Conquering Love (The Santorno Stories) Read online

  “That’s still why you’re holding back?” Damon met his eyes.

  “I didn’t know how you guys would feel.” Nico looked at them. “I mean when we were younger, it was cute that he idolized me. But I’m six years older than him. The age difference seems important to me.”

  Tyler took his hand. “I have watched you and Tanner together since you were kids. I’ve always known you two would end up together.”

  “So, you guys are all right with it?” Nico looked shocked.

  “Duh.” Damon smiled.

  Nico blew out a sigh of relief, and smiled at his uncles. Tyler drew him over to the dining room table and sat him down.

  “Now, I hate to be the asshole,” Tyler began.

  “I know. No sex.”

  “Look, your uncle and I went through the same thing, and although Tanner is older than we were, we just want to convey that Tanner may not be ready.” Damon seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

  “Well, I’m not either,” Nico admitted a little shyly.

  “You mean what I think you mean?” Tyler looked surprised.

  “I never wanted to be with anyone but Tanner, Uncle Tyler.”

  Damon hid a smile. “In that case, go talk to our son.”

  Damon had moved down to the dock. As always, Nico had pissed him off. Nico and Tanner’s relationship, such as it was, was exhausting. Tanner wanted Nico and Nico wanted Tanner. But Nico was unable to say the words Tanner longed to hear.

  Lily was on her stomach with the top of her bathing suit undone. She and Damon had barely spoken after the frustrating night in Ireland, and Damon was tired of chasing someone he couldn’t have. Yet, here he was again making the first move. He wanted to kick himself for being her damned punching bag but his heart had always been hers. He couldn’t stop staring at her. Lily was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.

  “Can you put some of that sunblock on my back, or are you just going to stand there?” Lily propped enough on her elbows to look up at him while remaining modest. Judging by the look on his face, Damon was still struggling with how to approach her, which pissed her off in a way. She was going to make the move.

  “Oh!” Damon grabbed the bottle. “Sorry.”

  Lily watched through her lashes as he knelt beside her. He had marquee good looks. His blond hair and blue eyes drove her crazy and it didn’t hurt that he was built like a Mack truck. She put her head back down to avoid staring at him. His strong hands rubbed her back and she tried not to let it get to her.

  “You should be careful. You’re already getting a burn.” Damon slid his hands up her sides.

  Lily held her breath. His hands felt so good on her, she almost wanted to roll over and grab him and just kiss him. He slid them down her calves and it took everything she had to regulate her breathing. Just the touch of his hands sent shivers up her spine, and she remembered how close they had come to making love.

  Damon was already getting a hard-on. He had always thought she was so beautiful. “Lily?”

  “Mmm hmmm.”

  “I was wondering…” Damon tried to say it but the thought of her responding with a ‘no’ was crippling him. God, he couldn’t take it if she shot him down again.

  Lily looked up. “Would you go out to dinner with me?”

  “What?” Damon blinked. He thought he heard her asking him out.

  Lily pulled her suit up around her breasts and smiled at him. His mouth had dropped open. “I asked you if you wanted to go out with me to dinner.”

  “You’re asking me out?” Damon was uncertain. She was shittin’ him. She had to be.

  Lily turned her head and looked at him. “Sure. Could you tie me back up?”

  “Huh?” Damon was still absorbing the whole question and answer thing.

  “Bathing suit?” Lily pointed to her back.

  “Oh, yeah.” Damon’s fingers fumbled with the strings.

  Lily tried to contain a chuckle. Poor Damon’s fingers were trembling just tying the bathing suit. When he was finally done, she stood up, smiled, and leaned in to press a light kiss on his mouth. The smell of his cologne drifted up her nose and she almost shivered.

  “So, tomorrow?” Lily smiled.

  “Yeah. I mean yes, whatever time you want.” Damon couldn’t stop looking into her mesmerizing gray eyes.

  “See you here, then? Or do you want to pick me up at my dads’ house?”

  Damon thought about that. It would be better if he got her from Uncle Heath and Caleb’s house. “Your dads’ house.”

  “Really?” Lily was impressed. Damn, he had some balls.

  “Sure.”

  Lily was gazing at him and he couldn’t stop himself. He leaned into her and brushed his lips across hers. “See you tomorrow.”

  Lily loved his soft lips on hers and felt her bathing suit getting wet between her legs. He pulled away and she opened her eyes to find his blue ones searching her own.

  “Okay.”

  She walked back to the house as quickly as she could and found almost the whole family there when she entered. They heard a loud whistle out back and a very loud, “Yeah!”

  Jordan looked at his granddaughter and raised an eyebrow. “What was that?”

  “Damon. I asked him out.” Lily winked.

  “You naughty girl, you.” Stefan laughed.

  “Where’s Tanner?” Lily looked around.

  “Took his car somewhere, said he’d be back for dinner.”

  “He talked to Nico?”

  “Tanner did all the talking.” Colin entered and flopped into a chair.

  “Oh no.” Lily sighed.

  Stefan and Jordon exchanged amused looks. Spending time with their grandchildren every summer was never boring.

  Tanner was sitting on the hood of his car, listening to the radio. He stared absently down over the town and sighed. This is how it always was. The push and pull between him and Nico. He loved him, had always loved him and he knew Nico loved him, he always had. He just couldn’t say he was in love. It was always ‘I love you’ without that final meaning, the words that meant they would start being together as a couple. He was so tired of it. He was almost twenty and still in love with the same guy who wouldn’t give him the attention he needed. He had never dated, never kissed anyone – well, except for Arielle and that didn’t count because she was a girl. He was destined to be a virgin his whole life because the one man he wanted couldn’t get over the fact that he was six years older than him. Tanner stretched out on the hood and banged his head on the windshield.

  “Fuck.”

  Nico pulled himself together as he watched Tanner sitting on the hood of his car. He had spent months talking to a therapist, gotten his affairs in order, and was ready to make Tanner his for life. He just hoped Tanner still wanted him. It wouldn’t surprise him in the least if Tanner threw him over the cliff. God, he had been such an ass. Talking in therapy had done him a lot of good and he had finally broken through a barrier. He wanted Tanner. He had always wanted him and was now ready to claim him.

  “Tanner?”

  Tanner rolled his head to the side and watched Nico heading up the hill, his black hair waving softly in the breeze, his blue eyes gazing cautiously at Tanner. One look from the man made Tanner’s pants instantly tight as his dick begged to be let out.

  “How did you find me?”

  “Arielle.” Nico noted the frustrated look on Tanner’s face, hoping to replace it with a better one.

  Tanner sighed and leaned back against the windshield. “I’m going to kill her.”

  “Look, I know I’m the one who did this, kept us apart when we should have been together.”

  “Well, for once I can agree with you.” Tanner looked at him. “Does that mean you’ve finally seen the light, that I’m no longer little Tanner Youngblood?” Tanner slid off the car and moved closer.

  “You’re still younger than me.” When had Tanner gotten so tall?

  “Oh, for fucks sake, Nico!” Tanner spat out. �
��I knew I loved you when I was sixteen. I still loved you at seventeen and at eighteen and I still love you now! You’re the one with the age issue.”

  “I know that, Tanner.” Nico said it quietly. “I didn’t know what people would think, especially when you were sixteen and I was twenty-two.”

  “Who cares what people think? I’ve always wanted you, Nico, from the moment I understood what my feelings meant. But you always treated me like a four-year-old.”

  “Well, what was I supposed to do? I’m six years older, Tanner! What would that have looked like? I’d look like a pervert.” Nico was even sexier when he was pissed, blue eyes blazing.

  “Well, I’m nineteen now and you’re twenty-six. Does that make a difference?” Tanner waited for an answer and Nico just stood there.

  “Oh, for fucks sake!” Tanner moved around the car to the door. “Just go home, Nico.”

  Nico’s brain clicked. It was now or never. He pushed Tanner against the car and studied his shocked face. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake he had made in Ireland.

  “I’m in love with you, Tanner. I want you and only you.” Nico pressed their lips together in a kiss so forceful Tanner’s legs nearly went out from under him.

  They were kissing each other hungrily and Tanner’s hands slid up Nico’s shirt. Nico grabbed Tanner’s ass, picking him up and putting him down on the hood of the car before pushing him down onto his back.

  Tanner couldn’t think straight. Nico was kissing him. His Nico was kissing him with tongue, and his hands were everywhere. And Tanner never wanted it to end. He lightly scratched his fingernails down Nico’s chest and heard an appreciative moan followed by Nico plunging again into his mouth and tasting all of him. Their tongues rubbed and teased and Tanner’s cock stretched the limits of his jeans.

  “I have wanted you for so long.” Nico bit his bottom lip and ran his tongue across it.

  “I’ve wanted you, too.” Tanner was breathing hard. Holy shit.

  Nico smoothed his hand up Tanner’s shirt as the other man gripped his ass and squeezed. There was a low moan and then Tanner was being pulled in further, their tongues entwined. Nico deepened the kiss, wanting all of him. His hand slid down Tanner’s stomach and cupped his cock, squeezing gently. Tanner groaned as Nico’s hand rubbed the front of his jeans. Tanner softly stroked a very large cock. Holy shit. Tanner was hung, and well.

  In all the times they had been together Nico had never touched Tanner. He wanted him to know that this was real, that he wanted him in a sexual way as well as a companion; he wanted them to be a couple. His hand continued its tease on Tanner’s jeans. Damn. Tanner was fucking huge. Nico wanted to rip his jeans down and suck that cock, wanted to throw Tanner on the car and fuck him until he screamed.

  Whoa.

  He got his head together and broke from the kiss slowly. God, he loved Tanner. He always had, always would.

  “I wanted to know,” Nico tried to get his mind back, all he could think about was sucking Tanner’s ̶ fuck, stop it. “If we could go out.”

  “Like on a date?” Tanner looked surprised. And his jeans were so tight he thought his cock would suffocate.

  “Yes, is that okay?” Nico wanted to kiss him again, not to mention a few other things

  “Yes, of course!” Tanner’s eyes drifted over Nico and saw he noticed he was just as hard as Tanner. Nice.

  “Really?” Nico shook his head. Tanner should hate him, slap him, and curse at him, given the way he had acted by pushing Tanner away when all he really wanted was to hold him.

  “Yes, really. I want us to be together.” Tanner was still reeling from their kiss. He had just kissed the guy he had fantasized about all his adolescent life, had touched him.

  Nico palmed his face. “I’m sorry if I hurt you, Tanner. You have to know it’s the last thing I ever wanted.”

  Tanner put his arms around Nico’s neck and held him. “I know.”

  Nico reveled in having Tanner’s arms around his neck. God, it felt so good. He pulled him in closely and breathed in his scent. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” Tanner looked at Nico through his lashes. “Would you kiss me again? And maybe have sex with me and do some other dirty, nasty things?” Tanner blinked. “Oh, shit! Did I just say that out loud?”

  Nico’s mouth dropped open.

  He kissed Tanner softly. Tanner opened his mouth and felt Nico’s warm mouth on his own, his tongue sliding, searching, diving in deep. They moved closer together. Their hands were everywhere, pulling and gripping, nails scratching skin. Tanner’s taste was already becoming an addiction. Nico had always wanted to know what it would be like to kiss him like this. They pulled slowly apart, breathing hard.

  “I want more.” Tanner moaned and rubbed his hard cock against Nico’s. Tanner could feel the heat rolling off the other man and slid his hand down the front of Nico’s jeans, pausing to squeeze. Nico groaned in near agony, his cock pulsing beneath Tanner’s hand.

  Nico growled, picked up Tanner and dropped him not very gently on the hood of the car. He kissed him as one hand unbuttoned Tanner’s jeans and slipped in.

  “Oh fuck, Nico!” Tanner gripped Nico’s ass, pulling him closer. Nico’s hand was sliding up and down Tanner’s cock from root to tip, tightening at the crown and squeezing. Tanner’s toes curled, and all the blood fled his body and went straight to his cock. He was going to come, and fast. His back spasmed and his ass clenched as he let loose all over Nico’s hand and up his own abdomen. His loud cry shocked even him.

  Nico broke from the kiss, breathing hard. Tanner’s face was face flushed, and his pupils blown. Nico blinked, trying to focus, and backed off.

  “Oh God, I’m sorry.”

  Tanner took a deep breath and stared at Nico. His eyes were black, his pupils were so blown there was no color left.

  “It’s okay, Nico.”

  “No. I just lost control.” Nico glanced at the cum all over his hand and on Tanner’s still unbuttoned jeans.

  Tanner used the bottom of his shirt to wipe off Nico’s hand. He smiled at him encouragingly as Nico’s eyes were beginning to look blue again.

  “I wanted it. I still do. We have, like, how many years of pent-up sexual energy? I’m surprised you didn’t fuck me on the car.”

  Nico chuckled and looked slightly embarrassed. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “Nope, but we still have time. You could throw me on the back seat.” Tanner waggled his eyebrows.

  “Jesus, Tanner.” Nico couldn’t help but laugh. “God, I love you.”

  Tanner laughed and took Nico’s hand. They sat on the hood of the car and Tanner asked him all about what had been going on since they stopped speaking. He nestled against Nico’s side and rested his head on his shoulder. He slid his hand up Nico’s shirt, feeling the ridges in his abs, the soft hair below his navel.

  “Tanner.” Nico smiled as Tanner’s hand slid under the top button of his jeans.

  “Yes?”

  Tanner ran his hand lower, feeling the heat coming from Nico. Fuck but he loved the fact that Nico was getting hard at the touch of his hand.

  “If you keep doing that, I will have to retaliate.” Nico ran his hand down Tanner’s back, cupping his ass and pulling him forward so that he was half on top.

  “Oh, the horror,” Tanner chuckled. He tipped his face up and Nico’s lips barely touched his. “How awful would that be?”

  Nico’s heart was beating a mile a minute as Tanner’s tongue slid across his lips. He knew he was going to lose control again, especially after all the times he had wanted to kiss Tanner, feel his body writhing beneath him, hear his breathless moans as he made love to him. His hand dipped into the back of Tanner’s waistband and grabbed his ass. He pulled Tanner on top of him and spread his legs. Tanner’s blue eyes widened as Nico cupped his ass and pulled him over his hard dick.

  Tanner put his hands on the windshield and leaned over Nico. He slid up toward the top of his car and then slid back
down slowly. He moved one hand between Nico’s legs and squeezed his hard prick. Nico’s eyes went wide and Tanner took his mouth with force, diving in deeply, causing Nico to moan. Tanner kept sliding over Nico as his hand moved back and forth over the denim, creating friction. Nico’s head went back and then he jerked and shuddered as he groaned again.

  “Fuck!” Nico’s boxers were wet, and his abdomen was warm. He tried to regulate his breathing as Tanner continued to kiss him.

  “Ooh, I wanna do that next!” Tanner smiled at Nico’s face. His cheeks were red and his breathing was labored.

  “Jesus, Tanner.” Nico opened his eyes to find Tanner right in his face.

  “Yeah? This is what happens when you make me wait years to have sexual fun.” Tanner smiled and kissed him again.

  “I promise this is not the last time we will be touching each other, but for now it is,” Nico managed.

  “I know.” Tanner sighed and got up, repositioning his cock. “Now we’re even.”

  Nico felt the sticky mess in his jeans and sighed. “Yes, we are. Come on. I need to get home and change, and then we need to be at the grandfathers’ house.”

  “I need to change, too.” Tanner looked down at his stomach and jeans. “This kinda screams ‘Nico gave me a hand job’.”

  “Jesus, Tanner.” Nico laughed and picked him up. “Come on.”

  Stefan sat on the front steps waiting for Phoebe to get back from her date. It was killing him to think of Phoebe with someone else.

  The night she had thrown her necklace, a birthday gift from him years earlier, in his face was the worst night of his life. They had been at a high school party and one of his classmates flirted with him all night. Phoebe had gone off with Tanner when the girl, Jaime, walked up to him and kissed him in front of everyone.

  He had pushed her off but it had been too late and Phoebe had seen the kiss. She had run out of the party with Tanner on her heels and Stefan trying to explain. The memory came back with a vengeance.

  “I hate you!” Phoebe had screamed at him.

  “Let me explain!”

  “I never kissed anybody but you!” Phoebe was crying.