Chance to Bloom Read online

  Probably not. Not that it mattered, because he was still smiling, still thinking about Ethan as he typed out a quick reply.

  Was great spending the day with you, too—as always :)

  Jack added a heart emoji, then erased it. Too much? He smirked as he walked back inside the shop to lock up for the day. If someone had told him a couple of months before that he’d even be considering using emojis in his texts, let alone hearts and smileys, he would have laughed in their face. But here he was, and that’s exactly what he was doing.

  He just didn’t care, though. Jack liked Ethan. A lot. And if that meant adding some creative punctuation, then so be it. If anyone had anything to say about it, they could suck an eggplant.

  Before he could think too much more about it, his phone pinged a second time.

  I know we didn’t really plan on doing anything tonight, but… dinner later?

  Jack still hadn’t stopped smiling from the previous message, but now his cheeks started to hurt as his smile grew even wider. It was pretty clear that Ethan felt the same way Jack did about their situation, and that was a very, very nice thought.

  Absolutely. Just come over whenever you’re ready and we can go get something.

  Then, a moment later, he fired off one more message, before he could talk himself out of it.

  Stay with me tonight. All night.

  The reply came back almost instantly, and Jack exhaled a deep breath that he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding.

  Can’t wait! See you soon!

  Jack hadn’t really expected any other answer, but still… it was nice to have it confirmed, on a screen he could go back and look at again later, just in case he doubted his eyes or his brain. And he already knew he would doubt them. All his life, he’d only trusted the things he could see, could touch, could experience.

  But now? Now his heart was telling him things his eyes and his brain would never have believed—it was sending signals and bringing up feelings that Jack had given up on experiencing.

  He would have been tempted to give in to his heart—to just sit back and enjoy the ride—except for one thing.

  In the back of his mind, Jack knew—his brain knew—that it all had to end.

  Soon.

  “Isn’t it funny how we just sort of… clicked?” Ethan’s voice was sleepy and contented after the mountain of Chinese takeout they’d just devoured, and Jack smiled as Ethan nuzzled up against him on the couch.

  “Funny?” Jack hadn’t really thought of it like that before, but it was definitely out of character for him to open up so completely to someone he’d only known for a few weeks. “I guess it is, a little. But it doesn’t feel funny when we’re together. It just feels—”

  “—Right?”

  “Perfect,” Jack said, planting a kiss on the top of Ethan’s head as he wrapped his arms around Ethan’s body and pulled him in even closer. “It feels so perfect, babe.”

  “Yes, perfect. Exactly.” Ethan looked up at him and nibbled at his lip in that cute, sexy way that Jack could never get enough of. “I can’t imagine going back to the way things were before. Or… I guess I could, but I definitely don’t want to.”

  Jack understood the sentiment completely. He could perfectly remember how his life had been before he’d met Ethan, before he’d come back to Bridgewater. Before his dad had passed away and before Jack had left the Marines. He could remember it all—and vividly—but looking back on it, he hadn’t realized at the time how empty his life had been.

  It hadn’t felt empty—he’d spent his days busy doing stuff from dawn to dusk—but that stuff had only occupied his hands, and sometimes his mind. His heart had been completely, totally empty.

  And now?

  It was so close to overflowing that he literally couldn’t stop smiling. No matter where or when, if he thought about Ethan—his face, his smile, his body, anything—a grin crossed Jack’s face so wide and so fast that he was powerless to stop it.

  “Do you know what else is perfect?” Ethan asked, letting his fingers lazily trace a trail down Jack’s chest and over his abs. His touch was light and slow, but the direction his hand was moving combined with the slightly suggestive tone of his voice had sent a jolt straight through Jack’s body—straight to his cock.

  There’s no way Ethan didn’t notice the straining bulge as his fingers trailed and circled closer and closer to it. An involuntary groan escaped Jack’s lips at the thought of Ethan’s slender fingers wrapped around the shaft—or even better, his full, pouty lips.

  “What?” Jack’s throat was so dry, the word came out as barely a whisper. He cleared his throat and tried again. “What else is perfect, babe?”

  “You. Us.” Ethan’s hand moved lower and he palmed Jack’s cock through the denim that was separating them. “This.”

  Jack leaned in to capture Ethan’s mouth in a kiss as Ethan stroked him through his jeans, but it wasn’t enough. He needed more. He needed to be naked with Ethan.

  Now.

  “Fuck, Ethan,” Jack growled, breaking free from the kiss for just a moment as Ethan started fumbling with the buttons on his jeans. “I want you—need you. But not like this. Not right here.”

  Ethan’s brows furrowed at the words, but only for a second before Jack stood up and helped him to his feet. If they were going to do this, Jack wanted to do it right. Not on the small, cramped couch. He needed to see Ethan, to feel him—all of him—as their bodies pressed against each other.

  And that couch just wasn’t going to cut it.

  Jack took Ethan by the hand and led him to the bedroom. The big four-poster bed still dominated the room, but it was Jack’s bed now, covered in Jack’s sheets and in colors that Jack had picked out. All of his dad’s old things were gone, either in storage or thrown out, and for the first time, Jack felt completely comfortable with what he was about to do in the room that used to belong to his father.

  More than comfortable, actually.

  He was ready. He was excited. And when Ethan looked up with those big, expressive eyes as Jack gently pushed him back against the bed?

  Nothing else mattered.

  His focus—his entire world—had narrowed to the man in front of him. The sweet, funny, sexy-as-hell man… who was still wearing way too many clothes.

  As if he’d been reading Jack’s mind, Ethan quickly pulled his shirt up and shrugged out of it, tossing it aside without taking his eyes off Jack. His face was flushed a delicious shade of pink, and it had traveled down to the top of his chest, a stark contrast to the pale white skin that Jack couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and touching.

  He wanted to take his time, to savor each second, to memorize each line and curve of Ethan’s toned body. But when he saw how Ethan’s eyes lit up at his touch, and when a tiny, needy whimper found its way from Ethan’s throat, Jack knew he couldn’t wait any longer.

  “I need you, Ethan,” he repeated. This time, though, he was ready to do something about it, to fill that need. “I need you naked. Now.”

  Ethan’s hands moved to comply, but as much as Jack wanted to watch, he didn’t have the patience to wait. He made quick work of the button and zipper on Ethan’s jeans, then hooked his thumbs through the waistband and pulled them down along with Ethan’s underwear in a swift motion that left Ethan gasping as his cock bounced up and slapped against his stomach.

  “Yes,” Jack said, wrapping a hand around it as he leaned in for a kiss. “You’re so fucking beautiful. I could do this with you all day.”

  Ethan moaned a little and smiled against Jack’s lips. “I don’t think I’ll last all day. I want you inside me, Jack.”

  The words might have been meant as a joke, but it only served to fuel Jack’s urgency. Even though the last thing he wanted to do was to step away from Ethan, he knew it was the only way to get what he wanted. What he needed.

  With a speed that even surprised himself, Jack stripped off his clothes. The way Ethan slowly stroked himself as he watched Jack get naked,
his sparkling eyes tracking every movement, made Jack want to forget about everything else and pounce on him right then and there. He had to remind himself that Ethan wasn’t going anywhere. They had all night, and Jack wanted it to be as good for Ethan as he could make it.

  Take your time.

  Do this right.

  Breathe.

  With a calm sense of purpose that was at odds with his desire to have Ethan in his arms at all times, Jack walked around the bed to fish a condom and lube from the nightstand. He’d had—thank God—the foresight to stock up a few days before when he’d been at the town’s grocery store, and he planned on using as many of them as possible over the course of Ethan’s stay with him that night.

  When he was finally—finally—back in front of Ethan, it took every ounce of self-control Jack had to slowly unroll the condom and make sure he’d liberally coated it with lube before applying a little more to his fingers. He wanted to do this right, damn, the way Ethan was watching him, nibbling his lip as he stroked himself, was almost too much to take.

  “Oh my God, Jack,” Ethan said, his tone more urgent than normal, “If you don’t fuck me right now, please, I might—”

  Jack didn’t wait to find out what Ethan might do. He quickly closed the distance between them, laying Ethan back on the bed as he hooked his arms under Ethan’s knees and lifted his legs.

  It was a pose that not only gave him all the access he needed to that sweet little hole, but also let him cover Ethan’s mouth with his own, putting those beautiful, pouty lips to good use.

  Jack reached between them, letting his fingers slowly circle Ethan’s hole and loving it when he was rewarded with a full body shiver and a long, low moan from the beautiful man beneath him.

  “Oh, God,” Ethan gasped, throwing his head back as Jack slipped a finger inside. “Oh, Jesus. More, Jack, please, hurry.”

  “I’ve got you,” Jack whispered, grinning as he leaned in for another quick kiss. “Don’t worry. We’ve got all night.”

  But even as he spoke the words, he felt a renewed sense of urgency. Ethan wanted it as much as Jack did, and Jack wasn’t about to deny him.

  Jack slid another finger in, his cock jerking painfully as Ethan writhed against him. He wanted to make sure Ethan was ready for him, but damn, he needed to be inside him, to be as close to him as possible.

  “Please, Jack.”

  Fuck it. He couldn’t wait any longer. Neither of them could.

  Jack removed his fingers and replaced them with the head of his cock, eagerly swallowing the needy little whimper that escaped Ethan’s throat as Jack began to press against the tight ring of muscle at his hot entrance.

  Ethan’s body felt like it had been made for Jack, and when Ethan’s tight channel gripped him, it was almost enough to send Jack over the edge.

  Jack moaned as Ethan ran his hands down his back, pulling Jack closer, deeper, until their bodies were connected in every way. It felt too good to slow down now, and Jack’s hips bucked in response when Ethan’s hands roamed down to his ass.

  He could feel Ethan’s cock twitch and pulse between them, and Jack raised up a little, wrapping his hand around Ethan’s shaft in an attempt to give him the same kind of pleasure Jack was feeling.

  “Does it feel good, babe?” Jack asked, stroking Ethan in time with his thrusts.

  “Yes, yes, just like that. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

  Jack grinned. Ethan didn’t have to worry. There was no way he was going to stop now. Harder, faster, deeper he thrust, loving the way Ethan’s face scrunched up in ecstasy each time his cock brushed past his prostate. Loving the way that the only sounds that filled the room were their moans and their bodies colliding.

  It was sensory overload, and almost more than Jack could bear.

  “Damn, babe,” Jack ground out between thrusts. “You feel so good. So tight and hot. I don’t know how much longer I can last.”

  “I’m so close, too. Come with me. Now.”

  It was all Jack needed to hear.

  His hips bucked wildly and he gave Ethan’s cock another stroke as he buried himself to the hilt, feeling the orgasm rip through him. Jack groaned, feeling Ethan’s cock swell in his hand and then erupt, spilling out over Jack’s fist and onto Ethan’s stomach in pearly white streaks.

  For several moments, Jack remained perfectly still, closing his eyes and trying to hold onto the moment, onto the feel of Ethan’s muscles as they contracted around Jack’s cock one last time before he pulled out and collapsed onto the bed next to Ethan.

  Jack could feel Ethan’s breath as it hit his shoulder, and when he finally opened his eyes, Ethan was looking back at him with that sparkling gaze that Jack couldn’t get enough of.

  “That was so good,” Ethan said, speaking the words that Jack had been thinking.

  Jack nodded. “It was perfect, babe. You’re perfect.”

  And when Ethan smiled up at him and moved closer, letting Jack feel his hard, slim body press against him again, he knew it wouldn’t be long until they went for another round of perfection.

  But for now, he was content to have Ethan in his arms, to block out everything else except for the beautiful man he couldn’t get enough of.

  All of the stress of reality could wait until another time. This was their moment, and Jack intended to savor each second of it, because he knew all too well that nothing could last forever.

  Not even perfection.

  Jack had been dreading Monday morning all weekend. He’d known that it would mean the end of Ethan’s two-day stay with him, and even though they’d just be apart for a few hours—a day at most—he’d still gone to sleep the night before wishing it could just stay Sunday forever.

  He was glad to be able to give Ethan the day off, though. The two of them had been happily working long days and nights together for weeks, but Jack shuddered to think of how many hours Ethan had actually put in, running the place with just Frankie before he’d gotten there.

  Ethan deserved some time to himself, and he’d more than earned it. The man needed more days off. Regularly. And now, even though Jack had started missing Ethan the moment they’d said goodbye and Ethan’s car had disappeared down the street, he couldn’t quite bring himself to feel sad. After all, they had just spent two whole days together.

  Mostly in each other’s arms.

  Mostly naked.

  That alone was worth an entire lifetime of Mondays.

  But he also couldn’t be upset because he couldn’t stop smiling. Glowing, he’d thought earlier, looking in the mirror. It was just the effect Ethan had on him. Ethan made him happy, plain and simple. Even when they were apart, the thought of seeing Ethan again was more than enough to keep Jack happy and to make the long workday worthwhile.

  Jack reached for his phone and sent off a quick text.

  Had a great weekend. Miss you already…

  The response was nearly instantaneous, and it only made Jack’s grin get wider.

  Miss you, too! Call me on your lunch break if you want.

  He very much did want that, and he absolutely would. But before he could type out a response, he heard the bell above the front door jingle, and poked his head out of the office just in time to see a man in a suit and dark sunglasses walk in.

  Jack’s brow furrowed. The guy looked more like a member of the Secret Service than one of the flower shop’s regular customers. But whatever. If he was there with money to spend, it didn’t really matter what the guy’s day job was.

  “Good morning,” Jack said, stepping out of the office and trying to sound as genuinely happy and chipper as Ethan did when he greeted customers. It was normally a challenge for Jack to be that outgoing, but lately? He couldn’t hold back the happiness, even if he’d wanted to. “Can I help you with anything?”

  “I hope so.” The man’s eyes locked in on Jack’s and he took quick, purposeful strides to close the distance between them. “I’m looking for Jack Davis.”

  Jack’s brow furro
wed momentarily. There was no way this guy was here to buy flowers. He doubted many of the customers of Beverly’s Blooms would even remember his first name, let alone his last… but this guy? He was on a mission.

  Jack’s mind immediately went to the military. Had he forgotten to sign something important in his discharge paperwork? Did they need him back on base for something?

  His thoughts raced through the possibilities, but he pushed all of that aside. There was a better way to figure out what the guy wanted.

  “You’ve found him,” Jack said, extending his hand to shake. “I’m Jack Davis. What can I do for you, Mr.…?”

  “Samson,” the man answered, gripping Jack’s hand in a firm, businesslike way. “Michael Samson. Please call me Mike. And may I call you Jack?”

  The man—Mike—radiated a confidence and practiced warmth that was likely intended to put Jack at ease, but the overly polished feel of his attitude only raised more questions. And whatever he was doing there, his quick, northern accent was a sure sign that he wasn’t from anywhere near Bridgewater.

  “Of course, Mike. Nice to meet you.” Jack’s smile didn’t falter, but he could feel his own eyes narrow slightly as he tried to figure this guy out. “What can I do for you today?”

  Instead of answering the question directly, though, Mike asked another one of his own. “How’s business been lately? Ramping up for Valentine’s Day, I’d imagine?”

  Jack nodded, but bit back the first three responses that came immediately to mind—each a version of yeah, what’s it to you? Maybe there was no ulterior motive. Maybe the guy was just trying to make conversation and not intentionally being nosy about Jack’s business.

  Maybe small-talk wasn’t really his strong suit.

  And maybe pigs would fly.

  “Busy enough. I haven’t been in the business long enough to really know what to expect, though, to be honest.” Small-talk wasn’t really Jack’s strong suit, either, and he was doing his best not to be annoyed at the man’s questions. Still, it would probably be best if Jack took control of their seemingly random conversation. “So… what can I do for you?”