“Pardon?” The girl laughed. Ben was going to have to have words if she thought it was okay to tease Maddox, who looked on the verge of hoping a meteor would land on him. “Ben who?”
“Ben. My boyfriend.” Maddox’s neck was bright pink, blush spreading all the way up to his ears and cheeks as he grabbed Ben’s hand, pulled him closer.
Well, now. Suddenly, the whole morning seemed worth it. Getting to claim Maddox publicly, even temporarily, made his pulse thrum. That’s my guy. He sent eye daggers to Miss Nose Ring. That’s right. Mine.
As Maddox introduced his choir crew, Ben struggled to keep up with names, an unfamiliar emotion surging through him. Pride. Had he ever been proud of Trey? Really proud? He wasn’t sure. And he’d been happy for Maddox, plenty of times. But this...this felt different. Like he’d won a prize at a street carnival and everyone could tell and envy him for his prowess. Not that Maddox was a dart game, but Ben had done something right the past few days. Now to just keep it going and not have it all end in a fiery crash.
* * *
The alarm clock buzzed Maddox out of a truly great dream—he’d been back on the farm, Ben with him, swimming in the pond, no one around, blue sky above them, Tim McGraw blasting on the stereo, Ben naked against him...
Wait. That last part was true. There was a naked Ben pressed up behind him, or at least as close as their mounds of pillows would let them be. Ben had a proprietary arm thrown across Maddox’s torso, and he yanked him closer as the alarm blared.
“Do we really have to get up?” Ben grumbled.
“You’ve got duty—filing awaits. And you’re dropping me at therapy on your way in. But I set the alarm a bit early because I thought I’d make waffles.” Waffle Wednesday was the meme on one of the cooking blogs Maddox followed, and he’d thought it would be nice to do for Ben. After all, Ben kept doing nice things for him. Church on Sunday. Meeting Maddox’s friends after. Shared meals and listening to Maddox’s stories about the knife skills workshop he went to Monday. Something had to give, and soon, but all week things had been straight out of Maddox’s deepest desires.
But in the meantime, it was nice to daydream about little shared traditions, a future full of Waffle Wednesdays and Flash Thursdays and Soccer Saturdays. It made him almost as warm as Ben snuggled against his side.
“So what you’re saying is there’s time.” Ben’s hand snaked lower to palm Maddox’s cock, which predictably liked the attention better than the prospect of getting to use his mixer. Maybe he’d have to track down some overnight oats recipes or something else with zero prep time if Ben kept sleeping in here.
Please let him keep sleeping in here. Ben’s pillows hadn’t left Maddox’s bed since that first night, and his phone charger was now on his side of the bed, belt on the floor, shoes under the chair in the corner. And Maddox loved it, loved the clutter Ben brought to life.
“You ever think you’re oversexed?” he teased Ben, rolling into his touches. “We just got off last night.”
“That was like eight hours ago.” Ben laughed. “Not that it wasn’t stellar. Fuck, I love sucking you.”
“Let’s avoid injury this time.” They’d attempted a really reckless 69 that hadn’t worked and had stressed Ben’s shoulder more than Maddox liked, but the finish with Ben going down on him while he stroked himself off had been more than hot enough to make up for the clumsy fumblings.
“I had another idea.” Ben rolled so that he could grin down at Maddox.
“Yeah?” Maddox generally liked Ben’s big ideas—not that he wasn’t without imagination, but he was content letting Ben lead in bed, discovering what turned Ben on and following whatever whim he had that day.
“Tell me if this stresses your leg too much, okay?” Shifting their bodies this way and that with gentle hands, Ben moved so that he was between Maddox’s legs.
“I’m good.” Maddox groaned as their cocks dragged together. He wasn’t any stranger to frot, but like many things, it felt new and deliciously different with Ben.
“Was dreaming about you,” Ben said right before he claimed Maddox’s mouth in a soft kiss. More even than the soul-melting kisses, he seemed to know exactly what Maddox needed to hear.
“Yeah?” He turned his head so that Ben could lick and torment his neck.
“Dreaming about this. You all sleepy and perfect.” The affection in Ben’s voice made Maddox’s toes curl against the sheets. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been perfect, not to anyone, but Ben sounded so convinced that he almost believed it. “Like this. Like waking up together.”
“Me too.” It was a wonder that Maddox’s heart still fit in his not-insubstantial chest. Ben kissed him again, achingly tender even as his tongue delved inside Maddox’s mouth. Experimenting, Maddox rocked his hips, trying to avoid jostling his cast but still moving with Ben’s gentle thrusts.