by Jaime Reese
Ben pulled the phone out of his back pocket. Typing out a quick note, he turned the display toward Calvin. Be good.
“I’ll try.”
He narrowed his eyes and typed out another note. Don’t steal.
Calvin shrugged. “I’ll try,” he said with a smirk.
Ben glanced to his side, spotting Gabriel standing at the threshold. With a hint of a nod, Gabriel walked in and grabbed the duffle from the couch. He slung the bag over his shoulder, smiling as he picked up the plush bull in one hand. Funny how something so small had served as a constant reminder of a man who was larger than life.
Returning his attention to Calvin, he watched as his friend’s gaze slid over to Gabriel, assessing him as he often did. They stared at each other, something silent exchanging between them. Calvin scowled and returned his attention to Ben, gesturing toward Ben’s phone. He typed out a note and handed back the phone.
Ben read the short lines, his eyes welling with another surge of emotion.
I don’t have friends. But you’re one. Don’t be a stranger.
He typed his reply and held up his phone. I promise. He didn’t wait for prompting or permission. Instead, Ben stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Calvin’s neck in a hug before leaving, thankful when strong arms circled him in an embrace.
With a last round of goodbyes, he finally walked over the threshold of the back door with Gabriel, leaving behind Halfway House and taking his first step into his new life.
Thirty minutes later, after a quick stop in the room to drop off his bag, they stood in the security office.
“Can I see some ID, please?” the guard asked from behind the desk while the second guard watched the surveillance feeds. The office was small, streamlined for functionality. A large panel composed of small monitors displayed videos of the different floors. Every few seconds, the screens would change to a different camera view. Elevator banks, hallways, pool area. Everywhere.
He wondered how much snooping the guards did when their curiosity spiked.
Ben reached into his back pocket for his wallet and fished out his license. The guard took the card, glanced at him, then over to Gabriel. “It’s expired.”
Ben chewed his lip as he turned to Gabriel for his reply. “Expired for driving but valid for identification to set up his access,” Gabriel spoke to the guard but signed his words, likely so Ben could follow the conversation.
Gabriel turned to him and signed, “He’s setting up your access. We’ll make an appointment this week to renew your license.”
Ben shrugged. “Maybe later when I need a car. There’s a bus stop not far from here.”
“Nat’s going to want you to come into the bakery super early to help her. You can take my SUV whenever you need it rather than sit at a bus stop that early in the morning.”
“You’d let me drive your truck?”
Gabriel nodded.
“What are you going to drive?”
“I’ve got a bike in storage. If the weather’s bad, I’ll call a ride share.”
A visual of Gabriel wearing skin-tight bike shorts and a helmet, pedaling his bicycle to the shop, popped into his mind.
“What’s got you smiling?” Gabriel signed with a teasing glint in his eye.
“I’m picturing you riding a bicycle.”
Gabriel slowly leaned forward. With equally slow, seductive movements of his hands, he signed two short sentences. “Not that kind of bike. It’s a motorcycle.”
The smile slid off Ben’s face. How the hell did I get that wrong? That was an entirely different visual and a whole heck of a lot of fantasies rolled into one image. His pulse spiked up a notch. They stared at each other, the glint in Gabriel’s eyes letting him know he knew exactly where Ben’s mind had gone. Ben finally breathed when Gabriel glanced to his side at the guard and broke the trance.
Ben missed whatever the man had initially said but caught enough to read the tail end of his sentence that everything was set up in the system. The guard looked up at Ben and handed him his license and a card.
“This is your resident access keycard,” the guard said, waiting for Gabriel to interpret his words before he continued. “This key gives you access to all the floors. If there’s ever a problem with the card not working, don’t go to the front desk. They can only configure room keys. Come here and we’ll immediately get it corrected. We have your photo in our system, so you won’t need to show your ID again.”
He smiled and nodded a thanks, tucking away the license and card into his wallet.
Gabriel stilled him with a hand to his waist. “Don’t put your access card away. You’re going to need it. You’re getting a quick tour of the hotel before we go up.” With a final goodbye to the guards, Gabriel led them out of the office and back into the hotel’s lobby. They walked past the casual eatery, grab-and-go deli, and the more expensive reservation-required restaurant that only opened in the evening.
“You need your card to access the pools. Go ahead and swipe it.”
Ben swiped his card and pushed open the door to the rear of the hotel. His eyes widened at the sight, taking it all in. A small kiddie pool to his left had a slide and a handful of parents watching over their children as they jumped around in the water. A whirlpool to his far right was large and raised on a platform, surrounded by palm trees, offering the adults a little privacy. But the large pool serving as the centerpiece was the showstopper. It was long and wide in the center, then curved into man-made caves and large slides on each side. Waterfalls flowed from a high-level, shallow sunbathing pool into the main level below. And off in the distance, beyond the beautiful pools, was the endless, gorgeous ocean fading into the horizon.
“It’s beautiful,” he signed.
Gabriel nodded. “Sometimes, I like to come out here just to relax. Even if I don’t go in the water.”
People watching. Ben smiled up at Gabriel. They both shared the same habit, but Gabriel had mastered the skill of not staring when observing others.
“Beach access is through that door over there.” He followed the line of sight as Gabriel stopped signing to point out the access doors in the distance. “You need your card to get in and out. Staff will set you up with a chair and an umbrella if you want.”
Ben nodded. “You’re spoiling me.”
“The hotel is. But I want to.”
Ben stared at him, his chest heaving with each breath.
“C’mon. Let’s get out of this heat.” Gabriel led them back through the lobby toward the bank of elevators, his hand planted at the small of Ben’s back.
Ben used his card on the panel as Gabriel instructed, but they stopped at a different floor on their way up. “Gym’s on this floor.” They stepped out and Ben swiped his card on the door, pushing it open to a large room full of exercise equipment to satisfy every possible physical routine he could imagine. Definitely getting spoiled.
A woman stepped off the treadmill, wearing a tank top and knee-length tight shorts. She waved toward them and smiled. “Hi, Bull!”
Ben wasn’t one for jealousy, but he wouldn’t deny tightening his hold on the keycard in his hand.
“Hi, Katie,” Gabriel said as he signed. “Not your usual workout schedule.”
“Checking out early. Flying out tonight for a meeting. I thought I’d sneak in a quick workout before leaving.” She glanced over toward Ben as Gabriel introduced him. She smiled, her shiny ponytail bouncing with each head bob. “I finally get to meet the mystery man,” she said, extending her hand in greeting.
Ben repeatedly blinked, taken by surprise by her comment. Maybe he had read her lips wrong. He smiled and shook her hand, staring at her as she turned back toward Gabriel for a quick goodbye before heading out of the gym with a wave and another smile.
Ben’s heart throbbed a fevered beat.
He jolted at Gabriel’s hand on his waist. “She’s the PR person for her company and stays here a week out of the month to visit the Miami branch.” He stopped signing and fr
owned, scanning Ben’s features. “Are you okay?”
“You talk about me?”
Gabriel nodded and gave him an almost shy smile. “All the time.” His eyebrows twitched. “Is something wrong?”
Ben shook his head. His sister hadn’t ever talked to her friends about him or ever introduced him as her little brother. His own supposed friends had always kept a tight circle. He recalled the time they left him behind, alone at the house they shared, while they went to a beach bonfire with others.
There were many memories he wished he could wipe from his mind. His eyes burned with each recollection of being hidden, ignored, used…
Forgotten.
It was amazing how his time in prison had brought clarity, finally allowing him to see his memories for what they were, not colored by what he had hoped they would have been. He had poured every ounce of effort into being the best friend and brother he could be. He refused to inconvenience those around him. Yes had always been his go-to answer, wanting to bring a smile to someone’s face. He was kind at all costs. Helpful.
The nice guy.
His reward? The championship title of scapegoat and fool, hidden away until he was useful.
“Treat others as you want to be treated.” His mother’s mantra had been his rule of life.
He wanted to feel relevant. Included.
He wanted to be seen and treated as an equal.
A graze of fingertips to his temple made Ben gasp.
“You’re scaring me.”
He stared into those rich brown eyes filled with worry, his pulse galloping with the swell of emotions in his chest. Gabriel bragged about Ben’s cake creations at the shop and declared himself taken to those customers who flirted with him. The staff had known who Ben was before setting foot in the hotel that very first day. And when he had walked through those same doors today, none of them batted an eyelash at the fact that Ben would be moving in. Gabriel hadn’t shied away from holding his hand or touching him when they had walked into the hotel. He had stood straighter, smiled more, almost as if he were proud to be with him.
He couldn’t rationalize it away or dismiss it. It was so clear… Those tiny, casual gestures were profound declarations yelled loud and proud. It was in Gabriel’s smile, his touch, the way he looked at him. In those rich brown eyes, Ben was someone important.
Cherished.
Never to be hidden away.
“Let’s go upstairs,” Ben signed. The concern in Gabriel’s expression deepened as he cataloged every micro-expression in Ben’s features.
Ben fisted the material of Gabriel’s T-shirt and leaned forward, capturing Gabriel’s mouth in a passionate kiss he hoped would convey everything he felt and wanted to do in that moment. He slowly swiped his tongue one last time along Gabriel’s bottom lip before stepping back and releasing the fabric in his hand so he could sign, “Now. Please.”
Gabriel’s pupils dilated and his nostrils flared, the message obviously received loud and clear.
Ben jerked forward when Gabriel grabbed his hand and pulled him in his wake toward the elevators. He bit back a smile, thankful Gabriel was as excited as he was to finally be alone.
= ♥ =
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon…
Alone and with plenty of space in the seven-by-seven elevator car, they still gravitated toward the back corner, their bodies flush against each other. Bull peeked up at the surveillance camera, imagining Kenny and Henry laughing as they watched them on the live feed, waiting for Bull to lose his shit and jump Ben right then and there.
It wouldn’t take much. He was barely keeping it together. He closed his eyes and swallowed heavily when Ben leaned his head back and exhaled, subtly pressing his round ass against Bull’s growing hard-on.
It was too easy. A slight dip of his head and he could easily capture those waiting lips.
The doors slid open, and Ben darted out, rushing toward their door. They nearly toppled over each other as Ben swiped the keycard and entered the penthouse. Bull spun on his heel trying to tamp down the need thrumming through his body. “Do you want to unpack first or—”
He stumbled backward when Ben threw himself into his arms and smashed their lips together in a heated kiss. Quickly recovering, Bull gripped Ben’s ass, hefted him in his arms, and steered them toward the bedroom.
Their bedroom.
Fumbling his way toward the bed, he set Ben on the mattress, mentally fist-bumping at Ben’s groaned protest when he tore himself from the kiss. He raised a single finger, signaling Ben to give him a minute. Racing into the bathroom, he moved as quickly as possible, grabbing a few towels to avoid getting out of bed later. Returning to the room, he adjusted the dimmer light switch enough to allow for any lipreading and signs exchanged between them but not enough to have to get up again if they chose to stay in bed.
“Is that good?”
Ben nodded and crooked his finger in a come here motion. He stepped forward as Ben yanked the T-shirt off over his head and kicked off his pants and underwear in a single sweeping motion, pitching everything to the side. Keeping his eyes pinned on Ben, Bull fisted the fabric in the middle of his back and slowly pulled the T-shirt off over his head. He undid the button of his jeans and lowered his zipper as he toed off his shoes, stopping when Ben sat up on the bed and knee-walked over to where he stood. With a yank to the waistband of his jeans, Ben pulled him forward and captured his mouth in a fiery kiss.
He moaned as Ben’s tongue slid inside, exploring and tasting, tentative at first, then growing in demand. The unexpected grip on his ass had him growling into the kiss. He cupped Ben’s face, loving the confident side of Ben shining through and taking control.
Needing air, he broke away, their breaths mingling in heavy gusts between them.
Ben inched back enough to sign. “Get on the bed.”
Bull arched an eyebrow, surprised by Ben’s assertiveness. A shove to his chest jump-started him into action. He stripped off the rest of his clothes and settled on the bed, sitting up against the headboard, waiting for Ben’s next command.
They stared at each other, a flicker of hesitation flashing in Ben’s eyes.
“Don’t stop now,” Bull signed. He reached over into the top drawer of the nightstand, tossing the lube and box of condoms onto the bed. “As long as it’s what you want.”
Naked and waiting, Bull’s chest heaved with each deep breath as Ben’s gaze swept his entire body, one painfully slow inch at a time. The breath caught in his throat when Ben’s firm hands slid down his torso. He arched into Ben’s touch, chasing the contact, stilling when a steady hand landed on his hip.
Any protest died the moment Ben took him into his mouth with a single swallow. He threw his head back, fighting for control, biting into his bottom lip so hard he swore he tasted the coppery tang in his mouth. His heartbeat pounded with each rhythmic tug, each pull harder and more desperate than the one before.
The wet heat and the tightening pressure around him almost too much. He reached out, twisting his fingers in Ben’s hair, holding him as his hips thrusted forward of their own accord.
Once.
Twice.
The climax zipped through his system like a crashing bolt of lightning, sending a flash of white heat through his senses, numbing him as he spilled his release into Ben’s waiting mouth.
He was weightless as the air whooshed in and out through his parted lips. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear. His jaw slackened as he tried to breathe.
Tiny pinpricks slowly awakened his skin, tingling his body back to life. Swallowing heavily, he repeatedly blinked, willing his vision to focus. Kisses pressed to his lower stomach made him twitch. He reached for Ben, pulling him up onto his body, needing to hold him close. Ben hovered over him, carefully watching him for a few beats before leaning forward and sealing their mouths in a kiss.
Something primitive inside him sang a victory song when he tasted himself on Ben’s tongue. He reached over and grabbed the lube, barely able to funct
ion as Ben short-circuited every brain cell with his kiss. Bull dipped one lubed finger inside Ben, then another, slowly stretching him. He groaned when Ben widened his legs, giving him more space, kissing him harder and deeper as he pushed back onto Bull’s hand.
With more lube on his fingers, Bull stretched, teased, and searched for that secret spot as his other hand kneaded the flesh of Ben’s ass cheek.
He stopped when Ben pulled away. His lips were kiss-swollen and dark, his face flush with color. But there was something in those green eyes—a question mixed with hesitation—before he looked away. Bull captured Ben’s chin, refusing to let him shy away from the intimacy and needing to read the subtle cues in Ben’s expression. He waited for that green gaze to make contact again. “Don’t hide. I already told you I’m fine with anything you want,” he said.
Ben folded his bottom lip into his mouth, looking off to the side as if lost in thought. After a few seconds, Ben gave him a firm nod and pushed off Bull’s chest, straddling him with an intense look of determination on his face. He reached over and grabbed the box of condoms. Glancing at Bull, he shook his head and set the box on the nightstand.
“Are you sure?” Bull signed.
Ben nodded. “I want to feel you. Just you,” he signed. He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Bull’s lips. “Is that okay?”
He nodded, enthralled by the sudden confidence in Ben’s squared shoulders. Without moving a single inch, he waited as Ben grabbed the lube and squeezed some onto his own hands. He inhaled sharply when Ben reached for him and grabbed his hard-on, coating every inch of him and then some.
Ben peeked up at him, biting his lip to hide a smile, but nothing could disguise the hint of daring mischief in his eyes.
“My balls don’t need to be slicked up,” Bull said.
Ben shrugged in response, tugged his balls, and gave his stiff dick another pull.
Tease. With a blissed-out sigh, Bull sat back, closing his eyes and trying to level his breathing. He wanted Ben to feel comfortable, confident in taking control when he wanted. But Ben’s methodical stroking had him horny as hell and barely balancing on the edge of sanity. He opened his eyes when Ben stopped tortuously stroking him. After a quick wipe of his hands, Ben crawled up his body.