Step Up with Me

by Kris Jacen

  “’bout time you two got here. Ordered you both drinks,” Randolph said as he stood up and pulled Briar in for a kiss and snuggle.

  “You look like you saw every animal in the area today,” Barbie commented.

  “I think I did. And a dachshund that got friendly with a rottie a few months ago. Anyone want a puppy?” Jack sat down next to Tank and leaned over for a kiss.

  Carlo appeared in the entryway with a tray of drinks with another waiter following. It was always good to come here since Carlo knew them now and it didn’t take long for their service.

  “Buonase—” Carlo stopped in his tracks and talking at the same time. “It’s you all, no need. Okay, anyone not getting their usual?” He put down the loaded tray and pulled out his pad, ready to start writing. Jack watched him look up and glance at where they were all sitting then frown. “Neil? You’re with this group now?”

  Neil looked at Bree and smiled. “Until she kicks me to the curb.”

  “Why she hasn’t yet… we’re all surprised,” Briar teased.

  “Okay, all the normal. Appetizers, too?” When there were no negative responses, Carlo nodded and turned to the young man next to him. “You hand out the waters, I’ll get this order in.”

  It didn’t take the new waiter long to give them all water and follow Carlo to the kitchen. They all started individual conversations around the table. Tank turned to Jack.

  “So I talked with Top Redmond today and I think I made my decision.” Tank was fidgeting with the silverware on the table while he talked. Jack reached out and put his hand over Tank’s.

  “And?” Jack thought he knew where Tank was going but was going to let him say it.

  “I haven’t told Mama yet but I’m going to get out and want to work with overweight kids.” He let out a big breath when he finished.

  “I think you’ll do amazing things with those kids. You know where they’re coming from.” Jack was proud that Tank was making this change. He might not have wanted to go through everything he did last summer but it set Tank on the right path.

  Siah, who was sitting on the other side of Tank, interrupted. “Did you just say you were getting out of the Army? Did you not learn from all the others last summer about keeping secrets?”

  “I did, nosey butt. I just talked it all through with Top today and wanted to mention it to Jack… privately… before I told everyone.” Tank made faces at Siah as he talked which had everyone at the table laughing. “I’ve decided to get out and complete my degree to work with overweight kids. Whether I work in the schools or a non-profit, my eyes have been opened to the number of kids that are having this issue. That diner you like works with one of the organizations. Debbie was talking about a few other measures that are coming into place nationwide, too.” Tank shrugged. “I’ve got a few years to worry about that part. I’ve got to get the credentials first.”

  “Well, if you need time in the schools, let me know. I know that we were just talking about this during the teacher meeting the other day. Those boys that you and Jack stopped back in October opened the water gates and the administration is all over us to watch for those that are having issues.” Siah was shaking his head as he finished.

  Jack looked down at where Neil was sitting and saw him staring at the table in front of him. Bree leaned closer to him and whispered something then Neil gave her a short kiss.

  “Ahem, Bree said that I should say something before one of you hears through the grapevine. Why you would care about me—

  “Hold up,” Barbie said, actually holding her hand up. “You’re with Bree. You helped Briar. You’ve been to our movie nights. What would lead you to believe that we wouldn’t care at this point? Do we seem like we let people hang around with us that we don’t like?”

  Jack noticed the blush cover Neil’s face. Oh, yeah, verbal smack down by Barbie. Not something any of them wanted.

  “Umm, sorry. It looks like they’re going to reduce civilian staff at the hospital soon and since I’m the one with the least seniority? I’m probably in the crosshairs.”

  “Shit, that sucks,” Carter said. “Let us know if we can do anything.”

  “Yeah, what he said,” Randolph teased, obviously trying to alleviate the mood.

  “Anyone got anything happy to talk about?” Bree asked, trying to change the subject.

  It was quiet for a minute before Jack chimed in. “The triplets will be one in a little over a month. Time for a party. Sandy’s going to lose her mind planning the celebration. Bree? She wanted me to ask if you’d do one big cake and then three little ones for the bugs to each have.”

  “As if I’d let her have anyone else make their cakes,” Bree scoffed.

  Chapter Twenty

  March

  Tank was kinda glad he had class tonight and wasn’t going to be at Jack’s. The crews were getting together to have a “strategy session”— in Randolph’s words— for the bugs’ party. Bree was all over the cakes and last Tank heard was going to make little sand castles for the small cakes and was debating over the big cake. He had no idea why she chose that but Tank wasn’t stupid and agreed that it was a great idea.

  His phone rang as he got to the building but stopped to answer before going in. He always lost connection in the stairwell. “Hello?” he answered without looking at the screen.

  “Hey handsome,” Jack’s voice came over the line.

  “Back atcha.” Hearing Jack made him want to skip class and head to his house but knowing the instructor well kinda nixed that idea. One day they’d have to talk. Tank really needed to figure out where he was going to settle to. He wasn’t putting that all on Jack’s shoulders but he was a big part of Tank’s decision.

  “You coming here after class tonight? Have you eaten?”

  “I haven’t eaten and I could be convinced to head your way.”

  “I’ve got a hot meal and an even hotter plans waiting for you,” Jack teased.

  “Great. Now I’ve got to sit through class with a hard-on and Debbie is the instructor,” Tank growled. “Class gets out about eight. Keep things hot until I get there.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  § § § §

  Jack looked around his bedroom; candles — check; massage oil — check; blankets pulled back — check. All that was missing was Tank. He wandered back to the kitchen and peeked in the oven. Lasagna looked good, all bubbly; Barbie had talked him through shopping and assembling the meal. He could actually learn to cook… maybe. Table all set. Okay, he might have gone a bit overboard on the table but he wasn’t sure how you pre-celebrated your boyfriend’s birthday and asked him to move in with you. Possibly he should’ve asked Barbie or Bree? Nah, Briar or Carter would’ve been a better bet. Siah or Randolph would’ve had him saying “let’s lose the condoms” or something as over the top.

  A check to the clock told him that Tank would be there any minute. Time to let his latest trainee out. “Come on, Patsy. Door.” Who named this one, Jack wasn’t sure, but whatever. She wasn’t going to be with him long. He was doing the last leg of her training before she went to her owner. FLSH wanted her to have a different environment to challenge her, and exposure to other animals while doing her job.

  As he stood in the door watching Patsy explore, he felt Tank press against his back. “Mmm, warm Jack. My favorite way to end the day.”

  “Temp did drop a bit. Give me another minute for Patsy, then we can eat.” Jack dropped his head to the side giving Tank more access.

  “Whatever it is, can it wait? Because you’ve had me going for the past few hours. Bad Jack,” Tank teased.

  “Uhh, yeah, it can. Let me settle Patsy.” Jack opened his eyes and the dog was sitting right in front of him. “Blanket.” The dog realized that work was over and flopped down on her blanket off to the side of the living room.

  Jack turned in Tank’s arms and took his mouth. They’d done everything except anal up to this point and Jack really wanted Tank in him now. The things that Tank could do
to Jack’s body with his mouth made rational thought impossible and he was sure that having Tank in him was going to turn him to a babbling mess.

  Tank stopped short when they got to the bedroom, causing Jack to bump into him.

  “What’s all this?” Tank asked.

  “Umm, happy early birthday,” Jack mumbled. “The rest of your present is on the table. Surprise?”

  “How did you know? We haven’t made a big deal out of anyone’s birthday.” Tank didn’t sound happy. Crap, maybe Jack’s plans were for nothing?

  “Your mama called me. Asked me when we were having your party. I got quite the lecture from her. You mad?”

  “Only way I’m going to be mad at the moment is if you tell me that I’ve missed your birthday in the past five months?” Tank reached for Jack’s shirt and slipped his hands underneath.

  Plans not derailed, yes! Jack moved closer and mirrored Tank’s actions. Tank pinched Jack’s nipples making him gasp. “Birthday?”

  “Uh, birthday?” Jack really never knew that his nipples were so sensitive. “July.”

  “Good,” Tank said and dropped to the bed, standing Jack between his legs. Unbuckling and zipping was accompanied by small licks on Jack’s abdomen, making Jack need to lock his knees or fall.

  Jack shook his head then stepped back and kicked off his pants and boxers. He stood there for a minute before pushing Tank back onto the bed. Running his hands up Tank’s thighs to his waist, Jack removed Tank’s pants and mouthed his cock through his briefs.

  “No teasing… please.”

  “No teasing,” Jack agreed, licking around the band before pulling the briefs off and swallowing Tank’s cock. Jack wasn’t sure what the noise Tank made was but it made him smile around his mouthful. He pulled off and said, “Gonna get you hard and ride you. Want you in me. Can’t wait much longer. Please?” While Jack really wanted Tank in him, he wasn’t going to force him.

  “Only if you start stretching me, too. I want you, too. I just…” Tank trailed off, a look of vulnerability on his face.

  “Shh, let’s make this good for both of us. Scoot up.” Jack grabbed the condom and lube from the nightstand and laid down next to Tank getting as close as he could. Jack started running his hands over Tank’s chest, for the first time consciously noticing how his hands contrasted with Tank’s chest. He never thought of Tank’s skin color but the difference was striking. Stroking a finger down the center of Tank’s chest, he leaned over and placed a kiss over his heart. One day, this’ll be mine.

  “First you need to be comfortable with touching my asshole. Get some lube and pour some on your fingers then explore.” Jack had never talked anyone through this before. He was nervous.

  “Jack, breathe. You’d think you were the virgin here.” Tank opened the lube and squirted his fingers, overestimating and coating Jack’s side, too. “Oops.” That made Jack laugh and the tension seemed to break. Jack got lost in Tank’s kisses and touches. Before Jack realized it, Tank had his fingers stretching Jack’s hole. Holy shit, fast learner.

  “Tank, I’m there. Can you…? Are you…?” Full sentences just weren’t possible now. He really needed Tank in him. “Please?”

  “Where’s the condom? Not that I’m not…”

  Jack found the condom, ripped it open and reached down to roll in on Tank. “How do you want me?”

  “On your back? Knees? I’m not sure.”

  “I do like riding but I think you should be in charge this time. Shift over me. I want to look in your eyes.” When had he become such a romantic? The look that crossed Tank’s face told him that he’d made the right decision. He pulled his legs back, opening himself to Tank. Reaching down, Tank positioned his dick at Jack’s opening and then stopped. “What?”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t. Go slow and pause after the head is in. You’ll feel me open up after a minute or so.” It had been a while for him but he felt loose. Tank pushed in and… holy hell. Jack didn’t remember it feeling this good the last time he was on the bottom.

  It didn’t take long before Tank was all the way in and he held himself still. Jack watched as he took a few deep breaths.

  “You okay?” Jack whispered.

  “I didn’t know it would feel like this. I’m glad I waited for you.” Tank was blinking fast, then dropped his head to Jack’s chest. That’s when Jack felt it; Tank was crying.

  “Shhh, it’s okay. When you’re ready, let instinct take over.” Jack ran his hands up and down Tank’s back and when Tank started moving, he gripped his shoulders and held on. It might be Tank’s first time but he certainly had the instincts.

  Soon, Jack had to let go of Tank’s shoulders and grab his own cock. He’d never been one to get off from just anal. Stroking in time to Tank’s thrusts had Jack on the edge. It only took a few more upstrokes and Jack was coming all over his stomach. The squeezing of his ass around Tank’s cock must have been too much and he came soon after.

  When his senses came back to him, Tank looked at Jack with a crooked smile on his face and asked, “Now what?”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Tank woke to the sound of Jack’s phone ringing and Jack flopping his arm across him to get the phone, eyes closed. Jack finally found the phone and answered, wrapped around Tank. They must have fallen asleep after cleaning up. Damn, he was really hungry now.

  “Doctor Dillon?” Jack barely made any sound. Maybe he’d get up after Jack left and see what he’d had in the kitchen for them.

  “Doctor Dillon, this is Deputy Green. I need you—” Jack cut the officer off; he was so close Tank could hear the other end.

  “I’m not on call tonight. Call the clinic and the tech will get in touch with Doctor Appleby.” Tank felt Jack pull the phone away from his ear. Oooh, maybe Jack wasn’t leaving and they could do the food raid together.

  “Wait! This isn’t an animal emergency.” Tank wasn’t sure what was going on but he could hear that.

  “What?” Jack seemed more awake now.

  “Doctor Dillon, I hate doing this over the phone but time… shit, do you have a sister?” From what Tank could hear, the deputy was having a hard time. Hearing that hesitance over the phone had Tank waking up, paying a bit more attention.

  “How do you know that?” Jack demanded. He was definitely awake now. Jack’s tone had Tank wide awake and reaching for the light.

  “I’m sorry, Doctor. I responded to a two car accident just a bit ago. They need you to come to Reston ER ASAP.”

  “You can’t leave me like this! Is Sandy okay?” Jack was sitting up in the bed. Tank wasn’t sure if he was going to have feeling in his hand since Jack had a strangle hold on it.

  “I don’t know. We found your information in her wallet. Looks like the car seats saved the babies.”

  “The triplets were with her? Shit.”

  “Doctor Dillon, just get here fast.” The deputy hung up and Tank watched Jack try and process this. He could think through this all after Jack had it together.

  “Jack! Move your ass! Your bugs and sister need you.” Tank pushed Jack out of the bed and then reached for his own clothes.

  § § § §

  Jack was sitting in the passenger seat of his Jeep. Tank had suggested putting Patsy into a crate and leaving her at the house. When they’d walked out of the bedroom, she’d glued herself to his side. Guess it was fate that he was helping with an emotional support dog right now. Tank wouldn’t let him drive. No surprise there. Jack wasn’t completely there at the moment. He’d followed Tank’s instructions to get dressed and in the car. He thought he’d heard Tank calling someone but he wasn’t sure.

  Next thing he knew, Tank pulled the Jeep into the ER entrance and threw the Jeep in park. “I’ll move this in a minute. Let’s get you in there.”

  Something about walking through the doors snapped Jack out of his haze. He looked around and not seeing a uniform, went to the desk. “I’m Jack Dillon. My sister, nephew and nieces were broug
ht in. A deputy called me.”

  “One minute. I know that they’re expecting you.” The woman went through a set of double doors and Jack started pacing. It didn’t take long for her to come back with a nurse.

  “Mr. Dillon, please come with me.” The nurse led him and Tank through the double doors and to an elevator.

  “Can you tell me how my sister is? My nephew and nieces? Anything?” Jack asked. He was trying to remain calm but if the police were calling him and not Tom, something was seriously wrong.

  “We’ll be on the surgical floor in a minute and Doctor Papin is waiting to talk to you.”

  The elevator doors opened and she motioned them out of the car. She followed them out then moved in front of them over to the nurses’ station. “This is the contact person for the patient that just came in. Doctor Papin is waiting for him.”

  The nurse behind the station, got up and came around. “Sir, please come with me.” She walked down the hall and into a room with a couch and chair. “Doctor Papin will be right with you.”

  Jack was about to lose it. He could feel it. If someone didn’t give him some information soon, no amount of training was going to keep him from jumping at the next person and demanding they tell him about Sandy and his bugs.

  A man wearing scrubs and a surgical cap walked into the room and closed the door, motioning them to sit. “By now you probably know that I’m Doctor Papin. I’m the trauma surgeon on duty tonight. What is your relation to Mrs. Perry?”

  “She’s my sister,” Jack said calmly. Looked like he was going to get some information.

  “Mrs. Perry has suffered a broken left arm, leg and clavicle. She also broke several ribs, one of which punctured her lung causing it to collapse. There is some internal bleeding that we need to operate on her to stop. We’ve just stabilized her blood pressure enough that I’m comfortable with operating. We need your consent. Do you have any questions?”