Painted On My Heart

“You’re my first, too.” Kellus snuggled in closer to Arik, soaking up the warmth of the other man’s body.

“When we get to the top, I wanna make out. It always looks very romantic in the movies.” Arik growled, using the hand behind Kellus’s back to draw him closer. After another minute or so, Arik took his hand and placed Kellus’s palm on his thigh. “Stop being freaked out. Be in this with me.”

“I’m not freaked out. I just think we need time.”

“Then we’ll give it time. Until then, there’s nothing wrong with starting the renovations. I’ll have the design team contact you tomorrow.”

“Arik, I don’t know…”

“Then it’s a good thing I do. Now, stop fretting and kiss me.”

They had moved up again, but had stopped to load more riders when Arik’s hand returned to the back of Kellus’s head and pressed their lips together.

“I love you,” Arik whispered against his lips, not moving away as he continued to speak. “Let me have this one, please. It makes me happy to think I can spend my evenings watching you work, then go upstairs to bed, not having to drive thirty minutes to the house.”

“You don’t have to watch me every night,” he protested.

“But I enjoy it, and if you’re downstairs, you’ll get more hours in.” The determination he’d seen on Arik’s face earlier had faded to something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “Please just give this to me. I’m worried you’re not in this as much as me.”

“I’m worried you’ll wise up and realize I’m not in your league.”

Arik took his hand, threading their fingers together.

“That’s never going to happen, Kellus. I’m not a stupid man. I finally found you. I was beginning to think I was incapable of love. You aren’t going anywhere.” The jolt of the Ferris wheel halted Arik’s words as the ride began. “I’m cold. I think I need you closer.” Kellus’s pent-up breath released as a chuckle when he adjusted himself, leaning in as Arik tightened his arm around his back. “Change in subject. Point out the sights for me.”

“Well, you know the bridge to nowhere…”

“Yes. The Cake Bar’s that way.” Arik lifted a finger in that direction, then looked at him smugly and smiled.

“Very good. You’re learning your way around, one sweet shop at a time.”

“So what direction is the town you grew up in?” Kellus looked around to get his bearings, then pointed toward Ellis County.

“Kiss me. We’re coming to the top.”

They circled the top faster than he’d hoped, only allowing for a brief but hot kiss. On the second pass, Arik tried again. It wasn’t until the third time, when they came to a slow stop near the top, that Arik turned, swooping in and kissing him with so much passion that they were close to the bottom before the kiss ended. Arik didn’t move away, his breath came in short gasps.

“I want you to live with me. I want us to have a house together, a life together. I want to give you all the things you ever wanted in a relationship. And I want to take you home, make love to you, right now. Say you want all that too.”

“I do.” Kellus stroked his fingers across Arik’s cheek. He wanted so badly the life Arik had just described.

“Then let’s make it happen.” Arik swooped in again, kissing him deeply and tenderly with so much passion he lost himself, forgetting where they were.

“Excuse me.” The man cleared his throat. “Ride’s over.” The belt unlatched as Arik looked over his shoulder. Kellus looked around Arik. The group waiting at the bottom to get on just stared at them. The massive hard-on in his pants faded under the scrutiny of the stares. Arik shrugged and lifted off the seat.

“Let’s go home and start on our life,” Arik said sweetly, sliding his fingers over Kellus’s palm, taking his hand, drawing him to his feet.

“Are you always this good to people?”

“No. Not at all. You bring it out in me.”

“I’m glad.”

~?~

Kellus sat in the passenger seat of Arik’s sports car, riding silently. More quiet than normal. Man, Arik wished he knew what his guy was thinking. He’d pushed to move their relationship to the next level. From the reaction he’d gotten, Kellus hadn’t been expecting that. Perhaps, he shouldn’t have pressed so hard. It was tough attempting to confine aggressive personality traits to the dictates of what Kellus thought about their relationship.

Tired of the silence and crazy speculation that always bounced around unwarranted in his head when Kellus turned quiet, he reached over, gathering Kellus’s hand in his as he navigated the side streets toward his building.

“Have I asked why you don’t have any tattoos?” Arik’s focus drifted between the road and Kellus. His guy looked a little lost, as if he weren’t sure of the question, as his gaze shifted from staring out the passenger side window. So he repeated his question. “Tattoos. Why don’t you have them? Lots of artists seem to have them nowadays.”