I take a deep breath, suddenly nervous for reasons I don't understand. I slide my Batman mask down my face as I get out. Shouldering my duffle bag, I wave to Grace and Halston as they drive off. There's a family walking down the block, but it looks like they're heading away from Dres's place. It's getting to that hour where most parents take their kids in for the night, anyway.

     I look up at Dres's house. It's tall, but not wide at all. One of those vertical homes. It looks like his house is a dark grey, but it's hard to know for sure. I ring his doorbell, waiting impatiently for him to answer with the same nauseous feeling in my stomach I've had all day. But when he gets to the door, I'm not ready.

     "Trick or treat," I cry because it's all I can think to say. Dres stares at me with his hand in the candy bowl. "Oh, yeah, hi, it's me." I lift the mask nervously. Dres's eyes do all the talking. Maybe he's mad that I've just shown up unannounced?

     "Uhm, hi, Happy Halloween? Right, so I realize we just put Saturday nights on the table and we also did that because I wasn't going to see you tomorrow..." He sets the candy bowl down somewhere I can't see, his expression still completely unreadable and pushes the door open wider.

     "But," I continue, nervously babbling more than anything. "I decided to come back early anyway, and I hope you don't mind, but I got your address from Dolores." He reaches for my shirt, grabbing a handful, and pulling me inside. I let my bag slide down my shoulder, falling onto the floor.

     Dres kicks the front door closed, pulling me along, pushing my mask over my head in the process. It clatters to the floor. "Hey, that's got sentimental value," I cry as he shoves me up against the wall. Something about his expression tells me I'm about to get a stern talking to.

      "Okay, right, I should probably apologize for that drunk phone call? And probably everything I said, as well." Dres steps closer, invading my space. I have chest pain. I need a bottle of aspirin. Vicodin. A pep talk. A pause button. "I didn't mean it. I mean, I meant some of it. Okay, all of it. But, obviously—."

     I lose track of what I'm saying as Dres presses up against me. I'm not complaining its just that I can't think. He noses at my cheek.

     I try to complete my thought. "Obviously it was—."

     Dres kisses me gently, so softly is does nothing to satiate any of the desire burning through me. He kisses me like I'm the good china he doesn't use often and has to handle with care. I want to be the china that is used so often its worn and chipped. Nobody minds when it gets dropped. I want to be shattered by Dres.

     I'm not using reason when I chase his lips, leaning back in. I stop because I was saying something. I was apologizing. Right. "It was obviously," I try to say as he kisses me. "Inappropriate," I manage spit out around the electricity amplifying between our mouths.

     I reach up, holding his face in place, so I can kiss him deeply, eager. He breathes out and I take that, too. I want all of it. His lips, his breath, his life line.

     Dres isn't mad, I decide, as he opens his mouth against mine, warms my palate with his tongue. He doesn't linger, pulling away and trailing over my chin with spit-slick lips. "Uh," I start to say, losing my train of thought as his hands reach my shoulders and push my jacket off of them. It lands on the floor.

     "So," I say as he drags his mouth down my neck and nips at my throat. Whatever I was going to say doesn't make it out. The words pinch off and only a soft sound manages to get through. 

     "So," I repeat as Dres presses up against me, his whole body coming to rest on mine, bringing nothing but heat. It makes me dizzy. All of my bones are nothing but jelly.

     He presses his thigh against my groin suggestively. "No more talking."

     All my bones, but one, are jelly.

     He shifts and I can feel myself throbbing against my inseam. I groan because its so good it actually hurts. He can't do stuff like that. I'm going to collapse to the floor. My brain is trying to play catch up with how we ended up here, with me backed against a wall, and Dres doing delicious things to my neck.

     His hands brush down my sides, scorching me through the thin fabric of my shirt. When they pass the hem of my shirt, my breath hitches. "Is this okay?" he asks quietly, voice thick. I can only manage a nod, words beyond me at this point. Dres takes it, leaning up to kiss me as his hands circle to the front of my jeans.

     "And this?" he asks, fingers hovering in place with nothing but my jeans keeping them from touching me.

     "Please," I manage to say as my eyes roll to the back of my head. I have to tip my head to open my airway because I'm struggling to breathe now.

     Dres's mouth is pressed against my neck, right under my jaw. I can feel him smile when he says, "Please what?"

     Tease. Asshole. Man who will ruin me. "Please Dres," I repeat desperately. 

     It's enough. His fingers move deftly, undoing the button and zipper in a fluid motion like he takes other people's pants off all the time. I clutch at his shoulders to keep myself steady. His hand stills for a moment, palm sizzling against the skin right below my belly button where my shirt's been shoved up in the process. I whine with anticipation.

     He slips his hand past the band of my boxers rather unceremoniously, no hesitation in sight. And I can't stop saying, "Fuck, fuck, fuck," whispering it softly as he wraps his hand around my dick and runs up the length of it, so slowly it makes my jaw ache. It is both too much and nowhere near enough.

      With his free hand, he slides my briefs down just low enough that I'm free from the constraint. I can't hold my head up any longer, am not sure how I'm even still standing, and let it fall back against the wall.

      I'm already leaking and as hard as I can physically get. It's almost embarrassing how ready to go I am. It's enough to get some good friction but Dres drags it out, making these long strides up and down the length like we've got nothing but time. He is greatly over-estimating my stamina.

      I buck my hips, a futile attempt to set the pace. Dres isn't listening. He's moving so slow that it will probably bring me to tears before it brings me to completion. I try again, thrusting upwards and manage to increase the pace for a few seconds.

     But then Dres grabs my hip, pinning it against the wall so I can't move.

     Fine. Two can play this game. I get my hands between us and go for his pants, just to give him a taste of his own medicine. He lets go of me completely, grabbing my wrists so he can bring my arms above my head and pin me to the wall. I'm in sensory overload. Feel my brain malfunctioning. I am both trying to live in this moment and store every single minute detail into my memory.

     "Oh I'm gonna' kill you," I say between deep breaths. "As soon as I gain control of my extremities, it's over for you. No mercy."

     "Yeah?" Dres says, smirking as he steps closer. I can't move and my dick gets pinched against against his leg. I want to keel over from the pain and pleasure of it.

     "Dres," I whine my voice pitched and gravelly. He gets one hand around both of my wrists, keeping my arms where they are, and moves back just enough to give my dick some breathing room before he's touching me again, this time at exactly the way I need.

     "Oh fuck," I say with a groan as I tip my head back. I'm not going to last very long. Really, it's pathetic how quickly I'm going to finish. I'm keyed up and I was too hung over to jerk off this morning, anyway.

     And he's good at this. He's doing this thing with his thumb that puts a knot in my chest, right above my stomach like my diaphragm is forgetting to contract so I can breathe. "Dres," I start to say, or moan, or beg as he licks a line up my neck and kisses me open mouthed and filthy.

     I'm close, just about to give in, when he slows down to nothing but a short tug. "No no no no," I sob dragging my mouth away from his. He presses a smile into my cheek. Of course he's enjoying this, the freaking tease.

     My hands strain in his hold because I need to grab onto something. I need more somehow. Fuck. "You're such a little shit, how did I never—."

     He's back with a vengeance, giving a squeeze before he picks back up at an ungodly speed, alternating between short and long strokes. He's kissing the side of my face, too, licking at my neck. I'm making fragmented noises, moans that break off into pants. Then he fits his mouth right around my earlobe, sucking hard, and that's it for me. I make one long, wrecked sound as I come into Dres's fist.

     I can't catch my breath. Can't move, either. Don't want to. Dres stays there, finishing it off with these gentle hand movements, leaving short kisses below my ear like he's punctuating a sentence.

     I drop my head against his shoulder, whispering, "Fuck" over and over like it's a prayer. He nudges at my head with his forehead till I lift it and he kisses me, fiercely, like I've just given him the best orgasm of his life. 

     I remember my hands, still pinned above my head, and budge against the hold till Dres let's go. I knew that grip was going to make sexy times sexier. And it did not disappoint. "You didn't let me—." I reach between us again, hands moving for the waistband on his pants.

     He cuts me off, "Wasn't about me." I look at him quizzically. What is that supposed to mean? He steps back. "Stay here a second."

     He turns and walks further into his house, into the kitchen, which is right there. I mean, his living room is, too. It's an open floor plan. I can even see his bedroom above the kitchen like a balcony. I hear the sink running as I rest my eyes and lean against the wall. I'll take stock of his house later. My brain's scattered. I think my spine was pulled out of my back. I don't know how I'm still standing.

     I sense Dres's return and force my eyes open, just a little. Enough to see that he's got a towel in his hands. I reach for it the same time he reaches for me. I flinch, still sensitive, as he cleans me up, then tucks me back inside my boxers and zips my jeans. It's strangely domestic, manages to turn me on even though I am spent.

     "Remind me to go away and surprise you more often," I mumble almost incoherently, my voice worn and tired. Dres is looking at me. I can tell even though my eyes aren't open anymore. I force them to do a little work. "What?" I ask.

     "You're in my house," he says affectionately.

     "Yes, I did come in your house tonight," I respond with a small grin, letting my eyes shut again. This wall is nice. I could stay here a while.

     "You're not funny," he says as he tugs at my shirt. "Come on."

     I let him lead me into the living room. "I'm a little funny," I say, falling into his side. If tequila is tryptophan, then orgasms are sedatives. "Give me the tour."

     "Later," Dres says as he pulls me down onto the couch with him. I force myself to look because it's the first time I'm in Dres's home and I need to know things.

     "I've gotta' let the dogs in. I'll be right back," he says as he gets up. Dres's home is so Dres's home it astounds me. The kitchen occupies the most space, and everything is old dark wood like he found it in the woods and put his furniture together himself. I like the mental image of him assembling furniture.

     A second later, my favorite puppies come barreling into the room jumping on the couch to get to me. Dres says sternly, "Delta, Charlie, down." They listen, returning to the floor, but staring up at me like I just have to give them attention or they'll die.

     I give in, petting them under their necks, and rubbing at their heads even though I just want to sink into his couch and have a catnap.

     Charlie's licking at my hand, bathing it really, and I think I should probably be grossed out but he's so cute. Both of them have gotten huge since I've seen them, not to their full size yet but almost.

     I ask suddenly, "Why did you name them Charlie and Delta? Feels like a thing."

     "What kind of thing?" Dres asks.

     "Like, a purposeful thing? Charlie and Delta aren't typical dog names."

     "Later," Dres says again as he joins me back on the couch.

     "What is with this 'later' business? I need to know things, Dres." I lean away from the dogs, curling up into the cushions, facing Dres.

     Dres smiles, small, because he knows its honest. Some might call it being nosy. If it had to do with Dres, then yeah, so be it, I was nosy as all hell.

     He says finally, slowly, "The military has its own alphabet."

     "Okay..."

     "Instead of A, B, C, the letters correspond to a word. Alpha. Bravo. Charlie. Delta."

     "Okay..."

     "So I named them in conjunction with the military alphabet."

     I stare at him waiting for further explanation. He stares at me like I should be putting this together. "Okay...?" I say again.

     "Really? I have to spell it out for you?"

     I respond, pitifully, "It's late, and I'm spent. I can't get my brain to work anymore than it is right now."

     Dres's nostrils flare, but otherwise his expression remains impassive. "Delta. D. Dresden."

     "Oh," I say because that makes sense and then it really makes sense. "Oh! You named Charlie after me."

     Dres's eyes narrow. "No, if I named him after you he'd be Calvin or Cas."

     I can't stop grinning. "Yeah but you basically were naming him after me. That's so nice." I pinch his chest, and he growls, grabbing my hand and cupping it with his own so I won't do it again. I let him hold my hand.

     Delta and Charlie are looking up at us both and making whiny noises. "You should let them sit on the couch with us."

     Dres shakes his head. "No, I'm still training them and I don't want to reinforce bad behavior."

     "Come on," I say nudging him in the side with my elbow. I nudge him again when I don't get a response.

     I keep nudging him until he finally lets out a frustrated noise and goes, "Fine. Charlie, Delta, up."

      I grin victoriously as the dogs hop up, and then shift as the couch suddenly becomes ten times too small for all of us. It leaves me with my back pressed against Dres's shoulder, and Delta in between my legs. Charlie moves to the other side of Dres, knocking out into a slumber within seconds.

     Dres reaches for the remote and starts filming through the channels as I lay against him, just on the right side of toasty warm and start to fall asleep.

     "Is this okay?" he asks, voice jolting me back awake.

     I glance at the television. He's put on Addams Family.

     "Gomez is nice," I think I say as I rest my eyes.

     When I wake up, Beetle Juice is playing on the TV and Dres is actually laughing. Like not just one laugh. He's laughing enough where he's trying to hold it in and it's like soundless and you wouldn't even know it was happening if not for the movement of his shoulders.

     I mumble something about the time as I sit up and Dres looks at me with both eyebrows raised. "What?"

     The corners of my mouth lift. "What time is it?"

     "Like eleven or a little after."

     "Eleven! Damn, my mom's probably freaking out."

     I struggle to sit up with Delta still between my legs and pull my phone from my pocket. Sure enough I've got a text message from my mom, sent about twenty minutes ago.

[MOM] 10:44 PM: You could've texted and let me know you were staying the night

     I stare at the message, shocked, because this is so unlike my mom. She basically just gave me permission to stay the night at Dres's.

     "Does she know where you are?" he asks over my shoulder.

     "Uh huh," I say still sort of stunned by the whole thing. Apparently, I'm not the only one. I lock my phone and slip it back into my jeans. "I should probably head out before it gets any later," I say moving my leg over Delta, so I can put both my feet on the floor and sit properly. She sits up, looking at me like I'm a giant meanie. I pet her head, apologetically.

     Dres asks, slowly, "She's not mad?"

     I shake my head. "I don't think so."

     "And she gave the okay," he says next.

     "Huh?" I respond, raising an eyebrow.

     "You don't have to leave."

     "What?"

     He pauses, and I glance at him, trying to get an idea of what he's thinking. "If your mom's okay with it, why not just stay?"

     I hesitate. I've never spent the night with anybody romantically. And while I've certainly thought about it every which way I didn't actually forsee myself having sex with Dres tonight. And like, what if I'm terrible? What if I talk in my sleep or wet the bed, or worse than wet the bed? 

     "Mmm, I – I don't know. I don't want to intrude anymore than I have. Give you your space back or whatever." I gnaw at my bottom lip, thinking.

     Dres shoots me a questioning look. "You? Not want to intrude anymore? That's not really your style."

     "Yeah well," I say and Dres gives me the look he always does like what is 'yeah well' a substitute for. "I don't know. I'm overthinking things."

     "Stay the night," he responds, firmly.

     "I was going to grab some food on my way home, though. I haven't eaten since this morning and I threw that up so it's like I haven't eaten all day."

     "So I'll order a pizza."

     "Yeah but then we'll have to wait for it to deliver and honestly, I don't think any pizza places are open this late anyway. It'll be easier if I just go to a drive-thru."

     Dres rolls his eyes. "So then I'll make you something."

     I can feel my expression getting smug, my eyebrow raising slightly as I pucker my lips. I say, lightheartedly, "You can't just bribe me with food, Dres. I can get food anywhere."

     I can't tell if Dres realizes I'm joking or not. That given the option I'd stay with him here in this tiny home and never leave.

     He says, sincerely, "Cupcakes, too, then."

     "What about cupcakes, Dres?" I ask, innocently.

     "If I bake you a stupid cupcake, will you stay the night?"