Wait and Hope: Chapter Twelve
Picnic
Jack had curled up on the braided rug near his charge’s chair. The dog dozed lightly while his pack member stroked the book over and over. There weren't many of those strange tasting things in their new den. The Alpha had chastised him long ago when he had tried to eat one, using the sound book over again. Books were something important to the pack but not food.
The dog stood up turned a bit to lie back down and curl up again with a whining yawn. He missed the old den made of wood covered with books. He missed the Alpha, missed the pack, even the female friend of pack who annoyed the others so. There were times Jack had sensed tension there but the pack was mostly…happy.
In this new place there was no sense of stress or anxiety, there was just overwhelming sadness.
But now, Alpha had returned, his scent was everywhere, even in their friend’s den beneath Glasses Man and his new one. Jack welcomed Alpha’s return along with the feeling of wellbeing that pack had given the canine once yet had been lost when the pack had been separated. Glasses Man had also welcomed Alpha back only Jack’s pack-mate still smelled of doubt and sadness.
Jack tried to do what a dog could to assure Glasses Man everything would be all right. Their Alpha had come back to them, wanted pack again…their pack.
Now as the dog lay there on the rug, watching his human pack mate stroke the book, the canine only sensed eager anticipation from his companion.
Jack remained on the rug dozing long after Glasses Man turned off the light and left for his own bed.
After a while the dog made a warning sound but quickly silenced seeing the intruder was only Alpha. Jack followed behind, waiting and listening. When all he heard was the sound of sleeping humans, Jack lumbered off to his own room and bed.
The canine’s dream was filled with running in green grass and chasing the ball Alpha kept tossing, the sounds of human laughter chasing behind him as he ran to retrieve it. Until the annoying sound that usually meant his human was waking up intruded into the fun.
Jack got up and trotted happily into the other bedroom. There was no sign of movement from either of his two pack mates at all. After minutes of listening to that infernal noise and with the dog’s own excitement getting the best of him Jack jumped into the bed landing between the two humans.
.***
Harry was abruptly awakened by the weight of seventy pounds of eager dog pushing into his rib cage. He was about to push Jack off the bed and give the dog a severe scolding when he was reminded by the alarm’s blare of why he needed to be up.
Reaching over to turn off the alarm clock, he was met by sleepy blue eyes blinking back at him. Realization dawning on both men simultaneously caused them both to burst into fits of laughter. Harry fell back against his pillow letting Rafe kill the electronic alarm then watched the other man pretending to throttle the four-legged alarm’s throat.
They should have given the trained dog a firm reprimand for jumping onto the bed. Instead both of the men rough-housed with the overly ecstatic dog as Jack whined and yipped. It had been so long since his pack had played together.
Despite the happy frolicking, certain physical needs couldn’t be ignored and Jack made a mad dash for the apartment door when Rafe asked, “Walk?”
Harry was puzzled when Rafe got out of bed and went to use the restroom without speaking a word to him. He closed his eyes throwing his arm over them wondering what was going on. They both had been a bit disoriented upon waking with a big puppy wedged in between their sides, but Harry had expected something a little different than silence following the laughter between the two of them.
Harry started a bit when he felt his arm being pulled away until he looked into those piercing blue eyes again. “Good morning,” Rafe greeted him in his soft gravelly voice and leaned over to brush a quick kiss over Harry’s lips. The taste and smell of peppermint answered Harry’s concerns. Rafe had bolted from the bed to brush his teeth. Rafe wanted a fresh mouth to kiss him!
Rafe whispered against Harry’s lips before straightening up. “I’d love to do this all day and I will…later, but for now our dog needs to be walked. While I’m gone you get ready. Remember comfortable, easy to remove?” With that Rafe winked and left out the door.
Harry watched him leave and hummed to himself. When did Rafe dress to take the dog out? Was I that lost in thought?
Thirty minutes later, showered, cleanly shaven, and dressed in charcoal gray slacks with a powder blue polo shirt accented with dark blue stripes, Harry walked out into his living room. Rafe was sitting in the recliner, murmuring something to Jack, the dog sitting at his feet, before Rafe stood and whistled appreciatively at the older man.
Rafe picked up a small duffle and nodded towards the bathroom, “Do you mind?” When Harry gestured that direction, adding “Be my guest,” Rafe passed by the shorter man, but paused long enough to bend down to murmur in Harry’s ear, “I hope you can eat a lot of food. Now all I am hungry for is you.”
Harry stood in the same spot long after the door to the bath clicked shut trying to catch his breath. The heat he had felt just hearing Rafe seduce him over the phone was a cool autumn breeze compared to the raging inferno threatening to consume him now. Seeing the hunger in the bearded man’s eyes combined with Rafe’s sultry voice in his ear was like a lit match to dry timber.
A cup of hot tea was probably the last thing Harry needed, but he hobbled off into the kitchen anyways. He hoped that at least going through the motions of preparing a cup would distract his thoughts away from Rafe long enough to cool himself down.
It worked…almost. That is until Rafe stepped into the kitchen smelling of citrus and spice, his salt and pepper hair still glistening wet from the shower. The soft blue jeans he wore hugged his lean hips. With its sleeves rolled up to the elbow, a blue denim shirt worn open over a light blue sleeveless button-up revealed taut muscular forearms.
Harry swallowed hard as he watched Rafe approach the table. The man moved with the grace and agility of a jungle cat approaching its prey. Harry was sure he would he was going to be devoured either by Rafe’s hungry eyes or his own burning desires. Neither of those happened when Rafe only kissed the top of Harry’s head while massaging the older man’s shoulders a bit, “Go ahead and finish your tea. I’ll take Jack and meet you in the car.”
Rafe waited behind the wheel, smiling to himself, his plan so far working to perfection. Ten minutes later and looking fairly composed once more, Harry slipped into the passenger seat of the Lexis. Once his passenger was buckled up Rafe drove the sleek car away from the curb. Harry waved goodbye to Martha who had been watching out her picture window and gave her neighbor a big thumb’s up.
After a brief stop at the diner, the three were headed out of the city. When traffic was lighter the two men were able to strike up a conversation. They spent the two hour drive getting to know each other’s histories as Gianni Rissole and Harrington Furnham. Harry sometimes found it hard to pay attention or talk about his life when Rafe’s hand would every so often leave the steering wheel to rub intimately over Harry’s knee or thigh.
Nearly two hours into the drive Rafe turned the car off onto a side road and then down a long gravel road to a locked gate. Beyond the gate were three summer cottages, with short docks reaching out to a lake no more five hundred yards across.
Rafe noted before jumping from the car, “This was Sherry’s idea too. It’s her family’s summer retreat.” Harry had been happy for Rafe and Sherry, also relieved and even happier for himself, when Furnham had found out the two were back to being just friends after they had had their talk. Regardless, it really was a complete surprise to find out Sherry had offered the use of her car and now this?
The road beyond the gate was black-topped, circling around the lake and the cottages themselves. Rafe followed along it before pulling the car into the drive belonging to the middle cottage. Jack popped his head up over the back rest, suddenly interested in their surroundings now that the car had stopped. After turning off the engine, Rafe reached up to briefly scratch the dog’s ears, “Yeah buddy we're here.”
Harry felt ridiculous but had went along with Rafe’s surprise, waiting in the car blindfolded until being led down a gradual incline the other man’s arm securely around him. His breath was literally taken away when Rafe removed the blindfold. There in the shade of an old elm tree was a blanket spread out over lush green grass. Colorful cushions were arranged on it, the food lay out as if waiting for a king or sultan to sit down and partake of it.
He could hear some uncertainty in John’s voice when he asked, “Do you like it, Harold?” Out here they could be Finch and Reese again. Harold looked into his partner’s eyes seeing the anxiousness there, “Like it? I love it.” He reached up to touch the beard covering John Reese’s face, “Thank you, John for ignoring the insecurities of a foolish old man. I really needed this, I need you.”
“You’ll have me Harold, always,” John promised, “No matter what we call ourselves or who we pretend to be.”
Their old doubts, anxieties, and problems were temporarily forgotten as they gazed into one another’s eyes. The spell was broken though when Jack squeezed between the two men, a ball he expected one of them to throw dropped on the ground.
Rafe was back, laughing as he helped Harry settle on the mounds of pillows before dropping on the blanket next to him. He draped an arm across Harry’s back while throwing the ball over and over for Jack to chase.
When the canine appeared to be done with the game, Rafe reached into the basket and tossed the dog a soup bone that Jack grabbed and trotted off with to somewhere by himself.
Turning to Furnham, Rafe eased both hands under the other man’s polo, brushing fingers over his ribcage and across Harry’s stomach. “While Jack is off enjoying his picnic dinner, it’s time to enjoy ours.
“I think you mentioned you love quiche.” Rafe turned away momentarily before holding a sliver of something golden brown topped with tomato and held it to Harry’s mouth. After the initial burst of bacon flavor touched his tongue with the first bite fueled his appetite, Rafe had fed him three slices, Harry eating greedily from his fingers. When he attempted to wipe away small bits clinging to the corners of his mouth, Rafe pulled Harry’s hand away and lowered his head to sweep the crumbs away with his own tongue.
“Delicious,” Rafe purred with the look in his eyes giving away it was not the food that he meant. “I have something that will taste even better on your lips.” He opened a bowl with some sort of salad and with a fork offered to feed Harry once more. Rafe leered mischievously waving the fork around. “I meant to say this will taste even better passing your lips.”
Harold found the light summer salad to be tangy with a savory quantity brought out by the beef. The greens were crisp and sweet. Of course, the kisses to remove the dressing from Harry’s mouth and chin were spicier.
Once they had a serving of salad between them, Rafe pulled out cute little croissant sandwiches. Using olives on toothpicks, the sandwiches looked like menacing crabs with pincers. They were adorable! Rafe cut one in half and using a napkin, fed it to Harry. Rafe then took his own bites.
Harry munched slowly, savoring the crispy bacon in the professional grade club sandwich. He turned to Rafe and smiled. “These are delicious; pleasing to the eye and the palate!” Harry let his gaze wander appreciatively from Rafe’s face down to his waist and hungrily back up again; the sandwiches were not the only thing he found appetizing.
Rafe turned shy. He looked at the ground. His eyelashes curled up as they fluttered against the pink apples of his cheek. Harry was touched and surprised to see such a show from Rafe. Really, Rafe seemed so untouchable sometimes that Harry forgot that it was simply Rafe’s defenses. Those same defenses were like the walls Harry himself had built around his own heart.
Just as Harry himself was vulnerable to Rafe’s affection so too were Rafe’s defenses laid bare for Harry. Both men projected an impenetrable facade to the world, to everyone, but each other. Harry needed to remember that Rafe’s one weakness was Harry just as Harry’s weakness was Rafe.
Harry took Rafe’s chin and lifted his head. Harry leaned over and kissed each closed eye. The lashes tickled his lips. Then Harry kissed Rafe’s mouth. It was a swift, yet meaningful kiss of gratitude and affection. Harry leaned back and smiled at Rafe who was now gazing at Harry with a pleased expression.
Harry looked away to find the pitcher of green iced tea. “You have outdone yourself Rafe. Each dish,” Harry poured each of them a cup. “Each course is not only gourmet, but suited to the weather and the company.” Harry raised his cup as in a toast which Rafe matched. “Most importantly, I am viscerally aware that every ingredient was accompanied by a sincere feeling of ardor on the part of the chef.” Harry moved his cup to clink against Rafe’s. “May we always revel in the talents and wonders of each other. May we never become immune to it or take it for granted.” They both drank to seal the pact.
When their glasses were empty, Rafe took Harry’s from his hand and along with his own tucked them both into the basket. Next, he removed Harry’s eye glasses, folding them before putting them safely out of harm’s way.
As Harry watched with wide eyes, bare without their wire and glass covering, Rafe grasped his face to kiss Harry’s lips while lowering them both to the bed of cushions.
Rafe deepened the kiss moving one hand to slip under Harry’s shirt and run it up a hairy chest to fondle one of Harris’s nipples. Harry returned the kiss with an equal fervor, tugging Rafe’s shirts from the waistband of his jeans, shoving them both upwards where he could run a hand over Rafe’s chest as well.
Kiss followed hungry kiss, until Rafe tugged Harry’s hand out to keep from trapping it between them as he turned over on his back, pulling the older man on top of him. He held Harry’s waist in his hands while rolling his own hips upwards.
Ignoring any protests his injuries tried to give, Harry met Rafe’s motions with thrusts of his own. They began to rock into one another. Rafe whispered, “You feel so good.”
Harry ruffled Rafe’s hair and kissed his neck, “You're so warm and you smell so,” Their rubbing was becoming heated. Harry could feel his blood begin to move to his penis. “You smell delectable.”
Rafe used his longer legs to entwine them with Harry’s. Both their legs were spread wide to allow their groins to feel the pressure building. Rafe noticed Harry was starting to get aroused. His own cock was getting larger with every rapid beating of his pounding heart.
They both started humping in a familiar rhythm; the idea of undressing then and there began to form in both their minds when Jack’s barking alerted them to another car pulling into the cottage driveway next door. Quickly making themselves decent they were both sitting up innocently returning the waves of the newcomers after they exited their vehicle.
When the family of five finally went inside, Rafe and Harry looked at each other. Both of them looked like two men who had been caught making out. Rafe’s hair was completely messed up and his shirts were wide open. Harry’s pants were bunched uncomfortably around his now flaccid dick. They were grown men who should have known better. Harry looked mortified and Rafe was trying his hardest not to start all over again.
Harry snatched his glasses returning them to his face then rose as best he could looking embarrassed as all get out. “Perhaps we needed a reality check as it were.”
Rafe was now on alert. Did Harry have second thoughts? “What? It was just a family. They are not part of Samaritan I am certain of it.”
Harry turned quickly to stare at Rafe’s hurt and panicked face. ‘No, no. I mean we needed to be stopped. I wouldn’t want to do something in the heat of the moment that we might both regret.”
Rafe rubbed the back of his neck and finger combed his hair. “We have known each other for years and you know everything about me. We love each other. It’s not like we have never touched or... or had sex.”
Harry began to replace the containers into the basket not making eye contact with Rafe. “Be that as it may, I have not been with a man that way in nearly a decade. As to, as to intercourse, my experience is in the distant past.
Rafe began to help, “Wasn't like we brought lube and condoms. It was just...”
Harry dropped the blanket angrily and held out his hand. “Look!”
Rafe looked at the hand, minute tremors were visible. Harry continued when Rafe was unable to speak. “I am not a young man. I just recently stopped self-medicating with alcohol. I don't trust myself. I might hurt you or worse: drive you away.”
Rafe took a step closer and Harry embraced him to say, “I trust you Rafe.” Harry laid his head on Rafe’s chest. “I just need time to regain my confidence before I touch you.”
Rafe held Harry for while then patted his back, “You felt pretty confident to me.” Harry laughed and looked up. They kissed, briefly then parted to finish the cleanup.
On the ride home with Jack sleeping with his head on the basket, they talked. They discussed exactly what each of them needed for their next date. Harry needed time to regain his self-confidence when Rafe’s well-being was an issue; while Rafe needed and craved being as close to Harry as possible. In addition, both agreed that whatever they did, each of them needed the other most of all.
~~*~~
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five
Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Epilogue