Dreamspinner Press Year Nine Greatest Hits

by Michael Murphy

  “Any siblings?” Tide asked Lance.

  “Nope. I’m an only.”

  “I wasn’t. I was a middle.” Two sisters.

  “Do you see them?” Those fingers stroked over his skin.

  “Nope. They sided with my parents.” Both of them. They hadn’t even tried to reach out to him. He tried not to be bitter. It put lines in your face.

  “Oh, honey.” Lance reached up, cupped his face. “I’m so sorry. So sorry.”

  He leaned into Lance’s touch. “Thanks, darling. Not your fault, is it?”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care.”

  He kissed Lance’s hand. “Thank you.”

  Lance kissed his forehead, his nose, the corner of his mouth. Turning his head, he took a proper kiss. Oh, caramel and coffee. Yum. He slid his tongue deeper, wanting more of the flavor.

  “Get a room, guys.”

  Lance leaned back, eyes wide.

  “You don’t have to watch,” Tide said, not in the least bit intimidated. They were in a corner—you had to work to see them.

  Soft giggles came from Lance, the sound purely tickled. He gave Lance a wink. Then he kissed the back of Lance’s hand again.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked.

  “I am. Thank you for the coffee.”

  “Thank you for sharing the flavor with me.”

  Oh, he loved those blushes.

  He licked Lance’s lower lip, then stood and held out his hand. “I can’t wait to show you my home.”

  “I’m excited. Honest.” Lance took his hand, fingers twining with his.

  “Good. I made the bed this morning. Hospital corners and everything.”

  “You’re serious?” Lance asked.

  “Yeah, I am. Why?”

  They headed out. He was parked around the corner.

  “I don’t think I even know what a hospital corner is.”

  “Oh, I’ll have to show you. It’ll give me an excuse to get you in there.”

  Lance chuckled. “Come into my parlor?”

  “Exactly. Except I want us to be sexier than a spider and a fly.”

  “Yeah. Those aren’t terribly hot, are they?” Lance walked along with him.

  “Nope. More like creepy.”

  “Flies especially. I hate them.”

  “Them and mosquitos.” He put Lance’s hand on his arm and continued toward the car.

  “Where do you live?” Lance asked.

  “In the Quays.”

  “Oh, neat. How fun.”

  “Yeah, it’s a great spot.” He liked that it was central to everything.

  They got to his car and he opened the passenger door for Lance.

  “You’re so gallant,” Lance noted.

  “Gallant? I’m just trying to seduce you, remember?”

  “I do. Still, it’s nice to feel special.”

  “You should feel special,” Tide insisted. “You are.”

  Lance blushed dark, ducked his chin. Tide leaned in, reaching over Lance to plug in his seat belt.

  “You don’t have to do that….”

  Tide turned his head, their faces mere centimeters apart. “I know. I want to.”

  “Gonna spoil me.”

  “I’m certainly going to try.” He pressed a kiss on Lance’s lips.

  Lance gasped, opening up for him, tongue touching his lips. Groaning, he sucked Lance’s tongue in. Lance leaned in, moved closer to him. He deepened the kiss, but only for a moment. It wasn’t as easy to forget where they were the way he was bent and leaned into the car. There were better places to play.

  He rubbed their noses together after they ended the kiss, then closed Lance’s door and went around to the driver’s side.

  “It won’t take too long to get there,” he promised.

  “Cool. How long have you lived there?”

  “About five years. I had some big contracts when I was first ‘discovered’ and I invested in the house first. I figured that way I’d always have a place to live.”

  “That’s smart. Really smart.”

  “I tried to be smart. The temptation to just spend it on fun stuff was absolutely huge.”

  Lance grinned at him. “Yeah? Like what? What would have been more fun?”

  “I wanted a huge TV and the latest gaming system. Clothes. Travel. Eating out every night.”

  “Yeah. I would have gone to Italy or something.” Lance got a dreamy look in his eyes.

  “I’ve been there a couple time on shoots. I’d love to go back and actually be a tourist. It’d be even better with someone special.”

  Lance bounced. “So is it as cool as it seems?”

  “Yeah. There are statues in Rome like everywhere.”

  “I hear the light’s stunning.”

  “It made me look good.” He winked at Lance.

  “Mmm.” That was a pleased sound.

  He smiled and turned the car into his drive. “Here we are.”

  Lance lifted his camera, took a picture before even looking.

  “You know things still exist if you don’t take their picture.” He thought he saw Lance shake his head. “They do.”

  He put an arm around Lance and guided him up the stairs. His home was modern, sleek, and open, and he was damn proud of it. “Look at my view.” He had the harbor out there and it was stunning.

  Lance went to the huge bay windows and stared, a look of wonder on his face.

  “Pretty great, isn’t it?” He sat and looked out these windows every morning.

  “It’s stunning. Honestly.”

  “Yeah. I have every hope that you’ll be staring out at it with me tomorrow morning.”

  Lance didn’t answer. It was as if he didn’t know what to say.

  “You wanna see the rest of the place?” Tide asked.

  “I do. Did you decorate or hire it in?”

  “I decorated. I like to think I have good taste.”

  Lance looked around, and Tide found himself unaccountably nervous. The whole living/dining/kitchen area was white with splashes of color and chrome accents. “What do you think?”

  Lance turned back toward him. “I think you have an amazing eye.”

  “Coming from you that means a lot.”

  “It’s the truth. It’s lovely.”

  Hugging Lance to him, Tide took a kiss. “Are you ready for the loft bedroom? There’s nude shots.” Was it vain to have nude shots of yourself? He had a bunch with him and Tyrone too, from back when they were young hot studs.

  “Oh?” Lance grabbed his hand. “Show me? Who shot them?”

  “It was how I got paid for one of my jobs.”

  “Ah. Cool. It’s obvious you’re proud of how you look. I don’t blame you at all.”

  “I try not to be bigheaded about it. Or arrogant.”

  “Just honest. You’re just honest.”

  He gave Lance a kiss. “Thanks, darling. Come on up. In the interest of still being honest—I want to do more than just show you the pictures in my bedroom.”

  Lance chuckled. “I don’t think anyone could be naive enough to think you weren’t interested in more….”

  “Oh good. I just wanted to be sure you knew I was taking you to my lair.”

  “I know.”

  Finding that spot on Lance’s back, he stroked it as he led Lance up the stairs. Lance moaned, the little hot spot in a perfect place. Once up the stairs, he turned Lance to him, taking a long kiss. He wanted Lance crazy for him. He kept stroking that sweet spot just above Lance’s ass. Lance pushed against him, cock hard as stone, pressing against him. Someone wanted, and badly enough to be pushy. Tide loved it. Such a needy slut of a boy. His needy slut of a boy.

  Breaking the kiss, he moved slowly toward the bed.

  “Your photos….” Lance protested.

  “Sure. Let’s take a look.”

  Lance nodded, but those eyes were on him, focused and hungry. Wanton. Tide took Lance’s mouth again. The pictures could wait. Lance reached out, cupped Tide�
��s cock, and rubbed. Groaning, he spread his legs a little. He loved the sudden boldness, the way Lance let his fingers curl and nudge his balls.

  “Feels good, darling.”

  “You do.” Lance licked his lips, moaned for him.

  “Sexy minx.” He kissed Lance again, rocking into the slender hand.

  Lance pushed up, tongue sliding in, his boy suddenly hungry. He sucked on that tongue, hands going to Lance’s ass and tugging him closer. Lance’s fingers dug into his shoulders, pushing hard. He began backing up toward the bed. The photos would still be there after they had thoroughly explored the bed.

  Stopping by the mattress, he began undressing Lance.

  “Are we going to make love?” Lance asked.

  “I sure hope so.”

  “Me too. Is this going to mess up our professional relationship?”

  “Not if we choose not to let it. Can you still take my picture, even though we’ve made love?”

  “I can.” Lance reached for his camera, but it was downstairs.

  Taking Lance’s hands, he put them on his waist. “Take my clothes off, darling.”

  “It’s like unwrapping a present.”

  “Mmm. Nice.” He nodded, taking off Lance’s glasses and pulling Lance’s shirt up over his head.

  Lance gasped, arms flying up. Tide drew his fingers down along Lance’s arms and chest to his waistband. The flat belly drew in, fuzzy glory trail tickling his fingers.

  “So pretty.” He wanted to explore every inch. “Your turn, baby.”

  “I’m scrawny compared to you.”

  “You’re lovely. Absolutely.”

  “You…. Are you in love with Tyrone and Bran?” Lance asked.

  “I love them. Tyrone is my best friend. But I’m not in love with them.”

  “It’s okay. I just like to know what’s what.”

  “What’s what is that I’m free and clear to seduce you.”

  “Yeah. I’m not dating right now.”

  “Good. I’d hate to have to spend time running someone off.” He started undoing Lance’s pants.

  “I didn’t… I don’t need help with that. I run them off on my own.” Lance touched Tide’s belly, drawing lazy circles.

  “I find that hard to believe. And I’m not going to be run off.”

  Lance shrugged, hiding from him.

  He pulled open Lance’s pants. “I’m not.”

  “Shh. It’s a silly argument. Kiss me.”

  “It’s not silly, but I will kiss you.” Which he did, slipping his tongue between Lance’s lips.

  Lance took it, sucking his tongue. He tugged Lance’s slacks down past his hips, then brought them both down to the mattress.

  “I. You. God, Tide. I feel totally shivery.”

  “That’s a good thing.” He slid his fingers along Lance’s side.

  “It’s an unnerving thing, that’s for sure.”

  “Trust me to keep you from flying apart.”

  “I don’t know what to do next.” Lance chuckled, the sound nervous and unnerved. “You must think I’m such a whiny baby.”

  “I think you’re a beautiful, shy man and you intoxicate me.” And his boy didn’t need to keep running himself down.

  Grumbling lightly, he began to kiss Lance’s skin. He focused on touching, on letting Lance feel, breathe. It felt like they were connected wherever their skin met. Lance melted, slowly relaxing, fingers opening, lips parting. Tide traced Lance’s lips with his tongue, teasing the sweet flesh.

  Lance arched, hummed so softly. Tide licked again, then sucked Lance’s tongue in. It was a slow, sweet seduction, easy as anything. He rubbed their bodies together, fingers sliding on skin.

  Lance was hard, leaking against him.

  “Gonna make you fly,” Tide promised.

  “Never known anyone like you.”

  “I’m glad.” He was selfish, he wanted to be Lance’s first—first Top, first intense lover, first man to send Lance to the moon. He wanted to teach Lance everything, pleasure, pain, control. The joy they could find together. And he wanted Lance to want it, to need it, to crave it. No. To want, need, and crave him.

  He left Lance’s mouth in favor of sliding his lips along Lance’s throat, mouth working to find any sweet spots.

  “Oh.” That was a happy little sound.

  He found an especially sensitive spot just to the right of Lance’s Adam’s apple and he teased it with his tongue. Trembling fingers grabbed his shoulders, and that hot little body pressed against his. Groaning, he used his teeth for a little stronger touch.

  Lance gasped. “Oh God. That’s good.”

  Grinning, he licked, then scraped his teeth over the little patch of skin again. Lance began to moan, to rock against him, undulating under him. So sensual. Tide loved that, loved that he could have Lance wild just with some kisses and finding a hot spot, sticking with it.

  He flicked one nipple, then dragged his fingers down Lance’s side. The whimper he got was gratifying, and he flicked the other nipple next. Lance swallowed, chin lifting to encourage more wet kisses. Chuckling, he licked his way across Lance’s throat to the other side of his neck.

  “L-laughing at me.”

  “Not for a second. You just make me so happy.”

  “Oh.” Lance smiled, the look so pleased, so young.

  Smiling back, Tide took one kiss after another. When Lance started kissing him back, it felt like a victory. He flicked Lance’s nipples over and over again.

  “Aches some,” Lance said.

  “Good ache.” It wasn’t a question.

  “It…. I don’t know what to say,” Lance admitted.

  “Why not?” He flicked again, the little bit of flesh hard as anything.

  “I don’t know!” Lance jerked, hips rolling.

  “I’m not going to stop. Tell me something. It can be anything.”

  “I don’t want to like hurting.” Oh, there was something real.

  “Why not?”

  “Because.” Okay, that was adorable.

  “Because….” Tide nipped at Lance’s right nipple. “It feels too good?”

  “It’s too much. So big.”

  “That’s why it’s so good. It pushes you, expands you.”

  “I don’t even know what that means.”

  “It means you take more than you think you can, and it… opens you up to life.”

  Lance kissed him again, tongue sliding alongside his, his boy shutting him up. It made him happy inside and he let it happen, grabbing on to Lance’s tongue to suck it gently. There was nothing wrong with a little sexual distraction. Especially when they were in bed making love to begin with.

  Moaning around Lance’s tongue, he found the long cock and wrapped his hand around it. His needy boy arched up, pushed into his touch. The poor well-jacked piece of meat was raw and red, abused. It was leaking hard, though, and he spread the drops with his thumb, making everything slick.

  Lance humped restlessly, hips jerking and rolling, driving that cock through his fingers.

  “What would you do if I said you weren’t allowed to come?” Tide asked.

  “What? Isn’t that what we’re doing?”

  “We’re making love, yes. But what if I was your Dom and I said you couldn’t come until I said you were allowed to and that you’d be punished if you disobeyed?”

  How much was Lance into the lifestyle, even if he didn’t know it?

  Lance blinked at him. “I— Punished?” Lance’s cock swelled, bobbed.

  “Yeah, that’s right, darling. Your body knows what turns you on.” He squeezed Lance’s cock, brought his sweet boy’s attention to it.

  “I…. It aches. I tried to come so much so I wouldn’t get hard.”

  “Yet here you are. Hard, needy, desperately turned-on by my words.” He kissed Lance, hand still working the hard cock slowly. “When we’ve both come, we’re going to have a conversation about safewords and limits and punishments and joy.”

  “Both of us. Oh
thank God.”

  Tide laughed. “Yes, I’m not punishing you without going over the ins and outs and everything with you first.”

  Shivering, Lance nodded, but then shook his head and looked like he was about to nod again. He finally settled on “Please.”

  Tide rubbed his thumb into Lance’s slit, knowing the sting would burn. Lance gasped, legs drawing up, a low cry sounding.

  “Touch me. Make me come with you.”

  Lance nodded, again and again, reaching for his cock.

  “Such a sweet touch.”

  Lance stroked, base to tip, teasing him, tugging him. Tide rubbed his own thumb across the tip of Lance’s cock again. Lance bared his teeth, shook his head back and forth.

  “Go with it, darling. Let the pain and pleasure mingle.”

  “It burns.” Lance pushed into the touch again.

  “I know. It feels good, too.”

  Lance was so into the pain but hadn’t accepted it yet. Lance nodded, teeth sinking into his bottom lip. Tide licked at Lance’s lower lip, freeing it.

  “I get to bite it,” he whispered. “Not you.” He held Lance’s gaze, eager to see his boy’s reaction to his words.

  “No biting.” There was no breath behind Lance’s words.

  “Oh fuck yes. But I’ll wait until we’ve had our talk.”

  “No more talking. Enough talking.”

  “After we come, there will be lots of talking.”

  “Not now. Please.”

  “It’s not making you any less horny.”

  Lance pushed up and kissed him, hard. He smiled into Lance’s kiss, tickled by his boy’s distraction techniques. Every second he was more interested, more fascinated.

  He drove his cock through Lance’s hand, using his own to work Lance’s sweet prick with more intent. Lance stroked him, long and steady, sure. He got them working together, the pleasure building. He loved the little moans, the deep cries.

  “You gonna come when I tell you to?” Tide asked.

  “Uh-huh. Uh-huh.”

  “Such a good boy.” He squeezed the tip of Lance’s cock, making his lover burn.

  Lance cried out, eyes rolling.

  “Okay, darling. Get ready.”

  “S-so calm. So calm.”