Xave’s neck wishing he had the nerve to leave a mark. He would give anything to have the right to claim the sweet man cuddling him in his arms.
Anything.
As Frankie felt Xave relax, he reluctantly scooted back and took his place on the other side of the couch. His active imagination made him think Xavier's fingers clung a little before letting him go, but as his friend didn't make any further movement he knew it was wishful thinking on his part. The smell of Scotch reached him.
"Drinking alone?"
Xavier's pale skin blushed a pretty pink as he shrugged his wide shoulders. "There was no one else here."
Frankie didn't dare read anything into that statement. He didn't want to scare the man off. Instead he looked at the tree. The lights sparkled against the blown glass bulbs he knew were handed down by a deceased grandmother. He turned back to his favorite view, admiring how the light reflected in Xave’s eyes. "It looks beautiful."
That earned him a faint smile. "I was thinking, before you got here, it probably wasn't worth decorating without someone to enjoy it with. I did it anyway because I didn't want to be one of those lonely old men who didn't bother acknowledging the holidays. My mother used to adore Christmas." Xave’s sad tone jerked at Frankie’s heartstrings.
"Maybe I should get myself a dog."
Frankie smiled. "Only if you get one of those jackets with the leather elbows so you can look like a country gentleman."
Even as they laughed together he thought dreamily if anyone could carry off that look it would be his roommate. His home was more a mansion than a house. Xave had inherited it from some great aunt. Frankie suspected the other man only rented to him because he was lonely. Then he'd been selfish enough to leave him for the first asshole who'd asked.
"I'm sorry about leaving you."
Xavier gave a broken laugh. "You're allowed to leave, Frankie. It's not a jail. You can lead your own life." His grey eyes scraped over the bruised chest, as anger sparked in his eyes. That look was more painful than the injuries. "Though, hopefully, next time you'll make better choices."
"I swear," Frankie said, choking on his emotions. "I’ll never leave again. I mean, not unless you want me to. I don't want to interfere with you finding someone."
Xave brushed his fingers across Frankie's cheeks in a soft caress. "I missed you while you were gone. I didn't realize how much I would miss you," the words were said so quietly Frankie almost thought he was imagining them.
"I… I missed you too," he confessed.
* * * *
Xavier looked at the younger man, bemused by the longing in the Frankie’s eyes. Taking a chance, he brushed Frankie's lips with his thumb. Eyes closed, the smaller man looked as if he were absorbing his touch.
He was going to wake up soon.
It had to be a dream brought on by a Scotch infused haze if Frankie wanted him!
It could only be a dream.
Xavier was ready to believe that until a hot mouth brushed against his and he was sinking into a kiss filled with sweet promises, promises that tasted like home.
He groaned against the soft sensation. Sliding his tongue inside, he tried to absorb the flavor of Frankie’s mouth. A warm body settled once more in his lap making him sigh. This was where he liked Frankie, snuggled up against him with their cocks rubbing together.
"Xave," Frankie's voice sank into his consciousness. He made a sound of protest when the lips moved away.
"Mmm."
"Let's take this to the bedroom, I don't want to hurt your back."
It was like cold water splashing across his skin, another reminder about his age. What was he thinking? He needed to keep his hands to himself. Frankie needed Xavier’s comfort not his obsession.
"Maybe we shouldn't," Xavier said sliding away from Frankie's touch and using his strength to lift the other man back onto the couch. It was one of the most painful things he'd ever done, leaving that embrace. "I don't want to take advantage of you. You're in shock
Anything.
As Frankie felt Xave relax, he reluctantly scooted back and took his place on the other side of the couch. His active imagination made him think Xavier's fingers clung a little before letting him go, but as his friend didn't make any further movement he knew it was wishful thinking on his part. The smell of Scotch reached him.
"Drinking alone?"
Xavier's pale skin blushed a pretty pink as he shrugged his wide shoulders. "There was no one else here."
Frankie didn't dare read anything into that statement. He didn't want to scare the man off. Instead he looked at the tree. The lights sparkled against the blown glass bulbs he knew were handed down by a deceased grandmother. He turned back to his favorite view, admiring how the light reflected in Xave’s eyes. "It looks beautiful."
That earned him a faint smile. "I was thinking, before you got here, it probably wasn't worth decorating without someone to enjoy it with. I did it anyway because I didn't want to be one of those lonely old men who didn't bother acknowledging the holidays. My mother used to adore Christmas." Xave’s sad tone jerked at Frankie’s heartstrings.
"Maybe I should get myself a dog."
Frankie smiled. "Only if you get one of those jackets with the leather elbows so you can look like a country gentleman."
Even as they laughed together he thought dreamily if anyone could carry off that look it would be his roommate. His home was more a mansion than a house. Xave had inherited it from some great aunt. Frankie suspected the other man only rented to him because he was lonely. Then he'd been selfish enough to leave him for the first asshole who'd asked.
"I'm sorry about leaving you."
Xavier gave a broken laugh. "You're allowed to leave, Frankie. It's not a jail. You can lead your own life." His grey eyes scraped over the bruised chest, as anger sparked in his eyes. That look was more painful than the injuries. "Though, hopefully, next time you'll make better choices."
"I swear," Frankie said, choking on his emotions. "I’ll never leave again. I mean, not unless you want me to. I don't want to interfere with you finding someone."
Xave brushed his fingers across Frankie's cheeks in a soft caress. "I missed you while you were gone. I didn't realize how much I would miss you," the words were said so quietly Frankie almost thought he was imagining them.
"I… I missed you too," he confessed.
* * * *
Xavier looked at the younger man, bemused by the longing in the Frankie’s eyes. Taking a chance, he brushed Frankie's lips with his thumb. Eyes closed, the smaller man looked as if he were absorbing his touch.
He was going to wake up soon.
It had to be a dream brought on by a Scotch infused haze if Frankie wanted him!
It could only be a dream.
Xavier was ready to believe that until a hot mouth brushed against his and he was sinking into a kiss filled with sweet promises, promises that tasted like home.
He groaned against the soft sensation. Sliding his tongue inside, he tried to absorb the flavor of Frankie’s mouth. A warm body settled once more in his lap making him sigh. This was where he liked Frankie, snuggled up against him with their cocks rubbing together.
"Xave," Frankie's voice sank into his consciousness. He made a sound of protest when the lips moved away.
"Mmm."
"Let's take this to the bedroom, I don't want to hurt your back."
It was like cold water splashing across his skin, another reminder about his age. What was he thinking? He needed to keep his hands to himself. Frankie needed Xavier’s comfort not his obsession.
"Maybe we shouldn't," Xavier said sliding away from Frankie's touch and using his strength to lift the other man back onto the couch. It was one of the most painful things he'd ever done, leaving that embrace. "I don't want to take advantage of you. You're in shock
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