by Sean Michael
“Uh-huh.” Knight chuckled, bit Bishop’s bottom lip and tugged on it.
Fuck, Knight was hot for it, playful and pushy. Just how Bishop liked him. He bit right back, rocking harder as he shoved a hand between them and got it wrapped around both their cocks. They felt strangely slippery but he went with it, using the glide to jack them quickly.
“Hurry. It’ll get sticky,” Knight warned.
He refused to let that worry him too much. “Mmm. Shower sex to clean up.” He jacked them faster, pressing hard on Knight’s head. It still felt weird because of the paint, but it also felt just like it always did and that was hot. He loved Knight’s skinny body, loved every tight, rangy inch of it and he was celebrating it now in all its painted glory.
“Like how you think, Bish,” Rookie moaned.
“We’ll make a soapy daisy chain. Get all the paint off.” His words came out in breathy chunks, his balls drawing up tight. He met Knight’s eyes, smiling into them. “Of course once my prick is clean I’m fucking you into next week.”
“Sounds fair.” Knight’s eyes crossed in pleasure. “M…more than.”
“Then come on, boy. Shoot for me before our cocks become one.” Because getting glued together by paint and having to deal with unsticking themselves from each other was probably way less fun than advertised.
“Yeah. Turpentine stings.” He didn’t even want to know how Knight knew that. He wasn’t even going to guess because hello, trying to get off here, not deflate.
“Just fucking do it already.” He took Knight’s mouth, giving his lover a toothy kiss as he jacked their erections together. Then he curled and bent to Knight’s left nipple, which was slightly less painted than his right, and bit down on the tempting little bit of flesh.
Knight cried out, spunk spraying from his little pain slut.
Yes! He moaned and came, the sound of Knight’s cry and the smell of his cum enough to send Bishop over the edge too. God, that had been surprisingly hot.
Panting, he rested on top of Knight, some small part of his brain reminding him that they needed to separate before they were some version of permanently glued together. In a minute. When he’d caught his breath and the lassitude of lying in the sunshine, satiated and happy, let go some.
Rook laughed softly next to them, wrapped around Jason. “Oh God, we are such a mess. It’s going to be so much fun cleaning each other up!”
“You are a sick, sick little man,” Knight said. “It’s no wonder I adore you.”
Laughing, Rook leaned over and gave Knight a sloppy kiss. “Love you too, K.” Then Rook bounced up, grabbing Jason’s hand and tugging him. “Come on! Last one in the shower’s a…a… The last one!” Rook took off like a rainbow colored bat out of hell.
Knight looked at the chaos, grinned. “Worst models ever.”
“Yeah, but the perks are amazing.”
EN PRISE
Book three in the Chess series
Just when things seem to be at their best, disaster strikes. Will all the men of Chess survive?
It’s the holiday season and Jason is having the best Christmas he can remember in a long time. He’s in love with Rook and settling in with Bishop and Knight, figuring out where he fits and learning to love their appetites. He might even be feeling like he belongs.
Holiday bliss is followed by disaster, though, when Knight is involved in an accident and hospitalized. Will Jason, Bishop and Rook be able to rally around their lover and each other? Or will the strains put on their relationship tear them all apart?
Follow the moves made by the men of Chess and find out…
Dedication
As always, for my readers.
Trademark Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Popsicle: Unilever PLC
McDonald’s: McDonald’s Corporation
Coke: The Coca-Cola Company
Tom of Finland: Tom of Finland Company
Kiss: The Hershey Company
Styrofoam: The Dow Chemical Company
Criminal Minds: CBS Television Studios
UFC: Zuffa, LLC
Tim Horton’s: Tim Horton’s Inc.
ChapStick: Pfizer, Inc.
Food Network: Scripps Networks Interactive
My Recipes: Southern Progress Corporation
Joy of Cooking: Bobbs-Merrill Company and Charles Scribner’s Sons
Poptart: Kellogg Company
Chapter One
That was the biggest tree he’d ever seen.
Jason stared at Bish and Rook. “You’re not serious, guys? It’s like…eighty feet tall.”
Two blond heads turned toward him, and suddenly he knew how Knight felt sometimes, with people looking at him like he’d just spoiled a party.
Rook slinked over and wrapped around him, not caring that they were in the middle of the tree lot. Rook never did and if people didn’t like it, they could lump it. “Don’t you like it? It’ll fill the living room perfectly!”
Rook was so warm and Jason hated being the spoilsport, but sometimes he felt like he had to be the voice of reason. “It’s huge. Knight said…”
Knight had thrown a fit about even leaving his studio. He’d been…almost ugly about the whole holiday thing. Jason hated to give him more ammunition to make a fuss, especially this time of year.
Bishop snorted. “Knight is being bitchy. He’ll get over it.”
Rook nodded and looked at Bishop. “He needs a spanking and a good hard fuck.”
“I know what he needs, Rookie. Don’t worry, he’ll be sweet for the holidays.” Bishop sounded sure. Bishop always sounded sure.
Jason shivered, partially from excitement, partially from nerves. “I’ve never had a tree so big. Are there enough decorations?”
“If there aren’t, we’ll buy more!” Rook squeezed him tight and beamed at him. He swore he could feel Rook’s hard-on through the layers of their coats. He made a note—Christmas made Rookie horny. Of course, everything else did—why not the holidays, too?
“Careful, he’ll bring even more perverted balls from work,” Bishop warned, giving him a wink.
“Oh, God. Tell me there aren’t porny ornaments.” Why did he think it was a vain hope?
Rook let go of him to bounce. “There so are!”
“Oh, man…” He shuddered to think. “Tell me there are rainbow lights at least?”
Bishop chuckled. “There are. And it’s a huge tree, so if there’s anything you want on it that we don’t have, all you need to do is speak up.”
Rook nodded and bounced some more. “I love Christmas!”
Rolling his eyes, Bishop teased, “You love every day, Rookie.”
“I do.” Rook grinned and winked at Jason, slipped a hand in his. “What’s not to love?” he asked gently.
Jason couldn’t help his smile, at all. Rook was… How could anyone on earth not adore this man? Rook was like Christmas every single day.
“Come on, I’ve already paid for this thing. Let’s drag it home.” Bishop got them moving.
“How on earth are you ever going to get it anywhere?” Eighty feet tall, at least. It was insane. He wasn’t sure it was going to even fit in the house. Sure, the ceilings were high, but this tree was like the ones you put in front of a town hall or somewhere. Outside.
“We’ll tie it to the top of the car. No, Rookie, don’t unwrap it until we get home or it’ll be impossible.” Bish growled a bit as Rook pouted, but Rook stopped trying to undo the twine holding the tree branches against the trunk. “Jase, if you grab the bottom end, I’ll get the top.”
“You got it.” Between him and Bishop, they could lift a lot of weight, easily.
They got the tree to the car and Rook grabbed a blanket from the trunk, laying it on the roof so they could hoist the tree up there without scratching the shit out of the paint job. There were bungee cords, too—it looked like Bishop had though
t of everything—and in short order, they had the tree affixed to the top of the car. The only drawback was they couldn’t completely close the windows.
“See?” Rook made ‘ta da’ motions with his hands.
Jason stared at Rook. “It’s huge.” There was easily three feet of tree hanging over the front and back of the car.
“I like my trees like I like my men.” Rook glanced down at Jason’s crotch and rubbed against his hip. “Huge.”
Bishop laughed. “Get in the car, Rookie.”
Jason’s cheeks were burning, and he slipped into the car before his lover. Rookie sat next to him, resting his hand on Jason’s thigh, squeezing as Bish started the engine and headed carefully onto the road. It felt good—Rookie always did make him feel that way.
“I… Do you guys have a Christmas meal tradition?” He wasn’t sure he could cook a fancy meal.
“Uh-oh.” That was from Bishop up front and Rook actually blushed.
He was given a sheepish smile, Rook drawing circles on his thigh with his fingers. “I’ve screwed it up three years in a row and we’ve wound up at McDonald’s,” Rook admitted.
“Ew.” Jason wrinkled his nose. He couldn’t think of a worse Christmas dinner. Well, besides none, of course. “We could plan, like, snacky foods all day. Chips and dips and cheese and meat and lots of sweets?”
“Oh! Why did we never think of that?” Rook beamed at him like he’d just put the stars in the sky.
“Because you always insisted we needed to have a proper Christmas dinner?” suggested Bishop. Rook stuck his tongue out at the man.
Jason chuckled. “It just seems easier and less stressful.” And hard to screw up, really. They just had to make sure they got everything they needed on the grocery list.
“It does!” Rook kissed him, nice and slow and long. “We do Chinese food while we decorate.”
God, Chinese food was fattening. Jason was going to have to hit the gym a lot.
Rook’s fingers danced up his thigh again, and he could feel a deliberate intention behind the motion this time. He parted his legs, the movement instinctive now. Rook moaned softly, cupping his package just as the car came to a stop.
“Leave him alone, Rookie, I need his help getting the tree inside.”
Rook pouted, but his eyes were twinkling.
Bishop laughed, but shook his head. “Someone needs to put the stand up and stuff, right?”
Rook gave Jason’s prick a quick squeeze. “Yeah, yeah. It’s too bad we can’t decorate until tomorrow.”
“We need to let the branches fall.” Bishop turned off the engine and pulled on his gloves.
“I know. I’m just in the mood tonight.”
“You’re always in the mood,” teased Bishop.
Jason leaned close and whispered, “I…I like it, that you are.”
He got one of those beaming smiles that always melted him. “Love you, honey.”
“Yeah?” He needed to hear that, over and over. It was so overwhelming, being here with the three of them, and their need.
Rook pressed close, looking into his eyes. “I do. With all my heart.”
“Would you two stop it? We have a tree.” Bish looked so put out.
Rook bit his bottom lip and looked up at Jason from under his eyelashes, then started giggling softly. His own laughter started about the same time as Bishop’s. They wound up sitting in the car in the driveway, laughing their fool heads off.
“God, I love Christmas,” murmured Rook, setting them all back off again.
Jason hopped out of the car as the pizza guy pulled up and got out of his car, a pile of six pizza boxes in his arms. He looked at Rook, who shrugged. “Knight.”
“Still, six seems a little more than a single man can eat.” You never knew with Knight, though.
“Maybe he wants to start a new night before tree-decorating tradition,” Rook suggested, going over to pay for the pizzas.
Bish snorted. “This is his ‘don’t be too pissed at me’ offering. I hope there’s an all-meat pie or two in there.”
“You guys good with the tree?” Rook asked, arms full of pizza.
“We’ve got it.” Jason untied the base.
“Cool. I’ll get the door.” Rook laughed. “If I can without dropping the pizzas.”
“Ring the bell and make Knight help.” Bishop dealt with the bungee cords in the middle and top end of the tree.
Rook hooted. “He won’t help.”
“Then I will have to spank him.” Bish winked at Rook, then turned to Jason. “You ready with your end? Let’s lift it off on three.”
Rook moved to the front door, banging on it with his foot. “Oy! Knight! Open up.”
The door flew open to reveal the dark-haired artist standing there, nearly naked, pale, covered in paint. “My pizzas.”
“Jesus, Knight, what if I’d been the pizza delivery guy? Not to mention you’re going to catch your death.” Rook pushed Knight back into the house, the words fading as they disappeared out of view.
Jason watched and shook his head. He’d seen this, though. He knew about this. Knight was almost done with the big paintings he’d been working on for his latest showing. Soon there would be a well-loved, wickedly naughty Knight looking to play.
“He’s got good timing. Rook’ll want us all to be at our best for the holidays.” Bishop gave him a smile. “It’ll be really nice, having you here with us this year.”
They’d asked him, in early December, if he had family he wanted to go spend the holidays with. Somehow, some way, Jason had discovered that this was his home. It was unnerving. But it also meant this was where he wanted to be for the holidays.
Rook hopped out from the door just as they were getting the tree there. “I’ve cleared a path!”
They hauled the huge tree in to discover the house was cleaned up. Knight had been busy. He was currently opening beers and slicing pizza as Rook directed them over to the corner by the front window where room had been made for the massive tree. Rook was rocking on the balls of his feet, looking happy.
Knight looked at the tree, nodding. “Looks good. I’m heading downstairs.”
“You have to have pizza with us!” Rook went over to Knight, circling his arm around that skinny waist.
Knight squeaked. “You’re cold!”
“And you’re warm and mostly naked. You know those are two of my favorite things.” Rook kissed Knight, and it was so sexy, the way Rook tugged on Knight’s lower lip as he ended the kiss. “At least have pizza with us.”
“I bought all our favorites. I’m starving,” Knight admitted.
Jason chuckled and helped Bish get the tree steady in its stand. Knight fascinated him—the man was so fucking complicated.
“Is the tree ready?” Rook asked.
Bish finished cutting away the mess of twine holding the huge tree together and nodded. “Yep. Just gotta let the branches fall.”
“Excellent. Let’s eat!” Rook sat on the couch and patted the cushions on either side of him.
“I’ll grab plates and forks and napkins,” Jason offered.
Knight met his eyes. “Can you get some Cokes, baby boy?”
“I’ll give you a hand,” Bish suggested, sliding fingers on the small of Jason’s back. The touch was solid, warm, and good enough it made Jason catch his breath.
They made their way to the kitchen, Bish’s hand on his back the whole way. His cock firmed, ached a little. Bish wasn’t his lover, not like Rook was, but the man fucked like no one else, was naturally so strong and always made him feel good.
He leaned up to pull plates out of the cupboard and when he he’d put them down on the counter, Bish turned him and pressed up against him. His kisses were always head-on and full. Jason grabbed Bishop’s arms, holding on as Bish bruised his lips.
The kiss went on until he felt dizzy, then Bishop backed off and gave him a lazy grin. “Been wanting to do that since the tree lot.”
Jason felt his cheeks heat. “Yeah?�
�
“Yeah.” Bish took another kiss then grabbed napkins to go with his plates before going to the fridge for the Cokes. “We should go back before Knight does something perverse with the pizzas.”
“Uh. Ew.” That was the nastiest thing he’d ever heard. Ever. He was hoping Bishop was joking.
“I know. He gets bored quickly, you know?” Bish gave him a wry grin as they wandered back to the living room. “And I can’t reel him in until he’s done this set of paintings or his agent will kill me. Hell, he will.” Knight didn’t paint because he wanted to—he needed to.
“He’s done.” Rookie was grinning ear to ear. “Barbara came by today and picked them up for framing.”
Knight was sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, looking on edge in the same way Jason had seen him the last time he’d finished a new batch of paintings.
“Oh, fucking A.” Bish moved over to where Knight sat, pulling the artist into his lap. “You better eat well, I’m gonna ride your ass but good.”
Rook held a hand out to Jason, the offer to sit next to him clear. Jason passed out plates, tossed Bishop the TV remote, then settled next to Rook. Rook grabbed a piece of Jason’s favorite—extra veggies, all dressed—and offered him a bite. He opened up, tickled that Knight had remembered, that Rook had. These men… They knew him.
Rook stole a bite from his slice and settled against him. Jason let one arm oh so casually drape over Rook’s shoulders. That earned him a pleased hum and when he finished his first piece, Rook handed him a second and grabbed a piece of double cheese for himself. The grease on that was amazing, but it never seemed to matter what Rook ate.
“So you’re really all done?” Bish asked Knight. “We’re going to have a quiet, intense Christmas?”
“I’m done. Barb says they’re good.” Knight looked so young.
Rook grinned and nodded. “I liked these a lot, but I’m not the expert.”
Jason wasn’t an expert at all, and he wasn’t sure that he’d liked the paintings in question. The ones that Knight did for sale were…uncomfortable.