Second Chance(68)

“A second chance.”

“Yeah.” Nate grinned. He slid his hand around Jack’s nape and pulled him close. “Everyone deserves a second chance,” he whispered, his breath brushing Jack’s lips before he kissed him.

Shuffling closer, heedless of the moisture seeping through the knees of his trousers from the damp grass, Jack slid his arms around Nate’s waist and kissed him back. He poured everything into the touch of their lips and the slide of their tongues: love, commitment, the promise of a shared future.

Jack could already feel how good it was going to be.





Epilogue





July 2018



“Bloody hell, Nate. We slept in. Look at the time!”

Nate groaned, rudely awoken from a deep sleep. He cranked his eyes open to see Jack already out of bed, frantically pulling on a pair of sweatpants over his bare arse. “What time is it?”

“It’s nearly ten, and people are going to be here in an hour. We need to clean up and start making lunch.”

“Jack, chill. It’s only family. The house is clean enough and there isn’t that much to do for lunch. Anyway… aren’t you forgetting something?” Nate propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Jack expectantly.

“Oh yeah,” Jack said sheepishly. “Happy birthday.”

“That’s better.” Nate grinned. “Now get back in bed and kiss me. We can spare ten minutes. Cass will help later if we kick her out of bed. It’s my birthday so she can’t say no. Hey! Sweatpants off.” He wagged his finger as Jack tried to get back into bed without undressing. “There. Now let’s rewind and start this day again.”

Closing his eyes, Nate lay back on his pillow.

“So, how is it going to go this time?” Jack asked, amusement softening his voice.

“Well let’s start with good morning, and a kiss. Then a birthday blow job wouldn’t go amiss.”

Jack rolled onto his side and kissed Nate’s cheek. “Good morning, sexy.” He pressed his lips to Nate’s. “Happy birthday.”

“Mmm.” Nate kissed him back. Happiness bloomed in his chest, spreading over his face in a smile. “Morning.” He pulled Jack on top of him and kissed him again. Jack moved down to Nate’s neck, and then his chest, brushing his lips over Nate’s scars.

“Keep going.” Nate gently pushed Jack’s head further down. “We’re on a tight schedule you know.”

“Are you sure we have time for this?” Jack looked up at him, dark hair rumpled by Nate’s hands.

“With all the practice you’ve had in making me come, I don’t think it’s gonna take very—” Nate’s words cut off with a gasp as Jack licked his cock “—long,” he managed to finish. Jack drew Nate into his mouth and sucked, and Nate arched his hips to meet him. “Oh fuck yes.”

With Jack’s mouth on Nate’s cock and fingers in both holes it only took a few minutes before Nate came, biting back a groan. “Jesus that was good. Do you want to come too?”

“Yeah.” Jack flopped onto his back beside Nate, hand stroking his cock rapidly. “Toss me off.”

Nate straddled Jack and took over, jerking Jack hard and fast until he muttered, “Gonna come.”

Leaning down, Nate took Jack in his mouth and sucked him, getting there just in time to catch Jack’s come as he gasped and tensed. Nate swallowed it all before crawling back up for a kiss, the taste of Jack on both their tongues.

“Right,” Nate said. “Shower? Then action.”

“Don’t you want your birthday presents?” Jack asked.

Looking at the clock, Nate shook his head. Although it was his birthday, he had something he wanted to give Jack too. But he wanted to wait till later for that, once the party was over. His heart thumped with nervous anticipation at the thought of it. “I’d rather do presents later.”



Nate, Jack, and Cass were now living in a three-bedroom house on the edge of Marlham. It was small, and had been very shabby when they moved in, so the rent was reasonable. But it was perfect for the three of them, and the landlord had been only too happy for them to do some decorating.

They’d moved in at the start of May, and now, two months later, it was almost unrecognisable. All the rooms were freshly painted and they’d sanded and varnished the floorboards that had been underneath the grotty old carpet. They’d gradually put their stamp on the place, adding a picture here, a houseplant there, a rug in the living room. With each new addition it felt more like home.

Thanks to Cass’s help they managed to get the house looking respectable by the time their guests arrived. With the sun shining outside, they had the double doors open from the kitchen into the small garden at the back. There was a patio that was the width of the house, and a small patch of lawn behind. Raised beds that Nate had built from timber surrounded the whole thing, filled with a variety of flowering plants and herbs.

Nate’s mum turned up first, laden with a large plastic container and a clanking carrier bag. “Happy birthday, darling,” she said to Nate as he led her into the kitchen. “I made a raspberry pavlova, and here’s some cava that needs to go in the fridge, and some sparkling grape juice. Oh, and your present of course. Just something little as requested.” She put the stuff down on the kitchen table and handed Nate a small package.