Arcanum (Tales from the Tarot)

19. Greyson

Chapter nineteen

Greyson

A s soon as the allotted hour came, I flipped the “Closed” sign in the window of Arcanum and raced out the back door.

I didn’t even bother going to my house. I parked and went straight to Chris’s. Nitro was in the backyard and ran up to the front gate, barking and wagging his tail.

Chris opened the door in a flash, wearing nothing but black sweats, low on his hips, and yanked me inside. I didn’t even get a smile before he pushed me against the door, kissing me as if he’d been waiting centuries instead of hours.

Desperate to feel him again, I helped him tear my clothes off and toss them to the side. When I reached for his sweats, he batted my hand away and pressed kisses to my throat, down my chest, sinking slowly as he went.

His breath swept over my cock as he settled on his knees in front of it, his hands stroking my hips, hesitation hanging in the air. He wanted to do it, for me and for the simple sake of trying it out, but the worry that he’d mess it up nearly snuffed out his lust.

“Anything you do will be amazing,” I said softly, running my fingers through the top of his dark hair, “because you’re the one doing it.”

Reassured, he licked his lips and leaned forward, gently sucking my crown into his mouth. I exhaled a sigh, watching my dick slide in deeper as he tested things out. “Just like that.”

Nerves and horniness spiraled around one another like a double helix, though I wouldn’t have known it from the way he was working my cock. Each time I moaned or whimpered or played with his hair, a little more of the nerves faded until they ceased to be. He found his rhythm pretty quickly, licking and sucking and stroking me at the same time, doing all of the things he liked in the hopes it would please me.

It did.

Before I came too quickly, I pulled Chris to his feet and kissed him hard, dissuading his worry from returning. “I want you to fuck me again.”

His hands slipped over my asscheeks and one of his fingers skimmed along my crease, lust flaring in his dark eyes as he touched the crystal plug. “You’re wearing it again.”

“Makes things easier.”

He seized my jaw and kissed me even harder than before, his hips grinding against mine. When he let go, he grabbed my ass again in both hands and hoisted me off my feet. I wrapped my legs around him and let him carry me wherever he wanted, which turned out to be the living room.

“How do you want it, baby?” he asked as we approached the couch.

“I want you to take me from behind. Kneeling, laying down. I don’t care. We’re going to make a mess either way.”

“Get on your stomach again.”

I did as he said, making sure to arch my back and push my ass toward him, as much for his viewing pleasure as for ease with insertion.

“Look at that,” he said, more to himself than me as he withdrew the plug and set it to the side. He sank his middle finger inside and twisted, making me moan. “You are so fucking hot.”

I rolled my hips against his hand, guiding his finger where I wanted it. He hit the right spot, sending a wave of bliss coursing through my limbs. “You make me this way.”

When he pulled his finger out, I whined. A moment later, his cock pressed against me, cool and slick with lube. It slipped inside with ease, stretching me slowly as he sank in to his balls. My eyes rolled up, so I squeezed them shut, relishing the feel of him, along with the surge of pleasure he radiated.

“How’s that feel?” he asked, running his hands over my hips and lower back.

“It feels fucking great.” Between the microfiber cushion rubbing against my hard-on and his dick thrusting in and out of me, I was going to come in no time.

“I’ve been dreaming about this all day.” He squeezed my ass, thrusting harder.

“Me too.”

Hearing that set off another burst of desire in him. He grabbed my hips and shifted backward, pulling me up onto my knees. I kept my back arched, allowing him a better angle to slam inside. Each time his cock slid in, a new rush of pleasure rippled through me.

Yesterday was amazing, but his desire had been laced with nervousness, an uncertainty about the whole thing, even as he gave himself over to the pleasure. Doubt had shadowed the back of his mind. But somehow in the past twenty-four hours, that shadow seemed to have disappeared. His movements were more sure, his hesitancy more or less gone. Any nervousness I detected now was from fear of failure, not fear of the wider world. And all it took to remedy that was a little encouragement.

Chris withdrew suddenly. I didn’t sense any change in his mood, but he slid off the couch wordlessly. Before I could ask what he was doing, he flipped me onto my back and pulled my ass to the edge of the cushion. “I want to see you.”

It wasn’t just for the sake of variety or to give his knees a break. He meant every word—he wanted to see my face, my eyes, to know if this was anything beyond a hot-as-hell hookup. Once again, all he needed was reassurance.

Cupping the back of his neck, I pulled him toward me, pressing my lips against his. With my kisses alone, I tried to tell him that I was in it for the long haul without using words that would scare him off. I’d be here for as long as he would have me with zero pressure for anything more.

“Are you ok?” he asked quietly, brushing his nose against mine as he pulled back to look at me, his dark eyes wary.

“I’m fine. Why?” I furrowed my brows at him, unsure where the bloom of concern came from.

“You’re not hard anymore.” He glanced downward pointedly.

I gave him a soft smile and touched his cheek. “That happens sometimes. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. I promise ,” I added, since he didn’t seem convinced. “Stop worrying and kiss me.”

Obediently sealing our mouths together, his tongue caressed mine, slowly and deeply. I took his face between my hands and held him in place, kissing him as if we had all the time in the world. And we did. My candlelit vision had yet to come true, so I was guaranteed more time with him.

When my hard-on returned, I released his face and smiled. “See? It comes and goes.”

“I’m more interested in the coming part.” He spit into his palm and stroked my shaft with it.

“Keep that up and you’ll see it firsthand.” I thrust up into his grip, which also happened to rock my ass against his cock. He bit his lip and tried to ignore it, keeping his attention focused on my dick. So naturally I did it again, earning me a mock glare.

“Someone’s impatient.”

“You’re not the only one who’s been horny all day.”

Hearing that bolstered his confidence again and spurred him into action. He grabbed the bottle of lube and added more to his cock, using the leftover on his hand to keep stroking me.

I kept my gaze locked on his as he pushed inside again, stretching me in the best way. The pleasure coursing through him amplified my own feelings until I was sure I was going to combust at any moment.

Gradually, his hips flicked a little faster, the slow, steady thrusting giving way to a hard and fast rhythm. He released my cock in the process, so I took over, moaning and writhing as we both rushed toward climax.

“Oh, fuck, I’m gonna come,” Chris gasped, another fleeting moment of panic twisting through him.

“Come inside me,” I spat out before an orgasm rippled through me, coating my chest in spurts.

I didn’t have to tell him twice. After a couple more thrusts, he buried himself inside, his cock throbbing. When it stopped, he lowered his torso onto mine carefully and leaned forward, brushing my nose with his. I ran my fingers along the short part of his hair and caressed the back of his neck.

Kissing me softly, he wrapped me in his arms and held me, happiness flowing out of him with abandon. Not just satisfaction with the sex, but genuine happiness, as if all was finally right in the world.

“That was amazing,” he murmured.

“ You’re amazing.”

“Are you always so perfect?”

“I am far from perfect, let me assure you,” I said with a laugh.

“Let’s agree to disagree.” He kissed me again, soft and gentle, before pulling away with a shy smile. “How was your day?”

Not wanting to spoil the mood but not wanting to lie to him either, I shrugged. “Quiet.”

A frown twisted his lips. “Karen?”

I nodded.

“Yeah, I saw that article.” He shook his head, his jaw shifting irritably. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. I’ve dealt with worse.”

His anger didn’t abate, but he forced a bright smile to his face as an idea hit him. “Are you hungry? I’ve been craving some Mexican lately. We can go out or order—what? What’s wrong?”

Shaking my head quickly, I blinked and tried to erase the expression on my face but it was obviously too late. I’d forgotten how fast he was at picking up on stuff like that. “Nothing. Sorry. Mexican sounds great.”

“No, you had a look when I said Mexican. Are you allergic to spices or something?”

“No. It just reminded me of… Monica,” I admitted quietly, wincing as her name rolled off my tongue. Discussing his ex while his dick was still inside of me was not a great look, but he was the one who wanted honesty.

He made a face, his nose wrinkling. “Monica? As in my ex? What about her?”

“I know she’s trying to win you back.”

Dread replaced his previous confusion and his dark eyes widened. “How do you know that? The tarot stuff?”

“She came into the store a couple of weeks ago, looking for a book. We got to talking. I didn’t put two and two together until the Homecoming parade.”

“You were talking about me ?” Brows lifted, he slid out of me carefully and pushed away, not unkindly. Turning, he snagged a hand towel he’d conveniently stashed inside the coffee table and handed it to me, seating himself in the corner of the couch and giving me his complete attention.

Sheepishly cleaning myself off, I averted my gaze and sat up to have a proper, if not awkward, conversation. “She was, yes. She told me how much she missed you. How sorry she was.”

He scoffed and I could feel the heat of his gaze drift away from me. “Yeah… She caught me at the gym yesterday and gave me the same spiel.” Considering me out of the corner of his eye, he finally turned to face me head-on with another frown. “So why did you freak out just now? You think because I want tacos that I wish I was back with her ?”

“Maybe? On a subconscious level?” I swallowed thickly, stealing a moment to organize my thoughts and quell my sudden rush of nerves. “I know I’m not your usual type. I know this is all new for you, being with another man… If you’re having second thoughts and all of a sudden she shows up with your favorite food, professing her love?” I paused, letting my gaze fall to the empty space on the couch between us. “I wouldn’t blame you for choosing her.”

A pang of fear sprang out of him and stabbed into me. “I would never choose her over you. Ever. Fucking ever! I don’t care what she cooks or how loudly she screams an apology. We’re done and I have no interest in revisiting the past.” He touched my cheek and tilted my face toward his, his brown eyes soft, almost pleading. “I like you, Greyson. I really like you. No, I don’t have a clue what I’m doing, or what any of this means, or where we’ll be in six months, but I don’t care. You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met and I’m happy to follow your lead.”

“I really like you too.” A relieved smile stretched across my face as I slid my hand along the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Pressing my lips to his, I relished the relief circulating between us, both of us able to breathe a little easier. Monica represented more than one obstacle, yet Chris wasn’t fazed. She was the easy option. The socially acceptable option. But he chose me, with every fiber of his being. I didn’t know what the future held for us, either, but for once I was looking forward to it.

I felt around the empty bed next to me, frowning as consciousness took over. It wasn’t the usual sledgehammer of grief that hit me when I woke up, the knowledge that my family was gone, or the panicked fear that Don was out there, waiting to strike again. Instead, it was an unusual coldness where there had previously been warmth and security and comfort.

Patting the mattress next to me in a wider arc, my search came up empty. I was in Chris’s bedroom, I knew that much, but he was nowhere in sight, nor did I sense him nearby. “Chris?”

There was no answer. Not even the sound of Nitro’s collar jangling or his nails on the hardwood floor.

Sitting up, I turned the light on and blinked at the folded piece of paper on the nightstand.

Inside was a simple note.

Meet me in the backyard.

I glanced at the alarm clock on his side of the bed. It was almost three a.m. What could Chris possibly be doing outside at that hour? I supposed I was about to find out. Throwing back the covers, I got dressed and made my way downstairs.

As I passed through the kitchen, Nitro stood to greet me with a low groan. He stretched and padded out from underneath the kitchen table. After a quick head scratch, he walked to his food bowl and whined, pawing at it.

I wasn’t sure if he was genuinely hungry or if it was simply a ploy for more food, like Selene tended to do, but I scooped a little kibble into his bowl anyway before heading outside.

Chris nearly jumped out of his skin when I appeared in the yard, surveying what he’d been up to while I slept. “Oh my God! Where did you come from?”

I smiled and took a step forward, pressing my lips to his. “You said to meet you,” I pointed out, turning my attention to the heap of blankets and series of candles he’d set up around the perimeter. It was all quite picturesque, save for the red plastic cooler.

He seemed to know what I was looking at because a wave of embarrassment rippled across his broad shoulders. “I didn’t have a picnic basket.”

“It’s perfect,” I assured him, squeezing his waist. “But why are we having a picnic at three in the morning?”

“Are you telling me that I know something you don’t?” His dark eyes widened in delight, matching his grin, his dimples as adorable as ever.

“You know a lot of things I don’t, including this.” I gestured to the spread.

“There’s a meteor shower tonight.” He snatched one of the blankets off the ground and draped it around my shoulders. Wrapping his arms around me tightly from behind, he kissed the back of my neck. “Since you’re into this kind of thing, I thought you’d want to see it.”

“How thoughtful,” I murmured, spinning in his arms.

He took my face between his hands and kissed me slowly, making me lightheaded in the process. I was almost grateful when we broke apart gently, our quick breaths crystalizing in the cold night air.

Chris settled on the large blanket first, using the pile of blankets as a pillow. I laid next to him and rested my cheek on his shoulder, covering us both with the blanket he’d wrapped around me.

Comfortable at last, we turned our gazes to the night sky. It was clear and full of glittering stars. Even if we didn’t see a single meteor, it would have been perfect. Not to mention that it was an incredibly romantic gesture, despite Monica’s earlier complaint that Chris wasn’t up to par in that department. Maybe he’d stepped up his game since her or maybe she wasn’t the type to appreciate anything that didn’t require gobs of money. Regardless, I appreciated his effort to do something special for me.

“I have that hard cider you like,” Chris said. “And some cheese. Grapes. Crackers. Oh, and this dill dip stuff from the meat market. Luke is obsessed with it but the idiot won’t buy it for himself, so I always have some.”

I chuckled. “Was there anything you didn’t pack?”

“Dessert,” he replied with a laugh. “I don’t really cook, ok? I mean, I can fend for myself. And I can grill. But I’m not going to embarrass myself by trying to bake anything for you when you’re a master in that department. So, would you like something?”

“I’m good for now, but thank you. I appreciate everything you’ve done.” I stretched upward and kissed him again, releasing a slew of phantom butterflies in his stomach.

Brushing his nose against mine, Chris wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. Once the butterflies flitted away, nothing but happiness radiated out of him, just like earlier. I smiled to myself, soaking up his warmth and contentment as the first shooting star streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of fiery sparks in its wake.

“I’m sorry for what happened to your family,” he said quietly, his arms tightening even more, as if he could shield me from the past. “But I am really glad you moved in next door.”

“Me too…” I whispered, a strange combination of sad and hopeful.

I snuggled against him, one arm wrapped around his waist as tight as I dared. Being happy with Chris didn’t mean I didn’t miss my family, just like being sad for the rest of my life wouldn’t bring them back. It was a terrible balancing act that I was nowhere close to mastering, if it was even possible.

All I could do was send my family love in the afterlife and thank the stars above and whatever mystical power it was that brought me to Mapleton.