On the Rocks: An MM Gay Romance (Tales From Revere's Book 3)

by Leah Meers

  "Cody," he muttered between kisses. "Take me. Make me feel good." He pulled back, his palms flat against my pecs to hold me in place against the couch cushion and looked deep into my eyes. "Make me yours." He gulped on the last word and the flash of fear lit in his gaze again.

  Thoughts of Chaz, the camp, my father, and fear flew from my mind and were replaced with an overwhelming surge of lust. I wanted to strip him bare and then cover him with my seed, mark him, claim him as my own. I wanted it more than anything, ever.

  I scooped Gabe off my lap and stood. He wrapped his legs around my hips and clung to me, his mouth moving over my jaw to blow hot breath across my ear. The eight steps to the end of his bed felt like they took forever as his hands roamed over my shoulders and back. I dropped him on the bed and stood over him as I stripped off my shirt. A grin spread across my face as his eyes widened and his tongue licked over his kiss-swollen lips.

  "Who gave you permission to wear my hoodie?" I asked, my voice so gruff I barely recognized it.

  His eyes flashed. "You did the day at the lake." A touch of humor curled his lips.

  “Yeah, well. I take it back." My fingers flicked the button on my jeans open as I put one knee on the bed between his spread legs. I reached for the bottom of the hoodie and yanked it up and off over his head.

  His platinum hair swept over his shoulders as his face tipped back to look up at me. The tiny briefs barely contained the thick curve of his cock. He kicked his socks off and slid toward the pillows as if he were retreating from my advances.

  Not a chance. I unzipped before pursuing him across the faded blanket on my hands and knees. The sound of his gasp when I stopped with my knee tucked tight under his balls sent a lance of heat straight down to my own. Instead of moving away, he pushed down against my leg with a sharp intake of breath.

  Gabe's hands pressed over my arms and chest, his nails scratching through the dusting of chest hair before sinking down over my taught abs to the open fly of my jeans. "You need to take these off." He pushed at my waistband on one side while sliding his hand between us to cup me and squeeze.

  I pushed upright onto my knees with his thigh clamped between them. He bent his other leg to plant his foot on the bed so he could push his hips up and rub himself against my knee. I almost forgot what I was doing when he bit his lip and let one hand slide over the ink on his ribs so his fingers could toy with the barbell through his nipple.

  His eyes flashed open, and I no longer needed thought to know what to do. I toppled beside him and pushed and kicked my jeans and boxer briefs off together. I toed off my socks and knocked everything onto the floor before turning toward him again.

  No hesitation. Only one thing would stop me, and Gabe sure didn't look like he was going to tell me no. Those sinfully small briefs slipped down over his thighs and joined my clothes on the floor seconds before I covered his body with mine. Our cocks lined up, tight together with just enough room to rub and slide flesh upon flesh.

  Chapter Nine

  Gabe

  Pressed up against Cody was my new favorite place to be. His body spread out over mine, touching every square inch of skin with such delicious pressure that made all the bad thoughts drift away. We moved together like music, his lips and fingertips a melody punctuated by the slow and steady drumbeat of his heartbeat and the thrust of his cock against mine.

  The memory of Chaz and his maybe attempt at running me down in the diner parking lot fled before the sensations running mad through my skin. Cody's lips stroked against mine, brushed my jaw, teased around the studs in my ear, and then trailed downward to my throat.

  I tipped my head back and groaned. This was so much more than I expected when I saw him at the Bowline, and so much more than I remembered from our days at college. That was sexy, furtive, and thrilling from the secrecy. This was something else, something more.

  His words echoed in my head: this isn't a joke. I should have been proud to call you mine. His. I mentally tromped on the thoughts that threatened to push me over into too-deep emotion and refocused on his body. The muscles in his back bunched and stretched as I ran my hands over them and stroked down his spine to the curve of his firm ass.

  He shifted to suck my nipple between his lips and bit down gently to pull on the piercing. The shift and slide of our cocks, slick with precum, intensified, and he growled out a curse when I bucked up against him harder.

  "Cody, fuck, that feels good." My words shuddered out on quick breaths as he moved to suck my other nipple into his mouth. "I'm not gonna last."

  With one last nibble and flick, he pulled back and stared down at me with turquoise intensity. "Good." His hips rolled against mine, and I felt my balls draw up as a tingle shot down my spine. "I want to see you come." His hand wrapped around us and squeezed.

  His voice, his body against mine, the tight press of his slick cock, the taste of his skin, and the feel of his dark hair prickling my palms tipped me over the edge. I shot between us with a shout I couldn't hold in even if I wanted to.

  "Fuck, oh god, Gabe," he muttered before he surged against me and throbbed out his release. He collapsed onto his side, breathing hard, his one muscular thigh trapping mine against the bed. His gaze trailed down from my heaving chest to the mess on my belly. His hand came up, hovered, curled into a loose fist, and tucked itself back along his body.

  "Do it," I whispered, and our eyes met. Something like fear shone deep in the shifting hues of his gaze. "Please."

  He ducked his head to my shoulder, but not before I saw a bloom of color cross his cheeks. I didn't know how to tell him he could do whatever he wanted to do, whatever turned him on the most, and I wouldn't judge him for it. How do you start a conversation like that? Hey, it's cool if you want to play with our spunk. Conversations about kink acceptance were important, but not really pillow talk, and I didn't want to wait to let Cody have what he craved.

  I reached over and grabbed his curled fingers and drew them to my mouth. Without breaking our gaze, I kissed his knuckles and slowly unfurled his fist. With a final obscene suck on his forefinger, I led his hand downward.

  The muscles in his throat worked convulsively and his jaw tightened for a moment before full lips dropped open on a breath. He looked away from my eyes to watch my hand cover his before I pulled it back to my chest and let him play the way he wanted to. His strong fingers stroked through the white and trailed it over my belly. He traced the edges of my tattoos before looking up again with heat in his eyes.

  "I like the way you look on me," I said. I grabbed his hand again and brought it to my mouth to tease my tongue around his slick fingers. "I like the way we taste."

  Some kind of primeval growl rumbled through his chest before he surged forward to claim my mouth again. We kissed breathless as his hand streaked and slipped over my skin and around my cock again. It didn't take long to reach release once more.

  After catching our breath, we stumbled to the shower and cleaned off. We soaped and rinsed, kissed, and explored each other's bodies in a lazy and comfortable way that set my mind at ease.

  The realization that I wanted more than incredibly hot sex with Cody didn't come as a surprise, and I wasn't some nervous nineteen-year-old anymore. Dressed and on the couch with water and grapes, I got up the courage for the conversation I knew needed to happen.

  "Are you gay?"

  His head jerked toward me and he swallowed the grape in his mouth with a gulp. "Bi, I guess." His lips twisted in an almost smile. "If we count you."

  I mirrored his smile even though nerves had started wriggling through my gut again. "Are you out at all?"

  It took longer for him to answer that one, and his face underwent a series of expressions that nearly stopped my heart. He'd say 'No,' and my dreams of being with Cody would collapse like a drunken jam session.

  "I never had a reason to be out before." Before I had a chance to say anything, he spoke up again. "Gabe. I don't want to stop seeing you. I'm sick of living my life the way other peopl
e expect me to."

  My lips squished together in an attempt to control the smile that threatened to erupt all over my face. "I don't want to stop seeing you either. I just…" Those damn nerves again. "I'm out. Like all the way out, and I will not hide." I had fought too hard to hold onto my identity when people tried to ruin me because of it. A quick flash of headlights and the squeal of tires, of bloody hands and a broom handle, snuck into my mind, but I forcefully pushed them out again and focused on Cody's face.

  His brows twitched, and I knew he noticed whatever dark thoughts had shown on my face. He leaned forward, slipped his fingers through my hair, and brought his lips gently down on mine. With our foreheads almost touching, he heaved a deep breath before speaking. "I wouldn't want you to hide. I don't want to hide us." He sat back again. "I may not be great at this, but I want to try."

  My heart leapt, and any of those dark thoughts lurking around the edges vanished as I leaned into his lap and kissed him hard. He wrapped his arms around me and held on.

  "We should get tested," I said with my arms slung around his neck. "If this is gonna be exclusive I mean. I want that."

  "Absolutely. I don't want anyone else." Our lips met again.

  Nuzzling along his stubbled jaw, I nibbled on his earlobe before whispering, "Then when you fuck my ass, you can get me all hot and wet and slick when you fill me with your cum."

  "Holy fuck, Gabe." He groaned and clashed his mouth into mine before thrusting his tongue deep in a probing kiss. His cock hardened against me as his hips bucked as if he wanted to be in me right then and there.

  Before we had a chance to get naked again, Cody's phone rang. He sat back, glanced at it, and slumped against the cushions. "Shit. It's my mom."

  "Give me your phone so I can explain how uncool cockblocking is." I smirked and reached for his phone.

  Cody smacked another kiss on my lips. "Very funny." He swiped the phone on and held it to his ear. "Hey, Mom. What's up?"

  Mrs. Meyers needed help with a mulch delivery, and Cody was too nice a guy to say no, so I said goodbye at the door with a tongue-tangling kiss before locking up tight again. I danced across the living room as hopes, dreams, wishes, and Cody flashed through my mind.

  I hummed a long-ago song by Hatching Orange as I stripped the bed and started a load of laundry before cleaning up our water glasses and grape bowl and fluffing the pillows on the couch. The amazingly good stuff – mind-blowing orgasms and Cody wanting to be with me all in one day – blocked out the bad stuff that still tip-toed around the edges. I cranked up some tunes and had almost decided to scrub the kitchen floor like some kind of maniac when someone knocked on my door.

  Emmitt stood at the top of the stairs with a cheery grin and a reusable shopping bag swinging from one hand. "Hey, Gabe. You up for some company?"

  We settled on the couch, and he set the bag on the coffee table. "Max said I should bring over extra light bulbs." He pulled three packs of LEDs out of the bag and piled them up. "Mr. Always Prepared when it comes to the house."

  "Thanks, Emmitt. I have some spares already, though. You didn't have to buy me extras." I didn't buy the light bulb excuse for a moment. My rent check cleared. Nothing was broken. Surely no neighbors complained about my loud music or the way I couldn't keep my mouth shut when Cody made me come. There really weren't any neighbors that close. I tilted my head and peered at him.

  "Okay, okay," he said with a laugh before heaving a dramatic sigh and letting the smile drift away from his face. "I wanted to make sure you're alright."

  The memories of the night before at the diner crashed back into my mind. "I don't—"

  "Max stopped by the diner this morning and ran into Finn and Carter. Finn knows we know you and kinda told him what happened with the guy in the car." He pushed his curls back, and his frown deepened.

  "Small town drama, huh? Fame at last." I could hear the strain in my voice and how it obliterated any attempt at humor. It was bad enough to deal with the whole thing without being the latest topic of gossip.

  "Hey, no." Emmitt reached out and patted my arm. "It's not like that. People care about each other here. We stick together." He pulled back and tried on a smile. "At least we have to make sure the music at Revere's keeps playing, huh? Wanna tell me about it?"

  The word 'no' filled my throat, but it wouldn't make it all the way past my lips. Miriam always told me it was bad to keep things bottled up and that I should accept help if someone offered it to me. I took a deep breath and tucked my knees up on the couch.

  "I was bullied in high school. I mean, it's tough to be out and look like me when you're fourteen, right?" I waved a hand vaguely at my chest. "A few of those guys were drunk at the Bowline during my last gig and kinda… approached me in the parking lot. Ran into them at the diner last night, and one of them peeled out of the lot fast and startled me." My gaze fixed on the pile of light bulbs on the table as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

  "Finn said some asshole tried to run you down and almost succeeded. He said you told him not to call the cops. He's pretty pissed at himself for listening to you."

  Heat prickled at the corners of my eyes, and my jaw clenched as memories washed through me. Why didn't you tell anyone this was going on? Why are you protecting them now? Why were you so stupid… it's like you wanted it to happen! My mother's voice, shrill from anger and rough from the pack of Marlboro menthols she smoked every day, rang in my mind.

  "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to… I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

  It looked like Emmitt wanted to argue with me, but he just pressed his lips together and rubbed a hand over his face. "It's not your fault, Gabe. We just all want to make sure you're okay. We've got your back, yeah? Everyone at Revere's is on your side." He cracked a grin again, but it didn't reach his eyes. "If you need muscle, I can let you borrow Max for a bit, and Finn's a fucking titan."

  Chat shifted to lighter things, music, Finn and his boyfriend Carter fixing up an old house to make an LGBTQ-friendly Bed &Breakfast by the lake, Emmitt's photography, and Max's endless home improvement projects. I thanked him for the light bulbs again and closed the door behind him.

  Friends were good. The promise of something more with Cody was even better, but the shadow of Chaz and my other old bullies looming over everything made it all seem like a songbird straining to be heard in the middle of some dark symphony.

  Chapter Ten

  Cody

  Jamal lifted the two-by-four onto the top rung of the ladder next to me and steadied it so I could slide it into position for the high shelf. We were on the fifth job of the day in one of the structures that Camp Rocky Cove called huts when talking to the summer camp kids and rustic wilderness shelters when talking to the adults who wanted to book an off-season stay.

  In the two weeks I worked at the camp, I learned a lot about marketing language and customer service. I learned a lot about Holly and Jamal, too, and how careful they were about never giving me a job that my shoulder couldn't handle. As if my thoughts telepathically flew to Jamal's head, he looked up at me.

  "How's the shoulder holding up? After this shelf, I think you can head back to dump some more mulch on the kitchen trail."

  "Sure. How many more shelves are we doing?" I slotted the bit into the bolt and whirred it down tight with the power drill before he answered.

  "Four more huts, but we might leave them until next week. We have that Saturday open house next weekend." He waved a hand in the direction of the lake.

  "Yeah, she already told me I have overtime. Holly's working fast." I tightened the last bolt and handed the drill and hardware bin to Jamal before climbing down the ladder.

  "Gotta work fast if we're gonna pull in the dough." He folded up the ladder and hefted it under one arm. "And we have a group at the cove cabins the weekend after. Young man from town saw the flyer at the market and got his college buddies together. Guess he came here as a boy and got nostalgic." He chuckled and shook his head. "Sho
ot. You kids don't know nostalgia yet."

  We parted ways at the toolshed. Jamal needed to hunt up one of the other new hires to trim branches back from the more remote trails. I headed to the garage to get the UTV with the dumper on the back. I had another hundred yards of trail to cover before the workday ended. I checked the load, topped up the gas, and headed over the new mulch path to where I left off the day before.

  Holly, Jamal, and the other employees at Camp Rocky Cove were great or at least decent enough for a 'Hello' in passing and a hand if anyone needed help. They seemed to like me well enough, but I didn't seek them out on my breaks or meet up at their favorite bar the next town over like they did after work sometimes.

  Despite my mom's hints about how much they missed my face at dinner, I didn't head home right after work, either. Two or three times a week would find me with a cold beer at Revere's listening to the hottest music spun by the sexiest DJ ever. Gabe introduced me to his friends, and they seemed to accept me well enough. On his off nights, we'd lounge on his couch or in his bed trading hand jobs or blow jobs and getting sticky.

  On the surface, everything felt amazing, but it was the stuff underneath that preyed on my mind. I caught Gabe frowning when he thought I wasn't looking and something shadowing his gaze even when he smiled. We hung out at Revere's a lot, but that was the only place we hung out besides behind his locked apartment door.

  My phone buzzed as I maneuvered the utility vehicle into position. I pulled it out and stared down at the screen, hoping it was Gabe with one of his crazy jokes or plans to meet up later.

  Mom: Hey, Cody. Will you be here for dinner tonight? I wouldn't bother asking but your father's grilling steaks and he doesn't want to waste one if you won't be here.