Barely Existing - 11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 is as promised.   Enjoy 

“Come here.” Tate pulled Gavin down onto the sofa and wrapped his arms tightly around him.

Their lips moved in a tender dance and Tate felt Gavin’s hands slide up and around his shoulders. Gavin’s scent wrapped around him like a security blanket and he breathed deep, sharing Gavin’s breath. He was completely consumed and surrounded by his mate. He rubbed his tongue across Gavin’s bottom lip and he relished his mate’s unique taste. Gavin parted his lips with a needy gasp and Tate groaned and deepened their kiss.

He leisurely explored his mate’s mouth. Tate craved his mate’s spicy heat. Gavin clenched Tate’s shirt in his fist, bunching the material and desperately pressed closer to Tate. Tate moved and pulled his button down shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. He returned his attention back to his mate and Tate’s gaze locked onto Gavin’s bared chest and he growled appreciatively.

“Fucking perfect.” And he is. He’s fucking perfect. His chest was toned and smooth, with only a thin trail of hair that started at his navel and disappeared below his waistband. A simple, black tribal phoenix was tattooed between his hip and that happy trail.

Gavin had an angel tattooed on his right pectoral. The angel knelt on both of his knees and a sword was laid in front of him. His head was bowed, his long hair covered his face, and his shoulders were slumped. One of his wings lay broken at his side, a pile of feathers under it, and the other stretched and curled around his shoulder.

Tate traced the details with his finger. “This is beautiful. How many do you have?” His eyes met Gavin’s.

“A few,” he admitted.

Tate cupped the side of Gavin’s face and leaned back in and pressed their lips together. Gavin cuddled in close and they moved together as Tate reclined back against the sofa with Gavin on top of him. The coals of their earlier passion quickly reignited and the flame burned even hotter. Tate slid his hands down the lean muscles of Gavin’s back and grabbed his mate’s mouth-watering ass.

Gavin, no longer shy or hesitant, eagerly tangled his tongue with Tate’s. Their teeth clashed as their lips ground together. A new sense of urgency and need overwhelmed them both. Gavin rubbed his hips frantically against Tate’s. Their erections pressed uncomfortably against their unforgiving jeans, straining towards the other.

Gavin attacked the first button on Tate’s jeans without breaking their kiss. Tate jerked away with a gasp and caught Gavin’s hands in his own. Oh god. We can’t do this. He doesn’t know yet.

“Hold on baby. Slow down.”

“Why?” Gavin’s hands clenched Tate’s jeans.

“There are things you don’t know about me baby.”

“There are things you don’t know about me either.” Gavin’s hands started on the second button of Tate’s jeans.

Tate caught Gavin’s hands in his again. “That’s not what I mean. This is only our first date.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “Hmpf. Technically, this could be our third date. Look, we’ve only known each other for a week. I don’t expect you spill all of your secrets to me now and I sure as shit ain’t ready to spill all of mine.” Gavin bared his teeth. “Now let me take your fucking pants off.”

Tate dropped his head back and moaned. Shit, his mate was hot. Gavin quickly popped the last buttons free on Tate’s jeans. Tate toed off his shoes and lifted his hips when Gavin slid his pants down. Gavin quickly removed his own clothes and launched himself at Tate.

“Oomph.” Gavin’s lips covered Tate’s and Gavin swallowed his shocked gasp. He placed a hand on each side of Tate’s head and arched his back, lifting his torso off of Tate’s. He devoured Tate’s lips.

Tate thrust his tongue against Gavin’s and let the passionate storm his mate had become consume him. His hands, with a mind of their own, traveled down Gavin’s back to his ass. The wild and needy kiss was not nearly enough.

Tate tore his lips from Gavin’s and nipped his jaw line. His hands guided Gavin’s legs over his own and he pulled his mate flush against his body. He brushed a kiss across Gavin’s collar bone and clamped his teeth around the sensitive spot where neck met shoulder.

Gavin froze and roughly jerked his hips against Tate’s. Tate sucked and nibbled that tender area, the bear in him needed to see their mate marked and Tate hoped the bruise would satisfy his beast.

Tate massaged the firm cheeks. He pulled them apart, stretching the pucker still hidden from his gaze, and released again.

“Oh God.” Gavin moaned and twisted his hips enthusiastically against Tate.

Tate tugged on Gavin’s gauged ear. He swirled his tongue around the shell of Gavin’s ear and his mate’s pants and whimpers filled the room.

“You’re. Fucking. Mine.” Tate snarled and thrust his tongue against Gavin’s ear. He arched against Gavin and rocked their hips together, hot, hard velvet sliding against him.

They kissed as their hips moved together, grinding against the others’. Gavin’s movements became frantic. “Oh God.” He gasped into Tate’s mouth.

Tate’s grip on Gavin’s ass was bruising as he encouraged his movements. Tate nipped Gavin’s bottom lip before he sucked it between his teeth. A litany of “Oh god! Oh fuck!” poured from Gavin.

Push, grind, pull. Their pace quickened as Gavin hurtled toward the edge. Their kiss was desperate and unforgiving.

Gavin arched his head back and slammed his hips against Tate’s twice. “Oh. Oh Fuck. Tate!” Tate jerked Gavin’s head back to his and swallowed his mate’s sweet cries. Gavin’s body stiffened and he ground his hips once more into Tate’s and came.

Tate continued to rock their hips together, Gavin’s heat making the slide spine-tinglingly delicious. Gavin’s hips jerked twice more before he collapsed on top of Tate. He sweetly whimpered in aftershock and his body occasionally twitched.

Tate’s body shook as his mate climaxed with the effort it took to control his bear. Claim him! His bear snarled. Bite him! The bear demanded, wanting to see their mate marked. Back off! Tate commanded. He’s not ready yet. Tate’s bear snorted. It bared its teeth, no longer fighting for control, but not backing down.

Gavin’s lips brushed across his shoulder and the action eased the tension from his muscles. The caress calmed his bear, and it faded to the background. No longer needing to focus on controlling his bear, his impending orgasm rushed back, the need as strong as it had been before.

Tate pressed his mouth to Gavin’s. He pulled Gavin’s hips firmly down on him and rocked them together faster, harder. He arched his hip, meeting each thrust. Push, grind, pull. Gavin’s hands roamed his shoulders and arms.

Gavin‘s fingers traced down his chest and plucked a nipple and Tate gasped. Gavin latched onto his ear lobe and sucked it roughly into the hot, wet heat of his mouth. Oh fuck. Tate ground Gavin’s hips roughly against his. Gavin pinched his nipple again and it threw him over the edge he had been teetering on. His body jerked once before he pulsed, spurting between them. He held Gavin’s hips clamped to his until the last twitch.

Tate opened his eyes and looked down at the man lying on his chest with his eyes closed. Tate relaxed contentedly against the sofa and ignored the sticky mess pressed between him and Gavin.

Gavin’s body shook as he giggled. His giggles turned to laughter and Tate smiled in amusement. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh man. I haven’t done that or came that quickly since I was a teenager.”

Tate chuckled and gave Gavin another squeeze. “I’m not complaining.”

Gavin pulled back to look down at Tate and made a face. “Ugh. I might. This is getting gross.” He squirmed and screwed his face in disgust.

Tate laughed. “Yeah.”

Gavin pecked Tate and climbed off of him. “Let’s go get cleaned up.”

“Maybe then we can actually watch the movie.” Tate teased and he let Gavin pull him off of the sofa.

“Hey! You attacked me big guy.”

Tate smirked. “Yeah but I didn’t hear you say no.”

Gavin laughed. “True.”

They gathered up their clothes and Gavin showed Tate to an upstairs bathroom. “You can clean up here.” He laid a washrag and a hand towel on the sink counter. “Need anything else?

Tate pecked Gavin’s nose and laughed when he scrunched it up. “No, I’m good. Thank you.”

Gavin shot him a smile right before the door closed. Tate hurriedly cleaned and used the bathroom before he dressed.

He found Gavin in the kitchen shaking his hips in rhythm with the song playing from his cell phone. Amused, Tate leaned against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

Gavin turned his back to Tate and placed a jar of popcorn kernels he pulled out of the cabinet beside the stove. Warm amber eyes met Tate’s and his stomach plummeted.

A bust of a black bear, with brown dotted above its eyes and covering its snout, was tattooed between Gavin’s shoulder blades and halfway down his back. It was framed with bent and twisted tree limbs and it stared back at him with a curious, almost friendly, expression.

Tate opened his mouth, unsure if he wanted to announce his presence or ask about the tattoo. Words failed him. He shook his head and tried again. “That’s a beautiful piece.”

Gavin visibly startled. “Holy shit, Tate. You scared me!” Gavin looked over his shoulder at Tate and laughed.

“Sorry.” He smiled.

“Uh-huh.” Gavin grinned.

Tate moved to stand behind Gavin and studied the tattoo on his back. The details, like the ones on his torso, were impressive and stunning. His traced the bent tree limbs with his finger and stilled when his eyes caught a design in the tattoo he had missed. He tilted his head examined a swirl pattern that did not match the rest of the tattoo.

His eyes widened in shock. Shit. Is that? It is…how the hell? He rubbed his thumb over the paw print camouflaged in the corner of the tattoo. A triple spiral pattern made the center of the bear’s paw and an ancient symbol, long forgotten by humankind, that resembled a trinity knot made the knuckles. Separate, those three symbols meant very little. Together, they meant everything.

Tate shoved his curiosity aside. To ask about the tattoo would mean to reveal his second nature and that was something neither of them was ready for. He wrapped his arms around Gavin’s waist and nuzzled his neck.

“What are you doing?” Tate asked. He rested his chin on Gavin’s shoulder and looked at the pot on the stove.

“I’m making popcorn.” Gavin answered.

“Why are you making popcorn? I thought you would still be full from dinner.”

“Oh I am.” Gavin’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “But since you are a growing boy, I thought you might like some popcorn.”

Tate grinned. “You would be right. You’re making me popcorn? ”

Gavin nodded with a smile on his face.

Tate tightened his arms around Gavin’s waist. “It’s official.” He declared.

“What is?” Gavin asked.

“I’m keeping you. You’re sexy, you can cook, and you’re good in bed.” Tate waggled his eyebrows and grinned.

“You've never really had my cooking.” Gavin pointed out. “You’ve had my grilling. Plus, that was the sofa, not the bed.” Gavin teased.

“You’re perfect.” Tate whispered.

Gavin blushed. His eyes met Tate’s and the emotion sparkling there made Tate’s chest ache. Gavin cupped a hand around Tate’s head and pulled him down for a kiss.

Both men felt vulnerable and exposed when they parted. Gavin forced a smile and bumped his backside against Tate. “Alright. Get out of my way so I can make you popcorn.”

The kitchen was silent as the oil heated and the kernels popped. Gavin shook the pot out into a large bowl. He topped it with salt, chili powder and fresh grated parmesan.

Tate groaned. “That looks sooo good.”

Gavin chuckled. He grabbed the bowl and walked to the living room. He shook it a few times in Tate’s direction. “Here boy. Come on. Good boy.” He made kissing noises and whistled.

“Oh, you are so going to get it.” Tate laughed.

They cuddled close together on the couch and started the movie. Gavin’s head rested on Tate’s shoulder while Tate devoured his treat. Tate quickly polished off his popcorn and sat the mostly empty bowl on the coffee table. Tate stretched out across the sectional sofa and motioned Gavin to join him. He wanted to feel his mate pressed close to him the way he had been earlier. Gavin settled his weight on top of Tate and Tate wrapped his arm around his mate’s back.

Tate checked the time when the movie’s credits rolled across the TV screen. It was well after midnight. He gave Gavin a squeeze.

“I should probably go.”

“Okay.”

Tate slipped his shoes on and they walked out onto the porch. Tate gazed down at Gavin. “I had a great time.”

“Me too.” Gavin softly smiled.

“Would it be too much if I asked if I could see you tomorrow?”

“That sounds great.” Gavin’s smile turned into a grin.

Tate kissed Gavin. “I’ll call you.”