Love Life & Circumstance (20 page)

“Relax, Mr. Jacobs. Hope’s not ready to go home. But, the feeding tubes came out today. In fact, Mr. Deacon gave her the first bottle about twenty minutes ago. He’s in with her now. I’m sure they’ll both be glad to see you and share the big news.” With a last squeeze of his arm, the nurse moved away. Seth stood rooted to the floor. Elijah was here, with Hope. He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and worried it. Seeing Elijah would hurt, but leaving without seeing Hope wasn’t an option. At least, the little girl would be a buffer between them. Surely, they could be civil to each other. Releasing a slow breath, Seth reached for the door and pushed it open. The sight before him robbed him of what little air remained in his lungs.

Sprawled in the dainty rocking chair, Elijah Deacon overwhelmed the room. Booted feet crossed at the ankle. Blue jean clad legs stretched for miles and hugged lean hips. The light blue cotton tee shirt molded to Elijah’s thick chest and broad shoulders. Perched like a tiny angel, Hope lay curled in a miniature ball on that massive chest. One large hand cradled her diapered bottom. They both slept, if the matching snores were any indication. Seth eased closer, drawn to them. He desperately wanted to crawl into Elijah’s lap and have the man’s other arm wrapped around him.  As if drawn by his thoughts, his gaze flicked to where Elijah’s hand lay in his lap clutching something white.  Another step and he swallowed hard. Elijah held the picture of the three of them, his thumb resting just below the likeness of Seth.

Elijah shifted and Seth’s gaze snapped upward. The hand on Hope’s bottom tightened as if reassuring himself she still lay there. Behind closed lids, Elijah’s eyes moved. Those lush lips parted.

“Seth.” His name tumbled from Elijah’s mouth, freezing him where he stood. When several seconds passed, and the large man settled back into sleep, Seth dared moved closer. The urge to touch overcame him. He reached out a trembling finger and traced it down the curve of Hope’s back. She snuffled and burrowed closer into her father’s chest. Seth smiled. She was so precious.

His hand and eyes lifted. Elijah’s beautiful, darkly tanned face was relaxed as he slept. Seth’s fingers itched to caress the high cheekbones. Moving of its own accord, his hand rose higher still. Very lightly, fingertips met warm flesh. Seth’s heart raced. If Elijah woke up, he’d be in trouble. He should back away, go back out and knock, let Elijah know he was here. But, Seth couldn’t move, except for the hand that continued to stroke Elijah’s flushed skin.

“Are you really here, or am I dreaming?” The deep baritone stalled Seth’s timid exploration of Eli’s face.

“You’re dreaming.” He answered just as low. Elijah’s lids blinked open. Piercing blue eyes locked onto Seth.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” The quiet question was loaded with accusation, but it was the uncertainty in Elijah’s eyes that got the answer.

“Sitting in a rocking chair, holding my niece.” Wariness and doubt flooded Elijah’s gaze. Seth brought his fingers down to stop the words forming on Elijah’s lips. “We need to talk, but not here.  Can I hold her?” At the other man’s nod, Seth scooped his niece into his hands trying very hard to ignore the hard slabs of muscle she lay upon. With her cradled to his chest, Seth crooned to her while moving to lean against the wall. A long arm shot out to grasp his hip. He didn’t resist as he was guided back to Elijah’s lap.

“If you sit here, we can both see her,” Eli said gruffly.  Seth wasn’t about to complain, and settled into Elijah’s lap. The rocking chair protested the added weight with a pained groan. They sat stiffly for several minutes, neither speaking, eyes locked on the pink bundle.

“Looks like we need to get you guys a bigger chair in here.” The charge nurse bustled in still sporting a huge smile. “I bet that little lady is soaking up the love. Hold still, I need to check her vitals. No, sit still,” she instructed when Seth started to rise. “I can get heartbeat and blood pressure while you hold her. Then we can weigh her; see how close she is to the big trip home.”

The nurse worked quickly and made notes on her chart. When she stepped back, she nodded. “She’s doing great, getting stronger every day. Now, bring her over here so we can do length and weight. You’ll have to unwrap the blanket and lay her on the scale with just her diaper.” Nervous, Seth fumbled with the blanket, until Elijah’s steady hands rose to assist. Together, they laid Hope on the scale. The unmistakable wail of a newborn sang into the air.

“I know you’re cold, precious. I’ll be as quick as I can,” the nurse murmured as she stretched Hope’s thin little leg out next to the measuring tape.  She punched a few buttons on the front of the electronic scale and waited for a beep. Elijah crowded in close behind Seth so he could read the numbers. His hand curved around Seth’s waist and his chest brushed against Seth’s back, but it was the press of his groin against the curve of Seth’s ass that had Seth sucking in a shocked gasp.

“Well, well daddies, she only needs to gain another pound and you can take your little girl home for some proper spoilin’.” A fresh blanket snapped the air, and then Susan was bundling Hope up again. She turned with Hope in her arms. “Who wants to hold her now?”

“He does,” they answered at the same time.  As she approached Seth, tried to move away, but Elijah held him firmly while raising his other arm to take Hope. The nurse exited the room with a quick wave, leaving the two of them in an awkward silence. The heat from Elijah’s strong body radiated through Seth’s jeans and Polo.

“I should go; I didn’t mean to interrupt your time with Hope.” Seth again tried to move away from Elijah. The hand on his hip slid up and flattened against his stomach. The rumble of Eli’s voice vibrated against Seth’s back when he spoke.

“Someone waiting on you?” He asked.

“No. Kris has gone to see a movie.”

Elijah’s body stiffened, but he didn’t release Seth. “So you have a couple of hours before he comes home.”  When Seth nodded, he continued. “Think he’ll mind my mouth on you?”  The snide comment was so uncharacteristic for Elijah; it took a moment for Seth to swallow his surprise. Was that jealousy from a man who planned to leave Seth as soon as Hope was released from the hospital? Seth turned in the tight embrace and lifted his head.

“He doesn’t have a say so on who touches me.” Caught between them, Hope whimpered, and then stretched. Seth corralled the explanation hovering on his tongue. Obviously, Hope sensed their agitation. Elijah bounced her a few times and hummed until she settled.

“Come back to my place?” Eli asked while keeping his eyes on Hope.  Seth studied him, the hefty man with the tiny infant. His heart contracted painfully. How was he going to handle losing them both? He should’ve walked away when he saw Elijah in the room. He could’ve come back later; the break had already been made. His heart wouldn’t suffer any new trauma, he would have been prepared. He opened his mouth to decline, but his heart answered.

“Yes, I’ll come.”

The little voice in his head sighed harshly.
You are a glutton for punishment, Seth Jacobs.
Maybe he was, but Rhett was right. Elijah Deacon was the best thing to have ever walked into his life. Even if the man left him high and dry, Seth refused to give up the time he could have with him. He’d deal with the heartbreak when the time came. He watched Elijah cross to the small layette and place Hope on her stomach. He patted her bottom a few times then straightened. His magnetic gaze zeroed in on Seth.

“Let’s go.” Elijah strode from the room. Seth crossed the distance to Hope’s bed and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

“Love you, sweetheart.” He murmured low before following Elijah out of the nursery and into the hall.

The down arrow for the elevator was already lit. The doors slid open just as Seth reached Elijah’s side. He stepped past the bigger man into the small silver square.  As the doors closed, he found himself pinned against the back wall, Elijah’s mouth claiming his own.  His mind scrambled while his body screamed for more. He clutched at Elijah’s hips drawing him closer. Everything fled his mind except Elijah’s taste and the feel of his large body surrounding him. When the bell dinged signaling their arrival on the first floor, Elijah broke their embrace and backed off. They both sucked air into starved lungs.  Seth struggled to make his body respond to his instructions. With great effort, he managed to get his feet to move.

“I’m parked on the deck,” he said as he brushed past Elijah. “I’ll meet you at your house.”

Behind him, Elijah mumbled. “Right, because you have company.” Seth spun back around his anger giving him a small measure of bravado.

“Actually, Kris didn't go to the movie alone. He went with Rhett, and if the sparks flying off of them when I left are any indication, I won’t be seeing him anytime tonight. You wanna go to my place. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Seth walked away without looking back feigning a confidence he certainly didn’t feel.

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CHAPTER TWENTY

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“Make that fifteen and you have yourself a deal, Jacobs,” Elijah called as his eyes peeled over Seth’s denim clad ass. The guy walked with an air of confidence, like he owned his own space, and Elijah wanted him badly. His tongue traced over the still tingling flesh of his lips. Christ, just the taste of Seth on his mouth burned a path to his dick. The hard throbbing mass ached to be free from the restraints of his pants, and Elijah was hell bent on granting its wish. Two weeks without the feel of Seth’s warm skin against his own had almost driven him crazy with need, and now Elijah had slipped there was no way he was ever letting go. Seth was his and anyone who dared step in Eli’s way would be sorry as hell. Within a few short strides Elijah was in his truck roaring the engine to life and hitting the gas as hard as he could.

The journey to Seth’s was relatively short and every minute Elijah spent behind the wheel tightened the knot of nerves growing in his gut. Hope was doing great; he smiled to himself, thinking how amazing it felt just to hold her for real without tubes and wires to help her fight. His princess was a warrior, and she was going to be coming home. And, there lay Eli’s dream, the one of Hope, Seth and himself as a united force of true love and devotion, where nothing could touch them or break them apart.

For once in his life Eli was living his dream. He had his little girl, now he needed his man. Elijah knew Seth wanted him, knew he felt the same; he just needed to show his man what it was he’d be missing if he refused to remove his head from his ass.
Oh yeah
, Eli thought,
I’ll show you alright
. There would be enough time for talking after Elijah showed his man exactly what he meant to him.

By the time he’d reached Seth’s home, Elijah’s whole body was a solid mass of hot thrumming need. With the banks of his emotional state completely smashed apart, he tore out of the truck before the engine even died. He didn’t knock, his chest ached, his cock throbbed and his sights zeroed in on Seth’s shocked face. Eyes wide, Seth began to slowly back away, but it was no use. A low growl rumbled from Elijah as he ripped off his shirt and closed the gap between them.

“You should have stayed away from me. You had your chance, and now you’re mine.” Elijah didn’t wait for a reply; his mouth was too busy delving between Seth’s lips, prizing them apart with his tongue like an addict, searching, groaning as the first euphoric high tantalized his taste buds. The hedonistic well of Seth’s fuckable mouth was Elijah’s drug of choice; he wanted to consume Seth, breath him in until he was inside Elijah’s skin. Edging back, Eli refused to break the seal of their kiss, tongues rolled, and lips tasted as moans rented the air and hands fought, tearing at each other mercilessly in a frantic bid to disappear their clothes. Finally, flesh met skin and Elijah’s need rocketed even higher.

With every turn, Elijah took the brunt as his body collided with walls and doors. His hands tracked over Seth’s naked flesh, hungry, starved for the feel of that familiar glorious warmth. Taut nipples, hard wash board abs, lean hips and heat, hard pulsing muscle that wept for Eli’s mouth. With a surge of animalistic aggression Elijah lifted Seth completely off his feet and charged into the bedroom. He didn’t bother with closing the door, didn’t give a fuck if anyone saw. All he had eyes for was Seth. Teeth and tongues tasted and bit over the racing vein along Seth’s smooth neck. Eli held it between his teeth. The temptation to tear, rip and take all that was Seth inside him raced through his veins. Seth groaned, his hands fisting in Elijah’s hair, raking the strands from his scalp and delivering icy bolts of delicious pain straight to Eli’s cock. He lost his mind; nothing in the world would cure him of Seth, and Elijah was happy never to be found.

“Too bad, want you too bad, too long…fuck Seth, this won’t be sweet.” Elijah’s voice vibrated gravel deep and rough with need as he threw Seth onto the bed and stalked toward him as though he were prey. He wanted to mark him, make Seth his and bury himself deep within that dark channel of white hot heat. He longed to lose himself forever in the scent of Seth. The bed groaned under Elijah’s weight as he prowled up to claim what was his. Seth backed up against the headboard, his breath coming in hot rapid pants that swept across Elijah’s face, enticing him with the sweetness of Seth’s wanton mouth.

Elijah growled and his cock bucked, twitching wildly while weeping a stream of lubricating pre-come, readying the shaft of thick pulsing muscle and throbbing hard flesh. He pushed Seth up against the wood by hooking his legs over the swell of his own muscular arms. Eli held him easily in place so that Seth hovered, helplessly submissive at Elijah’s hips with his back pressed to the wood and his hot little ass spread far and wide apart. Elijah thrust up, the muscles of his back bunching together and the cheeks of his ass flexing as his cock broke through the tight ring of clenching muscle surrounding that channel of heat that Elijah craved.

A guttural roar broke from his chest as the clamping grip on the tip of his dick threatened to send him right over the edge.  He bent down, taking a tightly peaked nipple between his teeth and growled in pleasure as his hips ploughed up into Seth again and again. The tight friction of Seth’s inner muscles working his shaft as he pummeled his man hard and fast tore him apart. Elijah loved Seth, worshipped his man’s ability to give him what he wanted and yield to his force. Sweat coated his body as the sexual chemistry between them filled the room with the amorous scent of body heat and lascivious sex. Seth felt amazing as he bucked, and writhed, he nails clawed into Elijah’s flesh as Seth’s back arched and his body went tight.