Jack

by A M Snead

  Gideon continued, regaining Jack’s attention. “During the full shoot, in here, you will blow each other, do some ass play, but stop short of actual sex. We’ll take it outside, you guys can play with the hose, cool each other off after getting all hot and sweaty in here, and then…” He smiled. “Take it from there.”

  “So, we don’t get to play in the hose today?” Derek shook his head. “Damn.”

  “Suck it up,” Gideon chuffed.

  Derek scratched his temple. “Oh, I plan to.”

  “Today,” Gideon said, making a point of ignoring Derek’s comment and causing Jack and Zachary to snicker. “We will do a clip of the scene where Zach wins the game, and you”—he looked at Derek—“and Jack have to make good on the bet. The scene will begin with Zach laying down his pool stick and saying ‘I win,’ then he will unfasten his pants and tell the two of you to pay up.”

  Derek grinned. “And we will. Because, Jack and I”—he reached out and snaked his arm around Jack’s neck, tugging him close—“we believe in paying our debts, don’t we, baby?” He kissed Jack’s head firmly.

  “I do try to stay out of the red.” Jack nodded.

  The anxiety of his phone call with his dad, as well as the lingering effects of Garrett’s kiss from earlier that morning, had Jack more than ready to dive into another role as he’d done with Lucas, and for a short while forget about everything that continually seemed to knot his gut and twist his heart.

  ♥

  “I didn’t tell.”

  Scotty jumped, splashing tea over the rim of his glass and onto the counter. He swore quietly and set the tea pitcher on the counter top and grabbed a towel, glancing toward the kitchen doorway. Mickey stood rigid, hands at his sides, flexed anxiously. Fear watered his eyes.

  “I didn’t tell Bailey anything,” Mickey said quietly, voice unsteady.

  Wiping up the mess, Scotty nodded. “I believe you,” he mumbled. And he did. Mickey wouldn’t risk Marcus’ safety for anything. But it didn’t really matter what Scotty believed.

  “Do you?” Mickey trembled.

  Scotty looked up. He understood Mickey’s fear. It was a fear he himself was beginning to feel. “Yes,” he whispered.

  “I love Marcus,” Mickey said thickly, tears welling. “Please don’t…don’t let him hurt Marcus. I know you don’t want him to be hurt.”

  “I don’t,” Scotty murmured. He looked away and continued to wipe the counter though the tea was cleaned up. “But…he doesn’t listen to me.”

  Mickey hugged himself. “Why…why don’t you ask anyone for help? Tell someone?”

  “No!” Scotty turned on him suddenly, startling Mickey. Tears burned in Scotty’s eyes. “I don’t need help. He…he loves me. He does.” He sniffed and wiped at his face and looked away again. “Just don’t say anything to anyone, Mickey,” he choked softly. “Marcus will be okay if you just stay quiet.”

  Swallowing thickly, Mickey whispered, “Are you sure?”

  Scotty stared at the counter, the soiled towel, his vision blurring. He wanted to believe it was true, but he’d seen the coldness in the man’s eyes when he’d made his threat to Mickey, the way he’d squeezed Mickey’s throat as if he could’ve just kept squeezing until…

  A tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it away quickly. “Just…just don’t tell.”

  “I won’t.” Mickey trembled, and Scotty looked at him as he stepped out of the doorway. His soft, frightened eyes grabbed Scotty’s stare. “People who love you, Scotty…they help you. They don’t hurt you.”

  His face swam before Scotty and then he walked away.

  He loves me. He does.

  The words were losing their meaning…becoming empty.

  ♥

  “I win.” Zachary smiled triumphantly and laid the pool stick on the table then turned and faced Jack and Derek. Both held their sticks upright, handles resting against the floor. Their eyes followed Zach’s fingers as he popped loose the snap of his pants. “Time to pay up.”

  Derek sighed and lightly tossed the cue stick on the table alongside Zachary’s. Jack followed his lead, getting rid of his own stick as Zach approached them, sliding down his zipper. Without a word, Derek knelt before Zach and hooked his fingers in the front of his open trousers and tugged them a little lower but not yet freeing Zach’s cock. He leaned in and kissed Zachary’s stomach, twirled the tip of his tongue around and inside Zach’s navel, causing the guy’s ab muscles to flex and quiver.

  Wearing no briefs, it was easy to see that Zach was smooth-shaven down below, all his skin blemish-free and so wonderfully lickable. Jack moved around behind him and pushed up close against his ass. He lifted the young man’s shirt up over his head and tossed it on the pool table then rubbed his hands down Zachary’s perfect back, his skin as soft as satin on Jack’s lips as he laid kisses down his spine. Jack sank to his knees, his hands curved around the boy’s slim hips where his pants hung loosely, slid down enough to expose the beginning crease of his ass. Moaning softly, Jack teased the top of his crack with the tip of his tongue, wriggling it down deeper between Zach’s cheeks.

  “Fuck.” Zach sucked in a sharp breath, his lovely body curving with pleasure.

  Together, Jack and Derek slid Zach’s pants off his hips and down his thighs, leaving them in place just above his knees.

  “Fuck, baby,” Jack whispered and smoothed his palms over Zach’s firm cheeks. “You have a truly beautiful ass.” He caressed Zach’s legs and kissed his thighs, watching as Derek took the guy’s stiff cock in hand and licked it from base to tip, again and again. Zach moaned and panted and clutched Derek’s hair, his hips swaying gently, wantonly, his body language begging Derek to swallow his cock.

  “Mmm…” Derek moaned as he dragged his full tongue up the underside of Zach’s shaft. Zach twitched, his breath shuddering. Jack shuddered, too, salivating for a taste of that cock—as perfect as the rest of the guy. But his ass was too delicious to abandon just yet.

  Jack spread his cheeks and slid his tongue along the full length of the crease as Derek had done on his cock. Together, they licked him—front and back—until Zachary was trembling, one hand gripping Derek’s head, the other reached around behind him, clutching Jack.

  “Fuck…yes…”

  Wetting his hole with saliva, Jack tongued him as Derek wrapped his lips around Zach’s cock head and sucked. Zach gasped.

  “You taste so good,” Jack moaned and prodded his hole.

  “Uuh!” Zachary cried and released Derek’s head, grabbing the edge of the pool table.

  Derek stood up and motioned Jack up on his feet as well, then grabbed Zach by the waist and lifted him up onto the table. Jack tugged Zachary’s pants off the rest of the way as Derek moved the pool sticks and laid Zach down. Derek peeled off his own shirt and opened his pants, reaching down inside with one hand while he wrapped the other around Zach’s cock and stroked.

  The bulge in Derek’s pants tempted Jack and he quickly removed his shirt and unfastened his pants as well. When Derek dropped his mouth on Zach’s cock and sucked him eagerly, Jack was hit with the memory flash of Garrett sucking Lucas on this very table. Jack forced the image from his mind and joined Derek, each taking turns at Zach while they fondled one another, working their cocks free and giving each other hand jobs as they alternated blowing Zach.

  “Oh fuck!” Zach clutched the edge of the table above his head and lifted his hips, fucking their mouths.

  Jack raised Zachary’s right leg and rested his foot on the table and kissed and licked all along his inner thigh and down to his balls as Derek took another turn sucking the guy. When Derek came up for air, he dropped to his knees and engulfed Jack’s cock, positioned between Jack and the table as Jack enthusiastically worked his mouth on Zachary’s member. Jack held Derek’s head with one hand, pumping his mouth, moaning and panting around Zach’s cock, feeling the tightness in his balls. He knew Rich would call it quits before any of them blew their wads—so he could only hope that
the three of them would have their little “after-party” like the one with Lucas.

  As predicted, Rich called Cut! just when they were all three nearing their bursting point. Jack and Derek laboriously stuffed their rigid members back in their pants while Zachary remained motionless on the table, panting, his cock stiff and dribbling clear droplets onto his stomach. Jack longed to lick it off his perfectly sculpted muscles but restrained himself.

  “That was fantastic,” Gideon praised. “You boys mesh very well.”

  Derek chuckled and wiped his damp face. “We ain’t even begun to mesh.”

  “Oh, I know,” Gideon laughed lightly. He touched Jack’s shoulder. “Be sure and get some rest. You have your scene tomorrow with Garrett. Then we’ll take a short break before we begin the pool skit. I’ll try to give you a day or two between the pool skit and the Friends shoot on Friday.”

  “Yes, you will need lots of rest for our full shoot.” Derek nodded and winked.

  Zachary pushed up on his elbows, his hard cock bumping against his firm stomach as he shifted his body. “Yes, Jack,” he said, breath unsteady. “We need you cocked and ready to go.” He grinned.

  Surveying his gorgeous body, Jack nodded slowly and smiled. “No worries there,” he groaned.

  “Great.” Zach sat forward and hopped off the table. “So…who wants to take a shower with me and wash my…” He flicked an eyebrow.

  “Me!” Jack and Derek called in unison.

  Zach licked his lips, smiling. “I do believe there is room for you both.”

  “Let’s hope so.” Derek winked. He looked at Gideon. “Are we free to go?”

  “Go on,” Gideon chuckled.

  Zach slipped back into his pants and the three of them headed out of the rec room. Just outside the doorway, they encountered Garrett walking their way. “Ah, baby.” Derek clucked his tongue. “You missed the show. At least the one in there.” He grinned. “But you’re more than welcome to join our private show.”

  The air was suddenly static with tension as Jack did his best to appear unaffected by Garrett’s presence. If he was going to get through their scene tomorrow, he had to be able to keep his cool around the guy, stay in control. All his “determination” wavered under the weight of Garrett’s stare, though. Jack refused to look away, show weakness.

  “No, thanks,” Garrett said dryly.

  “Suit yourself.” Derek flung his arms around Jack and Zachary. “More hot boy flesh for me.”

  Garrett grunted and moved on past them.

  At the staircase, Jack chanced a glance back and discovered the man lingering in the doorway of the rec room, watching them. As soon as Jack spotted him, Garrett turned away and entered the room, disappearing from view.

  Jack’s heart pounded wildly, and he didn’t really know why. At the top of the stairs, he hesitated when they started for Zach’s bedroom. “Uh…” Jack held back, lips tight. “I think maybe I’ll skip the shower.”

  “What?” Zachary looked truly disappointed. “Seriously? And I thought you liked me.”

  Jack chuckled and shook his head. “Oh, trust me, I like you. It’s just…” He absently glanced back down the stairs then wished he hadn’t as the two men looked at him knowingly. Fuck, he hadn’t meant to imply he was backing out because of Garrett.

  “It’s cool.” Derek smiled. “You can make it up to us during our shoot.”

  Jack laughed softly. “Absolutely.”

  49 “The Faint Of Heart”

  The air at the dinner table crackled with unusual tension. The expected strain was present between Garrett and Jack, but that wasn’t what had Gideon on edge; it was his other boys. Especially Mickey and Marcus. The twins were acting far from their typical bubbly selves while the usually outgoing Bailey sat quietly beside Lucas without joining in the banter that Lucas swapped with Derek, Zachary, and some of the other boys. Even Scotty seemed extra sullen.

  Gideon studied the boys discreetly, his gaze settling on the twins. It wasn’t that Marcus didn’t seem himself, but rather appeared concerned about Mickey as his eyes continually jumped to the other boy. Mickey cast an occasional look at Bailey who sat across from him, but the glances were fleeting, even anxious.

  Something was going on in his house, right under his nose—and Gideon didn’t like it. Not when it felt more serious than mere “relationship” issues. He was getting a very bad feeling in his gut.

  As always, Scotty sat to his left, the same chair every night. The others had no “designated” seating arrangement, but Scotty chose the same place each time. Gideon never really ceased worrying about Scotty, and since Jack showed up, he worried about him even more. Tonight, he wore a long-sleeve t-shirt, and that gave additional cause for concern. Scotty’s typical wear was short-sleeve T’s. Unless the weather was cold, the only time he covered his arms was when…

  God, please…not again. I can’t take this stress. Just show me how to help him. Better yet—please just heal whatever is broken inside him. He can’t go on this way.

  “You okay, pops?” Lucas was looking at him. His words and tone were light, playful, but his eyes serious.

  “Yeah.” Gideon smiled. Lucas nodded, a glimmer of doubt in his gaze, but he didn’t push it and went back to talking with the boys. Gideon sighed then cleared his throat and gently nudged Scotty’s arm. “Hey, kiddo,” he said quietly. “After dinner, you feel up to a game of checkers?” He chuckled softly. “I’m getting better. I might even be able to win a game or two nowadays.” After Marcus and before Garrett, Gideon and Scotty used to play checkers every evening. It seemed to help Scotty deal with Marcus’ absence, and brought him and Gideon closer. But after Garrett, Scotty pulled away from everyone, including Gideon.

  Scotty looked at him, startled by Gideon’s suggestion. They hadn’t played in a very long time. A soft, joyful glow lit up his eyes for a split second, then died a quick death as he glanced away. “I don’t really feel like playing,” he mumbled, a notable thickness in his voice.

  “Come on,” Gideon urged gently. “Humor an old man. I miss our evening checker games.”

  The lights of the dining room glimmered in Scotty’s wet eyes as the boy looked up from his plate and met Gideon’s gaze. His throat worked, and he whispered, “So do I.”

  “So, what do you say?”

  His lips tight, Scotty hesitated then nodded.

  “Wonderful.” Gideon smiled and rubbed his hand over Scotty’s hair with affection. A small smile played at the corner of Scotty’s mouth. And though it didn’t quite capture his lips…it was something.

  ♥

  “So, I was thinking…” Lucas dropped down on the sofa next to Jack and draped his arm around his shoulders. “For our skit, we should go all out.”

  The sofa was set against the wall to the left of the pool table in the rec room. At the table, Chase and Zachary were playing a game of eight-ball. The twins had followed the rest of them into the room, but were unusually quiet, just watching the game and keeping to themselves.

  “What do you mean?” Jack asked, his eyes, and mind, on Mickey and Marcus; something was seriously off with them and it worried Jack.

  “Treat it like an actual movie,” he said. “Pick character names and such.” He grinned. “What do you want your hot boy name to be?”

  Jack slowly shifted his gaze from the twins to Lucas. “I have no idea,” he laughed quietly.

  “I think I’ll call myself Lance.” Lucas pumped his hips and chuckled. “You know how those cheesy romance novels calls a man’s cock a lance?” He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows. “What do you think, Jack? Want Lance to impale you?”

  “I think that’s what he’s counting on,” Derek joined in, taking the place on the opposite side of Jack. He squeezed Jack’s thigh. “Right?”

  “Yeah, you could say that.”

  Lucas laughed. “That’s a given, baby. So, pick a name.”

  After thinking about it a moment, Jack smiled. “I don’t want some cheesy porn star name.
I want a cowboy name. Like…Austin. Or Zane.”

  “Well, now…” Lucas stretched and smirked. “You take a cowboy name…you have to live up to it. Cowboys ride hard.” He palmed himself and cocked an eyebrow. “Think you can handle this stallion?”

  “Shit,” Derek chuffed. “Jack will ride you into the ground.”

  There was certain appeal in that statement, causing a pleasant shiver to race down through Jack’s crotch. Derek’s hand was still on his thigh, rubbing slowly back and forth, his fingertips occasionally brushing Jack’s growing bulge. His eyes jumped to Zachary as the guy bent over the pool table to take a shot, his lovely ass encased in his tight, clinging pants. Jack was regretting not joining them in the shower. And why hadn’t he? Had it been because of Garrett? That didn’t really make sense to Jack. If anything, seeing Garrett when he did should have made him more determined to go with them, rather than back out.

  Garrett had disappeared immediately following dinner. It was hardly a mystery why he hadn’t come to the rec room with the others; he didn’t want anything to do with Jack. So, let him go stew in his juices. He isn’t your problem. All this shit is his fault. He has no cause to be pissed. Was the guy so put out because Jack wasn’t falling at his feet and begging Garrett to take him back? Was he so used to Scotty’s infatuation that he couldn’t fathom someone getting over him? Well, fuck you, baby, I’m over you. I’ll crawl to my grave before I come crawling back to you.

  “Hey.” Lucas nudged him. “Why the solemn face all of a sudden?”

  As if he would admit to thoughts of Garrett—even bitter thoughts. He went for a different truth as his gaze touched on the twins once more. “Have you noticed the twins acting strange tonight?”

  Derek and Lucas looked at the two boys. Marcus pressed against Mickey, his arms around his body, holding tight. Mickey’s brow pinched in tension and he seemed to almost clutch Marcus in a desperate embrace.