When All the World Sleeps

by J. A. Rock

  You mean that? God, please don’t say it if you don’t mean it.

  “Okay,” he said, releasing her. “I . . .” He stopped, his momentary joy dissolving. “I don’t know your email.”

  Don’t know how to contact my own sister.

  “Oh.” She smiled awkwardly. “Right. Give me your phone.”

  He handed her his phone and watched her type.

  “There you go,” she said. “Number and email.”

  “Thanks.” He took the phone back.

  He sat in the car and watched as she walked inside. Some things in his life were broken beyond repair. Other things, well maybe they weren’t in as many pieces as he thought. Maybe some things were actually starting to come together.

  He got out his phone. Read Bel’s texts and looked up, through the windshield, at the light from the Shack and the dark road beyond.

  Things were definitely coming together.

  He texted a reply and headed for the orchard.

  * * *

  Bel’s phone buzzed.

  He’d gotten back a :)

  What the fuck did that mean? Was Daniel coming or not?

  Took twenty minutes for an answer to that—twenty minutes for Daniel to arrive at the orchard, which probably meant he’d sped. Bel made a mental note to look out for Daniel’s car in town over the next few days and to pull him over if he saw him. Just for kicks.

  Bel’s cock showed considerable interest in Daniel’s arrival. Bel had to remind himself to let Daniel make the first move, if there were moves to be made.

  Daniel looked all right when he got out of his car. Walked over, knelt at the base of the tree, and kissed Bel, which got Bel’s cock all the harder.

  “You have an okay time?” Bel asked.

  “Actually, yeah.”

  When Daniel didn’t elaborate, Bel’s bizarre jealousy returned. Would it have killed Daniel to fill him in? “No one gave you trouble?”

  Daniel shook his head and scooted closer. There wasn’t enough room against the tree trunk for both of them, so Daniel leaned on Bel. “Mom was a little awkward. Dad was okay. It was funny, though—my parents had a hell of a time getting Casey to visit. She’d already celebrated her birthday with her Charleston friends and wanted that to be it. I kept wanting to shake her—you know how lucky you are? Don’t know if my folks will ever celebrate my birthday again.”

  Daniel didn’t say it like he was sorry for himself. In fact, the way he was talking, he sounded more animated than Bel had heard him in a while. Maybe ever.

  “But we talked a bit. So, it was okay.”

  “That’s good,” Bel said. His jealousy dissipated, and he shook his head, trying to clear the memory of what the guys at Greenducks had said. Bel loved Daniel like this—stable, lively, unafraid. He’d been here all of three minutes and Bel already felt calmer, more anchored. There was something about Daniel that did that—brought all the scattered parts of Bel’s mind together. A beautiful, quiet energy that was even more perfect because it came from a place Daniel didn’t control.

  Same place that had killed Kenny Cooper. Same place that made those drawings.

  “What’d you do?” Daniel asked him.

  “Had a beer then came out here to sit.”

  “Pretty out tonight.”

  “You’re prettier.” Bel bumped Daniel with his shoulder. He felt lame saying it, but he liked teasing Daniel. And besides, it was true.

  Daniel laughed. “Aw, come on. Big tough guy like you doesn’t want a pretty boy.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Say I’m handsome or something.”

  “You are. Handsome and pretty both.”

  Daniel snorted. “Yeah right.”

  “You callin’ me a liar? I’d hate to go all tough guy on you.”

  “I’d like it.”

  “Would you?” Bel checked him hard with his shoulder, and Daniel fell sideways. Had to put an arm down to catch himself.

  “Jerk!”

  Bel grinned and leaned over, pushing Daniel to the ground. He got on all fours, his hands on either side of Daniel’s head, pinning him.

  Daniel made a pretty pathetic show of struggling. He raised one leg as if to kick Bel, and instead rubbed his knee over Bel’s groin. Bel swooped down to kiss him, refusing to give Daniel even a second to breathe. Daniel kept thrusting his tongue into Bel’s mouth, so Bel finally caught it between his lips and sucked hard on it. Daniel was panting when Bel was through. Bel sat back on his heels and undid his belt.

  “Roll over,” he said.

  “Make me,” Daniel whispered.

  Bel hesitated. Stared at Daniel’s face in the darkness and read the expression there. Made sure they were on the same page, his belly tightening with anticipation when he saw they were. Then he moved. He took hold of Daniel and tried to roll him, but Daniel wouldn’t budge. On an impulse, Bel grabbed the front of Daniel’s pants. The jeans were loose enough that it took Bel a minute to find Daniel’s balls through the denim, but he did, and he gripped them tightly.

  Daniel hissed.

  “Roll over, boy,” Bel said. Roll over, boy who’s got four years on me. Bel liked saying it, though.

  Daniel tried to clamp his knees around Bel’s arm. Bel squeezed his balls tighter.

  “Roll over, or I’ll make you jerk me off, and I won’t fuck you, and you won’t come.”

  “Oh, come on,” Daniel said, voice strained.

  Bel gave Daniel’s balls a little more pressure. Daniel gasped. Shut his eyes and writhed.

  “Okay . . . okay . . . Bel.”

  Bel let go.

  “You asshole,” Daniel muttered as he started to roll onto his stomach.

  Bel flipped him the rest of the way. Leaned down, still straddling Daniel, and said into his ear, “I’ll remember that.” He slid one hand behind him and patted Daniel’s ass. “I’ll remember that when I’m deciding how long, and how hard, and how raw to fuck you.”

  Daniel’s breathing was so rough it made Bel wild. He wanted to hear Daniel struggling for breath, choking on what little air he managed to draw. “Good,” Daniel whispered defiantly.

  Bel lifted off Daniel a little so he could reach under him and undo his pants. He turned so he was still straddling Daniel but facing his feet, and then pushed Daniel’s jeans down to his ankles. Daniel helpfully kicked them the rest of the way off. He wore gray briefs instead of his usual boxers. Bel stroked his ass through the cotton. “Looking good, Daniel.”

  Daniel squirmed under him.

  Bel finished removing his belt, letting Daniel hear it jingle as he pulled it through the loops. He was pretty sure Daniel stopped breathing. He climbed off Daniel and got to his feet. “C’mon.” He grabbed Daniel’s ankles and pulled him back until his legs were on either side of the thin trunk of the apple tree.

  “What’re you doing, Bel?” Daniel’s voice was thick, his breath coming in sharp gulps.

  “Making sure you stay put.” Bel reached around the tree and pulled Daniel’s ankles together. Used his belt to bind them. It was harder than he’d figured—not much light, and the leather was thick and didn’t tie easy. But he got it good enough that Daniel wasn’t going anywhere. Daniel kicked the ground, and Bel slapped his ass, pleased when Daniel bucked.

  He moved in front of Daniel and pulled Daniel’s shirt over his head. Now he was naked except for his underwear, his legs tied around the tree trunk. His breath moved his whole body, and he was digging his fingers into the earth. Bel placed his fingertips at the small of Daniel’s back, then dragged them down to tease at the elastic of Daniel’s briefs.

  “Gonna fuck you right out here in the middle of nowhere,” Bel said.

  Daniel wriggled against the ground. “Yes.”

  Bel took a condom out of his pocket. “You’re gonna feel it for days. And you’re gonna remember this.”

  Bel wasn’t quite sure Daniel’s reply was a word. It sounded like “yeah,” but it also sounded like a whimper and a gasp together.
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br />   Bel undid his pants and pushed them to his thighs. Didn’t put the condom on yet. He hooked his fingers in Daniel’s waistband and tugged his briefs down, exposing that taut, muscular ass. He slid them as far as they’d go down Daniel’s legs before he hit the tree trunk.

  “Get your legs as far apart as you can.”

  Between the belt and the briefs, that wasn’t very far, but Daniel made a good effort, bending his knees awkwardly so he could open himself for Bel. Bel leaned over and parted Daniel’s cheeks with one hand. He bent closer, gathering saliva in his mouth, and then he spat. It fell in one long string, landing just above Daniel’s hole and dribbling down. Daniel arched his back, pushing his ass up as Bel spit again.

  Bel trailed a finger through the wetness. When he reached Daniel’s hole, he slipped inside. Daniel grunted and clenched around him. Bel added a second finger almost immediately. Heard the catch of Daniel’s breath. He played for a while, not actively searching for Daniel’s prostate, but finding it just often enough to keep Daniel whimpering. Mostly he worked on stretching Daniel, and when Daniel felt relaxed enough, he added a third finger.

  “Please, I don’t need this,” Daniel whispered. “I can take your cock. Please.”

  “You don’t like this?” Bel thrust hard with his fingers.

  “Ah! No, I do, I just—need you.”

  “This is me, Daniel.” Bel thrust again. “You know, we really got to do something to help you remember who’s in charge.”

  “Sorry, Bel,” Daniel mumbled, the words almost lost against the ground.

  “You say that. But next time you want my cock up your ass so bad you can’t stand it, you’re gonna beg, aren’t you? You’re gonna try to tell me what to do.”

  He skimmed Daniel’s prostate. Daniel jerked. “I won’t! I promise, Bel. I’ll listen.”

  Bel pressed the tip of his pinky against Daniel’s entrance. “Gonna do four now. Breathe.”

  Daniel groaned as Bel pushed the fourth finger in. Bel felt Daniel’s muscles spasming, the damp heat of him. Reveled in his sounds of arousal and frustration.

  “’Bout half my hand inside of you.” Bel was trying to formulate a plan for the rest of the night, though it was pretty hard to concentrate with Daniel writhing and moaning, and Bel’s cock nudging through the slit in his underwear.

  “How hard do you like it, Daniel?”

  Daniel hesitated. “Um . . . up to you?”

  That wouldn’t do. Wasn’t what Bel had meant by Daniel needing to let Bel be in charge. “When I ask you a question, I want the truth.” Bel rubbed Daniel’s prostate and spread all four fingers as far as he could, pushing against the walls of muscle. Daniel cried out, hips coming off the ground.

  “Hard, Bel. I like it hard. Please.” Daniel’s voice was ragged with need.

  Bel fucked Daniel harder, then harder still when a plea met every thrust. Amazing, to look down and see Daniel stretched around his fingers. He liked the moonlight on Daniel’s skin too—a good look for him. The fabric of Daniel’s briefs strained as Daniel struggled to keep his legs wide enough to accommodate Bel.

  “There?” Bel asked, grazing his prostate again.

  “Fuck! Yes.” Daniel hadn’t quite managed to get his hips back on the ground. It was all right, though. Bel liked him with his ass up like this.

  “Get your knees under you.”

  Daniel tried. Bel hooked his free arm around his hips and helped him, slowly withdrawing his fingers as he did. Daniel’s moan might have been disappointment or relief—or both. Bel scooted back a little so that he straddled Daniel’s shoulders, facing his upturned ass. He rose onto his knees and spread Daniel’s cheeks to look at his hole, loose and wet.

  Bel leaned forward, lowered his head, and stuck his tongue in.

  He’d never eaten a guy out. Had wanted to try it on a couple of occasions when he was really horny, but most of the time he was ambivalent. Right now, though, he wanted it so bad he could feel the need through his entire body. Daniel’s startled gasp, the way he contracted his muscles and pushed his ass higher, it all fueled Bel’s hunger. Maybe there was an art to this, and maybe Bel would take the time to master it later, but right now, he was going on instinct.

  Their position made things a little difficult, but Bel managed. He pushed his tongue in as far as he could, then withdrew to lap at Daniel’s hole before plunging in again. Bel got a cry from Daniel with each stab of his tongue, plus the satisfaction of watching Daniel thump his feet on the ground and strain against the belt, chafing his calves on the tree trunk.

  Bel clamped his thighs against Daniel’s sides and reached down to give Daniel’s cock a couple of pulls. Then he put his hands back on Daniel’s ass cheeks and held them spread while he licked circles around Daniel’s hole. Daniel tried to kick again, and Bel gave his ass a light slap, more sound than sting. But the moan that came out of Daniel stopped Bel dead. Heat raced through him, and he had to stop and stroke his own cock for a minute.

  Daniel kept moving, humping the air, and Bel slapped him harder. “Stay still.”

  Daniel didn’t listen, but Bel was too lost in his own pleasure to do anything about it. He leaned forward and licked the top of Daniel’s crack, jerking himself harder and faster while Daniel bucked under him. He let his moans echo Daniel’s until he came across Daniel’s lower back.

  Bel sighed and sat back on Daniel’s shoulders, watching his cum slide toward him. He reached behind him and stroked what he could find of Daniel’s hair. Daniel was breathing fast enough to hyperventilate. Bel heard a wet, rhythmic sound and realized Daniel was working his own cock.

  “Uh-uh.” Bel glanced around and saw a small branch from the apple tree. He picked it up and gave Daniel’s ass a flurry of light taps. “Get your ass on the ground.”

  Daniel let go of his cock, lowered himself onto his belly, and straightened his legs out behind him. Bel gave him another few whacks with the switch, letting these ones sting a little more, just because it was fun to see Daniel flinch and wriggle, to know his cock was still hard and trapped between his body and the ground. The twig snapped, and Bel tossed it aside. Reached around the tree and undid the belt. Traced the indentations left in Daniel’s skin by the leather.

  Bel didn’t move for a minute. Wasn’t sure what he was going to do now. Daniel hadn’t come—didn’t have to, Bel knew. But Bel wanted him to.

  Just Bel was tired. And not sure the best way to proceed.

  He stuck a finger back inside Daniel and fucked him while he thought. Daniel grunted, squeezing each time Bel thrust, trying to rub his cock against the ground.

  Bel had an idea. Thought it might work pretty well. He climbed off Daniel and retrieved the condom from the ground. Put it in his pocket, pulled his pants up, and fastened them. Daniel’s back was still wet with Bel’s cum. His breathing had slowed, but not much.

  “Roll over.”

  Daniel didn’t. He kept trying to rub against the ground.

  Bel sharpened his voice. “Daniel.”

  Daniel rubbed faster. Bel picked up his belt, doubled it, and snapped it across Daniel’s ass. Daniel gave a muffled yelp and rolled onto his back. That felt good. Better than Bel would have expected. Better because he knew Daniel wanted it—pain for the sake of it, for the pure sensation, instead of some fucked-up desire to be crippled by it—and because he imagined Daniel could have come like that, humping the ground while Bel whacked his ass. They were both of them here in this moment, where nothing else existed apart from flesh and need and moonlight. A place Bel had tried to imagine when he’d been scrolling through those sites on his computer, but it wasn’t by studying any pictures that he’d gotten here. It was by studying Daniel.

  Daniel’s eyes were wide as he looked at Bel, and his hand strayed to his cock.

  “Don’t you dare,” Bel warned.

  He straddled Daniel once more and kissed him hard. Moved his lips down Daniel’s throat to his chest. He licked Daniel’s left nipple into a hard point, then sucked on it,
biting down every few seconds. Daniel arched each time he felt Bel’s teeth, fighting back whimpers. Fuck yeah. Bel reached behind him and gave Daniel’s cock a few quick strokes, just enough to get his hips pumping, then let go and worked the other nipple with his mouth.

  Bel alternated sides until both nipples were so sensitive that even the slightest brush of Bel’s tongue made Daniel cry out. Bel sucked and bit until the pain started to wilt Daniel’s cock—at which point Bel jacked him until he was hard again. But he didn’t stop what he was doing to Daniel’s nipples. Daniel was begging incoherently when Bel finally quit. Bel kissed Daniel on the mouth again, and Daniel kissed back so hungrily that Bel knew he was doing the right thing—wasn’t taking this too far.

  He cupped Daniel’s cheek, then climbed off him. “Get up,” he whispered.

  Daniel rolled onto his side and got unsteadily to his feet, his cock jutting, legs trembling. He started to pull his underwear up. “No,” Bel said.

  Daniel froze.

  “Bend over.”

  Daniel hesitated, then bent at the waist, automatically clasping his ankles. Jesus, he was perfect. Bel picked up the belt and cracked him with it, pretty hard. Daniel gave the slightest gasp but didn’t move.

  “I’ll tell you when you can pull those up.”

  “Yes, Bel.”

  Bel started collecting Daniel’s clothes. Daniel held position until Bel smacked him with the belt again. “Walk to the car.”

  Daniel went obediently. His back was a mess of dirt and grass and cum.

  Bel opened the backseat of the Volvo. Whipped Daniel again—still not near as hard as he could have, but the sound was satisfying. “Get in there. All fours. Ass up. Just like you were a while ago.”

  Daniel complied, climbing onto the seat and thrusting his ass toward Bel. Bel gave Daniel’s ass a couple more licks, watching his muscles clench and a faint blush appear on his skin. “You’re gonna stay in position, aren’t you, Daniel?”

  A muffled answer. Bel licked him again. “Didn’t hear you.”

  “Yes, Bel.” Daniel’s voice was hoarse.