The Garden Series
Part II: THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS
By Lady Grey
**3 July**
Four Weeks Later
"We should tell them," said Jack quietly. He and Daniel lay in their bed, his fingers idly stroking Daniel's long, silky hair as his head lay on Jack's chest. Morning sun slanted through the bedroom sheers, setting the room aglow. Breakfast was half eaten on the dining room table, set aside in favor of something better to do with their mouths.
"Why?" asked Daniel languidly, his breath stirring the hair on Jack's chest. "This is none of their business."
"Because Carter and Teal'c are our friends," Jack pointed out gently. "They deserve to know."
Daniel lifted his head with a sigh, stacked his hands on top of Jack's chest and rested his chin on them. "And what if they take it badly? Then we lose their friendship completely."
"We owe them our honesty," insisted Jack. "Not telling them is kind of lying to them. I'm not good with that. They deserve to know the truth, that we're involved now."
Eyebrows scrunched down in a frown, Daniel's lower lip poked out. His mouth twitched as he considered what he wanted to say, and Jack enjoyed the show. Every thought that coursed through that genius mind played itself out on Daniel's mobile face. It was one of the truly endearing things about the man that Jack adored.
"I don't wanna lose the relationship we have with them," Daniel argued. "I'd rather we just kept on like we are."
"It's not fair to them, Daniel. We're both civilians now, and military regs don't apply. And look, you're able to take care of yourself now, but you're still living with me. Granted you do still need a little help now and then, but you could manage fine on your own. They’re not stupid, you know. Eventually they'll start to wonder why you're staying here with me, and if either of them ever wanders into the guest room and sees that none of your stuff is there, they'll put one and one together and get a couple. I wanna be honest with ‘em and tell ‘em the truth. I’m not saying I wanna broadcast it to the world or anything, because I know you’re not ready for that, but they’re practically family. We owe them our honesty."
Daniel sat up, wincing as the movement brought a brief flash of discomfort from his still-healing knee. He was frowning, thinking it over. With his mouth firmly set, he made eye contact with his lover. "Then I'll let you tell them, ‘cause I can't."
"Coward." Jack was half smiling, meaning it as a tease, but Daniel's chin went up, and he got that frosty look, gazing down his nose at Jack.
"Whatever," he snapped, and got up to go take a shower.
Jack was after him instantly, soothing his ruffled feathers, kissing and cuddling and making him forget all about his unintentional insult. As always, Daniel forgave him, and the matter was dropped for the moment. They fooled around again in the shower and got ready for their date with Carter and Teal'c without further mention of the subject.
Around noon their former teammates arrived, and the four of them went out into the back yard for a barbecue. Jack was finally ready to talk to others about his garden, so he unrolled his finished landscape plans and talked about the garden he’d designed, keeping to himself and Daniel the secret message the plants represented, concentrating only on talking about the color patterns, seasonal blooming and balance he had planned into the work.
Carter was duly impressed; Teal'c raised an eyebrow in his direction and said nothing. Jack knew from the gleam in the big guy's eye, though, that he was also pleasantly surprised by Jack's gardening expertise.
They cooked steaks, and ate them along with the potato salad Sam had brought, all washed down with a liberal amount of beer. Teal’c stuck to water.
Everyone listened to Sam regale them about her recent success with some mechanical doohickey she’d been working to decipher. From that they drifted into discussing Jack’s recently pierced left ear, a small silver hoop dangling from his lobe. He admitted to doing it on a whim and confessed that it made him feel like a swashbuckler, or as if he should be dressed in leather and riding a motorcycle, which made Carter laugh. He liked the earring and hadn’t regretted doing it for a moment. She reassured him that it was a good look for him, and the longer hair he now sported seemed to fit him perfectly.
Then they started talking shop, discussing only aspects of things that might be spoken about carefully in public, and from that to Daniel's recovery, including his graduation from walker to cane. He told them that he had been taken off his constant passive motion machine and was now doing his own physical therapy with frequent walks and exercises at the gym to aid in recuperating from the knee replacement he'd had following his off-world injury.
As the sun started its downward slide and afternoon headed for evening, they gathered up all the leftovers and utensils and headed inside, piling the dirty dishes into the sink and working like the team they still were to wrap and cover the remaining food and put it properly away. In minutes the dishes were done, and Jack brought out a bottle of chilled champagne and four flutes, handing them out to everyone.
Teal'c eyed his empty glass. "What are we celebrating, O'Neill?" he asked, staring at the flute.
"I'm making an announcement," he answered with a smile. "I know you don't usually drink alcohol, big guy, but maybe this time you'll make an exception."
"This is a happy occasion?" Teal'c inquired, raising his gaze to his host's.
"Never been happier," Jack assured him, pouring the golden liquid into the Jaffa's glass first, before moving on to Carter, then Daniel, then to his own.
Sam looked at the bottle as he set it down. "Wow, the good stuff," she observed, reading the label. "This must be something important."
Jack glanced at Daniel. He was staring at his glass, his head down, not looking at anyone, his cheeks flushed bright red with anticipation and some embarrassment, fidgeting with his new cane, tapping it against the floor.
Jack’s gaze took in Teal’c’s and Sam’s expectant faces. "Well. You guys remember all the flowers Daniel was getting a few weeks back?"
Sam's face brightened. "Oh, yeah! We were on a mission when they stopped coming, and I never thought to ask what happened with all that. Did you find out who was sending them?" She turned to regard Daniel.
He nodded without looking up, twirling his glass in his fingertips nervously. "Um. Yes, I did."
"And?"
Jack saw Carter was grinning from ear to ear. It was obvious Daniel didn’t want to answer her, and Jack knew it was his job anyway, so he cut to the chase. "Yeah. It was me," he announced solemnly.
"Oh?" Sam was still grinning, waiting for the punch line, turning her gaze now to him.
"It was my way of telling Daniel that I wanted us to be more than just friends," he explained, dead serious. "And once he figured it out, he decided he was okay with that."
Silence hung in the air between them. Sam's smile remained fixed on her face for a few moments, then softened into something sweet and wistful. Her eyes shifted from Jack to Daniel and back again, and she nodded, her look of pleasure never dimming.
"I wondered how long it would take you two to figure that out," she admitted quietly, stealing a little closer to reach behind Daniel and rub his back affectionately.
Daniel still had his head down, looking at his glass. The apprehension in his expression was fading, but not completely gone yet. Jack couldn’t help the proud upward tilt of his own chin. He felt good about the confession, and hoped Daniel would be all right with it soon, too.
She eyed Jack. "You know, I had this huge crush on you for the longest time, but every hint I dropped was politely ignored. Eventually I got the message that you weren't interested -- not that anything would've happened between us, anyway, since you were my CO -- and then I started noticing you and Daniel. There was…well, there was sparkage there.” She grinned at Jack.
“Sparkage?” Jack smiled at her, relieved to his core that apparently Carter was going to be okay with his announcement.
“Yeah. You know, chemistry. And the more I watched the two of you, the more I understood it was way more than that. You were like an old married couple, finishing each other’s sentences and always knowing what the other needed." She set her glass down, hugged Daniel briefly and let go, then looked back at Jack.
Daniel’s embarrassment was fading, a little peace softening his mouth into an almost smile. His slightly nervous gaze flicked over to Teal’c, and Jack saw that the big guy was looking into his glass, obviously thinking about what he wanted to say, giving nothing away in his expression.
“An old married couple, huh? More now than ever,” Jack boasted to Sam with a big grin.
Sam chuckled and shook her head, her eyes gleaming with happiness for them. "I'm guessing you retired when you figured out how you felt," she said. "I know you're an honorable man, Jack. Nobody has to tell me that nothing happened while you were still in uniform. I already know that."
Jack felt a surge of warmth and pride swell up in him at her remarks. "That's right, Sam. As soon as I figured out it was more than friendship, I stepped down." He turned to Teal'c for his reaction.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Daniel raise his eyes to their other teammate, too. Daniel was wary, waiting for Teal’c’s reaction.
He was still staring at his flute, contemplating. "Among the Jaffa, such relationships between warriors are common," he said softly. "We are often away from our homes for years at a time, and we consider it a source of strength for men to bond with their brothers in arms." He met Jack's unwavering gaze. "I had hoped, at one time, that you would choose me," he admitted honestly, then turned his gaze to Daniel, "but I grew to understand that you and DanielJackson were connected in a way the Jaffa call kem’kalach."
He bowed toward Daniel, bending fully from the waist, and then straightened and offered a similar bow to Jack. "I am honored to have served with you both, and honor your love for each other. Kesh ta min’shu, my brothers. I wish you happiness."
Daniel heaved a sigh of relief and brought his head up at last. “Thanks, guys. Your acceptance means a lot to both of us.”
Teal’c straightened and held out his glass. “Kem’kalach,” he repeated.
Jack watched Daniel hold out his glass and clink it with Teal’c’s and Carter's. He put his out there in time to touch flutes with each of the others. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Whatever that means. Sounds good, anyway.”
“Kem’kalach,” said Daniel, taking a sip of the champagne. He glanced up at Jack. “It means ‘one spirit.’ “
“Soulmates,” Sam agreed. She turned to look at Teal’c and caught his free hand in hers as he drained the glass of champagne. She smiled shyly at him.
The significance of that look was not lost on Jack. He watched her take a dainty sip of champagne. “So, do my eyes deceive me, or do you two have something to celebrate, too?”
Before she could answer, Teal’c lowered his empty glass and swallowed. He frowned at it and made a most unpleasant face. “O’Neill,” he declared, his voice a deep growl. “This is terrible. It is a taste reminiscent of greknoss.”
Daniel burst out laughing and had to turn away to get control of himself, covering his mouth with his hand still clutching his cane.
“Okay, I don’t know what greknoss is, but I’m sure Jack doesn’t wanna know,” Sam added with a chuckle, patting Daniel on the back.
Just starting to catch his breath, Daniel set his cane back on the floor and explained, “It’s a medicinal drink made with fruit juice and the urine of—“
“Whoa!” Jack cut in, waving his free hand to cut him off, “That’s TMI. Don’t wanna go there. Nope. No, sir.” He took Teal’c’s empty flute and set it down on the table. “Water’s in the kitchen, T. Help yourself, and I’ll never ask you to drink booze again, I promise.” He winked at Carter as Teal’c stalked away. “Not even at your wedding.”
“Um.” Sam’s eyes went wide. “Hey, don’t get ahead of us. We’ve just decided we’re going to take it to the next step. It hasn’t gone any farther than that. We still have to talk to the general and find out if Teal’c will have to transfer off the team or not.” She glanced into the kitchen and leaned closer to whisper, “Frankly, I don’t think Teal’c would much like the idea of me going off world without him to watch my six, and I have the feeling Hammond won’t have much to say about it, if the big guy turns that look on him. Even the general’s not immune to the arched eyebrow of doom.”
Jack grinned. “It’s a good thing we learned to see through that early, Sam.” He kissed her cheek. “Congratulations. Let me know when you set the date.”
She straightened up, grinning broadly. “Let's not rush things, okay?”
“You two were made for each other,” Daniel added, leaning on his cane and kissing her cheek. “I’m surprised it took you guys this long to see it.”
“Yeah, well.” She shrugged as Teal’c returned bearing a large tumbler filled with water. She glowed as she looked at him, watching him take a big drink and then set his glass on the coffee table. “Sometimes we miss seeing what’s right in front of us, and it takes something extraordinary to make us really look.”
Teal’c sidled up to her, slipped one arm around her waist and bent down to kiss her deeply. Sam’s arms wrapped around his neck and when he let her go, she looked a little dazed. It took her a moment to gather her wits, while Teal’c seemed perfectly composed. In fact, a little smug.
Jack and Daniel just stared, open-mouthed, until they finished.
“Wow,” said Daniel in a hushed, awed whisper. “That was hot.”
Grinning hugely, Jack teased, “You two should get a room. May I suggest the No-Tell-Motel on—“
Daniel moved up beside him and grabbed a handful of ribs right where he knew Jack was ticklish.
Jack crumpled and shut off what he’d been about to say, grabbing for Daniel’s hand to keep him from doing it again. “Okay, okay, I got the message,” he shot back with a laugh, holding Daniel’s hand. “The lip is zipped. No more wisecracks.”
“That’ll be the day,” Daniel told him with a grin.
“We do have to go,” Sam admitted, slipping her arm around Teal’c’s waist. “I’ve gotta take Teal’c back to the base, and we need to get a good night’s sleep before tomorrow. We’re got an early mission, you know.”
Teal’c gazed down at her. “We do not have to go back to the base immediately, SamanthaCarter. Are we not going to your home now?”
“Cat’s out of the bag,” Jack teased. “You two go have a good time.”
“Be safe,” Daniel added. He grinned and gave them a knowing wink.
Jack nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.
Sam blushed red to the roots of her hair. “Um, yeah. Right. We… uh. Yeah.”
Teal’c lifted his chin. “It is not yet time to take our courtship to sexual fulfillment, DanielJackson. However, be assured it will be soon. We have already waited many years, and I do not wish to deny SamanthaCarter the pleasure of my body for much longer.” He smiled down at her in perfect confidence.
“See you guys!” Sam chirped loudly, dragging Teal’c off by the hand. He gave Jack his water glass as he passed and hurried with her out the door.
“Well,” said Jack, eyeing his lover. “That turned out better than either one of us expected.”
Daniel’s eyebrows lifted. “Yeah,” he agreed, and cleared his throat, “I never expected Teal’c to hit on you, Jack. And then in the next breath brag about jumping Sam’s bones in the very near future.”
Jack’s brows rose, too. “Teal’c was not hitting on me,” he argued lightly. “He was paying me a compliment.” He paused for a moment. “I think.”
A grin broke out on Daniel’s face and his eyes gleamed wickedly. “Yeah, I can just imagine you with Teal’c. The man is hung like a horse.”
For a moment, Jack didn’t move, didn’t even breathe. “Ouch,” he said softly. “Way more than a mouthful.”
“Indeed,” agreed Daniel, in a sotto voce imitation of the Jaffa.
“Wonder if Carter’s gonna be able to walk tomorrow?”
Another pause.
“Is thinking about the two of them together turning you on?” Daniel’s eyes were sparkling, pupils expanding with desire.
Jack wondered if Daniel were somehow privy to his thoughts, witness to the fantasy playing on the movie screen of his mind. “Yeah. You?”
“Race you to the bedroom,” said Daniel huskily.
Jack bolted, not bothering to set the glass down until he reached the nightstand. He was stark naked and spread-eagled on the bed by the time Daniel got there, also mostly undressed, a trail of clothing behind him down the hallway.
~~**~~
**6 July**
Three Days Later
Jack surveyed his back yard with a critical eye, taking note of every swell of fertile earth and every dappling shadow, each plant carefully placed to make the most of the landscape. In the past month, since returning to work at the base, he had dug a winding trench from a wide, deep hole beside the deck at the rear of the house, skirting across the side yard to the trees near the back of his property. The trench ended in yet another deep hole, just in front of the tree line.
Next would come sheets of thick black plastic, bags of cement, and rocks that would become the lining for the trench. Then he would need to dig more holes, carefully placed so that they’d make a wild-looking watercourse linking two small waterfalls and their attendant ponds.
Jack had spent a week deciding on just the pattern and shapes of the water features, making sure there was still plenty of room in the yard for guests to play some impromptu football. The rest of the space was being made into a garden the likes of which Colorado Springs had never seen.
Few people knew of Jack’s love of gardening, because he hadn’t bothered with much of it over the years. With all the traveling he had done throughout most of his life, he hadn’t been able to delve into it much because a garden like the one he had planned required a lot of regular care. Now that he was retired from field duty and riding a desk, however, he was home every evening and most of every weekend, and he could throw himself fully into his second-greatest passion.
Daniel, of course, was the first.
With an indulgent grin, Jack turned to look at the deck and saw his lover buried behind a stack of books. Daniel’s face, shaded against the bright afternoon sun by the cammo boonie he wore, was locked into an intense look of concentration. His fingers danced over the keys of his laptop, his eyes never leaving the computer screen.
Daniel had healed up nicely in the last few weeks, and no longer had to be on pain medication. His chest wound was marked now only by a faint pink scar. His knee still gave him problems and required a lot of time spent at therapy or doing strengthening exercises, but the cane he now used gave him a lot more mobility.
Jack knew his injury created a lot of frustration when he couldn’t carry big stacks of books or move as fast as he wanted, but he was getting used to his limitations, albeit grudgingly. They were both adjusting to the fact that he had a permanent injury and was Earth-bound, and the biggest part of what kept Daniel's spirits up was the love and companionship he now shared with Jack.
Turning to glance down at his hands, Jack smiled. He was covered in rich black earth from fingertips to elbows. His lower back ached from the digging, but he hadn’t pushed himself too hard and would just be a little sore in the morning. He was tired, but it was a good tired, achieved by honest physical labor that gave him a welcome change from sitting at a desk all day.
For a moment, he thought about going up to Daniel, taking his lover’s face in his hands and giving him a big, wet kiss, just so he could leave dirty handprints on those sexy cheeks. He knew Daniel wasn’t afraid of dirt -- hell, archaeologists lived half their lives in it -- but it wouldn’t be an easy thing for Daniel to just hop up and go wash his face anymore, so Jack thought better of that idea and went to the garden hose coiled at one end of the deck. He turned on the water and washed his hands and arms to get the biggest part of the grime off. As he turned off the water and started putting away his tools, Daniel spoke up.
“Hey Jack, you hungry?” he asked without looking away from his laptop.
“Always,” he replied. “Too beat to cook. Wanna go out?”
“Can’t. Gotta get this translation done for SG-13.”
“You can take an hour or two away from it to eat.” Jack came over to his chair and put his still-dripping hands on Daniel’s shoulders. He leaned down and kissed Daniel’s cheek, smiling when Daniel turned to look up at him after a brief roll of the eyes at having Jack’s big wet hands patting him.
“And by the time we get home, you’ll want me in bed, and we’ll be fucking the rest of the day away,” he said with a knowing grin. “Unfortunately, I’ve got to get this done by tonight. Their briefing is first thing in the morning, and I have to tell them what to expect out there.”
Jack was a little nonplussed that Daniel had seen right through him and tuned into his plan so easily. But then, that was Jack’s plan every day – get Daniel distracted from his work and into bed as often as possible. Jack simply couldn’t get enough of him. “So, how long?” he asked.
“If I eat while I’m working, maybe midnight.” Daniel was already staring at the computer screen again, his attention shifting rapidly away from their libidos to his second greatest passion.
Jack saw the shift happening and didn’t mind playing second fiddle to Daniel's work. Jack believed his lover might very well save all of humanity one day, and it was perfectly okay to take a back seat to a mission of such magnitude. “I’ll order out, then. You wanna move inside where it’s cooler?”
“Nah. I like the heat.”
Jack knew Daniel was answering only with that tiny, distractible portion of his mind. The rest of him was focused like a laser on his work.
Jack bent down and kissed the top of Daniel’s hat, then strolled into the house alone. It was cool inside, and dim after being outside in the bright sun. He waited for a moment for his eyes to adjust and then made a beeline for the phone. He dialed the number for their favorite pizza joint without having to look it up, placed their order and headed off to shower and change.
By the time he was done and dressed, the delivery boy had arrived. Jack paid for the pizza and took it to the kitchen, poured Daniel a big icy lemonade, then took his box and glass outside. Clearing a place beside the laptop and books on the table, Jack set the items down, directed Daniel’s attention to it and stayed long enough to make sure his partner had actually taken a bite before going back inside to enjoy his own food.
The pizza went down fast, and with nothing on television to watch, Jack moved from the recliner to his desk and unrolled the landscape plan for his yard that he had worked on so diligently for the last few months.
Most of what he wanted done was already planted, but he had left several areas along the watercourse untouched until that part of the plan was completed. Another few weeks, and he’d be ready to start ordering the other plants, though they wouldn’t arrive until early fall for planting. He intended to spend the rest of the summer preparing the soil, composting, mulching and fertilizing, pulling weeds and searching the internet for any additional exotics he might need for the garden.
Only one spot remained in its native state, because Jack hadn’t decided what to put there yet. He’d talked to Daniel about it, wanting his input for the wooded area at the rear of his property. Far back in the trees, a stone wall had been built long before he’d bought the land, marking the dividing line between Jack’s yard and Bear Creek Canyon Park. It ran precisely along the property line through the middle of the woods, then made a sharp angle and cut toward the neighbors’ side yards, tapering down to rubble just at the treeline. Bushes had been planted where the walls ended in a neat row, fencing off the side yards with natural screens. That area in the back, deep in the trees, was the most private space in Jack’s yard. Sitting with one’s back against the wall, it gave the impression of being completely lost in the woods, since not even the house was visible through the foliage.
Jack had plans for that area. He wanted it to be a romantic, secluded spot where he and Daniel could go to make love outdoors, on occasion. It had to be just right, though, and he didn’t have a clue how to arrange it yet. Daniel had promised to think about it, but Jack wasn’t sure he’d even been listening when he told his lover what ambiance he wanted to create for that spot.
Spreading his fingers across the paper, Jack closed his eyes and let his imagination take flight. There would be candles, all sitting in little hollowed-out stones or other protected places where they wouldn’t ignite fires if accidentally turned over. The sound of running water would be nearby from the garden’s closest waterfall, and the air would be perfumed with the scent of blooming flowers in the not too distant yard. It would be warm out, and crickets would be chirping as twilight turned into night.
And there would be Daniel.
Glorious, naked Daniel, lying on his back on the fertile earth, looking up at Jack with love in his eyes. Filled with reverence and passion, Jack would kneel over him, looking down into his beautiful face, seeing radiant adoration glowing back at him from those azure eyes. Jack would rock him slowly, gently, taking great care to be exquisitely tender as he thrust into his lover’s willing body. God, how he wanted Daniel! How he dreamed of having all of him, but they were still a long way from that kind of intimacy.
Jack sighed and tucked the fantasy quietly away, keeping it for later, wrapping it up fondly in the depths of his heart.
He smiled to himself. Daniel had confessed to him the morning after their first intimate encounter that he wasn’t adept in bed. Jack hadn’t believed him, not really caring what kind of sexual skill Daniel had. The last month or so he hadn’t been able to do much, anyway, limited as he was by his injury. Jack had been careful with him, holding back every time they touched, making sure he did most of the moving himself so Daniel could just lie still and enjoy it. Daniel had reciprocated with hand-jobs that were a nice change from Jack doing it himself, and they had both enjoyed the kissing and mutual fondling tremendously.
They had looked forward to Daniel regaining more mobility, and their patience was paying off. Daniel’s knee would always cause him some pain, but he was getting really good with his cane and used it without even thinking about it now, as if it were part of him. When standing at a bookcase, he hung the cane’s crook in his pants pocket and placed most of his weight on his good leg. He could get up and down with little trouble now, and his physical therapy sessions were rebuilding the muscle lost during his recovery.
He looked good. He felt good, and Jack knew Janet Fraiser would be releasing him from the therapy sessions very soon. He was almost well… or as well as he was going to get, anyway.
That meant Jack could think about taking their blossoming relationship to the next level. He still didn’t know that much about gay lifestyles or sexual practices, but having been married for so many years in his past life, he did know a thing or two about making love. Some of the mechanics were a little different for a couple of guys, but he knew what turned Jack O’Neill on, and was pretty certain some of that might work for Daniel Jackson, too.
It was time, then, to start teaching Daniel how to find his own Inner Hedonist. Tonight would obviously not be the night, but having time alone on Jack’s hands would not be wasted.
He returned to the living room sofa and took a seat in the cool, dim interior, looking out the big windows at the brightly lit man outside. Jack relaxed against the cushions, engaging in his favorite pastime of Daniel-watching, searching for the right techniques and tools with which to give his lessons.
One should always start with the familiar in order to provide context for the new.
Daniel’s right leg was propped in a second chair, keeping it straight. That was the most comfortable position for him, though he could bend it almost 90 degrees now when necessary. His other foot rested on the deck and his lap was piled with a couple of books, his open journal on top. He stared at the screen on his laptop, reading something, his lips moving silently to form the words. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and Jack’s dick reacted instantly.
“You are so sexy when you do that, and you don’t even know it,” Jack murmured to the window. It struck him that Daniel didn’t really know how to intentionally be sexy. The man had spent so much of his life in deep contemplation that he was oblivious to his own attractiveness, and didn’t have a clue how to seduce anyone.
It seemed Jack’s hobby of Daniel-watching was paying off.
As Jack gazed at him, mesmerized by the depth of his beauty, Daniel reached for his lemonade and took a big drink, setting the glass back down in the same spot without tearing his eyes from the screen. He frowned at it. He squinted at it. Then he picked up a small tablet lying on the table and stared at it instead. His fingers stroked the grainy surface of the stone, tracing the incised carvings as if reading Braille. His lips were moving, forming the words in that alien language, and his eyes closed as he concentrated. He felt each character, reading with his fingertips.
God, Jack thought Daniel was amazing. Jack was crazy about him, about everything he did.
Suddenly, Daniel started, eyes popping wide open, staring at the tablet. Obviously excited by whatever discovery he had just made, his lips moved faster, eyes widening. He gently poked one of the characters with his index finger, poked it a second time for emphasis, and then carefully set the tablet down. A light bulb had gone off over his head, and the linguist’s world was undoubtedly a little brighter now.
Jack hoped that maybe it wouldn’t be midnight when Daniel finished after all.
Jack grinned to himself, lacing his fingers together behind his head and leaning back against his hands. He just sat there, delighting in watching the wonder that was Daniel and plotting a world-class seduction for their upcoming weekend off.
~~**~~
**8 July**
Two Days Later
The scent of coffee awakened Daniel on Saturday morning, his 39th birthday. He opened his eyes and noticed that Jack wasn’t in their bed. As he turned over, he saw a cup of hot coffee sitting on the nightstand, along with a note card with his name on it, written in Jack’s hand. With a groan, he sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the mattress.
He took a deep breath and reached for the coffee, carefully taking a sip. The temperature was perfect, just hot enough to drink without burning his tongue. Jack must have just poured it minutes ago, but Daniel had been dead to the world and hadn’t heard him in the bathroom or anywhere else in the house. He was probably outside in the garden already, the thought of which made Daniel smile.
He’d watched their backyard turn from an ordinary green lawn backed with trees into the most amazingly crafted landscape he’d ever seen. Due to a new once-a-month allergy medication developed off-world and shared by some of their new alien allies, the pollen no longer bothered him. He’d actually begun to enjoy spending time outside, doing his work in the summer sunshine, glancing up occasionally to watch Jack toiling away on the yard.
That Jack was such an avid gardener had surprised Daniel, but he’d seen that the plans Jack had drawn out were precise and thoughtfully crafted, taking in the amount of sun on each area of the yard, zone hardiness of each species of plant, and the most important element of all, the secret messages represented by every flower.
Jack’s garden was a love letter to Daniel. He’d read the list of flower names Jack planted and what each flower represented. After Daniel had translated the initial code and responded in kind, Jack had finally labeled the drawing, and Daniel had studied it, using the list Jack had written down to read the message. He’d been incredibly surprised by the poetically beautiful sentiment.
Jack might not have been able to say the words, but he’d carefully chosen the message, and it was indescribably romantic. Daniel had asked him where he’d learned about the language of flowers, but he’d been hesitant to try to explain, promising to reveal that secret in time. And Daniel had promised to give him that, knowing Jack would keep his word.
With a sigh of satisfaction, Daniel slipped on his glasses, then picked up the note card and opened it.
Daniel,
Today we embark on a wonderful journey together, as my birthday gift to you. I hope this is a trip you will want to take with me, and that you enjoy the experience.
Breakfast will be on the table by the time you’ve finished your shower.
Don’t dress yet, though. Put on just your robe, because a massage therapist will be arriving at 1000 hours to get you started.
Whatever happens today, Daniel, don’t think. Just feel. That’s what it’s all about today. How you feel.
Happy birthday.
Love,
A smile swept across Daniel’s face. He glanced at the clock and saw that there was barely going to be time to get ready before the massage therapist arrived. He took his coffee into the bathroom and drank half the cup while the water was heating. He showered and shaved quickly, toweled off his hair, and wrapped the towel around his waist, donning his robe on top of that. He ran a comb through his hair and downed the rest of the coffee, put on his glasses, then hobbled into the kitchen with his cane.
On the table, a large bowl was turned upside down over a plate. Daniel lifted off the bowl and found a lightly toasted English muffin liberally covered in blueberry jam waiting for him. It wasn’t a large breakfast, but he’d have just enough time to eat it all before his appointment.
He poured himself another cup of coffee, then sat down to eat, glancing around the quiet house and wondering where Jack was. He called out to him, but there was no answer, no sound in the house other than the noises he made himself. There was barely time to set his dishes into the sink and get his teeth brushed before the doorbell rang.
He opened it to an older man with long salt and pepper hair, stylishly pulled back into a ponytail. “Doctor Jackson?” he asked politely, offering a warm smile and a firm handshake. “I’m Randall James. Colonel O’Neill called to set up this appointment for you.” He presented his card.
Daniel glanced at it. The card looked professional and so did the man, his worktable folded up and sitting on the porch beside his feet. He was wearing khaki trousers and a pale blue chambray work shirt, the long sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. He looked fit and muscular, with very strong hands.
“Right this way,” said Daniel, showing him into the foyer. “I have no idea where you should set up. Did Jack give you any instructions on that?”
“The colonel requested the living room, for the view out the windows,” James assured him. He chuckled a little. "I just can't get used to calling him 'mister' now. He'll always be the colonel to me."
“Yeah. Me, too.” Daniel gestured the man into the living room, smiling at the man’s acknowledgment of Jack's civilian status. Daniel felt the same way, that he would always see Jack as a military man, even without the uniform and dog tags.
Randall moved the coffee table aside, turning it so it was parallel to the hearth rather than the sofa. He set up the massage table in the middle of the living room, glancing appreciatively out at the yard. “I can see why he picked this room.”
“Yeah, that’s Jack’s handiwork. It’s beautiful.” Daniel looked out and thought he saw movement, far back in the trees. It could have been Jack, but he wasn’t sure.
“If you have some preferred music, you might want to put that on,” the therapist suggested as he began to drape the table with sheets and set out various oils on the coffee table, along with several small towels. “And the room should be warmer. Would you adjust the temperature, also?”
“Warm enough to sweat?”
“No, just so you don’t get a chill. You should be relaxing, not tensing up.”
Daniel went to the central air controls and made the adjustment, then headed for the small stereo in the living room to look for appropriate music. He smiled as he spied the CD player standing open, a homemade CD already on the turntable. The silver disc had “Massage Music” written in magic marker, also in Jack’s hand.
He closed the lid and turned it on, then went to stand by the table, hands stuffed into the pockets of his navy blue robe, cane hanging in the right pocket beneath his hand. Strains of Beethoven filled the room, one of Daniel’s favorite pieces.
“I’ve never had a massage before,” he mentioned, feeling a little nervous at the prospect of this new experience.
The therapist smiled at him. “I’ve been doing this for probably as long as you’ve been alive, sir,” he said quietly. “My clients tell me I’m the best.” He patted the table, now mostly covered with a clean sheet, except for the slotted end. “I’ll step into the foyer and you can take off your robe and lie on the table. Put your face into this little slot here on this end and call me when you’re ready.”
“Um.” Daniel held up a finger. “I’m wearing a towel under this. I hope that’s okay?” He reached for the sash on his robe.
James nodded. “Yes, sir. Once you’re face down, you’ll need to pull the towel out from beneath you, so it’s just draped over your hips. All right?”
"Yes, thank you." Daniel watched the other man retreat to the foyer, keeping his back to the living room. Daniel took off his robe and laid it across the sofa, then carefully climbed up onto the table, lying face down on the sheet. He wiggled around a little to get the towel around his hips out from under him, then finally tucked his nose into the slot cut into the comfortably upholstered table, just for that purpose. Two soft, fluffy towels lined either side of the opening for comfort.
He lifted his head enough to call the man, and stretched his arms out on the table beside himself, palms up.
The therapist told him what he was going to do before his first touch, speaking quietly. Warmed oil slid across Daniel’s back, slicking up his skin to reduce friction while James’ hands worked his muscles. Daniel found himself relaxing as the man talked in his soft, almost hypnotic voice. Combined with the wonderful sensations the therapist’s hands evoked in his body, Daniel felt himself drifting, his mind numbed and floating in a sea of pleasure.
All the way down Daniel’s back those hands worked, then on one arm, now the other. Daniel felt his muscles were like melted butter, pliable and relaxed. The scent of the warm almond oil filled his nostrils, and he began to wonder if he could still move, or if he were drugged somehow by this experience. He twitched a finger, then a toe, and smiled to himself, thinking how silly that momentary curiosity had been.
When the man had finished with his legs and feet, Daniel was almost asleep. He didn’t want to move, not a single muscle, just continue to lie there and breathe. The therapist patted his shoulder to let Daniel know he was finished.
“Just lie still, Doctor Jackson,” said James quietly. “Colonel O’Neill has promised to return my table later, so you can stay there just as long as you like. I’ll gather up the rest of my things and let myself out.”
“Mmmmm,” said Daniel, barely conscious. “Um. Should I tip you or something? I don’t know the protocol here.”
“No, sir. It’s all been taken care of by the colonel.”
“It was wonderful, Randall. Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome.”
“I wanna hire you for Jack. My gift to him. He should know what this feels like.” Daniel sighed contentedly.
“The colonel has been my client for years, doctor,” Randall confided. “Doctor Fraiser recommended me to him about four years back, before he retired. He usually comes to my office for his treatments. This is the first time I've made a house call for him.”
That was a surprise. Jack didn’t seem the massage type, but if Janet had recommended it, Daniel could see how he’d follow her advice to the letter. Daniel thought about that, about when that might have happened, and realized after a few minutes that he was alone. The guy must be accustomed to moving quietly, so as not to disturb his clients.
After lying still and enjoying the relaxation for a few minutes, Daniel began to gather himself to move, one muscle group at a time. Carefully, he eased onto his left side and pushed himself upright. A rush of dizziness made him wobble a little, and he waited until it passed before getting to his feet. His cane was right there in reach, and after he fastened the towel back around himself, he turned to look out the windows at the beautiful garden.
He recited the meanings of some of the plants to himself. Declaration of love. Devotion. Domestic happiness. Romance.
Jack O’Neill was quite the poet, in his own way, and an artist as well. One look out the window or a stroll in the yard would be the same as the recitation of a sonnet and an exquisite painting, all rolled into one. Daniel couldn’t help smiling, understanding the concept, and how well it fit the man with whom he had fallen in love. Jack wasn’t a man who could express his feelings verbally. He couldn’t talk about that sort of thing, because he just wasn’t made that way. Conversation about emotional subjects just made Jack uncomfortable.
This was how Jack expressed himself, with his body and his actions. When the idea had struck him to speak in the language of flowers, he had thrown himself body and soul into creating this masterpiece for the man he loved.
It had taken a while, but Daniel had gotten the message, and now he could read his floral love letter every day. Part of him dreaded the coming of winter and having all that beauty gone even temporarily, but most of it would be back the following spring, and Jack would most likely write an entirely different message with the new annuals he chose to take the place of the ones that would die off in the coming autumn.
Daniel slipped on his robe and headed for the bedroom to dress for the day. When he got there, he saw that their bed had been made. There was another note on the neatly spread covers, waiting for him.
Don’t get dressed yet. Just wrap up in a towel and come to the foyer when your nose tells you it’s time.
Love,
Jack
Daniel sniffed the air. He could smell scent of almond oil on his skin, but nothing else. His stomach growled, reminding him it had been a long time since that small breakfast. Checking the bedside clock, he saw that it was a little past noon, and he was hungry. Jack must be planning on making lunch.
With a sigh, Daniel followed the instructions on the note, then lay down on the bed and picked up a novel Jack had been reading from the nightstand. He skimmed through the book, a military mystery by Nelson DeMille, and found it interesting, though predictable. As Daniel skipped ahead to read the ending, his stomach began protesting even more loudly.
The scent of garlic wafted to him and he rose, laying the book aside. Grabbing his cane, he adjusted the towel and made his way down the hall, sniffing a mixture of aromas, all edible and mouthwatering. Jack met him in the foyer, still shirtless, barefoot, dressed only in a pair of well-worn, form fitting jeans, his new earring glinting in his left lobe. He held a strip of black cloth in his right hand.
With a welcoming smile, Daniel glanced down at it, then up at Jack’s face. “What’s up, Jack?”
“You told me a little while back that you didn’t think you were very good in bed,” Jack murmured, his voice a low, husky, sexy purr, his expression filled with warmth and quiet joy. “I thought you might enjoy learning how to start changing that. I don’t have any complaints, but I want you to feel confident when we’re together. And it could be fun.”
That was a surprise. “Oh. Okay.” A thrill of excitement and anticipation shot straight to Daniel’s groin. “What exactly did you have in mind?”
“Love school,” Jack replied evenly. Something hot and sweet glimmered in his eyes and a tiny little smile softened the corners of his sexy mouth. “Your first lessons started this morning.”
Whatever happens today, Daniel, don’t think. Just feel.
Come to the foyer when your nose tells you it’s time.
As Daniel remembered the lines Jack had written in his notes, he understood. “This is about experiencing the senses, reaction without thought,” he guessed.
Jack smiled a little more, and nodded. His eyes were liquid and warm, burning with secret fire. “Yes, Daniel. Don’t think about anything. Let your senses be your guide.” He glanced down at the cloth in his hand, then back up at Daniel. “Do you trust me?”
Daniel nodded. “Implicitly.”
“I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. You know that, right?”
“Yes.”
Jack swallowed hard, shame fleeting across his face. He lowered his chin and gave Daniel a slightly guilty look from under his brows. “I know I’ve hurt you in the past, but I never meant to do that. Things just-- sometimes they happen. But not anymore. I want everything between us to be--” He shrugged helplessly, eyes downcast again, waiting for a response from Daniel.
“I know, Jack. I forgave you. The slate is clean between us.” He wanted to reach out and embrace Jack, to kiss him and comfort him, but something held him back.
Lifting his head, Jack squared his shoulders and quietly loosed a pent-up breath. “Choose a command word, Daniel,” Jack told him gently, stepping closer. He took Daniel’s cane and leaned it against the wall, carefully lifted Daniel’s glasses off his nose and set them on the little table beside the front door, then raised his hands and started to place the cloth over Daniel’s eyes.
“Whoa, wait a minute!” Daniel hobbled back a step, pushing the blindfold down with one hand. “I’m not into kink.”
“I’m not, either,” Jack promised, looking him in the eye. “You said you trusted me. Implicitly. If you want to enjoy sex more, I’d like for you to do this with me, just this once. Can you trust me enough to try it?”
Daniel hesitated, not sure just how freaked out he should be at the moment.
Jack lowered the blindfold, his eyes gentle and loving. He put one hand on Daniel's cheek, just touching him, demanding nothing. “Whatever I’m doing, if you want me to stop, just say the word and I will. You control me with that one word. I control everything else for the moment. Do you understand?”
Fear tempered with desire shot through Daniel, animating his dick. He nodded, his mouth gone dry again. “You’re sure you’re not into bondage, Jack?”
“No. This is about taste and smell, nothing else. It’s about getting lost in those two senses, so we’ll just be trying to shut out everything else.”
“All right, then.” He closed his eyes and let Jack tie the blindfold snugly around his head. Daniel could feel Jack’s body heat, he stood so close. The heat moved around to his side and then behind him. Jack’s hands caught Daniel’s wrists and pulled them back, then loosely tied them with another soft cloth. Daniel’s mind started racing, a thrill of fear slamming into him, but just for a moment.
This was Jack, he reminded himself, and this was about love. About sex. About pleasure.
“Jack,” he called urgently, fear getting the best of him.
“Right here, Danny.” Jack’s warm breath puffed against the back of Daniel’s neck, followed by a kiss.
Daniel stepped forward and twisted around to face Jack, his bad knee protesting at the unsupported movement. “Don’t get behind me. I don’t like that. I don’t want you behind me.”
“Don’t be scared,” Jack murmured. “It’s just me. I won’t do anything to hurt you, I promise.” His hands touched Daniel’s shoulders, rubbing slowly up and down his arms. Jack moved closer, touching his cheek to Daniel’s. “Can you think of a safe word now?”
Mind racing, Daniel felt himself thrust unpleasantly back into the past. Images coursed through his memory, and he gasped a little, his body shuddering, wanting nothing more than to be released, to see where he was, to be back in control. Panic was starting to rise inside him. “Untie me, Jack,” he ordered. “I can’t do this.”
Jack’s body was suddenly pressed up against his, naked chest to naked chest. “Shhhh,” Jack whispered against his ear. Jack’s arms wrapped around him, his hands closing around Daniel’s back and caressing slowly down his arms to his wrists. Jack’s face pressed gently into Daniel’s neck, his lips stroking sensuously against Daniel’s throat. “Don’t be afraid, babe. It’s just me,” he repeated. “And this is for both of us. Don’t think. Just feel.”
The sound of Jack’s voice, the sensation of his warm breath gusting along Daniel’s neck and the familiar comfort of his touch banished those terrible memories, and Daniel was suddenly right there in the foyer with his lover again. Calm returned, his rapid heartbeat the only evidence of his momentary terror.
Daniel took a big breath. “I’m okay, Jack. It’s all right now.”
“Still want me to take the blindfold off?”
“No. Never mind,” Daniel amended, turning slightly to take his wrists out of Jack’s grasp as he was already starting to untie the knot.
“You sure? I’ll stop anytime you want.”
Daniel nodded, only slightly unnerved now by the blindfold and binding. He did trust Jack implicitly. Jack wasn’t the cause of his irrational fear. Jack would never hurt him on purpose.
“Okay. The safe word is fides, Jack.”
“Trust,” he translated. “You’re safe with me, Danny. I promise.”
“I know.” Daniel smiled a little, working hard to recover. “So seduce me, already.”
“That’s not what this is about,” Jack assured him, catching him by one elbow and leading him along. “Come into the living room. Watch your step. Ramp right here.”
They went down the short ramp over the steps into the sunken living room, Jack guiding him along, half supporting him with an arm around his waist as he limped along.
“Here’s the coffee table,” Jack announced. “There’s a pillow on it. I’m gonna sit you down there.”
Daniel turned around, let Jack back him up until his calves touched the edge of the table, and started to lower himself. His bad knee gave out, and he dropped quickly onto his butt on the pillow with a little groan.
Reaching out with his other senses, Daniel smelled the mix of different foods and his stomach rumbled.
“Patience,” Jack admonished gently.
Daniel could hear the smile in his voice. “Hungry,” he shot back with a grin, duplicating Jack’s exact tone of voice. This just might be fun, he decided, dropping the last remaining resistance to Jack’s experiment.
“We’ll start with something I don’t think you’ve ever tried before,” Jack told him.
“What is it?”
“This isn’t about what you know,” said Jack quietly. “It’s about what you feel, what your senses tell you. Some of these things you’ll like, others you’ll love, some you may hate, but we won’t know for sure till we try. It’s about the flavors, the smell, the textures. Experience each one with no preconceived notions, no names or ingredients, no peeks to make you decide before your tongue tells you whether or not it's good. Okay?”
Daniel nodded.
“Open your mouth,” Jack commanded gently.
Daniel did. Something warm settled on his tongue. He couldn’t identify the taste at all. Whatever it was had the consistency of paste, thick and kind of creamy. It tasted rich and strong, but pleasant. He chewed and swallowed. “More?”
Another bite of the same item was dispatched and enjoyed. “Good. But what was that?”
“I’m making a list for you to check later,” said Jack.
The sound of a pencil scratching across paper filtered through to Daniel’s ears. “Okay, good. ‘Cause I liked that. Put a check by it, so I’ll know when I read the list later.”
“Okay. Next one. Open.”
This item was cold and smooth. Jack rubbed it along Daniel’s lower lip, teasing him with it. It was completely flavorless until he bit down on it. A grape, he decided. White, not purple.
A chocolate-dipped strawberry came next, and Daniel made approving noises as he chewed and swallowed, licked his lips and opened his mouth for more. Something spicy and crunchy was next, maybe a chip and salsa. There was kung pao chicken with crunchy peanuts and hot Szechuan peppers, broiled shrimp dipped in butter, toast and jelly, pancake and syrup, roast beef and mashed potatoes. Daniel never had any idea what was coming next and found himself anticipating temperature and texture in addition to flavor.
It was a fun game, and Daniel decided to play a little with Jack as well. Whenever he felt fingers enter his mouth rather than a spoon or fork, he closed his lips over Jack’s digits and sucked on them, listening for the groan of approval from his lover and smiling when he got it.
“Kiss me,” Daniel ordered happily. “I want to taste you next, Jack.”
His lover complied eagerly. Daniel could smell Jack’s breath before their lips touched. Jack had been eating something chocolate, and Daniel could taste it on his tongue. He whimpered as Jack drew away. “Mmm. More,” he begged.
Heat and pressure filled his lower body. He was getting hard. He wanted Jack, his hunger for food more than satisfied. He could feel his erection rising beneath the towel, rubbing against the rough terrycloth fabric. It was incredibly erotic.
The cold metal of a spoon touched his lower lip. Daniel turned his head away. “No more, Jack. I want you, now.”
“Careful, Daniel,” warned Jack softly. “This is about the senses. Taste, smell, sound, touch. Not about what you see or what you know.”
Daniel thought about that. The spoon touched his lip again, and he opened and chewed, still thinking. He wanted to reach out and touch Jack, to pull off the blindfold and look at him, but he couldn’t, which was probably why Jack had tied his hands in the first place. All Daniel had to tell him anything about Jack were his ears and nose.
And his mouth.
In the month they had been lovers, Daniel had never tasted Jack’s body, never kissed him anywhere below his shoulders. Jack, on the other hand, had gone down on Daniel often, and joyously. Jack had loved his entire body with his mouth, scars and all. The realization of that sent a pang of sorrowful desire through Daniel.
He turned away from the next item smoothed across his lips.
“Jack,” he whispered. “Let me taste you.”
Warm, strawberry flavored lips captured his. Daniel enjoyed the kiss and dodged to the side after Jack pulled away, knowing some other edible would be on its way to his mouth. He shook his head. “I want to taste you, Jack. Take your pants off.”
For a moment, there was nothing, no sound to indicate any movement. Daniel could picture Jack just sitting there with a giant hard-on, studying him, wanting to make sure.
“What are you waiting for? I’m sure,” Daniel told him.
The rustle of clothing told Daniel when Jack stood up. He heard the jeans unsnap, the zipper travel slowly down its track, and more rustling of fabric. He heard bare feet take tiny little steps closer, padding softly against the carpet, and then warm hands touched Daniel’s shoulders, sliding down his arms. He felt Jack bend over his shoulder to untie his wrists, and Daniel brought his hands into his lap as Jack straightened up.
“Do you want me to take the blindfold off?” Daniel asked uncertainly. “Is that why you untied me?”
“No. You just need a little more control here for this. I don’t wanna choke you.”
That sent a little shiver up Daniel’s spine and made goosebumps on his arms. “Oh. Yeah. Right.”
Those familiar hands touched Daniel’s face, one smoothing through his hair, the other cupping his cheek. Jack’s thumb ran along Daniel’s lower lip, and he caught it with his teeth, holding it for a moment in his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. Jack still tasted like strawberries, and Daniel smiled.
“Ready?” asked Jack, his voice breathless.
Daniel’s hands came up, feeling for Jack’s legs, contacting warm, hairy thighs. His hands skimmed upward, mapping Jack’s lean hips, the curve of his buttocks, his sides and flat belly. Carefully, his fingers explored the nest of Jack’s pubic hair, shifting downward to encircle the base of his cock. Daniel cupped Jack’s balls in his right hand, felt the weight of them, the way his skin tightened and relaxed in waves all over his sac. Daniel knew what that felt like from personal experience, the tingling pleasure that was a natural reaction to being touched in that intimate place.
He leaned forward, opening his mouth wide, and feeling the heat of Jack’s shaft pass over his sensitized lips, he closed them around him. Heat and cold filled his mouth, musky and sweet on his tongue. Daniel’s brows drew together beneath the blindfold, trying to figure out the warring flavors he was tasting. When it struck him, he had to laugh, deep in his throat, unwilling to let go of his lip-grip on Jack’s dick, covered as it was in chocolate sauce.
Jack’s hands carded through Daniel’s hair as he sucked harder, drawing the big erection deeper into his mouth, as deep as he could take it. Daniel’s tongue got busy trying to lick off every drop of chocolate, no mean feat since most of it was on the top and Daniel’s tongue was underneath it. He got creative, swirling his tongue, turning his head from side to side, concentrating on the taste of this wonderful new Jack-flavored treat.
“Jesus,” Jack sighed, his hands stroking Daniel everywhere he could reach.
“Mmmmm,” agreed Daniel, sucking harder.
“God, Danny,” Jack wheezed, his hands pushing slightly now. “I’m gonna… gotta come out now.”
Daniel wasn’t having any of that. He had thrown himself wholeheartedly into this new experience, and wanted to see if Jack's come were cappuccino flavored, too. He grasped Jack’s hips when he tried to pull back, sucking him deeper, greedily demanding more.
“Danny, stop,” Jack ground out breathlessly. “I’m gonna c… So close. God, can’t stop...”
Jack’s hands settled lightly on Daniel’s cheeks, his hips flexing now, thrusting gently into Daniel’s mouth. His breathing changed, shallow pants that Daniel knew meant he was almost there. He sucked harder, taking Jack deeper still, swallowing him whole, the fingers of his left hand encircling the base of Jack’s cock, his right massaging Jack’s balls. Then Jack’s dick was throbbing against his tongue, filling his mouth and throat with come, balls tightening and pulsing in his hand.
It was wonderful. Daniel had his nose pressed up against Jack’s pubic hair, inhaling the concentrated, intimate scent of Jack O’Neill. The noises Jack was making turned Daniel on wildly. Jack’s fingers mindlessly stroked Daniel’s face, petting and loving him. Daniel kept sucking, swirling his tongue and making Jack grunt as he pulled still more spasms out of his lover.
“Wow,” Jack wheezed, finally pulling his softening cock out of Daniel’s mouth.
Daniel swallowed his mouthful, deciding he liked the unique taste, and smiled. He heard Jack sit down heavily on a chair.
“As blowjobs go,” Jack mused in a shaky, awestruck whisper, “that was pretty damned amazing for a first-timer.”
“Thank you,” said Daniel smugly. “I like to think I’m a fast learner.” He chuckled. “And that chocolate sauce was a stroke of genius, Jack.”
“Chocolate sauce?” asked Jack innocently. “What chocolate sauce?”
Daniel wriggled on the table. “C’mon. It’s my turn now, isn’t it? Do I take the blindfold off now?”
“No. Lean back on your hands. Don’t think. Just feel.”
Warm hands caressed Daniel’s shoulders, moving steadily down his body. He felt Jack untuck the towel from around his waist and lay it aside.
“Kiss first?” asked Daniel with a smile. “I know you love the taste of your come on a kiss, Jack.”
“You do learn fast,” Jack praised, leaning in close.
Daniel could feel the heat of him on his lips before Jack made contact, and the flavor of Jack’s tongue only enhanced the fading tang of semen on his taste buds. The kiss was sweet and hot, and over much too soon. A tap on Daniel’s good knee told him what Jack wanted him to do.
“Chocolate sauce?” Daniel suggested with a smile.
“Nah, I’m a purist.”
Daniel spread his legs and Jack eased between them, pressing their bodies together in a gentle embrace. Jack kissed Daniel’s neck, then worked his way slowly downward, licking up the little dollops of food and drink and sauces that had dripped off Daniel’s chin or been spilled as he ate. Daniel concentrated on his sense of touch, picturing in his mind Jack’s posture according to the positions of his hands, mouth and body.
Don’t think, Jack had told him. Daniel put all of his mind into his skin, feeling the warm currents of air waft across him as Jack exhaled, the wet trails left behind his tongue cooling as the spit evaporated, his hands restless as they stroked and squeezed Daniel’s back and thighs. Jack’s mouth was hot as it enveloped his left nipple, suckling him, drawing the bud of hardening flesh between gently nibbling teeth.
Liquid heat shot straight from Daniel’s nipple to his dick and he gasped, wriggling on the table. His legs clenched around Jack’s body, holding onto him in the only way he could. He pushed forward a little, trying to force more of himself into Jack’s mouth.
“Oh, God, Jack,” he panted. “Harder. Suck me harder.” He lifted his right hand from the table and clutched a handful of Jack’s long hair at the back of his head, pulling him closer still. He quivered with need, head rocked back on his shoulders, gasping as his lover complied.
One of Jack’s hands drifted lightly up and down his back, the other exploring his crotch, while Jack’s lips and tongue toyed with his nipple. Knowing fingertips stroked up and down the sides of his dick, feathered through his pubic hair, probed the sensitive crease between his legs. Jack’s teeth clamped firmly on his nipple, hard now with arousal, and Daniel groaned. He had always loved it when Jack did this, but now, not being able to look while he did it, the sensations were almost more than Daniel could bear.
Jack’s hand moved from his back to his other nipple, pinching it to hardness, twirling and rubbing it until Daniel almost came unglued. He was shouting his approval, his dick so hard it was ready to explode. He hooked his left leg around Jack’s waist and pulled him closer, leaving Jack’s hands no room to work his cock. Daniel thrust against Jack’s hairy chest, whimpering when Jack’s right hand left his balls and swept around his back, holding him tightly against his body while he suckled Daniel’s nipple.