his back and his nails grazed their way up his spine.
When Chase's cock was pressing hard against his jeans, he shifted to try to roll over and straddle Jackson's lap. Jackson pressed his hip to keep him sitting flat. "Nnh?"
Jackson shook his head. "We're not having sex and I don't want you getting blue balls."
The disappointment was visceral. Chase flinched and looked away for a moment, until he felt less like he'd been slapped. Sure, Jackson had said that yesterday, but... had he really meant it? A week was going to be torture. He didn't even want to think about longer periods.
Or was there something else besides gentlemanly behavior? Chase's fears kicked into overdrive. Nobody had turned him down like this before without having something be wrong. He shook his head. "Don't you find me hot?"
"Oh, yes," Jackson breathed out. He laced his fingers with Chase's and dragged Chase's hand across his thigh to his groin.
Christ, that was a boner. Chase's cheeks flushed with the desire to go down on it. Jackson raised Chase's hand to his lips to kiss it instead.
"But I don't want you to feel pressured to satisfy me," Jackson murmured. He waited until Chase made eye contact before he went on. "It's not your duty. Sex isn't rent you pay to exist as a person, or a gay man, or a guest in my house."
Far more so than the rejection moments ago, that was a punch in the stomach, but it wasn't from Jackson himself. The words hit Chase much harder than he'd have expected.
It was enough to kill the mood between them. Strangely, Chase didn't feel the crushing disappointment he would have moments before.
He was too busy reeling from the words. How much of his hypersexuality was down to exactly that? Did Jackson already have him pegged after knowing him for, Christ, a couple months? Knowing him well for just a couple weeks?
Chase had thought he was hard to read. How much of him was that easy?
"You all right?" Jackson murmured, his voice gentle.
Chase nodded. This time when he scooted closer, Jackson pulled him in and hugged hard.