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  Courting: 15 Years of Life

  Copyright 2017 J. Rocci

  Anthology Edition License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  Contains Adult Reading Material

  Previously published stories:

  Commitment: Torquere Press, February 2010

  Cornerstone: Torquere Press, December 2009

  Concordant: Torquere Press, December 2010

  Concur: Torquere Press, June 2011

  Competition: Torquere Press, September 2011

  Connections: Torquere Press, December 2011

  Discover other works by J. Rocci through the author’s official website:

  http://www.jrocci.com/

  Sign up for J. Rocci’s monthly email list and receive a free ebook:

  http://www.subscribepage.com/jroccifreebook

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  Closer

  Collocating

  Commitment

  Conjugal

  Commemorate

  Cornerstone

  Concordant

  Compatibility

  Concur

  Competition

  Connections

  Continuous

  Commence

  About the Author

  Other books by J. Rocci

  Connect with J. Rocci

  Foreword

  I couldn’t do this without you, so first and foremost, I want to thank you, my reader, for spending your valuable time and money on my work. I don’t take your support lightly!

  So why a Courting anthology? Josh and Garrison are two of my favorite characters to write: former Marines, one a cop, the other a lawyer, both reserved but so obviously in love. Courting is one of those series that never really leaves me; I’m constantly thinking of new stories to feature Josh and Garrison, and this anthology is a chance to showcase some milestones in their life together.

  The Courting series originally started with “Cornerstone” in December of 2009, when my then-publisher put out a call for holiday stories, and I wanted to write about two former military men who had been impacted by Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (still in effect at the time of writing Cornerstone) and chose to stay together, to stay true to themselves, after leaving the Marine Corps. Josh and Garrison’s story grew from there, across states, the repeal of DADT, the legalization of gay marriage, adopting dogs and kids, and growing their family of choice.

  These stories aren’t filled with action or mystery, there are no explosions on the page, and you won’t get any criminal thrills. Instead, I offer you glimpses of domesticity and comfort, of hot and sexy times balanced by the daily challenges of two willful men making a life together.

  I’ve included author notes before each story to explain its inception. Six of these stories were previously published and sold by Torquere Press between 2009 and 2016, and are available individually for free now after some minor edits for content and continuity. Three stories are based on reader prompts provided on the now defunct Torquere Press Livejournal back in 2010, and four stories are brand new and only available in this collection.

  I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much for your support!

  -J

  Closer

  Author’s Note:

  This is a new story, written specifically for this anthology. I decided to start “Courting: 15 Years of Life” at six months into Josh and Garrison’s relationship because I wanted to focus on their first major, emotional milestone. Until “Closer”, Josh is content to follow Garrison’s lead for things like sex and living arrangements, but now Garrison is asking Josh to follow not just Garrison’s emotional lead, but to completely change his life plans. So, to me, this is really where the Courting story as we know it begins.

  CLOSER

  His battered little pick-up truck rolls forward maybe two car lengths before the traffic light ahead turns red and Josh stomps on the brakes again. He’d almost gotten to ten miles per hour there.

  Josh just rests his head on the steering wheel with a sigh.

  Sergeant Joshua Dabbs considers himself a patient man. He has to be, considering he works in explosive ordnance disposal for the Marine Corps and is proud to have survived two deployments out in the sandbox. But no amount of training in hurry up and wait could have prepared him for the hell that is the traffic surrounding Washington, D.C.

  Leaning back, he gives in to boredom and fiddles with his flip phone, then debates sending Garrison a text. It’s still early enough in the afternoon that he doesn’t want to risk disturbing his boyfriend if Garrison’s still on base, but if Garrison’s off post already, maybe they can meet up for dinner somewhere and Josh can get out of this hellish traffic sooner.

  His boyfriend.

  Josh tries to wipe the stupid grin off his face, but lets himself indulge in the privacy of his own car. A year ago, he would have laughed his ass off to hear he was in a real relationship with a man and cohabitating to boot. Funny how life can change so quickly.

  A car honks behind him and he steps on the gas, deciding to wait on the text. He’s maybe twenty minutes from home anyway, even if that means going just two miles. Garrison is the only possible enticement that can get him to move from base housing to off post, but Josh can’t say he regrets it. He can put up with horrific traffic for guaranteed privacy any day.

  When he finally gets to the apartment they share, he’s disappointed to see Garrison’s car isn’t in the other reserved parking spot. He takes the stairs two at a time and knows as soon as he enters the apartment foyer that the place is empty, too. But there’s still signs that both of them live here, that this is their shared space.

  Two months of having someone to come home to at the end of the day after years of loneliness, and he wants to get used to this. He wants it so badly it burns in his chest, but he also knows they break too many rules – Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; officer and non-commissioned officer – for any real sense of security to last. One slip up, and it’s the end of both of their careers.

  On that depressing thought, he goes to figure out dinner.

  Scrounging through the fridge and freezer produces a frozen lasagna as the only thing Josh feels confident enough to attempt on his own. He won’t starve if left to his own devices, but Garrison likes cooking from scratch and Josh is man enough to admit he doesn’t even know how to begin cooking a – he picks up and studies a brown vegetable thing before tossing it back in the crisper drawer.

  Josh changes into a t-shirt and shorts before the oven reaches cooking temperature. He hears the front door open, Garrison’s keys jangling in the lock, and he bumps the oven door shut on the lasagna before going to lean in the kitchen archway.

  Josh knows that he's not bad looking, with his clear pale complexion and blue eyes, but Garrison -- he's gorgeous, dark-skinned with this vitality that just radiates off his six-foot-four frame, body lean and compact, head shaved and accentuating the line of his neck to his well-muscled biceps all the way to his broad hands. Six months into this thing that keeps growing between them, and Josh feels luckier than he has any right to b
e.

  Garrison tidies away his briefcase and keys in the foyer with his usual attention to detail, his uniform pants surprisingly creased for a day that was supposed to be spent in the courtroom. On a closer look, he’s obviously tired, more worn down than usual, and Josh’s chest tightens with concern.

  “Hey,” he says casually, pushing away from the archway and getting within touching distance. Garrison doesn’t hesitate to reach out and pull him in, far more open with his physical affection than Josh even here in the privacy of their apartment.

  “Hello there,” Garrison says softly in his deep bass voice, hands slipping into the elastic of Josh’s shorts and resting his fingertips on the swell of Josh’s ass. “Have you been home long?”

  He gets a thrill in his stomach from that, home. Josh shrugs and traces up Garrison’s arms, along the crisp lines of his service uniform sleeves before linking his hands at the base of Garrison’s neck.

  “Just long enough to throw that lasagna in the oven.”

  “Mmm. So, we have some time then…”

  Garrison’s mouth descends on his and Josh goes pliant, letting Garrison take control of the kiss. Garrison’s kisses are always soft but demanding, thick lips wet and tongue dexterous. Josh moans and grips the taller man’s shoulders tighter, as Garrison’s tongue slips between his lips, and he doesn’t care if the collar devices on Garrison’s uniform scratch at his wrist, if the buckle of Garrison’s belt digs into his stomach, Josh just wants to get closer.

  Garrison slides his hands lower into Josh’s shorts, gripping his ass tightly and pulling his cheeks apart. Josh gasps into Garrison’s mouth, hips grinding into Garrison’s thigh, and is met with an amused rumble of laughter.

  “Free-balling today?” Garrison pulls back to smirk at him.

  Josh rolls his eyes. “Like you actually want to complain about that.”

  “True,” Garrison says lightly, releasing Josh’s ass just enough to push the shorts down until the elastic is tight against the start of Josh’s light dusting of hair. “I’d much rather take advantage.”

  “Then take this thing off,” Josh says, hooking his finger under a uniform button and tugging. They’re past the stage where they just fuck wherever they end up on the other side of the front door. Josh wants to get pounded into the fancy mattress Garrison bought for them.

  Garrison follows him easy enough to the bedroom, but Josh knows better than to help him take off his uniform. They’ve both been in the Marines long enough to have particular habits when it comes to the grooming and uniform standards.

  So instead, he strips and climbs onto their king-size bed, debating whether he wants to stay on all fours or lay on his back. A minor twinge from his knee decides it for him, and he reclines against the pillows in time to watch Garrison peel down his briefs. He wolf whistles quietly, and Garrison gives him a look that is definitely meant for the bedroom only.

  Josh stretches out, putting on a little show of his own, and it gets Garrison crawling onto the bed, fingers glancing along Josh’s legs, hips, sides as Garrison comes to loom over him. They stare at each other a moment, just looking, before Garrison ducks down to reclaim Josh’s mouth.

  Josh opens for him in every sense of the word, mouth, arms, legs, moaning as Garrison settles on top of him, their half hard dicks rubbing together.

  “Been thinking about this all day,” Garrison rumbles, lips trailing to Josh’s neck and collarbone, careful not to leave any marks. Josh wants to be marked up by him so badly, the realization takes his breath away and leaves him achingly hard.

  “Fuck me,” Josh whispers, still a little shy about asking for what he wants, but damn, his veins are on fire and the more Garrison rubs on him, hard hot cock sliding in the crease of Josh’s thigh, along the line of Josh’s dick, the more Josh wants Garrison in him.

  Garrison pauses just long enough to reach for the condoms and lube, snapping open the plastic cap of the lube, letting some of the cold liquid drop on Josh’s throbbing cock. Josh gasps and arches his back, reaching for his cock but Garrison beats him there. Garrison rubs the flat of his hand on Josh’s dick, almost holding Josh still with the palm of his hand, while the fingers of his other hand trail down to Josh’s balls, rolling them deftly until Josh’s chest is heaving for breath.

  With little warning, Garrison slides one finger into Josh’s hole up to the second knuckle, not waiting for Josh to adjust before he starts to pump it in and out. Josh tears at the bedsheets, skin on fire and asshole burning from the intrusion, and he feels alive, heart racing.

  “How many fingers do you want?” Garrison murmurs, crooking the finger in Josh and dragging it on the inside of his body. Josh can’t breathe, can’t think, and then Garrison’s tapping his prostate, pushing until the nerves light up.

  “Fuck,” Josh moans as he bucks his pelvis, but Garrison just keeps holding him down with the hand gently covering his dick.

  “How many?” Garrison asks again, voice calm and deep.

  Josh swears again and pants, “Two.”

  “Only two? You sure?”

  Now Garrison is teasing him, the first finger barely moving and the second teasing Josh’s rim. Josh can only writhe under his hands and groan, “Yes. Please.”

  “You’re gorgeous,” Garrison whispers as his second finger slides in. Josh bears down, listening to the wet sounds of Garrison’s fingers in his ass over his own harsh breaths.

  Garrison pulls his fingers out too soon for Josh, but he’s just reaching for the condom, tearing the packet open and rolling it on. Josh lies there, dazed and panting and feeling bereft without the heat of Garrison’s hands and thighs.

  Garrison adds extra slick to the condom, spreading Josh’s legs wider with sticky hands as he guides his cock to Josh’s hole. He teases Josh with a smirk, rubbing the flared head of his dick in little circles without actually penetrating, just enough pressure to make Josh writhe and try to bear down again, to get him to actually push in.

  Finally, his cock breaches Josh’s hole, but Garrison holds Josh’s legs in place, so when he slides in with just the tip, the glorious sting of the stretch is all Josh gets. Garrison’s dick is far bigger than two fingers and the burn sends shocks of heat and fire up Josh’s belly, down his legs and his back. Josh is going to feel this tomorrow, the only way Garrison can leave a mark as a reminder. He curses and struggles against Garrison’s hold, trying to get him deeper.

  “Oh, no.” Garrison smirks with another minute pump of his hips, excruciating in his gentleness as the head of his dick threatens to pop back out. “You’ll get it when I give it to you. I might just make you come untouched, you’re so tight. What do you think?”

  Part of Josh thrills at that, the feeling that his pleasure is at Garrison’s mercy. The other part, the one that never backs down, rises to the challenge.

  “That so?” He pants and reaches for his cock. “Then I’ll get myself off.”

  “None of that now,” Garrison chides and moves lightning quick, intercepting Josh’s right hand at the wrist and bringing it swiftly above his head to pin his wrist to the mattress.

  The move pushes Garrison’s dick into Josh almost to the hilt, but more than the sudden feeling of being full, it’s the feeling of restraint, of being held down by hands and hips and all of Garrison’s weight that rips a noise out of Josh’s chest that he’s never made before.

  Above him, Garrison freezes, one hand on the bed at Josh’s waist, the other holding his wrist. Josh closes his eyes and pants, back arching until he’s pressed into Garrison’s chest. Tentatively, Garrison tightens his hold on Josh’s wrist, and Josh turns his head, tries to muffle the groan into his bicep, face burning as his ass involuntarily tightens around Garrison’s cock.

  Garrison sucks in a lungful of air at that.

  “Josh,” he says in a strained voice. “Josh, look at me.”

  Embarrassed, feeling turned inside out, Josh complies, opening his eyes and turning until their foreheads are touching. Whatever Garrison reads
in Josh’s face has him slowly reaching for Josh’s left hand, expression serious.

  Gently, Garrison trails his hand down Josh’s arm, grasping his left wrist lightly and bringing it up above Josh’s head to join his right in Garrison’s sure grip. The move has Garrison stretched above him, Josh bent almost in half, ass flush against Garrison’s thighs with Garrison’s dick hot and thick filling Josh’s hole. Josh’s cock twitches where it’s trapped between them.

  “You like that?” Garrison asks softly against Josh’s cheek, bearing more weight down on Josh’s wrists. Josh’s toes curl and every nerve in his body is concentrated on his wrists, his dick, and his ass.

  “Yeah,” he breathes out, chest empty and full, and he’s on fire, sweat prickling across his skin.

  Garrison starts to push in further, abdomen muscles contracting in a crunch, angle making it hard for him to pull back very far, but ensuring he hits that sweet spot in Josh every time. Josh twists his head away, back to muffling his groans in his bicep.

  “Let me hear you.”

  The command wrenches something out of him and he can breathe again, gasping around grunts and groans as Garrison pounds into him with short, jerky punches, just this edge of painful.

  Sweat is making their chests slick and Garrison’s fingers slip just a little, just enough, and the jolt of Garrison’s weight on his hands has Josh coming with a shout, cock pulsing untouched as every nerve in his body lights up.

  Two, three more thrusts and Garrison stills above him, taut as a bowstring. The bed’s shaking, and Josh realizes that’s him, shivering. Garrison releases his wrists and carefully pulls out, but Josh feels empty and swollen. Garrison’s making soothing noises, his sticky condom-covered cock nestling beside Josh’s come-covered dick as he gathers Josh up, crushing Josh to his chest and kissing wherever he can reach, jaw, cheek, lips, nose, eyelids.