XOXO: A Bundle of Cozy Novellas

Edmund

EDMUND

The only way Edmund could respond to Owen’s question was by nodding. Any ability he might have had to form words was lost in a tsunami of pure lust. Apparently his brain had decided to leave everything up to Owen. He trusted him. But Edmund was also counting the hours until they could get condoms. He’d hike through a blizzard if the end result was losing his virginity to Owen Addison.

“Do you want me to undress you first? Or would you like me to be naked first?” Owen was watching him closely. “Never mind I asked that. I’m taking your clothes off. I can’t stand it any longer—I want to see you.”

Lord knew, Edmund had body issues. He was lumpy, hairy, and old. No one had ever called Edmund sexy, unless it had been as a joke. But Owen, who he’d been secretly crushing on since he began working for Canopus, wanted to take Edmund’s clothes off. A tiny part of him was wondering where the hidden cameras were: was he being punked? Those thoughts were ridiculous, of course. Over the course of the past couple of days, Edmund had learned Owen was not a fake; he was not superficial. He wouldn’t hurt Edmund on purpose. But would Edmund be able to keep himself from being hurt? Would Edmund be able to protect his heart? It was probably too late to be asking himself those questions.

“Stand still. Let me do this.”

Owen released the clasp on Edmund’s jeans and pushed them to the floor. Edmund kicked them aside, deciding as he did so that if anything was going to happen between him and Owen, he was going to have to risk his heart. He needed to quit protecting it. Maybe there was something to the belief that he had to take a risk in order to get a reward. If he wanted this, and he did— oh god he did—he was going to have to leap into the unknown. Even if his heart was broken in the end. Owen wouldn’t do it on purpose, he didn’t think, but it would happen.

“Lift up your arms.”

Owen tugged Edmund’s standard white T-shirt over his head, leaving Edmund entirely naked. If he’d known he was going to be seduced, he would’ve picked out a much cooler T-shirt—maybe Doctor Who. He realized his eyes were squeezed shut. Cautiously he opened them, wanting to see Owen’s face.

He was still right there in front of Edmund, a sexy smile playing across his lips. Lifting one hand, he grasped Edmund’s bare shoulder, and his hand rested there for a second before he slowly dragged a finger downward to one of Edmund’s nipples. He gently pinched it, then moved to the other one and did the same. Edmund whimpered. His erection, which had flagged a bit since coming upstairs, reacted with a twitch and a pulse.

“You like that?” Owen asked.

Edmund nodded again, the still-chilly air of the loft causing his nipples to be even more responsive. Just thinking about it was making him harden.

“What else do you like?”

He shrugged, feeling embarrassed again.

“ Mmm , we’ll discover what you like together. Lay back on the bed.”

Edmund crawled onto the bed, where he lay back against the pillows watching Owen strip down. Whatever had inspired Mother Nature to dump snow on the pass and knock trees down—he was worshiping her forever. For-fucking-ever.

The only light in the room came from downstairs, but even bathed in shadow, Owen naked resembled one of those statues Edmund had spent a lot of time admiring at his local museum as a teen. He and Chance together, actually, although Edmund was reasonably sure Chance hadn’t been a virgin since about that very time.

The mattress dipped as Owen got onto the bed. He glided his hands up and down Edmund’s body, every dip and curve accentuated by his touch. Edmund automatically arched his back, wanting more of Owen’s caresses. In the dark it was much easier to relax and fall into the fantasy where what they were doing wasn’t something that would only happen once.

“Stop thinking. Every time you do that, your sexy cock gets upset.”

“I can’t help it. I’m sorry.”

Owen stretched the length of his body against Edmund’s: his muscular legs, his erection, the smattering of hair on his chest—Edmund felt it all. “I guess I’m going to have to make you stop thinking, then.”

Without any further warning, Owen latched on to one of Edmund’s nipples and nipped it. Edmund squeaked, but then Owen began to suck it—and Edmund about lost his mind. Never in his life had he imagined the male nipple, his nipple , being the source of erotic pleasure. Owen’s tongue and lips expertly laved one nipple and then the other. His hand slipped down Edmund’s belly to stroke him, up and back down and then all the way to his sac. Edmund was helpless in his hands, writhing and pumping and oh, god, right, touching Owen back. Returning the touching, learning from Owen—if he did it to Edmund, it felt good to Owen, right?

Edmund’s hands wandered across Owen’s shoulders. He wanted to kiss again. He wanted Owen’s lips on his. He tugged Owen upward and was rewarded by him slithering up his body. Edmund rolled onto his side and hooked a leg over Owen’s calf.

“Is this okay?” he whispered.

“Fuck yeah,” Owen replied before placing a hand behind Edmund’s neck and drawing him closer.

His lips, his mouth. Their lips and mouths together. Edmund ground against Owen, their erections pumping, the heat of Owen lighting Edmund up, a human torch of desire, want, and need.

Owen licked into Edmund’s mouth and sucked on Edmund’s tongue. Edmund was possessed, he was being possessed—and he wanted to give it all. He was slick with sweat, even though the room was cold, and his shaft was hot and heavy with need. Owen kept sucking on his tongue, then he switched places, bringing his leg up over Edmund’s and rolling him onto his back.

Groaning, Owen sat up, straddling Edmund. Owen’s cock jutted from his nest of pubic hair. Edmund wanted it. His mouth started to water with anticipation.

“God, you are amazing,” Owen gasped. “I want to ride you, like this. Tell me we can do this again when we have condoms.”

Demonstrating his point, he pushed himself back against Edmund’s raging erection so that Edmund’s tip was pressing against his balls and his tight opening. Edmund felt himself pulse again, and he’d never wanted anything more in his life. He wanted to push into Owen’s heat and feel the heavy pressure around his cock. He wanted to take Owen to the point he was begging to come. He wanted to come inside Owen; he wanted to mark him as his and only his.

“Jesus, Owen.”

“I know, it’s just?—”

Now Owen leaned forward and rubbed his face across Edmund’s chest like a cat. As he rutted against him, he murmured, “I’m so close, and I want to make it last. I want you to fuck me, and if you’ll let me, I’d like to fuck you.”

“Owen,” Edmund ground out his lover’s name, “please stop talking.”

Owen let out a nearly breathless chuckle before gently biting Edmund’s earlobe—another place he hadn’t known was an erogenous zone. Where Owen was concerned, they seemed to be everywhere, likely his entire body.

Reaching between them, Owen wrapped his hand around their erections, much like he’d done in the hot tub. Without water as a distraction, the sensation felt even more incredible than it had before. Grabbing Owen by the back of the neck so he could taste his mouth again, Edmund pumped into Owen’s hand, sliding against the silky heat of Owen’s arousal.

Edmund’s other hand drifted downward, and he slid it between their bodies so he could help. It was impossible to simultaneously focus on Owen’s mouth and pump at the same time. He also couldn’t ignore the orgasm beginning to build. His balls tightened. Releasing Owen’s mouth, he settled his head in the crook of Owen’s neck and let himself feel. Feel their hands together, the way Owen’s shaft slid under his fingertips. Now there was a slickness, Owen’s heat throbbed, and he moaned.

“Oh… god.” With a quiet grunt, Owen pumped again into their grips, and Edmund was rewarded with come flowing over his fingers, further slicking his shaft. Then he was flying apart, groaning in ecstasy as he orgasmed, adding his own come to Owen’s. Owen kept his grip tight, continuing to stroke him, and Edmund’s body responded with more come until it almost started to be painful.

He groaned into Owen’s neck, not wanting it to end, but the sensation was too much. Owen released his hold; Edmund, breathing hard, turned onto his back. Much to his surprise, Owen snuggled against his side, resting his head on Edmund’s shoulder. Edmund wrapped his arm around Owen and shut his eyes, allowing himself drift off into a post-orgasmic haze.

For the second morning in a row, Edmund woke with Owen Addison plastered to his side. Edmund’s nose and cheeks were chilly. At some point during the night they’d pulled the comforter over themselves. The fire must have burned itself out, and the baseboard heat was no match for the cold.

He wondered what had awakened him; he wasn’t sure what time it was. The skylights were covered with snow, light only seeping in around the edges. It was lighter downstairs, though, so it must be morning. As Edmund stretched, Owen grumbled and wrapped himself tighter around him.

Fuck, he could get used to this. He could get used to this man in his life and in his bed. Did he dare hope? He thought he did. Sometime between yesterday morning and now, his heart had decided to take the risk, the risk whose name was Owen Addison.

“ Mmm , what time is it?” Owen muttered, his breath tickling Edmund’s armpit.

“Dunno, do I? Can’t get up with an anaconda wrapped around me.”

Owen rocked his pelvis against Edmund.

“Anaconda, huh? I’ll show you a real snake. Except I have to pee, ugh. Dammit.”

Thank god. Edmund had to pee too. And take a shower, as he smelled like sex. Regardless, he rolled over, took Owen’s lips with his, and kissed the daylights out of him. Owen responded, continuing to rock against him. Edmund forgot about having to pee or caring what time it was. He lost himself in the beauty and sensuality that was Owen.

It was Owen who came to his senses first, pulling away, regret warring with lust in his eyes.

“I have to pee so bad; you have no idea. I’ve been ignoring my bladder for hours. And I just smelled myself.” He made a gagging sound. “I need a shower—afterward, how about we can practice the horizontal bop?”

Edmund squinted at him. “The what now?”

“Haven’t you heard that one before? An oldie but a goody.” He started to say something else but snapped his mouth shut.

“An oldie but goody—like me?” Edmund asked as he sat up and swung his feet off the bed. Owen did the same. Edmund admired his sexy feet, the long, elegant line of his calf.

“I don’t know how to tell you this, Edmund: you are one sexy silver fox. I’m going to be beating other men off with a stick.”

Standing, Owen grabbed his slacks and shirt and then, still naked , motioned for Edmund to go first down the stairs. Why not? Why not leave his clothes off? Owen had already seen it all and, remarkably, seemed to want more.

“I didn’t know this about myself until now,” Owen said when he reached the bottom of the stairs, turning and heading toward the loo. “I’m a possessive motherfucker. Huh, go figure. Yeah,” he shook his head as he opened the door to the loo and disappeared inside, “if you’re planning on continuing this—and I hope to god you are—I am not sharing. Nope. Nada.”

Edmund heard the toilet flush and then the shower turned on, and he was still standing there staring at nothing.

“Oh, man,” Owen’s voice floated out of the loo.

“What?” Edmund asked, still processing Owen’s announcement. Not sharing. Being with. All the things Edmund dreamed of.

“My boxers are still damp. Guess I’m gonna have to go commando again. Because using the dryer is just too logical and not sexy at all.” Laughing, he opened the door and came back out. “Your turn, then we can take a shower.”

Together?

The shower took twice as long as it should’ve. Edmund didn’t think water was saved when you showered with a friend; at least not the kind of friend Owen was. There were blowjobs—both received and given—before the water was finally turned off and they stepped out of the tiny shower stall. They took turns getting dressed and then had to mop up the tiny room because they’d managed to get water all across the linoleum flooring.

In the weird way the world works, just as they emerged from the bathroom Edmund heard his phone buzzing, alerting him that he’d received a text.

“That’s odd,” he said as he fetched it off the counter.

Owen shrugged. “Cell service is always weird up here. Maybe the satellite finally powered up again or something.”

The text was from Chance, wondering if Edmund would be home that day or if the pass was still blocked.

With great reluctance, Edmund navigated to the WSDOT site. When it finally loaded, he found an alert saying Stevens Pass would open westbound around noon. He sighed. They could head home. He ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach. They had to return to real life sometime, right?

Quickly he replied to Chance, Looks like we’ll be back this evening.

A thumbs up appeared on his screen, and Edmund stuffed the evil device back into his pocket.

“The pass is open at noon,” he informed Owen, trying to keep his tone light.

“Damn. I mean,” Owen smiled, and Edmund thought it seemed forced, but maybe it was his imagination. “Yay and all, but,” he said as he started gathering up his few belongings, “I’m already missing our weekend.”