Page 38 of Saved By the Pitcher

James turned to Mike and even in the darkness, Mike could see that James had been crying. Mike knew James’ pride would be wounded if he pointed it out, so he remained silent. Instead, he stroked James’ chest, still hoping he wasn’t the reason for James’ tears.

“I like cuddling,” James whispered. “It wasn’t the reason I couldn’t sleep. Just one of those nights, I guess.”

Mike dared to lean in for a soft kiss. James didn’t resist, but he didn’t stoke the passion either. “Maybe you’ll be able to if you come back. Besides, I thought we agreed you’d stay naked through my whole visit.”

That drew the laugh from James that Mike had hoped for. “Are one-sided declarations the same thing as agreements in your world?”

Mike sighed. “They can be if the declaration is from you. As I said, you need only tell me what you want and I will honor it as an agreement between us.”

Mike dared to look back at James’ eyes—they had moistened a bit again. As if realizing Mike was on to him, James blinked and cleared his throat. “I’m good. There’s nothing I’m asking of you.”

Mike tried not to read too much into the statement. He knew it would be easy to worry that James was communicating that he wanted nothing else from him. “James, please come back to bed.” When James nodded, Mike sighed with relief. He wondered if he should try to lighten the mood again. “And take off those ridiculous sleep pants. It’s dark, so I’m hoping my eyes are deceiving me and the pattern isn’t a bunch of ponies.”

As Mike had hoped, the teasing snapped James from his funk. “They’re horses, and what’s wrong with them?”

“Nothing, if you’re a twelve-year-old girl.” Mike grinned. “There’s only one stallion I’m interested in seeing. Hint—he’s the one who’s hung like one.”

James chuckled and shook his head. “Fine. I’ll take them off. Come on.” He took Mike’s hand and led them back to his bed, shucking his pajama bottoms before climbing back onto the mattress.

Mike was a bit fearful of holding him again. He watched James to sense what would be welcomed. When James scooted a bit closer, Mike stroked his forearm, enjoying touching the silky hair over hard muscle. “Just to clarify, it is okay to hold you?”

“Yeah,” James replied, snuggling closer to Mike, putting his arms around his torso and resting his head on the pillow next to Mike’s.

After a few minutes, Mike whispered, “I’m falling for you, James.”

James didn’t respond, and Mike wasn’t sure if he was ignoring him or had already fallen asleep. It took Mike several minutes longer to reach that state.

* * * *

When Mike next awoke, the sun was shining and the cooling breeze from the night before had blown itself out to the Atlantic. The usual street noise was louder as people were making their way into the city for another workday. Because the air-conditioning was off, it was warm in the room, and Mike realized they had never felt the need to pull the covers over their naked bodies.

He glanced over at James, who had moved onto his back, an arm up under the pillow that cradled his head. Since James’ eyes were still closed, Mike shifted a bit so he could take in the view of James’ incredible body. James had lightly hairy calves, the follicles lying straight and flat against James’ tanned skin. His thighs were thick with muscle, and James’ knees were knobby enough to avoid the elephant-leg look. The creases from his hip bones down to his groin were like chiseled stone—surface-level paths leading to morning wood that lay over James’ hip. Mike wanted to run his hand over James’ little concave belly-button and up his stomach until he could trace his fingers under the sculpted pecs. The exposed armpit revealed James opted not to manscape it, and Mike thought that was masculine and sexy. In Mike’s mind, as beautiful as the body was, nothing could be more glorious than James’ head. Mike loved James’ beautiful light hair, the green eyes that were so full of emotion, the well-proportioned nose and the soft, pink lips. The ridge between James’ nose and mouth was a bit deeper than on most people, and it gave him a sculpted, noble look.

Mike blushed when taken by surprise as one of James’ eyes popped open and James’ expression signaled he knew he’d been gawked at. “Perving again?”

“Yes,” Mike admitted. “I couldn’t help it. What sight-privileged person could?”

James chuckled, then groaned as he stretched and forced himself to open his eyes more. “What time is it?”

Mike glanced at the clock. “Quarter after eight.”

“Hmm. Should get up. Need to eat, then get ready to meet Billy.”

“Oh,” Mike replied with disappointment.

James glanced back at Mike and felt some sympathy. “What? Do you still have spunk in that tank of yours?”

Mike reached down to his hard-on and gave it a couple of strokes, which drew James’ eyes to what he was fondling. “Seems there is.”

“Insatiable,” James stated as if perturbed, but his slight grin said otherwise. “Maybe, if you’re good and get up to make coffee and toast while I throw these sheets in the washing machine, I’ll entertain letting you shower with me.”

“And I’ll suck your cock,” Mike added.

James wiped a hand over his eyes while laughing. “You’re too much.”

Mike shook his head. “No, you’re too much. For now. But I’ll learn how to swallow it all.”

James shook his head and pretended to snarl. “Go put some bread in the toaster and start the coffee.”