I had lived my whole life in the south. It hadn’t brought much fortune my way, and I was tired of the heat, so I decided to go for a change. I moved up north. I had found a nice house in a small neighborhood in a quiet city in the state of Colorado. My neighbors kept to themselves, though there was a nice period of time that I got knocks at the door to welcome me to the neighborhood. It really gave me a homey feel, even though I knew no one there, and I was alone. It just didn’t bother me for some reason.

 

I had settled in pretty well, and my work, which was from home, was going better than before. I spent most of my days in my office, where I had a nice view of one of my neighbor’s garden. It was lush and beautiful. I knew nothing of plants and flowers, but his garden was something I enjoyed looking out at during those times that my mind would wander. I often daydreamed about having a partner to live life with. I had recently come to terms with my sexuality, though I hadn’t told anyone about it. It was honestly part of the reason for my move away from my home state.

 

My family was a bit conservative, and no matter how many times I imagined having the “I’m gay” conversation with my family, I just didn’t see it ending well. Even though we weren’t a close knit family, they still meant the world to me. I didn’t think I could handle looks of disappointment, or worse. I knew what I had done was run away from a problem I had, but I was happy with my choice, and I felt at peace.

 

I had been spending a lot of time in my office, working longer hours that I probably should have, but I had nothing else to put my time into. I found myself gazing out the large open window at the flowers in the garden next door. They swayed in the gentle breeze and as I began to drift off into a daydream, I was interrupted by a gentle, but gruff voice. I sat up and glanced around to see the man responsible for the beautiful sight in his backyard. I ducked down behind my computer, as if he could see me, and I peeked around the side of the monitor.

 

He was crouching down, talking to his plants. It was cute, and it made me smile as I watched the buff man babying the foliage. He spritzed some water on a couple of the plants and continued to coo at them. I knew he put a great amount of care into his garden because of how large and delightful it was. Though, I hadn’t ever seen him at work in his garden. I hardly ever really saw him, outside of the few times I had been on my front porch and witnessed him climbing into his car to head off to what I presumed was work.

 

The older gentleman continued to intone, “hello, hello my babies.”

 

It was beyond cute, and I wondered if he would talk to his significant other the same way. I sighed quietly, and looked back at my screen. I needed a hobby, or something that would call to me, the way this man’s garden called to him. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. Then it came to me. I could get myself a puppy. I perked up at the thought and immediately opened a new internet browser window on the computer in front of me. I spent what felt like hours searching and researching breeds of dogs, how to train new puppies, and all sorts of pet related subjects.

 

Financially, I could afford it, and I had more than enough free time, since I spent the majority of my life in my home. I knew taking a puppy for a daily walk, and going to dog parks would get me out of the house and potentially spice up my social life. Most importantly, it would give me something to love. I couldn’t help but to smile at how well I just knew this was going to go. I had a wonderful dog companion as I grew up, and I had always wanted to get a dog of my own, but I didn’t have the motivation back then.

 

It didn’t take me long to find the perfect little puppy. It wasn’t a pure bred, but a mixed breed from the local animal shelter. It was love at first sight. I spent my free time, and some of my not so free time, with the little furball. He kept me busy, and as I suspected, it got me to spend some time outside of my house. I met some nice people on our little walks and at the vet’s office. It was a nice time during the spring and summer months that he grew into a handsome boy. It was so nice, that I hadn’t thought to prepare for the winter months.

 

It was my first winter up north, so I didn’t exactly know what to expect. I knew it would snow, and I was sincerely looking forward to it, because it never snowed where I was from. The air was crisp with cold, and the leaves had long since fallen off of the trees. I woke up one morning, shivering as my central heat had not kicked on for some reason. Riley, my pup, had been curled up against me, his face tucked under one of my pillows. We always slept this way. I sat up and stretched, yawning a long yawn, and made my way out of bed to check the thermostat.

 

It was reading “error”, and I had no idea what to do. I checked out the window to discover it had snowed overnight. Everything was covered in white. I smiled big, like a child, and ran to get dressed. I completely forgot about the issues with the central heat. I had never seen the snow before and it was such a beautiful sight to see. I practically skipped into the bedroom, where Riley lifted his head and tilted it when he looked at me.

 

“C’mon, Riley! It snowed, it snowed!” I peeped happily. He jumped up from his spot on the bed and wagged his tail at my excitement. I patted my leg and ran to the back door, Riley in tow. I had to push the backdoor open, as the snow had piled against the door. I tromped out into the snow, with sneakers, sweatpants, and a sweater on. I didn’t exactly have any winter clothes, I hadn’t really done much of anything to actually prepare for the oncoming weather.

 

Riley stood at the door, sniffing the air curiously. I walked further out into the backyard, smiling from ear to ear as I looked around. The thick blanket of snow had to be at least a foot deep. I turned to see Riley hesitantly take a step outside of the doorway and into the snow. I patted my thigh again, signaling him to come to me. He was still a young and curious pup, so I knew he would enjoy the snow. I bent down and scooped up some snow and let it fall from my bare hands. I let out a small giggle and hugged myself while Riley built up the courage to step further into the snow covered backyard.

 

“Enjoying the snow?” Came a voice from somewhere around the side of me. I quickly looked toward the gruff voice that called out and flashed a smile to my neighbor. I wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there watching me, though it was only fair. I had spent a great deal of time watching him tend to his garden.

 

“Oh my god, yes! It is so pretty! I’ve only seen it in pictures and stuff,” I gushed as my eyes switched between the man and my dog.

 

“Really? Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?” He was coming closer to the small fence that separated our yards. The older man was dressed properly for this type of weather, with a warm coat, and what appeared to be snow boots. Each step crunched in the snow, and the sound was so satisfying.

 

I smiled and shook my head, “The southern part of Louisiana. We never got any snow down there,” I answered, while I turned to step a little closer to the fence as well.

 

“A beautiful state!” he boomed, “I visit every once in a while for Mardi Gras. I hadn’t explored much outside of New Orleans.”

 

“Oh yeah, I love New Orleans! But I think this snow is winning me over!” I laughed.

 

We talked for about fifteen minutes before I started to shiver. I found out his name was Tom, and that he had lived in his home for the last eight years. Tom was thirty nine, and he had traveled most of the states, as well as outside of the US, and that was something I had thought about adding to my bucket list. I had admitted to Tom that I enjoyed his garden, and inquired if the snow would harm his garden. He assured me that it would bounce back, as it did every year.

 

Our small conversation was quite enjoyable, he chuckled here and there, and I laughed in turn. Riley had taken to Tom, and had the pleasure of being pet and scratched a bit by the older man. Though, Riley didn’t seem to care for the snow as I thought he would, and had abandoned me to make his way back inside of the house. Though it wasn’t that much warmer inside there.

 

“You’re shivering. You should get inside and warm up,” Tom advised.

 

“I think my heater is broken, but I do need to get that figured out,” I said, a bit disappointed that our conversation had come to an end.

 

“Try, uh… Mamruns and Sons HVAC. If you can get with them, they’ll treat you good,” he smiled and waved goodbye as he turned to head back into his home. I turned and did the same, quickly closing the door behind me. I found wet paw prints on the floor and followed them to see that Riley had made his way back into the bed, but this time, he had curled up, completely under the thick comforter. I nodded, that was what I wanted to do. Instead I made my way to the office to make some calls to see who could come out to fix my heater.

 

It took me two hours to find someone. Unfortunately, the company Tom had suggested didn’t have any open appointments for a couple of weeks. The soonest I could find an appointment with anyone would be a few days out anyway. I began to worry. There was a bigger storm coming, and the temperature would drop even lower than had been. I had a fire place, but no firewood, and only a couple of blankets. One of which was thinner and more for the summer months. It wasn’t looking very good for me, and I wasn’t going to dare try driving in the snow to get any of the items I needed. Which got me thinking about my food supply.

 

I didn’t know how long the storm would go on, but I hoped it wouldn’t be so bad that I couldn’t order a few meals here and there. Riley was stocked up on dog food, thankfully. My worry grew as I got up from my desk and made my way to my kitchen. I didn’t grocery shop often, I just ordered take out and ran it off on my treadmill. And as I had suspected, there wasn’t much inside of my refrigerator, freezer, or pantry. This wasn’t going to be easy if the storm was as bad as people were saying it was going to be. The thoughts were beginning to get overwhelming, so I chose to go lie down in bed with Riley, under the cover where it was less cold.

 

A few hours passed while I dozed lazily in the bed along with Riley. A knock at the door had brought me from my little nest. As I walked through my small house, I wondered who on Earth would be knocking on my door. To my surprise, it was Tom. I opened the door with a smile.

 

“Heya, Tom. What can I do for you?”

 

He smiled at me before he spoke, “You get in touch with anyone for your heat?”

 

“No, well yes. But they can’t come out until three days from now if the weather permits,” I said and frowned, my worries all coming back to me.

 

“I kind of figured it would be something like that. They get backed up around this time of year.”

 

“Hm, well I know better for next year.”

 

“Listen, I know we just formally met, but my house is open to you and Riley. My heat works just fine, I have a second bedroom and plenty of food.” This man had to have been a godsend. Still, I wondered how awkward it would be to sleep over at Tom’s house. It answered all of my problems. “This storm is coming in pretty fast, and I don’t think you want to brave it without any heat…”

 

“Yeah,” I looked down at the ground and shivered a bit. It was our best chance at braving this storm unscathed. My nose was already runny. “I appreciate it, Tom. I think we are going to have to take you up on the offer. I wasn’t prepared for any of this.”

 

Tom smiled and nodded his head, “Don’t be down on yourself. When I first moved out, I had to weather a bad storm and even though I grew up with this kind of stuff, I still wasn’t prepared. You’re welcome to come on over any time you’re ready, and like I said. Riley is welcome.”

 

I thanked Tom again, and told him we would be over shortly. He said he would prepare some dinner and that the door would be open. I was thankful. I went back into my home and made my way back into my room to pack a few days worth of clothes in a duffel bag. Sure, I would be right next door, but I didn’t think I wanted to trudge through all of that beautiful snow several times a day. I packed my laptop for work, grabbed some toiletries and packed those as well. I poured some of Riley’s dog food into a couple of large zip lock bags, and packed his food and water bowls along with the food into a small box. I just hoped Riley sleeping in bed with me wouldn’t be a problem for Tom.

 

Within the hour, Riley and I was standing at Tom’s front door. I could already smell the delicious aroma of whatever he was inside cooking, and my stomach growled. I knocked before I turned the handle and opened the door. I glanced around as the front room was immediately in view. It was tidy, and open, yet it had a cozy feel to it. It was probably the warmth from the heat and fire place that was lit up.

 

“Hey, Tom? Its Jake…and Riley!” I called as I walked into Tom’s home, Riley right at my side.

 

“Just a sec,” Tom called back from somewhere in the house.

 

I closed the door behind me and stood there, holding the box with Riley’s belongings in my hand and the duffel bag hanging off my shoulder. Along with the smell of cooking food, I could smell some sort of spice fragrance. I figured it was probably one of those fragrances for the home. The décor was mostly white with some ash accents, like small pillows on the couch, and a dark colored rug. I noticed the shoes by the door and figured Tom was one of those people that took their shoes off right when they made it into the house. Nothing wrong with it. I slipped my shoes off and pushed them against the wall, looking up just in time to see Tom come around the corner.

 

“I’m glad you two came!” He smiled as he approached us. He reached out to take the box I was holding from me.

 

“Oh, uh… this is Riley’s stuff. I brought him some food and his food bowls.”

 

“Okay, we can set that up right outside of the kitchen,” Tom responded as he took the box from me and walked away. “I’ll show you around the house!”

 

I followed Tom and paid attention as he explained rooms and hallways. It wasn’t a small house, but it wasn’t lavishly large either. Still, I really enjoyed the layout and the decorations he had up. My house was more techy, with led lights and posters all over the place. It was like a teenage boy’s dream home. Tom’s house felt more…appropriate.

 

“Here’s the room you’ll sleep in,” his voice caught my attention as he opened a door. I stepped into the room. It wasn’t much different from the rest of the house. I set down the duffel bag and turned to face Tom.

 

“I really can’t thank you enough,” I smiled. I wanted to hug the man.

 

“It’s no problem, Jake” he smiled back. “That’s what neighbors are for. I’ll let you get settled in. Dinner is finished cooking, I just need to set the table and we can eat. I hope you like steaks. I didn’t even think to ask.”

 

I nodded. Tom smiled and left the room, leaving behind his smell of cologne. I couldn’t place the smell, not that I was knowledgeable on scents. I set the duffel bag next to the closet door and looked up to see that Riley had already jumped up on the bed and laid at the foot of it. I reached over to pet the top of his head and smiled. I pet him for a few longer moments and he laid still, enjoying the affection. I stopped and he picked his head up and whimpered a bit.

 

“Stay,” I commanded. I left the room and navigated my way to the bathroom to wash my hands. As I washed my hands, I thought more about the décor around Tom’s home. He had pictures hanging on the walls of himself and another man. I didn’t want to assume that Tom was of the gay persuasion, the other man could have been his brother or best friend. I hadn’t seen anyone else come out or go in Tom’s home and he hadn’t brought anyone else up in our conversation either. I shrugged it off and left the bathroom to find the dining room.

 

“Wow, Tom,” I mused as I looked over the table. The food looked delicious, and the table altogether was very lovely to look at. “It smelled great, but it looks even better!”

 

“Wait ‘til you taste it,” he chuckled and pulled out a seat, motioning for me to sit. I sat down and looked over my plate. I hadn’t lied. My mouth was watering and I was eager to taste the food. It was a thick steak, with mashed potatoes and green beans. One of my favorite meals. I glanced up to see Tom sitting down across from me. I wanted to start eating, I hadn’t eaten all day, but I thought it would be rude to just dive in. We both sat quietly, looking at each other with awkward smiles until Tom spoke up.

 

“Its been a while since I’ve entertained. I don’t practice any religion or anything, but if you need to bless the food or something you can. If not, we should get started before the food gets cold.”

 

I chuckled and shook my head, “Nope, I don’t pray over my food.” I picked up a fork and steak knife and cut into the steak. I wasted no time in taking a bite, and when I did, my eyes closed, and saliva coated my mouth. It was the most delectable taste of meat I had ever had in my life. I let out an audible moan of approval. Tom chuckled.

 

“I will take that as a compliment.”

 

“This tastes amazing!”

 

We talked and ate our food. After our plates were empty, and our stomachs full, we continued to talk. The conversation was nice, and I was relaxed. I would laugh here and there at the jokes Tom made, and he would do the same. I had noticed the first time I saw him, but Tom was an attractive older man. I wasn’t sure if I had a type, but if I did, it seemed as though Tom fit it. His mustache and short beard had flecks of silver in them, and his hair was salt and pepper, full and slicked back. He had not one wrinkle on his face, and his eyes were a piercing blue. That’s what I was appreciating the most on his face. His eyes. They were so full of youth, yet there was a sadness to them all the same. I was curious to know why.

 

“What are you thinking?” Tom asked.

 

I hadn’t noticed that I had gone quiet, and I could feel a small blush dust over my cheeks. I couldn’t tell him that I was admiring his physical appearance. I glanced up at him and smiled nervously as I tried to come up with something. I looked back down at the plate. I wasn’t sure how to recover from this.

 

“Look at those red cheeks. Now I really want to know what you’re thinking,” he chuckled.

 

“I just… You have the most beautiful eyes, Tom.” It was his turn to blush. I glanced up, quickly noticing the red tint across his face. I smiled and looked down. “I hope that wasn’t too forward. I just couldn’t help but to notice them.”

 

“Not too forward at all, Jake. Thank you, I was just… a bit caught off guard. But to be quite honest with you, your eyes are breathtaking. I’ve always loved green eyes, but your eyes are so vivid.”

 

I smiled, not lifting my head to see if Tom was looking at me. I could feel that he was. The hot sensation on my cheeks had increased, and I could feel that it had spread to my entire face. I wasn’t one to fluster easily, which made me confused about the current situation. I shook my head and looked up to meet Tom’s eyes. I couldn’t stop smiling. I guess in this short time, I had developed a crush.

 

“No one’s ever really said much about my eyes before,” I finally spoke up.

 

“That’s a shame.”

 

“Their loss, I guess. I can clean up,” I said waving my hands over the table. After I spoke, a gust of wind slammed against Tom’s house. I jumped a little and looked around.

 

“The storm is starting up, I suppose. We can go sit by the fire. Where is Riley?” Tom asked as he looked toward the hallway.

 

“Oh, I didn’t want him to sit at the table begging for food, so I told him to stay.”

 

“He’s a good dog,” he rose from the table and looked at me expectedly. I smiled at the compliment of Riley’s behavior and nodded my head in agreement. I stood up from my seat at the table and followed Tom out of the dining room into the front room. All the while, I wondered about why Tom made me feel the way I was feeling, if I made him feel the same way.

 

 The fire was the perfect size, and the warmth emitting from it seeped down into my bones. Tom sat down on the love seat that was stationed in front of the fireplace, and patted the seat next to him. I slowly sat down and leaned back, relaxing. I folded my hands in my lap, fully aware that my knee was pressed up against Tom’s knee. Tom didn’t seem to mind, so I didn’t move it. I wanted the physical connection, even though we hadn’t known each other very long at all.

 

“I haven’t been this close to a man since my husband passed.”

 

My eyes widened and I looked over to Tom, “I’m so sorry to hear that…”

 

“No, it’s okay. I grieved, and I’m ready to move on. Forgive me if this is too forward, but I want to do that with you.”

 

“I…”my eyes widened even more. I wasn’t sure what he was asking.

 

“What I mean is, I would like to really get to know you. Maybe date if we find each other agreeable. I felt a strong pull to you this morning when I saw you outside, enjoying the snow. I don’t know if you feel anything like that for me…”

 

“I do… I’ve never really felt all… I don’t know what to call this feeling.”

 

“I have had flutters in my stomach since you arrived, Jake.”

 

“You have?” I looked over and subconsciously placed my hand on Tom’s knee.

 

“I have. You are an attractive young man, and maybe I’m too old for you to be interested in, but I thought I would make my intentions known,” he placed his hand on top of mine. I didn’t pull away. He looked me in my eyes, and I relaxed some.

 

“I think you’re attractive too. You’re not too old for me, you’re not too old at all, Tom. I would love to get to know you.”

 

We smiled at each other, and the wind howled outside. The sounds of the storm were ignored as we looked into each other’s eyes. The reflection of the fire shown in Tom’s eyes, and it was mesmerizing. I didn’t stop my eyes from trailing down his nose and settling on his lips. As I was about to look back up into his eyes, I felt the warmth of his palm caressing my cheek.

 

I smiled and leaned against his hand, closing my eyes. I felt him shift on the couch and then there was warmth on my lips. My lips responded to Tom’s lips pressed against mine. My hands snaked up his chest and cupped his cheeks as I pressed my lips flush with his. The kiss was soft, and only lasted a few moments, but it felt like heaven. We pulled away at the same time, my hands lingered on his cheeks, and his hand slowly lowered down to my knee.

 

“I’m sorry, I just had to know what that would feel like,” he whispered. I smiled and gently squeezed his cheeks in my hand. I shook my head and let go of his face. I couldn’t believe I had just kissed a stranger, and it felt like the most familiar thing I had felt since I left home.

 

“Don’t be sorry. I really enjoyed that,” I affirmed quietly.

 

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against him. I didn’t mind, and leaned in, laying my head on his shoulder. He smelled like cedar and spice, and I took it all in. I rubbed my hand over his chest and sighed contently. I closed my eyes until I felt something press against my leg. I opened my eyes and smiled at Riley.

 

“Hey buddy,” I sat up and Tom reached out to rub the top of Riley’s head. “I guess its dinner time.”

 

“I can feed him,” Tom offered and he got up. I watched as he walked away. A few moments later, I heard the kibble being poured into the bowl and Riley quickly made his way toward the sound. I sat back on the small couch and waited until Tom came back. He sat next to me and I smiled over at him.

 

“So do we just talk and get to know each other?”

 

“I think that’s the best way to do this. We will be here for a few days until your heat gets fixed. I can’t say I won’t enjoy the company. Will you be working while you are here?” Tom asked, his arm wrapped around my shoulders once again.

 

“Yeah, I work from home, and my WIFI reaches over here. I won’t have to use yours,” I offered.

 

“I wouldn’t have minded if you needed to.”

 

We went back and forth just chatting about little things, and then as the night went on, the conversation got deeper as we talked about what we wanted in life. He asked me questions about what I wanted to do, how I planned to achieve it all. I answered all of his questions, and asked the same of him. I listened intently as he spoke. As the hour grew late, I found myself getting lost in his eyes and blushing every so often whenever he would catch me staring at him. I was in love with his voice at this point, and I didn’t want him to stop talking.

 

“It’s getting late, or well… later than I ever really stay up anymore.” Tom pointed to the clock reading two thirty in the morning. I nodded my head reluctantly.

 

“I’m having such a good time though, Tom.”

 

“I know, I know. I don’t want it to end,” he smiled at me and rubbed his thumb against my cheek. “I have a crazy idea though. It is a bit selfish, and I understand if you say no…”

 

“What is it?”

 

“We could cuddle in my bed, talk until one of us, or both of us, fall asleep.”

 

I smiled and nodded my head. I wanted to be close to him. He stood up and held his hand out to me. I grabbed it and he helped me up. Tom lead me out of the living room, and into the hallway, and finally into his bedroom. He had a large king sized bed, donned with black sheets and a black comforter, there were decorative pillows on the bed as well. He started taking them off the bed, and I went over to help. We pulled back the comforter and top sheet.

 

“Would you mind if I changed into my pajama pants? I sleep shirtless,” Tom asked.

 

“I usually sleep in my boxers, so I don’t mind if you don’t.”

 

We spent the rest of the night in each other’s arms. At some point Riley came into his room, and jumped up on the bed. I explained that he slept with me, and Tom just smiled and nodded his head. We didn’t doze off until the sun began to rise, and I felt myself melting for this man that I had just met. It was a simple kind of feeling, being in his arms and listening to him talk about his life. I loved listening to him. From what I could tell, he enjoyed listening to me.

 

It was an amazing feeling, Tom wanting to know me, and I was open like I had never been before. There was a connection I was already sure of, and being in his arms after being alone for so long was more than just a comfort, but a confirmation of life itself. We slept for a few hours and at some point late in the morning, Tom rose from the bed to relieve himself. I woke to the sell of bacon and coffee, but I just laid there, reviewing the night I had experienced.

 

“Hey, sleepy head…”

 

I picked my head up to see Tom standing in the doorway of his bedroom with a tray in his hands. I could smell the bacon and coffee coming from the tray, but there was also eggs and pancakes. I sat up with a smile and rubbed away the remaining sleep from my eyes. I tilted my head and just smiled at the beautiful man in front of me. In that moment, I had hope that there would be more amazing days and nights in my future.

 

“Hey, handsome.”

 

“I know you didn’t get much, but how was your sleep?” Tom asked as he approached with the tray. It smelled so good, and my mouth watered.

 

“I hadn’t slept that peaceful in a while,” I admitted.

 

“Honestly, it felt…it felt really wonderful sleeping next to you.”

 

I smiled a goofy smile and looked down at my hands. To hear those words, it sent butterflies through my stomach. It had felt really good. Sure, I had Riley to keep me company at nights, but it wasn’t nearly the same as it had been with Tom. Tom and I could hold each other, have conversations. I hadn’t had anything like this in a long while. Even when I lived back home. I always laid in bed, tossing and turning throughout my sleep.

 

I took the tray from Tom as he held it out to me, “Breakfast in bed? Are you trying to spoil me, Tom?”

 

“I just want to treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”

 

I smiled another goofy smile and blushed. I noticed Tom was still wearing just his bottoms. I had enjoyed the way his hair chest felt against my skin. I must have been staring at him, because Tom cleared his throat and shifted a little. I blushed again and looked down at the food in front of me. I realized I had a bulge forming, and pulled the tray over my lap to hide it. Maybe Tom had seen in and that was why he cleared his throat.

 

“Sorry, I just…”

 

“You like what you see, and that makes me happy that I can cause that kind of response.” Tom said, confirming my suspicions. I started to eat the food on the plate. The eggs were perfect, and the bacon nice and crisp. That was the only way I knew how to respond to Tom’s comment. By not responding, and eating his thoughtful dish with a mad blush across my face.

 

Tom left the room and returned with his own tray of food. He sat next to me in bed and we ate together, mostly silent. When we finished, I gathered the plates and took them to the kitchen to clean up. Tom had already washed the dishes from the night, as well as what he used to cook that morning. So it was easy and quick for me to clean up whatever mess was left. I was wiping down the counter when I felt Tom’s arms wrap around my waist. I turned my head and managed to kiss his cheek while his arms stayed firmly wrapped around me.

 

“You didn’t have to clean up, darilng. I was going to do it.”

 

“I wanted to help. You’ve been so accommodating.”

 

“I have something you could help with,” he chuckled.

 

At that moment, I felt his hardon pressed against the small of my back. My breath caught in my throat and my face burned red. It was unexpected, though not unwanted. I just didn’t know what to do, or how to continue. I was somewhat inexperienced, and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself with this older man. 

 

“What do you want me to do?” my words, barely a whisper. His hand slid up from my waist, over my stomach, and up my chest to gently grip my chin. Tom pulled my face back toward his and he kissed me. I pressed my lips back against his, running my hands along his forearms. My lips parted when I felt his tongue tasting my lips, inviting him in. I moved one of my hands behind me, down his stomach to grab his erection in my hand. I caressed him over his thin pants and underwear, and he let out a small moan against my lips.

 

He placed his hands on my hips and turned me around to face him. Our kiss deepened and I continued to fondle his manhood with my hand. My own member had stiffened, and I pressed it against his, grinding a bit. I breathed out at the sensation the movement caused, and Tom grabbed my hips tighter, pulling me closer against him. I gasped when I felt my boxers pushed from my hips and they fell to the ground. I pulled away from the kiss for a moment to look into Tom’s eyes.

 

“Do you want to stop?” he asked, a look of concern on his face.

 

“No-“ I pressed my lips back to his and hooked my fingers in the waistband of his pants and briefs. I pulled and pushed with my fingers until his bottoms were down to his thighs. I grabbed his member, and mine, and held them together as I began to stroke. His hand found the back of my head, and his fingers wrapped in my hair. I squeezed our lengths, sliding my hand up and down slowly. My free hand ran over his chest, feeling the hair there.

 

As we kissed, our hands caressed every part of each other’s bodies. His fingers moved expertly down my ass and pressed against my hole. I bit his lip as he pushed his index finger inside of me, feeling a bit of a sting. He gripped my hair harder and pulled his finger free from me. I felt pressure as he pushed me down. I obliged and got down on my knees in front of him.

 

He held his cock in one hand, and rubbed his thumb over my lips. He smiled with his bottom lip tucked between his teeth and pressed the tip of his shaft against my mouth. My tongue snaked out from my lips and licked around his head. This was the part I was most nervous about. I wasn’t a pro cock sucker, like most other gay men. I hadn’t done it more than a handful of times, each time brief.

 

I looked up at him, and smiled when he nodded his head encouragingly. I licked my lips and wrapped them around the head of his cock and licked around it again. He groaned and I felt a little more confident. I took more of him into my mouth, wrapping my fingers around the rest of him. I stroked him while I slid my lips up and down, pressing my tongue against his skin. Tom gripped the sides of my head and he pulled my head down further on his dick. I moved my hand and allowed him to guide me.

 

He began pumping his hips, thrusting into my mouth. I tried to hold in my gags, but once the tip of his erection hit my tonsils and entered my throat, it came in spurts. I gagged, and closed my eyes. Tom pulled back a bit and slowed his pace. He began to pet the back of my head and gave me control back. I bobbed my head steadily, though a little faster than I had been going before. All the while, relishing in the moans and groans coming from the man standing before me.

 

“That’s it, get into Jake.”

 

I used my free hand and cupped his balls, massaging them in my palm. Saliva began to pool in my mouth, leaking out the corners of my mouth. My shoulders relaxed as I got more into it. The encouraging noises and gentle thrusts coming from Tom were the cause. I continues to massage his balls and began to take him into my throat now that I was more relaxed. I still gagged a little, but was able to control it a little better.

 

“Oh, baby. That’s perfect,” Tom assured me and pet my head.

 

I sped up, not caring that there was drool dripping down my chin. Small moans began to escape my throat, as I lost myself in sucking Tom’s hard cock. My hand drifted down to my own member, and I began stroking. My strokes matched the speed in which I devoured Tom, my moaning getting a little more frequent as gave in to the mental and physical pleasure. I hadn’t ever felt so free, and the desire to please Tom was almost animalistic. I felt him tighten his grip on my head and he began thrusting wildly into my throat.

 

“I’m cumming, baby!”

 

I was gagging, and holding on for dear life as Tom assaulted my throat. Tears formed and my nose began to run. I heard him began to groan, and growl as his member spasmed in my mouth. Hot cum shot into my mouth and throat and I swallowed it as best as I could. Tom had ceased his thrusting and he slowly pulled out of my mouth, a bit of his cum spilled from him onto my lips. I looked up at him, my face a mess, and I licked my lips clean and smiled at him. He bent down and kissed me, pulling me up from my knees. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his arms wrapped around my waist. The kissing slowed down, and we both pulled away and looked at each other.

 

“I hope I did okay… I’m not very good at that,” I glanced down away from his gaze. In honesty, I knew he had enjoyed himself, but I wanted to hear him say it.

 

“Jake, that was wonderful. You did amazing. Do you care to take it further, or would you like to stop here?”

 

“Do you think we are moving to quickly?” I asked, feeling the nerves tighten up in my stomach.

 

“I think we are, but there’s a thrill to it. I want to do so much with you. Not just sexually, but I want to be with you. I know that after last night.”

 

I blushed and hid my face against his chest. I knew that we were certainly moving all too quickly, but I wanted to feel his skin melting against mine. I wanted to feel it all, everything. I looked up at him, looked into his magnificently blue eyes. He peered back into mine, and I wondered what he was thinking, and if he was wondering the same thing about me.

 

“I want to feel you, but it’s been a very long time. Please don’t hurt me,” I looked deeper into his eyes. I meant more than just physical pain.

 

“I couldn’t ever.”

 

Tom reached behind his neck and grabbed my hands, and lead me to the bedroom. It was like it was straight out of a romance novel. He was soft, yet firm. He caressed my body and kissed me everywhere he could. I moaned so much, I lost my voice towards the end. I came from just his thrusts, and we kissed and kissed. I loved every moment of it, and while I couldn’t truly speak for him, I just knew he loved it too. I reveled in the way his cock stretched me, and fit perfectly inside of me. He wasn’t too big, and he wasn’t too small. He was simply perfect for me.

 

He climaxed and he held me close to him, not pulling out, but allowing himself to soften inside of me. I kept my arms around him and I fought sleep, but it was inevitable. I kept my head against his chest, listening to his heart beat as it slowed down, with my eyes closed. I let out a soft hum as I began to drift off. He made very little movements and gave in to sleep as well. The feeling of being held the way Tom held me, it was new and comforting. I wanted Tom to be my safe space. We woke up to Riley jumping on the bed and rolling over us.

 

“Ugh, Riley nooo,” I groaned. I hadn’t taken him outside to use the restroom and my eyes widened. I had hoped he hadn’t went in Tom’s house. “I need to take him ouside.”

 

“I’ll come with you two.”

 

We took him out, seeing the result of the snow storm. Riley faced the snow and did his business, and I sighed in relief seeing that he hadn’t gone in Tom’s home. I was still ill equipped when it came to clothes, but Tom held me against him and rubbed my arms and back as I shivered. He looked at me and smiled while we were out there, and I giggled and smiled back at him, loving the way he looked at me.

 

The rest of the day was spent with cuddles by the fire, and we learned that there would be more snow that night. I joked about wanting snow, but not knowing the implications of how much it would actually snow. Tom laughed and blamed me for the snow storms. I was comfortable in his arms, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life there.

 

“Sweetheart,” Tom started, “I don’t ever want to be without you.”

 

My heart melted. I felt the same way.