Lord have mercy, he was going to have to pull that memory out later in private, give it a good, hard looksee.
“Mmm…turn around, and I’ll wash your back, massage a little.”
Charles turned dutifully, bracing one hand on the shower wall. His back was wide and muscled, much less fuzzy than his front, with a little bit of hair mostly at his shoulder blades.
“Mmm…” So pretty. Ryder dug in, rubbing hard, loving on that strong back with all he had.
“Oh, you’re very good at this.” Charles sighed, and Ryder felt him relax. “Very nice.”
He didn’t bother answering; he just kept working, melting Mister Charlie the best he knew how.
Charles didn’t rush him one bit, obviously appreciating what he was doing. “I’m going to need a nap if you keep that up.” He was pretty sure Mister Charlie was teasing.
“Mmm…you must have needed it, then.” If it felt so good, it was necessary.
“No naps for me. We have brunch soon and people to see.”
“We do. I want you to get to know Roper. He’s amazing.”
“I have no doubt. He seemed to care about you very much when I met him yesterday. It will be nice to talk with him more.” Charles turned back around. “Am I all clean?”
“You are. You’re beautiful. I hope you’ll let me suck you off tonight. I want your cock in my mouth.”
Mister Charlie seemed pretty pleased, and heat flashed in his eyes for a second. “I am very much looking forward to that.”
He found his new lover a smile. “Me too.”
“Something to look forward to.” Charles shut the water off and pulled him out of the shower, handing him a soft towel. “Something else.”
He nodded and set to drying the beautiful body. “Something else.”
Mister Charlie nodded and pulled out another towel to dry him off too. “I love how you hear me.”
“It’s the easiest thing ever. I listen.” And he loved it.
“I know.” Charles tied the towel around his waist and kissed him. “Thank you, that was very nice.”
Ryder couldn’t believe this. He just couldn’t. He didn’t even know how to process the fact that he was sleeping with Charles.
Him.
And it wasn’t skeezy.
They dressed quietly, and Charles let him help with little things like buttoning his shirt for him, which gave Ryder an excuse to stay close while being helpful.
And then they were out the door for brunch.
Hand in hand.
14
Charles held onto Ryder’s hand tighter than he probably needed to, but he had his reasons. He wanted the cowboy to know it was deliberate. He felt like he had to keep proving to himself that this was real. And for some reason, he felt the need to let people know that Ryder was his.
He was obsessing a bit over that last one, worrying it between metaphorical teeth. It was a new feeling, something he hadn’t had with Tad. Perhaps because with Tad he had always been the trophy, the husband who Tad wanted to show off. He hadn’t minded that. He hadn’t really cared one way or another.
But he cared now.
He definitely had phone calls to make when they got back to New York. The service that’d sent Ryder, of course, to let them know he was canceling the contract, but especially to Victor. He had questions. Thoughts. Ideas.