Eventually, Carter pulled out of the kiss, eyes wide with desire, and started fumbling and twisting sideways to reach inside the drawer of the bedside table, coming back to kiss Jeremy and pressing a condom in his hands. "Put it on."
"Bossy."
Carter huffed and leaned back, pouring lube in his hands. He put his feet on either side of Jeremy's lap, then laid with his legs splayed between Jeremy's, and fingered himself, getting himself slick inside with lube.
His eyes never left Jeremy, who licked his lips and watched those long fingers as Carter fucked himself on them. Jeremy stoked himself, then put on the condom. Carter passed him the lube and they lay there beating off, Carter also fingering himself, looking each other in the eye. It was heady, and Jeremy wanted to look away but couldn't seem to force himself to.
"Come on, babe. Sit on it," Jeremy said, gripping himself, holding his cock straight up.
Carter just nodded and pushed himself to a squatting position. He held his balls up and stared down as he lowered onto Jeremy's cock. Jeremy was transfixed watching himself disappearing inside Carter's body. And knowing why he felt the way he felt, knowing why his body needed Carter, made every nerve sing.
When Carter was fully seated, he leaned forward and Jeremy leaned up on his elbows so they could meet in a kiss. The kiss was graceless and perfect. Jeremy drew up his knees, and together they started rocking. It took a second, but eventually they found a rhythm and switched between a slow grinding, a rolling of the hips, and a pounding that drove the breath right out of Carter and it gusted over Jeremy's lips. Their eyes stayed locked and their mouths inches from each other. Carter's hands rested on Jeremy's shoulders as he used them to work himself on Jeremy's cock.
And Jeremy felt so connected in that moment, more so than he ever had with any other human.
Their skin was slapping and sweat dripped between them. Soon Carter was jerking himself and Jeremy dropped back on his pillow, gripping Carter's ass cheeks, pounding up into Carter as Carter slammed down on his lap.
When Carter came, it was on a sigh. A loud sigh, but a contented one, his body clenching around Jeremy. And all Jeremy had to do was watch Carter's face, feel the splatter of Carter's cum, and he was burying himself deep, shooting into the condom, gripping Carter's ass to hold them tightly together.
Carter fell on him, Jeremy's cock slipping out, but that didn't matter as their lips found each other again and Carter whispered, "I love you," as he kissed Jeremy over and over, gripping his biceps tight, like Jeremy might float away from him.
"Hey, hey." Jeremy stilled Carter. "I'm here, okay? I'm not going anywhere."
Carter's sex flushed face seemed to get a little redder before he pressed their cheeks together and they laid there, chest to chest, letting their breathing even out.
Jeremy stroked down Carter's back, every once in a while making a pass over that perfectly toned ass. He started humming to Carter, until he thought maybe Carter had fallen asleep. "Carter?"
Carter pushed up and smiled timidly. "Sorry, it got a little intense."
Jeremy kissed Carter's stubbled chin. "No. It was perfect."
Carter rolled on his side and looked at Jeremy. "What do we do? I'm still a little surprised at everything. I believe you. I want you. But … we haven't really talked logistics."
"Well, you go back to New York. You have to finish school."
"Yes. That's pretty non-negotiable. I'm in a good school. And I've only got two semesters left. Especially now that I know what I'm doing. And what I want to do definitely brings me back here in the end. I want to be here, to be home. But for now, I like my life in New York."
"You'll have to fill me in." Jeremy sat up and pulled off the condom. "Be right back." He needed a moment. If he did a happy dance in the bathroom, no one need know.
He walked back out and passed Carter sweatpants and a shirt, pulling on some of his own. "You know my dad got me out of my contract with the band. I had to sell my stake in the bar, too. So my bank account it sitting pretty right now." Jeremy hated to bring him up, but he had to. "That's why Troy showed up. He was pretty unhappy about me getting out of D&W. But it's time."
"What're you going to do next?" Carter sat cross-legged on the bed, and Jeremy put a hand on one of his thighs.
"I'm going to work on my own music. See if I can make anything of it. My dad and I … we've had some great talks, and I trust him to help steer me toward the right people."
Carter's brows lifted high. "Wow. I mean, I knew things were getting better. I guess … " Carter lifted Jeremy's hand to his mouth and kissed his knuckles. "That's great. I'm glad things are getting better between you guys."
Jeremy shrugged it off, but he was pleased, and knew his smile probably gave it away. "Seems we're both making headway in the parental department."
Carter looked off as if in the direction of the guest cabin. Jeremy couldn't stop himself. Damn it. He had to kiss that wistful smile. "We're gonna die of diabetic shock."
"Yeah, well. Honeymoon phase and all. I'll be back to giving you shit soon enough."
"I have the feeling you'll be back to it when we're at the table with my sister."
"Probably," Carter sing-songed, rising from the bed and disappearing into the bathroom.
Jeremy checked his phone while he heard the sink running and teeth being brushed.
There were a couple missed calls, more than one from Troy, who'd left during Jeremy's big "I love you" speech to Carter. But there was only one text. From Milo.
Dude! Troy is freaked, but I'm stoked for you! Call when you're done making like bunnies.
He was not looking forward to all those I told you sos.
Carter came out of the bathroom and smiled at him.
"Ready to face the firing squad?"
Jeremy groaned, but before he could fall backwards on the bed, Carter had taken both his hands and pulled him to standing and kissed him thoroughly. And Jeremy now knew what it was like to be kissed until you were weak in the knees.
Jeremy looked at Carter, and in all seriousness, had to ask, "Do you think if we'd talked earlier or … I don't know. Were we not communicating?"
Carter seemed taken aback by the question, then looked thoughtful. "I don't know what we could have communicated. I mean, I could have told you I had feelings, but we really did try to keep it casual, at first. And I think you had to know what you wanted to communicate. It seemed like you didn't even really get it until yesterday."
"You're right. I mean, I knew you were something special. Don't think I haven't known that for a long time, okay? And I know I'm … me."
"Hey." Carter nudged him. "Don't be sorry. I don't think if one of us had spoken any earlier that the other would have reacted right. Maybe it was just our time. And we have plenty of time, from now on, to smooth over the bumps."
"Damn, you're hot when you're all smart and shit," Jeremy said, kissing the soft spot under Carter's earlobe. Then he grunted, done with the heavy conversation for now. He was still himself, after all. "You think Sarah will be nice to us since we took it easy on Chris that first night?"
Carter guffawed. "Not a chance. And your mom is going to have way too much fun with this."
Jeremy dropped his head to Carter's shoulder and whined, "We could just run away instead."
Carter wrapped his arms around Jeremy's waist and squeezed. "No, but we can tonight. We still haven't broken in the old barn. I'd say that's a fitting farewell."
Jeremy straightened. "Actually, would you mind if I came and hung out for a few days in New York with you? I hear you've got this whole ‘Fancy Friday' thing. I like cheese."
Carter looked so damn happy, Jeremy wanted to press rewind just so he could see the blooming of that smile again. He really liked getting it right with this guy.
"Of course. Nothing would make me happier."
And wasn't that simple?
Epilogue
One Year Later
"I'm proud of your mom," Sarah said, lips quirked in a smart-ass grin. "She only had a small crew of paps at your graduation."
Carter dropped down on the couch beside her, watching as the moving crew carried off boxes. "Yeah, well. It's her version of helping out."
"Most parents write checks. Or give hugs. Yours fires up a publicity machine."