Chapter 17 — Sebastian

A week passed before the house was tidy again. A week after that, routine was re-established, but changed from how it had been before. Douglas helped more than he had during Sebastian’s first week in the McAlpern household, and gradually they began to spend more time together.

Late night dinners turned into prime time for movies and quiet conversation. Weekends meant family activities, like taking Ian to walk around the mall, or heading out to walk by the water like Sebastian had done before. Twice a week, Sebastian attended yoga, paid for by Douglas.

Life was better than he’d ever imagined it being, and he had Douglas to thank for it.

Sebastian discovered by accident that Douglas’ birthday was coming up. He’d been cleaning when the home phone had gone off. Douglas had asked him not to answer, so Sebastian left it to ring. When it went to voicemail, he was scrubbing the kitchen counter, close enough to overhear.

“Doug, it’s your mother. I know that you’d rather forget that your birthday is this Sunday, but you know I get you a little something every year. Can you please call me back when you’re home so we can talk? At least let me take you out for dinner. Okay. Gotta go now. Love you. Bye.”

It was Friday. Sunday was a few short days away. Sebastian set down his rag and glanced across the kitchen. Douglas hadn’t mentioned his birthday, but now that Sebastian knew, he couldn’t let it casually pass by.

What would Douglas like?

He was made of the kind of money that Sebastian couldn’t hope to match, and he had his life pretty well ironed out. What he wanted, he bought. There wasn’t any small trinket that Sebastian immediately knew he wanted.

It meant he’d have to think of another way to celebrate.

Douglas’ mother had the right idea.

Sebastian was a great cook. He’d been spoiling Douglas with dinner every night, but tonight he’d cook up something special. And while he was at it, he’d make a cake. Baking came to him just as naturally as cooking did, and with the right recipe, he knew he could pull something delicious together.

Pleased with himself, Sebastian hurried to clean the rest of the counter, then washed his hands and started a list. If he was going to get this ready, he was going to have to head out to the store early so he could spend the rest of the day baking and getting ready for last minute celebrations later that night.

It was Douglas’ first birthday as a father, and Sebastian didn’t want him to forget that he had an identity outside of his son. He was valued as an individual as much as he was valued as a father. Tonight, Sebastian would recognize it.

He bound from list-making to getting Ian ready to go out, brimming with energy.

Tonight was going to be fantastic. He couldn’t wait to see the look in Douglas’ eyes when he realized everything Sebastian had done was all for him.

The cake was crumb-coated and chilled. The meat for the kebabs was marinating. The vegetables were fresh and crisp and ready to be sliced and skewered. The potato wedges were soaking, ready to be put into the oven.

Sebastian glanced at the clock. It was closing in on six, but he didn’t expect Douglas home until seven. Work ended at five, but Douglas never got off on time. He’d been busting his ass trying to turn things around at the company, and it made his devotion at home all the more special.

Sebastian pulled the cake out of the freezer to ice a final time when the front door opened and Douglas stepped into the living room. Sebastian froze.

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. He wasn’t ready for the surprise just yet.

“You’re home.” Sebastian set the cake down on the counter. He had the bowl of homemade icing to the side. “I… I didn’t think you’d be here for a while.”

“I made it a point to leave early today. The stress is starting to get to me. I needed some space.” Douglas undid his suit jacket and loosened his tie as he crossed the room. “It smells great in here. What have you been up to today?”

He came to the counter dividing the kitchen from the living room and saw the cake, stopping short.

“I… wanted it to be a surprise,” Sebastian mumbled. “I thought I’d have more time to get it done. I had dinner ready, too. I was going to barbecue. I’ve had meat for kebabs marinating since this morning.”

“For my birthday?” Douglas’ voice was small. “How did you know?”

“Your mom called today and left a message asking about what you wanted to do. I thought we could celebrate tonight.” Suddenly it didn’t seem like such a good idea. Sebastian pinched his shoulders together and stared down at the crumb-coated cake. “I didn’t know what to get you, so I thought maybe I could make something special, and we could do something together—like you did for me when I came back home from vacation.”

His heart wanted to tear in half, and his mind screamed at him that he’d been foolish to go out of his way to do something like this. Douglas was his roommate, but he was also his employer. Their relationship was professional, no matter how much Sebastian wished otherwise.

It had been a bad idea from the start, and now he was going to pay for it. Douglas didn’t want to think about his birthday. He’d gone and upset him.

Douglas stepped around the counter to enter the kitchen. He came up behind Sebastian. The heat of his body warmed Sebastian’s back, and then, quite suddenly, Douglas’ arms were wrapped around his waist.

Sebastian was sure he had to be dreaming. There was no way this was real life.

“Where is Ian?” Douglas asked, his voice dipped so low and originated so close to Sebastian’s ear that Sebastian couldn’t take it. He parted his lips in a soundless gasp and closed his eyes.

“In his bedroom.”

“And the baby monitor?”

“I have the small one clipped on my belt loop,” Sebastian whispered. The words fell from his lips, too heavy to carry. They didn’t need to go far—Douglas’ nose brushed the ridge of his ear, and all Sebastian could do was try not to collapse as his knees turned to jelly.

“Good.” Douglas’ stubble brushed against the side of Sebastian’s cheek, and the arms around Sebastian’s waist tightened. All of a sudden, he found himself turned around so his back was to the counter. He faced Douglas directly, so close that their bodies were almost flush. “Right now, I just want it to be the two of us.”

There was nothing innocent in how close Douglas was to him. There was nothing innocent about his tone of voice. The sound of his voice was dipped low with arousal, and his eyes were partially lidded in a way that screamed sex.

Sebastian wanted it.

Badly.

Douglas pulled him closer, and when Sebastian tilted his chin up to see what Douglas was doing, Douglas stole a kiss right from his lips. The contact was shocking. It jolted through Sebastian, rushing down to tingle in his fingers and to curl his toes. It brought his cock to life. And when Douglas pursued the kiss further, renewing it with more energy than before, Sebastian met it and returned his passion.

He knew that he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help himself. He’d wanted Douglas since the second he’d stepped through the front door to interview for the position, and he couldn’t hold himself back now.

Douglas parted his lips. With a hum, Sebastian obeyed and allowed his body to be dominated. Douglas’ tongue slipped into his mouth and met the tip of his, and Sebastian’s arousal grew so scorching hot it went up in flames.

When their lips broke, Sebastian’s jaw was sore, but he still felt like it was too soon. Whimpering, he chased Douglas’ lips for more, but Douglas refused to give him what he wanted. His hands moved from Sebastian’s hips to his shoulders, holding him back.

The greens of Douglas’ eyes were darkened by his blown-out pupils when he spoke. “Do you know what I want most of all for my birthday?”

“No.” Sebastian had an inkling, but he didn’t want to speak it for fear of being too forward.

“You.” Douglas ran a hand from Sebastian’s shoulder up to his cheek. The touch was intoxicating, and Sebastian closed his eyes and soaked it in. “I want you. I’ve wanted you for a long, long time.”

“For your birthday?” Sebastian raked his teeth across his lip, eager to feel Douglas’ kiss again. Eyes partially lidded, he looked up at Douglas. “I think we can arrange that.”

A flash of something charged shot through Douglas’ eyes. Sebastian found himself pinned again, this time harder. When Douglas claimed his lips in another searing kiss, there was no more kindness. What connected them now was the insane chemistry they’d beaten back since day one.

Tonight, it wouldn’t be ignored.

Douglas’ hands roamed Sebastian’s sides until they returned to his hips. Then Douglas pulled him close, the kiss breaking so Sebastian could gasp in surprise.

“I have something to show you,” Douglas uttered. He guided Sebastian from the kitchen, across the living room, and to the stairs.

“Where?”

“In my room.” Douglas’ tone left little to the imagination, and Sebastian shuddered. The cake left on the counter didn’t matter. The meat and vegetables marinating in the fridge could stay there. Even the kebab sticks soaking in the sink didn’t concern him.

All he needed was right before him. All he needed was Douglas. And tonight, Douglas was all he was going to have.

Again, and again, and again.