by Lynn Lorenz
Mitchell slumped. “He doesn’t understand how his trying to protect me hurts me.” He rubbed his chest over his heart as if there were an actual pain centered there and Brian wondered if Mitchell really did feel a physical pain.
“Then tell him,” Brian urged.
“I tried to. He just said he had to go to work and left. Damn it, Brian, just tell me the woman’s name. Maybe I can go talk to her, make her see. Make her understand how much Sammi needs her,” Mitchell begged, his hand tightening on Brian’s.
“I can’t do that and you know it.”
“You’re my best friend. Help me. Just this time.”
It was a hard decision and a bad place to be, caught between his best friend and his personal code of ethics. “Please don’t put me in this spot.” He hated being forced into a corner.
“Not even for me?” Mitchell stood, his hands in fists, and for a moment, Brian wondered if they would come to blows over this.
Fuck, this sucked, but there was no way he could give Mitchell what he wanted and not lose a piece of his own self-respect.
“No.” Brian shook his head. “Besides breaking my promise to this woman, it’s unethical in all sorts of ways.”
It seemed every muscle in Mitchell’s body tensed, and he shook with the strain of either fury or control, Brian didn’t know which. Then Mitchell collapsed back into the chair, his head in his hands.
“Goddamn, shit, crap, fuck!”
Brian kneeled beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “It sucks. But I know you understand, baby.” His words were soft and soothing, trying to comfort.
Mitchell lifted his sweat-dampened face and wiped it with the sleeve of his shirt. “You don’t know how much it hurts. It’s like part of me has been torn off. He’s so far away from me, so unreachable.”
“He’ll be back. Just give him some time to work it out.” There was nothing else Brian could say without sounding patronizing. “He loves you. Adores you, actually.” He chuckled.
Mitchell smiled. “Yeah, I know he does. That’s why he’s doing it, to protect me.”
Brian stood. “Come on. Go home to your man. Even if he won’t let you feel him, he still needs you there.”
Mitchell stood. “You’re right. Damn, I should have married you ages ago. How did I let you get away?” He laughed and punched Brian playfully in the arm.
* * * *
Rush turned the corner onto Brian’s street and it felt like coming home. All he’d thought about for the last hour had been slipping into Brian’s arms. Then slipping into his body. He shuddered at the thought, and his cock stiffened in already too-tight blue jeans.
He pulled up and parked the truck on the street. A black Jetta sat in the driveway behind Brian’s Tahoe. He got out, gave it a quick once-over, and walked up the path to the porch.
The door opened and a man stepped out, with Brian right behind him.
“Thanks, Brian. I’ll see you later.” The man slipped into Brian’s arms, and they hugged.
Rush’s foot froze on the bottom stair and his stomach dropped out from under him as his world was ripped away. He wanted to shout, “Get your fucking hands of my man” but instead he barked, “What the hell?”
The men jumped apart.
Rush took another step up the stairs, fists clenched, white-hot anger boiling through his veins. What a fool he’d been. What a fucking asshole. Brian was two-timing him with this guy after he’d sworn he’d never cheat.
“Rush!” Brian grinned at him.
Did Brian think he was an idiot? Rush caught him red-handed, and he was laughing? How dare he laugh? The urge to punch Brian’s lights out surged through him. He’d beat the crap out of that smug, good-looking bastard who had his hands on Brian while he was at it.
The man stood back and eye-balled him up and down. The guy was big, but not as big as he was. Rush advanced on the men as fury poured through his body, and his heart galloped like a team of runaway horses.
Brian stepped between them. “Rush. Stop! This is Mitchell. My best friend.”
Rush froze. Shit. It was his worst nightmare. The guy from Brian’s fantasies. The man he wanted but wouldn’t touch for fear of losing his friendship. Well, they had sure as hell been touching just then. Lies. It had all been lies.
Mitchell held out his hand for Rush to shake. Was he fucking for real?
“Brian’s told me so much about you. Glad to finally meet you?”
“Yeah? What did he say? What a fool I am? How easy it was to play me? You two have a good laugh about it?” Rush growled, letting Mitchell’s hand hang in the air.
“What?” Mitchell shot a hard glare at Brian.
“It’s not like that, Rush. I told you, we’re not together, never have been,” Brian tried to reassure him, but Rush wasn’t falling for that load of bullshit.
“You looked pretty damned together just now.”
“I know it sounds clichéd, but it’s not what you think,” Mitchell said.
Rush glared at him. “You, shut up. This is between me and Brian.”
“Hey, don’t tell him to shut up. He’s right. Nothing is going on between us. I had no idea you were so jealous, Rush.” Brian shouldn’t sound so shocked. Hell, what did the man expect him to feel?
“Kind of flattering, if it wasn’t so wrong.” Mitchell chuckled.
“Yeah. Guess he hasn’t told you about the fantasies?” Rush shot back.
“Fantasies?” Mitchell’s eyebrows rose. “What fantasies, Brian?”
Brian gasped and looked as if he wanted to disappear into a hole in the ground.
“The ones about you and him and his backyard,” Rush blurted.
“Rush! I told you that in confidence.” Brian grimaced as the red in his cheeks deepened.
“A fantasy about me? Did you jerk off to it?” Mitchell asked. “Brian, I feel so cheap, so dirty. I like it.” His wicked grin and sparkling eyes just added fuel to the fray.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry.” Brian didn’t seem to know who to reach out to, Mitchell or Rush, and Rush didn’t know who he was apologizing to either.
“That’s okay. If we’re being honest, I’ve had a few about you myself.” Mitchell waggled his eyebrows at Brian.
“What?” Brian yelped and blushed even redder. “Mitchell, now is not the time for smart-ass remarks,” he pleaded.
“Look, if you two have something going on that needs to be explored, say it now, and don’t waste any more of my time.” Rush was so pissed he could spit, but he’d be damned if he’d continue to be the butt of their jokes.
Brian ignored Rush’s ire, stepped up to him and cupped his chin. “Cowboy, look at me. Look in my eyes and read my lips. I love you, Rush. You. Not Mitchell. There’s a big difference between what I feel for him and what I feel for you. And what I want to do with you. For a long, long time to come.”
God, Rush wanted to believe that more than anything in the world.
“But those fantasies?”
“Hey, can he help it? I’m a great guy,” Mitchell interjected. “So is he. We may think about it, but we’ve never done anything about it. Besides, I’m already soul bonded to another man. If I cheated, Sammi would know, and then he’d have to kill me.”
“Soul bonded?” Rush frowned. What the hell was he talking about?
Mitchell grinned. “We can hear each other’s thoughts, feel each other’s emotions.”
Rush stared at him then shot his eyes over to Brian, who seemed to be taking this just fine. “Riiiight.”
“I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true,” Brian said. “I might as well tell you. I’d have to get around to it eventually. Mitchell and Sammi have hyperdeveloped… I don’t know. Empathic abilities. They can and do share their thoughts and feelings. I’ve seen it. I believe it.”
Rush stared at Mitchell. He seemed like a regular guy. An incredibly handsome guy. His jealousy flared then died down. Hell, he could see in the dark, didn’t that make them sort of the same? The idea that there were other peo
ple with some sort of super powers had never occurred to him. He’d always thought he was the only one who was weird. A freak of nature.
Mitchell elbowed Brian. “Tell him about your powers, Brian.”
Rush held his breath as his eyes darted back to his lover. “Powers?”
“I have hunches, premonitions, I suppose. I know when something is going to happen, whether people are telling the truth, stuff like that. Not always, but when it counts, it comes to me.” Brian gazed into Rush’s eyes. “I know it sounds weird, but I’ve had this ability since I was a kid.”
“You know when things are going to happen.” He turned and pointed to Mitchell. “And you and your partner can hear and feel each other.” Rush shook his head. And he thought he was odd. He opened his mouth to say, “You ain’t seen nothing yet,” and tell of his own odd ability, but something made him snap it shut and keep the secret locked inside.
“Whether you believe it or not, I hope this won’t affect how you feel about me,” Brian said. He touched Rush’s face again. “I’m not crazy.”
“I can deal with it.” Rush nodded and Brian exhaled.
“Well, now that that’s settled, I’m off.” Mitchell headed down the steps. “Look. Don’t tell Sammi about the fantasy thing. Please.” He gave Rush a look that said, “I trust you, trust me.”
Rush gave him a nod.
Brian grinned. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of Sammi?”
“Of hurting him, yes. Of him leaving me?” Mitchell shrugged. “We’re bonded, Brian. If either of us leaves, the other dies.” Then he went to his car, got in and started it. With a final wave, he backed out of the drive and left.
“Shit. Is he for real?” Rush ran his hand through his hair and stared after the Jetta.
“Yeah, he is.” Brian frowned. “I never knew you were so jealous, cowboy.”
“Neither did I, but when I saw you with your arms around another man, I went berserk. I’m sorry.” Rush gazed deep into Brian’s brown eyes and the fire between them ignited. “Never felt that way before over any man. It sort of knocked me off my feet.”
They came together on the porch, arms wrapped around firm bodies, and hungry mouths met and fought for dominance of the kiss.
When they broke apart, both were panting.
“Fuck, darlin’, don’t ever do that again. My heart can’t stand it.” Rush leaned his head against Brian’s forehead. The depth of his anger, his boiling jealousy, his absolute terror that he’d lost Brian had rocked him to his very core. God, how would he live through this?
“Never.” Brian kissed him again. “Now, what do you want for dinner?”
“Do you have to ask?” Rush pulled him through the open door of the house and pushed Brian to the wall, pinning him with his hands around Brian’s wrists.
“Dessert first?” Brian whispered as Rush rubbed his stiff cock over his.
“Oh, yeah, darlin’. I want to eat my dessert first.”
Then he let Brian’s hands go and fell to his knees.
Chapter Seventeen
Before Brian could get the first word out of his mouth, Rush had flipped open the button of Brian’s jeans, drawn down the zipper and eased his cock out of his pants. It ached, and where Rush touched it, the ache was soothed, first by his hands then, to Brian’s mind-blowing pleasure, by Rush’s mouth.
Using the flat of his tongue, Rush laved the underside of Brian’s shaft, taking long, loving strokes up and down the length of it. Brian watched as Rush’s head dipped, and the scrape of Rush’s glorious tongue on Brian’s balls made him shudder.
“Fuck, cowboy, do that again.” He whimpered. Locking his knees, he pressed farther back into the wall to keep himself upright.
Rush captured one choice nut in his mouth, swirled his tongue around it then sucked it completely inside. Brian groaned in the sheer ecstasy of it. Nothing had ever felt so good to Brian than having Rush touch him, suck him and love him.
Moving to the other side, Rush repeated the sweet torture and Brian wrapped his fingers in that tawny mane and drew him closer.
“Suck me, cowboy.”
Rush complied, taking him deep into his mouth. Brian’s balls tightened and the urge to unload climbed from the pit of his groin and built like water rising behind a dam. He’d burst any minute. Not knowing how much more he could stand, he was more than willing to test his control.
“That’s it. Use that incredible tongue of yours.” He glanced down.
Somewhere in all of this, Rush had freed himself and was using his other hand to jerk himself off while sucking Brian.
Fuck, that just turned Brian on even more and the dam cracked.
“Shit, I’m going to come. Watching you do yourself, fuck, it’s so sexy, so hot.”
Rush pulled away, his lips still resting on the tip of Brian’s dick. “Want you now. Turn around.”
Brian obeyed. Rush parted the globes of his ass with his hands as he spit, moistened his cock then pushed it into Brian’s hole.
“Gonna fuck you against this wall, darlin’,” the cowboy growled.
Brian spread his legs and pressed his hands flat on the wall to better angle his ass upward, to give Rush’s dick access to what it sought. There was a buildup of pressure, a sharp sting, then Rush was inside him.
“Oh, goddamn, it’s so hot inside you. So fucking tight. God, I love fucking you.”
Brian’s ass was full of Rush, and the first withdrawal left him gasping. Then the pounding started. Rush was like an animal in rut, uncontrollable, passionate. His hands covered Brian’s as he held him.
This was what Brian had longed for. Being taken, being forced to take what Rush gave him. He’d always wanted a mindless, ass-banging, angry caveman fuck. Tonight, against this wall, he was getting exactly what he’d dreamed of.
And it was better than he’d ever imagined.
His cock, still erect, battered the slightly rough texture and sent waves of pleasure through his loins. His balls slapped the wall, rubbing and pressing, bringing him off. The harsh scrape and rasp of Rush plundering his ass drove him to the brink.
When Rush took his shoulder in his mouth and bit down, Brian lost it.
“Oh, God,” he cried out, shooting his load upward, smearing it on the painted surface and his belly as his ass clenched with each eruption.
Taking Rush with him.
“Sweet Jesus. Sweet Jesus.” Rush sobbed into his back.
Their hands wove together, bloodless knuckles showing the force of their grips, the nameless need each of them felt marking the wall beneath them.
Panting, they rested, leaning into each other, holding themselves upright until Rush’s cock slipped from its home and he broke their contact.
Brian shuddered at the sudden coldness then peeled himself off the wall.
Rush returned with a towel and helped clean Brian and the surface. Neither of them could speak just yet. Brian didn’t have any idea of what to say after that amazing merging. Mere words would be inadequate. Maybe, if he were a poet…
Rush looked into his eyes, cupped his chin and leaned in for a kiss. Tender, soft, gentle, it was everything their coupling hadn’t been, and it was perfect.
Brian rested his chin in that calloused hand and closed his eyes. Moments later, Rush’s lips found his and lingered, just pressing, nothing more.
After rearranging their clothes, they made it to the kitchen, and Brian pulled two beers from the fridge. The good wine would wait. They twisted off the caps and downed the beer in long, thirst-driven gulps.
“How about that dinner?” Brian asked.
“Starving. Lead the way.” Rush grinned at him.
“Steaks?”
“I’m always ready for some good beef.” Rush nodded and tossed his bottle into the trash.
Brian took the last swallow and threw his in, the glass clinking in the wastebasket.
“Let’s take the Tahoe.”
They left the house, got in the SUV and backed out of the drive. On Montro
se, Brian turned toward Westheimer.
“Where to?” Rush had rolled the window down, and the fresh air tossed his blond hair around. Brian glanced over at him and felt a swell of pride in his lover. Rush was one hell of a sexy man, and he was all his.
“The Cattleman’s Club. Best aged prime beef in town.”
They drove to the restaurant, holding hands, heads bobbing to the country music on the radio. They discovered they both loved George Strait, Toby Keith, and Keith Urban.
“Guess I’m a cowboy at heart,” Brian said.
Rush had reached over and tousled his hair. “A wannabe-cowboy, city boy.”
“Maybe. But I lassoed the real thing.” Brian grinned at him.
“Yes, you did.” Rush sat back, a smile on his face that Brian was more than happy to think of as satisfied.
At the restaurant, they sat in a red leather-upholstered booth across from each other. The place had dark gleaming woodwork, white linen tablecloths and antique cowboy paraphernalia on the walls. They ordered T-bones, baked potatoes all the way, fried okra, and topped it all off with a basket of corn bread and rolls. The conversation was easy-going and relaxed as they kidded with each other and told stories.
When the bill came, Brian reached for it. “You got the last one, cowboy. This one’s mine.”
Rush nodded.
Then they were out in the night air, back in Brian’s car and heading down Westheimer. “Ever been to the Water Wall?”
Rush shook his head. “I haven’t really seen much of the sights in Houston, to tell the truth.”
“It’s very romantic. Everyone in Houston goes there on dates.”
“Can’t be as romantic as your backyard.”
“Well, maybe not. Let me know what you think.”
In a few minutes, he’d parked the car and they walked over to the huge fountain. Between the lights that illuminated it and the roar of the water as it fell from over two stories high, it was a truly magical place.
They stood together, and Brian took his hand. Rush pulled away, but when Brian insisted, he gave in. “Hey, no one knows you here. Relax. It’s Houston, not Spring Lake.”
Rush looked around them. Couples, both straight and gay, moved in and out of the light as they admired the fountain. In one corner, a man in a tuxedo got down on his knee in front of a young woman in a beautiful gown and presented her with a ring. Everyone clapped when she’d nodded and mouthed “yes”, her words lost in the sounds of the falls.