by Sean Michael
He breathed deeply, enjoying the scent of them together, letting it soothe him into sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Four
PADRE. PADRE. Padre.
Mike pulled into the condos, key from the real estate agent in hand. It wasn’t home, but it was somewhere. It was here. It was a place to stop. Jess was looking gaunt and drawn and didn’t even try to get out on his own, waiting for Mike to bring the chair around and help him out of the SUV.
“Come on, we’ll settle, relax. Watch the ocean.” Mike was tired in his bones. Dead tired and wanting to run.
“Sounds good. We got anyone we need to check in with?”
“Nope. I have a key. We’re good.”
“Damn, Mike. You really don’t need me anymore.” He got a tired smile.
He rolled his eyes, stuck out his tongue. “Right. Self-sufficient me. Get in the chair, Coach.”
Jessy got into the chair, patting his hand. “You’ve done great, baby.”
“Thanks. Come on. In the condo.” The place was right on the beach, the wind cold. “Can you believe it’s only ten days ’til Christmas?”
“Shit, really? Damn it, I haven’t even considered presents.”
“Yeah. I figure we’ll manage, though. I’ll come up with decorations. Later.” Maybe a tree or just some lights.
“We could just fuck each other blind.”
“Not for another two weeks, maybe longer.” Mike unlocked the door, let them into a simple, nice condo.
Jessy sighed. “You know that was just guidelines. I’m feeling good.”
He snorted. “Right. You’re gray as smoke and exhausted. Don’t bullshit me, Jessy. You start eating? Start moving better? We’ll fuck.”
“Oh, I’m never letting you call me a hardass again, baby.”
“Hardass.” He winked, grinned, and leaned down for a kiss.
Jessy opened up for him and then pinched his butt. “Not as hard as yours, baby.”
He grinned, squeaked. “Evil man. Love you.”
Jess chuckled. “I know. I count on it.”
“Yeah?” He cupped Jessy’s cheek. “Good. Do you want to go sit on the back porch?”
Jess nodded. “Yeah. I like the ocean.”
“I know. Me too.” Mike got Jess settled, then started working, unpacking and wandering.
“Baby? You gonna join me?”
“Yep. Just getting the car cleaned up and empty.” Man, Jess really didn’t do hurt well.
“That can keep; come sit a moment.”
“Okay.” He wandered out, hands landing on Jessy’s shoulders, looking out.
Jess reached up for his hands, connecting them. “I think I can settle here for a while.”
“Yeah. Yeah, we’ll be good here. Look at all that water.”
“I can’t wait to go play in the waves with you, Mike. I want that almost as much as I want to be able to walk under my own power and make love to you.”
“Oh, me too. Soon, huh? The cast comes off in three weeks.” He started rubbing Jessy’s shoulder, petting.
Jess nodded and nuzzled back against his hand. “I’d like to fast forward time, please. Because this sucks.”
“The holidays always go fast, yeah?”
Jessy shrugged. “I guess. I’m usually not out of action for them, though.”
Mike nodded. “Hopefully this will be the only one.” Ever.
“Christ, baby, I never want to be laid up like this again, let alone over the holidays.”
He nodded again, guilt wracking him. “I’ll do everything in my power to make it that way.”
Jess glanced up at him. “You’re not still going on about how this is your fault, are you, baby?”
“Huh?” He blinked, looked out to the water. Jess always knew everything.
“It’s not your fault, Mike. You didn’t ask anyone to stalk you. You didn’t ask them to try to run you the fuck down in their car. This is not your fault. I’m just glad they got me instead of you.”
“I wish it had been me.”
“No. Don’t you say that.” Jessy glared at him.
“Okay.” He didn’t have to say it for it to be true.
Jess tugged on his arm. “Come sit by me, Mike.”
He moved around, settling in the other lounge chair, scooting close enough that they could hold hands.
Jess looked at him, eyes serious. “I’d rather be hurt than see you hurt, baby. And this isn’t your fault, none of it. It’s the fault of that fucker and his coaches who let him think winning at any cost was the right approach. We need to call Jim back. I want Hank sued for emotional distress.”
“I thought I’d lost you. I thought… you pushed me out of the way. You should have gotten out of the way.” He reached out, held on. “I was scared.” He still was, but it was easing.
Jess squeezed his hand, just held on. “I would have gotten out of the way if there was time, but all I was focused on was making sure you were okay. And better scared than dead.” Jessy’s blue eyes held his, full of sympathy and love.
“Well, duh.” Mike grinned over. “But I’d give anything if you didn’t have to hurt.”
“And I’d give anything if you didn’t have to, so I’m more than happy I took the hit.” Jess gave him a rueful smile. “Even if I’m a bear most of the time.”
“My bear.” Mike squeezed, smiled. “I love you, Jessy.”
“I love you, too, Mike. And thank goodness we’re here. Next time we go across country? We’re flying.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know, it was sort of neat, seeing the stuff as we drove. Eating different places.”
“Yeah? Well, I’ll consider it. As long as I’m not laid up.” Jessy gave him a wink and relaxed back into his chair, eyes closing.
Mike just stared out at the ocean. The fact was, if Jessy found another swimmer to coach, Mike wouldn’t be the one traveling with him. He wasn’t sure exactly how to feel about that.
When Jessy started snoring, Mike found a quilt to cover him with and then went back to organizing things for them.
He’d think about it later.
Chapter Twenty-Five
JESSY HAD to admit, he might be hurting and tired, but he was damn happy to be out of the damn SUV for a couple of days. He wasn’t sleeping great, but he was sleeping a hell of a lot better in a proper bed, and at least his tossing and turning was being done in style. He ached, though; even just sitting on the porch under a blanket like a little old man, looking out at the ocean, he ached.
He’d maybe pushed it a bit today, though he’d never admit that, and he needed his pain pills. They were in the fucking bedroom, though, on the dresser. He could picture them in his mind’s eye, the little bottle of pills right there on the edge next to his comb and his wallet. Right where he’d left them.
Crap.
Looked like he’d just have to suffer until Mike got back with supper because he didn’t think he had it in him to move.
His eyelids grew heavy, the sound of the waves soothing his head.
“Here’s your supper, Coach. Your pills and stuff.” Mike’s hand brushed his elbow, the scent of coffee strong, before Mike disappeared again.
Jessy blinked awake, looking over at the stuff on the little table next to him. “Mike? Mike?” Damn it, he’d hardly seen Mike over the last two days. Granted, he’d been trying to sleep for a lot of them, but still.
“I got to do laundry, Coach. You need anything?” Mike looked… miserable. Absolutely fucking miserable.
“I need you to sit with me for a minute, is what I need.” He pointed to the chair next to him, wishing like hell he could have Mike on his lap. He grabbed his pills and tried to pry the cap off, swearing when it wouldn’t cooperate.
“Here. I’ll help.” Mike popped the top, handed him two. “There. They’ll help.”
He nodded. “Yeah.” He nodded at the chair next to him. “Sit.”
“’Kay. How’re you feeling?” Mike plopped down, knees up under the pointed chin.
&n
bsp; “Like shit.” He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. “I’ll be fine as soon as the pills kick in. What about you—fed up taking care of this old man yet?”
“No. I’ll never get tired of you.”
That put a smile on his face. He’d needed to hear it. He hated having to have Mike take care of him—that was his job. “Aside from that, how are you doing? You eating right?”
“I’m good. Just wandering some. I went to the grocery store already. I’m keeping up.”
He reached out, groaning as his fingers slid over Mike’s arm. Christ, he wanted things back to normal.
“Love you, Jess.” Mike reached for him, their fingers twining together.
“Yeah, me too.” He squeezed Mike’s fingers, and for a moment they just sat there, holding hands as the ocean kept crashing against the beach. “I want to make love to you, baby.”
“When you’re better, huh? Then we can, over and over.”
“Uh-huh.” He slid his finger up along Mike’s arm. “That doesn’t mean you can’t still feel good, though.” Hell, the pills were starting to kick in—he could probably even manage a massage. Sort of.
“I don’t want to, not with you hurting, not when it’s my fault.”
“Stop that. It’s not your fault.” Man, he needed to get a recording. “Come on, help me get back inside. I don’t want to use the chair—just the crutches.”
“Aren’t you going to eat? It’s steak.”
“Yeah? I suppose I could manage a bite or two if it’s steak. You can eat with me.”
“There’s a potato and everything. I cooked.”
“I must have slept through that—you’ll have to wake me next time,” he managed to tease. Reaching for the plate, he groaned a little.
Mike came around behind him, fingers on his back, rubbing his shoulders. “Easy. Easy. Should I call the doctor?”
“No, I just overdid it a little today.” He’d walked here and there on the damn crutches, trying to get the hang of them so he could get rid of the chair. He was not going to ask to be fed. He could manage.
“I bet your arms are sore, huh?” Mike started working his upper arms.
“Oh. Oh, fuck. Baby.” He groaned, his eyes closing at how good that felt.
“Yeah.” Mike kissed his temple, touching him harder.
He moaned at the kiss, at the touches. Yes, they eased his muscles, but they also made him feel better deep inside. Mike slid his hands all the way down Jess’s arms, then back up, fingers warm. “Mmm, you been practicing that while I haven’t been looking?”
“Yep. Along with underwater basket weaving. Do you think I should go back to school? I could be a massage therapist.”
“You’d rather do that than major in the underwater basket weaving?” Mike could go back to school when he’d won his golds.
“I don’t know what I want.” Now that was the truth.
“You’ve got plenty of time, baby.” He moaned as Mike hit a particularly sore spot, the sound easing as Mike focused on it.
“I know.” Mike’s cheek was on his shoulder, warm, solid.
Oh yeah, this was what they both needed—time to touch and to be close.
“You’re going to feel better, real soon. I promise.”
“I already do, baby. You’ve got the healing touch.” He slid his hand over Mike’s, patting it.
“Mmmhmm.” Their fingers twined together and they held on, watching the waves.
Chapter Twenty-Six
MIKE FLUSHED the toilet, washed his face, and rested his forehead on the mirror. God, his head hurt.
Jess was growly and hurting, was sick and tired, everything was fucked-up and he wanted…. Hell, Mike didn’t know what the fuck he wanted. It didn’t matter right now, anyway. Right now he just needed to avoid the press and take care of Jess and that poor leg.
“Mike? Baby?” Jessy called him from the bedroom. “You coming out of there anytime soon?”
“Yeah. Yeah. Let me brush my teeth.” He didn’t need any shit about puking.
“Everything okay? You’ve been in there forever.”
“What’s the matter, Jess? You bored?”
“Shit, yes.” The words were growled, and then Jessy whined. “Bed’s lonely without you, baby.”
“I’m coming.” He just couldn’t keep Jessy entertained. He wasn’t good at it. He wasn’t entertaining.
Still, Jessy’s face lit up as he came out of the bathroom. “Come lie by me, baby. Need to touch you.”
He couldn’t help his smile, couldn’t help the way that Jessy’s words made him feel bright and happy. “I can do that.”
“Good.” Jessy watched him the entire way, blue gaze almost heavy on him.
He slid into the bed, pressing close. “How’re you feeling, Jess?”
“Better now.” Jessy leaned in and nuzzled his neck. “God, I miss making you scream.”
Oh God. Him too. He missed having Jessy be strong, having Jessy lead him and help.
Jessy stoked his fingers over Mike’s belly, circled his navel. “I was worried I’d forgotten what your skin feels like.”
“Jessy. Jessy, I’ll….” He was going to get hard, going to just explode.
“What, baby?” Jessy’s mouth slid up his neck, lips closing over his chin and sucking.
“I’m supposed to….” His eyes rolled, and he moaned, scooting closer.
“You’re supposed to lie back and let me make you feel good.” Jessy’s voice was thick, just rasping over his skin.
“I am?” His cock hurt, it was so hard.
“Yes. I’m sure of it.” Jessy’s mouth closed over his, tongue pushing in. It wasn’t aggressive, full-out Jessy, but it was close.
He tried to let the worry, the stress, the ball of hurt in his belly go. Tried to let everything ease up and let Jessy love him. Jessy groaned into his mouth, fingers sliding up toward his nipple. They moved so slowly, Mike thought they’d never get there. A growl bubbled up inside him—impatience and need and frustration right there under the surface. They finally reached his right nipple, but only ghosted over it before doing the same to his left. Before the growl found voice, though, Jessy grabbed his right nipple between thumb and forefinger, giving it a good, hard pinch.
The growl turned into a cry. Oh. Oh, he needed. “More.”
“I know what you need.” Jessy pinched again and then grabbed his other nipple, twisting it. “Just can’t fuck you.” He could hear the frustration in Jessy’s voice.
Mike groaned, pulled away. “This is just going to tease you. We oughta wait.” He was going to drown himself in the fucking bathtub.
“No. Just because I can’t fuck you through the mattress doesn’t mean you don’t get to come. I can still do this.” Jessy’s free hand wrapped around his cock, began to stroke roughly.
“I. Oh. Oh, fuck.” Mike arched, eyes rolling back in his head. “Jessy.”
“Yeah, I’ve got you.” Jessy’s thumb pushed into his slit.
“Please. Hard.” He wasn’t too proud to beg, to need it.
“I know, baby.” Jessy’s blue eyes stared into his as that thumb pressed harder, the burn zinging through him.
He stared back, shaking, needing so bad it hurt.
Jessy slid his hand up and down Mike’s prick with rough strokes, thumb hitting the head every time it went by. At the same time Jessy used the fingers on Mike’s nipple to pull and twist. Finally Mike just let go, moving and pushing into Jessy’s hand, desperate sounds tearing out of him.
“So fucking beautiful, Mike.” Jessy groaned, bending and biting at his nipple.
“Please.” He reached down, fingers working his hole.
Jessy grunted and then shifted until his head was at Mike’s hip. Two of Jessy’s fingers slid in along with his as Jessy took the tip of his cock in that hot mouth, teeth hard on his flesh.
“Don’t… don’t hurt yourself.” Don’t stop. Please.
“Just feel, baby.” Jessy’s tongue pushed into his slit, fingers p
ushing deep, twisting.
“Need.” He spread wider, almost sobbing.
Jessy’s teeth dragged along his cock, the long fingers finally finding his gland.
The room went white-hot and bright, his hips jerking frantically. “There. There. Again. Fuck.” Just one more time.
Just like always, Jessy gave him what he needed, fingers twisting again, pushing hard and making sparkles fly behind his eyes. He shot hard, his balls aching, body screaming with it.
Jessy swallowed him down and then collapsed back against the bed, hand petting his thigh.
He just stayed for a minute, shaking, gasping. The soft touches slid from his thigh to his hip, to his belly, Jessy bringing him down slowly.
“Love you, huh?” He knew Jess knew; he just wanted to say it.
“Mmm, baby, I love you too.”
He knew that too.
Mike just hoped it was going to keep being enough.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
THEY’D BEEN at the condo in Padre for almost two weeks before Jessy realized that Mike was dead serious about retirement. Mike still swam laps, but he spent most of his time in the ocean, playing. Any time Jessy brought up swimming, the subject was deflected.
Well, enough was enough. Jess wasn’t letting Mike give up his dream, wasn’t letting Anderson fucking win. He hobbled his way down to the chairs Mike had set up on the beach and kept going past them to the edge of the water to get Mike’s attention, waving one of his crutches.
“Jessy? You okay?” Mike pulled himself to the shore, worry written all over his face.
“I’m fine, but we need to talk. Let’s go sit.” He gimped his way back to the chairs, trusting Mike would be following.
Mike plopped down in the chair beside him about the time he got settled. “What’s up, Jess?”
“We need to talk about this retirement stuff.” Look at him be diplomatic.
Mike’s lips went stubborn and tight. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Yes, there is. You can’t just retire because of this. You were made to swim, baby! You were headed for the Worlds, the Olympics! It was our dream, baby.”