Road Trip, Volume 1

by BA Tortuga

  “I haven’t ever met one in person.” Although, he thought riding one would be fun, in an up-and-down-roller-coaster-on-Quaaludes sort of way.

  “It is. And they have the most marvelous feet.” Sipping, Neil wandered, those lean hands poking at this, picking up that.

  “I like your feet.” Well, that was odd. Did he? Yeah. Yeah, kind of.

  For feet, Neil’s were long and lean. Fine-boned. He approved.

  Though he had a sudden image of Neil with purple toenail polish on. With glitter.

  He chuckled, blowing bubbles in his tea. Glitter. That was.

  Yeah.

  Glitter.

  “Like ice?” Neil asked. Man, he didn’t have to even talk to have a conversation with this guy.

  “No, like sparkles, like in the little bottles that you sprinkle on glue.” Oh God, he used to love that part. Dumping the glitter on the glue lumps and then blowing.

  “Ah. I never got to do that in school. You’ll have to show me. We’ll make a sign for your lab.” That glinting grin was just full of mischief, a real sense of the absurd, of fun.

  “Oh….” Oh yes. A big sign that said, Leave the Chocolate Here, and Bethy, Go Home.

  “Be careful, or I shall have to kiss you again.” One hand ghosted over his back, leaving him with a wow, mmm, tea, want to kiss you now jumble of thoughts.

  “Is that supposed to be bad?” He wanted out, all of the sudden, the need sharp and sure and weird as hell, because he loved working….

  “No. Inappropriate, perhaps. You complicate things, sweet. You really do. I was supposed to remain detached.” Okay, that made sense, if Neil was supposed to, like, decide if he was sane.

  “I complicate everything. I always do. I always have.” He could live with that.

  “That’s all right, then.” Well, well. Now Neil was giving him that kiss, hands on his wrists pulling him close. He could see Neil’s eyelashes, pale at the ends, dark down next to the eyelid. Oh. Oh, orange and tea and Neil. That was something special. Almost as good as chocolate. A laugh slid over his lips, and Neil moved closer, kissing him harder. The man was just shameless, which was totally cool and yet weird and yet cool…. He wrapped his lips around Neil’s tongue, sucking and humming as Neil’s fingers dug into his hips.

  “Mmm.” Neil. That was Neil, moaning for him. Just. Wow. That such a sophisticated guy with, like, an accent could moan like that. For him.

  “I want. Can’t we go?” Somewhere with a bed. With a couch. Anywhere. His little apartment was right here in the complex.

  “We might be able to, I think. I’m sure I can convince your boss it was necessary.” Those eyes…. Neil smiled. “Is anything burning?”

  “Probably.” He grinned, sniffing for smells that seemed more dangerous than usual.

  “Well, we should shut all that down first, hmm?” Another quick kiss that he felt down to his toes and Neil wandered off checking burners.

  Neil was very good at that.

  Honestly.

  Paddy bet Neil hadn’t blown up a room in years.

  Maybe ever.

  “Oh, I blew up a chemistry lab once in secondary school. Aha. There.” The last burner went out when Neil turned the little feeder switch, and then Paddy had an armload of pretty Brit. “Shall we?”

  “Really? Good for you!” Any man brave enough to blow up an entire lab—school or not—understood the whole wow-boom factor.

  “Well, my headmaster certainly didn’t think it was good. Let’s go.” They went, Neil bopping along beside him, chattering about the British school system. He kind of lost the words in watching Neil’s mouth.

  Bowed at the top, bottom lip full and not quite red, not quite pink—he could imagine it on his skin, could imagine it moaning.

  Imagine it wrapped around his….

  Yeah.

  Neil’s cheeks heated, and he got a sideways glance. “If you like, love, I certainly will.”

  “I….” Okay, that was embarrassing and sort of pushy of him, but yeah. Yeah, he’d like. He’d really like. There were all sorts of things he’d like, really. He could probably make a list.

  “I would like it too, I can assure you.” Oh, was that a hand on his ass? Man, he hoped Bethany didn’t see them leave.

  Oh hot. Good. Yeah. That hand squeezed, rubbed a little, and suddenly he didn’t really care if Bethy did. They got outside, and he went toward the elevator while Neil started toward the visitor lot. They both stopped, Neil grinning back at him. “Your place or mine?”

  “Your car is cleaner.”

  “Mine, then. We can get out of sight, and I can try that thing you want.”

  Oh man. Woo. He nodded and headed toward the visitor lot. “How long do you get to stay?”

  “Oh, that depends on you, love.” Neil grabbed his hand as soon as they were out of sight of the main building. “I hope a good while.”

  “Tell me what to blow up to keep you working.” He winked over, hoping that sounded casual enough and true enough, all at the same time.

  “Oh, I think you’ll keep me in work a bit. I can always lie and say I need more time for evaluation.” Finally. Finally they got to Neil’s car, got in. Yeah. Now they could hunker down and touch.

  He turned, hand sliding up along Neil’s thigh, just touching. “You don’t wear jeans very often.”

  “I don’t, no. I simply wasn’t raised with them. But you like the way they look on me.” Okay, sometimes it was good that Neil could read him like a book.

  “I do. They make your butt look hot.” Mmm. Neil’s butt. Nice and firm, proportional. Muscled but not “gee I’m going to crack your nuts” hard.

  “Do they?” Moving closer, Neil put one hand on his chest while kissing his chin. “I do like to emphasize my assets. I like yours too.”

  Who knew his nipple could be so sensitive even under a lab coat and shirt?

  “I have assets?” Mmm. He could eat Neil up with a spoon.

  “You do. You have the most fascinating mind of anyone I’ve ever met. You have the best hair. Your cock is lovely.” All the while Neil extolled his virtues the man was petting him. His chest, his belly, his fly….

  He groaned and caught Neil’s lips with his own, pushing his tongue in to taste. Neil kissed him right back, meeting his tongue and playing it, licking his lips as they parted to breathe. Those hands moved on him, tracing patterns, making him crazy with his clothes still on. He wanted. He wanted skin and tasting and more of those kisses and to hear that amazing voice calling out when things were good.

  “Should we go, Paddy? Or should I suck you here?”

  Decisions, decisions.

  Oh God. God. If they did it here, somebody might stop them, but as hard as he was, he wouldn’t last three minutes. Which, okay, not studly, and if they waited, he could calm down and he’d do better, but oh. That mouth.

  “There’s something to be said for urgency,” Neil said. The sound of his zipper going down seemed huge, loud and grating. One lean hand closed around him, stroking him hard for a moment. Then Neil bent and wiggled and got down in the seat enough to suck him right in.

  His mouth opened and closed, breath caught in his chest. Oh. Neil. That mouth. Oh. Wow. Hot. Hothothot. Those lips tightened around him, riding up and down, Neil’s tongue working him. Clever, clever tongue. Good Neil. Everything in him went sproing and wow and uhn and…. Fireworks went off behind his eyes, entire body into it as he shot.

  “Mmm.” Neil hummed around him before sitting up, patting him, and putting him away. “I think to your place now, love. I’m in no position to drive.”

  “Uh-huh.” He nodded, head all heavy and loose on his neck. “My place.”

  Wow.

  “Oh, you have babyhead.” Those lips, warm with his own come, found his neck. “You’re adorable, you know.”

  “You make me feel….” He was so utterly taken it wasn’t funny.

  “Good.” The look he got came serious as a heart attack, all steady and solid. “You do the same
to me, Paddy. You do, indeed.”

  “Good. Oh, good. Come on. My sheets are clean.” They were in the clothes basket, but they were clean. Neil was the only guy he’d ever done laundry for.

  Laughing, Neil opened the car door and stepped out, waiting for him. He could see the tent in Neil’s jeans, so he knew there was more fun in his future.

  A man didn’t have to be a mind reader to know that.

  Chapter Eleven

  THREE A.M. looked dark. That was Neil’s first thought when he woke up, opening his eyes to pure darkness. They adjusted eventually, but Neil still saw very little. All his vision was focused inward. Something had awakened him, some echo of a thought that was neither his nor Paddy’s. In fact, Paddy slept so soundly his usual surface brain chatter seemed muted, underwater.

  Neil squinted, listening hard, but the only thing he could hear was a tiny rumble, like a distant car engine. A big car, one with a well-tuned motor. And then even that was gone.

  Restless, Neil rolled out of bed and padded into the little living room of Paddy’s apartment, searching for his cell phone. Somewhere he knew he’d… ah. There.

  He hit the number on autodial, knowing someone would answer, day or night. The extremely polite young lady who answered wanted to be anywhere but at work at five in the morning her time, and she was wondering if her boyfriend was cheating on her. She transferred him straightaway, though, and Neil waited for the gravelly voice of his current employer.

  “Yeah?” The man was hard to read, which Neil supposed was a good thing. Knowing what that fellow knew might be dangerous.

  “Is there anything on the radar that I need to know about?” he asked. They might know something and not call him if it was simply a rumor.

  “Why, what have you heard?” There was a guarded curiosity, an odd lack of emotion.

  “I just had a… I don’t know. I just think someone is coming, really.” What else could he say? The man really didn’t know whether to believe he could do what he was hired to do, and who could blame him? The only one who had ever accepted it without question was Paddy.

  “Well, you’re there to know that. If someone is, it is imperative that they do not come in contact with your target. His… acquiescence is necessary to the project.”

  “So you’ve said.” The thought gave him a twinge now that had been noticeably absent when Neil had taken the job. He’d thought Paddy would be the usual government drone. Now he knew better. “I shall do my best, but I should think you’d want to look into it. Just in case.”

  “I’ll have it dealt with. Is everything proceeding as planned with your assignment?”

  “So far, so good.” Really, the man had a one-track mind. “Work proceeds apace.”

  “Excellent. If there are any complications, don’t hesitate to contact me.” Cold and slippery.

  “Naturally. Thanks so much for your abundant help.” He hated to snarl. It was so rude. But really, it was 3:00 a.m., and he was awake and had cold dread in the pit of his belly. He rang off, tossing the phone aside in disgust. Maybe some tea.

  He heard Paddy’s mind, the bright, curious questioning hitting him in a rush. Where was he? Was he okay? What was that noise? Why wouldn’t Neil be okay? When did it get cold? Why was it dark?

  Someone wasn’t sleeping hard anymore. Paddy was wide-awake. Neil went to poke his head in the bedroom. “Did I wake you, love?”

  “I thought I heard you talking to me.” Paddy’s hair was tousled, curls going every which way, eyes wide. “Were you talking to me?”

  “I was probably muttering to myself, love.” He might as well have been, at any rate. The edge of the bed gave under his hip as he sat, having been drawn right to Paddy without even thinking.

  Paddy’s hand slid over his thigh, patting just a tad. “Mutter mutter mutter.”

  Paddy loved his skin, worried about him not sleeping, wanted to snuggle up and get warm.

  “I thought I might have some tea, but you might convince me otherwise.” Some lingering guilt kept him from sliding right back into bed. He rather hated deceiving Paddy.

  “We could have tea.” Visions of oranges and lemons and mint floating through his mind, only to be swept away by a dozen other quicksilver thoughts.

  “We could. Have you any honey? I could make us honey lemon tea. Warm and soothing.” Following those thoughts was like trying to catch a shoal of minnows with one’s bare hands.

  “I do. Did you know it’s the only food that can’t spoil?”

  “Really?” His hands moved of their own accord, fingers sliding under the blanket to stroke Paddy’s bare chest. “It makes for lovely tea. And honey cake is a favorite of mine.”

  “Honey cake. Yum. I like chocolate cake with whipped cream and strawberries.” Visions of parties and streamers and balloons and a woman who looked very much like Paddy filled him.

  Those tiny glimpses into Paddy’s life outside the lab fascinated him. He wandered after them idly, seeing a stick horse and a train set and best of all, a junior chemistry kit. It had him smiling, his stiff shoulders relaxing. Paddy scooted up, fingers on his neck, massaging in random circles. There was a simple pleasure he could read, a joy that seemed near impossible and untainted.

  Suddenly he needed to taste it, to feel it from the inside out. Neil leaned in, pressed his lips to Paddy’s, his tongue opening up that sweet mouth to push inside. Yes. That was it. Better than honey.

  Neil. Neil. Good. Hi. Oh. The words flashed through him at lightning speed, then shattered into a shuddering pleasure as Paddy committed to the kiss. That glittery, quicksilver mind made him happy deep inside. He cupped the back of Paddy’s head, his fingers sinking into the wild curls so he could hold Paddy to him, kiss him harder. He stroked that hot spot at the base of Paddy’s neck, groaning as the pleasure between them flared, sharp and sudden.

  He pushed Paddy down, straddling his thighs and keeping the kiss going, stopping only to breathe before diving in again. The yesgooduhhuh drowned out everything from his worries to that nagging echo.

  Paddy’s fingers trailed down his spine, tracing his tattoo without even seeing it. Arching, he hummed into the kiss, letting it wash over him. The pleasure seemed to double, perhaps triple, and Neil rocked down, his prick hard as stone.

  Paddy groaned, green eyes staring up at him, the pleasure and passion in them clear. So giving. Neil shifted up, got them rubbing together, hardness to hardness, loving how Paddy’s eyes went wide, how he got a gasp. Paddy’s hand settled on his hip, helping him move, both of them finding a rhythm that suited them, right off. His eyes rolled, and Neil rocked, letting Paddy’s excitement send his own soaring, feeling touches inside and out. Paddy groaned, teeth scraping against his bottom lip, the pleasure singing between them. Their chins clunked together as he zigged and Paddy zagged, and they both laughed. Then they kissed again, and the laughter fled before pure need.

  Paddy wrapped around him, fingernails sliding against his skin.

  His spine arched, pushing his hips against Paddy’s in desperate little bursts, his whole body on fire now. He thought he might be talking, saying things that he wasn’t sure he should say. Perhaps he didn’t say them out loud. It didn’t seem to matter to Paddy, though, what he said. Paddy was all focused on pleasure and heat and need and right now.

  They moved faster and faster, the whirlwind rising between them. Neil bit down on Paddy’s throat, wanting to feel the sting from Paddy’s side.

  Oh, brighthappyneedysharpgoodlove! The sensations, the thought, flooding him.

  “Love. Oh God.” His hips slammed into the cradle of Paddy’s, his prick throbbing as he came hard. His whole body shook, his hands clinging to Paddy’s arms.

  Paddy groaned for him, shifting and sliding. He got to feel Paddy’s climax, almost as strong as his own. His head spun, taking him out of himself to a place he’d rarely visited, could hardly remember since childhood, in fact. A place where he felt almost completely merged with another person. Neil tried to slam his guard back
into place, but he felt disoriented, like he was waking from a falling dream.

  “So good. Make me feel so good.” Paddy hummed and muttered, babbling randomly, hands sliding over his shoulders.

  That finally anchored him, brought him back down to earth gently. Smiling, he kissed Paddy’s chin, nodding. “Yes, love. We rub along well. So to speak.”

  Oh, goodness, that laughter filled the room, the joy pure and unaffected. Such full, deep laughter made him laugh right along, shoving aside the twinge of guilt that tried to resurface. When they both stopped to wheeze, tears running down their faces, he pushed up and sat on the edge of the bed. “I think I should still like that tea.”

  “I think you should still like that tea too, since you liked it fifteen minutes ago….”

  “Don’t make me hurt you, sweet.” He reached out, his hand finding Paddy’s thigh unerringly to pinch, to pull the little hairs there. Paddy squeaked and laughed, sliding closer to him, fingers digging into his ribs.

  Oh ho! Someone wanted to play. Neil dove right in, pulling Paddy to him and holding on while he found each ticklish spot. He rather had an unfair advantage.

  “Uncle! Uncle!” Paddy pushed right up against him, head thrown back, cheeks flushed as they laughed.

  What could he do but reward that with a kiss, as well as a hard hug. That sturdy body felt so good against him, not even in a sexual way. Just… touching another person and knowing they enjoyed it.

  Paddy cuddled in, holding him close. “This isn’t getting you your tea, Neil.”

  “True. You might have soothed me enough that I will not need it before breakfast, hmm?” Paddy wanted so badly for that to be true, didn’t he? Neil settled in, pulling the covers over them. “I think I’ll be just fine.”

  “Good. I… I’m a fan of just fine in my lovers.” Paddy was starting to float, to doze.

  “Sleep, love.” He might not sleep right away, that lingering feeling keeping him up as he watched over Paddy. But he still thought as long as he could hang about and bask in Paddy’s presence, he might indeed be just fine.