by Lane, Shawn;
Now, as Barnaby stood outside the closed door, his heart was heavy. He guessed Nathan was sending a message loud and clear that he just needed to get.
It would be incredibly pathetic if he were to knock on the door and demand another date from Nathan. Barnaby didn’t do pathetic. Okay, well, he did. But not this time. He shoved his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t be tempted and made to walk away.
The door opened, startling a yelp out of him.
Nathan’s dark eyes blinked behind his big glasses. “Barnaby, you’re still here.”
What had he expected? “Wow, am I glad to see you?”
“I was just leaving. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Honestly, he prayed that maybe Nathan would prevent him from walking away, but he didn’t. He walked down the hall and out the office front doors and didn’t look back.
Swallowing heartbreak and disappointment, he decided to hell with Nathan. He would go out tonight and have a good time and forget the asshole had ever existed.
He stuck the key in his car’s lock and a hand closed over his wrist. He jumped.
“Shhh, it’s me,” Nathan soothed, not letting go of his wrist.
“You scared the crap out of me.” His heart beat hard in his chest.
“I’m sorry. I thought you heard me.”
“Well, I didn’t.” He tugged his wrist but Nathan didn’t let go.
Nathan looked around the mostly deserted parking lot and then pulled him even closer. “I’ve missed you.”
“You…are you kidding me?”
The other man frowned. “What?”
“You’ve missed me? I’ve been right here under your nose.”
Nathan’s frown melted into a smile. “Believe me, I’ve noticed. You’re very distracting.”
Barnaby blinked when Nathan brushed his thumb across his bottom lip.
“This lip drives me crazy,” Nathan murmured, leaning forward to nip it. “I’m sorry I’ve been busy the last couple days. The Sorenson trial got continued, but the plaintiffs are really getting ugly. Come home with me.”
His pulse raced. “Really?”
“Mmm.” Nathan’s hand cupped his ass. “I want this.”
“Uh,” he stammered, feeling himself heat in a blush, for crying out loud.
Nathan laughed. “I think I’ve shocked you.”
“A little.”
The man’s tongue darted across Barnaby’s lips, slipping in just briefly. “Come on. I’ll make us dinner. You can spend the night.”
“I don’t have any clothes for work tomorrow.” He shivered when Nathan sucked his earlobe.
“We’ll stop by your place on the way so you can get some.” Nathan tugged Barnaby away from his car and toward his own. When they reached Nathan’s sedan, he looked questioningly at Barnaby, his expression vaguely vulnerable for the first time since approaching him in the parking lot. “You do want to, don’t you?”
The heaviness in his chest gone, Barnaby nodded. “Oh, yeah.”
“Good, let’s go.”
Chapter 9
“So, I have to tell you, I was thinking you were done with me,” Barnaby said, standing at the blender in Nathan’s kitchen. He tossed crushed ice in with the rum and strawberry daiquiri mix he’d thrown in previously.
Nathan frowned. “Done with you? Why would you think that?” He opened the fridge and took out the ground meat. Damn, he’d nearly forgotten Barnaby didn’t eat meat. He put it back in and closed the fridge.
The younger man shrugged. “Um, you hadn’t talked to me since Sunday.”
“I told you I was busy with a case.”
“Yeah, I know now.” He pressed a button on the blender and its loud noise prevented any conversation. When it finished, he poured the drink into two glasses. “But until you told me tonight, well, I thought maybe you didn’t have a good time when we were together.”
Nathan linked his hand with Barnaby’s. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was giving you that impression. I guess I’m just not used to seeing someone at work. You know?”
Barnaby smiled. “I’m not either. It’s okay if you’re busy, but you could have called me after work or something. Even just to talk.”
“I’m not one just to talk,” Nathan admitted. “I’ll try to do better.”
“Okay.” He thrust a strawberry daiquiri into Nathan’s hand. “What are you making?”
“Good question. I had thought about chili but then I remembered you don’t eat meat.”
“You can make chili without the meat, right?” He gestured to the canned tomatoes and beans he’d set on the counter.
“Yeah, I guess I can.” He nodded. “Cool, that works.”
Barnaby threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. “I’m glad you invited me over.”
He groaned and returned the kiss, deepening it and sucking on Barnaby’s lip. “If we keep this up, dinner will be really late.”
“Is that so bad?” Barnaby leaned into him, rubbing his erection against Nathan’s.
Nathan set his drink down and grabbed Barnaby’s ass, pressing their bodies closer together still. “At the moment, it doesn’t seem to matter about dinner at all.”
“Oh, God, Nathan, fuck me,” Barnaby gasped against his throat.
The makings of their dinner discarded, at least temporarily, he grabbed Barnaby’s hand and pulled him down the hall toward his bedroom.
He shoved Barnaby toward the bed, maybe a little too roughly, though Barnaby didn’t protest, and with Barnaby face down on the mattress, Nathan tried to tug down his skinny black jeans. It wasn’t working and he gave a snort of frustration.
“My belt’s in the way,” Barnaby said with a laugh. He shimmied onto his knees and unfastened his belt. Fortunately, when they’d first gotten to Nathan’s house, Barnaby had removed his shoes, so that was one piece of clothing already out of his way.
* * * *
As soon as Barnaby’s belt was undone and his jeans unzipped, Nathan once more yanked them, this time successfully, and he threw them across the room. His cock jumped against his pants at the sight of the naked round ass just begging to be fucked.
Barnaby wore only his socks and his faded olive T-shirt. Nathan thought about ripping off the shirt, tearing it in two, but decided not to spend the time. He undressed quickly and grabbed a condom and lube out of the bedside table drawer.
He’d never been this hungry for anyone before. It was a little startling and he wasn’t quite sure what to think of it. But who the hell wanted to think right now anyway. This time he set his glasses on the table and crawled onto the bed.
Nathan lay across Barnaby, placing several kisses on the back of his neck. Barnaby shivered. Nathan wanted those lips. He flipped Barnaby over onto his back and stared into his gorgeous eyes.
“Hi.” Barnaby’s lips curved into the sexiest damn smile.
“Hi, yourself.” He lowered his mouth to Barnaby’s, one hand slipping between their bodies to wrap around his lover’s long, thick cock. Barnaby moaned and closed his eyes.
Nathan finally broke the kiss, reluctantly, sucking in that full bottom lip one more time, before sitting up to reach for the condom wrapper.
Barnaby snatched it out of his fingers and tore it open. “Me.”
He nodded, his jaw tightening as Barnaby teased the tip of his cock with this thumb. He gritted his teeth when Barnaby rolled the condom on. Nathan was panting by the time he was done. He reached for the lube.
The younger man looped his arms under his legs, hoisting his ass up for Nathan to lube him. Nathan squeezed the tube and used his fingers to slick up his lover’s entrance.
“Ready?”
Barnaby nodded, his gaze locking with Nathan’s. The lust and adoration he saw made him quake with need. He lined his cock up to Barnaby’s hole and pushed in.
“Nathan,” Barnaby groaned, wrapping his legs around Nathan’s hips, settling in for the ride.
He drove in, balls-deep, letting Barnaby
adjust to the invasion. Then with a nod from Barnaby, he moved, withdrawing and pushing back again and again. He lifted Barnaby’s legs, thrusting deeper and harder still.
Barnaby worked his hand over his own cock, frantically stroking the length. His eyes glazed over and his cock jerked, globs of nearly clear cum shooting out. It sent Nathan over the edge and he pumped his lover’s ass through his own release.
They collapsed on the bed, reaching out to touch each other.
Barnaby yawned. “Now I’m really hungry.”
He laughed. “Yeah, okay. I admit, my stomach’s growling a bit. Let me get a quick shower and then I’ll make the chili while you shower.”
Smiling, Barnaby’ eyes closed and snuggled into the bed.
* * * *
“Well, it’s all melted, but it still tastes good,” Barnaby announced taking a sip of his daiquiri.
“Sorry.” Nathan grinned. “Somebody distracted me.”
“I’m not sorry.” Barnaby peered over his shoulder at the pot of chili simmering on the stove. “That smells so good.”
“It does. I’m not sure if it’s because I make a mean chili or if we’re both just starving.”
Barnaby walked over to the island in his kitchen and jumped up to sit on it. Nathan opened his mouth to tell him not to sit there, but decided what the hell.
“You have a great house.”
“Thanks, I think so. It took me forever to pick a house I liked that had a good-sized backyard.”
“Hmm? Why’d you want a backyard?”
“Growing up, my mom had a garden. I don’t know, I always liked it.”
Barnaby bounced a little on the island. “You have a garden?”
Nathan laughed. “No. I plan to someday though. I hated the idea of buying a house without a yard for when I have time to make one. I’m so busy all the time now I never have a chance.”
“You work too hard.”
He shrugged. “Sometimes. But I take time off, too. Stop kicking.”
Barnaby blushed and stopped moving his legs. “Sorry.”
Nathan stirred the chili and then tasted. “Just a few more minutes.”
Barnaby’s teeth sank into his full lip and even though he’d just had sex with him, Nathan couldn’t help wanting him all over again. His cock was already half-hard. First, they needed to get through dinner.
“I’ve been thinking,” Barnaby said slowly.
He moved to stand between Barnaby’s legs and placed his hands on them to keep them still as he’d once more started the kicking. “Should I be worried?”
Barnaby gave him an irritated look. “No. Well, maybe. I mean, what are you now?”
“What am I?”
“Do I call you my boyfriend or still just the guy I’m seeing?”
He frowned. “Is there a difference?”
“Uh, yeah.”
He smiled and leaned close to kiss Barnaby. “I like this.”
“This?”
“You and me together like this. And the sex is fantastic.”
“Yeah?”
He nipped Barnaby’s lip. “Oh yeah. I don’t know what to tell you about terms or whatever, but I know I want to keep seeing you and spending time with you and having sex with you. Is that a good enough answer?”
Barnaby kissed him with a sweet, all too brief brush of their lips. “Yes, that’s a good enough answer. For now.”
Nathan pulled him off the island. “Come on, time for dinner. And then, after that, back to bed.”
Chapter 10
Nathan pulled the sedan into one of the last spaces available in the club parking lot.
“There’s Darrell and Travis. They’re here before us,” Barnaby pointed to where their friends stood a few spaces away.
Nathan did not want to be here. He didn’t like clubs. Never had. He’d been before with others he was dating and he didn’t like it. Every guy he’d ever been with to a club ended up paying more attention to the meat that was there than to him.
They got out and Nathan locked the doors with a push of a button and trailed after his lover who was bouncing his way toward the others.
He’d had a pretty bad week. The Sorenson case had soured quite a bit and he was fairly sure he was going to lose it. He’d been buried in legal briefs. At least his relationship with Barnaby was going great. They’d been together, if you counted their first dinner, for almost four weeks now. Even he had started to think of Barnaby as his boyfriend. It had been a long time since he’d had one, and never any as hot as Barnaby, and he did not want to go the club.
Unfortunately, Barnaby did and so did Travis and Darrell. They were the only reason he’d agreed to this at all. He figured with them along things wouldn’t be the disaster they usually were.
Nathan had to figure out what to wear, too. He’d stood at his closet realizing he had no club clothes. He finally settled for a pair of plain blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a blue buttoned down shirt. Boring.
Of course, Barnaby had declared he looked hot. Ridiculous, really.
Barnaby, on the other hand, had dressed in skintight black leather pants, a red silk shirt opened at the throat, and ankle boots. Now that was hot.
Even Darrell and Travis were dressed better than him. Travis wore jeans and a jean jacket while Darrell wore tan slacks and a nice pinstriped dress shirt.
Travis smiled, looking his unconcerned self. “Ready?”
Barnaby returned the smile and reached for Nathan’s hand.
Nathan wished he could drum up the enthusiasm Barnaby had for going out. As they approached the club doors, Barnaby was practically bubbling over with energy. If he hadn’t been in a bad mood it might have been contagious.
They stepped inside and found a booth in a dark corner. The dance floor was full of bumping and grinding men and loud dance music threatened to burst his eardrums. He hadn’t even liked this scene when he was in his twenties.
He waited for Travis and Darrell to seat themselves and then slid into the booth. Before Barnaby could follow, a man dressed all in leather came running up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
“Oh, my God, Barnaby, it’s been forever!” the man exclaimed, right before kissing Barnaby full on the mouth.
To Nathan’s annoyance, Barnaby just laughed. “Hey, Jimmy. It has been a while.”
“Everyone from the old gang’s here, this is so cool,” the man said. He barely glanced their way, and then turned back to Barnaby. His hand rested on Barnaby’s arm. “I hope you came here to dance.”
“I definitely did. But we just got here, so maybe later, okay?”
Jimmy nodded. “I’ll come back in a few. See ya later, babe.”
Nathan watched with a scowl as the man danced away toward the dance floor. Had Jimmy been Barnaby’s lover at one time?
Barnaby scooted in next to him and grabbed his hand. “Wow, this is crowded tonight. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. It’s really hopping.”
“Who was that?”
“Oh, that was Jimmy.” Barnaby waved his hand. “Old friend.”
Nathan bit his tongue to keep from asking Barnaby how many old friends he had. He did not want to turn into a jealous shrew.
A waiter came by and took their drink orders. Nathan took a deep breath and told himself to be cool. He didn’t want to ruin anyone’s evening because he was in a bad mood and didn’t want to be here.
Barnaby smiled. “Want to dance?”
The last thing he wanted to do was get up there and make an idiot out of himself in front of Barnaby. He’d always had two left feet.
“I don’t like to dance,” he muttered.
“Oh.” He hated seeing the disappointment in his boyfriend’s eyes. He opened his mouth to say he would dance after all when yet another too thin young guy ran up to their table.
“Barnaby, come dance with me,” the man said with a lisp.
“Um.” Barnaby looked at Nathan.
“Go ahead.”
“Thanks!” Barnaby scoo
ted out of the booth and the skinny twink grabbed Nathan’s lover’s wrist and dragged him out to the dance floor.
Travis turned to Darrell. “How about you? Want to dance?”
“Sure.”
Nathan watched dispassionately as his friends followed Barnaby onto the dance floor. The waiter came by with their drinks and he immediately ordered another scotch.
He felt like a world-class chump. He downed his drink, ignoring the burn of the alcohol.
On the dance floor, Barnaby and his partner gyrated together to some slow, sexy song. It was just a dance, but it made him angrier and angrier. The waiter came back and gave him another and he ordered his third.
Nathan looked at the other patrons and shook his head. He just didn’t get this scene. Crowded dance floors like this made him nervous. What if there were an earthquake? He could just imagine the panic.
The song changed and now Barnaby was dancing with Jimmy, who had his hands all over him. Jimmy’s hands covered Barnaby’s ass and pulled the man against him as they moved to the song.
Nathan rubbed his temples. Fuck, this was just want he didn’t want. He knew he had the potential to become jealous and possessive, especially with Barnaby, and he’d known Barnaby was a big time flirt.
When the third drink came, he downed it. He knew he should cool it but he tapped his fingers on the table, staring hard at Barnaby with another man. It was his fault Barnaby was on the dance floor with some asshole’s hands all over him. But he couldn’t stop thinking this is what he could expect in their relationship. Other guys would always be all over Barnaby.
Right now, Barnaby probably thought it was cool that Nathan was a geek. It was new and exciting. But sooner or later one of his friends would point out something about Nathan that would make Barnaby reconsider or, worse, think less of him. Nathan’s such a drag. He’s such a nerd, what do you see in him?
How long would it take their differences to destroy any feelings they had for each other?
Jimmy nuzzled Barnaby’s throat and Nathan saw red. He left the booth and stormed onto the dance floor. He pushed other dancers out of his way and ignored Travis when he called to him.
His hand closed over Barnaby’s upper arm and he yanked him away from Jimmy. “Stop touching him,” he said in a low voice.