This is a short story written for the 2014 Evernight Publishing Love Scene Blog Hop. I got a little carried away and wrote an entire short story instead of a scene — hope no one minds.

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Zach Mayhew stomped through the doorway, scraping his snowy boots on the rattan mat as he slammed the heavy oak door shut. The warm air in the hallway hit the exposed skin not covered by his scarf, making it sting.

“Is the coffee on?” he yelled.

“Of course.”

Lord Jerrek Carwin strolled into the hallway, carrying a steaming mug. He handed it to Zach, who took a healthy slurp of the hot liquid.

“Oh, God, that’s good,” Zach groaned after he swallowed. “It’s frigging cold out there.”

“That’s something of an understatement, love,” Jerrek said, raising one eyebrow as he glanced past Zach’s shoulder at the front door. They could both feel the icy chill radiating through the wood. “Even to the Sidhe, 5°F is damned cold. You should have let me help.”

Zach shrugged one-sidedly, using his free hand to unzip his parka while he drank more of the blessedly hot coffee. “No reason for both of us to freeze our asses off,” he said, dumping the parka on the coat hooks next to the door. “It only takes one guy to run the snow blower and scatter salt.”

“I still could have helped.”

Zach stopped short. At first glance, his tall, slender lover didn’t seem suited for any sort of strenuous work. That first glance was incorrect. Jerrek was a Seelie sidhe lord who had led armies into battle and could break a fence post over his knee without raising a sweat. Treating him like something fragile did seem more than a little stupid. “Sorry. I just got used to taking care of everything myself. Next snowstorm, you can clear the sidewalk and driveway, and I’ll stay inside, how’s that?”

The sidhe noble grimaced. “Well, perhaps you should run the snow blower. You know my issues with machines.”

The power of the Sidhe, stemming as it did from nature, didn’t mix well with modern technology. Zach had had to replace a laptop, a DVR and two microwaves before he finally agreed that Jerrek shouldn’t handle anything that contained circuit boards. “I’ll blow snow, you shovel the tight places and scatter salt. Sound fair?”

“Fine.” Jerrek took the now-empty mug from him. “Dinner should be ready, if you’re hungry.”

“You cooked?” Now that the coffee had defrosted his sinuses Zach noticed the heavenly scent of pork and garlic hanging in the air. His midsection rumbled on cue. “Oh, man. Polish sausage and sauerkraut?”

“Yes.” A wrinkle formed between Jerrek’s brows. “I still don’t understand why you relish that particular dish so much. It’s so…plebian.”

“You have to grow up on the South Side to understand.” He leaned over and kissed the sidhe’s cheek. Even in the depths of winter, Jerrek somehow smelled like spring — green, growing things, and the earth after rain. “But thanks for indulging my plebian tastes.”

Jerrek chuckled. “You’re welcome. Go eat.”

“What about you?”

“I ate earlier — bouillabaisse. I know how you feel about it.”

Zach shuddered at the mention of the fish stew. “That’s the one that has those little vaginas in it?”

Jerrek let out a rolling laugh. “If you’re referring to mussels, yes. And they’re delicious. You really should try them someday.”

“No thank you. I’ll stick to sausage.” He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully.

“And I thank Danu for that daily,” Jerrek intoned. “Go eat, you ridiculous human.”

#

After dinner, Zach indulged in a long shower, turning the temperature up as far as the cranky hot water heater would allow. At least the water pressure was enough to pound out the aches and pains of clearing the day’s snow from the sidewalks and driveway outside the house. The weatherman called the weather phenomenon that had dumped Arctic temperatures and almost eighteen inches of snow on the region a polar vortex. Zach thought of it more as Mother Nature giving humans a big, frigid finger.

But they’d be able to get to the nursery in the morning, which was all that really mattered. Tossing the damp towel over a rod to dry, he donned a set of old but warm flannel pajamas and headed into the bedroom. To his relief, Jerrek was already in the big bed, long form burrowed under the heavy quilts as he read one of the novels from Gram’s huge library.

He glanced up at Zach’s entrance. “Warm now?”

“Could be warmer.” Zach padded across the cold wood floor and slid into bed, curling up against the sidhe’s side. Jerrek was wearing what felt like one of his old t-shirts. The nap of the old cotton was worn and soft against his hands. “Yeah, that’s better.”

“Hm.” Jerrek draped an arm around his shoulders, carding his still damp hair. “Are we really going in to work tomorrow? I admire your dedication to the business, but I doubt anyone will be heading out in this weather to buy hanging baskets.”

Zach glanced at the window, where more fat flakes were drifting down from the evening sky. “It’s part of being the boss, babe. Someone needs to check on the plants and make sure the heaters are running. If we get a burst pipe, we’re screwed. And I can’t ask Lydia to come in. She lives even farther away than we do, and she doesn’t have four wheel drive.”

“I know.” Jerrek curled closer to him, running a finger along the worn fabric of his sleeve and tracing the plaid there. “Oh, well. I’ll just have to make sure we stay warm and safe on the way in.”

“I keep forgetting you can do that,” Zach said. “Must be nice to be able to control everything around you.”

Jerrek smirked. “Just call me Mycroft.”

“Ha. I knew you had a crush on Mark Whatsisname,” Zach snorted. “Either that or you want to take over the government.”

“His last name is Gatiss, and I have no interest in ruling humans,” Jerrek said archly. “Although Mycroft would have done rather well in Faerie, all things considered.” The sidhe ran a fingertip around the shell of his ear, and Zach shivered from the soft pleasure of it.  “As for crushes, I’m afraid it’s a lost cause. Handsome as Mr. Gatiss is, you’ve quite usurped all of my attention.”

“Really?” Zach slid lower, running his hand under the covers and along Jerrek’s stomach. The cotton was warm from the sidhe’s body, and underneath it were the sharply defined rises and dips of the sidhe lord’s abs. “Guess I’m just not feeling it.”

Jerrek leaned over, a naughty smile curving his mouth. “That’s because your hand is about six inches too high.”

Well, then. Zach smoothed his palm down the soft fabric of the t-shirt, across what felt like the knotted waistband of his old jogging shorts, then lower still. And yes, there it was, still somewhat soft but filling out nicely under his hand. Zach curled his fingers around the shaft in a loose fist, enough to exert pressure but not nearly enough to satisfy.

He glanced up and saw Jerrek’s head tipped back on the pillow, eyelids at half-mast. “What do you want, babe?” he asked softly.

Those eyelids flickered. “You’re still cold. Let me warm you.”

Warm sounded good. Zach let himself be tugged deeper under the covers and rolled onto his back. Jerrek knelt over Zach’s groin, pulling his own t-shirt off in a maneuver that professional strippers would have envied. Zach stared greedily at the pale, smooth flesh on display, enjoying the slow surge of need sparking across his nerve endings.

With sure fingers, Jerrek unbuttoned Zach’s pajama top, spreading the sides open. The cool air of the room brushed across Zach’s nipples, making them pebble up, Jerrek noticed it and clucked. “Oh, that won’t do at all, love. I should be the only one to do that to you.”

“Wha — oh.” Zach let out a noise when the sidhe leaned over and took one nipple in his mouth. The sudden burst of wet warmth intensified when Jerrek’s tongue rubbed over the tiny peak in slow circles, before sucking it hard. The flash of pain/pleasure zinged through Zach, and he moaned as Jerrek’s mouth switched to the other nipple.

Meanwhile, the sidhe lord’s hands were busy stroking and kneading the muscles on Zach’s chest and shoulders, tracing each ridge and hollow. Zach closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and relaxing into the touch. Normally he took the lead in bed, but even after the shower he was still tired and achy from being out in the cold. If Jerrek wanted to take over for a change, that sounded absolutely fine.

He made a contented sound as Jerrek’s mouth worked upward, sucking delicate bites into the thin skin along his collarbone, then his neck. “Feeling warmer already, babe.”

He felt Jerrek smile against the underside of his jaw. “Excellent. But you still need more warmth, I warrant.” The taller man slotted himself over Zach’s lower body, letting their covered cocks rub against each other. “However shall we generate more heat?”

“I hear friction’s good for that.”

“Friction. What an excellent idea.” Jerrek reached out, retrieving a familiar bottle from the nightstand. “But not too much friction, of course. I can’t have you burning up.”

“I want to.” Zach licked his lips, tilting his hips so that he could feel Jerrek throbbing against him. “Make me burn.”

The pointed smile on the sidhe’s face was all the answer Zach needed.

After sliding off pajama bottoms and jogging shorts, Jerrek popped the bottle’s cap, leaning back a bit and squirting the clear gel into his palm. Tossing the bottle onto the bedspread, he rubbed the lube between his palms, warming it. “Wouldn’t want you to catch your death of cold, after all,” he explained.

One hand finally reached down and stroked Zach’s shaft while the other dipped down and cupped his balls, rolling them gently. Zach felt a smile stretching his face as he pushed his head back into the pillow, ignoring everything but the feeling of Jerrek’s long, strong hands slipping over him, slicking him.

The sidhe came back down over him, then, hips rolling against his in a long, sweet slide that set his nerves on fire. “Friction,” he breathed. “Just like this.”

They ground against each other, slipping and rubbing in the lube and the pre-come pearling now from both their cocks. It was delicious, a hot gorgeous tease that dragged Zach closer and closer to the edge without actually tipping him over into orgasm. He gasped, pushing his hips up against Jerrek. “More. I need more.”

Jerrek’s flushed face hung over his, grey-green eyes almost black now with desire. He reached between them and wrapped long fingers around both their shafts, pressing the oh-so-sensitive undersides together and rubbing, rubbing. His lips crashed down onto Zach’s, biting and sucking blindly, tongue sweeping along afterwards as if searching for something sweet.

Zach wrapped his arms around the other man, grabbing his ass and yanking him down. “Close, I’m close,” he panted.

The hand around him sped up, the wet clicking noise audible over the sound of their breathing. “Yes,” Jerrek panted back. “Come with me, love. Cover me in it.”

“Mngh.” Zach thrust up, again, into his lover’s heat, and shouted as his orgasm burst loose. Semen pulsed out in thick ribbons, splashing up against Jerrek’s belly and chest before dripping back down onto him.

Jerrek looked down at his frantically working hand, dark hair swinging forward and curtaining his face. The sight was enough to set off his own orgasm and he moaned something in his own language as he came, adding to the warm wet mess on their bellies.

The sidhe sagged, coming down to rest over Zach. “Are you warm enough now?” he huffed.

Zach choked out a laugh, twitching as an aftershock rolled through him. “I … yeah, I’m warm now,” he managed. “But I think I’m gonna need another shower.”

“Yes.” Jerrek dragged a now-sticky hand through the pearlescent smears on Zach’s skin as if rubbing it in, marking him. “So will I, come to think of it.”

Zach pulled him close, kissing him gently now. “You know, we should probably shower together,” he murmured. “Conserve hot water, yeah?”

Jerrek hummed happily against his mouth. “Or I could just warm the water to a comfortable temperature,” he offered.

“You can do that?”

“Of course. Heating things is a simple enough working.”

A thought struggled through Zach’s mind, damping out the afterglow. “Wait. So you could have just melted the snow off the sidewalk? I didn’t have to spend an hour out there clearing it?”

“Well, I would have heated the pavement itself so that the melted snow wouldn’t turn back into ice. But yes, I could have done that.” The sidhe gave him an innocent smile. “However, you seemed so determined to go out there and clear it yourself, I didn’t have the heart to stop you.”

Zach groaned. Damned sneaky sidhe. “Fine. From now on, you’ve got snow removal duty.”

Still smiling, Jerrek kissed him. “As you wish.”