Courage and Comfort Read online

  Utah dropped the towel, pulled his board shorts down and kicked them off, then grabbed the jar of lube. As soon as Edmund clicked off his cell phone, Utah pushed him against the wall and said, “Bend over.”

  “What’s in it for me?”

  “Oh, you’ll like this, I promise.”

  Edmund leaned his crossed forearms against the wall, rested his head on them, and stuck his ass out. His legs were wide apart, ready for whatever plan Utah might have.

  “Damn, that’s sexy.” Utah grabbed the wetsuit and pulled it the rest of the way down. Edmund lifted one foot to step out of it but left the fabric puddled around the other foot. Utah repeated the motions with Edmund’s swimwear, then ran a gentle hand down Edmund’s back, enjoying the feel of his muscles, his spine, and the sexy little shiver he gave at Utah’s touch. “You’re so hot. Everything you do turns me on.”

  “It’s mutual. Just seeing you makes me horny.”

  “Let’s get that ass of yours all nice and pink,” said Utah, slapping first the right butt cheek, then the left. Utah set a steady pace but deliberately had no pattern to his strokes. He didn’t want Edmund to start leaning into the hits. He wanted his lover on edge, expectant, aroused. Utah knew how to paddle Edmund to arouse them both to the highest possible level before he entered his partner. Edmund’s pale ass was already a healthy pink, and both their cocks were engorged, standing upright, and the heads red. It was very nearly time.

  Quickly Utah slathered lube onto his cock, and then he slapped Edmund hard on the inside of his thigh high up near his balls and followed through with another slap to the same position on the other inside thigh.

  “You’re killing me. I need you so much,” Edmund moaned.

  “I need you too,” Utah whispered. He pushed his slippery fingers into Edmund’s ass, and quickly stretched the muscles. As fast as he could, he loosened the entry and swapped out his fingers for his cock.

  His dick was aching, it was so ready for action. His balls were hard and tight, and he was desperate to be much deeper inside Edmund. With one hand on his aching dick, he pushed hard and slid farther into the hot, dark, welcoming channel, reveling in the feeling of being at home. Yes, home. We belong together. Apart, we’re unfinished, but together we’re a single, complete unit.

  Utah gripped one of Edmund’s hips with his hand and reached around Edmund to grab his dick with his other hand. Then he started a fast in-and-out pace, his dick and hips and hand all working together.

  Edmund pressed back against him, pushing their bodies so tightly together the sweat on their skin made them stick to each other. Once again Utah had the sensation of them being totally united, a single entity, two hearts beating in unison. Then Edmund placed his own hand on top of Utah’s and both of them tugged on Edmund’s cock, their hips pumping back and forth at high speed as they climbed higher and higher, nearer to the peak of orgasm. “So close,” Edmund murmured.

  “Then let it go. Come now. Come with me.” Utah pulled out until just the head of his cock was still inside Edmund, then slammed in as hard and deep as he could, swiveling his hips to the right, then the left as he did so.

  Edmund gave a keening wail, and cum exploded over both their hands. Gratefully, Utah relaxed the iron control he’d been maintaining over his aching dick, and his essence blasted into Edmund’s hot ass. Utah pumped again and again, holding Edmund’s cock in one hand and his hips in the other.

  More seed jetted from both their cocks until, finally, they both stopped. As his cock slid from Edmund’s body, Utah kissed Edmund’s neck. “Thank you, lover, for a hell of a ride.”

  Edmund twisted round to face Utah. “It’s not you, and it’s not me. It’s us. When we’re together, it’s—I don’t know—special somehow.”

  “Absolutely. I was just thinking that. We belong together.”

  They hugged briefly, and then Utah pulled away from Edmund. “Oh man, we really need a shower now.”

  ****

  They wandered hand-in-hand along the main street of Rocky Point Beach. Supposedly they were choosing a place to eat supper, but really they were just enjoying the release of the tension after finding the aquamarine. They stopped in some of the stores and poked through the goods on display, laughing at the slogans on T-shirts, trying on flip-flops and beach sandals, and shaking their heads at some of the tacky pictures on postcards.

  One store had stone paperweights, and Utah wandered over to them, picked them up, and looked at them. Edmund stood by and watched, then found his hand reaching out all by itself for a pale blue one that reminded him of the aquamarine. Utah picked up a green one that was almost exactly the same shape and texture, just with the different color. “Why don’t we get one of these each for Mavis and AJ? Kind of like a memento of this trip?”

  “Yes, good idea. Do you think we should get a gift for the baby as well? I guess, by the next time we go on vacation, he’ll be old enough we should bring him a present.”

  “Sure, but what do you buy a baby? It’s not like he’s old enough for a bucket and spade to dig in the sand.”

  Holding the two paperweights, they walked over to a rack of children’s toys. Slowly, they walked down the aisle, looking at everything, until right in the corner Edmund saw one of those stretchy things parents hung across a crib for a baby to play with. This one had hollow balls of different colors, including one of palest blue and another of deep green. Without a word he picked it up and showed Utah.

  Utah nodded. “Perfect.”

  Happy with their purchases, they walked on through the town, stopping at last at a pizza and pasta restaurant where they enjoyed their meal and relaxed before finally returning to their room to make long, slow love in bed.

  ****

  Packing their luggage didn’t take long, and they were on the road heading home before nine the next morning. Mostly they traveled in companionable silence, but every now and then Edmund would stroke the aquamarine in his pocket, and Utah, who was driving, would look across at him and smile.

  “The whole thing still seems weird and almost unbelievable, but we did it,” Edmund said.

  “Yes, I know. I find the whole paranormal situation way out of left field, but it did call to you and it does seem right.”

  “Do you think it wanted us to buy those paperweights as well? I felt drawn to them too, and even to that baby toy.”

  “I don’t know. But right now I’m not prepared to discard any possibility.”

  “Hell no. Me either. So how do we give it to Mavis? Just hand it over and say ‘Now you’ll be fine’? That seems callous.” Edmund stared at Utah’s face, but Utah was concentrating on the road.

  “Didn’t AJ say she was meditating on it or planning a ceremony or something? I expect she’ll have thought through all that. AJ’s a mighty-smart woman and knows her stuff. She also seems to understand your sister too.”

  “Oh yes, that’s true. I’d forgotten. I’m happy to leave the program to her. I’m just so pleased we found it. And I bet our e-mail boxes are full and Jayne will have a list of jobs for us to do that’ll keep us busy for the rest of the week.”

  Edmund relaxed into his seat as they talked idly about their business, their jobs, and their family as the miles rolled past them and they headed home. And every few miles Edmund continued to let his fingers touch the aquamarine that was going to help his sister reclaim her life and rear her son.

  Chapter Five

  Five big cushions were set out in a rough circle on the floor. AJ and Mavis were each sitting on one, the baby laid sleeping on another, and AJ gestured for the men to sit on the remaining two. As soon as they were settled, she lit a large candle in front of her and passed it to Mavis, who used the flame to light a tiny tea candle she placed in front of the baby and a slightly larger candle she rested in front of herself. Mavis passed the large candle to Utah, who lit his candle, and Edmund did the same before returning the primary candle to AJ.

  Next, AJ took a bowl of potpourri and herbs, sprinkled them in
front of her, and passed the bowl to Mavis. Once again everyone repeated her actions.

  Finally, she placed a loaf of home-baked bread and a jug of water in the center of the cushions. “Lay out your gifts,” she instructed Edmund.

  Edmund and Utah had discussed how they would do this and decided cupping their hands with the rocks held by both of them was the safest method. First they each picked up one end of the baby’s toy, leaned forward together, and placed it in front of the sleeping infant. Then very carefully, they scooped the pale blue paperweight into their joined hands and laid it in front of Mavis before taking the green one and doing the same for AJ. Finally, having considered the previous gifts a kind of practice run for the important task of getting the giving of the aquamarine correct, they gathered it in their joined hands and offered it to Mavis, waiting for her to take it from them and hold it herself.

  Mavis quietly scooped it from their joined hands and clutched it to her chest, silent tears trickling from her pale blue eyes as she sobbed brokenly. “Oh John.”

  AJ held her arms above her head and spoke firmly but gently. “Aquamarines have the power to release anxiety. They soothe and calm fears and combat depression. The aquamarine is the stone of courage. It accelerates knowledge and reasoning, not just learning from others, but also learning of oneself. Mavis, you are not alone. You have family and friends who will always support you. But more than that, with this stone is the promise that your John is always with you and will forever offer you the advice and help you need to rear his son.” AJ lowered her arms and kept her gaze steady on Mavis.

  Edmund almost held his breath, wondering how—or even if—she’d respond.

  “Thank you for bringing me the stone. Knowing John’s spirit is inside it means more to me than I can ever tell you.” She clutched the stone tighter, hard against her chest. “Having seen you all demonstrate your love for me like this means a lot to me. With you three helping me, and with John too, I’ll try, I’ll really try.”

  Mavis’s tears fell faster now, but Edmund thought she seemed stronger, as if having John with her really was helping her to find a stable base she could build on.

  At that moment John Jr. stirred and reached out his hand. With the aimless grip of the very young, he grabbed hold of the aquamarine ball in his toy and held it.

  “Your son understands. He will grow up to be a credit to both you and his father,” AJ intoned.

  Edmund looked at Utah and saw the same drop-jawed gaze he was sure was on his own face. It seemed the baby knew more about this than he did. Well hell, as long as it aided Mavis, it was all good as far as he was concerned.

  ****

  “Let me love you, tonight. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this time without you beside me to strengthen and help me,” Edmund said.

  “You’re strong. You would have managed just fine. But I was pleased to be able to help you. I always plan to be here to aid and support you. I love you so much,” Utah whispered.

  “I love you too. And I understand how much God has blessed us by bringing us together like this. I hadn’t realized before just how few people ever find their soul mate the way we have.”

  Edmund slid down the bed until his head was level with the yummiest cock in the world, Utah’s cock. He climbed between Utah’s thighs, widening them, and very deliberately licked a long, teasing stroke across Utah’s belly, stopping just short of his dick. Edmund flicked his tongue into Utah’s belly button, then circled it before licking a line down south again, this time tracing the line between Utah’s torso and his leg. When he stopped, Utah groaned, and he hid a grin before crawling up Utah’s body a bit so he could lick across the muscled chest and suck a tiny nipple into his mouth. Edmund sucked and licked and teased the nipple until the hard little button was standing up straight and tall, then moved across to repeat the procedure on the other side. By the time he considered his job completed, Utah’s very-erect cock was pressing into Edmund’s belly, its damp head making quite clear how effective Edmund’s love-making had been.

  Once again Edmund moved lower, and this time he sucked one of Utah’s balls into his mouth and rolled it with his tongue before licking it thoroughly. Then, feeling he’d tortured his lover enough for the moment, Edmund swiped his tongue the length of Utah’s cock.

  Utah groaned deeply thrusting his hips up into Edmund’s mouth.

  Edmund nibbled up and down Utah’s cock, pressing his tongue into the thick, pulsing vein, scraping his teeth gently across Utah’s cockhead, and then finally sucking as much of it as he could into his mouth.

  “Hell yeah,” Utah murmured, his hips pumping frantically.

  Edmund let the cock pop out of his mouth. “Getting a little desperate there, are we?” But then he licked the shaft again and sucked the head deep inside, tilting his head back as far as he could in this position so more and more of Utah’s delicious dick was in his mouth. Edmund rolled Utah’s balls as he sucked his partner’s dick, loving the differing scents and flavors and textures of this man. The soft, spongy cockhead, the rigid shaft, and the rougher, hairier balls, all overlaid by the very special scent uniquely Utah.

  Serenely, Edmund sucked and licked, teased, and touched, cranking the heat and tension up with each different move, trying to be unpredictable, loving every groan, moan, and murmured profanity from Utah. They all proved he was successful in his task of driving Utah into a sexual frenzy.

  The slightest touch would soon send Utah off the cliff. So Edmund raised himself off Utah’s body, sat up, and lifted Utah’s right foot. Then Edmund carefully massaged the arch of Utah’s foot, rubbed the toes one at a time, and stroked around the ankle and heel.

  “God, you’re a tease,” Utah groaned.

  “Who? Me?”

  “Yes, Mr. Innocent. You.” Utah flipped himself up, grabbed Edmund, and pushed Edmund flat on his back on the mattress. Quickly he straddled the blond, upside down, and licked Edmund’s cock. “Now we do this as a team. You finish me, and I’ll do you. Okay?”

  “You sure know how to spoil a man’s fun.” Edmund sighed, but he swiped his tongue over Utah’s shaft as soon as he finished speaking. Sucking Utah had aroused Edmund enormously, and he knew the game was almost over. A very few long, strong sucks, and they’d both explode like the Fourth of July.

  His eyes almost crossed as Utah swallowed his dick and spoke. Edmund’s brain was too fried to grasp what Utah said or even if it was words at all, but the feeling was sure as hell out of this world awesome. Edmund hastily bent to Utah’s cock and sucked it deep into his mouth. Using all his skills, he licked and sucked and teased the shaft with his tongue, then his teeth. He nibbled along the side with tiny bites before sucking firmly on the head again. Edmund’s plan almost derailed when Utah swallowed him for the second time, but he retained just enough sense to shield his teeth when he gasped.

  The last few minutes were a chaotic time of them each trying to make the other one come first, with intense pleasuring. Edmund slammed a finger in Utah’s ass at the same time as he sucked Utah’s cock firmly, and he was rewarded with a huge blast of hot cum hitting the back of his throat.

  Only seconds later his own cock erupted in Utah’s mouth.

  It was hard to concentrate enough to lick Utah clean, but he managed it, and then they shuffled around until they were both up the right way, heads on the same pillow, legs entwined, and arms wrapped around each other.

  “Every time it gets better,” Edmund whispered.

  “Exactly as it should be.”

  ****

  “I’d like to invite Utah and Edmund over for supper. A proper meal, cooking them something myself that they both really like,” Mavis said.

  AJ looked up and smiled. “That’s a wonderful idea. They’d like that.”

  Mavis fingered the aquamarine she wore on a chain around her neck. Then she stroked the paperweight, which was sitting on the coffee table in front of her. “I suddenly want to cook. I haven’t gotten my recipes out since I became p
regnant, so it’s more than time I started cooking again. Well, cooking as opposed to throwing something in the microwave and zapping it.”

  “I understand, I really do. What are you thinking about cooking?”

  Mavis hesitated. “Home-baked, honey-oat bread and a rich soup to go with it. Pumpkin, perhaps?”

  “That pumpkin soup you make with some tomatoes and onions in it is amazing. I’m sure they’d love it,” AJ said gently.

  “I haven’t thanked you properly yet for sending Edmund and Utah for the aquamarine. I don’t know how you knew about it. I don’t want to know how you knew about it. But I really can feel John watching over me. And now I know I can cope. I understand you and Edmund and Utah will support me. I can do it. The baby and I will manage.”

  AJ leaned forward and tapped the aquamarine around Mavis’s neck. “Courage and comfort. All you need to know was that the resources to cope were inside you. You simply had to tap into them. Besides, the men and I wanted to assist you too. Edmund and Utah felt so helpless when John died, but retrieving the aquamarine focused their energies, gave them an important, useful task to do. A quest. And their own relationship has never been better.”

  “They are happy aren’t they? They seem to glow with joy now when we see them.”

  AJ drew her emerald paperweight over to herself and waved at it and Mavis’s pale blue one. “I believe these are special too. I can feel the power in them.”

  “Nothing would surprise me anymore. I’m going to find my old recipes. Do you want to call Edmund and Utah and invite them here for supper?”

  “Sure.”

  ****

  The meal was over, but they still sat around the table, Edmund holding his nephew in his arms. John Jr. was awake and waving one hand. It seemed to Edmund almost as if the child was reaching for the aquamarine paperweight, so he placed it in the baby’s fist.