Body Conscious (Body Heat Book 1)

by J. P. Scott

  “Oh, I’ve been cycling through those. I got the most done when I was in the anger phase. Do you think I could move that couch on my own otherwise?”

  He could not imagine Cam doing any of the furniture moving. “That had to be some anger.”

  “I think it helped that I started working through the possibility that Mark would break up with me when I first saw the results of my test. It did not surprise me when it happened, only that it was so soon.”

  “Are you really okay, then?”

  “Okay? Not really. I hate that this is happening to me. But it’s not going to get better unless I do something about it. I called a property management company to pull some rental listings. I talked to my boss about taking some time off to move and get everything established.” Cam had been busy.

  “And what about Mark?”

  “I wrote him a long apology text. He responded and we are going to take some time to work things out. Some time after the trial we are going to talk more.”

  “Won’t that be weeks, maybe months?”

  Cam nodded, “Which means I can’t just sit around.” His eyes were starting to glisten with tears. “And to be honest, there will be days that I break down and cry and yell. This isn’t over, not by a long shot.

  Ollie reached out to hug Cam. “I’m glad that you’re working to pick yourself up. Know that I am here for you, whatever you need. Well, maybe not moving. Can you hire someone for that?”

  “I don’t think I trust you to carry my stuff. Not with your butterfingers.”

  “I’d be mad if it weren’t true.”

  Cam retrieved a bottle of wine from the kitchen, “Since we wouldn’t be drinking alone, shall we?”

  “Definitely.” They settled onto the couch with their glasses and Ollie filled Cam in on the happenings with Patrick.

  “Um, I want to see these pictures.”

  “I don’t think I should pull up his message. He’ll get a notification that I looked.”

  “And?”

  “I think that it might make a complicated situation even more complicated.” The notification could make Patrick think Ollie was interested in pursuing something or at least thinking about him.

  “Well, can I suggest screenshotting pics in the future?”

  “Very practical.”

  Cam took a drink and sat contemplating his next question, “So, who do you like more? Patrick or Jeremy?”

  That was the million-dollar question. Ollie was still getting used to the idea that Patrick was gay and interested in him. It was a mental shift that would take a while to sort itself out. And when it did? “Patrick is definitely very attractive. I barely know him. What else do we have in common outside of the gym?”

  Jeremy seemed to be the full package. He was confident in who he was and what he wanted. He had a good job and a great house. There was definitely chemistry in the bedroom. He did not have a perfectly sculpted gym body, but he was sexy nonetheless. “I know you don’t believe that Jeremy is a great catch, but he’s pretty amazing. I’m excited about what might be developing.”

  Was there a negative? It was very early in their relationship. There was so much they did not know about each other. What problems would arise when they finally got significant time together?

  And what about his Seattle hookup? Was there more with that situation that he needed to worry about? What about in other cities that Jeremy traveled to regularly for work? Was Ollie embarking on a relationship that included being open? If Ollie said he did not want that to happen, would Jeremy be okay with that? Or was that a deal-breaker for him?

  Those questions would be top of mind when Jeremy returned. Ollie knew the best thing he could do was address the situation, voice concerns, listen to Jeremy, and make decisions based on all the facts. However, that was easier said than done. Have I ever made decisions that were based on facts and not raw and heightened emotions?

  Thirty-Nine

  Sunday morning light came sooner than Ollie expected it. For the second day in a row, he pulled the bedding around him to block it out. Today, however, it was not due to a hangover. He was exhausted from the week and did not want to separate himself from the luxury of the bed.

  He left Cam the night before nearly convinced that his friend was on the way forward with his life. He might be deflecting from dealing with his feelings by scrubbing the grout in Ollie’s shower, but he was making progress with other areas of his life.

  On the way to Jeremy’s house, he stopped to pick up chicken and vegetables to help make up for the splurging he had done all week. The wine aisle called out to him and he picked up a bottle of pinot noir, forcing himself to consider a bottle on one of the upper shelves.

  While dinner baked, he changed into some workout clothes and took advantage of Jeremy’s home gym to do some sets. Working out by himself was not something he usually felt motivated to do. There was a part of him that was craving it. That part was winning over the part that wanted to avoid working out at all costs.

  Jeremy called while he was eating. He was at his friend’s house and they were grilling and drinking. The group shouted, “Hi, Ollie!”

  “Sounds like quite the party.”

  “About a dozen guys. It’s fun. Wish you were here.”

  Ollie wondered if Jeremy’s special friend was there. Had he shouted a hello? Was he wondering what would happen with Jeremy if he and Ollie became more serious?

  When Ollie told Jeremy about his wine purchase, he said that Ollie had chosen well. It was a good vineyard.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “Me neither.”

  Ollie hoped that was true. He wanted to be what Jeremy was thinking about. If there was someone else who turned his head or made an offer, he wanted Jeremy to let it pass like he had done with Patrick. He wanted to be the only one.

  He finished the wine while he watched a movie and then crawled into bed.

  Now a whole day stretched in front of him. He needed to do preparations for his interview. There was laundry and dishes. He might even squeeze in a workout.

  But right now, he just wanted to cuddle in bed. He imagined Jeremy was there with him. His morning wood pressed hard against the pillows he was wrapped around. Ollie flipped to his back and grabbed himself, stroking and imagining it was Jeremy’s touch.

  He was deep into a fantasy when he heard doors opening and closing and movement in the house. Ollie sat up in bed, pulling sheets and blankets around him.

  He finally breathed when Jeremy appeared in the bedroom door. “Surprise.”

  “Oh, my god! You scared me! I wasn’t expecting you until this evening.”

  “After we talked last night, I looked to see if I could catch an earlier flight. I snagged a spot on the earliest flight this morning.” Jeremy walked to the bed, grabbed the comforter, and pulled it back, exposing Ollie’s naked body.

  “Sorry, no cute undies.” Ollie plopped back on the bed.

  Jeremy looked him up and down, “Those are fun, but I think I like this best.” He pulled his t-shirt up and over his head, showing up his stocky and hairy frame.

  Ollie had grown soft when he thought there was an intruder, but now seeing Jeremy’s hunger-filled eyes, he hardened with excitement. He grabbed himself and squeezed as he watched Jeremy continue to disrobe and slide onto the bed next to him.

  When their faces drew close to each other, they kissed. At first, light and short kisses that were like the first rays of sunlight in the morning.

  “Welcome home.”

  Ollie felt Jeremy’s hand on his leg, slowly working a caress up to his crotch. Fingers slipped down and reached into Ollie’s crack, making contact with his hole. They lightly massaged the rim, “This is home.”

  The feel of his touch sent shivers through him and his whispered words lit him on fire.

  Jeremy climbed on top of Ollie and locked lips again, this time with force and passion. Ollie grabbed the back of Jeremy’s head and pull
ed him closer. Their tongues met and took turns entering each other’s mouths.

  “Fuck me,” Ollie gasped when they finally broke apart. He could feel Jeremy’s erection pressing against him.

  Jeremy sat up on his knees with Ollie’s legs spread apart. He left Ollie’s legs and tilted his pelvis to expose his ass. He spit three times and rubbed the saliva into Ollie’s hole. He spit again and wet his cock before pressing into Ollie.

  “Oh, god.” Ollie opened to receive him.

  Jeremy thrust into him and Ollie clawed at his back. Their breaths quickened and they grunted almost in unison.

  “God, I’m close.”

  “Fuck me hard,” Ollie begged. He knew that faster and harder would bring their session to an end sooner, but it felt so good and he just wanted all of Jeremy.

  Jeremy’s body shook as he climaxed. He wiped the sweat that had formed on his forehead. “Sorry I couldn’t hold it.”

  “I’m sure there will be another round soon.”

  He winked, “You’re probably right about that.”

  “I missed you.”

  “Not as much as I missed you.”

  Forty

  Jeremy helped Ollie choose a tie to go with his suit. It was interview day.

  “You know I’m going to ravage you when you get home.”

  Knowing that Ollie needed to be up early to prepare for his day, Jeremy had promised that he would not distract Ollie with sex the morning of the interview. Since his return on Sunday, they had spent most of their time together in bed exploring each other’s bodies.

  Cam was still at his apartment. Ollie went with him to the leasing office to discuss adding Cam to the lease. It did not make sense for him to sign a lease on an apartment with so much about his relationship with Mark in the air.

  “I might buy a different couch,” Cam announced. “And dishes.”

  “You redecorate to your heart’s content.” Ollie packed all his clothes and grabbed boxes or personal items and moved them to Jeremy’s.

  After several lovemaking sessions that Sunday, Ollie asked about Jeremy’s time in Seattle.

  “It was a good time with friends,” was Jeremy’s lead. He knew that Ollie wanted to know more. “There was no hookup. Turns out he also has a budding relationship. Even though we both had passes, we talked about it and neither of us wanted to mess things up.”

  “You didn’t sleep with him?”

  “Not even a kiss. And I was relieved when I found out he was in the same situation I was. The whole week I felt uneasy about what might happen. I thought about you and how I wanted to be here. When you came to stay here, that pretty much cemented for me that I would not sleep with anyone else,” he pulled Ollie in close for a kiss. “Even though the sex would have been great.”

  After Ollie punched Jeremy’s chest in mock anger, they cuddled on the couch in the man cave.

  Ollie could not bring himself to say it, but he was relieved.

  He pulled up Flame and showed Jeremy the messages from Patrick and told him the whole story.

  “That’s a nice cock,” Jeremy said. “You should screenshot that.”

  “Want me to send you a copy?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Ollie took the screenshot and the deleted his profile. He would not be needing it for the foreseeable future.

  Monday morning, he got the invite for an interview on Friday.

  “You’ve got this,” Jess texted. “You’ve got this.”

  She had a busy day ahead scoping out real estate and settling into her new life in Chicago. “Start looking at dates when you can come for a visit.”

  It was later in the day that Ollie realized that he had not reacted with anxiety or pangs in his stomach when he got the email invite for the interview. He had only smiled and accepted. His ritual of yelling, “I want this job!” seemed to be working.

  Monday’s workout had given Ollie butterflies. Patrick was all business when they met at the beginning of the session. However, during a set of lunges spanning the width of the gym, Patrick indicated with his eyes that Ollie needed to look to his left. He turned to see a hottie doing squats. They had entered a new phase where they checked out guys in the gym together.

  “You have good taste,” he told Patrick, “Let’s find you a boyfriend.”

  Jeremy took Ollie to buy a new suit. With the tight turnaround, he opted for a ready-to-wear suit versus a custom, tailored suit. “I’ll buy you something fabulous later.”

  They perused the tie options but settled on finding something in Jeremy’s ample supply at home.

  “I hate these things, but they are part of the game.” He adjusted the knot, “There, take a look.”

  Ollie turned to look in the mirror. “It’s perfect.”

  Jeremy kissed him on the cheek, “You’re perfect. And you’re going to kill this interview.”

  “I hope so.”

  “And if they say no? You’ll find something better.”

  Ollie had not thought about the possibility of there being something better out there. It was new territory to just think about moving to a new position in the same company.

  He kissed Jeremy, “Thank you for your support. It means a lot.”

  Jeremy slapped his ass, “Get ‘em, killer.”

  His interview was early that Friday. He pretended to work in his cubicle for the first half hour after getting there and then stood to head to the conference room where the interview was scheduled. He touched two fingers to his lips, and then pressed them to a picture of Jess and him in a frame on his desk.

  He was ready, no matter what was about to happen. He shook hands with his interviewers and settled in for whatever they had waiting for him.

  Also from J. P. Scott

  Available on Amazon as a Kindle download and Kindle Unlimited

  Burning Desire Series

  Spark, Flame, Blaze

  Spark—Burning Desire, Book 1

  When sparks fly, who will get burned?

  Alex thought he knew what he needed--a summer on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona to focus on finishing his next novel. Just like every summer--write, drink wine, take his dog for walks. He never anticipated Josh, Cody, and a long-forgotten mystery upending it all.

  Love can start with a spark, but the fire that starts reveals secrets and mysteries that will consume them all.

  Flame—Burning Desire, Book 2

  Josh never wanted to move to Arizona, but his uncle needed him to run his business.

  Now, his uncle is sick, his long-time boyfriend is gone, and the only other gay man around for miles hate him. Bills are piling up and Josh needs help.

  Enter Jonathan Clay. He's just returned to Arizona and is looking for work. He is good with his hands, both in and out of the bedroom. He may be just the right man to help Josh fix up the cabins. Can he also help Josh find love?

  Blaze—Burning Desire, Book 3

  Cody never asked to fall in love—much less with two men. Two complicated men. He started the summer in love with Alex, but then he left. Josh became his friend and helped fill the void when Alex was gone.

  Is either man right for him?

  As the summer ends, Cody will face his family’s past and chart a course for his own future. Which man will be the one that goes with him?

  Coming Soon!

  Available for pre-order for Kindle

  Body Positive—Body Heat, Book 2

  Body Double—Body Heat, Book 3