Page 42 of AJ’s Fire

He dropped the towels on the closed seat of the toilet and accepted my hand. I guided both of our hands until they felt the shower’s rain. “Okay?” I asked, though I couldn’t tell you if I was asking about the water temperature or about sharing the shower or about our entire future.

Nor could I interpret his answer when he echoed, “Okay,” and guided us under the stream. There was a shelf full of bottles along the tiled wall, a selection left by Mr. and Mrs. Dorso for their guests.

I thought about other visits to the cabin and the hot tub outside. “I wish we didn’t have to leave tomorrow,” I whined, thinking about firing it up and sharing it with Jackson.

“Really?” Jackson was scrutinizing me, like those laser-beam eyes could zap the truth right out of me. They were a little intense and overwhelming, so I turned him around and grabbed a brown bottle off the shelf. I popped the cap and reached around so that Jackson could smell it.

“Good?”

“Uh-huh.” It came out as a croak.

“Good.” I nodded behind him though he couldn’t see it. The part of him that was dirtiest was his cum-spackled chest, so with an arm around him, I turned us both so that I remained at his back, and he was standing, facing the stream of the shower. I poured some of the soap into one palm and lathered it between my hands before tucking my arms under his and circling my hands all around that defined torso. Brushing against his side near his armpit had him twitching and pulling away, but I grabbed him from behind and held him tight.

“Ticklish, huh?”

“No.” He tilted his head back to catch my smile, my eyes going wide as I started to move my hands further up. “Maybe. Yes!”

From behind him I washed what I could reach, including his hair. He rinsed his face and hair under the water and swiped the bottle, turning in my arms to face me. He poured soap in his hands and put them up to my chest before hesitating, his palms centimeters from me.

“Jackon.” I sighed, taking his hands in mine and pressing them to my chest. We both watched as he stroked his hands up and down a few times before venturing outside the lines to encompass my whole chest, including my sides. I stiffened my torso while his fingertips danced, holding my breath to keep myself from laughing.

“Mmm, not so ticklish, then.” His tone sounded almost playful, and I loved to hear it. I also realized that I never wanted to be anything but truthful with Jackson, so I let out the breath, relief flooding me momentarily until the sensation caught up with me, and I was laughing and squirming and moving to the far end of the tub to escape Jackson’s fingers.

“Nope, too cold.” I moved immediately back to crowd him in under the stream, and he applied more soap and let his hands travel all over my body. He was wrapped around me, rubbing soap into my back as our dicks began brushing together.

I was shocked that mine wasn’t completely down for the count. I felt it begin to rally, especially when Jackson’s hesitant hands finally found their way to my ass. He rubbed in circles before squeezing and massaging my glutes.

He leaned back then to look at me. “Do you know what these look like in your uniform?”

“I’ve been told.”

“This past year, I could barely stand to be around you. All I wanted to do was stare at your ass.”

“That’s all you wanted to do?” I teased.

He opened his mouth to respond but snapped it closed quickly, a throaty, “I …,” his only response. His hands hadn’t left my ass, though.

“Jackson.” I sighed before giving him a bright smile and brushing his cheek. I could feel the water starting to cool.

“Come on, cariño. Let’s get out of here before we freeze our asses off. We have charcuterie to eat.”

“I didn’t know you knew that word.”

I applied soap to my hair, and all of a sudden it was like any other time we had showered together at the station or the gym. Two guys, shooting the shit. Only difference was … our dicks were still touching.

“Are you kidding? Charcuterie and I go way back. Nat used to have me help her make it. Says I have an artistic flair or some shit because she showed me how to twist a slice of meat to look like a flower, and I didn’t fuck it up. She held a party a few years back on election night, when Fisher was first elected president, and I spent half the day twisting meat.”

“Hot,” Jackson contributed, his eyes wide in jest. He swatted my hands away and reached up to take over washing my hair.

“I’m realizing right this minute that other members of my family may have faked not being able to do it to get out of helping. Those little shits. Now it’s my fucking job every time. You think Vee’s old enough to learn yet? Oh, or maybe Vance. He was in a pretty bad place back then, but he seems better now. I’m gonna guilt him into helping me at Easter.”

“Your family, man.” Jackson was shaking his head even while both of his hands worked through my hair. And who knew that could be so sexy? His bunched-up muscles and hairy armpits … I wanted to bury my face in one and almost leaned in, but the water really was getting cold.

I manhandled Jackson one more time—“Turn”—before helping him rinse off. I lightly smacked his ass, something else I had done before, though never while we were naked. “It’s getting too cold. Get out of here. I’m just going to rinse off quickly, and I’ll be right behind you.” He hauled one leg over the tub, but I yelled, “Hey,” and grasped his hand. I leaned forward until he did too. He did that hesitant thing, but then his face was close enough to kiss. “Can we use the big double shower in your grandparents’ room next time?”

He didn’t answer, he just simply nodded while a huge smile formed on his face, and he said, “Next time.”

Chapter Fourteen